Making AI more defensive in Campaign Battles

[A_B]

I'm playing a heavily modified version of BC1, and I want to finish it before moving on to a more current mod. But it is very annoying that when I attack the AI, they don't move to a defensive position such as a hilltop. They seem compelled to assault me even if I wait on a hilltop and the odds are even.

I've edited config AI battle and battle_config - to match some of the more popular AI's, such as 'reallybadAI' used on SS and TATW, but it doesn't solve the underlying problem of the AI defending when it should.

Any ideas or suggested threads would be most appreciated.

[Goofy]

Why not just use ReallyBadAI? It should work with BC as well. Battle AI files aren't very different from each other in mods so they can usually be replaced safely.

[Taiji]

Well here's the thread FinnKing is talking about. And I can certainly recommend Germanicu5's AI, it's a good system.

However, you will need to adjust the battle_config.xml or you will make a complete mess of things

This is the section that requires your attention:

	<combat-balancing>
		<missile-target-accuracy>
			<infantry>0.8</infantry>
			<cavalry>1.0</cavalry>
			<elephants>1.0</elephants>
		</missile-target-accuracy>
		<melee-hit-rate>1.50</melee-hit-rate>	
	</combat-balancing>

You just need to copy the values from the BC version into your new AI.

The reason is that (as the tags indicate) these are combat balancing settings and nothing at all to do with AI. So adjusting these away from BC's standard settings is probably the quickest method available of ruining BC's battles.

I should also stress that for best results you should use a BAI that has been designed with the battlefield system in mind. Things like differing charge distances, missile ranges, movement speeds, unit sizes, formations, etc., etc., etc, all have their effects on the BAI. I would still expect good things from Germanicu5's AI in this respect, it's pretty well balanced, but to ensure maximum appreciation of his work I think it's best experienced in SS+RRRC.

Basically I'm saying that it would be unfair to try out 'reallybadAI' in BC and then judge it on that basis, it wasn't designed and tested with BC in mind. But also I have to say that I would still expect it to perform well in BC.

[A_B]

I tried using BAI and it crashed - there is quite a bit more code in BAI, and it is made for Kingdoms, whereas Broken Cresent is for Medieval.

I did copy both config AI battle and battle_config. Is there a way to cut any kingdoms specific info?

I did modify the EDU i'm using to more closely match RR/RC. So BAI settings for SS or TATW should should work pretty well, if they don't crash.

[Taiji]

What files did you copy over to BC and what were you doing when it crashed?

[A_B]

I copied over I did copy both config AI battle and battle_config. It crashed a couple minuets into a battle (CTD) - when the AI army had approached and was just out of arrow range doing some final adjustments before assaulting. Cav. was starting to flank as well. I figured there was some kingdoms/medival difference that caused the crash.