What difficulty do you play HOI3 on and why?

[Number 7]

title. so far i've only been playing vanilla and normal. i'd like to hear from the veterans however

 

[thexmassteam]

Hummm I'm not a veteran but :
Hard for tfh or any mod I played already once.
Normal for any new mod I try.

I never try the very hard level. The problem with the difficulty level is it's flat bonuses/maluses. The AI react exactly the same, you just do things with less against more. I'll love to see a AI think "hey, my neighbour build huge land forces, let stop building shiny ships and build defensive land divisions.
A typical dialogue in a AI head quarter in London :
-Hey guys, I can withdraw the forces in a harbour where we can get our troop back home or inland, where they are trapped, which one?
-Hummm inland no?
-Ok, is there more tea?

A typical dialogue in a AI head quarter in Berlin :
-My fuhrer, there is a uprising of 6 partisan's brigades in Yugoslavia, what must I do?
-Hummm send the 1st, 2d and 3rd army group ... and the 4th and 5th to be sure.
-Ok, what about the other thing?
-Huu?
-Yes you know, the invasion of the country of uncle Ivan, SU.
-Ho yes, no change, launch it in 3 days, with the 7th corps. Is there more Struddle?

 

[kilen2015]

only VH.

i started on HoI2 around 2006 and overpowered the game very quickly in N & H.
i started to only play VH around 2008 (2007 maybe ?) and i never stopped since.
i prevailed and ended the campaign in VH with Japan (HoI2 doomsday) and Germany (HoI2 armaggedon) there, next, too...

same for HoI3, i directly started in VH and never tried seriously low levels, in fact.
i learned new specificities of HoI3 compared to HoI2 with Belgium (like i always do for new HoI games or mods), but always in VH too.

i didnt yet mastered VH in HoI3 but i am on the way, i am confident i could do, a good part of the path is ended... (y)

and i only play with managing all settings and functions, no auto AI anywhere.

but, i must be honest, i customized VH level for some kind of "limited VH" since i play on TFH.
1) IC penalty for me = minus20% (not minus 25%, as default VH)
2) IC bonus for AI = plus50% (not plus 100%, as default VH)
3) "combat difficulty impact" = 0.10 (not 0.20, as default VH)

i did for 2 reasons:
- points 1 & 2 coz it was too much and unrealistic about strengh balance with AI in the game (more details why in next chapter down).
- point 3 not about personnal gameplay difficulty but about concreet theoric issues for air units: these CDI penalties push player (against AI) to resign simply air support & air supremacy in "default VH" and to foccus on land units only or close coz air forces are uneffective compared to impact they should have, as it was in real WW2...
that was unsain for me to think, about my own effectivness in VH, i should just let down air forces... (WW2 without air warfare is absurd and completly disconnected of reality matters and strengh balance between different forces/equipments/etc)

so, i chose to custom VH level values for better coherence...
but this "limited VH", i play, still always 2 times more harder than default H level. so, challenge still there, no doubts...

and i basicly only play in VH for 2 reasons:
- AI skill limits compared to human brains: player will always have an asset, whatever coherent, complex and efficiant are equation's bases behind the Clauzewitz Engin, AI still far of us...
then, give a serious number advantage to AI (by VH level) is the best way to rebalance both and have serious challenge, not too harder, not too easier but more realistic as possible to have chances to feel dilemnas of real military strategy contexts.

- the other reason is about realism:
95% of players can hope to defeat AI with 120%-150% of ennemy forces (or even more, of course), there is no challenge in that way to play (its quickly boring and too much easy, i think).
and, in real, 90% for time, generals and high leaders must accomplish their missions without have "all they asked for" or without have "what, theoricly, they should need for"...
u can ask to any general, its very rare politics give them enough to do their job easally or properly or like theory should say to do it.
so, its the same in the game...
if u have enough IC, enough LS, and enough MP to build all u think necessary to prevail, there is no challenge ! (and thats FAR of WW2 realities !)
strategy is exactly the contrary: its compromises and "rightfull hot/short decisions", etc...

