The Perfect MTW?

[Belisario]

Maybe the way is what you suggest in post #4 and try a rock-paper-scissors approach to unit balance as Raz says. But then my questions are:

1. Are vanilla stats well adjusted to achieve a good unit balance?

2. Assuming that the catholic unit roster is too extensive, how do you get a more "easy to use" roster for the AI?

It's a pity that Caravel/Asai Nagamasa gave up the Pocket Mod, maybe he would reach a MTW more similar to Shogun.

[caravel]

I have tried this approach in my home mods and I would like to know a bit more of the method that you follow. I always have the same doubts:

1. Remove all crappy units?

2. Make all units of the same size except BGs like the mod Samurai Warlords?

3. Adjust the unit stats or maintain vanilla stats?

1. First the "crappy units" must be defined. Those units that imbalance the game must first be identified.

2. Yes, it makes perfect sense. Cavalry in MTW are actually not really strong enough. All units should be of equal sizes with true strengths and weaknesses according to RPS. Having different sized units simply breaks this, whether the unit be infantry or cavalry.

3. Adjust, most definitely. It is best to scrap the existing roster and start with a roster based on 120 man units at huge unit size (not the 200 man units possible in MTW).

Maybe the way is what you suggest in post #4 and try a rock-paper-scissors approach to unit balance as Raz says. But then my questions are:

1. Are vanilla stats well adjusted to achieve a good unit balance?

2. Assuming that the catholic unit roster is too extensive, how do you get a more "easy to use" roster for the AI?

1. Vanilla stats are not well adjusted. Some units such as Feudal Sergeants have realistic stats, others such the hybrid units break AI autocalc battles and supermen such as the huscarles are too overpowered and ruin the overall balance of the game.

2. You need a roster that has strong and useable RPS units per era. All catholic factions need to be able to train these same units. Regional bonuses should apply to only these units not the special units (if there are to be special units). This has two advantages: Firstly the bonus is obtainable and useable by all factions and secondly the AI will not go bankrupt and waste years trying to tech up a particular province to train an special unit that may not be available until the high/late eras anyway.

The units available should be one of each type per era. There is no sense in having 3 different types of unit that fit the same role available at the same time. A good example is the English in early with Spearmen, Feudal Sergeants and Fyrdmen. Fyrdmen should be removed altogether and Spearmen used as the standard spear unit for the early era. This ensures that the AI does not fight at a huge disadvantage to the player.

Also when a unit is superceded, for example FMAA -> CMAA, the earlier unit should be removed when the era changes over. This prevents the AI from continuing to train it and forces it to CMAA. This has to be coupled with a solid tech tree however.

MTW has two layers to the tech tree, the tree itself with it's building dependencies and the era based tree which prevents/allows units according to the period. This is one of the main flaws of the game - and one of the flaws that was absent from STW. There are three ways to rectify this so that the AI can better handle it.

a) Remove eras and use only the tech tree.

b) Use eras to make units expire, but don't use eras to prevent units being trained too early.

c) Use eras only and keep building dependencies for "upgraded" units the same. For example if the FMAA depend on a Swordsmith and armourer, so would CMAA but they would be era restricted.

In my opinion (c) is the best option as it entirely removes duplicate role units and keeps a simpler tech tree that the AI can deal with easily. Building upgrades can then be used purely for the better units or for adding valour or morale bonuses. Under the vanilla system when buildings are auto-razed the AI is paralysed and unable to train basic units in the high era and needs to undergo many turns worth of rebuilding. I would be far better if the base unit was available with, for example a spearmaker, and that the upgraded morale or valour unit is available with the workshop/guild/master spearmaker.

Yohei