Weird bug defending against Mongols

[andrewt]

Scenario: Mongols attack Khazar with around 12,000 troops. I defend using Turks with around 7,000 troops. A combination of crap units left over from Jihads as well as Armenian Cav, etc. that I don't want to upgrade anymore. Some JHI as well which absolutely cut through Mongol Heavy Cav like a chainsaw through butter.

2nd Scenario: Mongols attack Khazar with around 11,000 troops. I defend using Hungarians with around 4,000 troops. Mostly outdated FMAA which I want to replace to CMAA, Avar Nobles and Steppe Heavy Cav.

In both of these games, the AI totally shut down after I've killed around 9,000-10,000 troops. All their troops would just gather around the reinforcement point allowing me to surround them and totally slaughter them. The Cav would still fire their arrows and would avoid my troops that are in their way while going to their reinforcement point. However, once on the reinforcement point, they won't move at all. They would only fight if attacked and would rout afterwards. The AI just stopped controlling them altogether.

[Crash]

I've seen something like that happen before, always when it's obvious that the AI cannot win the battle, but it still has plenty of reinforcements.

There was at least one battle where the AI army attacked with multiple stacks of peasants, but the first stack had some good units. When I defeated the initial stack it proceeded to bring on the peasant units in a long column. The peasants just marched straight up to my defensive formation and each one routed off the map, one after the other. This continued until all the peasant units had routed. Towards the end of the battle I advanced up to the reinforcement point, so that the peasant units routed as soon as they reached it.

How did you get JHI by 1230 AD, by the way? Seems rather unfair?

[Bhruic]

Yeah, I started a thread on this a few weeks back, with the exact same situation. Didn't really come to any conclusions, other than "it happens". Personally, after fighting that long, I was more than happy to have anything happen that shortened the amount of time spent fighting. :)

Bh

[Oaty]

This almost never happens to me as when the A.I. calcualates a loss they bring on the reenforcements right away but before they even get into the fighting zone they withdraw. I think what you are noticing is that they are probably wavering and if they try to approach the enemy they will route. So for the A.I, there only hope is for some miracle like a lucky arrow striking down your general. Of course withdrawing completely is usually the better option 99.8 percent of the time for the A.I as they will at least have some troops leftover

[andrewt]

Mine didn't do anything once they reached the reinforcement point. They just stood there. I put the speed on very fast for around half a minute and they still stood there. I move my troops closer and the archer units started firing but they all still stood there. Finally, I just surrounded them from all four sides before attacking and slaughtered them all. I moved away from the reinforcement point and repeated until all the enemy troops were dead.

My theory is that it has to do with the numbers in the battle. Maybe the AI is only programmed to control up to a certain number of units or to control up to a certain amount of time.

As for the JHI, they're available starting in high. You could get them as early as 1205. Just tech up hard.

[katank]

yep, JHI are available like Lancers in High although both should be late I think for balance.

however, JHI can't be obtained if you start in High, even though Const. is a fortress, it wouldn't have enough time for even one JHI to pop out.

So start in early and tech like crazy. However, I usually conquer the world way before High. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/mecry.gif THus, No JHI.

[meravelha]

Yeah this has happened to me too and it is kinda spooky.
My own troops were by that stage on pretty low morale as well, so I didn't venture over to the attack - just sat it out facing them off.

[motorhead]

What version are you playing? I've seen all the AI factions (not just GH) do this at one time or another. But, it seems extremely rare since the 2.01 patch for VI. Either that or I've just had a nice run of luck. I hate battles that end with the AI being completely brain-dead, takes a bit of the joy out of winning.

[andrewt]

Patch 2.01 and GH in both cases. I think the reason it happens with the GH is that you would rarely have a battle against more than 10,000 AI troops against other factions.

[Pellinor]

The AI has evidently given up in disgust and hit the Esc key, followed by "yes, I want to end the battle and I realise that my troops will take extra casualties".

[andrewt]

It seems that way, except that the AI is still calling its reinforcements down to the last man.

[Mr Durian]

Quote[/b] (Pellinor @ May 12 2004,07:09)]The AI has evidently given up in disgust and hit the Esc key, followed by "yes, I want to end the battle and I realise that my troops will take extra casualties".
HAHA

[Drucius]

Doesn't it only happen if the General's dead? Simulating the lack of a guiding hand?