Getting that sinking feeling...

[Braden]

Playing as France on Normal campaign / VH Battles and I'm in year 1722 and doing ok.

I have had long standing military alliances with Britain, Spain and Austria (to name the major players) but now I think the Ai is about to "stiff" me.

I brought an army (half stack) of Colonial Line Infantry down from North America to deal with the Pirates on the islands.

Previously "Mobs" I've faced have all be in companies of 90 men (Large unit settings). But this time the Pirate "mobs" were of 120 men...still listed as "mobs" but I still wait for them to sally from the fort as they have the same numbers as my army - 1:1 ratio.

They WIN! Ok, I had no General but they just plain OUT SHOT my Line Infantry??

Then an army marches from Spain and stops outside my mediterainan port...and just stay there?

Then a LARGE British army marches to my North American border and again...waits there?

My fleet of 1 x Forth Rate, 1 x Fifth Rate & 1 x captured Galleon fight a single Pirate Galleon...auto calc says an easy win...and I mean EASY, I auto calc (its late) and I LOSE!?!

To me this is pointing to the Ai just plain out and out cheating, which is something I've not really experienced in TW games.

I've saved and to be honest when I play again I'm expecting GB and Spain to declare war for no obvious reasons (both are "Friendly" to me) as it all just looks a bit dodgy.

Have you had this, or similar, happen to you?

[AussieGiant]

Yes I have definately had "indicators" as you have experienced Braden.

You are certainly going to get nailed soon by the looks of it. I'd say there is a conspiracy being organised against France.

As for Mobs outshooting you....you're playing on VH battle settings, a drunk monkey with a blow dart tube is going to out shoot you on this setting. Good luck

[Fisherking]

Yes and I trust Auto resolve less each day.

With the military and naval losses you must be looking a tempting target to your allies but they will break with you before the attacks come I am sure.

Sometimes they even show up now to help.

If you want the alliances cemented stronger go the military access route.

So far I have not had them break it.

[Braden]

there was I thinking VH setting gave morale and melee bonus' like in previous TW games....

GB, Austria & Spain all have full and corresponding military access as well…so treaties set in pretty hard cement I thought.

Yeah, must be the couple of recent losses have lost me prestige. I’ve beaten standing armies of Line Infantry on these settings earlier in the game (when Wuttemberg went “bye-bye”) so I thought I’d have little problem with any Mobs!

I’ll bring cavalry and cannon next time…bloody pirates.

SOUNDS like an obvious question now but…anywhere else the Pirates hide? Do they/might they have a province in Central America as that’s where most of their ships appear to sail from in my game? I’m hoping to put an end to them and their annoying Galleons by taking all the Windward Islands.

BTW – completed Louisiana’s task by waiting until GB declared war on the Cherokee nation…I just used my military access rights to march through territory taken by GB and beat them to Cherokee Territory.

Tempted to give them the area though as they’re determined to take the rest of it (and keeps the Cherokees off my back). Time to butter up my allies a bit more then I think…thanks for the tips, thought I was being victimised by the Ai.

It’s nice to know it’s not just me!

[AussieGiant]

VH BAI is insane.

I sent you a response Braden.

For me M/M or M/H is the best settings. Medium CAI gives you a rational or semi rational response, while M or H BAI doesn't mean your General is going to be hit in the left butt cheek from 450 yards by a cannon ball after the first 30 seconds of battle. That, plus the inability of Flintlock Citizenry to out shoot your 3 chevron Line Infantry, which is a distinct possibility on VH BAI.

[Slaists]

VH BAI is insane.

I sent you a response Braden.

For me M/M or M/H is the best settings. Medium CAI gives you a rational or semi rational response, while M or H BAI doesn't mean your General is going to be hit in the left butt cheek from 450 yards by a cannon ball after the first 30 seconds of battle. That, plus the inability of Flintlock Citizenry to out shoot your 3 chevron Line Infantry, which is a distinct possibility on VH BAI.

There is no "AI" in the "BAI" on any difficulty level. On VH battle difficulty though, the AI's side gets insane battle stat bonuses such that mobs and militias can out-shoot line infantry. Total conversion mods such as Imperial Splendor specifically state that their battle stats are balanced for normal battle difficulty and that harder battle difficulties will result in unbalanced and irrational results (such as militias annihilating line infantry).

This is not new to TW though. I believe, MTW 2 was the only TW game that did not boost AI's stats through the roof on VH battle difficulty. In MTW 2 though, there was practically no difference in AI side's battle performance in N, H and VH.

[AussieGiant]

There is no "AI" in the "BAI" on any difficulty level. On VH battle difficulty though, the AI's side gets insane battle stat bonuses such that mobs and militia's can outshoot line infantry. Total conversion mods such as Imperial Splendor specifically state that their battle stats are balanced for normal battle difficulty and that harder battle difficulties will result in unbalanced and irrational results (such as militias annihilating line infantry).

This is not new to TW though. I believe, MTW 2 was the only TW game that did not boost AI's stats through the roof on VH battle difficulty. In MTW 2 though, there was practically no difference in AI side's battle performance in N, H and VH.

Yeah that's what I meant Slaists, thanks for the correction.

You don't get anything but crazy stat increases in battles over Normal difficulty.

[loony]

Yes and I trust Auto resolve less each day.

With the military and naval losses you must be looking a tempting target to your allies but they will break with you before the attacks come I am sure.

Sometimes they even show up now to help.

If you want the alliances cemented stronger go the military access route.
So far I have not had them break it.

Haha, no way. I just had frace declare on me (sweden) on H/H, were were "very friendly" and they had military access. Now suddenly I get a third (or fourth - whatever) front opened and have to defend against zounds of guard cavalry and infantry...

I must have been tempting, as i was Spectacular, but only Mighty.

[pevergreen]

Stop blaming AI bonuses.

Because you do and then Fisherking comes along and asks me to do work and find out what they are, and he asks so nicely I can't refuse.

So basically, stop making me do work!

[Braden]

Stop blaming AI bonuses.

Because you do and then Fisherking comes along and asks me to do work and find out what they are, and he asks so nicely I can't refuse.

So basically, stop making me do work!

Oooo...seeing as you're offering clearly there...what are the stat bonuses for difficulty level? (muhahahahaah!)

[pevergreen]

Noooo I'm meeelttiiiing.


I'd actually love to present them here, but my laptop is screwing around, and its my modding machine, so I currently can't get it.