Lazy Soldiers

[Bandito]

Heya Guys,

Just started playing M2TW after along stint on RTW... But I have a few issues with my Soldiers AI.

In RTW if I told a unit to charge... They would, then the Soldiers at the back of the unit would creep forward to join in the Melee.
But in M2TW, I tell a unit to charge... They almost never do (even with ample clear space to get the pace up) Then when they do meet in Melee, just the 1st line of troops fight, while the rest of the unit start to spread out away from the enemy unit. So it end up, out of a unit of 90 or so men, at best maybe 10-15 are actually engaged in combat, while the rest mull around like a bunch of lost sheep.

So, I select the unit, and tell them to run past the enemy unit (to try and bring the guys at the back into the fray) which usually results in my men running, and not fighting, which results in heavy loses.

Really infuriating stuff... How can AI get worse from RTW to M2TW?

and don't get me started on the stupid damn horses!


So... my rant aside... How can I get my Soldiers to fight properly and not just stand around and wait for the front line of the unit to die, before they move on it?

Any help would be appreciated

Thanks

[Snizel]

If you haven't already patched the game (1.2 and 1.3) then do so as this resolves a lot of problems, especially battle issues. Mine is fully patched and units act properly. I don't know what else could be causing your battle issues other than no patches.

[Bandito]

I just checked my version... mine is 1.02.... Looks like I might need a good patching.

Cheers Snizel... Hopefully it sort out them damn lazy soldiers

[Baron Thunder-ten-tronckh]

Bandito, it is my thought, that 1.02 IS 1.2.. SO just patching up to 1.3 is all you need.

I haven't done that, (largely because I do not want to de-stabilise the mods that are working fine on 1.2), but are you saying that if I patch it to 1.3, my soldiers wont just stand there until I order them to run past and attack?

[Bandito]

Yeah... I was just browsing the patches, and it does seem 1.02 is 1.2 (for brevity's sake I assume)

I also really hope 1.3 / 1.03 is the answer to my moronic soldiers woes

[N3rull]

Yeah... I was just browsing the patches, and it does seem 1.02 is 1.2 (for brevity's sake I assume)

I also really hope 1.3 / 1.03 is the answer to my moronic soldiers woes

well, if you believe 1.3 fixes anything for you, don't cry when you apply that patch.
1.3 *only* purpose is to make Kingdoms and vanilla M2 compatible for online battling. It does fix something else too, but it's nothing to do with soldier's AI.

Yes, M2:TW has screwed soldier's AI.
We all know about it.
We're all being 'infuriated' about it.

read my sig

PS.

Makes sense.
Thanks.

Something 'making sense' tells you absolutely nothing about how it works in this game.

[Captain Spanky]

No, they still do it. I'm not even sure it was intended to be a bug...

[Baron Thunder-ten-tronckh]

If it is, please tell.
And Captain Spanky, I would assume it is, as it hardly looks good, does it?

[Captain Spanky]

If it is, please tell.
And Captain Spanky, I would assume it is, as it hardly looks good, does it?

There are two things to do with "lazy soldiers" to my mind, one of which I would call a bug.

The bug I think is when an infantry unit charges another unit which is already engaged. A handful charge in, while the rest just stand there, and edge around for a bit.

The second, is when an entire unit charges normally, but afterwards those not in the front line space out a bit. I think this was actually intended, when it all works it does look quite epic. However, I will admit when they space out too much occasionally, it does get a little silly.

[mikeb32123]

The AI has gotten better with each patch. 1.3 is pretty decent, considering that 1.0 was damn near unplayable.

[roy34543]

units falling behind is ( i believe) intentional , and in the large-squad based combat the rome total war games are its actually kind of realistic.
Not every man in the unit is a super-disciplines soldier who hears the exact order and gets in line 100% quickly. This disappears with more disciplines veteran units with chevrons, and better units in general. So i expect its intentional . As a unit gets better it becomes more efficient functioning as a unit, adds an interesting element to wanting to get chevrons.

[barit]

units falling behind is ( i believe) intentional , and in the large-squad based combat the rome total war games are its actually kind of realistic.
Not every man in the unit is a super-disciplines soldier who hears the exact order and gets in line 100% quickly. This disappears with more disciplines veteran units with chevrons, and better units in general. So i expect its intentional . As a unit gets better it becomes more efficient functioning as a unit, adds an interesting element to wanting to get chevrons.

Thanks very much for that info! I was getting furious at my cavalry for not engaging as a whole unit and when chasing after a fleeing enemy doing a very bad job at it.

So the more experience the more likely a whole squad is to get involved in front line action? A

[pwijnands]

units falling behind is ( i believe) intentional , and in the large-squad based combat the rome total war games are its actually kind of realistic.
Not every man in the unit is a super-disciplines soldier who hears the exact order and gets in line 100% quickly. This disappears with more disciplines veteran units with chevrons, and better units in general. So i expect its intentional . As a unit gets better it becomes more efficient functioning as a unit, adds an interesting element to wanting to get chevrons.

How come my 4 chevron dismounted knights still do the shuffling back and for some reason the AI can send all his (low-level militia/peasant) troops to the front, causing my front units to be outnumbered?
If anything dismounted knights should be eager to fight and want to get into the melee (at least that's what I've heard about knights).
It's also damn annoying to get chevrons if the soldiers doing the most of the killing are the ones to die first.

[Baron Thunder-ten-tronckh]

Makes sense.

Thanks.

[HANDsolo]

I'm playing Kingdoms and it still happens. Apparently, its a feature and not a bug. This didn't happen in RTW, which I preferred. I remember reading that certain mods had fixed this but it still happens.

[HANDsolo]

Love the sig N3rull. So true.

Anyways, the lazy soldier bug/feature has been present since v1.0. This is such an obvious issue and threads have been started about this since day one, but in three iterations of patches, this issue hasn't been addressed. So its safe to say that CA does not see this as a bug.

[HANDsolo]

Im I mistaken in thinking this half bug, half feature only happens to the attacking unit. The unit that is standing in formation when attacked will not be affected by this until they themselves are given an order to attack?

[Bandito]

Well... I can't install 1.3 even if I wanted to... keeps on erroring on install... anyways though...

Im I mistaken in thinking this half bug, half feature only happens to the attacking unit. The unit that is standing in formation when attacked will not be affected by this until they themselves are given an order to attack?

I was playing my Scottish Campaign last night.... 5 units of Highland nobles lines up to meet the masses of English Peasants and Town Militia.
My Boys in a nice tight formation in a line... The English charge, the fighting ensues and 2 of my 5 units start spreading out backwards, while the other 3 stay nicely in formation, they were all fresh Units (no xp) and I told none of them to attack, yet 2 units decide to skulk backwards

Only been playing M2TW for a few weeks.... But RTW is so much better imho. Sure M2TW has its good points, but a hell of alot of REALLY irritating bugs.

If CA can let M2TW slip so much from the previous iteration... Doesnt instill me with alot of hope for the upcoming Empire: Total War.


Also, Does Kingdoms inprove anything, gameplay-wise?

[Selifator]

Cavalry units are smaller, more manouverable as a result (according to CA), and I think their charge was upped a bit. Either the stats or the impact in the gameplay.

[Captain Spanky]

Hmm, I dont actually know, I think a little testing of this is in order...