Hi Ludwik, Yes, this can definitely be normal, and you’re not imagining things. In many games, the AI difficulty setting doesn’t control everything. Setting AI to Very Easy and Random behavior usually affects how aggressively or intelligently the AI reacts, but there are often other hidden or indirect systems still working against you. A few points that might explain what you’re seeing: AI advantages still exist Even on low difficulty, the AI may still receive economic bonuses, faster production, or reduced penalties. These aren’t always clearly labeled, so the AI can feel stronger than expected. Game systems matter more than AI “skill” If the game has deep mechanics (economy, positioning, timing, upgrades, etc.), the difficulty often comes from those systems rather than the AI’s decision-making. In that case, lowering AI difficulty helps, but doesn’t remove the learning curve. Map or scenario balance Some maps or scenarios are designed to be challenging no matter what. Starting position, available resources, or enemy proximity can make a “Very Easy” game feel punishing. Default settings can be misleading Things like starting resources, number of opponents, fog of war, or victory conditions can quietly raise the difficulty even if the AI itself is weak. “Random” doesn’t always mean easier Random behavior can sometimes lead to unpredictable or accidentally strong plays, rather than consistently bad ones. So yes—sometimes “Very Easy” really means “easier than normal,” not “relaxed or beginner-friendly.” If the goal is a more comfortable experience, you might want to: Increase your starting resources Reduce the number of AI opponents Choose a simpler map or scenario Disable any AI bonuses if the option exists You’re not doing anything wrong—it’s just how the game is balanced.

Siege units were capturable in A23 and maybe even more recently, why were was that removed, @Stan`?

I think capture for siege units is a great idea and should be part of the main game (now that capturing ships has been also proposed). It would be a way to force a realistic use of them.

I never stated nor implied the opposite, just that since this is far less profitable than plundering a city, simplifications could be considered (like they are on many other things).

Actually, armor and weapons were much more valuable than is commonly thought, and gathering armor and weapons from the battlefield was a very common thing, so common that both the Iliad, the Odyssey, and the Aenied talk about how both famous and powerful warriors and newbies would make sure to take their opponents war gear for later use or sale.