Red Harvest
12-31-2004, 06:45
Ok, in case this isn't fixed in the coming patch...here are some comments about the AI's skirmisher problems for any follow up that could come. In fighting some recent battles with forces very similar to what the AI was fielding, the AI ineptitude in certain areas was hammered home repeatedly. (I'm going to skip most of the friendly fire issues, since they are well documented in other threads.)
1. The AI will charge its cav at skirmishers in front of the player's battle line, and pursue them right into awaiting phalanx units--result: mostly dead horsemen. (This contributes to the suicidal daimyo problem.) Chasing off skirmishers so that they cannot perform their function is one good use of cav. Chasing them all the way into a pikewall is assinine. No when to say "when." It is particulary foolish when the AI has a large archer contingent of its own...and therefore could engage the ranged units by chasing back the player's skirmishers first.
2. Skirmishers/missile units should "anticipate" their targets, fire sooner (not more frequently, just sooner for the initial volley when they have been stationary) and fall back sooner. If I don't pull them back manually (usually before they fire) they just stand there waiting until it is too late to fall back properly. This might be related to the "let me get off this one last shot" delay issue. The delay also presents problems for manual control. This is very noticeable vs. fastmoving cav. Perhaps the solution is that when missile units reach position they should complete about 1/2 of their firing sequence straight away in however many seconds that would take. In essence they would assume a ready position that would allow them to fire, then fall back in good order at a reasonable distance. And stuff that d****d command delay that puts them through the full firing sequence for one or even two cycles. It is a big contributor to silly friendly fire casualties as well, though that is not my intended topic.
3. Archers/velites/javelins/slingers should not be charged into the battle line as if they were shock troops except for rear/flank attacks or other special instances. I can only sit in stunned disbelief when an archer unit charges melee troops frontally, rather than actually settling in to fire some arrows and making the enemy come to them. It shouldn't matter whether or not they do or don't have good melee stats. They are there to inflict casualties at range...not suffer casualties in hand-to-hand. The AI likes to charge its velites into my melee infantry battle line at times.
Lots of other stuff I could go into, particularly the piecemeal attacks in column, and failing to maintain a battle line. However, those are not skirmish issues
1. The AI will charge its cav at skirmishers in front of the player's battle line, and pursue them right into awaiting phalanx units--result: mostly dead horsemen. (This contributes to the suicidal daimyo problem.) Chasing off skirmishers so that they cannot perform their function is one good use of cav. Chasing them all the way into a pikewall is assinine. No when to say "when." It is particulary foolish when the AI has a large archer contingent of its own...and therefore could engage the ranged units by chasing back the player's skirmishers first.
2. Skirmishers/missile units should "anticipate" their targets, fire sooner (not more frequently, just sooner for the initial volley when they have been stationary) and fall back sooner. If I don't pull them back manually (usually before they fire) they just stand there waiting until it is too late to fall back properly. This might be related to the "let me get off this one last shot" delay issue. The delay also presents problems for manual control. This is very noticeable vs. fastmoving cav. Perhaps the solution is that when missile units reach position they should complete about 1/2 of their firing sequence straight away in however many seconds that would take. In essence they would assume a ready position that would allow them to fire, then fall back in good order at a reasonable distance. And stuff that d****d command delay that puts them through the full firing sequence for one or even two cycles. It is a big contributor to silly friendly fire casualties as well, though that is not my intended topic.
3. Archers/velites/javelins/slingers should not be charged into the battle line as if they were shock troops except for rear/flank attacks or other special instances. I can only sit in stunned disbelief when an archer unit charges melee troops frontally, rather than actually settling in to fire some arrows and making the enemy come to them. It shouldn't matter whether or not they do or don't have good melee stats. They are there to inflict casualties at range...not suffer casualties in hand-to-hand. The AI likes to charge its velites into my melee infantry battle line at times.
Lots of other stuff I could go into, particularly the piecemeal attacks in column, and failing to maintain a battle line. However, those are not skirmish issues