in mtw vi i could win when being assaulted by hiding a unit behind a wall. hit the speed slider and win everytime. at least in this game if you are attacking their for if they sense you havnt protected your siege equipment they will sally out and attempt to take it out. i believe it has some intelligence. plus you cant play rtw tricks like leaving the commons and coming back before the timer expires and resetting it or having a last stand where you hold them off with a small group of men now all they have to do outnumber you for the clock to start so it is more balanced i think.

the only reason mtw vi was so difficult was because a generals stars actually increased fighting skill for every two stars. even if you did your part sometimes your armies would just rout before they even started fighting if you didnt have a high ranking general.

i think the ai has a lot of potential just needs a little tweaking. iv noticed it aint much of a challenge as long as you watch your corners but if you slip up it will take advantage of it.