Auto managment

**JoeyJubb** · August 31, 2006, 07:28 AM

Just curious really, who uses it? Personally I don't automanage anything, not even taxes. I might consider automanaging taxes once I've got like 50 settlements or something ridiculous though.

**Siddyus** · August 31, 2006, 07:40 AM

I always use automanage and AI assistance during my battles. I am a very lazy person. lol

**boofhead** · August 31, 2006, 07:51 AM

Automanaging drives me nuts. The stupid AI can't control population happiness, creates unnecessary troops miles away from where you really need them ('Long Long Walk:Total War'), sometimes doesn't build anything when you have plenty of cash. I had a crash once and my preferences somehow stuffed up about 50 turns into a game - I ended up automanaged and couldn't get rid of it. I started a new game!

I've been thinking of trying out a 'spectator-mode' campaign though, i.e., during battle place all troops immediately under AI control and watch the action. The only annoying thing would be that once a unit routs and then stops running, I would have to keep returning it to AI control otherwise it would just stand there. I enjoy watching AI battles, zooming in etc. - if I tried this system I'd really have to concentrate on my strength vs. that of the enemy prior to entering a fight, and also unit-types. I like the idea of watching an alternate history unfold rather than just me winning 99% of battles. The win-loss ratio may go down to 70-30 or something.

It might go alright I don't know.

It might turn out a CRAP idea too! :tooth:

**LegionairosMatt** · August 31, 2006, 08:54 AM

automanaging is better on BI because of slightly improved AI

im not sure if it was officially improved in BI but i find its better (but it might be because im playing vanilla BI and RTR, which the AI isn't used to...)

**JoeyJubb** · August 31, 2006, 09:37 AM

Originally Posted by boofhead

I've been thinking of trying out a 'spectator-mode' campaign though....

That sounds like a pretty good idea! Actually losing some battles would be interesting, lol. Sometimes I do have really close victories though! You can create a completely automated campaign by adding the "-ai" command switch... though I haven't tried it myself.

The thing I hate most about auto-managment is the countless skirmishers that the cities build in Greece!

**Xraider** · August 31, 2006, 09:41 AM

never auto manage... AI never builds somethink good... never make good units... make unit there where you dont need them... (very very very long walk:total war) the loyalty is blue but still... the AI builds military buildings , makes taxes very hight, doesnt train any unit... the AI in managment sucks guys... but the AI in the battle is 10 times better

**JoeyJubb** · August 31, 2006, 09:46 AM

Definatly AI in battles is a lot better, espicially with BI.exe.

Has anyone got any tips on taxes? I mostly refine them to be the highest possible with a happy, growing population. I occasionally will tax them till they're content, but never until they're dillusional or stopped growth...

**boofhead** · August 31, 2006, 10:03 AM

Originally Posted by JoeyJubb

Definatly AI in battles is a lot better, espicially with BI.exe.

Has anyone got any tips on taxes? I mostly refine them to be the highest possible with a happy, growing population. I occasionally will tax them till they're content, but never until they're dillusional or stopped growth...

I keep their little faces green but max out tax as much as I can. The only time I don't is when I'm in dire financial straits and need to build troops FAST - in which case yellow is OK but I'll even go as far as blue. Although Very High tax gives any residing governor negative traits, it doesn't worry me really. I like having sick bastards as characters, and any loss in command-stars I usually overcome by smashing the enemy in 99% of battles.

BTW do you have a link for more info on that '-ai command' thingy bro? :hmmm:

**Igawa** · August 31, 2006, 10:06 AM

After my first campaign in vanilla RTW, I just couldn't stand using the automanager, mostly for the reasons listed above....it's simply too dumb on unit recruitment and happiness/construction to be very useful.

What I've found, in RTRPE, is that once you've got a lot of settlements (30+), especially in the Italian peninsula/ Greece areas, is to simply have every settlement have one building in it's queue. If you play like me and advance into Greece as soon as Italia, Sicily, Corsica, and Cisalpine Gaul are secured, you shouldn't have any problem raising the cash to do this (Greece sea trade is an economic powerhouse). Then, as each turn passes, simply go through the construction list announcement and start building anew. It takes a minute or two at the start to go through them all, but by then your turns would take a long time anyway. As you're adding new buildings to the queue, you can also get a chance to check the happiness and troop queues if you want. It's best to keep as many settlements as possible in 'happy' status, cause while the city's building some long, expensive building, there's a less chance of it revolting due to excess growth.

Though...as much as I dislike the AI, I think I might try it out a little in battle. There's been more than a few times when a unit or two of legionnaires has been beaten up due to lack of attention while I scoot around the battle with my cavalry. ._.;;

**JoeyJubb** · August 31, 2006, 10:13 AM

Originally Posted by Igawa

Though...as much as I dislike the AI, I think I might try it out a little in battle. There's been more than a few times when a unit or two of legionnaires has been beaten up due to lack of attention while I scoot around the battle with my cavalry. ._.;;

That's happened to a few of my generals while I'm seigeing

I find the AI assisstance button is also useful when chasing a fleeing army, sometimes.

**The Walrus** · August 31, 2006, 07:53 PM

I keep their little faces green but max out tax as much as I can. The only time I don't is when I'm in dire financial straits and need to build troops FAST - in which case yellow is OK but I'll even go as far as blue. Although Very High tax gives any residing governor negative traits, it doesn't worry me really. I like having sick bastards as characters, and any loss in command-stars I usually overcome by smashing the enemy in 99% of battles.

BTW do you have a link for more info on that '-ai command' thingy bro?

Here it is http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=23398.

**Turkeys!** · August 31, 2006, 08:00 PM

stupid ai make taxes in Lepcis Magna very high and the whole pop started to die

**Siddyus** · August 31, 2006, 09:55 PM

stupid ai make taxes in Lepcis Magna very high and the whole pop started to die

I only use Automanage when it comes to taxes and so far I havent encountered any unpleasant revolts.

**Gigantus** · September 03, 2006, 10:04 AM

Originally Posted by JoeyJubb

Definatly AI in battles is a lot better, espicially with BI.exe.

Has anyone got any tips on taxes? I mostly refine them to be the highest possible with a happy, growing population. I occasionally will tax them till they're content, but never until they're dillusional or stopped growth...

I always start my game with 'manage all settlements' and then set it on 'taxes only'. This has the major advantage that the AI will squeeeze the last possible drop of money from the settlement with out having discontent. The obvious drawback is that most of the time the growth gets stunted. But hey, if you want growth, just enslave a few cities and leave your governors only in towns that need more people when you do.