What is the difference among difficulties?

[exsonic01]

I don't have the manual in my hand yet. Can anyone teach me about the major differences for each difficulty levels very briefly?

I'm just trying training-level these days, but I will increase soon. What is the proper choice for a noob like me?

 

 

Thank you

 

Best,

[Pete Wenman]

 

When you launch a new battle, you can set the skill level, which adjusts the overall difficulty of the game. Unlike other games, the skill level does not simply give an artificial bonus to the computer opponent, but instead has an influence on core game mechanics. The following section describes the differences between the different levels. Only the differences from the previous lower level are described.

 

Basic Training

This is the easiest setting. The following special rules apply:

- Friendly units are always spotted

- Spotting information is instantly shared among teams (aka “Borg Spotting”)

- Troops suffer slightly fewer casualties and are less likely to panic

- Treatment of wounded soldiers (“buddy aid”) is extremely fast

- Artillery and air support arrives extremely fast

- Enemy units, once spotted, are always fully identified

- The life/death status of enemy vehicles is displayed immediately

- Enemy weapons and suppression are displayed

- You can hear the voices of unspotted enemies

- Supplies from Ammo Dumps are automatically distributed among troops.

 

Veteran

Most people familiar with the Combat Mission game system will prefer this setting. It is a fair balance between realism and fun that does not burden the player with unnecessary details or long waiting times. The following special rules apply:

- Friendly units are always spotted

- Enemies, once spotted, are not always immediately identified and can appear as generic “Enemy contacts” (but less often than at Elite level)

- Spotting information is distributed among teams using the standard Command & Control rules (See Command & Control chapter)

- Treatment of wounded soldiers is faster than in real life

Game Manual 29

- Artillery and air support arrives faster than in real life

- The life/death status of enemy vehicles is hidden until the crew bails out or the vehicle starts to burn

- Enemy weapons and suppression are not displayed

- You cannot hear unspotted enemies

- Supplies from Ammo Dumps are automatically distributed among troops.

 

Warrior

Warrior is similar to the Veteran setting but introduces more realistic time delays for a number of tasks and events. Hardcore players will favor this setting. The following special rules apply:

- Enemies appear as generic “Enemy contacts” until they are positively identified by your forces on the battlefield

- Treating wounded soldiers takes a realistic amount of time

- Artillery and air support take a realistic amount of time to arrive

- Supplies from Ammo Dumps are automatically distributed among troops.

 

Elite

Elite is identical to Warrior with only one difference:

- Enemy infantry icons are always the plain “soldier” type, regardless of their armament or function

 

Iron

Iron is an optional setting that goes even one step further than Elite, and introduces special restrictions on what the player can do and when. While even more realistic than the other settings, this option introduces a number of interface limitations which might put off the casual player, so it is strictly an optional choice.

- Friendly units need to be spotted just like enemy units. If you have a friendly unit not in line of sight or in contact with another friendly unit, then the only way to find this unit is by either re-establishing contact with another friendly unit or by clicking through the chain of command in the game interface, jumping from unit to unit.

 

Scenario Author Test

“Scenario Author Test” may be selected as a Skill Mode in 1-player games only. It is intended to be used by Scenario Authors only when testing their creations, and is not intended for “live” play. This setting will cause all enemy units to be fully displayed to the player, but not additionally “known” to player’s troops. Computer controlled units show their movement paths when selected.

Note: in Scenario Author Test mode, using the +/- keys to “jump to the next unit” also works with enemy units.

 

P

Edited February 5, 2015 by Pete Wenman

[womble]

It is important to note that "Difficulty" is something of a misnomer. In some respects, it can be more difficult to fight the AI on Basic Training level, because their artillery gets the benefit of the short call times that you are enjoying. Mostly, the changes affect how easy it is for you to interact with the game's systems, rather than how you conflict with the AI.