Quote Originally Posted by Jacque Schtrapp View Post
I started a patch VII game as Sparta on VH. I've tried marching my units in formation to engage Epirean defenders the same way I would have in any previous patch. So far, Epirean slingers are annihilating my units before they can close. Literally whole units being wiped out without ever reaching enemy lines. I think slingers have been ridiculously buffed this patch in addition to the wonky AI issue you are observing.
Same here. I read this thread before deciding to upgrade to patch 7 from patch 5 but didn't pay enough attention. Oh well.

A unit of African Pikeman (well armoured Carthaginian phalanx heavy infantry) got ... evaporated seems the best word for it ... by 2 or 3 units of slingers yesterday. I see Slaists' advice is to use my own skirmishers as mutual cannon fodder but it seems a little contrived to plan strategy around compensating for CA's weird changes. Also as Slaists notes, the new hit point system seems to produce this sequence: they come under fire but take few casualties at first. Your attention wanders to another area of the battle and then, perhaps just 15 or 20 seconds later, you notice the unit card troop number whirring down like a demented altimeter in a plummeting plane. Your 160 unit now has 30-odd survivors and is breaking. Evaporation.

I've had a quick look at mods since without one that changes this the game isn't worth playing IMHO. None have seemed exactly what I want so far (or else have their own bugs still being worked on). I'll just have to wait. That'll teach me to allow a patch upgrade without thinking long and hard about it.