CA: This has got to STOP! (AI Control is simpley a source of Frustration)

[sunsmountain]

Well, if i have too much family... simply give it to the AI! :)

Seriously though, AI armies ARE useful if they ONLY comprise of INFANTRY. Unfortunately there are no infantry generals. But if you have one of those disposable generals, you really can sandwich enemy armies for one battle (you will allways lose the AI general, unless you get there before they do and you're very lucky).

And then you buyback your disposable general by bribing a rebel general.

[warlordmb]

I still think the easiest solution so far would be to include a tick box on the Pre-battle screen, you know, the one where the odds indicator is.

At least you would have the choice to include or not include an AI led re-inforcements.

Last night I had a city being attacked by an Iberian army of about 8 units. I moved my Legioinary army of 20 units to attack. Of course the battle screen put my crappy 0 star General/7 Influence Govornor and his garrison of 4 crappy peasants into the battle order. I actually refused combat - the odds were 3-1 in my favour because I didn't want to lose this governor. His influence rating was keeping the natives happy and under riot control.

Also, the Iberian army had three cav units to my general's bodyguard.
My own cav was currently on the road from Arretium (my capital) where they had gone for retraining.
I am playing R:TR Mod 3.2 which uses Zone of Control. I can only train/re-train certain units in the zone of control cities. (A bit like Homelands).
My cav was at least 2 turns away from my main army and their fort base.

If I could have been sure of fighting without having My Governor turn up with his cannon fodder I would probably have decided to fight. My army was full of experienced Early Republic units including one two stripe Triairii unit and half a unit of one silver stripe Triarii of 38 men. Real cav killers these boys. In one battle they slaughtered two units of Gaulish merc cav, 1 unit of Gaulish warband cav and the Gaulish 4 star generals' bodygaurd for the loss of 43 men between both units.

Because I use the timer off I can play 'dance-my-slingers-in-front-of-you-and-see-If-I-can-lure-some-of-you-on-to-my-pilum-throwing-gaul-bashing-upstanding-roman-boys. Can't do that if I've got an AI led force on the usual suicide-charge.

Had to run away and fight another day. (Wait until my cav returned).

[ToranagaSama]

Another thing,

The Campaign Map needs some sort of * proximity indicator[ion]* where a Player will be aware which nearby Stacks will be including in a battle and AI controlled.

During my last bout of play, more than once I was confused as to PRECISELY which Stack would be included and which wouldn't.

Proximity is the key, but there is no indicator as when a Stack is close enough to be included and when a stack is distant enough to not be included.

This can be important when manuevering Stack on the Campaign Map, attempting to setup two-way, three-way, or better ambush. That is attacking from multiple directions upon a target(s).

This can also be quite important when attempting to rush additional troops to the soon to occur battle, particularly in the case of defending against/attacking a beseiger.

For example, a Full Stack is besieging one of your cities, but there's only a half stack garrison. Obviously, you need to get some additional units in the vacinity QUICK.

If you manage to get some units in the vacinity in good time, when the city's garrison sallies forth or the besieging force breaks thru, whatever additional units within the correct *radius* will be included/incorporated in the battle as Reinforcements.

In terms of Planning, a Player NEEDS to be aware of the precise *radius*. At present there is NO indicator.

---

I had this happen in my last battle. My city of Males??? (captured Gaul city on the Italian side of the Mountains) was being besieged by a full stack. There was a nominal garrison. I had a third stack pre-stationed just to the east in the woods at the opening of the Pass.

I was moving my *battle* Army(, one unit shy of a full stack) to bear upon the besieger, and was expecting my army in the woods to be a part of the battle as Reinforcements, hitting the besieger from two directions, as well as out-numbering the enemy.

Buttttt, NO!

Apparently, that little army wasn't actually within the necessary *radius* (or whatever).

Now how the heck would I have known? Looked close enough to me.

[barocca]

i think the "radius" is the zone of control,
when you are moving an army and it stops because path is blocked and it is standing on a little red square and has lost all remaining movement then it is in a zone of control,
bring another army in and launch at attack on the "blocking" armys and both your armies will be (unless "delayed") in the battkle, you will command the army that actually "launched" the attack.

