Castles: storming vs besieging

**Gilrandir** · 05-16-2011, 13:34

Originally Posted by Asai Nagamasa

4) The AI often doesn't bring siege engines, positions them too close to the walls (the crews get shot to pieces) or in a position where they can't all hit the gates/all hit the same piece of wall.

It has always been a surprise for me why the AI doesn't bring siege artillery while besieging, but brings it for field battles (especially while attacking!!!). But in the last case it can be a useful thing when fighting against an enemy with a multitude of reinforcements. I noticed that when the AI doesn't want to bring in more of those (in fact, acknowledging defeat) then the siege engines' crews leave their equipment and beat it. So, seeing them doing this is a sign that the AI gives it up.

**caravel** · 05-16-2011, 14:45

Originally Posted by Gilrandir

It has always been a surprise for me why the AI doesn't bring siege artillery while besieging, but brings it for field battles (especially while attacking!!!).

Another problem with siege equipment, which you highlight here, is that the AI indeed takes it to field battles, where especially if attacking, it's essentially useless. This is further compounded by the AI's inability to organise his reinforcements. The worst result can be a ballista army...

My personal opinion is that the way STW handled it's "sieges" was better. Simple and unrealistic yes, but they actually worked.

**gollum** · 05-16-2011, 17:31

The solution to this problem is to raise the maintencance costs of the artillery to that of a normal unit. The AI stops spamming it, although he brings one or two pieces/stack. This is implmented in the Caravel mod.

Of course he's still worthless in how to use art in pitched battles. But stack composition can be much improved and hence his performance.

**Gilrandir** · 05-17-2011, 09:42

One more issue connected with the sieges. When you starve the garrison out the port in the province is, as a rule, destroyed (if it is a coastal province). I don't see any sensible reason for it, especially if it was a land attack not a marine mission. But, interestingly, this port demolition is not a law. So, how can you avoid it?

**caravel** · 05-17-2011, 10:42

It can perhaps be avoided by modding...

To put it simply the port is a single level building, so it's often razed when the whole province loses a tech level after an invasion/siege. To avoid this, the port needs to be modded to have level 2, 3 and 4 structures (upgrades). I've never tried it myself... in fact it'll probably break the port, but perhaps not... worth a try anyway... Certainly worth considering for the Gollum Mod 3.0.0.1?

**Stazi** · 05-17-2011, 20:39

It can be done but it'll affect all ways of conquering a province so IMO it'll be very unrealistic. Additionally, there are some castle guarding coastal cities and ports so the raze of such port during long siege is very likely. Another reason is that you don't own a province without a castle so it's naturally that your soldiers raze and plunder enemy province during long siege.
The other way is to rise the importance of port for the AI and reduce it's build time to e.g 1 turn so it can be rebuilt immediately.

**Gilrandir** · 05-18-2011, 09:31

So, it means that when you conquer a province, ALL it's developments become one level lower, am I right? Does it refer to agricultural upgrades as well?

**Stazi** · 05-18-2011, 09:45

All developments MAY become one level lower. It's not a rule. It's random. Make a save and try. E.g. sometime you loose 3 buildings/levels but when you try again you loose 7. Even one-level buildings like ports are not always destroyed. Chance of loosing a building increase with every year of siege but it's still a chance.