Setting up a new campaign

I would like to try a Rome campaign with the new patch, but I'm confused by the number of fixes and mods available. Though I have Barbarian Invasion, I'm happy to play the original game if there are problems with the add-on.

When I first played a campaign on the hardest level and from general view, before the last patch, the AI strategy and battlefield tactics were extremely poor and the game was very unbalanced. It became a chore before the end, not due to rebellions or squalor but because there was no challenge.

Graphical updates don't interest me, just AI and gameplay fixes. I would also like to play a finished or established mod, using the latest patch, rather than one still in development. I wouldn't want to get too far from the original game.

I had considered using bug-fixer, plus one of the formations mods if any can be used for the basic game. Is there an AI 'strategy mod' for the basic game? Also, which of the formations mods improves the AI performance on the battlefield, and do they work with smaller armies? Recommendations?

If I were you I would download RTW patch 1.5. This fixes all the glitches and problems in the game. If you want a more balanced game (and better) I highly recommend RTR Platinum Edition. You can download it from the Mod Downloads section of this forum. It unifies Rome inton one faction, and adds a few others: Illyria, Bactria. I also recommend Naval and Metropolis Mod(makes it so only a few settlements have walls, whihc makes for a faster game, and adds a new farming and naval system with several new building lines and about 10 new types of ships), and the 4 Turns Per Year/Roman Leadership (makes it so 4 turns = 1 year and adds a series of traits and ancilliaries that allow you track how long your Generals have been leading troops and adds ranks for the Romans + tracks your legions and armies) Mod.

You can find all these Mods and the directions for install in this post:
https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showp...46&postcount=2