How to get the AI to attack me!?

[nameless]

This is one of the reasons for the last minute change prior to the game going gold.

An example. A unit in the city square being peppered by archers and refusing to go out and meet them.

Well it's alot easier for them to stay in the city square rather than going OUT and meet them on the open field or in this case take the bait.

This is why I use time limits, so the battles don't go too long and forces the AI to make a move.

Though I still feel that it's way too passive in some cases.

[Brighdaasa]

It's definitely a bug, as the ai are the attackers in this case, so they should attack. If they're not programmed to attack when the ai is the attacking side, they would always lose on account of the timer running out. This obviously creates problems when playing without the timer.
I had the same thing happen to me, even charging my cav into them wouldn't lure the enemy across the bridge, luckily my army still could retreat without the army vanishing.

[Grimmy]

Playing as the English, I've found a sure fire way to get the French to attack any city or castle I have on the continent.

All ya gotta do is have an alliance with them. Seems that in France "alliance" translates to "burn my towns, please".