Shall the Egyptians ever develop Egypt ?

[ajaxfetish]

While the valor bonus is the most likely culprit, keep in mind that Egypt also tends to be contended fairly often, first by the Almohads and Byzantines, and later by passing crusaders. Interruptions to major upgrades can slow infrastructure considerably.

Ajax

[Sensei Warrior]

ajaxfetish does bring up a good point. Repeated invasions will slow the building of infrastructure. Another slow point would be lack of cash. The Egyptian provences are more well known for there trade income, instead of their agriculture. The game's AI does not utilize trade resources as well as it should, thus putting a stranglehold on its income.

Egypts stunted income could be another reason why its provences don't seem to develop.

[caravel]

Indeed. That is a factor I have always looked out for. In the case of Toulouse, it is often fought over by Germans, French, English and Spanish among others, which wrecks it's infrastructure. The Flanders example though does prove it, for me anyway. I do think, however, that the AI does continue developing the province as normal afterwards if it has the funds, the problem is that it is most likely that it doesn't. In the case of Egypt Mamluk, Cavalry only requires a Horse Breeder IIRC so once the AI have teched up to them it should just get on with building. In my experience it does. It is only seriously hampered in provinces like Tolouse and Constantinople (as well as flanders in the case of the modded game) where teching up to the valour bonus unit takes alot of time and money.

Has anyone noticed factions that can't build the valour bonus unit still visibly teching up to it? For example the turks teching up to Kataphraktoi in Constantinople? This would be hard to spot.

[Odin]

Has anyone noticed factions that can't build the valour bonus unit still visibly teching up to it? For example the turks teching up to Kataphraktoi in Constantinople? This would be hard to spot.

That is a tough one to gauge. On several occassions with the XL mod I have seen lithuania and Denmark build up Prussia. The knights templar (is that the right order?) bonus is exclusive to the germans if I recall correctly.

[caravel]

I will be on the look out for this in the future. The Teutonic Knights and Teutonic Sergeants are possibly what you're referring to.

[Noir]

Originally posted by Caravel
There is a sort of bug. The bug is triggered by the valour bonus provinces. Egypt has a valour bonus for Mamluk cavalry so the AI develops the province for producing those, a Horse Breeder, and not alot else. If you observe other valour bonus provinces you will see much the same thing.

If this is the case, well then it can be used for solving the Ai's problems ala medmod. That is introducing homelands and giving to all provinces a valor bonus and tie as iniitial pre-requisites any important economically buildings (for that specific province) to the unit that receives the bonus. It might help further if the lower tier farms are some of them as they have high return/turn ratio. raising farm output also helps as XL has proven (even HRE survives longer). In this way the cash flow problems that hinder the AI most of the time, might be relieved as essentially he is really building his future that way.

I was also always a supporter of "moderately" complex requirements for advanced units that should be common. Raising the building times does hinder the AI's game a lot as provinces get looted as do complex teching requirements that essentially destroy his game as he tries to meet them.

[Kavhan Isbul]

That is a tough one to gauge. On several occassions with the XL mod I have seen lithuania and Denmark build up Prussia. The knights templar (is that the right order?) bonus is exclusive to the germans if I recall correctly.

The Teutonic Knights are actually available to the Danes if they build a Crusade.

[caravel]

Yesterday I was up against a unit of 42 valour 7 Varangian Guards guards in an Egpytian/Early/Hard campaign. They and their few comrades in arms had slain and captured my entire army of over 1000 men.

[Vladimir]

You LIE!!! What have you done with your mod?

[Martok]

Yesterday I was up against a unit of 42 valour 7 Varangian Guards guards in an Egpytian/Early/Hard campaign. They and their few comrades in arms had slain and captured my entire army of over 1000 men.

Woah. What the heck did you have for troops? Just a bunch of peasants?

[Martok]

Has anyone noticed factions that can't build the valour bonus unit still visibly teching up to it? For example the turks teching up to Kataphraktoi in Constantinople? This would be hard to spot.

Interesting question, Caravel. I confess I'd never even considered the possibility before. I'll try and keep an eye out myself and see.