Strategic Decision-Making by the AI

[Tarkus]

Hi all,

Sorry in advance if this has been discussed before, but I couldn't even figure out how to seach for answers after having failed in a couple of attempts...

As I watch the game unfold during my Baktrian campaign -- the once mighty Romans now getting steamrolled by the Lusotannans, the Ptolemaics and Qartadastim locked in a ferocious battle in northern Africa, while the Saka and Pahlavans just mind their own business -- I become really curious about the actual ways in which the AI decides how to play each faction. What are the decision points for how the AI factions conduct themselves? Is this public knowledge, or carefully guarded secrets? Can anybody point me to existing information on this forum?

Just curious...thanks!

[Arjos]

Is more like which AI faction gets lucky with auto-resolve...
Also something that happens most of the times: the AI attacks one or two factions, moving all its troops towards the new areas, and another faction just takes over the unguarded regions...
Only thing the AI aims for is getting rid of the player, rest they usually move for the eleutheroi and "northwards"...

[Maeran]

The northwards part of it has been much discussed. Some opinion is that all AI factions work toward a designated 'Latium' province- a hangover from the original game, which is now Gotland.
The other opinion, supported better by some comments from the EB team (don't have time to search for references right now, but I might return to this later if I can) the AI defaults to attacking first north, then east, then south and then west. So any AI with a powerful army would creep north.

[d'Arthez]

The northwards part of it has been much discussed. Some opinion is that all AI factions work toward a designated 'Latium' province- a hangover from the original game, which is now Gotland.
The other opinion, supported better by some comments from the EB team (don't have time to search for references right now, but I might return to this later if I can) the AI defaults to attacking first north, then east, then south and then west. So any AI with a powerful army would creep north.
This problem has been quite pronounced with Hayasdan. Relatively easy way to test it is to use the same map, but rotate it (so West becomes East, North becomes South) [I know it is more complicated than just that]. There were AI expansion threads for the various versions to check on AI performances in that regard. The older ones (for 0.8x) may provide more of a clue than newer versions of EB, since with the scripted reinforcements AI expansion is curtailed somewhat artificially.

Also, saving and reloading often seems to kill off any long term AI strategy.

[Tarkus]

Of course...the 1.x AI Faction Progression Thread (https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?101742-1.x-AI-Faction-Progression-Thread/page50&highlight=faction+progression)! How silly of me to forget...


Also, saving and reloading often seems to kill off any long term AI strategy.
Hmmm...interesting...as I often play in shorter chunks of time -- you know, wife/kids/job and all -- this could be a major factor in determining global AI strategy...?

Thanks for your thoughts...keep 'em coming!