...moving marge for players in H or less is too much bigger from my point of view, its too much easy.

but, of course, thats also coz i REALLY have a very consciencious and slow way to act and play.
i could never play with the rythm i use against AI to play on server with other players, etc...
i take between 4to10 months to finish a scenario (real months, i mean) and go from 1936 to 1956 in the game.

this kind of precise, patient, consciencious way to play is quite necessary for VH level, i think.

and its also coz i play like that too, always, since years. i always only play in VH.
...i did for other RTS then i overpowered 10 times more easally in VH level than i can in HoI2 or HoI3, etc
... but it takes a lot of time ! lol

so i could never play back in H or less...
from my point of view, the challenge is really limited there coz moving marge is too much bigger and doesnt really rebalance weaknesses/limits of AI, etc...

EDIT: there is also an other reason i forget...
when u prevailed and ended a long campaign of some real months in N or H, its very rare u have patience and desire to restart all only to defeat the next level with same nation, etc...
so, i prefer enjoy in top challenge ! lol
...like that, i really overpowered the game without contest !

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[SirArthur]

I play on normal and I will never change it. Hard is for me not more of the same shit, but better use of the available troops. I don't think I enjoy very hard, I have done it before in Total War Games and is is literally only more of the zombie horde. I think I could life with increased combat penalty, but the IC increase is just silly. It would be ok, if the game would have a functional diplomacy (more like Vic II), where a bully is really attacked and not only always Germany no matter what you do, because reasons.

 

[Count Blue]

I prefer to define my own difficulty level as I progress.

I played many games with a hardened "easy"level meaning less handicaps for the AI then on standard easy but with the bonuses for me until I was really comfortable with the game mechanics.

Now I usually play a softened "normal" level with some buffs for me (IC).
I will see if I ever get to Hard but I dont think so.

HOI is in that way one of the most adaptable games I have ever played for which I am very grateful.
Everybody can play HOI and have fun no matter how good (all those forum gurus here) or bad (me) a player the individual in question is. ;-)

 

[blue emu]

Making a few changes to the difficulty file is one of the most straightforward ways of customizing the game to suit your own tastes. I like a moderate challenge, but on principle I dislike seeing my IC, Leadership, etc penalized if I haven't done anything wrong. So I often mod the harder difficulty levels to give the AI a hefty bonus without giving myself any negatives.

 

[Sails]

only VH.


but, i must be honest, i customized VH level for some kind of "limited VH" since i play on TFH.
1) IC penalty for me = minus20% (not minus 25%, as default VH)
2) IC bonus for AI = plus50% (not plus 100%, as default VH)
3) "combat difficulty impact" = 0.10 (not 0.20, as default VH)

How do you change these numbers in your game? Which file?

 

[kilen2015]

How do you change these numbers in your game? Which file?

u go in HOI3/common/"defines.lua" & "static modifiers.txt"/
...and u custom there + save changes.

defines.lua file serves for COMBAT DIFFICULTY IMPACT,
static modifier.txt for the others...

if u play on TFH, do not forget to do the same for TFH files: HoI3/TFH/common/etc...
u can also custom end date of the game, there (1948 as default end date is really limited. u can easally expand it till 1955-1960 +/- with technologies of research trees without get out realistic period of coherence, etc).

and i advice u to custom/change only what u are 100% sure u can do (and wich impact it will have in the game, etc)...
u can quickly desequilibrate the game if u change too much things without being sure.

and last thing, the customs u will do will concern only new scenarios u make.
its too late for savefiles u already have for last games...

i guess thats all... (?)
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[Pugmak]

I play on normal because I'm a normal guy

 

[Magnus Imperator Rex]

Very Hard.

All Day. Everyday.

Sure, the AI performs similar strategic and tactical decisions in Very Hard as in Normal or lower levels but YOU are forced to play it smart since you have a reasonable disadvantage in higher than Normal levels due to lower IC, higher org penalties, combat bonuses for AI, less resources, etc.

I feel that playing on VH is actually more engaging and immersive since you are constantly pressured by the AI and it feels more real as if a lot is at stake because you don't have the war already won by default. You have to play good to win it and its more rewarding in the end.

Anyways, I almost always play the Axis or Minors because they are harder to play and win with, especially against other majors like the US or USSR on VH. In real life, the Axis were always in a very tight and precarious situation, independent of their repeated successes in the War. In normal difficulty HOI3 however, the Axis are a strong bunch compared to their rivals and this just kills the historical realism for me. This is the main reason I play on VH: to give myself a historical challenge and formulate a possible favourable solution.

 

[rommel7]

Making a few changes to the difficulty file is one of the most straightforward ways of customizing the game to suit your own tastes. I like a moderate challenge, but on principle I dislike seeing my IC, Leadership, etc penalized if I haven't done anything wrong. So I often mod the harder difficulty levels to give the AI a hefty bonus without giving myself any negatives.

