AI unit selections

[TTRouble]

Why does the AI for a lot of factions not pick their best ranged units ? Against Syracuse, none of their armies had any of thier marine archers, even though the building type was available to them. The same with the Ptolemy's - they have the access to the best archers (Syrian archers) but to date I've only come across one unit so far and one or two peltasts. Pergamon, has been the same. The Gauls are so heavy/light infantry based that they have not fielded any archers and just a single slinger unit per army. The Roman's were better in that they had a much better mix of troops, and the Gatea too as they've had usually a couple of barbarian archers. So why and how does the AI decide that its going to field a certain type of army ... usually lots of light/heavy infantry, cavalary and then hardly any ranged unit instead of a more balanced combined arms ?

TTRouble

[C-Rob]

They snatch up mercenaries pretty well but I think they jsut don't like missile troops.

Probably has to due with the attack stat and cost.

[Sire Brenshar]

Do the AI actually even decide on whether the units is worth building or not?

And also to what degree could it be scripted for the AI to build balanced units and put them in a sensible army composition?

[Timefool]

It probably ranks by total damage, and since melee damage is way higher, it prioritizes them higher. I don't know if thats true though.

[Tesla]

I also believe it had to do with unit cost vs attack or something like that

[Leeham991]

It better anyhow.

Infantry combat was a thing of the era.

[ithinkitsdead]

It actually depends on what the factions description is in the world file.
I.E: Numidia- Comfortable Caesar
There are a dozen (rough estimate) different personalities for the A.I to be assigned, which affects the units they build in their armies.
Along with what buildings they build, etc. etc.

EDIT:

buildings:

• balanced - biases towards growth, taxable income, trade level bonuses (roads), walls and xp bonus buildings
• religious - biases towards growth, loyalty, taxable income, farming, walls and law
• trader - biases towards growth, trade level, trade base, weapon upgrades, games, races and xp bonus buildings
• comfort - biases towards growth, farming, games, races, xp bonus and happiness
• bureaucrat - biases towards taxable income, growth, pop health, trade, walls, improved bodyguards and law
• craftsman - biases towards walls, races, taxable income, weapon upgrades, xp bonuses, mines, health and growth
• sailor - biases towards sea trade, taxable income, walls, growth, trade
• fortified - biases towards walls, taxable income, growth, loyalty, defenses, bodyguards and law

Units:

• smith - exactly level
• mao - biased towards mass troops, light infantry
• genghis - biased towards missile cavalry and light cavalry
• stalin - biased towards heavy infantry, mass troops and artillery
• napoleon - biased towards a mix of light and heavy infantry, light cavalry
• henry - biased towards heavy and light cavalry, missile infantry
• caesar - biased towards heavy infantry, light cavalry, siege artillery

[Tesla]

wow nice +rep

[NightEye]

Wow, and I thought those things are simply descriptions. +rep

[dvk901]

Hmmmmm....well, not exactly, although that has something to do with it in terms of factional tendency. The above info is a very generic guide as to what 'types' of units the faction will have a tendency to recruit. The AI recruits units, however, based on cost + unit strength + perceived threat. So for example, if the AI perceives a threat to itself based upon an army of light infantry, it won't recruit a bunch of elite units to face that threat, but an army that meets the threat. Thus, an army of light infantry. If the AI is facing a threat of an army of Roman Legionaries, it will recruit the best it can to face that threat. But, it doesn't recruit from just one city. So if it has the top barracks in one city, and lower or medium level barracks in others nearby, it will recruit the best units it can to meet the threat from each city, and then combine them (given the time to do so). This is why, in later stages of the game where the AI has a lot of upper level barracks, you'll see a larger percentage of high end units in armies all around. The AI is simply playing 'apples with apples'.

[ithinkitsdead]

Hmmmmm....well, not exactly, although that has something to do with it in terms of factional tendency. The above info is a very generic guide as to what 'types' of units the faction will have a tendency to recruit. The AI recruits units, however, based on cost + unit strength + perceived threat. So for example, if the AI perceives a threat to itself based upon an army of light infantry, it won't recruit a bunch of elite units to face that threat, but an army that meets the threat. Thus, an army of light infantry. If the AI is facing a threat of an army of Roman Legionaries, it will recruit the best it can to face that threat. But, it doesn't recruit from just one city. So if it has the top barracks in one city, and lower or medium level barracks in others nearby, it will recruit the best units it can to meet the threat from each city, and then combine them (given the time to do so). This is why, in later stages of the game where the AI has a lot of upper level barracks, you'll see a larger percentage of high end units in armies all around. The AI is simply playing 'apples with apples'.

That, sir, is very true. I didn't even think to go into detail.
+rep for you!

And thanks to those who +rep'd me!
I actually had this info saved because I would tweak my factions to see how it changed my campaigns.
Just so you know, the henry has a typo; it is heavy and light INFANTRY, not cavalry.

[Tesla]

thanks for the explanation that makes sense