What does the very hard difficulty setting actually do?

[the_handsome_viking]

This may seem like a stupid question, and the reason for this is the fact that it IS a stupid question.

Just kidding, its a genius question.

But anyway...

Does the hard difficulty setting simply make the enemy AI more complex? or does hard mode give unfair stats to enemy units and give your units unfair inferior stats?

For example on the hard difficulty setting would there be a higher chance of your units routing than the enemy units routing?

[khelvan]

On the campaign map, the difficulty setting determines, more than anything else, how aggressive the AI factions are, including the rebels. For instance, only on "very hard" settings will you see the slave faction sieging cities.

[the_handsome_viking]

On the campaign map, the difficulty setting determines, more than anything else, how aggressive the AI factions are, including the rebels. For instance, only on "very hard" settings will you see the slave faction sieging cities.

But surly it effects the real battles?

[Telys]

On the campaign map, the difficulty setting determines, more than anything else, how aggressive the AI factions are, including the rebels. For instance, only on "very hard" settings will you see the slave faction sieging cities.

When i played on hard(setting right before very hard) rebels were besieging my cities.

[Wardo]

...In the sense that the enemy stacks you face are "better"?

[Cheexsta]

Very Hard on the campaign map gives the AI factions a 10,000 denarii/mnai boost and makes them generally more aggressive. On the battle map, it adds +7 to the AI Morale and Attack (and Defense, I believe, but I'm not sure). This is the lazy way out; it doesn't really make the AI more intelligent, rather just gives them obscure bonuses.

[khelvan]

Changing campaign to "very hard" does not affect battles. The settings are separate. "Very hard" battles adds bonuses to the enemy battle stats.

[nikolai1962]

Rebs siege your cities on Hard too.

[Sdragon]

I've never seen ai factions hire mercenaries on Normal and Easy mode now that I think about it.

[Jarardo]

I thought it had something to do with the players income too? Maybe its just in BI, or maybe its not at all.

How about some Baloons!!!