>>718158482
>I mean, i really just wanted to know if the ai can still kick your ass sometimes even if you're already experienced with the game's systems
It can. I don't think I've ever managed to beat a max-level AI in a war, especially if they're a dick-ass underwater nation like R'lyeh and you mainly field undead or something. I'd recommend the mod that gives AI blood nations a passive blood slave income since IIRC they don't actually ever blood hunt even if their nation is heavily dependent on blood magic.
>That is a bit sad to hear however. I kinda imagined it'd be a fun clusterfuck where you'd constantly have to deal with demonic hordes ravaging the lands or other nonsense, basically the world being as much of a threat as the other "players", i just like that trope, but i guess i'll see how that works for myself.
Unlike in Dominions, I'm pretty sure the neutral units scale to the players a bit? I recall failing a siege on a wizard castle because the mages raped my entire army and I had to spend several turns recovering. There's a bunch of unique neutral fortification configurations and units wandering around, so the turn-to-turn gameplay is more dynamic. Still, unique neutral garrisons won't really rape you if you don't bother them.