Are there any formation files that make the AI capable of simply maintaining a line?

[QuintusSertorius]

I just had a battle in a forest that was ruined by some absolutely shocking maneuvering by the AI. I know that's not EB's fault, but I was wondering if there are any formation mods, any at all, that make it able to simply keep it's phalanxes in an unbroken line. Nothing fancy, not talking clever flanking, just keeping them lined up, instead of breaking them up where they can be overwhelmed piecemeal.

Par exemple:

Start of battle, nice, solid, unbroken line. Pikes in the centre, others on the flanks. Good.

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v66/Kiero/EB%20screenshots/Pergamon%20Game%20II/Seleukid%20War%20II/SeleukidBattle17-2.jpg

Oh dear, battle's barely begun and their entire left has marched leaving the right and centre behind.

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v66/Kiero/EB%20screenshots/Pergamon%20Game%20II/Seleukid%20War%20II/SeleukidBattle17-4.jpg

Now they're moving part of their right, but leaving the centre where it is.

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v66/Kiero/EB%20screenshots/Pergamon%20Game%20II/Seleukid%20War%20II/SeleukidBattle17-6.jpg

Centre doing a good job of watching their comrades get slaughtered. Otherwise useless.

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v66/Kiero/EB%20screenshots/Pergamon%20Game%20II/Seleukid%20War%20II/SeleukidBattle17-8.jpg

Added bonus, yet another suicide charge by the enemy general. Seem to be getting a lot of those lately, as well.

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v66/Kiero/EB%20screenshots/Pergamon%20Game%20II/Seleukid%20War%20II/SeleukidBattle17-10.jpg

So can anything help? Anything at all that can improve on this mess?

[abou]

If you are on the defensive, march forward to meet them. I have found that usually works otherwise the AI tries to split its army in an attempt to flank you.

[QuintusSertorius]

I attacked them, then I marched to meet them, and stopped intially at skirmish range. Could the fact that half of my line - even though it was in plain sight earlier - hid themselves when they stopped have confused the AI?

They didn't even try to outflank me here, looked like it was trying that stupid match-up business it does.

[||Lz3||]

try AI formations minimod compiled by Lysander13:yes:, you can find it at the first page of minimod section

you should try Darth's formation (you play with huge size so that's perfect for darth's)

I used it and it's really really better ,they mantain a line and even try to flank with cavalry :beam:

[QuintusSertorius]

I've installed DarthMod, we'll see how that goes.

[QuintusSertorius]

Just fought a big battle (https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showpost.php?p=1962370&postcount=101) with DarthMod, and not convinced it's a great improvement. They did try some pretty effective flanking, but the centre still failed to do anything useful. Two of the units just milled around in circles not attacking, and at the start of the battle they did a lot of running backwards and forwards tiring themselves out.

[||Lz3||]

interesting last day I started a custom battle, a post marian army against a makedionian phalanxes one :smash:

their phalanxes advanced in order , kept my legionaires pined down while their cavalry and lighter infantry tried to flank me :yes:

[QuintusSertorius]

Don't get me wrong, the flanking is a welcome change, but the continuing inability to maintain a line in the centre is still annoying.

[QuintusSertorius]

Another big battle with Darth Mod, still no improvement on holding a line.

Battle starts and it all looks good. They've been deployed initially in the right place:

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v66/Kiero/EB%20screenshots/Pergamon%20Game%20II/Makedonian%20War/MakedonianBattle1-1.jpg

Oh, spoke too soon. My army is visible and in one line, they're not moving. Yet the AI is already breaking up it's line and heading all over the place.

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v66/Kiero/EB%20screenshots/Pergamon%20Game%20II/Makedonian%20War/MakedonianBattle1-2.jpg

Special bonus: suicide charge by the enemy general before the lines have even met.

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v66/Kiero/EB%20screenshots/Pergamon%20Game%20II/Makedonian%20War/MakedonianBattle1-3.jpg

Where does he charge? Yep, you guessed it, into the front of formed up spearmen.

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v66/Kiero/EB%20screenshots/Pergamon%20Game%20II/Makedonian%20War/MakedonianBattle1-4.jpg

Their line is now all over the place.

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v66/Kiero/EB%20screenshots/Pergamon%20Game%20II/Makedonian%20War/MakedonianBattle1-5.jpg

This is not a line.

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v66/Kiero/EB%20screenshots/Pergamon%20Game%20II/Makedonian%20War/MakedonianBattle1-6.jpg

Some of them can't even face the units they're attacking.

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v66/Kiero/EB%20screenshots/Pergamon%20Game%20II/Makedonian%20War/MakedonianBattle1-10.jpg

Why are they almost all sideways-on?

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v66/Kiero/EB%20screenshots/Pergamon%20Game%20II/Makedonian%20War/MakedonianBattle1-13.jpg

Is there anything that improves the way the AI handles phalanxes? Because at present it's just useless.

And why does the AI kill off it's generals so often?

[sfmain]

Thats why i play on very hard/very hard with every thing that may help (alex.exe and darth mod):juggle2:

[QuintusSertorius]

Thats why i play on very hard/very hard with every thing that may help (alex.exe and darth mod):juggle2:

How do statistical bonuses ot the AI help with it's total failure to maintain even the simplest of tactics?

I don't want battles harder simply because the AI can spam me with full stacks every turn and their weakest troops can beat my elites in a straight fight.

[Sdragon]

Simply put, there is no hope. Medieval Total War 2 can have the AI modded. Waiting for EB 2 is your best bet it seems.

[QuintusSertorius]

Is the AI worse on Huge unit size? I'm wondering if difficulty in getting everyone in a line plays a part in the shambles we see.

[hoom]

I have no idea what they did but the RTR 7:TIC AI seems to have scary good formation cohesion in the relatively few battles I've played.

[konny]

I found Sinuhet's formations always have a good cohesion, in smaller battles at least. But it has other downsides, in particular reinforcement battles and excessive use of guard mode.