Strategic AI

[Obadiah]

I've seen frequent battle AI discussion , but not on this. I haven't had chance to play much, but have seen two interesting things:

1- AI does offer to trade regions frequently.
2- Playing as Sweden, Courland (protectorate of Poland) attacked me with a single unit against about 10 units in my city. Then again next turn. And every single turn thereafter, all the while having a 100% full army in its city. I THINK what was happening was AI was creating new army units for the province each turn, and since it couldn't fit them inside, simply sent them at me. But it is an example of incredibly stupid strategy- if it wanted war, it should've thrown at least 80% of its army at me. I finally conquered the prov just to make it stop.

What have you guys seen in terms of when it declares war, how it moves armies around the map, etc.?

[Wausser]

I've seen frequent battle AI discussion , but not on this. I haven't had chance to play much, but have seen two interesting things:

2- Playing as Sweden, Courland (protectorate of Poland) attacked me with a single unit against about 10 units in my city. Then again next turn. And every single turn thereafter, all the while having a 100% full army in its city. I THINK what was happening was AI was creating new army units for the province each turn, and since it couldn't fit them inside, simply sent them at me. But it is an example of incredibly stupid strategy- if it wanted war, it should've thrown at least 80% of its army at me. I finally conquered the prov just to make it stop.

I have such problems too with Mysore, I have Corn...(the southern provence in India) as the UP. Mysore keeps attacking with 3 units, then in the same turn with 2 or 1 units. Mysore is only left with the Capital (Mysore) with a 100% full army.

[zarkis]

The campaign AI in ETW is a big letdown. I stopped playing because I find it pointless to play a strategy game I can't loose. No challenge, no tension. I keep my fingers crossed that a patch will fix the issues with bad recruiting (all artillery armies...), insane attacking behavior and nonexistent naval invasions. While the new economic mechanics are quite good and the battle AI is definitly improved, the campaign AI is worse then RTW or still has the same issues (recruiting, naval invasions). I thought, they had a full time AI programmer working on that...

[Hooahguy]

The campaign AI in ETW is a big letdown. I stopped playing because I find it pointless to play a strategy game I can't loose. No challenge, no tension. I keep my fingers crossed that a patch will fix the issues with bad recruiting (all artillery armies...), insane attacking behavior and nonexistent naval invasions. While the new economic mechanics are quite good and the battle AI is definitly improved, the campaign AI is worse then RTW or still has the same issues (recruiting, naval invasions). I thought, they had a full time AI programmer working on that...

what difficulty level were you at?

[Relic]

When playing M/M as the Ottoman Empire; Venice tried to take Athens with a unit of pikemen.
I intercepted them wiped them out entirely.
They then sent two units and some cavalry.
They too got complete wiped out.

The units I used without being retrained (this was in one turn) playing on medium unit size.
I had two irregular units of musketeers and a unit of sabre weilding men (names have gone out the window).
The funiest thing though; as the pike approached my musketeers in both battles; they decided to stand there with their swords out about 3m away while I gunned them down.
At one point they just stood in a very long 1 rank through my town. Needless to say. they failed.

[zarkis]

what difficulty level were you at?

VH/VH

But I don't think the problems I pointed out are a matter of difficulty. I mean, some of the issues (recruiting, no naval invasions) can be traced back to RTW, so sometimes I think they just used parts of the old code and the new AI for the campaign level was never done, unfinished or for unknown reasons not implemented. For example all this talk about the campaign AI communicating with the battle AI: Have you ever seen the AI doing a strategic retreat against impossible odds in battle (or even on the campaign map)?

[Melvish]

Have you ever seen the AI doing a strategic retreat against impossible odds in battle (or even on the campaign map)?

In ETW not so far.
But I've seen it in MTW1

[Hooahguy]

VH/VH

But I don't think the problems I pointed out are a matter of difficulty. I mean, some of the issues (recruiting, no naval invasions) can be traced back to RTW, so sometimes I think they just used parts of the old code and the new AI for the campaign level was never done, unfinished or for unknown reasons not implemented. For example all this talk about the campaign AI communicating with the battle AI: Have you ever seen the AI doing a strategic retreat against impossible odds in battle (or even on the campaign map)?

are you sure were playing the same game? im on H/H and im almost sweating with tension. im surrounded, and outnumbered most of the time.
i only beat the enemy by tactics on the battlefield.
and im no TW n00b either, after playing many M2TW and RTW (and EB) campaigns, all on VH.

[Gaiseric]

VH/VH

But I don't think the problems I pointed out are a matter of difficulty. I mean, some of the issues (recruiting, no naval invasions) can be traced back to RTW, so sometimes I think they just used parts of the old code and the new AI for the campaign level was never done, unfinished or for unknown reasons not implemented. For example all this talk about the campaign AI communicating with the battle AI: Have you ever seen the AI doing a strategic retreat against impossible odds in battle (or even on the campaign map)?

I agree and I think that it is sloppy work which we experiance in a crappy game. I dont mind if code was used from previous games, but CA should have at least playtested this game before it shipped.

Honestly, if you are going to pay programers to patch a game 3-6 months after release, cant that same money be spent instead to have programmers beta-test and complete a game 3-6 months before you release it. I really dont understand the knowledge behind rushing a game to stores and releasing a crappy or unfinished product. It upsets the customers!!!

[Fisherking]

VH/VH

But I don't think the problems I pointed out are a matter of difficulty. I mean, some of the issues (recruiting, no naval invasions) can be traced back to RTW, so sometimes I think they just used parts of the old code and the new AI for the campaign level was never done, unfinished or for unknown reasons not implemented. For example all this talk about the campaign AI communicating with the battle AI: Have you ever seen the AI doing a strategic retreat against impossible odds in battle (or even on the campaign map)?

