Difficulty settings

**staples** · 05-01-2009, 20:55

I've exhausted my search feature options to find the answer to this.

I read the FAQ and see that is said that EB is recommended on vh to medium settings. I started a game on hard campaign and medium battle, but the battles proved too difficult and I would constantly lose autocalc battles when I had 25:1 odds. I got kind of frustrated with me losing autocalc battles when I was 3:1 odds+ and still losing and the actual battles I felt were too difficult for me to keep going. I would often lose 30-60% of my guys. I've played all the other total wars on medium battle difficulty and when I win a battle 30% is usually HIGH casualties for me.

I scaled the battle difficulty down to easy, to play out a campaign and strengthen my battle skills; however, it seems as if the AI in battle map is too weak. I lose only 1-5% of my guys now. That's just not fun its too easy. Is there something that messes up the EB script and AI attack/defense on easy? I know when its on very hard they will get bonuses, but do they also get penalties?

TL;DR I'm stuck between something too difficult for me to press on for long versus something not challenging enough to want to keep it on easy. Other than that issue I love the mod, some of the most in depth historical representations and detail ever in a game.

**magick** · 05-01-2009, 21:01

The only thing that changes the actual stats of the AI is the battle settings.

The only thing that the campaign setting does is make the AI obstinate and unwilling to do anything except trying to kill you.

There is absolutely no difference in the strat the AI uses between easy and very hard with the campaign setting, afaik.

**A Very Super Market** · 05-01-2009, 21:33

If you want to avoid losing battles where you should be winning, open the console (Use "~" in-game) and type auto_win attacker/defender, press enter, and then auto-calc the battle. If you're attacking, use attacker, if you're defending, use defender. For sallies, the army inside the settlement is the attacker, otherwise it should be obvious. When using this, make sure that you are in the screen that appears right before a battle/siege.

**Nachtmeister** · 05-01-2009, 22:23

Also, which faction are you playing and with what sort of units / what sort of units are you losing against? For instance, attacking a phalanx army from the front with light infantry or most types of cavalry is basically suicide.

Campaign difficulty setting influences
-AI aggressiveness (and thereby diplomacy, don't try to make peace with factions that share land borders with you)
-AI bonus money (the AI gets lots of money from the script; don't bother to blockade ports or the likes, it will not work)
-AI unfair advantage at autocalc (must be some kind of vanilla-feature; btw, never autocalc against phalanx armies)

Battle difficulty setting consequences:
-easy: the stats of all units are completely messed up in your favour. Losing battles is difficult with this setting. N00b-mode.
-medium: this is what the unit stats were made for. No-one has an advantage.
Be aware: The AI generals get far more command stars than yours to counter the fact that it is incapable of dynamic strategy (modded in to make battles more challenging).
-hard: +5 attack for AI. This screws the unit balance, but it is still possible to win with elite troops and superior tactics.
-very hard: equivalent to Quake III nightmare-mode. AI gets +7 attack, +7 morale...

You must re-learn how to use cavalry for EB.
I recommend checking out the phalanx tactics thread and read the on-topic parts of the discussion there.
For more information on phalanx armies, read the phalanx-crushing thread.
If you are having problems facing horse-archers, a general hint is that slingers are good against armored troops and archers are better against un-armored troops.
Fighting infantry, especially infantry with large shields, all missile units only become really effective if you manage to shoot at an enemy unit from behind.
If you are using hoplite-type units (large, round shield and a spear), always use them in defend-mode.

EB works quite different from normal RTW; your main objective is not so much to kill all enemies head-on but rather to make them rout as fast as possible. You can generally assume that Alexander the great's "hammer-and-anvil" tactic is the fastest way to get enemies to rout.
Some mercenaries have the "frighten enemy infantry" attribute; if you can afford them, have them stand right behind the center of your battle line.

I hope this helps a bit to get you started. Enjoy the mod!

