AI Passive? Not true

[Franz Von G]

After some tests, I can say it without doubt: the AI in ETW is not passive. No, I've not a different game from yours, nor I'm talking about Curland or Georgia.
I've done 4 tests with Austria (all VH/VH), and the results are quite clear:

- the AI doesn't attack if you have equal or more troops in the border region.

- the AI takes in consideration the total power of your alliance before committing its forces.

- the AI aims directly (with full stacks) at the city if it has more troops than your real troops (not the spawning militia). If it has less or equal troops, it raids the farms.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Test 1.

Played normally. After 5 turn Poland declares war, all my allies join me (UP, UK, etc), all his reject (my alliance is stronger than her). The AI is "passive", no invasion, no full stack, just sits in its cities, as many players have already stated in countless threads.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Test 2.

I brake all my alliances at turn 1. I play normally for the rest. At turn 6 Poland declares war on me, and begin harassing my farms as usual. At turn 10 Prussia declares war, invades and take Silesia with a full stack. Then Poland invades with her full stack. At turn 15 Venetia declares war on me, followed by Bavaria at turn 16. They both invade after 5-6 turns where they have slowly biult a full stack army at my border.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Test 3.

I broke all my alliances at turn 1. I just create a big army in Vienna, leaving my border regions with few troops (not empty, just half stacks). At turn 4 Prussia declares war on me, invades Silesia aiming directly at the city with an army bigger more than double than mine. Silesia is lost.
At turn 6, Poland and Venice declare war. They both form a full stack at the border. At turn 8, Venice invades and takes Croatia, Poland takes Hungary. At turn 10 Westfalia declares war and invades Vienna's countryside with an half stack. Poland attacks Vienna, I win the battle. Venetia attacks Vienna, lost the city, game over in 13 turns.

[Medifh]

Yup, very much so.

[Björneborgs regemente]

So its just stupid?

[hugorune]

Not just stupid, but stupid and cowardly

[centurie]

Not just stupid, but stupid and cowardly

no not stupid..........why would a nation attack another if they new they were going to be outgunned??the problem with people like you is,you just cannot be pleased.........the first think the kids and noobs do in these games is build an army from turn one.............thats always been the case with people who don't understand stratagy games...........you are all too used to playing rush and turtle games like command and conqure............

if you build an army too quick in this game you will find it boring........because like OP sais they won't attck (and who would)?...you noobs ask for realism you GOT IT.............now go back to your warhammer games......this ones for adults

[Phier]

if you build an army too quick in this game you will find it boring........because like OP sais they won't attck (and who would)?...you noobs ask for realism you GOT IT.............now go back to your warhammer games......this ones for adults

I love someone being smug and not that bright at the same time.

First, I'm 38, and I don't know who you are but I'd venture to guess I have more education than you do. I also have kids, a wife, and all that fun stuff with being an adult.

This is a WAR game, its only about war, period. The only reason you have an economy is to support your war effort. You are defending an AI that you, well maybe not you, but the imperial 'you' can beat with most of their brain absent.

I can build an army and steamroll the world, with the AI never fighting back because I have to many troops and its MY fault for playing like a child?



You have got to be a troll, I don't think you are this stupid to be both so wrong AND insulting about it.

[tokaiser]

hit the nail on the head there...

[centurie]

I love someone being smug and not that bright at the same time.

First, I'm 38, and I don't know who you are but I'd venture to guess I have more education than you do. I also have kids, a wife, and all that fun stuff with being an adult.

This is a WAR game, its only about war, period. The only reason you have an economy is to support your war effort. You are defending an AI that you, well maybe not you, but the imperial 'you' can beat with most of their brain absent.

I can build an army and steamroll the world, with the AI never fighting back because I have to many troops and its MY fault for playing like a child?



You have got to be a troll, I don't think you are this stupid to be both so wrong AND insulting about it.

lol you are a funny guy..in fact you are younger than me..as for you saying that i am not to bright(for reasons i don't undertsand) proves in its self that you have found my postings in this thread to be rather educational.....because i have seen this game for what it is and you didn't,you expect to play this game the same as all the other games ,when in fact its design is completly the opposite........its not a free for all, its aboit a balance of power and you the player haveing to work through the game and acheive your goals withing 200 moves,all the AI has to do is stop you doing that..........and i myself don't think the battle AI is a pushover at all.............i tell you what show me a screen shot sometime of you finnishing the grand campaign 50 states taken and lets see in how many moves it took you..........i bet the 200 moves was only just enough.

