I just started HoMM 4 and am wondering what's the best difficulty to play the campaigns at?

I don't want this to be another piece of Chronicles cake, though I wouldn't mind if the first campaign was easish as I learn the ropes.

I'm thinking difficulty 3, which means no handicap or bonus for you or the PC, which would seem to mean the difficulty will be purely determined by the campaign map (and if I'm not mistaken the later campaigns would be more difficult, which would suit me well). Unfortunately it also means "larger neutral monster stacks". If I play difficulty 2, where the neutral monster stacks are normal, it'd mean that I'd get a bonus and the computer AI will play with a handicap, something I'd rather not have.

Suggestions?

That's actually a rather difficult question. If you are not familiar with the game mechanics, you might find the normal difficulty difficult enough. On the other hand, once you get to know the game, only the highest difficulty presents a significant challenge, and then just in one or two maps of each campaign.

I would recommend starting the Lysander campaign on normal difficulty, and if you make it through the second map without significant issues, you can switch to a higher difficulty.

Note that some maps are almost impossible on Champion difficulty, particularly the first map of Waerjak (barbarian) campaign. You *can* complete them, but it is very very difficult. On Champion difficulty: The first campaign is easy, the second almost impossible, the third easy-to-normal, fourth easy, fifth rather difficult, sixth difficult. The larger neutral stacks are not a problem, unless a map was never playtested past normal difficulty and a difficult stack is blocking some important chokepoint. With the campaings, this only occurs in the Waerjak campaing.

That's Heroes Chronicles all over again...

Right, thanks for both replies. Sorry I can only mark one as solution. I'll try difficulty 3 and see how it goes. Maybe just the first campaign at 2, while I'm learning the basics.