AI Battle Formation Behavior

**Napoleon Complex** · June 07, 2012, 02:33 AM

I encountered what the other posters have been talking about as Surakousai. In a battle against the Romans (they besieged the city) I sallied out. The Romans for some bizarre reason sent out five isolated units ahead of their main line (I already outnumbered them) allowing me to envelop their front line. They did nothing to try to relieve these battling units and even withdrew the two cavalry units before the lines clashed allowing the three units to get enveloped.

This wasn't the end. The enemy kept throwing forward one unit at a time as my army advanced, allowing units of allied skirmirshers and cohorts to get picked off by massed charges or encirclements while their army dawdled around doing nothing. The AI seemed very easy to lure out.

Bear in mind that this was the first time I've seen this, but it sounds like the sort of stupidity that the others have been describing.

I could do a few custom battles, but I'm not sure how to upload files here. Could somebody help me out, and also give me a tutorial for installing the various AI scripts? Then people can see the various behaviours and AI foibles for themselves.

**Napoleon Complex** · June 07, 2012, 02:34 AM

Sorry for the double post, but I was planning specifically on uploading saved replays. Just to get that across. Its whiy I need to do custom battles; can't exactly do campaign games as I don't have the recording equipment for a Lets Play style video and you can't save replays of battle map victories (I think.)

**GRANTO** · June 07, 2012, 05:44 AM

as i said before the problem does not lie totaly in the formations file , it is also unit v unit calculations and lots lots more , theres so much in the edu that can change the way units behave against each other , thats why i believe some see bad ai behavior and others see smart ai behavior with different factions and situations , its all in the stats {as well as the formation txt}.......example ....if you take 2 single units v each other in a custom battle and keep making them fight each other whilst weakining and boosting there stats {hp , armour, bonuses and the rest} you will see different behaviour happening a weak unit may try to flank a stronger unit ...and on and on....but then you have the whole edu to take into consideration + plus traits and you can see its very complex

**DeWitt8** · June 07, 2012, 08:31 AM

It's also a matter of these unit stats together with your own troops formation, which unit with what stats is deployed where.

Now you could try to figure out a formation for yourself which helps the enemy not to act stupid. But that would certainly take some time...

**tone** · June 08, 2012, 04:20 AM

Which is why I'm asking whether people want to do some testing of some different EDUs

**Napoleon Complex** · June 08, 2012, 06:49 AM

Count me in. Just explain what I need to do first.

**Duck Without Wings** · June 01, 2016, 05:01 PM

Does anyone have a comprehensive explanation of the different AI formation mods? I am familiar with Darth, but not the other two.

**dvk901** · June 02, 2016, 11:06 AM

I don't think anyone other than the guys who wrote them would understand the differences. They are very complicated and deal with specific issues that only a few people have ever dared to dive into.
The best thing is to just try them and see which one you like the most.

**Duck Without Wings** · June 02, 2016, 10:23 PM

Well, I guess that is what I will do. Thank you.

**Legatus Legionarii** · January 25, 2017, 01:08 AM

Originally Posted by dvk901

I don't think anyone other than the guys who wrote them would understand the differences. They are very complicated and deal with specific issues that only a few people have ever dared to dive into.
The best thing is to just try them and see which one you like the most.

I would like to come back on this issue once more with two questions / comments:
1) I played the initial Hannibal battle with RS 2.6, alex.exe, battle difficulty medium, I was attacking. The AI behavior was very good and challenging: Encircling my wings with their cavalry, using combined attacks with all their units, no erratic behavior like running around or changing constantly their formation. Result: Defeat for me.
I then played the same battle with RS3, alex.exe, battle difficulty medium, I was attacking. The AI behavior was erratic and not challenging at all: They attacked with one unit sometimes, which was picked off one by one and easily defeated, they kept their cavalry as reserve until the end, however, they did not attack my wings but just charged them into my lines altogether, where they were met by my triarii and then routed by my cavalry charge into their backs. Also, the AI changed constantly formation and thus its units were tired once the final engagement started. Result: Victory for me. I played the battle one more time, same settings. Same erratic AI behavior, but because I made a mistake, the result was a close defeat for me.

Throughout my previous RS 2.6 campaigns, I found the AI's behavior on the battle field always outstanding good and challenging. I cannot say why suddenly this would have changed with RS3, but apparently this seems to be the case, although further testing is certainly needed for that and I am not far enough in my current campaign to give a more profound statement on that.

2) This brings me to my other question:
Playing with the alex.exe, no Steam, I followed the instructions and copied the descr_formation_ai.txt from the ALEX.ONLY folder in the "Important stuff" folder into the data folder. Now, having seen the behavior of the AI, I would like to try another descr_formation and I saw that in the Important stuff is another Alex folder with Sinhuet and other formations in it. Question: Can I use them as well playing with the alex.exe, because I was confused that there was this and the other ALEX.ONLY folder? And second, do I need to copy those formations
> only into the data folder where the Alex files are located?
> or as well into the data folder where all the campaigns are?
> or into the folder of the specific campaign I am playing?

Thanks in advance for a reply on that!

**romavictoria** · March 13, 2017, 03:57 AM

Originally Posted by Legatus Legionarii

I would like to come back on this issue once more with two questions / comments:
1) I played the initial Hannibal battle with RS 2.6, alex.exe, battle difficulty medium, I was attacking. The AI behavior was very good and challenging: Encircling my wings with their cavalry, using combined attacks with all their units, no erratic behavior like running around or changing constantly their formation. Result: Defeat for me.
I then played the same battle with RS3, alex.exe, battle difficulty medium, I was attacking. The AI behavior was erratic and not challenging at all: They attacked with one unit sometimes, which was picked off one by one and easily defeated, they kept their cavalry as reserve until the end, however, they did not attack my wings but just charged them into my lines altogether, where they were met by my triarii and then routed by my cavalry charge into their backs. Also, the AI changed constantly formation and thus its units were tired once the final engagement started. Result: Victory for me. I played the battle one more time, same settings. Same erratic AI behavior, but because I made a mistake, the result was a close defeat for me.

Throughout my previous RS 2.6 campaigns, I found the AI's behavior on the battle field always outstanding good and challenging. I cannot say why suddenly this would have changed with RS3, but apparently this seems to be the case, although further testing is certainly needed for that and I am not far enough in my current campaign to give a more profound statement on that.

2) This brings me to my other question:
Playing with the alex.exe, no Steam, I followed the instructions and copied the descr_formation_ai.txt from the ALEX.ONLY folder in the "Important stuff" folder into the data folder. Now, having seen the behavior of the AI, I would like to try another descr_formation and I saw that in the Important stuff is another Alex folder with Sinhuet and other formations in it. Question: Can I use them as well playing with the alex.exe, because I was confused that there was this and the other ALEX.ONLY folder? And second, do I need to copy those formations
> only into the data folder where the Alex files are located?
> or as well into the data folder where all the campaigns are?
> or into the folder of the specific campaign I am playing?

Thanks in advance for a reply on that!

Isnt that in the launcher-options?

I recently abandonded a long successful campaing (h/h) due to endless barbarian Rebellions, due to a slightly high bonus (money and stack-supply).
Nevertheless, did you try >Sinuets formation in the launcher?
I thought it was rather good, but i must restart a new campaign with M/H to verify my conclusions...lol...