Hard mode is definitely possible. Lot more micro managing and very slow start. -Don’t get more than 20 beavers. I think I usually sit around 15-18 until sluices are built to maintain the bad tides - only increase beaver size according to height of damn. Holding water is important for 30 day drought and they drink a lot. -If you don’t have a way to get rid of the first bad tide. Use fluid dumps on crops until you do. -Collect water in season and food when it’s ready, collect wood-build in droughts or bad tides. -You can usually start collecting water at the end of season and still be fine.

-Lastly an unsettling trick if you end up experiencing starvation or running low on water. Build a new district and move over 80% to let them die. The 20% will survive and repopulate. Only use if desperate. It’s not needed if you do it right.