Using AI to do your dirty job..

[Ibn-Khaldun]

I have noticed that many times I tend to use AI to do my dirty job when it comes down to attacking cities.

Examples:
As Carthage I wait until Lusotanon besiege the town north of Gader and then besiege it in the same turn. Next turn I have my rams and I attack that town and Lusotanon join the attack as reinforcements. If they haven't built rams themselves then I use one of mine and knock a hole into the walls. Once that is done Lusotanon troops will take the town for me and I don't have to fight any battles.
I use the same procedure to capture Taras. I just send some units there and wait til Romans besiege Taras and let them fight the battle.
As Seleucids I use Makedonia in the same way when I want to capture Pergamon.
These are some early game examples but when ever I see an opportunity to fight a battle with AI being an Ally I use it. These battles usually make my games a bit more interesting.

So, I would like to know are there others who use the AI like this? And what factions do you use?

[Svenn]

Good Idea, However,

How does having your battles fought for you make the game more interesting?

For me it would have the opposite effect

[Molinaargh]

It's a crafty idea, but the game is easy enough without exploiting such possibilities.

[Drewski]

I have noticed that many times I tend to use AI to do my dirty job when it comes down to attacking cities.

Examples:
As Carthage I wait until Lusotanon besiege the town north of Gader and then besiege it in the same turn. Next turn I have my rams and I attack that town and Lusotanon join the attack as reinforcements. If they haven't built rams themselves then I use one of mine and knock a hole into the walls. Once that is done Lusotanon troops will take the town for me and I don't have to fight any battles.
I use the same procedure to capture Taras. I just send some units there and wait til Romans besiege Taras and let them fight the battle.
As Seleucids I use Makedonia in the same way when I want to capture Pergamon.
These are some early game examples but when ever I see an opportunity to fight a battle with AI being an Ally I use it. These battles usually make my games a bit more interesting.

So, I would like to know are there others who use the AI like this? And what factions do you use?

If they aren't you're allies, then by any stretch of the imagination that's called cheating ;)

[DaciaJC]

Meh, why should I suffer any casualties at all? In my current Getai campaign, I nervously eyed Makedonia for the better part of 20 years. Luckily, all of their armies seemed hellbent on conquering Singidunum (the settlement where Cordinau Orcas can be trained from); so for countless turns, I watched as Makedonian stacks trespassed into my territories, besieged the settlement, and were booted back with severe losses. I counted a full 5 stacks (and then 2 from Epeiros) being lost in combat with the valiant defenders of Singidunum. In the end, I decided the opportunity for a quick conquest was ripe, and so I besieged the city and wiped out the remaining defenders (all that were left were a 60-man strong bodyguard unit of Cordinau Orcas with 9 chevrons). I lost a mere 7 casualties in that battle. So, yes, I most definitely did use the AI to do the dirty work and kept my hands mostly clean.

[Ariovistus Maximus]

hehehe; I did enjoy one battle where I sat back and let the poor pathetic AI take care of everything.

It was almost routed out of this pathetic eleutheroi settlement. hehe it was so gratifying to watch the AI suffer...

I just can't resist. I've hated the AI ever since it stuck a unit of my precious war elephants RIGHT in front of an enemy tower. Stupid thing basically destroyed the whole blessed unit. So I like to see it suffer.

[Ibn-Khaldun]

Good Idea, However,

How does having your battles fought for you make the game more interesting?

For me it would have the opposite effect

Because then it would make sense why a faction who have been your Ally for decades decides to betray you?

Also, it is rare chance to actually have a battle where AI faction is your reinforcements. I mean, how many times you get the chance to fight side by side with an Allied leader or heir? Custom battles do not give you that choice.

[Atraphoenix]

I used the same tactic with bactria and me (pahlav) besieged taxila Baktrian general was killed by elephants I just waited for 2.5 minutes thing to save my ass. while my axemen was keeping them busy until the time finished.

[Macilrille]

I used it often against powerful allies to sap their strength in Vanilla when the AI would actually ally with and help you. However, IIRC, the one to first lay siege to a city gets it. Not the one to assault it. I have not played vanilla for a long time, so I might remember incorrectly, and in EB there is no such leeway.

It might have to do with difficulty settings. I think I play VH/H.

[Ibn-Khaldun]

I used it often against powerful allies to sap their strength in Vanilla when the AI would actually ally with and help you. However, IIRC, the one to first lay siege to a city gets it. Not the one to assault it. I have not played vanilla for a long time, so I might remember incorrectly, and in EB there is no such leeway.

It might have to do with difficulty settings. I think I play VH/H.

That's wrong. The one who assault it will get it.

[V.T. Marvin]

It is a nice approach in the short term, but in the long run you will pay with interest as the AI, who was trying to get the city before will try to get it afterwards too, so you may expect they will besiege you there everytime they will gather an army to do so from this moment all the way until they force you to wipe them out just to get rid of their constant attacks.

Do not curse the stupid AI, curse your own greed and betrayal of allies!

[Darius]

Well naturally they'd want the city they were doing all the hard work to conquer. That's why I make sure my missile units fire into the melee to ensure as few of them are left as possible when they finish taking the city for me.

[Ibn-Khaldun]

Well naturally they'd want the city they were doing all the hard work to conquer. That's why I make sure my missile units fire into the melee to ensure as few of them are left as possible when they finish taking the city for me.

Lol... So, I'm not the only one who uses this strategy!

[soup_alex]

Darius, Ibn—you're a right shifty pair of bustards and no error!

...I'll be sure not to leave any ungarrissoned settlements on your borders, that's for sure. Allies, my arse! :P

[Cute Wolf]

Ohh you are truly a cursed, dirty betrayer!!!

I never try to siege with both AI ally and me..... the only thing I've done with them is field battle...

[Ibn-Khaldun]

But those field battles, where you and your Ally fight against common enemy, are hard to arrange.

[Cute Wolf]

KH and Epeiros fight 2 stack of Makedonian army... My general just sitting down with decent army, tagging behind pyrrhos...

[Pode]

I've done this with Carthage as the Romans, when they had stopped next to Rhegion with a unit of elephants in their army but hadn't laid siege. I was able to approach and assault straight away since their elephants counted as my siege ram. Much fun to be able to leave my units back, zoom the camera in on the eles and just watch the carnage unfold.