Cool! I hope you enjoy it as much as I have. My current game is Veteran combat level and Veteran economic difficulty. That is the middle ground. I find it challenging, but not overwhelming. I, however, have no problem with "save scumming" (saving right before a battle and reloading if I lose). If I were you, I would turn off "permanent destruction" in the options (unfortunately, I did not, and once you start a campaign you can't change it). This should allow destroyed towns to rebuild eventually. You're going to start off with bottom-of-the-barrel gear. Get used to that. Gearing and leveling up your men takes a while. And get used to losing battles. I still lose battles, and my men are all level 17+ with some nice armor and weapons. Have fun!