unit ranks by AI

[smakkz]

i have been playing MTW for a considerable time now and its one thing i have noticed in combat. why doesn't the AI change ranks on their units? for example archers who would benefit from it.... is it hardcoded not to do so or is it left out in the coding??? i have only played on normal and hard... maybe its just me but i was wondering if there are others who have experienced the same...

[A.Saturnus]

Well, I`ve seen AI-crossbowmen in lines but it`s rare. It never does it with archers. Don`t know what determines it how the AI forms it`s units.

[eXistenZi]

What do you mean by chaning ranks?

[SmokWawelski]

It does not need to. The AI is a super-commander, on the same level as Napoleon, Ghingis Han (sp?), Lion Heart, and Cesar. It makes no mistakes.

Seriously though, I think that it uses the ranks that are most optimized for a given unit, and give the rank bonuses. It just could be too much to add the aspect of changing ranks for the AI in real-time. When I play I try to see how the AI deploys troops and mimic it. I might be wrong though.

[A.Saturnus]

Archers are best placed in two-men-deep formations but the AI doesn`t use that.

[SmokWawelski]

I do not know... 2 ranks seems hard to move around on the battlefield, except moving ahead and back... WHat if they try to change facing in the myst of battle?

[Nelson]

The AI will open and close ranks when under fire.

[The_Emperor]

Archers are best in 2 ranks for a closed formation, but 3 ranks in a loose formation does give the same result.