One of my favorite tactics is to load up a few units on a ship and go take Kydonia as soon as I can afford it. The location is very good for trade, and Kydonia yields great income. I probably have more than 500 gameplay hours in RTW, and had never seen the AI attack Kydonia other than blockades. Until last night.

I'm playing as Numidia, and didn't bother much about defenses for Kydonia because I'd never seen the AI attack there. I had about 12 total units on the island and a stockade wall. At least 4 of the units were peasants. Luckily, I had 3 generals there, because of the luck of adoption placement, and a child coming of age there. I had 2 Numidian jav cav, and a few skirmishers. Much to my surprise, Thrace came out of nowhere and dropped a full stack on my island! They had at least 6 falxmen, 2 cavalry, several units of levy pikes, several militia hoplites, an archer unit, and some skirmishers. No general. They had no movement left after landing, so couldn't lay siege that turn.

I decided to meet them in the field, but had very little hope of winning. I took all my non - peasant units out to attack, and let the AI control the peasants. It was a very tough battle, but by using all my cav units together, I was able to create flanking opportunities for the skirmishers and peasants. I was surprised to win, but that the AI made the attack at all really amazed me. You would think that you had seen it all after 500 hours, but there still are some surprises.