One of the things I've noticed is how wildly my strategy has to change on various difficulty settings, and I'm not just talking about obvious adjustments for the actual difficulty itself or the fact that the AI is faster and better at higher levels. In particular, when I step down to a lower difficulty to test some mechanics or strategies, I actually find that Deity is easier in some ways. Barbarians tend to be the most annoying at middle difficulties because at Deity, the AI is much better at dealing with them, where it falls on you at lower levels. Additionally, the difference in gold is really noticeable. I can't buy things or use my gold to get CS allies as early on lower difficulties because the AI simply doesn't have as much gold to give you for luxuries. This totally messes up my timing for building things like the NC because I can't buy a library at an expo most of the time if I'm having to buy an extra archer to deal with barbarians and I'm not getting the income I'm used to from luxuries.
Obviously, you can overcome mistakes in timing and micromanaging easier on lower difficulties, but it is such an annoyance. I can still test mid and late game mechanics at lower difficulties but how I get there tends to swing wildly.
Obviously, you can overcome mistakes in timing and micromanaging easier on lower difficulties, but it is such an annoyance. I can still test mid and late game mechanics at lower difficulties but how I get there tends to swing wildly.