Enemy AI has the hots for my sexy cavalry

[Major Robert Dump]

Anytime I send cavalry to the side of or behind enemy lines, it sends a good amount of troops to counter and chase the cavalry. While this would normally be expected (well, not the chase part, just maybe turn and face them) the AI also does this when I send units -- even depleted cav with 2 or 3 men left -- to chase off routers who have no chance of coming back.

I've tested it multiple times. Send one unit of 2 cav around each flank to chase some routers, and the AI will send 1/5 to 1/4 of its total units after each cav, regardless of what is going on at the main battle. Your troops could be within firing range and bearing down on his buckling line -- and away they go, gotta catch the cav.

So, if you have a battle you just can't seem to win legitimately well there I just gave you a method.(you can lead the enemy into a wall of musket volley in the same manner)

For me, however, its annoying because it interferes with me leveling my cavalry by chasing routers (and often in the death of my weak little cav unit I am trying to make ubersauce) and it just prolongs the battle I am going to win anyway. If the action actually increased the AIs chances of winning I would think it was cool, but it just makes AI more likely to lose and makes me have to chase units all over the map.

[Polemists]

This is really the reason Calvary becomes useless in this game, not decent, useless. First off you lose half of your units anytime you charge anyone (Even if they arn't firing). Then combine it with the fact I've seen AI send 3/4 of it's army after my calvary while the rest of my army was slaughtering the other 1/4.

This usually leads to my calv being slaughtered and lots of won battles, but it dosn't help my calvary much.

[Zoring]

My cavalry loses soldiers running down routers, the useless . It's infantry all the way for me.

Enemy lancers though (specially those native americans) are gods of battle, i want some of them on my side.

[Polemists]

The lancers and heavy calvary of the late game arn't bad, but by the time you get them compared to light infantry, guard infantry or machine guns and rockets it's kind of hard to justify it.

Yes having your calvary die when running down routers is frustrating and makes little sense. I mean yes it's silly to think a unit would just stand there and be cut down, but if they are running away I don't assume they could stop a full on horse charge from behind them.

[A Very Super Market]

Well, didn't Napoleon or someone mention that a hussar living past 20 would be a real rarity?

[Eusebius86]

Well, didn't Napoleon or someone mention that a hussar living past 20 would be a real rarity?

The quote is "any Hussar who is not dead by the time he is thirty is a blackguard." General Antoine Lasalle, French Cavalry Commander.

Now to the topic at hand. I have noticed that the enemy really does enjoy wasting 25% of his forces to chase down 1 or 2 cavalry. Very frustrating. I try hard not to exploit the ai by doing that, but sometimes I forget. Honestly, I find cavalry useless for the most part. Except for dragoon, they are awesome for garrisons...

[Meneldil]

Cavalry is pretty good to prevent the AI's cavalry to hit your back. Apart from that, I still have to find a real use for it.

And to say the least, playing with small army size, I see no point in using anything but Line Infantry.

Your main ranks soak up the damage while you send a few units behind the enemy. Crossfire => the whole opponent army flees after 30 seconds. Don't really see where is this improved battle AI. I can definitely see some improvement on the campaign map. On the battle map, not so much.

[aimlesswanderer]

In M2TW the AI generally ignored your cavalry, but now it seems to pay too much attention.

My cavalry are mostly for running around the back and killing their artillery and for chasing down routers. Even though I lose a few while chasing them down, infantry just can't run fast enough! I hate beating the enemy and then having most of them turn up again next battle because they ran off!

[Marten]

Light Cavalry was used for recon missions and heavy one for breaking or weakening the lines.

So recon is useless (is anyone else disappointed like me, reading all these "facts" from previews and interviews ...and now?), leaves it to weakening enemy lines. That's what they were for, that's what i do. Watching Ulanen (lancers) charging is definitely great fun.

Warfare in these times is a clash of massed infantry, accompanied by the bronze-coloured last arguments of kings. Cavalry, the former queen of battle, is now only for support missions. After hours of gameplay i got a dozen veteran infantry units, but only one or two cavalry units.

Marten

[TB666]

I use them mainly for artillery and hitting them in the rear also for attacking other cavalry units going after my artillery.
So I got around 3-4 heavy cav units in each army.