Challenge ideas- making Hard Mode harder

[Twizman]

My first goal is I want to make the game harder, but still fair and not overwhelming. My second goal is I want to use the smallest team possible, each with important roles. My reason is I prefer less micromanagement, and don't enjoy carrying non-used units. This game on hard mode is my favorite Fire Emblem experience so far! But I've read that the challenge starts to lessen after chapter 7. I'm hoping to maintain a more consistent challenge by imposing rules.

I was inspired by the rules from this run: https://serenesforest.net/forums/index.php?/topic/43122-fe6-hm-no-hm-bonus-chars/&page=1

So far I'm using the following rules: 
- no HM bonuses allowed. This means no: Rutger, Fir, Shin (making an exception to use him over Sue due to her frailty), Gonzales, Klein, Tate, Miledy, Zeiss, Garret and Cath. Perceval can be used if recruited at Chapter 13 (he gets HM bonuses if recruited later).
- use only one of Lance or Alan post chapter 7.
- no use of Arena.
- Sacae route.

If anyone with experience with FE6 (and in particular Hard Mode) can offer suggestions to help create the best balance of challenge and fun with a smaller team, I would super appreciate that!
*ps to avoid getting stat screwed, ensure that Lance and Shanna get consistent Str, and Deke gets Spd.

Edited June 11, 2017 by Twizman

[Punished Dayni]

Not sure what to give you in terms of challenge idea, sorry. (Also, yeah Chapter 7 is probably the biggest challenge unless you trigger everything in Chapter 21). Maybe use a couple of tier lists and exclude units consistently high up?

For supports, it's just horizontal and vertical tiles, sorry (it also doesn't help that FE6 only gives 120 support points total each map..... Which just makes it more irritating)

[Twizman]

Do I have to end the turn for the unit to gain support, or can I just leave the units adjacent without moving and end the turn for the whole army? Are there ways to gain more support than others, for example rescuing units?

[Camus The Dark Knight]

FE6 hard is a pretty fun difficulty, it's a good challenge without being unreasonable. I used both Wendy and Sophia before in hard mode (yeah don't do this) just for the sake of it and I still got by, so it's not impossible or anything. If you want another challenge without anything too crazy you could put self-imposed turn-limits on chapters, or go for A rank on turn count.

If you want insane hard I was making a casual FE6 ROM hack, then decided to turn it in to lunatic-hard-mode, though it was based off my girls only run cast so the characters would be rearranged (So Guinevere is the main lord, not Roy). It's done up to chapter 22. A druid from chapter 22...

 

[Twizman]

Wow, that's amazing Camus. Thanks!

[LucarioGamer812]

I haven't played through the game so I honestly don't much beyond the 3rd chapter but maybe make it so your units can only use iron weapons with exception of legendary weapons? I don't know how that would work out so take it as a grain of salt.

[dondon151]

you really shouldn't have to use shin; sue is not that bad.

the challenge diminishes after chapter 7 because chapter 7 simply has one of the most difficult chapter designs in the game.

[Twizman]

I've only used Sue a little so far, but seems like if you make one mistake she can die in one hit. Would like a little more durability and less reliance on luck for Sue to survive. Do you think that is fair dondon? I saw Sue got a fairly low rating on the rate the unit poll, but I do feel that rating could be deceptive.