Difference between Very Hard and Hard?

[Ordani]

The only thing the difficulty setting affects is what bonus rank the AI units get. It does nothing else. This has been true since Shogun. If it's the same scale, a green VH unit is effectively rank 2. This may be more noticeable now that so much of combat is at range, being that accuracy and reload rate are both affected by unit rank (see sniper cannons).

[Slaists]

The only thing the difficulty setting affects is what bonus rank the AI units get. It does nothing else. This has been true since Shogun. If it's the same scale, a green VH unit is effectively rank 2. This may be more noticeable now that so much of combat is at range, being that accuracy and reload rate are both affected by unit rank (see sniper cannons).

Well, this is not true in MTW2 (designed by the CA Australia office though). On VH battle difficulty, the AI does not get any combat bonuses (tested and verified by the community), simply morale/fatigue becomes a much more important factor.

Come to think of it: it seems, CA UK and CA Australia do not communicate much about the game features previously designed and implemented by the 'other' office...

[NimitsTexan]

Well, this is not true in MTW2 (designed by the CA Australia office though). On VH battle difficulty, the AI does not get any combat bonuses (tested and verified by the community), simply morale/fatigue becomes a much more important factor.

Come to think of it: it seems, CA UK and CA Australia do not communicate much about the game features previously designed and implemented by the 'other' office...

Like, oh, I don't know, REINFORCEMENTS!!!!!!

[HKDDJulker]

I am playing on H/VH...

I have almost never encountered an enemy force that is smaller than my own (attacking or defending). I nearly always am facing a full stack of enemy line infantry, with perhaps 2-3 light or regular cavalry.

Playing as sweden, with a nice bonus in cavalry unit size, I assumed that it would be advantageous for me to train them. However, my heavy cavalry takes heavy losses against all enemy cav, unless i outnumber them 2:1. After that, any attacking I do against enemy infantry is very inneffectual. 80 horse, charging at 120 infantry, seems to result in dead horse. My cavalry is more or less worthless against enemy troops. why is this?
Diamond formation seems to make no difference in a charge, and my cav don't even knock the bad guys over when they strike home.

I'm doing well enough, but I have never defeated a foe in a fair fight. VH seems to be impossible :(

[Mr Frost]

Until technology and game design manages to create a Hard or Very hard level that actually gives the A.I. more smarts and zero stat/money bonuses {hidden or blatant} I won't bother with anything but Normal as the other modes simply reek of rotten cheese {seriously , if the cheese is blue , you shouldn't be eating it !} and kills any imersion value for me .
Make no mistake , technology will definitly get there {I'd say about 20 years} unless we blast our selves off the planet first .

If I want challange , I play against Humans {WWIIOL by choice} . At least the cheese is believable with real people .