Honestly, my experience (other than sandbox) was that when playing customized skirmishes the AI enemy, even when you've selected both sides to be equal (in their starting monies and supplies) cheats. For example, I watched two fire balistas in action and they were shooting faster and more accurately than you can achieve with the same equipment, similar scenario. Then the "higher end" soldiers breed like bunnies and there's a never-ending plethora of slaves and slave drivers,. Everything spawns way faster, from the money taken in to how quickly you can produce assassins, (for example.) The enemy (on easy no less) sends relentless annoying attacks that keep you on the defense and having to replace lost military and rebuild walls. I have not tried the "normal" setting (what's the point?) - I enjoy the sandbox where you can create but who doesn't want to at a minimum defend your castle and if well managed even take on a foe agressively. I played the skirmish they set for you and some are doable (after a great while) some I could not conquer and can move on until you master a pre-set scenario. I'm not saying you can't have fun here and its certainly dirt cheap but it has short-comings. Still, I played almost 200 hours (maybe not alot to some) before I came to this conclusion and decided I was DONE but also recognized I "got my monies worth." Cheap entertainment.
