Battlefield difficulty test results.

[Kraxis]

As to the Strategic AI: it seems, on "harder" difficulties it just becomes more aggressive. In MTW1, there was a debugging mode console switch that allowed the player to switch through various AI controlled factions and control them for some time. When I did that, I noticed just how retarded the strategic AI was. 100 turns into the game, almost all of the AI factions had ran their economies to the ground, no trade networks maintained, fleets fragmented and in weird places on the map costing money and not facilitating trade, almost no economic buildings built even for the factions that had huge economic potential. I wonder, what would be the picture if we did the same look at AI faction development in MTW2.

I remember that... I modded the AI to put a lot more interest into ports. That little change did more for MTW than any of my other numerous changes. Suddenly the AI fielded massive fleets, long lines of trade (the the point that I actually made rather substantial amounts of money recieving the trade, which was something like 10-20% of the other end). And their armies were suddenly full of superb units. I got creamed the first time... Playing the HRE was suddenly impossible (because of the usual difficulties, and now with strong economies for the AI).

But this is interesting... I would like to know more about this. At least it confirms that CA wasn't lying when they said the AI didn't 'stat-cheat' on VH. But I wonder why the player would win so easily on Medium or on Grassy...