What determines difficulty levels of Provinces?

[Tauriel Dragonwood]

Has anyone figured out what determines the difficulty levels of the World Map provinces?
Most are Very hard, some are Hard and I’m lucky if I see a province that is Easy.

I research promotions and Advanced Scouts, upgrade my Barracks and Armories to increase training speed and squad size, and I've built Ancient Wonders to increase the health and strength of my troops. What more do I need to do to start seeing Easy provinces? Any advice is greatly appreciated.

 

[DeletedUser188]

what determines the difficulty levels of the World Map provinces?

How far out you have scouted from your city
If you have scouted in a circular pattern or a haphazard pattern
What chapter you are in (how many advanced scouts you researched)
I might have missed something else but I know that training speed and squad size don't effect province difficulty
So a upgrade to Barracks, Armories, Ancient Wonders do not change difficulty level of provinces

 

[shimmerfly]

Sounds like you've over scouted for the level your on but you should already know this???

 

[HJK84]

I might have missed something else but I know that training speed and squad size don't effect province difficulty

Squad Size does lower difficulty for Map Provinces. Doesn't lower costs, just allows you to have a higher squad to fight with, which makes it easier.
I've seen many of my open provinces change in difficulty after I tech a mandatory SS

 

[Pheryll]

The determining factor for how many troops and the cater good cost of a province is the scouting cost you paid for it. The determination for the relative difficulty label is strictly your total army size (5x squad size) vs. enemy total army size.

 

[Tauriel Dragonwood]

Squad Size does lower difficulty for Map Provinces.

Do you know if having more than 3 armories helps lower difficulty for Map Provinces also?

 

[SoggyShorts]

The only things that help are

1. advanced scouts tech BEFORE you scout the province
2. Increasing your squad size via "squad size upgrade" techs.
3. Military wonders that improve your units (Toads, Needles, MM, DA, VS, and heroes)

Note: #3 will not change the words on the map from "Hard" to "medium" but they will help you win the fight.

 

[Tauriel Dragonwood]

How far out you have scouted from your city
If you have scouted in a circular pattern or a haphazard pattern
What chapter you are in (how many advanced scouts you researched)

In Arendyll, I’m in the Orcs chapter, have 4 Armories, and for the Advanced Scouts I’ve completed 249/160 provinces.

In Winyandor, I’m in the Orcs chapter, only have 3 Armories, and for the Advanced Scouts I’ve completed 223/160 provinces. I’m just starting to see Easy provinces but only 3 so far.

It seems the less provinces scouted, the easier the battles will be on the World Map.

 

[SoggyShorts]

Armories, Ancient Wonders do not change difficulty level of provinces

Followed by this

Do you know if having more than 3 armories helps lower difficulty for Map Provinces also?

This is the reason people are occasionally sarcastic with you.

Armories increase your Queue time, so that your barracks/training grounds/merc camp can cook troops for longer while you sleep or are away from the computer. That is all they do, they do not help you win fights in any way.

Straight from the wiki:
Armory
Purpose
The Armory is a military building which can be found in the Buildings Menu under the "Military" tab.

The purpose of this building is to increase the size of the Training Slots in the Barracks. The more Armories you have the more Units you will be able to train simultaneously, in the Training Slots. That means, you have to fill the Training Slots less often and can produce more Units e.g. over night.

 

[SoggyShorts]

It seems the less provinces scouted, the easier the battles will be on the World Map.

For 2 years you complained that all of your fights were "Very hard" and were told dozens of times that it is because you scouted too many provinces.
How can you just now realize that "scouting less means easier"? It's the exact same thing as "scouting more means harder"!

Maximum facepalm

 

[Tauriel Dragonwood]

Thank you everyone for your advice. I think I understand now. Completing research on Squad Size Upgrades helps to lower the difficulty levels of provinces so they become Easy. Upgrading Armories increases squad size. Dwarven Bulwark and Shrewdy Shrooms Ancient Wonders also increase the barrack's training size. If my troops outnumber the enemy, I should find the battles in the provinces a wee bit easier. Tired of negotiating. I want to fight those dangerous creatures roaming around Elvenar! Only in Elvenar can you train a spitting frog to fight battles.

 

[SoggyShorts]

Upgrading Armories increases squad size.

Someone who isn't on her ignore list (is anyone left?) should tell her this is wrong.

 

[shimmerfly]

Someone who isn't on her ignore list (is anyone left?) should tell her this is wrong.

I almost got soggy shorts rereading all this. I'm pretty sure I'm on the list

 

[Ashrem]

Someone who isn't on her ignore list (is anyone left?) should tell her this is wrong.

Are you sure?

 

[SoggyShorts]

Are you sure?

Yep.
Your Squad Size is how many troops you bring to battle per stack. Normal on the world map, and modified by province number in the tournament
Your Squad Size is only increased by Squad Size Upgrade techs in the research tree.
Armories increase the number of troops you can queue in a training slot for your barracks/training grounds/merc camp. Exactly like SSS and DB wonders.

Simple test:
Open barracks, go to army camp tab and check your squad size.
Build a level 1 armory
Check again

 

[Ashrem]

Yep.
Your Squad Size is how many troops you bring to battle per stack. Normal on the world map, and modified by province number in the tournament

Oh dear. You completely misunderstood what I was saying "are you sure" about. Main clause man! Pay attention to your main clause.

 

[DeletedUser20709]

Well, I am wont to enter this minefield, BUT, everything Soggy said is true. I currently have about 25 armories, and that's because they allow me to "cook" more troops over the same period of time. Armories and the Map and it's battle scenario are not related at all. One is determined by the tech tree, squad size, and any extra bldgs you have, and the other is just a time thing....more troops, less time.

 

[SoggyShorts]

ooooh.. you mean am I sure that someone should tell her?
Well, I'll be perfectly honest, both here and on Beta since she put me on ignore I've often answered her questions so that no one else would. To her it would seem like her question got ignored. <insert evil laugh>

 

[Ashrem]

There's the Soggy I know.
(and who's sister I love when we find the time)

 

[Ashrem]

Well, I am wont to enter this minefield

I think you mean loathe? Wont seems out of context with minefield