What exactly do the difficulty settings mean

[Hoplite7]

I'm playing Turks VH/M. I put it on Medium because in RTW the enemy got unfair bonuses with harder settings. But a CA guy on the forums said that it is not true anymore with M2:TW.

I've played for months and still can't figure it out, what does battle difficulty mean? I know what VH campaign means, as all of my neighbors have full stacks besieging most cities from Constantinople to Jerusalem.

Is VH/M too easy for a veteran TW player?

[Askthepizzaguy]

You honestly have me there. Since I never play on any setting besides VH/VH I can't tell the difference.

I think auto-resolve battles are less in your favor, diplomacy is less in your favor, the AI is more aggressive, and is slightly more competent in battle.

Just a couple minutes ago, the AI actually sprung a "heavy cavalry hiding in the woods" trap on me in battle. I was going after the Pope with his band of papal guard, but he had two generals with him. I went uphill and into the woods, and charged against his flank with all my generals. (4)

Well, just then the hidden generals came flying out of the forest and charged directly into my generals, pinning them down, while the rest of my troops were still trying to reach the battle.

Oops!

It took a valiant effort, but I managed to beat them back with just my four generals, killed one of theirs, lost one of mine, killed one of theirs, went after the Pope, routed the Pope, and started slaying their little papal guard with 99% of my general's bodyguard dead.

Finally my infantry join the fight. Only cost me my youngest son, it did.
Grr...

I hunted Popey McPopeington down until I had his pointy little head. Then, just for good measure, I killed the next 4 popes as soon as they spawned. I voted for the correct pope each time.

(Milan campaign, 1.02)

[Odin]

I'm playing Turks VH/M. I put it on Medium because in RTW the enemy got unfair bonuses with harder settings. But a CA guy on the forums said that it is not true anymore with M2:TW.

I've played for months and still can't figure it out, what does battle difficulty mean? I know what VH campaign means, as all of my neighbors have full stacks besieging most cities from Constantinople to Jerusalem.

Is VH/M too easy for a veteran TW player?

I play VH/VH 95% of the time.

Recently fired up a Turk game on M/VH, the only notable exception I saw was the Byzantines sat on thier butt and never got aggressive. Eggy's still backstabbed me (I think it was 3 spearmen assualting a full garrison at Acre..).

As far as the VH battle difference, I never have a problem with the AI unless the odds are clearly against me. 80% of the time on VH they just do a frontal assault, simple really.

I think there are some morale bonus's for higher difficulty settings thats what they were for MTW and it made it a touch harder because the AI wouldnt rout. But now with the uber generals bodyguard that replenishes itself after every battle, it dosent seem to matter what level your on the AI isnt much of a threat in the field.

[ReiseReise]

Don't remember where I read this, but the Campaign difficulty is where the AI does its "cheating" They make more money, you make less money, their spy missions are easier etc etc. Also on H or VH the AI hates you more, your relations deteriorate over time for no reason and the AI is more aggressive. Opposite for Easy.

The Battle Difficulty supposedly affects the realism of battles for BOTH player and AI. On H, VH, troops tire quicker, follow routers easier, are more vulnerable to flanking attacks etc, but these affect both player and AI, there are no unfair morale penalties/bonuses.
I imagine on H or VH the AI tries to also use better tactics like flanking, high ground, etc., I know it did in MTW.

I set up a few 1 spear militia vs 1 spear militia etc custom battles on various difficulties to see if enemy got morale bonus, I won and lost about the same no matter the difficulty, proving (in my mind) that the AI doesn't get any unfair advantages.

I think most people play H/VH. VH/VH gets annoying because it is impossible to get other factions to like you unless you ally with them in the first few turns.

Hope that answered your question.

[Xehh II]

I wouldn't last two minutes in VH/VH.

[Hoplite7]

Thanks for the replies.

I decided to play Egypt on VH/H. You guys were right, the troops have less moral and tire easier. They were all exhausted at the end of battle, instead of "winded".

Even though I lost half my men, it was more epic that way.

And it was cooling seeing my men raising their scimitars in victory over a pile of smelly dead bodies.

[hoetje]

you won't be laughing when the venitians and the byzantines are on your doorsteps while 4 crusading armies besiege Antioch and the Mongols are about to appear (the case where i am in ^^)

[4th Dimension]

And in my expirience Mongols predominatory appeaer around Bagdad. (happene in 2 out of 2 of my campaigns (England and Russia))