Switched to Veteran, producing a more likely experience: my guys get wounded and sometimes severely injured at a fair rate, and I just lost one guy due to a bad flank and getting overwhelmed. He almost made it, but no joy. Also had to run from a well-armed party of thugs and raiders which ambushed me on the road. Overall, challenging but not unfair.
Something of note: during one of the first days, I got a contract to kill a bunch of creatures which were terrorizing the local village. Can't remember if it was one or two skulls, but when I saw the pack of 7 Nachzehrer, I ran and impulsively decided to lure them to the village, hoping militia would come out. Another mercenary company appeared and went after them, which was just fine. I allowed them to kill a bunch of the beasts, but didn't time it well and they ended up wiping out the whole pack. Thing is, I got all the credit as if I had killed the target myself, and was paid in full.
Not sure if that's intended. It was a nice surprise, but to be fair there should've been a reduction in the reward, or an outright contract cancellation. Not really a failure, but clearly the other company would've expected their reward. If you want to make it more complex, if other mercs are after the same target as you are and they accomplish the task, you
could dishonestly claim the reward but you'd risk the other company's anger and a stain on your reputation.
As a footnote, another minor thing, practically nitpicking:
the shadow effect on items isn't always uniform. Compare the thick, dark Noble Sword effect to the knives' below it, or the military pick to the boar spears. Really tiny thing, but I noticed it.