**Silence Hunter** · 05-01-2009, 22:24

Isn't autocalc dependant on campaign difficulty not the battle? I think that campaign dificulty determines your chances when autocalculating. So playing on hard it makes autocalc pretty much useless. Also there is the fact that AI generals will have lots of stars compared to your general and this has a large influence on autocalc aswell. Battle difficulty determines the changes in the unit stats on the battle map that's why it's recomended to play on medium. I would recommend having a campaign on M/M this way you have a more fair chance on wining autocalc and if you choose to play the battle yourself it will be balanced.

Edit: Nachtmeister beat me with much more detailed explanation...

**staples** · 05-05-2009, 01:30

I was playing as the Romani. I usually have 15 principes, my general, 2 cavalry units and the rest are usually mercenaries. I played RTR to high effectiveness and I know how to use cavalry. Flanks and rear, repeated charges, I never leave them in a prolonged melee. I always flank phalanxes anyway. My problems were mostly with the celtic units, when we would both have full stacks and engage in one long battle line. Although I would usually win, my casualties would be astronomical. I understand the Gaesatae are supposed to be extraordinarily tough and I deal with them properly. Even as other factions when I fight them the battles seem to go on longer (I know this is intended) but it leads to both sides taking massive casualties before one routs (If they even rout).

**athanaric** · 05-05-2009, 02:10

Gaesatae are indeed a pain in the rear. To lower their astronomically high morale (and eventually make them rout), you have basically two options:

1) shower with missiles (which is what you did, if I understood correctly), or

2) hire units that frighten them. These would be

a) Elephants (hard to obtain and very expensive),

b) chariots (not available to Romani), or

c) infantry. "Frightening" infantry units are:

Tindanotae (almost identical to Gaesatae) - mercs available in Hellas and Mikra Asia.

Uirodusios - essentially the cheapskate's version of Gaesatae. Ubiquitous in central Europe and Britain, recruitable from a lvl 2 regional MIC and very practical. Though they only have one hitpoint, they are excellent troops because of their "command" ability and their 3 javelins.

Woithiz Watha - Germanic unit, in strength between Gaesatae and Uirodusios. Only available to Swêboz.

Vojinos - Slavic light spearmen, only recruitable in two Eastern European provinces.

Worgozez - mercs only available in eastern Germanic provinces. Excellent anti-Phalanx unit because of javelin+AP axe.

The most practical weapon against Gaesatae are HAs, though.

**DaciaJC** · 05-05-2009, 05:00

Originally Posted by athanaric

The most practical weapon against Gaesatae are HAs, though.

I would argue skirmisher cavalry, since javelins are the best weapon against these types of troops, they could more quickly tire out the Gaesatae, and they can attempt a minor charge when the Gaesatae are very tired or exhausted.

**Nachtmeister** · 05-05-2009, 08:34

Originally Posted by Frontline1944

I would argue skirmisher cavalry, since javelins are the best weapon against these types of troops, they could more quickly tire out the Gaesatae, and they can attempt a minor charge when the Gaesatae are very tired or exhausted.

IIRC, Gaesatae have super-range javelins.

**anubis88** · 05-05-2009, 10:42

Originally Posted by Nachtmeister

IIRC, Gaesatae have super-range javelins.

nah their nothing special. Almost the same as the principes

**Drewski** · 05-05-2009, 10:57

Slingers and Cavalry are your friends against Gaesatae. Never had a problem with them myself though. Just charge repeatedly in the back, and they die quick enough.

To the OP, I think you need a more varied Army composition as Rome. Try maybe adding 5/6 slingers/Skirmishers (combined)per 20 stack. This way you can goad units into premature attacks. You might also try putting your units on defend and fire at will if attacked by a long straight line; then you can run the Cavalry around the back and let them start the rout.

Auto-resolving battles in EB is very dicey too, partly because all ai Generals get massive command bonuses compared with RTR and RTW. Its best to fight all of them (Myself, I only auto calc battles vs Brigands, which get on my nerves, and only then when I can easily replace the ineveitable extra losses).

The key to fighting Infantry heavy battles in EB, is very simple..get behind the enemy. Rout a unit, then another and the rest will follow. Even Gaestatae don't hang around for long if everyone else is running away..

Oh and killing the enemy general quickly, means you'll win even huge battles with small losses.