Difficulty/Unit size.

[Xehh II]

What difficulty do yous play on?
I also, what unit size do you guys play with?
What are the pros/cons of playing larger/smaller units?
Also what doexs the XL 2.1 patch add?

[Haccapelite]

Well, I play on normal difficulty, since I still have a lot to learn about this game and I also like to play smaller and harder factions, so that still gives a good challenge. I think I'll try my next campaing with hard, just to see how much harder it is. I once tried a game on easy with spain, but it was so easy that I gave it up pretty quickly because every AI army consisted only of UM and peasants.
I use the default unit size, I'm just too lazy to change it, i guess.. And with it the battles can still be pretty big without reducing units' manouvrebility at all. And another thing is, that on larger unit sizes the generals bodyguard unit is pretty useless, since it stays in 20 while all other units get bigger and bigger. IIRC generals unit size stays in the same untill large. Also on small unit size bodyguards are a bit overpowered since they remain 20 men strong while all the other units get smaller.

[Garnier]

I play hard difficulty (I think expert makes it hard for the AI as well, which is stupid).

I normally play on huge unit sizes but its annoying cause it takes two turns to train a unit..

[Agent Miles]

I play on Expert with the default unit size. Bodyguard units work fine on Huge. Here's my Danish King spanking a huge unit of Swedish Vikings.
https://s132.photobucket.com/albums/...tMiles/Sweden/
Whenever I get comments like, "That won't work with huge units!", I try it with huge units and it does work. I haven't played XL...yet.

[Haccapelite]

I checked the unit sizes from the numerology thread in the yuku-page, and noticed that on every other unit size exept small and medium, the bodyguard unit is half of the normal cavalry unit size, a third of a infantry unit and one fifth of a spear unit.

[caravel]

Royal Knights and Ghulam Bodyguards are simply not scalable, their unit size is always 20 which is half the regular base size for cavalry. This does make them more vulnerable when playing on huge unit size. It is better to edit the unit prod file and make them scalable.

[Sensei Warrior]

I play on normal to expert. It really depends on my mood. If I'm looking for a quick light romp through the woods then Normal. If I'm up for a nail biting mind-grinder, then Expert. Most of my games are generally played on hard.

I leave it on the Default size for units. I never really cared to change it in the beginning, and kind of gotten used to the sizes so left them. Now, I play my own homebrew mod, which has upped the unit size of the Pikemen units considerably, so looking to play the larger unit sizes are kind of out of the question.

Never tried a different unit size so haven't paid attention, sorry.

Not too sure bout the XL patch either.

[Martok]

I used to play on Normal all the time, but I was beginning to play on Hard more often at the time my PC died. It also partially depends on the faction I'm playing. The Eggies, for example, are easy enough that playing them on Hard is a more appropriate challange for them. On the other hand, I don't think I would *ever* play the early Armenians on anything worse than Normal -- I'm just not that masochistic.

I've pretty much always used the default unit size. They seem to be better balanced than the other sizes.

[macsen rufus]

I usually play on Hard these days - I did spend quite a time palying in Expert, but the AI morale bonus started to feel unrealistic (the lone AI peasant standing up to the charging knights etc ) Losing armies should break rather than fighting on to the last man, so making "morale-crushing" victories nigh on impossible, as in Expert, just didn't feel right.

I don't think I would *ever* play the early Armenians on anything worse than Normal.

You should just gird your loins, eat your spinach, and go for it That was one I did in my "expert" days, and probably about the last one, too, after having to grind down each muslim peasant individually with my Armenian infantry

Unit size, well when I had a smaller, slower machine I had to use small units with all the eye-candy (such as it is in MTW ) turned right down. Now I can max out on everything. Generally I play on large, as spear units look more realistic (166 men) - you can have a wall of some depth, whereas on smaller (50 or 60 men) settings the wall is a bit too narrow, or a bit too thin. Unit size affects tactics due to area of ground required for manoeuvres etc. I find this aspect can annoy me a bit on huge, as archers especially become a real menace, milling around all over the field

Once I could turn the unit size up a bit I had to relearn the use of BG units - on small, 20 knights vs 30 swords, say, makes them a steamroller, but when you have to face 100 swords per unit, the balance is different. IMHO, this made 'small' unrealistic too, as the BGs did all the work, and the difference in factions' royal birthrates made all the difference strategically. A campaign could hinge on whether your prince comes of age the year before or the year after the neighbour's prince.

Briefly and incompletely: XL adds extra factions (eg Crusader States, Teutonic Order, Lithuania etc etc etc), new units, extra provinces, re-jigged economy so farming becomes more important, trade less so. PEASANTS REMOVED as a trainable unit It's what I usually play for the Mediaeval period, and generally find it an improvement over vanilla Well worth a download...

[Martok]

The XL 2.1 patch mostly adds various tweaks and rebalances. Some units stats were adjusted, and trade income was increased slightly so that it's more worthwhile to have trade fleets.

You should just gird your loins, eat your spinach, and go for it That was one I did in my "expert" days, and probably about the last one, too, after having to grind down each muslim peasant individually with my Armenian infantry

Better you than me, mate. I still think I'll leave the Armenians to you.

[Geezer57]

+1 for Expert difficulty and default unit size. If I do my job correctly, the A.I. still breaks and runs before dying to the last man - they just hold a little longer, which makes the battle outcome more uncertain.

[Martok]

Hey Geezer! Good to see you again, man.

[Geezer57]

Thanks Martok, I've been off doing other activities during the summer, but thought I'd get back in touch now that it's close to autumn! Cheers!

[ArtistofEmpires]

I just started up again this week with MTW but I've been playing on Hard with Huge unit sizes.

[bamff]

Always hard, default unit size for me.

Just curious - am I correct in assuming that the "difficulty" really only affects combat? Originally I had hoped that the higher the difficulty, the "cleverer" the AI would be with regard to diplomacy/strategic matters, but i have not noted any significant differences here....

[Martok]

Just curious - am I correct in assuming that the "difficulty" really only affects combat? Originally I had hoped that the higher the difficulty, the "cleverer" the AI would be with regard to diplomacy/strategic matters, but i have not noted any significant differences here....

Unfortunately, I believe you're correct. As far as I've ever been able to tell, the only difference the difficulty level makes on the campaign map is that you start with less money at the harder levels. I don't think it affects how "smart" the strategic AI is.

[Passatempo]

i only play on easy, with default unit size

still have lots of things to learn about this game

[Martok]

i only play on easy, with default unit size

still have lots of things to learn about this game

Not to worry, mate; that's what you've got us for. If you have any questions or need help, just let us know!

Also, welcome to the Org, Roman Lord! We're pleased to have you among our ranks.

[caravel]

Hard difficulty and the huge unit size are the best settings to play on IMHO. A small and relatively easy bit of modding to make the 20 man Ghulam Bodyguard, Royal Knights and Sipahis of the Porte units scalable is also very worthwhile.

[Noir]

i like the higher setting - it means less stacks (more expensive units to maintain) and so less rushing.

On the other hand in medium/smaller maps things are kinda cramped with anything higher than normal.