Does difficulty levels give the AI physical advantages?

[texico11]

I've noticed that with alot of games, when you set the difficulty levels higher, the enemy gain physical advantage, for example 200hp instead of 100hp, or you are disadvantaged, like 50hp instead of 100hp.

Does this apply to Civ 3? If i set the difficulty levels higher, will there units be stronger? or are the odds always the same?

A game with a good difficulty function usually makes the AI "smarter" and more sophisticated in movements etc, and I was hoping Civ does this, because I don't want to play the harder difficulty settings if I have to produce twice as many units to defend myself.

2 things I have noticed from higher diffculty levels is that the AI spams settlers much more quickly, and also the number of content faces born reduced (i'm playing on monarch, so I think it's something like 2 at the moment.)

How does it work?

 

[Bartleby]

The AI functions exactly the same on all levels, but as you move up the levels the costs for the AI are progressively reduced. Thus the AI builds faster and grows more quicky, thus becoming more powerful. However tech doesn't get cheaper for the AI as the levels increase; rather the costs for the Human increase.
The AI is also allowed more units without having to pay support, and is given free units at the start. At Demigod and higher, the free units include settlers.

 

[Chamnix]

http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=37490

 

[NickyH]

The barbarians get weaker vs the human player on easier levels, but I believe thats the only thing that changes in the combat system.

 

[Whythat]

Does the AI suffer from the same restriction on the Number of citizens born content as you move up in levels?

 

[Bartleby]

I think the AI always plays at regent level in that regard.