Effects of Expert setting?

[Sir Price]

Hi all,
I'm in the beginning stages of my first campaign on Expert, with the Egyptians, and was just wondering if I'm beeing terribly unlucky, or the game does these things in a misguided attempt to make it harder. The thing is, every single general or heir I've had above 3 command, either gets the drinker or chinless wonder vices, and develops it into the ones where you get 2-3 less command, along with penalties to acumen. I actually hope for the alcoholics to get severe alcoholic, as that is only -2 to command, compared to -3 as an alcoholic.
Also, every time I get a ship in the same zone as ANY other ship, be it ally or enemy, my ship gets attacked and sunk.
So what is up with that? Is it going to be like this the rest of the game, because then I'm going to go back to playing on hard, this is just too unrealistic and aggravating. Sure, it's harder, but in the wrong way.


John