Patch 1.4

[Graphic]

Some people seem to think that any kind of ranged unit using melee at all -- unless they're out of ammo -- is a bug and wrong.

Ranged units use melee now when they're losing the shoot-out.

[Peasant Phill]

Some people seem to think that any kind of ranged unit using melee at all -- unless they're out of ammo -- is a bug and wrong.

Ranged units use melee now when they're losing the shoot-out.

That's actually a good feature. I was afraid that animations would hamper units' melee again like it did in M2TW.

P.S. Unless the unit charges the moment it loses more men than their opposite (after receiving the opening volley) or when it's to late (when their numbers are so diminished they're actually doing you a favour by engaging in melee)

[Fisherking]

AI Nations ARE making peace with one another! At least the Barbary Pirates are. When I checked on them they were only at war with about four nations.

The diplomatic changes all seem for the better at this point.

As a side note; for the first time I can recall the AI has killed off the Cherokee.

[Durallan]

and its making trade agreements! my protectorate the United states made a trade agreement with denmark, another protectorate! I was deeply impressed.

[aimlesswanderer]

Maybe I should actually start playing again, I stopped more than 3 months ago due to AI and diplomacy stupidity.

[Graphic]

Maybe I should actually start playing again, I stopped more than 3 months ago due to AI and diplomacy stupidity.

Wouldn't hurt to try. If all the early signs of improvement turn out to be really true, I think pretty much all of the major ETW issues are fixed.

[Slaists]

Wouldn't hurt to try. If all the early signs of improvement turn out to be really true, I think pretty much all of the major ETW issues are fixed.

The AI still does not know how to retreat :(

[Durallan]

at least for now that seems to be the only major issue, the ai at least is now showing some basic aptitude and thats all I could really ask for after the black knight routine. anything else would have been a bonus. At least the Naval changes also haven't seemed to radically change the game in any way so looking good so far CA

and by the way the cannons on forts work properly now :D

[peacemaker]

Has anybody done stuff in the trade theatres? I'm about to boot up the game and keep playing but do the pirates have a fleet of 10 galleons again? Do they try to make peace? Are they more out-of-the-way? Stronger?

[Durallan]

On trade theatres, I haven't gone into them myself (playing as prussia) but from what I can see of my trade routes that go to india, there is still a significant Pirate presence, they seem to appear regularly aswell, I believe they might cross zones now themselves although I haven't observed this first hand, what has been the biggest impression is that the AI is now reclaiming trade spots again, with even denmark sending a fleet down to take a spot!

On pirate power, strength , etc not sure

[Graphic]

The AI still does not know how to retreat :(

Ah yes there's still that. That does seem to be the only big one left though.

[peacemaker]

I'm willing to take a stubborn AI in return for a working diplomacy game. I have to say on the whole I'm very impressed with this patch.

[Sheogorath]

Alright, the AUM fix is out, so I'm a little happier :P

So far, so good. Only one battle thus far, in my Russian campaign, but the AI did try a strategy other than the 'rush straight at them and maybe flank with a cavalry unit' bit. Although I was on a bridge map, so that might have been it.

Either way it's attempt failed when I started encircling it, which apparently caused it to panic, form all it's infantry into columns and sit around to be annihilated by musket fire.

It also charged it's general unit directly into a line of musketeers, causing an instaroute. Nice to see that a frontal cavalry charge is now a bad idea even at the start of the game.

[Zenicetus]

Has anyone figured out how to reset the background animation and music for the game shell to the original "Blue/Euro" format? I don't need to see that extended advertisement for Warpath every time I boot up the game.

[Sheogorath]

Has anyone figured out how to reset the background animation and music for the game shell to the original "Blue/Euro" format? I don't need to see that extended advertisement for Warpath every time I boot up the game.

Keep an eye on the TWcenter mod forums. Somebody'll probably post something soon.

[Ethelred Unread]

Just had a 4th rate boarded by a sloop - and lost!

GB on VH/VH - lone 4th rate vs. 3 French sloops & 2 brigs. Took out 2 sloops and a brig, then as I was closing into the 2 remaining ships, with hardly any damage, the sloop starts to come close, I switch to grape so when it blows (and they do) it doesn't take my ship with it - but instead of sailing past they board. Something like 60 crew vs 130.

After about a minute I get the "DEFEAT" option come up. I'm zoomed right in to watch the boarding action so the only thing I can think of is that the remaining damaged brig puts a few shots up my stern (f'nar) leading to a rout and as I'm boarded = battle lost.

Extra cunning tactical AI? Anyone seen similar?

[Dead Guy]

That's standard AI suicide squad tactics. I had a galleon being boarded by a Dhow crewed by 7 men once, making it a sitting duck for the 3 or so other enemy ships. I lost before the Dhow crew made it aboard my galleon.

[Slaists]

That's standard AI suicide squad tactics. I had a galleon being boarded by a Dhow crewed by 7 men once, making it a sitting duck for the 3 or so other enemy ships. I lost before the Dhow crew made it aboard my galleon.

Yup, that's a very typical AI behavior (boarding SOL's with galleys, dhows & like), but I yet have to lose a ship that way. I guess, I was not surrounded.

[Sheogorath]

It seems to me the AI almost always has a HUGE advantage in boarding...I've lost 4th rates to sloops and similar. I heard somebody talk about how Xebec's and galleys have big boarding bonuses, but they never seem to win for me, even against Indiamen.

[Knight of Ne]

I have proof that the AI does naval invasions (i think).

Ne

[Slaists]

Hmm. What are you showing there? Gibraltar? But that's Spanish from the start.

Oh, khe, khe, I missed that green label above Madrid. Unusual indeed...

[Cultured Drizzt fan]

wow, Russia invaded Spain. Thats new

[hoof]

Ethelred Unread, you got boarded in VH level ship combat and you're surprised your crew lost? You do realize that the AI gets massive melee bonuses in VH? At VH, your crack crew vs their crew is like a group of peasants vs a bunch of elite armored knights at that difficulty. If you want sanity in boarding, try "normal" difficulty, so the AI doesn't get huge morale and fighting advantages over you (and you don't get big morale hits that cause your guys to rout quickly).

As far as the tactic of boarding a big ship with a small one, it's a viable tactic for human vs human too. Due to the fact that the boarding action ties up the attacked ship, it is a great way to sacrifice a lesser unit to stall the enemy's ship so you can hit him with something more powerful. As far as the realism? Dunno, but we have examples of small ships stopping big ones regularly off the Somali coast these days :)

[Graphic]

Cross-theater invasion by Portugal

[Ethelred Unread]

Ethelred Unread, you got boarded in VH level ship combat and you're surprised your crew lost? You do realize that the AI gets massive melee bonuses in VH? At VH, your crack crew vs their crew is like a group of peasants vs a bunch of elite armored knights at that difficulty.

Yah, it was a surprise but i suppose the VH thing may be a factor, i think it was more the fact that my ship was getting attacked by the surviving ships too that led to the early surrender as my ship only lost about 10 crew.

Not sure that the AI gets a massive melee bonus because I've routed enemy line inf in melee with my own when they've been the same. Even British vs French where the french line have better melee stats. Needs proper testing really I suppose.

[A1_Unit]

I heard some new music in ETW today, and instead of the screen going all white it now goes all black before returning to normal.