Simple way to modify the AI towards a better direction

[The_Mark]

ai_priority is really a priority

It says it is, doesn't it?
Ahh.. couldn't resist the temptation...

Thanks for the info, we appreciate it. Did you find out if the AI picks only the formation with highest priority (other filters passed), disregarding all the ones with lower priority, or does it apply a small random factor to its checks?

Yes, the parser is quite sensitive. e.g. you can't use the normalised_rot without using normalised_pos, and both of those commands exclude the relative_ -commands. There's not going to be phalanx lines with angled flanks. /EDIT actually that's not the case

As a side note, there are so many obvious features missing in descr_formations_ai it's depressing : no faction/culture specific formations, no strategic hint on how to use the formation (flanking? frontal charge?...), no effect of terrain, no comparison of forces...

Yes, it's a shame. Although, we don't know all the possible AI flags that affect the formation selection checks. There could be more than the regular attack/defend and bridge flags, but I doubt it.

I hope my explanations are clear, English is not my mother tongue

They are as clear as a sunny day in Sahara, no need to get worried.

Good topic this! I should add that modders should pay particular attention to the affect modding can have on certain types of battles, e.g. bridge battles. I used a mod which closed the gaps between units in blocks (interunit spacing) and the AI was then unable to move their unit columns across the bridge. I could hear the AI units shouting "move", so it was trying to move the units.. On returning to the original formations, the AI was then able to move their units across the bridge.

Thanks!
Had they changed the interunit spac. in bridge-specific formations, or was it because some other formations had been tinkered with? (Now, it wouldn't be anything new if AI got bugged because of a legal command in another section of the script )

That was what I meant... Decreasing the gaps between units.

Oh.. My bad.