default_melee_state

Have done some basic tests with campaign-battles and reinforcing armies.
For this I've only used 2 basic formations, a single line and double line formation.

I've started the last battle with the AI having 2 armies both smaller than mine but together much bigger.
They joined forces when I started battle, I let them join up, than I marched my forces closer to their.....

Here you can see how the AI again breaks up its army and again forms up 2 individual armies;
https://img255.imageshack.us/img255/...dingqr2.th.jpg

See how the AI uses cavalry and generals as flanking force (just behind the first tree's is the first general) or keeps them back to charge in a bit later;
https://img528.imageshack.us/img528/...ing2ue5.th.jpg

The 2nd AI general charges in and his nearby units start reloading their 2nd pilum;
https://img528.imageshack.us/img528/...ing3yc8.th.jpg
https://img177.imageshack.us/img177/...ing4if2.th.jpg

I send in my general and faction-leader to flank the AI, but they are expecting him;
https://img177.imageshack.us/img177/...ing5qy0.th.jpg

Bad day for my leader, though he was the last to die in his unit and fought like any brave Roman should .. till the end ..;
https://img177.imageshack.us/img177/...ing6py3.th.jpg

Now the other flank leaves a bit of room for the AI, wich they hapilly use in their favour, giving me their 2nd pilum ...;
https://img261.imageshack.us/img261/...ing7qx0.th.jpg
https://img177.imageshack.us/img177/...ing8uz6.th.jpg

And as their first units got killed by my pila their remaining men actually have ~3 pila they can trow at you, wich they dont mind doing;
https://img177.imageshack.us/img177/...ng10vk0.th.jpg

Resulting in ....;
https://img45.imageshack.us/img45/22...ng11yg4.th.jpg
https://img45.imageshack.us/img45/30...ng12vu4.th.jpg

On the campaign-map (the archer and cav. where garrisson at the settlement);
https://img177.imageshack.us/img177/...ng13ro4.th.jpg


What I'm trying to point out is that formations may augment AI-behaviour a bit, but in the end it the unit-balance, or perhaps better said, the balance between different type of units that seems to make fighting the AI more interesting. When the AI has some time to counter the players actions they seem to actually do so as well ...

This battle was on hard battle difficulty, with me having;
15 legions + 2 generals in a single army
the AI;
20 legions + 2 generals in 2 equal armies

I fought say 90% trottle so to speak, didnt went all out and took all opening-moves but I did try my very best to avoid loosing the battle ..


Small note about unit-balance, with me having upped specially the "defense" stat in EDU cavalry and generals often get .. er .. depleted in battles with lots of infantry and I've found that leaving your general balanced as more or less a regular unit and than give it some hidden traits to give the general some additional hitpoints works much better in trying to prevent generals from dying than simply raising their stats as that would also make them more likelly to charge into battle.


G