question on sieges

[ezer]

I am wanting the ai to attack the castle/stronghold rather than sitting on the land and sieging it. Is there any way to make the enemy actually lift the siege and attack the castle itself?

Like some feedback if anyone has an idea

[Brutal DLX]

The AI usually is not that idiotic when besieging a castle. It will just siege the garrison to surrender if the garrison size is rather large. However, if you have just a few men left that retreated to the castle, let's say after a lost battle, then it's more probable that the AI will do a castle assault on the next turn, as it is quicker than sieging for 5 years or so.
However, once they are conducting a siege, there's usually nothing you can do to force an assault.

[ezer]

Thanks for your ideas.

Basically I like to test the different defences I have in the castle upgrades etc so I kinda want them to attack. I've even just had a crew of 8 men for the ballista and the ai still hang back and seige. Of course the enemy keep losing men until they flitter away to nothing and I barely lose any. But it's a boring business and I want them to attack my defenses for action Besides they continually just sit on the land too turn after turn and I cannot produce either.

[Brutal DLX]

Sorry to hear that, I think it's better if you relieve the province by sending backup forces in so you get back full control of it.
If you just want to test different castle defences, set up custom battles using castle maps. There are plenty to choose from...

[The_Emperor]

If you have a large castle with very few men guarding it, (ie, this castle will not fall without a direct assault) then the AI might then decide to assault.

If you want to test their defences you may have to assault your own castles yourself by abandoning a province with a good castle to the enemy and then attacking it yourself.

[MonkeyMan]

Hi ezer welcome to the org http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wave.gif

Seems like you've got the answer, you may want to try a harder difficulty level, I think the AI may be more likely to attack in these circumstances, but honestly I think the reason it doesn't is because its not actually that good at it http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/joker.gif