A.I. Rather poor in Demo

[Zoring]

I have had some bad experiences with the AI in the battle, and im hoping that it will perform better on an opener field. I do recall being impressed by the demo AI in Medieval2 and horrified when i played the game! So hopefully the reverse is true.

What happened to me the first time was when i tried flanking with the force it gives you the American infantry marched to meet me, with the majoirty of it's forces, fairly decent behaviour, although they left their Artillery unprotected.

The second time however, i tried a more frontal assault across the river, i sent my dragoons forward to harass the enemy artillery from the woods, at this point 3 units of minutemen charged across the river which i thought was good but then simply charged straight into my main battle line of 12ish units of line infantry. A uniut of American dragoons also at one point ran up to my light infantry in the woods and got shot to pieces. The American line infantry then simply stood stock still on their side of the river regardless of what i did.

I have also been having some issues with my own troops. They sometimes walk backwards and forwards within the space of a meter or two, i also dismounted my dragoons and tried to form a line they then decided to run around the woods all crazily refusing to follow orders it even said 'withdrawing' at one point, although they weren't under fire nor had i hit withdrawing or anything moraleish like that. I got them back on their horses and they started acting normally.

I am overall a bit wary, but am still buying a new PC to play this game maxed out so i still have faith. Hopefully we get a button to remove all the tracer fire too!

[Polemists]

When I played I encountered a fighting retreat, splitting of the army, and a wooded ambush.

Three things the AI would have never done in MTW2 or at least not that I ever saw to any sucess. (I mean actually splitting the army not just sending 2 calvary units off to god knows where)

I played on medium and was impressed but some people always want a harder difficulty, that's why they made medium and easy for the rest of us

[Dramicus]

In my opinion, the A.I. in the demo was fairly standard for what I've come to expect from your average Total War title, which is to say acceptable but by no means brilliant.

I have only had the chance to fight the major land battle once, but in that battle I did notice a few surprising moves made by the AI, such as using the woods to flank and ambush my forces and also sending a few infantry units the long rout (seeing as I opted not to cross where the enemy had been fortified) and they reached my rear while I was busy with the front.

So, in general I think we are seeing what we usually see with each release, namely steady and noticeable increases in the battle performance of the AI. As a result, I am fairly pleased, but I didn't go in expecting a miracle.

[Phog_of_War]

The AI has been ok IMO. I lost the first battle even after reading up on the Brandywine battle.

My second fight I won, hewever it was a Phyrric victory. I used the historical movements of the British army. Both General Howe and Washington were KIA. Howe was killed out of hand from a lucky musket ball and Washington was killed by a well aimed cannon volley.


I won the third fight when I forded the alternate crossing with my entire force. We both set up in the field to the US rear and had a merry firefight. Only thing is that the AI did not move its cannon at the first crossing to engage me. If it had my victory would have been in question.


I tried a full frontal assault on the main American force. Put my cannons on a small ridge to the British right with Dragoons for protection. Everything was going swimmingly until I crossed to the opposite bank. My line inf and Hessians had crossed and made their way forward a bit. My Hussars were following close behind the foot inf. Suddenly, the cannon on the left, and on the ridge to the right, let loose with canister shot at the same time and turned my Hussars and their mounts into finely chopped hamburger. 2 full Cav units knocked down to a 9 and 13 man unit.

After that the US forces pulled back to the house and put up another fight. I did win eventually but took VERY heavy casualties.

I have also had the AI counterattack me from the hill a time or two.


My 2 cents, but I think the AI is much improved from some of the crazy stuff I saw in Med 1, Rome and Med 2. Med2 not so much tho. The best AI of all of them IMO was Shogun. Sometimes I think that CA went a little too fast developing the last few tatical AI, but in the end they are trying to keep up with the demands/requests of their consumers (us) and their Management. On the bright side, I bet they are already working on a patch and with Steam it auto-updates.

[Polemists]

My opinion as that for what the difficult is MEDIUM, it is a very good Ai.

If you want harder, you can choose harder settings. However considering this should be just basic combat (not hard to win, thus it's not on Hard) I found it challenging and enjoyable.

A vast improvement over mtw2, but that's just because units in mtw2 never seemed to split up properly or attack me with hidden units much.

[Gaius Terentius Varro]

That wooded ambush is not the AI but set starting positions in a historical battle . There is a difference. Really no point in arguing against you now when all of you are beating your chests and swearing that this game is the final boss of the internets. So in 2 months i will simply link this thread...

[Sir Beane]

That wooded ambush is not the AI but set starting positions in a historical battle . There is a difference. Really no point in arguing against you now when all of you are beating your chests and swearing that this game is the final boss of the internets. So in 2 months i will simply link this thread...

No one in this thread has done anything of the sort. Most people have said the AI is acceptable or reasonably good. Of those who said that all of them presented clear and reasonable arguments as to why they thought this was the case. There has certainly been nothing so hyperbolic as 'chest beating'.