AI not alwys that bright ...

[Jxrc]

Everybody is always saying the MTW's AI is by far the better one ... Even though I strongly agree with that, there are times when the IA loses the plot completely and can't even cope with the risk-kind strategic map ...

Picture this. It did happen yesterday ...

Playing as Sicilians. The Almohads own Cordoba and Leon (reappeareance after small rebellion in Spanish lands), the French own Algeria, Navarre and Aragon (and other provinces without relevance here) with huges stacks, the Spaniards keep Castille, Granada, Morocco, Portugal and Valencia (with at least about one and half a stack in each).

The Elmo have almots only archers (silly but that's apparently what they get mostly when the reapper) ... Send plenty of cavalry and few spears and Leon and Cordoba become mine.

Make some build up (as the Sicilian money is not an issue). Few turns later is time to strike all the Spanish provinces in one go. Attack Morroco (where the Spanish king was) and Castille, both times the spanish army abandon the provinces. Attack Granada, the spanish army retreats to the keep (was starting to look like I would get a nice ransom). Attack Portugal and Valencia and again.... both times spanish army retreats to the keep ....

Result: no battle, no casualty, 6,500 prisoners, full faction wiped out and only three rebel keeps to assault or bribe the next turn ... Next turn (after loosing about 300 men in the sieges), it was all over ...

Smart IA move indeed !!!

[Martok]

Yeah, that is a problem with the AI in MTW. It's never been the greatest at calculating when it's better to stand & fight (as opposed to constantly retreating). Aside from the other factions choosing poor moments to backstab you, this is probably my biggest pet peeve with the AI. For armies to not stand and defend even their last province is....absurd, at the least.

[caravel]

I think that in an effort to tone down the marauding AI of STW, they did nerf the MTW AI a bit too much. At times the AI misses opportunities to take undefended provinces or penetrate further into your inner less well defended provinces after taking a frontier province, this was a frequent occurance in STW.