Impressions - challenging level

[ChuckBerger]

So I reckon I'm pretty good at this game, can easily squash the "normal" AI with auto-victory by September. Time to start playing on a harder difficulty level, right?

Even one notch up to "challenging", and it's a totally different game. The modest bonus to AI movement and combat makes a huge difference. I'm only midway through July and already finding I have to think long and hard about my moves. The movement bonus means the AI was able to extricate a fair chunk of its starting forces.

I've closed some big pockets and by the end of turn 7 I've managed to get to a line running roughly Riga-Ostrov-Orsha-Mogilev-Zhitomir-Kishinev. So not bad progress for the time. However, losses are heavier, and the Russian line in front of me is far more formidable, than on normal. The AI is aggressive, attacking often and with reasonable success. I even lost an entire infantry division in AGS, which would never happen to me on normal. Loss ratio is about 9:1 in my favor; in normal difficulty it would be closer to 15:1 at this point in the game.

In short, this feels like the real Barbarossa! Not a walk in the park, but a struggle with an immensely powerful bear who must be kept off balance and on the back foot constantly. I have no idea if I will win, or even whether I can take any of the main objectives.

My only question is this: given how hard "challenging" is, are the even harder difficulty levels even playable? I can't imagine playing against a Russian with a +50% combat bonus would be viable at all.

I wonder whether there is a need for a more subtle gradation of difficulty levels up from normal.

[lancer]

Hi ChuckBerger,

The Soviets have a few extra tricks up their sleeves on Challenging.

Stay alert.

Cheers,
Cameron

[Vic]

The balancing aim was to have 'challenging' winnable by a capable player, but making it a challenge to do so. 'Hard' is meant to even beat a capable player quite often, but still be winnable if you take out all registers. Levels above that are basically there for masochists and geniusses.

Other reason for the levels above 'hard' being there is that I feel that when playing the Soviets (very) experienced players should put the German AI difficulty 1 notch higher than they otherwise would.

For me the levels are fine. Especially because not every play through on the same level will be the same. Its just a general indication of difficulty and the Soviet and German AI will do variations of strategy on every play through. Sometimes being easier to defeat because of it and sometimes being harder to defeat.

Might be a nice devlog to share the relative succes of the different AI strategies.

Best wishes,
Vic

[ChuckBerger]

As it turned out, auto-victory on September 14, managed to get all 3 major objectives. Once I managed two big pockets in AGC, disposing of about 50 divisions, things unraveled for the AI. And the conscript armies, even on challenging, are still easy to push around.

Still, I'm glad to have secured Moscow when I did; at game's end the AI had a great many armies piling up around my Moscow salient, while my own forces were rather depleted.

I can really highly recommend challenging level for competent players, it feels much more like a true contest.

Interestingly, Russian troop numbers were higher than mine for the entire game except 1 turn, and except for at the very end. Final losses 390K Axis vs 2.8m Russian, so something like 7:1, a much worse ratio that is usual for a "normal" game.

On to "Hard" level, then.

[Flaviusx]

ORIGINAL: ChuckBerger

As it turned out, auto-victory on September 14, managed to get all 3 major objectives. Once I managed two big pockets in AGC, disposing of about 50 divisions, things unraveled for the AI. And the conscript armies, even on challenging, are still easy to push around.

Still, I'm glad to have secured Moscow when I did; at game's end the AI had a great many armies piling up around my Moscow salient, while my own forces were rather depleted.

I can really highly recommend challenging level for competent players, it feels much more like a true contest.

Interestingly, Russian troop numbers were higher than mine for the entire game except 1 turn, and except for at the very end. Final losses 390K Axis vs 2.8m Russian, so something like 7:1, a much worse ratio that is usual for a "normal" game.

On to "Hard" level, then.

Well done, I need to try this out.

Can beat the AI on challenging as the Sovs, haven't attempted this as the Germans.

[Flaviusx]

Also, I have to agree the difficulty settings lack granularity. It's a huge leap even from normal to challenging. The top couple of settings are quite impracticable and the number of people who can beat those will approximate zero.

Difficulty curve is too steep.

[Vic]

ORIGINAL: ChuckBerger

As it turned out, auto-victory on September 14, managed to get all 3 major objectives. Once I managed two big pockets in AGC, disposing of about 50 divisions, things unraveled for the AI. And the conscript armies, even on challenging, are still easy to push around.

Still, I'm glad to have secured Moscow when I did; at game's end the AI had a great many armies piling up around my Moscow salient, while my own forces were rather depleted.

I can really highly recommend challenging level for competent players, it feels much more like a true contest.

Interestingly, Russian troop numbers were higher than mine for the entire game except 1 turn, and except for at the very end. Final losses 390K Axis vs 2.8m Russian, so something like 7:1, a much worse ratio that is usual for a "normal" game.

On to "Hard" level, then.

Very curious where you'll actually fail

Keep us posted!

Best wishes,
Vic