SP Home Rules

[Makinus]

I play nearly exlusively Single Player and i´m curious what "home rules" other players use to make SP games more interesting, here are mine:

- Never attack an AI unless attacked first;
- Always maintain research paths at the same level (i.e. need to have all paths in level 2 before researching level 3 in any path);
- Use thematic/national pretenders.

So, what are your home rules for SP?

[MaxWilson]

Currently:

Vampires are ethereal.

AIs get a SC pretender w/ magic items from Semirandom.

Some of the AI nations are slightly improved (better Eponi Knight, recruitable-anywhere Svartalfs, sacred Hydras for EA C'tis).

-Max

[fungalreason]

Set supply setting to max.

Never bid more than minimum amount for mercenaries.

When buying PD, always increase it equally in all provinces, and never go above 10

[JimMorrison]

I still don't understand how people play on Impossible, and then handicap themselves.

I play with all Mighty, and on maps meant for MP (relatively few chokepoints), and unless I am playing a nation that is meant to revolve around huge numbers of cheap mundane troops, the AI looks at my Army Size, and they all declare war at me, coming from all directions, and swamping my little empire.

Maybe on Impossible, I will not outgrow them so fast at first, so I won't be sprawling out, with borders with so many nations, and such a low troop/province ratio? I'm just mystified that everyone claims Impossible is too easy - it's all plenty easy, until I end up the focal point of a cheap p0rno for the AI's pleasure.

So for me, I handicap myself by playing like it's MP, and getting mauled by the entire world at once.

[thejeff]

My general feeling is that the AI is exploitable even on impossible.

It can't deal with SCs or uber-bless troops. Using an SC nation, a good SC pretender, or a bless rush I'll slaughter the AI.
If I try to rely on regular troops and mages, especially on a crowded map, I wind up in the same situation: Getting swamped by hordes from all sides.

So that's my handicap challenge: Crowded map and beat the AI at it's own game. No uber-bless, SC pretender or recruitable SCs.

[Edi]

Better Independents mod, all impossible AIs and generally relying on normal troops and standard battle magic. Maybe some thugs, but no SCs really. Fairly low site frequency and supplies increased. Indie strength 7.

That's plenty challenge on a reasonably crowded map, because not only will the AI horde you, it'll do so with quality troops (at least with BI Gold).

[MaxWilson]

Originally Posted by JimMorrison

I still don't understand how people play on Impossible, and then handicap themselves.

It's partly a function of nation. Right now I'm still in love with Ashdod because there are so many options (I'm still discovering new tactics, and I just recently found a great use for slingers). However, that means I need to crank up the AI difficulty to have a fun game because Ashdod Eats Everything. It's no fun knowing cool tricks unless you *need* cool tricks.

If I were playing LA Agartha, historical evidence says I'd be scaling back the AIs because a game that's too hard is no better than one that's too easy.

-Max

[JimMorrison]

Originally Posted by thejeff

It can't deal with SCs or uber-bless troops. Using an SC nation, a good SC pretender, or a bless rush I'll slaughter the AI.
If I try to rely on regular troops and mages, especially on a crowded map, I wind up in the same situation: Getting swamped by hordes from all sides.

I just did a Niefel game with 9W/9E/8N, and I was ENORMOUS compared to any of the AIs, and I had a massive gem income. But on Pasha's Asia Twist map, I had probably 10 entry points into my territory, and once all neighbors declared war, I couldn't hold them all back.....

[Gandalf Parker]

Originally Posted by fungalreason

Set supply setting to max.

Never bid more than minimum amount for mercenaries.

When buying PD, always increase it equally in all provinces, and never go above 10

I see the points in those.
You might also try "only allowed one at a time of the Mercs that are available". And never fire any even when they are down to just one commander.

Some things that I do is ally the AIs with each other (its a map command thing)

Giving the AIs better builds help. Create a god and logical scales to give the AI (can be done by map commands or starting a game as human then going at about turn 4)

[BesucherXia]

Here is the list to add if I return to SP:

- Always pick up a random nation and pefer a national pretender.
- Only play a couple of turns everyday, try planning your strategy as detailed as MP (very hard to obey though...).
- Only rely on national troops/low level summons, never deploy your thugs/SCs.
- Ban the end-game GE in MP:Forge of the Ancients, AC, AN, etc.
- Stop the game as soon as all spells are researched.