How does the difficulty alter the game?

[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?