Why is AI Pontos so rubbish?

[QuintusSertorius]

I'm playing my Epeiros-as-Pergamon game, and lamenting how little challenge Pontos is, since we started warring with each other. The trigger was Sinope and Trapezous; they took them and I had a diplomat demand they hand them over or I'd attack. Then I cancelled trade rights, and attacked them. I took Sinope and installed a client kingdom, and gave Trapezous to Koinon Hellenon.

Pontos seem more interested in getting Sinope back (they've made no moves towards Trapezous at all!), but the armies they send are rubbish. I thought perhaps it was just because they don't have good units (barring the Greek roster than can draw upon), but looking over them (https://www.europabarbarorum.com/factions_pontos_units.html) that doesn't seem to be the case. They could recruit almost identical armies to the ones I use, but instead they seem to go for a unit of Chalkaspides, one of Pontic Elite infantry, then the rest they fill up on trash: Pantodapoi (who are worthless), Eastern slingers/skirmishers, Anatolian hillmen and Akontistai. Along with a bunch of light cavalry.

They have access to the cheap, yet brilliant Hoplitai, Thureophoroi and Peltastai, but never recruit them. Hell, even some Pantodapoi Phalangitai to flank their elite phalanxes would improve things.

Why does AI Pontos have such weirdly skewed recruiting priorities?

[Vermin]

Isn't this an EB 1.2 question - may get more joy posting there - or have I missed a release! :)

[V.T. Marvin]

AI recruitment choices are poorly documented mystery wrapped in random stupidity. Luckily on M2TW engine we can make this aspect of the game slightly better by manipulation of replenishment rates that gives the AI no other choice but to produce on average somewhat more balanced armies.

If it ever gets to stick them together in a near-full stack.

Which is another aspect where the AI is "challenged" at best...

Oh my...! :sweatdrop:

[QuintusSertorius]

Isn't this an EB 1.2 question - may get more joy posting there - or have I missed a release! :)

It is, yes, I posted here by mistake. Have already reported it for a forum move.

[QuintusSertorius]

AI recruitment choices are poorly documented mystery wrapped in random stupidity. Luckily on M2TW engine we can make this aspect of the game slightly better by manipulation of replenishment rates that gives the AI no other choice but to produce on average somewhat more balanced armies.

If it ever gets to stick them together in a near-full stack.

Which is another aspect where the AI is "challenged" at best...

Oh my...! :sweatdrop:

Fingers crossed it's much improved by the replenishment rates in EB2!

I just had another instance of the same. Sinope besieged (now has stone walls, so even less likely to succeed), a stack with three phalanxes (two elite and one levy), one elite Pontic infantry, some archers and skirmishers and about eight units of Cappadocian hillmen. I did get lucky by assassinating the FM leading them before the battle, but even so, it was another poorly composed force.

[OS Q]

A question.... I've been playing Pontos on EB-Alex and some of their government types don't allow me any native recruitment at all... only regional. Its fine for Pontos since their best are regional but I was just wondering if anyone else was running into this?

Edit: More specifically type 3 and 4 governments don't allow native (Pontic) troop barracks beyond level one (which is what the temporary government allows any way... I am using Jirisys mega mod with ALEX)