How does the difficulty alter the game?

[tsavo]

Originally Posted by Nanaki

Pirates are generally not very well-equipped or very well trained, mind you. Even the game states that their strategy and tactics pretty much boils down to 'Zerg rush the enemy' and that they do not have much in the way of teamwork or strategy.

just got stuck with sam bug in Inoco mission, noticed I need to upgrade my fighter, will see what happens later

[Nanaki]

Originally Posted by tsavo

just got stuck with sam bug in Inoco mission, noticed I need to upgrade my fighter, will see what happens later

Although I am suprised, if you are playing on the hardest difficulty, XB-19 has the occasional squad of Hrimthurs that are armed with some pretty nasty MIRVs, nasty enough to rip even Wyverns equipped with the best Flares a new one.

[tsavo]

Originally Posted by Nanaki

Although I am suprised, if you are playing on the hardest difficulty, XB-19 has the occasional squad of Hrimthurs that are armed with some pretty nasty MIRVs, nasty enough to rip even Wyverns equipped with the best Flares a new one.

I play hard, do we have hardest difficulty?
never use flare, laser defence only(it is a green one picked-up from other fights), and keep good distance always.
just noticed Greyhair is 25% better in anit-missile, lucky me

[Killer]

I have just started my fourth playthrough and chosed hard. So far the biggest difference is XP. It seems really hard to get XP from killing NPC. I just spent all my points to antimissile defense for me and Ternie, ten killed about 40 pirates and I am at 3.8 XP points... Bye, bye 5th generation fighters

[Nanaki]

Originally Posted by Killer

I have just started my fourth playthrough and chosed hard. So far the biggest difference is XP. It seems really hard to get XP from killing NPC. I just spent all my points to antimissile defense for me and Ternie, ten killed about 40 pirates and I am at 3.8 XP points... Bye, bye 5th generation fighters

You can fix that, you know.

I play hard, do we have hardest difficulty?

Hmm, that is the hardest difficulty. Maybe it is just that active ECM is a lot better than passive ECM...

[tsavo]

Originally Posted by Nanaki

Hmm, that is the hardest difficulty. Maybe it is just that active ECM is a lot better than passive ECM...

Just run through the Alien mission lastnight, Laser defence is usless against Alien missile, but Flare works fine. My decoy fighter never survive first wave of missiles when equiped with Laser defence.

May be the Laser is able to destroy multi-warhead missiles afar, when it is still in one-piece?

[Killer]

Originally Posted by Nanaki

You can fix that, you know.

I know, I have read it in a different topic, but I am affraid not to make the game too easy. But maybe I will try it.

[tsavo]

Originally Posted by Killer

I have just started my fourth playthrough and chosed hard. So far the biggest difference is XP. It seems really hard to get XP from killing NPC. I just spent all my points to antimissile defense for me and Ternie, ten killed about 40 pirates and I am at 3.8 XP points... Bye, bye 5th generation fighters

Greyhair got the antimissile perk at the begining, so, why waste your point?

My understanding for how to start a Hard game is:
1 try to go faster and avoid combact in the begining,
2 salvage as much as possible, use fast fighter as decoy,
3 focuse on upgrade mother ship firepower and fighter maneuverability when u got some money
4 looking for trouble when Greyhair jions
5 Keep mothership manned during combat, unless it is necessary