M:TW AI on hard

[ryanjb2]

Hello. I have a question/comment.

I am currently playing a Medieval Total War savegame that my friend sent me. In it, I am the Danes, and the difficulty is set to hard. The Almohads have all of North Africa and Southern Europe. The Egyptians have the Middle East, South Eastern Europe, and Russia. The only area left is Nothern Europe, which is shared by me (the Danes) and a few French provinces.

The problem is during battles. I have never played on hard before and I noticed a few things. Instead of the AI using more advanced tactics, it seems like they just made the computer's units basically invincible.

For example, in a battle agianst the Almohads, two units of Almohad urban militia (120 each) caused my entire army, three times its size, comprised of mounted sargents, spearmen, feudal sargents, and vikings to rout almost immediately. The Almohads were even surrounded on three sides.

This happends over an over on hard. It even happends when I have advanced units, good generals, good positions, have them surrounded and greatly outnumber them.

Basically, it seems like the computer AI isn't using better tactics on hard, it is just making its units invincible. This seems rather cheap.

Is this normal? Something you guys experience too?

[MonkeyMan]

Hi ryanjb2 welcome to the org http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wave.gif

So far as I'm aware on hard the AI tactics improve and your units get lesser morale. as such you are more likely to suffer from your armies running away. So yes you are correct in this. I tend to be able to balance this out by making sure all my armies are led by good generals. I guess there is a point where you can't just make the AI better and you do have to cheat in order to outsmart a human player. See it through though, as with all things if it was harder winning its all the more sweet when you do. I'm sure someone will be able to tell you the exact stat bonuses/penalties that apply on the different difficulty levels but I don't have them to hand myself.

Enjoy your stay http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/pat.gif

[jadast]

I have only played on normal up till now. Are there other suprises then this when I step up to hard?

[Mithrandir]

Welcome ryanjb2 http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif.

[Balamir]

Welcome ryan http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wave.gif

I've played normal too and I've seen no difference in difficulty except the provinces are more likely to rebel, a civil war more fallible, other factions are attacking eachother more often and alliances harder to be made. On the field though, the computer is still a bunch of sissies http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/joker.gif http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/joker.gif

[ryanjb2]

Thanks for the welcome

I guess I will just have to get better generals. Its hard though.

[The_Emperor]

Quote[/b] (Balamir @ June 09 2003,08:08)]Welcome ryan http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wave.gif

I've played normal too and I've seen no difference in difficulty except the provinces are more likely to rebel, a civil war more fallible, other factions are attacking eachother more often and alliances harder to be made. On the field though, the computer is still a bunch of sissies http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/joker.gif http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/joker.gif
Yeah I was very saddened by the fact that the Battlefiled AI is not much better on Expert and that you end up suffering from morale Penalties... Still Given that my King and his Heirs often lead my armies into battle anyway it really didn't effect my tactics much compared with Normal Difficulty

If you want to make up the Morale gap simply make some Churches, Monestaries, Reliqueries and the like in your main Troop building reigions (The AI doesn't do this as much as a human, so your troops will soon have less of a disadvantage).

Then you just need a good General with no negative V&Vs and your sorted http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wave.gif

[a_ver_est]

I am playing at expert mode and ( by the moment ) I don't think that battles are harder to win ... in fact, last night, I have won a couple off battles with less man and worst units ... only best tactics http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

In other order I have note some change, for exemple more revelions, less good generals, less sons ...

[Lord Slapshot]

Yeah you need to get used to the morale penalty handicap on Hard/Expert. I remember my first battle my entire frickin army ran like babies from the Byzantines. I hear you on the theme of your complaint, though, I wish it were not as labor intensive to make good AI, having a simple morale boost/penalty seems a bit of a copout but I can understand the reasons for doing so. ($$$$$$$&#036http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

It sucked at first but after a few tries, though, you will eventually work it out to be more careful about generals, and where your troops are being trained (morale bonuses and valor vice just troop numbers become of utmost concern).

Also, don't be fooled by Urban Militia in Almohad Urban Militia. These are good units and are much, MUCH better than wimpy ass vanilla Urban Militia available to the Catholics. Probably why you got whipped.

[LadyAnn]

There is a subtle difference between the AI get morale bonus vs. you have morale penalty in hard or expert. But I believe the AI has morale bonus, not the other way around. It is harder to explain what exactly the subtlety.

Almohad Urban Millitia is already an excellent unit with good morale and good combat skills. There are many units that could rival them, such as Chivalric Men-At-Arm, Byzantine Infantry, etc. but Feudal Sergeants and Spearmen may not do the job. Also, these Urban Mil. may already has full armor and weapon upgrades, especially if they are cranked out of long-time-owning provinces that has good infrastructures. Vikings may resist a bit longer, but doesn't have the armor Urban Elmos has.

People has won over the AI in expert many times, so it is not invincible. Just take more practice.

[Advertisement about Multiplayer is removed, due to the stigma of MP Junkies) http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/joker.gif ]

Annie

[Teutonic Knight]

here is a thread where an CA employee explained the difference between the difficulty levels......

The difference (http://www.totalwar.org/cgi-bin/forum/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST;f=15;t=7113)