They say that last part is in the game. "Have you ever seen the AI doing a strategic retreat against impossible odds in battle "

But as to some of the rest of it. I posted elsewhere that I thing it is the AI’s Resource Management that is sub par or missing.

It needs to judge its forces just as the battle AI does and put them in the most needed location for the time. In all theaters…though this could be problematic because of movement times.

It need to treat the sea as an avenue of approach and not just a place for its fleets.

AI resource management and some sort of threat analyses should be put in place, so the AI doesn’t spam units in isolated areas and redistributes its forces based on thread or intentions, by the most expedient means. This will be by sea in most cases, of course.

It should examine resources (units & fleets) to see if any may be used to aid in its allies’ wars.

They should manage their territories and decide on a military posture toward their neighbors in each theater.

If that posture changes due to war or peace, then the AI should redistribute its forces to match its perceived threats.

How territory is acquired is not important. By diplomacy or invasion, by land or sea.

Does that fit, or does someone see something different?

[crpcarrot]

to answer the first part of you question yes the AI has offerd to rade provices with me 2 twice in 17 years of game time. once is offeres about 4 a province and money <1000 this was spain offering for Mysore and France offeres IIRC 2 techs gibralta and some money for huron provinces

[batemonkey]

My biggest problem is that no one will make peace with me. I suupose it's not much of a problem as none of them can hurt me (i'm playing GB) but i'd like to trade with em.

For example the dutch, they attacked me, i've sunk their navies, taken their lands in the americas(i offered it back for peace to no avial), and am pirating their trade routes for muchos muchos cash but they still won't sign a peace treaty. I've decided to invade and see if that changes their mind.

I suppose i don't mind too much, but i'd like some allies other than Portugal

[Polemists]

The Ai has it's moments both good and bad.

The best moments i've had really do make me smile. Such as being raided, pirated, and having armies sneak around to attack weak cities.

One time when I took rome though, Naples and Sicily kept sending one unit of militia every turn, rather then building a up a army and just taking rome (Who only had 5 units). The result was my general went up very fast in stars. I took them out do mostly to annoyance.

[Fisherking]

How well do the State Gifts work on the AI factions?

What is the best way to decrease the hate factor?

[NimitsTexan]

As Great Britain, I declared war on Spain when she attacked Portugal. Though I was too late to save Portugal, I managed to take Belgium, Portugal (from the Spanish), and all of Spain's Caribbean colonies, and then marched into Spain itself, destroyed its field armies, and sieged Madrid. At this point, I offered them peace and Cuba back, in exchanged for lots and lots of cash. They accepted, then two turns later, after rebuilding their army, declared war on me again. Rinse, repeat. ABout a half dozen times, I completely obliterated the Spanish Army, captured Madrid, etc. Every time, I offered them peace just short of destroying the whole empire, they accept, but always declare war on me again 1-3 turns later. . . . Seriously, the AI does not know when to stay down.

[Bob the Insane]

How well do the State Gifts work on the AI factions?

What is the best way to decrease the hate factor?

I find the State gifts to be very effective...

In my first (almost complete) campaign as the British I ended up with most everyone Hostile to me. Made trading impossible, but with liberal use of The 5000 level of the State Gift to could go from Hostile straight to Indifferent (and then a trade agreement with a large cash payment)...

It does not work on everyone, for example after fight with the French and Spainish for a while it has not real impact on relations with them once a peace is reached.

Once you can get trading with a faction I think the relationship naturally trends toward Friendly...

Then you get Austria, my ally and Friendly who steadfastly refuses to trade?

[Gooseman321]

I played as Britain on very hard and have it all locked up about 35 turns in right now.
The AI essentially did nothing and never mounted one amphibious assault anywhere.
France allowed me to occupy Holland and Brussels indefinitely with no response.
None of the other powers expanded colonially.

The Cherokee were the only faction that fought hard and continued to send large stacks at my American colonies until they were defeated.

The AI can be manipulated into agreeing too easily to peace after a defeat. This allows
you to absorb a territory, replenish your troops and then attack your weaker opponent.
Not to mention that the large amount of factions makes diplomacy tedious and other nations
won't enter into alliances with you.

Did CA even bother to script a set series of moves to guide the AI? Or prioritize certain areas to attack and defend? It seems like the AI just sits there and gets its ass kicked.

If you recall in MTWII when playing as Venice, Sicily would always attack the balkans by amphibious assault after 3 or 4 turns. Predictable, but at least the AI had some kind of gameplan and was capable
of loading troops onto a transport.

It appears that the campaign AI in this game is actually worse than MTWII, which was basically unplayable out of the box.

[Polemists]

The AI essentially did nothing and never mounted one amphibious assault anywhere.

This has been discussed before, you call it a bug or a gameplay feature or whatever you like but the AI cannot put troops on ships. Whether this will be changed in a future patch is unknown.


Much like the Danes of MTW2 the AI has a set number of goals and provinces to Conquer, Several AI factions will become quite aggressive unless you (The player) prevent them from doing so.

I've seen sweden and Russia grow in vast power in my game, sweden's navy bordering upon unstoppable. Again all depends, but since as England you can't be invaded, your only loses can occur in colonies and later do to rebellion.

The major challenge of this game is keeping a Empire, not minor wars with minor factions. Play past turn 35 and you'll see more challenges as you go.