I see where to change the static modifiers (IC, manpower, throughput) but is there someplace specific you need to go to keep Leadership at Normal levels?

 

[blue emu]

If Leadership isn't mentioned in the difficulty modifier list, then it's probably unaffected by difficulty level.

 

[Kovax]

I mostly play minor countries, and use the Normal setting, because playing a minor country is already a challenge. By not using the "Prepare for War" exploit, and not abusing training laws and mobilization to get units at barely over half-price, it's about all you can do to assist your faction and try to tip the balance of power.

When I play a Major country, I sometimes play on Normal and other times on Hard difficulty, but found the VH difficulty level annoying because you've always got "penalties" clearly visible that you can't get rid of. If it simply reduced your starting IC, Leadership, Manpower, and Resources and then ran normally, or if it just gave bonuses to the AI and made it more aggressive, it wouldn't bother me, but constantly showing "-10%", "-20%", or other penalties of that nature in numerous situations just feels wrong.

 

[Count Blue]

If Leadership isn't mentioned in the difficulty modifier list, then it's probably unaffected by difficulty level.

Just checked, there is really no difference in LS no matter which difficulty level one chooses. I wouldnt have thought so.

 

[Paglia]

Multiplayers, we usually play on NORMAL, with light MODs to correct some vanilla issues. But we did play on HARD once and it was the best game we had in my opinion as Minors did offer some resistance, while players, all being on HARD, would be on par (-20% penalyt was applying to both sides...).

On solo games, I used to play on HARD. NORMAL is too easy. Recently, I switched to VERY HARD because I've been playing the game for too long and the AI is no match if I don't increase its potential.
--- Obviously, I play my MOD... but it'S close to vanilla in terms of game mechanics. I seldom play solo, since I have a MP game each week, so it takes most of my leasure time away.



On solo, there is a couple of things I do to make sure the game will be fun :

(1) I pause only to rename units
(2) I don't spam amphibious assaults (as AI can't prevent them, whatever the level of difficulty, since it's the AI behavior that need to be revised, and this can't be achieved wit hsole bonuses)

 

[kilen2015]

Very Hard.

All Day. Everyday.

Sure, the AI performs similar strategic and tactical decisions in Very Hard as in Normal or lower levels but YOU are forced to play it smart since you have a reasonable disadvantage in higher than Normal levels due to lower IC, higher org penalties, combat bonuses for AI, less resources, etc.

I feel that playing on VH is actually more engaging and immersive since you are constantly pressured by the AI and it feels more real as if a lot is at stake because you don't have the war already won by default. You have to play good to win it and its more rewarding in the end.

Anyways, I almost always play the Axis or Minors because they are harder to play and win with, especially against other majors like the US or USSR on VH. In real life, the Axis were always in a very tight and precarious situation, independent of their repeated successes in the War. In normal difficulty HOI3 however, the Axis are a strong bunch compared to their rivals and this just kills the historical realism for me. This is the main reason I play on VH: to give myself a historical challenge and formulate a possible favourable solution.

fully agree ! (y)

 

[kilen2015]

If Leadership isn't mentioned in the difficulty modifier list, then it's probably unaffected by difficulty level.

if i remember well, LS points are directly calculated from basic industries values (theoric IC) too... (?)
i have a doubt but i guess so...
so, nothing to change about LS difficulty, its the same then about difficulty level for ICs...
(but still not 100% sure, in fact. i am just sure they directly evolved in close proportions then ICs do when u have new ones from new conquest, etc...?)

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[markkur]

Making a few changes to the difficulty file is one of the most straightforward ways of customizing the game to suit your own tastes. I like a moderate challenge, but on principle I dislike seeing my IC, Leadership, etc penalized if I haven't done anything wrong. So I often mod the harder difficulty levels to give the AI a hefty bonus without giving myself any negatives.

Just wanted to say I like this idea.

Anyway I'm playing the game on normal since I've not played much.

 

[thexmassteam]

if i remember well, LS points are directly calculated from basic industries values (theoric IC) too... (?)

LS are hard coded values attached to province (the little black&white flag).

 

[kilen2015]

LS are hard coded values attached to province (the little black&white flag).

oh yeah, u are fully right, thx for info (y)
(its very close of manpower way, in fact)

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