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.

[Braden]

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.

Booo!!

[Vlad Tzepes]

I'm sorry to say, but even in Hard BAI setting one 120 men Line Infantry (with no rank-fire) behind a palisade is being outshot by a 120 men pirate mob, standing right in the open.

[Fisherking]

No one I know of has found what the battle field bonuses are for the AI.

Also it is funny that these are the pirate version of firelock citizenry.

[Prussian to the Iron]

thats cuz you have it backwards:

you should have VH campaign, and normal battle difficulty.

[A1_Unit]

From what I've heard VH campaign difficulty is RAGE mode.

[Prussian to the Iron]

........well VH battle is like A.I. uber cheat mode......

so hwy not just do normal everything? the ai gets no smarter in H or VH in either category.

[Vlad Tzepes]

Let me tell you the consequences of Hard setting for campaign map, as Spain. You all know, of course, that the Spanish Empire starts with that "freak of nature" king that gets you something like -20 prestige and -4 management... or something.

It's now 1730 and, by God, everybody hates my guts, I get DOW'ed basically every year by any faction bored enough, I can't get any decent trade agreement, not without heavily paying in techs, as I don't make more than 3K/turn.

A major part of my income comes from capturing enemy ships and selling techs (though this one is tricky, only a few would accept).

I've been sea-invaded by GB, UP, Maratha. Portugal is gone, France busted by Savoy (which, obviously, is at war with me). I manage to get 2-3 years of peace in exchange for some region, then they DOW again. I cannot field more than one army in the Americas and one in Europe. My fleet consists of six 5 rates, in 3 separate stacks (and a few tradeships in some theaters).

My goal was to keep the absolutist monarchy until that freak would finally die, but I've had enough. I'm starting a revolution and switching to republic.

I'm telling you, this has been the most exhausting (prestige) campaign yet. I'm like a plumber trying to stop a river with a sifter.

It's sort of fun

[Braden]

I started with a VH/VH set campaign as France and although it was “workable” it got to the same point where in one turn just about everyone DoW’d me…even countries I’d had little or no contact with AND didn’t have treaty’s with those who had DoW’d!!

I went to a republic…thought “Hell, everyone hates me anyway” and that really shafted me as the Ai started blockading trade routes AND ports!

Gave up with that as it was just illogical

I’m going to try a Normal campaign and Hard battle set long campaign as France using the FoW & Protectorate Mod (removes FoW = bad but gives Protectorates from turn two = good) and see how that goes.

I’d like to get to a position where I can change to a republic about midway through the game (i.e. 1750-70). So, I’m not aiming to rush the Ai.

Did a test run (only to turn 10) and the Normal campaign setting seems more logical but might still be too weak now. I asked for trade rights with Wuttemberg and Westpailier (spelling) but they WANTED military alliances!?! So, some testing might be in order here as Normal might be too far the other way.

Battle setting wasn’t tested that much by me, only had one naval battle and that was my 6th rate against a pirate fleet of four galleons. I lost of course.

[Prussian to the Iron]

Did a test run (only to turn 10) and the Normal campaign setting seems more logical but might still be too weak now. I asked for trade rights with Wuttemberg and Westpailier (spelling) but they WANTED military alliances!?! So, some testing might be in order here as Normal might be too far the other way.

Westphalia?

and thats due to them being single-province nations. they need protection. odds are theyll turn on you in the long run anyway.

[Braden]

That’s ok then. Was wondering as they’re “meant” to not want treaties with me as they’re already allied with Austria.

Still, if that sounds normal(ish) then I’ll keep the campaign level at Normal for now.

[Prussian to the Iron]

also, expect to get a Maratha trade offer. for some reason they do that for like very player faction in turn 1.

trust me, you'll know when it gets weird; once I had a campaign where the english took all the carribean (which i then took as the Marathas >:D ) and sweden had conquered half of Russia, while the Mamluks began to expand into India and took asia minor!!!

of course i ended up taking everyones stuff (yay for marathas in Sweden in the winter!) but the a.i. always behaves weird. half the time you just laugh. laugh so hard until you cant laugh anymore.

[pevergreen]

In other AI news:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Spain surrendered. VH/H. I had 5 units of the expensive Morrocan militia and a general, they had a unit of line inf, unit of militia and the citizens.

[Prussian to the Iron]

In other AI news:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Spain surrendered. VH/H. I had 5 units of the expensive Morrocan militia and a general, they had a unit of line inf, unit of militia and the citizens.

you should spoiler that immense image :)

ontopic: thats insane!!!

on E/M I couldnt get a town with nothing but firelocks to surrender to a full stack of elite men.

[Zarky]

Funny, since on my M/M game I haven't fought single French soldier as GB since they all have surrendered, with one exception of fighting Spain while they had some troops nearby...

[Monsieur Alphonse]

If there are no professional soldiers nearby or defending the city and the city is not their capital, they surrender. At least on N/N.

[Fisherking]

If there are no professional soldiers nearby or defending the city and the city is not their capital, they surrender. At least on N/N.

Now is it just me, or does anyone else think it is wrong that when a city surrenders, everything is still destroyed?

Perhaps memory fails me, but didn’t the manual say that if a city surrendered that you captured it intact?

I’m not going to try to find it, but I sure thought I read it some where.

[Prussian to the Iron]

really? that sucks. never noticed it. but you're right, a surrender should give you the city fully intact (minus a few people)

[Monsieur Alphonse]

Most of the times everything is damaged. Sometimes and I don't know why, I capture an undamaged city when it surrenders. The only real advantage when a city surrenders is that your army is still intact.

[Fisherking]

I promise you, I have never ever captured an undamaged city.

Not only that but the level of damage sometimes seems very high.

It can wipe out a treasury for a turn just fixing up part of it.