.........the AI. It takes out with what it can take you out with first and best. Then, from there, it works its way down the ladder, so to speak. Infantry, without missiles, is low priority and usually left to your infantry(non-missile) and cavalry. Missile battles usually happened first in Medieval warfare anyway(Agincourt, Crecy, the Crusades). The AI does very nicely; when the enemy had nothing but missile units, a few heavy infantry units, and a few artillery units, I watched my army not only engage with missiles but then, all my cavalry charged in and swept the field clean of them............in five minutes!

Too bad forthe Milanese

You need to give the game a chance..........

M2:TW may not be historically or geographically accurate, but their isn't much wrong with the AI. Tone down your archers and watch your butt get kicked. You'd be a bit put off, too, if you enemy showed up with all archers and artillery.
I play the French, my armies are heavy with cavalry.

6-10 cavalry
2-4 missile
1-3 artillery
3-4 infantry(non-missile)

pretty typical of the times.........

Get medieval-minded. Read some books on the times and then play..........or continue to play like a person out of our modern times. Our opinions(mostly) are based off of our current 'mind on war'. You will never get a 'Medieval' fight from an enemy by fighting them like "Schwartzkof".

diBorgia