While the AI has a long way to go, I think it's much better than RTW. In RTW, it was no problem to decimate an army with missile fire then charge and rout. It feels less passive to me and I end up taking more casualities than I did in RTW when it was not too hard to end up with less than 150 deaths in a 2000 person army vs an equal army. Occasionally they'll still stand around and take fire (especially when you sally forth) but overall I think it's better.

I like the use of priests and merchants as they add an extra way to conquer the world, so to speak and gives the peaceful approach more variety.