View Full Version : The Ai\'s use of knights and other cavalry....
Basically i've been finding the AI's use of its knights and other offensive cavalry to be very poor indeed. Here are the problems i've been noticing:
1. They often attack long before the rest of their army has even reached it offensive destination. Because of this i am usually able to deal target them with my anti cav troops in advance long before the rest of their army can come to their aid. A better use for their cavalry would be to engage the rear and flanks of my troops once its own infantry has had a chance to initially engage.
2. I find that when the cavalry approaches my forces i simply have to attack them with my spear troops and their cavalry immediately turn and charge at the spears! I think the AI has been designed so that if the human polayer targets a unit of the AI, the unit will automatically turn to engage. I'm sure this is designed this way to prevent AI units being attacked without response, however, as it currently stands this response can be exploited simply by targeting cavalry with my spears.
If AI cavalry are targeted by my spears they should make a concerted effort not to engage them as it's plain suicide. As i stated earlier, if their infantry were allowed time to form the "initial engagement troops" then their cav wouldn't have so many problems as my spearmen might already be engaged!
As it stands an army of knights or other cavalry are not as terrifying a prospect as they should be.
A simple change in how the AI uses cavalry would be all that is needed to address this rather frustrating and idiotic AI strategy.
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=MizuDoc Otomo=
Orda Khan
09-09-2002, 05:36
The AI did the same in Shogun with cav/archers http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/frown.gif
.......Orda
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" Send us your ambassadors and thus we shall judge whether you wish to be at peace with us or at war..if you make war on us the Everlasting God, who makes easy what was difficult and makes near what was far, knows that we know what our power is."
Hosakawa Tito
09-09-2002, 07:15
I think the problem is that the knights are impetuous and they go charging off like mine do on occassion if I don't keep an eye on them. You are right that it is easier to beat an attacker piece meal when his best units act this way, don't know how to fix it except in a patch.
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Diplomacy is the art of telling someone to go to hell so that they look forward to making the trip.
I don't mind the impetuous charging, however, it should be done when the infantry are also present and attacking. Knights might have been impetuous arrogant nobles but they certainly weren't stupid! http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/smile.gif
At the moment the Royal knights, etc just charge way out in front of the main body of their army (usually the King if present or heirs), get whooped and run taking the majority of their following army with them!
lol
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=MizuDoc Otomo=
GAH!
As the Turks, I faced a French 'rebellion' in a nearby province (Saxony I think) and Poland. Poland was mine, the other was not. Which is why the pigs are still alive. http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/smile.gif
Anywayz... I'm sitting pretty in Poland with loads of spears and Turcomans with some Sipahi support. In comes the French with a mass of Chivalric kinigits.
Now I'm thinking... "Dag nab it! And I had to be caught without my Saracens!" http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/eek.gif GAH!
Not good.
But, I thinks to myself, my spears should do fine... right?
WRONG!
Those french tin cans smashed into my spear units and sent them running back to their mamas... er, harems! If it hadn't been for my sturdy and reliable sipahis, Poland would be eating Frog legs right now!
Fortunately, the rest of their army was peasantry too... that helped...
BTW, I have noticed Turcomans are quite nice units. They are better than Horse Archers for attack. I've had them route many non-spear infantry units...
GAH!
DoJo MoJo I
09-09-2002, 22:17
Quote Originally posted by +DOC+:
Basically i've been finding the AI's use of its knights and other offensive cavalry to be very poor indeed. Here are the problems i've been noticing:
1. They often attack long before the rest of their army has even reached it offensive destination. Because of this i am usually able to deal target them with my anti cav troops in advance long before the rest of their army can come to their aid. A better use for their cavalry would be to engage the rear and flanks of my troops once its own infantry has had a chance to initially engage.
2. I find that when the cavalry approaches my forces i simply have to attack them with my spear troops and their cavalry immediately turn and charge at the spears! I think the AI has been designed so that if the human polayer targets a unit of the AI, the unit will automatically turn to engage. I'm sure this is designed this way to prevent AI units being attacked without response, however, as it currently stands this response can be exploited simply by targeting cavalry with my spears.
If AI cavalry are targeted by my spears they should make a concerted effort not to engage them as it's plain suicide. As i stated earlier, if their infantry were allowed time to form the "initial engagement troops" then their cav wouldn't have so many problems as my spearmen might already be engaged!
As it stands an army of knights or other cavalry are not as terrifying a prospect as they should be.
A simple change in how the AI uses cavalry would be all that is needed to address this rather frustrating and idiotic AI strategy.
[/QUOTE]
While I certainly agree with your description of the Tactical AI Battle deployment as far as The Knights, how inaccurate is it really ?
Didn`t the French do that very thing in three battles VS the English ?
Wasn`t most Early-Mid Medievel battles just two large Mobs bashing at each other..?
I think the general ability we and the AI have in deploying, as well as maneuvering troops in complex formations would be the envy of the late Roman Legions, and perhaps the Coldstream Guards of Victoria`s Era.
It`s fun, and is a key part of the Game, but to ask for more control perhaps takes us a bit to far from the Historical Reality.
Not bashing you ideas +DOC+ , just a friendly response and of course IMHO.
hehehe, nae probs mate, everyone's entitled to an opinion. http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/smile.gif
My argument to that would be... do you use that tactic yourself? Do you charge your knights headlong into the enemy infantry whether it be spears or not long before your infantry have marched to the battle?
If your answer is yes, then i'd agree with you, however, i would imagine you'd use your cavalry much more wisely, for example, using them to crush the flanks of infantry once your own infantry have engaged them!
The Ai, to be a challenge, must play the tactical battles as close to how a human would as practically possible, whether it be indicative of the period or not?!
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