traitors suck!

**Philippus Flavius Homovallumus** · 06-28-2005, 23:09

Originally Posted by _Aetius_

By just saying that you deserved to lose.

I think what he probably means is that the French AI is cowardly, stupid and very easy to beat, which it is.

I don't know why

Seriously though. I've had battles where the French have just marched off the field before I even got within bow shot.

**PittBull260** · 06-29-2005, 01:12

Originally Posted by Wigferth Ironwall

I think what he probably means is that the French AI is cowardly, stupid and very easy to beat, which it is.

I don't know why

Seriously though. I've had battles where the French have just marched off the field before I even got within bow shot.

lol yea happened to me too, what a waste of time..

**Evil_Maniac From Mars** · 06-29-2005, 01:17

Originally Posted by Wigferth Ironwall

I think what he probably means is that the French AI is cowardly, stupid and very easy to beat, which it is.

Historical accuracy, that is.

**Sensei Warrior** · 06-29-2005, 07:09

Well, let's see. PitBull I am sure you could have seen the signs and adverted disaster. It seems like most allies with no intention of attacking you have nominal forces on the borders that share yours. The allies that are looking to make your provinces theirs have huge stacks of troops sitting on borders, unless they have naval superiority, then they could get you from anywhere. So the minute you saw big honking armies trot up to your border you should have known something was amiss. You couldn't have possibly thought that the Aggies, you are paying mucho denaro for there armies had no intention of using them.

Of course, all of us here, respect are allies and do not take advantage of them if the opportunity presents

. We would never think of taking a group of undefended, super rich provinces away from some neglectful ruler that doesn't bother with guarding them.

And just as an interesting note, if you were the Byz, and Egypt was the Turks, then what happened to you, i think, is exactly what happened to the Byz.

**Roark** · 06-29-2005, 08:46

Sometimes an AI faction will bolster a province slightly with no intention of invading, but the player will go "Aha!!", starts an arms race, and war becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

**Blacknek** · 06-29-2005, 16:45

A) There are some mutual enemies in MTW (like France and the HRE). The French ALWAYS attack the HRE (at last in my game splayed so far). There are some other examples, too.

B) The AI's goal is the same as yours: Conquer the world (with execption of the Danes maybe...). Often AI-Factions that don't have an aggresive habit (or the power) by nature, like say Croatia, don't really expand or try to expand. But if they run short on resources (some crusades just passed by) and you offer them a weak spot: voila, they take their chance, it might not come back. I think this makes the AI a little bit "human". Tha small man getting the possibility to get rich. Get it or die tryin'.

C)As others said. You sign a treaty with them. If this doesn't serve the AI's goals any more, well, they do what you would do.

D)The AI-Factions don't like it if you get too powerfull. Maybe (but only maybe) it would be more realistic, if there were cowardly factions, that would ally with you and stay with you as soon as you are a true force. But this qould make the game a cakewalk in the end and too easy.

**Procrustes** · 06-29-2005, 17:11

Originally Posted by Roark

Sometimes an AI faction will bolster a province slightly with no intention of invading, but the player will go "Aha!!", starts an arms race, and war becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Very true. I did this a lot when I started playing - even if they never attacked me eventually I would feel I needed to attack them because I was broke from building troops.

As an aside, I've found it's a good tactic to build an army one province behind my borders and kill any emmisaries that head that way. That way I can have a ready made army to spring a suprise attack or counter-attack with, and I don't prompt my neighbor to start building armies that could stop me because he never sees mine grow.

**Martok** · 06-30-2005, 04:30

Originally Posted by Procrustes

Very true. I did this a lot when I started playing - even if they never attacked me eventually I would feel I needed to attack them because I was broke from building troops.

As an aside, I've found it's a good tactic to build an army one province behind my borders and kill any emmisaries that head that way. That way I can have a ready made army to spring a suprise attack or counter-attack with, and I don't prompt my neighbor to start building armies that could stop me because he never sees mine grow.

I employ this strategy as well, although I usually don't bother trying to kill enemy spies (as they always eventually find out about my uber-army anyway). I'm a big believer in the "defense-in-depth" philosophy. I like to station large and powerful armies in my my most important territories (which I usually refer to as "hub" provinces), and then place modest garrison forces in my lesser "satellite" provinces. Finally, I also keep a few uber-armies in key coastal provinces as "rapid-response" forces, should the need arise where I need to dispatch reinforcents to an area quickly (as in case of an unexpected invasion). This is where having a strong navy tends to be really handy--even setting aside the trade income it brings in.

**Sensei Warrior** · 06-30-2005, 09:41

I have been the victim of an arms race before. It seems to me if I pay attention close enough I can spot the difference. The AI seems to like to level the field even if it means to intro more men then you. It seems like it will post more men than you at a border if you have a higher ranked gen on the border or better quality troops to try to even out the disadvantage they have.

If I have any doubts I do what was posted above put a sizable army in a provence that is not on the border but borders a border provence. I hope that makes sense.