Due to the increase of 2 knights, the AI is allowed to field one additional Marshal (max. 5 now) and one more Spy (max. 2 now).

* Espionage costs slightly reduced (they were a bit too high).
* Improved AI logic for choosing Traditions.

- Espionage costs increased.
- The impact of the Conspiracy tradition has been enhanced to help counter enemy spies more effectively.
- Last final tweaks.

Refined AI behavior: fewer simultaneous wars

Reduced impact of the Navigation tradition

Increased impact of the Trading tradition

Reduced impact of the Writing tradition

AI should prioritize Medicine, Infantry Tactics, and Writing early on.

Update

Key Hardcore Changes:

The AI is Ruthless, but Smart: The AI is highly aggressive and seeks conflict, but it will no longer spiral out of control.

Great powers are programmed to prioritize fighting other great powers, and small nations will battle locally.

I hope I've found a workaround: Only the AI can now lead a Crusade (perfect for MP balance).

Dplomacy is now a minefield. Breaking a truce or abandoning an ally incurs a massive, permanent relationship penalty Trust is expensive, and betrayal is never forgotten.

This mod adjusts key resource generation based on difficulty level to enhance strategic depth and challenge. Values per difficulty:

Easy / Normal / Hard / Very Hard

Gold: 0.8 / 1.25 / 1.50 / 1.80

Books: 0.8 / 1.10 / 1.30 / 1.50

Piety: 0.8 / 1.10 / 1.25 / 1.50

Food: 0.8 / 1.10 / 1.25 / 1.50

Levy: 0.8 / 1.25 / 1.30 / 1.50

Update

Update

Update