My Challenge Mod

To me, the core problem with EB now is that the AI fails to put up much of a challenge. I want the game to throw difficulties at me, which I need to overcome through good play.

As it is right now, once about 10 years are done, I feel that I have an unassailable position normally, and I can take any enemy army apart as I choose. I have 2 'full stack' armies and run little risk of losing them. I often control the seas as well, and I have developed mines everywhere obvious, which pour money into the coffers.

So I though the way to change EB to make it 'more of a challenge' might be to start inflating prices, so that money was sucked out of the economy. Of course, this happens to the AI as well, but then they can be compensated (and already are to some extent).

Neither do we want the situation with the original script where empires such as the Seleucids pump out so many troops that the game becomes boring because you have to fight every turn (or several fights per turn).

In my latest mod, I have had some success, but don't think I have really got to where it needs to be. I have done the following things:

- Starting with 81a
- Done all the bugfixes and the elephant model fix
- Installed my realistic troop numbers mod and 'epic battles' mod, so that troops are represented on a 1:6 scale, including ground speed changes. This makes battles harder to win, at least in theory, although if you have more troops than the AI, it is always fairly easy to outsmart.
- Doubled the initial price of all troops (increasing maintenance would drive several factions broke straight away. I thought it would be better to increase purchase prices).
- More than doubled the price of buildings. In particular, faction government buildings have been increased in price, up to 20,000 for a Type I Government building. In this way, expansion costs money, so cannot be sustained in a 'blitz' type fashion.
- Added in Darth's formations to see if that helps the tactical AI

This seemed to work to make the game harder initially, but after about 10-15 years, I am again awash with money, and can happily build something in every town of my empire, while maintaining 2 large armies and the garrisons needed, and expand at a fairly blitzing speed.

Therefore I think that it is currently only a limited success.

I am going to try again and redouble the price of all troops! That should mean an even greater penalty for losses, and the need to stockpile money in order to go on the offensive.

Also, I wonder what else I can do to stop the 'blitz'? Increase the time required to install government buildings? Increase the time to build the 'temporary government'?

Any other ideas people have to make this game a challenge?

(Apart from playing as Saka!)

Hunter

The challenge is there if you play VH/VH. The first years wont be so problematic (playing as Rome), but it will definately be there when the AI begins to spam armies later on. Youll still win of course, but on VH its not easy to beat carthages elite armies. (Of course you should play with some house rules considering blitzing).

I find the 'battle huge stack every turn' game to be not very fun.

I have doubled the price of army maintenance, and that is keeping me very poor indeed. I increased the financial assistance to other countries, to keep them 'in the black'. It is too early to tell whether they will expand appropriately given the new cost system.

As Rome, I have taken Southern Italy, but cannot afford to properly integrate it yet. I can build few buildings, and can barely keep my 2 legions in the field (1 H, 1P, 1T, 1 Equites, 1 Accensi each legion). I have Leves guarding each town.

Now that is a challenge :-)

p.s. Finding Accensi to be a 'problem'. They are meant to be very weak troops, but the fact that they have a sling makes them the most useful thing around. I am tempted to take their ammo down to 1 or something, to make them far more useless (as they indeed were most of the time).

what I think would be god to add/take away would be movment point say half if you could do that just for human's and not AI prefected
also instead of unit upkeep/recuirtment costs being high make the money from taxes,farming and traded lower

Quote:

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Originally Posted by king hannibal

what I think would be god to add/take away would be movment point say half if you could do that just for human's and not AI prefected
also instead of unit upkeep/recuirtment costs being high make the money from taxes,farming and traded lower

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Well yes, instead of making everything more expensive, I coud have lowered the income from mining, trade, taxes, etc. Except that, I don't know how :P

So I settled on increased prices.

I don't think it is possible to take movement away for the player and not the AI.

Hunter