The Complete Game

[Nebuchadnezzar]

I think part of the problem is the ridiculous bonuses the AI gets that completely smothers any strategic value in the game. For example: I just discovered the AI gets awesome bonuses fighting rebels. During the AI's turn I see a HRE three quarter stack turn rebel and then challenged by a pathetically small 2-3 unit stack and completely destroying it. WTF. Thats the 3rd time I see something like this thinking that I must be imagining it.

The other part is diplomacy. I'm sure its added only to give the player the illusion that diplomacy actually plays a part in the game. You really don't even need trade rights to trade.

and finally, you guessed it. The dreaded AI. Why do we call it an AI. Nothing intelligent about it. Technically its not even an AI. Not even close.

I feel games that have a straight up bonus to attack/morale is a far simpler and less likely to interfere with strategy, unfortunately many players find it simply indigestible to give the AI such transparent bonuses so they need to go clandestine and be plentiful.

As for tactics I could never truly see any in this game as almost anything works great.