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Hello Uther, if you get to read this after so long. Hopefully the Sicilians have conquered the world by now.

I'm sure Vices and Virtues (V&V), and the attributes are tougher on Expert. When you start a new campaign, and compare the attributes of units even from Hard to Expert the Expert units will have lower loyalty and acumen. I'd like to see a thread on the whole V&V thing, to be honest, since it often drives me crazy, and spoils my enjoyment of play. What I'll say next is what I think from observation, but can't guarantee it's so. I'd love to get some straight answers from a CA person about this. So:

With Princes (and other units) the V&V engine seems to comment on the way you're playing. If you're attacking the wrong people, or not attacking obvious choices, or accepting unhelpful alliances the V&V engine will give you first "Strange", then "Crackbrained". If you're overproducing units it will give "Drinker", and if you keep this up "Often Drunk", through to "Severe Alcholic". You can see this when you check the character of other kings, especially the Spanish, who are likely to overproduce. Look at their princes too, to get an idea about how that faction has been managed.

If you're invading with massive numbers against little opposition, or not invading, it is likely to give "Chinless Wonder". The AI also uses this, (and Lazy), to goad you into going faster, or attacking on another part of the map, and sometimes, it seems to me, just for mischief, to make you jump blind into some attacks.

Acumen for Princes then seems to be a comment on the AI's assessment of your play. With ordinary units, loyalty and acumen seem to be an AI comment on how much you need that unit - was it the right one to build then. The AI prefers the "less is more" approach, and seems to think that "one is a lot" when it comes to the most advanced pieces. Try building 3 Feudal knights in a row to see the effect. The AI also seems to take into account the attributes of the generals you give titles to, and the untitled generals at the top of an army stack. Place the generals with the attributes you want to promote at the top of such stacks.

If the AI thinks you are playing to the Principles of the game build, military and political strategies (minimalist etc.) it will give Man of Principle. If the AI thinks you are playing closest to the Principles it will give Highest Level of Technological Achievement - which isn't about the level of building you're up to. A faction with Castles can get this while you're building Fortresses.

Weak Principles seems to be about mixing build strategies - e.g. if you build all the types buildings in a province. The AI seems to prefer just 2 types of military buildings, e.g. militia and bows, or spears and swords, or spears and horses. Adultery too for this sometimes, and for mixing up alliances. Perverse seems to come into alliance behaviour, too.

Pride seems to be caused by: building in front line/battefield provinces next to enemies, and sometimes for alliance behaviour.

Otherwise, the Stars of your princes reflects the conquest behaviour. If you've conquered several territories before a prince comes of age he'll likely be 3 or 4 star. If you keep conquering quickly you'll get more - I've had runs of of 7 star princes on Expert when on a roll. However, the AI seems to assess quick conquest as stupid, so you might get a 5 star prince with 0 acumen. If you're matching the numbers and winning you are likely to get sons.

Overall I understand that the King's acumen does affect the economy. The V&V's like Steward and Builder give loyalty boosts across the empire, so try to put your heirs in newly conquered territories where you're building lots, and hopefully they'll pick these up. I've not been able to tell with Dread and Piety - but I always bump up the King's dread by executing rebels to gain Swift Justice or Secret Rough Justice.

If your new King is Strange, or a Drinker, or has 0 acumen his Influence will be lower to start with, so loyalty of generals and provinces will be less.

Blackmailer seems to be caused by leaving strategic agents, like bishops or spies, on other faction's territories - not emissaries. Emissaries are the opposite - you can use them to placate large neighbouring armies, or to keep in with allies, especially if you are moving large armies along borders. If you leave the emissary in place, say, to deter an attack by a large enemy army, you are likely to get Oozes Charm, which leads on to acumen boosting Charming (which sounds nicer, too) etc.

So, I think the attributes, and V&V's are tougher on Expert, but I couldn't say for certain. Heh.