AI Suggestion: Shorter Wars

[Ayce]

I support this proposition, too.

Death to the "Deaths"!

But, in that period, there was always 1-2 „Deaths” (like our good friend the SPQR). One of them is certainly the player. But he needs a challenger, so I suggest keeping one faction at random at the start of the game with a total war AI. (maybe random between an „expansionist freak” and a „strong big regional power” type of AI)

[Mithridates VI Eupator]

But, in that period, there was always 1-2 „Deaths” (like our good friend the SPQR). One of them is certainly the player. But he needs a challenger, so I suggest keeping one faction at random at the start of the game with a total war AI. (maybe random between an „expansionist freak” and a „strong big regional power” type of AI)

Well, this is the thing that we don't really want. Sure, the SPQR should be expansionist, but when you have a game with such detail and diversity as EB, you'd really want to enjoy all those 30 factions in the same game, even though you might not always be at war with them, or even in contact with them. For me, just knowing that they are there is enough.

Then, when some of these would-be ghengises come knocking on your door, and like 10 of the other minor AI-kingdoms have had their doors knocked in and stampeded into the ground, some of that realistic feeling is gone.

By this, I don't mean that the game should be easier, or that AI factions should not expand, or try to conquer you, only that they might do this in a more "modest" way.

Then again, some factions, like SPQR and Parthia, should be at least somewhat more agressive than others, but not to the point where you have a world that is half red, half purple, with some colorful dots clinging on to the corners.

[Cartaphilus]

I totally agree whith you, Mithridates.

And another suggestion: try to make some penalty for oath-breakers. Even the romans try to maintain the truces they have given (hahahaha).

[Patriote]

I have the feeling that wars drag on ad vitam eternam simply because empires have "infinite" resources. They can pop out units faster than their treasure is going down. In real life(from what I know and can guess) ironically as an empire gets bigger, it also get harder to defend and control thus humongous amounts of funds were put into armed forces to control those territories.

It wasn't unusual for winning factions to be bankrupted after a series of wars, look at the situation of France after all the wars of Louis XIV. It became the greatest kingdom of Europe but its economic situation led to the revolution of its people later on (it is a rather minimalist explanation but you get the point)

In EB (although its been reduced A LOT compared to others TW games) empire get stronger and stronger as they acquire new lands because each new city pump resources into the central treasury. Also, as battles are fought, soldiers die reducing the upkeep cost meaning a bigger income to recruit more soldiers.. then war without end.

So maybe if someone would come up a solution such a script penalizing empires too big and/or making the deaths of soldiers not a good thing money speaking (I know I know always a new script) in combination with unit pool limitation, better AI diplomacy and multiple units recruitment (that can get a treasury down pretty quickly hehe) we'll have a situation where even mighty empires can get bankrupt; hoping the AI can cope with that and not just start acting stupidly

Anyways, just my 2cents, cheers

[Cartaphilus]

Yeah, the economy is one of the major problems of any empire.
The romans, the spanish, the french, and so on.
The unending wars in the borders were a bleeding of men and gold.
The spanish lost our empire in the Nederlands' revolt (two hundred years before we lost America, but we were doomed since the death of the great Duke of Alba).

I hope the economy will be a problem for the major empires in EB2. Now, only the barbarian factions have some troubles with money, but only if you try to build (cities and armies) without a stop.

[Irishmafia2020]

Generally speaking, the relations between states can be modded so that they are always evolving towards peace if they are at war, and evolving towards war while at peace. I remember that that was one element that I really liked about the "Long Road" mod. Of course if there was active fighting then neither side would sign a ceasefire, and vice versa if two peaceful parties were nice to each other their relations would improve even with the slight drain in relations that occurred each turn. The net result? Short, Limited Warfare that was largely focused on border regions. Some powers got big anyway, but they did not go looking for major wars until they had captured most of the nearby rebel territory. Of course you could always script in a certain amount of animosity between cultures - a permanent relations penalty between Rome and Carthage, or Greeks and Eastern cultures for example, so then you have general warfare along predictable fault lines... But seriously, I have seen MTW2 mods where all of this is moddable, so it is definitely possible!

[Mithridates VI Eupator]

That sounds lika a sort of solution to this problem.
However, I liked that idea about penalties for oath-breakers too. Then, maybe, your AI allies won't backstab you every time you are occupied fighting on another front. (which is more rule than exeption in both RTW and M2TW)

And also that a faction should know when they've been beaten, and offer money for peace, which they rarely do now. Nor do they agree to become a protectorate, even if you have several full stacks in their last territory, an their only unit is an ageing familymember, cowering in their last, besieged town. And if, by some miracle, they do sign a non-aggression pact, you can bet your shirt they'll be attacking you within the next few turns, no matter how bankrupt and undermanned they are.

Well, enough complaining now. If the M2TW AI as as moddable as has been said, who knows what the EB-team will accomplish?

Over and out.

[theoldbelgian]

Yeah, the economy is one of the major problems of any empire.
The romans, the spanish, the french, and so on.
The unending wars in the borders were a bleeding of men and gold.
The spanish lost our empire in the Nederlands' revolt (two hundred years before we lost America, but we were doomed since the death of the great Duke of Alba).

I hope the economy will be a problem for the major empires in EB2. Now, only the barbarian factions have some troubles with money, but only if you try to build (cities and armies) without a stop.

ahem really nothing against spanish people but would you please not call the blood baron great
he wasn't quite the humanitarian in our provinces and we were the nice katholic south
I mean parents used to bring him up as a boogey man, that if they dind't listent the duke of alba would come and get them

[Dutchhoplite]

He came to The Netherlands to handle a bunch of rebels and traitors to the Spanish crown. It may seem bloody and excessive now but i don't think he did antything that was different from 16th century practice.

And now back to those happy times B.C. ;)