AI doesnt like to diversify its unit build?

[Veresov]

I've been noticing a common pattern of the AI building the same unit over and over again at the expense of building other units. For example, Genoese crossbowmen. Even though the Genoese crossbowmen are a good unit, wouldn't it make better sense for the AI to build some cavalry or some heavy infantry? These were available to the AI however it chose to build a full army of nothing but Genoese crossbowmen.

[Musashi]

The AI tends to just build whatever unit has the best stats/cost ratio available.

[Kraxis]

Yes, but also take note of the Milanese settlements. They are all cities.

No wonder it is the Genoese Crossbowmen that takes the brunt of the fighting.

In fact I have met Milanese armies with merc knights quite often, so the AI tries to make up for this lack of heavy cavalry.

[PureMassacre]

All the polish armies I fought seemed to consist of just crossbowmen and 6 or more catapults.

[Barry Fitzgerald]

I noticed this too, though not as bad as some people.

Def needs some work here IMO...

Wouldn't mind but the AI most of the time just lets his archers sit and take a beating. Feels like I dictate the battles all the time.

[Quillan]

The AI does diversify its build, except for artillery, in my experience. However, it does vary depending on circumstances. As stated, if Milan has no castles, they can't build any castle troops. The troops they can build in cities are limited, and since those Genoese Crossbow Militia are probably the best, they spam them. In my Spanish campaign, the French only own one coastal province at the moment, Marseilles. That has to be hurting their economy, and sure enough, I've scouted two large armies of theirs composed 2/3 of Voulge Militia. When they had money, there was a much better mix of infantry and cavalry.

I have to defend Acre against an Egyptian assault next time I play, and that army has 3 trebuchets, 2 catapults, 3 Tarbardriyya, and a nice mix of peasant archers, saracen militia, mamluk cavalry (both lance and bow types) and javelinmen for the remainder of the 19 units in the stack. It should be a truly interesting fight.

[mr.blonde]

I have to defend Acre against an Egyptian assault next time I play, and that army has 3 trebuchets, 2 catapults, 3 Tarbardriyya, and a nice mix of peasant archers, saracen militia, mamluk cavalry (both lance and bow types) and javelinmen for the remainder of the 19 units in the stack. It should be a truly interesting fight.

i hope you really have a enjoyable fight but i am a little bit sceptical because in my fights with the Egyptians in Acre always they have a spy in the fortress and the known bug appears... (:

[nameless]

I destroyed an army that was full of Pavise Crossbowmen. Afterwards, the next full stack army was a mix of spearmen and mercs. So the AI does try to diversify a bit.

Though I would like to mod out the seige weapons when I can, the AI seems to like spamming them all the time. Did the same with RTW. Plus, I hate seige weapons, leaves less men to kill.

[andrewt]

Part of the reason for Genoese Crossbowmen is the 100 upkeep. I'm not sure if that's for both the militia and the regular unit. Heavy infantry and cavalry are 225 and 250 respectively for Milan.