I use single units of cavalry as scouts so that my main armies dont get "caught" in an ambush or blocked by an unforeseen enemy units "zone of control"

I also use single ships as scouts for the same purpose when i am moving a large fleet - or an important one carrying an invasion/relief force.

[*Ringo*]

The Campaign Map needs some sort of * proximity indicator[ion]* where a Player will be aware which nearby Stacks will be including in a battle and AI controlled.

There is an indicator, an area around enemy units will appear red when showing your unit's possible moves. The campaign map works on the principle of tiles (or squares on a chess board if you like) therefore around any unit there are 8 possible places for supporting armies to be placed.

In terms of AI controlled stacks, it's perfectly possible (although not in every case) to control both stacks. Just ensure that your main force doesn't have the full compliment of 20 units & it doesn't have a general commanding it. Then when reinforcements arrive in battle you will be able to control them on a unit by unit basis just as in MTW! I often separate 20 unit stacks sending my cavalry round the back of enemy forces to attack the rear, as long as a captain is commanding the supporting force i can take control (of course sometimes reinforcements can be delayed and having no cavalry can be a bit of a pain ) But generally works really well.


Hope that sheds some light on how to avoid suicide generals!!!

*Ringo*

[HopAlongBunny]

Just had this happen twice.

First one: Brutii army attacks a lone Eastern Infantry standing outside the walls of one of my cities; the garrison of 1000+ sallies to save their buddy!; I have control of the lone EI and the AI general massacres my army against a clearly inferior opponent.

Second case: beseiging a city; one stack with general over 1000 troops and a lone Thracian merc beside the stack; AI sallies and attacks; I have control of the Thracian merc and the AI general zerg rushes/destroys my army...battle a "draw" so seige maintained but over half the army was destroyed. It actually should not have even been close; if I had controled the army I think I could've even taken the city with fewer losses.

hehehe it just hurt to watch the AI screw up soooo badly, and not be able to do a thing about it.

[metatron]

*Stands alone*

I like it. In MTW, you were supposed to be the King (or general, depending on the situation). When the AI comes into play, it represents another politically ambitious man who wants glory for himself. He has his own army, he isn't subordinate to you (well, he's not in your army, so you can't get orders to him easily, if at all), and there's a rebel army. What would you do?

[Mr Frost]

...He has his own army, he isn't subordinate to you (well, he's not in your army, so you can't get orders to him easily, if at all), and there's a rebel army. What would you do?

Well , I would avoid getting killed to begin with .

Not a very good way to further political ambition is getting killed . Most politicians advise against early demise for the stopping-your-political-career-completely effect it has on most people .

You don't have to merely take my word for it though , you could try it yourself : Get yourself killed , then try becoming President of the United States , you will discover it is impossible after you are deceased !

[*Ringo*]

You don't have to merely take my word for it though , you could try it yourself : Get yourself killed , then try becoming President of the United States , you will discover it is impossible after you are deceased !

...i dunno, Bush's brain died years ago!

*Ringo*

[Lord Ovaat]

.i dunno, Bush's brain died years ago!

He seems to have enough brain cells left to have thrashed his "opponent".

Do I sense a sore loser?

[*Ringo*]

I couldn't care less, nothing to do with me. Just going on the evidence of most of his public addresses!!!

*Ringo* (thinking of new ways to harm Bush's reputation)

[SwordsMaster]

I tend to Have a balanced army for myself (or some trickier units such as HA or hoplites, and give the AI general (carefully chosen to be the most useless of my heirs ) ONLY cavalry or heavy infantry that can be charged into the enemy head on. And thats what I always get.

Easy. There are always some useless drunkard-pervert-minion-ill-or-otherwise- disabled-for-normal-glorious-existance- family members that will save you the effort of sending an assasin on them and will do well as cannon fodder leading a glorious last charge against those pesky Pharao's guards or phalanxes or other pointy unadvisable targets.