Too much difference between standard and moderate difficulty?

Standard AI is hilariously bad, I can't even imagine what easiest is. Standard AI can't even get up to castle age while I can get to imperial by 1 hour. Some of the players (I like to play 2 v 3) don't even have basic military buildings let alone stage an army. At one point I was like post imperial and two of the players were still at feudal without any military buildings. Just a peaceful village with farmers and lumberjacks and god knows why but a blacksmith.

On the other hand, moderate AI is way more competent getting to unbelievably fast castle ages and rushing with decent armies. It is still weak to defending castles at which it throws a flood of units like a madman but it's night and day compared to standard AI