Gameplay Balance

[Watchman]

The whole cavalry vs. skirmishers problem chiefly comes from a few issues. One, and easily the worst, is that the engine is kind of stupid when it comes to cavalry charges against loose-order units, and God forbid if they're trying to run away with skirmish mode... they should bust right through like the proverbial hot knife in butter, but engine mechanics is engine mechanics. Not much that can be done there really.

Another is simply that most skirmishers come in such godawfully big units, pure and simple. The low-level ones invariably have base unit size 60, over double that of cavalry; sheer numbers make them relatively resistant to the effects of casualties, and allow them to do surprising amounts of damage through sheer attrition in an extended fight before they finally reach the breaking point.
Again, not that much that can be done there except change tactics. Go in, do some damage, pull out and charge again; the lowly stickpickers should break soon enough with that.

[quackingduck]

calvary still eniliate everything for me usually (yes i do play medium battle difficluty). what has worked for me is taking 2 groups of a very heavy calvary (iberian HC, companion cav, sacred band, etc.) and before the battle starts and you are deploying your troops just put them right on top of each other sorta so you get 2 groups in the space of one. and keep them like this throughout the battle
when you have them like this they will eniliate skirmishers, archers, from the front and most heavy infantry from the back. espesially once they start to get 4+ experience. also having a 3rd group ready to back up your 2 doesnt hurt either. you just charge, double click away, and charge again. if you have more than 2 groups of cav take turns charging. if you do this infantry wont stand a chance.

[Arkanin]

Well, I guess that does it; I am going to try a VH/M campaign, but then the next question on my mind is whether I will have luck finding a challenging campaign as such.

Playing as Hellon Koinon and Lusotanan (sp both) I have found VH/VH to be an excellent difficulty, not insurmountable but a good challenge.

By the way, one more question, are Macedonian pike levies very broken -- as in, must be completely surrounded by superior units to kill, in my case, Greece has no real viable counter tactic -- or is that another VH/VH fluke? It would seem that VH would make pike levies overpowered given the fact that they need a lower attack and defense to be fair.

[mcantu]

VH will make any AI unit overpowered. It gives them +7 to attack and +7 to morale...

[JeffBag]

Actually I think its +7 attack, +7 defense skill, and then +7 to morale. Even skirmishers can annihilate anything. A fun campaign even on VH/M is Pontos; full stacks of Seleucid against your half stacks more than makes up for the balanced battles, and isn't so aggravating as to see Agryaspidai getting rolled over by levy pikes.

[Aradan]

I just couldn't resist posting it here as well, since so many people seem to have the wrong idea about it. :) Difficulty settings affect only attack and nothing else (in battle). -4/0/+4/+7 (for AI units)

[pezhetairoi]

...Bad enough. It makes the difference between my losing 5-8 Brihentin when they charge solo into a mass of akontistai before routing it, and losing close to half the stack instead.

[Ludens]

I just couldn't resist posting it here as well, since so many people seem to have the wrong idea about it. :) Difficulty settings affect only attack and nothing else (in battle). -4/0/+4/+7 (for AI units)

I looked up the relevant thread in the LM, and it confirms what you say. However, one of the developers suggested there was also a morale bonus.