Differces between difficulty levels

[Saikx]

Currently I play in the probably easiest mode (Shimazu, and difficult on low) because I wanted to start on a low level in this game. But since I have good results in my battles I would like to know what could change if I increase the difficulty. Of course the KI will play better, but what does that mean exactly? As example the last big army I fought started from all directions so that I had to split my army in all directions. Will they then use another tactic (or more different tactics), which would be even more effectice? Or would I just increase the stats of them?

[TALIBAN ISIS PWO CSGO PRAYER]

Yes the bots would be so called smarter in tatics. And would usually produce troops at a faster and cheaper rate.

[Mile pro Libertate]

The higher difficulty settings do not make the AI perform different tactics in battles. It simply gives their units bonuses to stats and morale.

Easy - Player units have bonuses over the AI units.

Normal - Player units receive only very light bonuses.

Hard - Player receives no bonus, and AI starts to get bonuses.

Very Hard - AI receives very strong bonuses to morale in addition to stats.

Legendary - Identical to VH but with new "battle realism" constraints on the player, such as reduced tooltip info on enemy units and inability to see enemy more than 600 meters away.

In the campaign or strategic side of the game, the higher difficulty corresponds to lower upkeep costs for AI units, and higher base income, which means the AI will be able to raise armies faster and maintain more armies for a given amount of provinces.

The higher the difficulty, the more aggressive the AI is towards your faction. From Normal onward, the player is identified as the biggest threat. On VH or Legendary, the AI will basically see the player as the faction that must be stopped at all costs, which means it is more likely to declare war and will invade the player's domains even if it means leaving itself vulnerable to other, AI controlled enemy clans.

[Two Hands]

Originally posted by Mile pro Libertate:

The higher difficulty settings do not make the AI perform different tactics in battles. It simply gives their units bonuses to stats and morale.

Easy - Player units have bonuses over the AI units.

Normal - Player units receive only very light bonuses.

Hard - Player receives no bonus, and AI starts to get bonuses.

Very Hard - AI receives very strong bonuses to morale in addition to stats.

Legendary - Identical to VH but with new "battle realism" constraints on the player, such as reduced tooltip info on enemy units and inability to see enemy more than 600 meters away.

In the campaign or strategic side of the game, the higher difficulty corresponds to lower upkeep costs for AI units, and higher base income, which means the AI will be able to raise armies faster and maintain more armies for a given amount of provinces.

The higher the difficulty, the more aggressive the AI is towards your faction. From Normal onward, the player is identified as the biggest threat. On VH or Legendary, the AI will basically see the player as the faction that must be stopped at all costs, which means it is more likely to declare war and will invade the player's domains even if it means leaving itself vulnerable to other, AI controlled enemy clans.

Mile pro Libertate is correct. That's how the enemy AI works. There are mods to help balance it out if you are interested. I suggest looking through the workshop to see if you can find anything you like.

[Kaisha]

Legendary is you spamming ashigaru as fast as possible (because ironicly Samurai suck in this game) while everyone declares war on you for no apparent reason and then just throws endless stacks at your castles. It is certainly winnable (having done so with every faction short of Uesugi) only because the the AI is so abysmally retarded that even out numbering you 10:1 you can still destroy it.

Sadly the additional 'challenge' does not make the game more interesting or fun, as 90% of the game becomes essentially useless as the only viable tactic in Legendary is build 5+ stacks of ashigaru, chain defend, then walk over undefended territory. If you like diplomacy, naval battles, fielding more than 2 samurai over the entire game, or anything past the 1st 2 rows of the tech tree, don't bother.

[shiggies713]

Legendary can be a major pita in fots naval battles. I have had a few where i literally could not even see enemy ships at all yet they were in range (their range is longer than 600 meters). My ships firing away, stil can't see anything. Especially in the fog. There is nothing worse than a legendary naval battle in the fog in fots.

[Charvet]

I love legendary for land battles, because real tactics work extremely well. Ill get in battles where i shouldnt have a chance in hell in winning but a good flanking manuver will rout their general and have me win.

[Countersnipe]

I've noticed the legendary AI units are just a hair stronger than they are on very hard. I don't have any stats to prove this, but I do have about 200 hours of game play and I know that legendary AI feels harder to beat for some reason in land battles. I just feel that the AI's stats are either a point higher, or my units are fatiguing faster than the AI's units.

The biggest issue with harder difficulty is that none of the factions like to trade with you, and they will break alliances and agreements to fight you... Some AI will ask you to be an ally, but usually only if they are getting beat into the ground by other stronger factions... This can be good sometimes because then they will trade with you because you're allies, but once you start gaining more territories, your allies will turn against you.

I've had plenty of games where every faction is at war with me before I've hit the realm divide!