[masliko]

no not stupid..........why would a nation attack another if they new they were going to be outgunned??

Exactly.

[spanish_emperor]

Good read.
I reckon the consequences of building armies should be more severe. Maybe army upkeep should be higher to prevent the player recruiting so many and giving the AI a chance.

Either way i have always found the Campaign Ai much improved. However what has bothered me is the the campaign AI but the battle Ai. It seems its the medieval 2 total war BAI and they were never revised thoroughly to make 18th century warfare fit.

[priam11]

Not just stupid, but stupid and cowardly

I beg to differ.

It is stupid. Very much so. But cowardly..hardly.

You attack it with a full stack, regardless of the odds against it, it will stand and fight.

So stupid.

[Sardonicus]

So its just stupid?

You seem stressed. Miss your medication?

[tsar_adam]

This is reassuring for me because I was starting to doubt whether I should get this game or not. Thank you +rep

[Rhaegor]

This is reassuring for me because I was starting to doubt whether I should get this game or not. Thank you +rep

If you haven't, I wouldn't. This one "test" doesn't change the fact that the AI is terrible overall.

[Multiball]

So really the game is actually unbalanced and the AI needs to have more money to build big enough armies to attack you? hmmm interessting good to see people trying this rather than screaming "AI BROKE, SMASH CA, HULK MAD"

[MEanBOb]

This has been my experience as well. The AI is very quick to exploit lightly defended areas, but it just doesn't take risks like it should, that's why it becomes "passive." The AI seems to be too AI like (if that makes any sense) calculating everything based on the game data it has access to, and then determining a course of action. As Franz has said, if your forces are of equal strength, it doesn't attack, a logical decision, but a boring one and one that doesn't make sense if you are at war (especially if they are the aggressors). I always take risks fighting "equal" forces (our troops are hardly equal on vh ) and sometimes get my ass kicked (honestly this is the only TW game where this actually has consistently happened).

[centurie]

This has been my experience as well. The AI is very quick to exploit lightly defended areas, but it just doesn't take risks like it should, that's why it becomes "passive." The AI seems to be too AI like (if that makes any sense) calculating everything based on the game data it has access to, and then determining a course of action. As Franz has said, if your forces are of equal strength, it doesn't attack, a logical decision, but a boring one and one that doesn't make sense if you are at war (especially if they are the aggressors). I always take risks fighting "equal" forces (our troops are hardly equal on vh ) and sometimes get my ass kicked (honestly this is the only TW game where this actually has consistently happened).

look if they made the AI more agressive, then there is no way you could complete a marathon campaign or any campaign,because all you would be doing is building and fighting every move,with 200 moves to capture 50 states ,then that would be impossible...............i think the game is balanced and i enjoy it...............great game CA and look faward to the addon.............more of the same i say......

[MEanBOb]

look if they made the AI more agressive, then there is no way you could complete a marathon campaign or any campaign,because all you would be doing is building and fighting every move,with 200 moves to capture 50 states ,then that would be impossible...............i think the game is balanced and i enjoy it...............great game CA and look faward to the addon.............more of the same i say......

Not saying that I don't enjoy the game, it does just get a little boring sometimes when your at war with a major nation for 50 turns, and it doesn't do anything because it isn't a "safe" move. War is about risks, the AI should take some.

[pdanders]

look if they made the AI more agressive, then there is no way you could complete a marathon campaign or any campaign,because all you would be doing is building and fighting every move,with 200 moves to capture 50 states ,then that would be impossible...............i think the game is balanced and i enjoy it...............great game CA and look faward to the addon.............more of the same i say......

Have you ever played any of the other total war games?

Doesn't sound like it... In RTW the AI even on normal will actually build a lot of stuff and attack you

[centurie]

Have you ever played any of the other total war games?

Doesn't sound like it... In RTW the AI even on normal will actually build a lot of stuff and attack you

different time period..much more aggresive...........the 18th century was more aqbout balance of power,like it is today.......take the usa today......many countries hate them , but the usa don't go taking them all on do they........they only fight when they are atacked......just like this game...the AI's job is to stop you winning..they hardly attack you..its up to you to take the land off them............this is a completley different game.