Challenging for Battle

[nikolai1962]

I've heard people complain a good bit about how increasing the number of cities leads to city assaults and nothing else, or relief force battles (which often cause ctd's). I've recently taken to marching my army into enemy territory, and if there's a nice spot for a battle near the city, like a bit of farmland, I plunk down right there. Within a turn or two so far, I've been attacked by either all or most of the garrison army from the city, and/or a field army from elsewhere.

Challenging for battle also means you have an opportunity to fight an "honorable" battle by not looking for advantageous terrain, while also sparing you the trouble of getting screwed on bad terrain near a city. Anyone else tried this? Anyone know if I've just gotten lucky so far having the AI team up to drive me out?

Good idea this. better than sieging them to provoke a battle as you can choose a spot so you're not getting attacked from two directions which is a pain.

[pezhetairoi]

I don't even have to tempt the rebels to attack me. I just walked into Helvetis with two fullstacks and was swarmed by 3 fullstacks of mori gaesum, mala gaeroas, epos and brihentin the moment I cleared the border. Before I knew what hit me I was reeling back across the border with 50% decimated armies. Victorious, of course, having destroyed all three, but wow.