Why is Karaz – Karak listed as easy?

Hello there, I am a new player of Warhammer 2, my first playthrough was an Empire campaign (hard/normal). I have actually managed to finish it (in 120 turns, with over 50 settlements) and it went relatively easy, though still fun. Encouraged by this, I went for dwarfs of Thorgrim.

Good God. It is turn 78 and I have 10 settlements, of whom only few are somewhat secure (Silver Road, Gunbad province and eastern one)

• First it took me a lot of time just surviving against various greenskins, skaven (Eshin), random beastmen and horrifyingly powerful Wurrzag's Waagh.
• Grimgor Ironhide (of all possible factions) has been literally #2 power in the world for the entire game, very quickly confederating, conquering all badlands and border princes, fluctuating between 15 and 20 cities
• Thanks to very hard campaign difficulty (?) he also got to top tier units very quickly, and he has a lot of Black Orcs everywhere, which I can barely kill with artillery while running for tier IV buildings as fast as I can.
• The only reason why I have survived so far (besides my desperate methods of attrition warfare) is the fact he is waging three front war with me, skavens in the south east and some western factions
• Karak Kadrin is down to one settlement, and I have suffered Red Eye raids which miraculously didn't attack due to my hardcore fortifications and army recrutiment in Gunbad
• #1 power in the game is Sylvania which has 25 cities and annihilated the entire Empire, while also pushing my friendly dwarves in the north

So between those two monstrous empires and their smaller buddies (50 cities of undead and greenskin) there are mountains with me barely surviving, Zhufbar having two cities and Ungrim having one.

So my questions are: – Is this normal? – Would you have motivation to continue fight in this grim scenario? – How on Earth other people survive VH versus Black Orcs? (I say VH because it gives AI massive bonuses to growth, way before I can reach those tiers)

At least I have a proper grimdark simulator, with Empire I've been smashing everybody (Sylvania was dead by turn 34 and I was too stupid to get Marienburg before that). Although I won't Play on VH campaign dif anymore, it is unpleasant for AI to unlock top tier units so quickly.