The meaning of the word "hard" is relative, so let's allow Bungie to define it... From orbit, select this week's Nightfall and read what Bungie says about the difficulty. Bungie says this week's Nightfall is "+280 Very [b]Hard[/b]" in red, and that "Only a fool would endure this punishment." I've done enough SABER missions to know that an arc burn would make it very "hard". You may need some beer to attempt it, and Bungie thinks you are a fool to endure this punishment. According to an online dictionary, the word "[b]earned[/b]" means: "2. To acquire or deserve as a result of effort or action." I think the term "hard-earned" is perfectly appropriate in the context of how I used it. http://www.thefreedictionary.com/earn