Experiment to see how hard game is...

[Jambo]

Whilst I don't deny that what you say is true, do you really think that its inevitable and can't be fixed?

I'd love to say no Didz, but I really believe the current format of TW games makes them impossible to make difficult per sé. They're just too complex with too many variables to enable competent AI to be designed. Maybe under the "Risk" style of campaign map, as seen in Shogun and Med I, the campaign element could have been made more difficult?

However, the Battle AI hasn't improved one iota from the days of Shogun and Med I so it's difficult to believe it's going to improve drastically in subsequent titles as the maps, units, etc, get more complicated in design and function.... What I'm alluding to here with respect to Med II is that the complexity of siege warfare has far surpassed the ability to program competent AI to deal with it.

Where did they go wrong? Well, for starters I believe the more advanced campaign map was a bad move. While there's no doubting that it adds to immersion and realism, I'd argue it's far too complex for the AI. I'd have much preferred a more traditional and simplified boardgame style of map layout; one which has less freedom and the AI can utilise choke points, river crossings, high ground, etc to its full potential. Secondly, the idea of captains... urgh. Why o' why captains? They're the bane of any AI army. All armies should automatically contain a general unit thereby eliminating this particular AI weakness in a oner.