R:TW, BI or Alex?

[Illian the Mediocre]

Which do you use? Why do you prefer that one?

[QuintusSertorius]

I tried BI, and went back to RTW. Naval invasions were rarely full-scale and properly managed, just an annoying stream of 3-unit stacks every other turn. Made it even harder to maintain a peaceful trading co-existence with the AI factions.

[Illian the Mediocre]

I've heard about that. Some say that Naval invasions are handled much better using Alex. They only send one if they have a decent sized army (depending on what they're attacking).

[QuintusSertorius]

Possibly, but I don't like that the AI retrains in Alexander. I don't and don't think it's very realistic or historical.

[fenix3279]

I use RTW and Carthage sends full stack after full stack to Sicily by boat. Too bad I'm not playing as Rome or this could have made for an interesting "punic war" campaign. I thought it was impossible for naval invasions to occur in anything less than BI or ALX?

[Illian the Mediocre]

I thought it was impossible for naval invasions to occur in anything less than BI or ALX?

Not impossible, just very rare apparently.

[Illian the Mediocre]

I've actually just gone out and bought Alex today. Originally just to use for EB, but now i'm also looking forward to trying the game itself so it won't be a waste if I decide not to use it for EB.

I've heard that the performance is better in Alex, and Diplomacy AI more realistic, this does surprise me considering that Alex doesn't have Diplomats.

[konny]

I prefer the ALX.exe but I am now playing a campaign with RTW.exe because I had started it with and can't change the trait file midgame. BTW, with the RTW.exe Karthago used to constantly recruite smaller armies on the Baleares and ships them to the front in North Africa.

I can't recommend the BI.exe too because of the seriously bugged naval inavsions.

[mlc82]

I'm using Alex now, but haven't really played enough with it to comment- the AI does seem to have a tendency to attack with larger, scarier stacks now than it did with either RTW or BI (and usually doesn't besiege cities with pathetically small armies, or at least merges a larger army in quickly after it does).

The BI naval "invasions" of 2-3 units, randomly from different factions, will drive you insane. Playing as Romani, I was getting random invasions of this sort from Carthage (makes sense), the KH (no contact with them other than trade rights), and Makedonia (same as KH)... They'd land an "army" of a handful of militia hoplies and akonkistai in Italy, then happily besiege a well garrisoned city of mine, be destroyed, agree to a ceasefire, then "invade" again with 2-3 more units a few turns later. Really, really annoying.

BI did do the naval invasions pretty well when I was at war with Carthage though, landing full stacks and all, although they only seemed interested in landing next to Lilibeo or Capua, nowhere else, and sometimes would land and then never actually move to attack anything.

[Parallel Pain]

So if we run the game on Alex.exe we won't have diplomats either?

[mlc82]

So if we run the game on Alex.exe we won't have diplomats either?

EB with the Alex.exe has the diplomats there as usual.

Maybe the RTW Alexander campaign didn't have them?

[Illian the Mediocre]

Maybe the RTW Alexander campaign didn't have them?

No time for diplomacy in Alexander! You just have to keep attacking or you lose. That's why they took them out. But no it doesn't remove them from EB as you said.

[eggthief]

I find the whole Alex.exe thing difficult to understand when trying to apply it on EB, so I just installed BI, trew some config file at data and always play it with BI and never have any problems with naval invasions.

[Illian the Mediocre]

I find the whole Alex.exe thing difficult to understand when trying to apply it on EB

If you want to try it though, just look at the Alexander EB page in the unnofficial mods section. It has a link to files that you just need to extract into EB directory. Then all you have to do is change the shortcut path etc. exactly the same way you did for BI. Check the forum for proper instructions. However some people have said that there are compatibility issues between Alex.exe and the others, so best not if you've got a good campaign going.

Main benefit that i've heard of is the performance boost, and better stability. But of course not everyone had such problems with EB anyway.

[mlp071]

I can confirm that there are naval invasions when playing with Alx. exe.I just had Qarthadastim landing full healthy stack (1600+ men) in Sicily, and KH tried to land earlier in Taras. And i noticed some other ones to.

I found that difference from BI.exe is that naval invasions are not that frequent and annoyingly stupid (like 3 units).

Even though they are rare and usually happen later in game (like 30-40 years into it or whenever they run out of rebel neighbors), they do appear to be well directed and prepared.

Plus they do make sense( at least to me) , since AI faction is trying to invade something that is part of their VC, and not some random places.