How to manage on higher difficulty

[Norjen]

I've always been playing around 80% difficulty, with damage to troops set to 3/4 and damage to myself halved. I've been thinking maybe I'm being too easy on myself, since fighting an army with the best infantry in the game, and at least three times larger than mine, feels like a walk in the park.

Now, I know this sounds silly to ask, but should I be developing another kind of approach on battlefield action if I ramp the difficulty up? I don't get my ass handed to me that often, unless I gallop straight into someones lance, and I've spent little thought to assess situations and the odds whether its better to fight or run.

 

[DanAngleland]

If you fight mostly mounted, don't be as brazen when fighting multiple enemies at once. Keep your shield up more, because at full damage to your character you could get shot down quickly. Obviously you won't be able to take on armies of the same size as before, so fight smaller battles first and see how many of your troops are killed, this will give you an idea of how big an army your troops can survive against. As for your own conduct during battle, perhaps try to ride behind an enemy force to lure them away from your troops; by doing this you can protect your troops from being overwhelmed by a larger force, instead they will fight part of the army while you are chased by the rest of the enemy.

I don't know how you will do against large high tier infantry armies, you may need to slowly whittle them down on your own since your troops will probably be killed at higher damage levels. You may find Khergits are more challenging to fight, as each arrow that strikes your men will do 1/3 more damage than before, and they could die much faster.

Good luck if you do decide to increase the challenge!

 

[Mudcrab]

If your planning on getting Warband, start getting used to it!

 

[Lord Burgess1]

I play on 140% odd, but I have an archery focused army, so I just have a line of archer on a hill, with a line of infantry infront.

 

[McBeverage]

I play on 140% odd, but I have an archery focused army, so I just have a line of archer on a hill, with a line of infantry infront.

Same here, although I use 110ish %.  Archers, if you can protect them, are an immense asset.

 

[ddrake]

The 'difficulty' % is quite meaningless once above 100% it's just mainly given by battle size. But larger battles mean your own influence on the battle outcome is reduced. So having a 150% doesn't necessarily mean battles will be harder than at 100%. Depends on the number & quality of your troops and how you command them mostly rather than personal involvement.

This said if you want a bit more of a challenge try fighting on foot with an all infantry army. Playing with an army of knights is just too easy (and boring).

 

[hruza]

I play on all normal damage and good combat AI. Its not difficult you just have to use your brain bit more. You can still get on armies larger than yours, it depend on level of your troops. AI armies are mostly composed of mixed level units so if yours are all elites, especially if they are mounted, you can defeat armies twice larger than yours. Of course battle size plays factor here, larger make it more difficult because your units can get numericaly overwhelmed more easy. Personally I play on 60. With too many units on field, MB maps can get too small for me to be able to use terrain tactically.

 

[Norjen]

Well yeah, the tactical side & terrain usage is what I was mostly thinking about. I don't really have any fancy plans or anything, I just charge.

Sometimes when I have lots of ranged units and high terrain near the spawn point, I may try to soften the charging cavalry by placing my guys on top of the hill, but after they make contact it's back to charge --> hack n slash.

 

[hruza]

Yes, most of the tactics end up in good charge eventually. Its timing and placing that charge which can make some difference. If I have force composed of mainly infantry units against lot of cavalry I line them on the hill or slope in dense formation and let enemy horse charge. When I see enemy horse bogged down in my infantry line and weakened I give order to charge. My infantry will surround and finish them. I dont separate archers from infantryman I mostly line them in one formation. If it is closely packed it will render archery bit less effective in volume but allows archers to shot at enemy as he close when fire is most deadly and my archers are still protected by infantry. If I have some horse then I put them bit back sine archers have nasty tendency to shot my own horses. Archers are not that effective against charging cavalry but are deadly to infantry, especially one with smaller or no shields. Sometimes when I have mixed force of cavalry and infantry, I let enemy charge in to my infantry line while I circle around and charge with my cavalry from flank or rear. If I have force of mostly heavy cavalry then of course its about closing, charging and breaking enemy formation. If enemy is advancing on my I try to lure him in to position where I can charge my cavalry down hill on him. If enemy with lot of missile troops advances on my then I try to place may line on reverse slope so they are covered against fire and give charge order only when enemy is close. Against horse archers heavy cavalry seems to work well else you want to have lots of archers and shields. If enemy gets reinforcements during battle then I try to reform my forces before next wave arrives. Its bad if they are spread all around the map in that moment. Its pity that we can not form in to more than one line in Native.

 

[iffy]

I'm confused.  I have the game set on "normal" damage to myself, and "normal" damage to my troops.  Enemy AI is "normal".

My difficulty is 73%.

To get to 101% I have to set enemy AI to Good and I have to change blocking to "manual".

How can your difficulty be anywhere near 80% if you are taking 1/2 damage and troops are 3/4 damage?

 

[hruza]

Higher battle size = higher difficulty.

 

[duracell]

I'm confused.  I have the game set on "normal" damage to myself, and "normal" damage to my troops.  Enemy AI is "normal".

My difficulty is 73%.

To get to 101% I have to set enemy AI to Good and I have to change blocking to "manual".

How can your difficulty be anywhere near 80% if you are taking 1/2 damage and troops are 3/4 damage?

Realistic saving.

 

[iffy]

Ahh!  Thanks!