Interesting bit about temples

**Conqueror** · 10-07-2005, 21:36

In my Sassanid campaign I have a general roaming around the "holy land" and neighbouring provinces, pillaging Roman cities, butchering their populations and retreating before the ERE army arrives. I'm only holding on to Sidon, using that city as a base for these raids of terror. I always destroy every building I can before retreating, but I also decided to build zoroastrian shrines in them just to spite the Romans. What surprised me is that after the cities revolt (the Romans don't bother to occupy them for some reason) the AI doesn't remove the shrines (or temples, if it took 3 turns to revolt so that I could upgrade). So they end up with Roman cities, with majority of the population being christian or pagan, but having zoroastrian temples.

The AI did the same thing in RTW; when capturing cities it never touched the temples. But that didn't matter much back then since it only affected culture penalty, and the temples usually gave much higher public order bonus anyway. But now in BI religion is much more important, so it's kind of strange. It is a very useful "feature" for me of corse since it strenghtens zoroastrianism in the area and makes it more difficult for the ERE to maintain order in these cities, increasing the chances of rebellions. It's kind of a cheap trick though.

**red comyn** · 10-08-2005, 10:52

Yeah id noticed this too except I was doing it with the ERE against anyone I came across. Quite a Handy way of doing some ground work for the big push later. Stay long enough to build the Church, rest the horse, destroy everthing else you can and toddle off into the sunset. leave for a few turns on gas mark six rebellion. go take it back a while later and its nicley christian for you.

**professorspatula** · 10-08-2005, 12:37

It's a fundamental flaw in the strategic AI if it doesn't consider the affect of temples and religions in its own empire. Perhaps it waits for the ideal time to knock down the temples and place its preferred one there, but then spends too much time in the brothel and forgets what it is supposed to be doing. Who knows.

**Kraxis** · 10-08-2005, 13:35

Yeah I noticed this when I was kicked out of Salona by the pagan Eastern Empire Rebels, but I had managed to build a church by then. So when I attacked again the province was converted and I suffered no ill effects, in fact it quickly became my most loyal city.

**red comyn** · 10-08-2005, 14:03

Think it could well be linked to the concpt of "the best time to knock it down".
Perhaps however the AI isnt taking into account the other factors such as faction/general religion and therefore, there isnt ever a good time to knock it down.