Removing the Peasant Horde

[Sir Robin]

Just starting to experiment with the unit and build files.

This is something I have noticed and though a search couldn't find it you might already know.

Has anyone else changed the Peasants and Muslim Peasants to {CASTLE2}?

It seemed to seriously improve the early AI armies.

You still run into the Horse Archer and/or Archer hordes, but I am experimenting with ways to reduce those too.

I am having way to much fun modding.

[Coldstream]

Bah Peasent hordes are the meat and potatoes of a battle

Nothing says "Fun" like 3000 peasents to slaughter.

[Stavka]

Spain always has an endless amount of Spanish Jinetes in Leon... The problem with these hordes is that AI will just build whatever it can, it doesn't seem to care if it already has thousands of the same type in the same province.

Regarding peasants: It was suggested in another thread that muster fields (from the Viking campaign) are added and set as a requirement for building peasants. I tried this and tested a little bit and it seems to work pretty well. No more peasant hordes, only a few of them here and there.

[Kekvit Irae]

Usually just editing the AI priorities in the unit files work just as well, but I like the muster field idea

[kaaskop]

i removed building requirements altogether.
I really dislike seeing the AI factions fielding these
guys ,they do more harm then good .
They still popup in rebellions and crusader and thats enough to satisfy my homecidal urges

[komninos]

One thing that I have noticed is that all the rebelions (at least for Orthodox and Catholic) are producing medium armies of archers with some peasant units. I realy hate that.

[rory_20_uk]

Yes, ironically, I think that the only use in peasants (unless it is an emergency of catastrophic proportions) is in an exceptionally good army, where the other troops will ignore the inevitable rout of the peasants. then they can be used as archer screens, or to attempt to lead the enemy to charge after them t break formation. Else, well they harvest more morale of you than they kill of the enemy, so what's the point?

[komninos]

I think I have found out some reason for them.
The support of the armies is a bit high so most probably the AI finds its way to Poverty_stricken and produces the low end units.

I have made a number of modification including a 50% of support cost of the units. It remains to be tested. I will come back to you with test results.

[Lotar]

What I do is make all build times 1 turn. This allows the AI to develope its provinces, and recover from stupidly allowing its border provinces change hands multiple times. In my last 2 games I have yet to run into a peasant army. Instead I get well mixed armies with top of the line troops. Its a lot more challenging facing heavy calvary instead of peasants http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

[Sir Robin]

That is a good idea. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/idea.gif

Without having to wait the AI should develop and recover much faster.