How much does the AI know about YOU!

**Emperor Leo** · December 08, 2007, 02:29 PM

Does the AI already know where your settlements are when you start a campaign? Will they send a stack to attack say, Alexandria, without you handing over your map info to anyone or any rival agents in the area? May seem like a stupid question, but I never think twice about selling map info to my rivals.

**Imperator_Maximus** · December 08, 2007, 03:57 PM

It wouldn't suprise me if they did already know, but you will notice the computer builds boat loads of spies (I get the agent detected event almost every turn).

**antaeus** · December 08, 2007, 07:09 PM

if you trade maps, they also get traded amongst the ai nations. people have done experiments - the favourite being the england vs spain and portugal one.

play as england - trade no maps and you sit on the british isles unmolested for a long time..

play as england and sell your map to someone and either spain or portugal will end up landing in wales and attacking you.

**Emperor Leo** · December 09, 2007, 03:10 AM

play as england and sell your map to someone and either spain or portugal will end up landing in wales and attacking you

This happened to me two campaigns in a row. Spain came and camped outside Caen and Portugal invaded Wales. I was just thinking, "Why Me?". Never thought it was related to map trading. It's the Total War equivilent of junk mail. Give your address to one company and get harrassed by loads more.

**Renco** · December 09, 2007, 03:09 AM

Playing as Spain I sold my Map info to everyone, and with the help of a few sexy princesses, got decent cash. I think I had like $50,000 on turn 12 (rough estimation). Using it I crushed all oposition on the Iberian penisula. When I was still planning, I was attacked by everyone at once. Literally, Frace, HRE, Eng, Scots, Moors, Venice, Milan and the pope. Full stacks. They all instigated violence, none were allied to Portugal or anything. It didn't help getting Excommed by the Pope when he attacked me.

So, the AI knows nothing unless you tell them. In this respect it's like cheating when you've played a few times, as you know where everyone starts off and can often predict, through past exp, where they will end up.

**bottenbreker** · December 09, 2007, 04:54 AM

well, in my experience in RTS games the AI always know where you are. its hard not to, your playing on him

**NobleNick** · December 10, 2007, 11:33 AM

Originally Posted by bottenbreker

well, in my experience in RTS games the AI always know where you are. its hard not to, your playing on him

Good point, but not valid in this case. The AI really is compartmentalized, and plays largely by the same rules by which you must play. Every turn or so I will see the AI move at the end of turn; and the green proposed track of some agent will be thwarted because someone else's army is in the way. If the AI knew this, they would have mapped the agent track out differently.

I, like renco, trade or sell map information. It is worth the cash or (especially) knowing the other faction's layout, and I have never suffered ill for it. (Maybe that is because I expand so quickly that other factions are staying at home preparing for my attack.) The only time I would consider not trading info is with a particularly stong neighbor.