Level of difficulty and why?

[Hooahguy]

ditto- i tried VH for campaign, but it was insane..... H is best, at least for me.

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

H/M for me too.
VH was too crazy and the AI expanded way too fast.
Sometimes I'll play M too. For some factions like Hayasdan, it is nice to not have to worry about the Seleukids hiring tons of mercenaries.

[TWFanatic]

Very hard campaign, hard battles. I feel hard battles delivers a good balance, because it makes up for the AI's habit of running around and getting tired while under missile fire. It's still lacking the "intelligence," but at least I can't win a battle with 1 in 10 odds anymore.

[anubis88]

I used to play on VH/VH becouse it was the only way to have a real challenge in a battle, but a changed to VH campaign and H battles. I'ts much easier for roleplaying if you know that your Thorakitai Agryaspidai won't be routed by an group of thureoporoi

[Perturabo]

Hard Campaign, Medium Battles

I don't care for the AI getting idiotic morale bonuses in battle, hence Medium Battles, units act as realistically as possible.

On Hard Campaign the AI gets to recruit some of the very nice Merc units while not getting the 'over the top' bonuses and suicidal tendancies of VH.

[bigmilt16]

I do M/M, with BI.

On my Romani campaign, I can institute house rules easier without the worry of the AI blitzing me with countless stacks. The diplomacy is not ridiculously one-sided towards the AI (I couldn't get the Iberians to make peace, even after beating them down to one settlement, and instituting an embargo).


For those of you that want a bit more challenge in Battles on M/M:

TURN OFF FATIGUE. It is the perfect balance because the AI receives no combat bonuses, but every battle is fought with MUCH more intensity. You will no longer win every battle, and no more ridiculously lopsided victories for the human either. The general in the army makes all the difference! If the AI has a great general, then you will certainly have to fight to the last man. That will encourage players to assassinate the enemy general!



Here's my philosophy on M/M and BI:


I still get a good challenge though. Rebels still attack my forts and trade routes. Moreover, playing with BI seems to help make up a bit for the lack of AI challenge on vanilla EB. With BI, the AI appears to spend its money on better quality troops to send against you.

Furthermore, the AI will give me a real run for my money in terms of a naval war. Carthage and the Greek Cities were invading my shores with troops! This forced me to build a navy; and thus, better manage my budget because of it. I could not longer blitz with the Romans because I needed to establish a strong economy at home with good roads, and farms (to support my growing navy) as I expanded, and that took REAL TIME. But is more satisfying to know that the denari will keep flowing as I go to war with huge ships, and build a full stack consular army.

For those who are scared or turned off by BI's naval invasions, or think that the AI will mindlessly keep invading the same province, must simply learn naval strategy. I am at nearly 230 BC, and have not experienced a single Carthaginian naval invasion on Corsica! Why???? Because I built a strong homeland economy, so I can build a strong navy, so that I can sink any Carthaginian boat that crosses Sicily. Normally, you can spot the AI attempting to make an invasion with about a turn or two to make your move and sink their boats. Also, I don't just turn the other cheek either; instead, I actively make sure that I have boats constantly blocking their shores to cut off Carthaginian Grain, gold, animals, and oil. This will also hurt their navy building capacity.

[Hooahguy]

you are a real strategist, bigmilt16.