How can I have more open-field battles???

[The Noble Lord]

Hi all,

I am playing M2TW with all the patches (1.2 and 1.3) and I cant get enough open-field battles. Mostly AI prefers to fight sieges. I dont know why. The game is going very well and I enjoy every moment of it, the only thing that bothers me is the fact that there is not enough open-field battles. You know before in the RTW, RTR, RTW:BI, and RTW:Alexander you had to fight open-field battles almost all the time. But there is a thing that bothers me a great deal with the M2TW now and that is AI with its constant sieges. I play now on H/VH and I am sick and tired of the sieges. I wanna more open-field battles like we had in the previous TW games. Can anyone please let me know how to fix this problem, is there a fix or a file that I need to check or delete?
Any help is valuable.


CHEERS



" huns, mongols, timurids are the scourge of GOD "

[Lost Crusader]

My tactic is to lure the enemy garrison out of the settlement by placing a very small army (1-2 units) near it (5-6 tiles away). When they attack, I withdraw, to lure them further away from the settlement. Next turn I attack them with my full stack, which was a bit behind (but enough to remain unseen) my small army.

Sometimes the enemy keeps (often small) army right next to his settlement. Attack this army, and the garrison will rush into the open field battle to assist them.

[miccofl]

Sometimes the enemy keeps (often small) army right next to his settlement. Attack this army, and the garrison will rush into the open field battle to assist them.

If you can wipe out or rout the garrison you can usually take the city at that point without a siege. It's almost too easy... almost

[supekele]

Another trick I've harnessed is having small armies wait in the trees all along the roads in my Kingdom. I occasionally get a sneak attack on enemies that pass by, stalling or preventing all together a siege.

[NobleNick]

My tactic is to lure the enemy garrison out of the settlement by placing a very small army (1-2 units) near it (5-6 tiles away). When they attack, I withdraw, to lure them further away from the settlement. Next turn I attack them with my full stack, which was a bit behind (but enough to remain unseen) my small army.

Sometimes the enemy keeps (often small) army right next to his settlement. Attack this army, and the garrison will rush into the open field battle to assist them.

The first paragraph looks like a neat trick. I need to try that!

I have tried the latter paragraph of Lost Crusader's advice, and it works for me. This will get you a full field battle, with the castle being only eye candy in the far background (outside the battlefield).

Personally, I love seige battles, especially when I am the defender. But if that is not your cup of tea, here is a list of other things you can do:

1.) Place your army on a chokepoint (bridge, ford or mountain pass). My army on the bridge just east of Toledo gets attacked by large Spanish stacks about once every 4 turns. I LOVE defending a chokepoint! If you do not, simple place your army NEAR the chokepoint instead of on it.

2.) Place your defending stack near your city instead of in it. I often do this if my stack is mostly cavalry.

3.) Use spies to remove the fog of war from neighboring lands. That way you can see the enemy coming and go out to meet them.

4.) On offense, starve the city until they sally.

5.) Auto-resolve siege battles if you really detest fighting them.

[Valdamar]

The problem is that YOU like to fight siege battles. If you're attacking a city, starve it out. If the AI is attacking your city, send a field army to attack them. If the AI assaults, autoresolve. Simple as it gets.

[Renco]

It can also help, if you are about to be sieged, take out your general and hide him in some trees. When the enemy siege, hire a bunch of mercs and attack from behind. Hold the line with mercs whilst you run every garrison unit to the enemy commander from behind. When he is killed, send in the mercs to the disgruntled infantry. Doubleteam the men and slaughter anyone too stupid to be captured.

[The Noble Lord]

Hi all,


I meant more open-field battles like no sieges or battles at the cities/castles at all. What I want is to fight more battles on the open field, my army against the enemy army. I dont want to fight a lot at the cities/castles like I am forced to do now. So, is there anybody who can tell me what to do now or how to make AI to fight more on the open field???
Any help is appreciated.


CHEERS


" huns, mongols, timurids are the scourge of GOD "

[Robot Porter]

Hi all,


I meant more open-field battles like no sieges or battles at the cities/castles at all. What I want is to fight more battles on the open field, my army against the enemy army. I dont want to fight a lot at the cities/castles like I am forced to do now. So, is there anybody who can tell me what to do now or how to make AI to fight more on the open field???
Any help is appreciated.


CHEERS


" huns, mongols, timurids are the scourge of GOD "

I did a campaign where I did almost no traditional sieges. I would attack any army near my castles or cities. Then I would go into other's kingdoms and attack their armies wherever I found them. Often by the time I got to the castle or city with my army, the enemy would give it to me without a fight. Or the odds were so in my favor that I just auto-resolved.

End result, lots of battles in open fields.

[Samir]

mods with bigger maps, where you see the enemy coming as well as travel time between cities is bigger, as well as fog of war off though some consider that cheating.

[ulrien]

ambushes, find some nice trees to hide in

[Tiberiu_R]

Put your armies on bridges. Also if you go with your units and put them on the enemy's roads then they will send a force to fight your army.