AI camping

[Smokey Bacon]

Why does the AI camp, especially in siege battles, when there is no terrain advantage? I can just about justify it in my head (them wanting to hold their position and let me advance to exploit breaks in my formation) but sometimes they do so when they would clearly win even if they simply just charged everything lol.

[LuciusVoren]

I've been asking myself that question since rome total war.

[bɑne]

Simplest answer: Its not human. Its not that intelligent, either. It can't see stakes planted behind or in front of a bridge, either - or it just feels its a good idea to ignore them.

[Smokey Bacon]

Well yeah, it's just i thought it would at least not camp when they outnumber me 2 or 3 to 1. It's not intelligence or cunnign that's needed it's a mathematical probability they will win no matter what it does. And obviously maths is something a computer defintly can comprehend.

Ah well I guess theres not much that can be done.

[Meneth]

Rule of thumb: defending beats attacking, except when there is a lot of cavalry involved.
Therefore, staying in one place is the best. The problem is when both sides do it. The AI doesn't know when to stop, so the player has to attack.

[Amaranth]

Simplest answer: Its not human. Its not that intelligent, either. It can't see stakes planted behind or in front of a bridge, either - or it just feels its a good idea to ignore them.

That's the most straight forward answer I think.

Rule of thumb: defending beats attacking, except when there is a lot of cavalry involved.
Therefore, staying in one place is the best. The problem is when both sides do it. The AI doesn't know when to stop, so the player has to attack.

Well, I don't think defending beats attacking should be considered as a rule. If you know what you are doing, offensive strategy beats defensive. Defensive strategy is useful if you're outnumbered, lack cavalry or enemy have cavalry advantage, if you're playing with a faction that favors missile units, when you have the terrain advantage etc. I think defense is best days are past and gone with RTW, where Phalanxes were the superior force. A good attacking strategy which you can charge a line of infantry on front, split the second line (possibly cavalry as well) from the wings and engage from flanks is better than most defensive strategy. Plus it's more fun as well. My opinion ofcourse.
But I rarely see enemy army route on defensive strategy, however while attacking instant routes are more frequent, possibly because of the charge bonuses of some units.

[Ichon]

When you are fighting AI that is usually true that offense is better but that is because AI sits still too long. Try attacking a human player in defensive position that actually moves to counter your offense. WAY harder because your timing has to be perfect while theirs merely has to be good.

The occasional battles where AI decides to go suicidal on your carefully planned offensive operation is a good example. Usually AI still lose but it makes it much harder and that is with it doing stupid moves.

Still- unless the AI has tons of heavy cavalry usually it does better in defense than in offense. Doesn't mean it ever does very good, but slightly better only. When AI moves to offense it usually does something like- missile units in front with no protection, then when those are dead, charge all cavalry without infantry support, finally with 1/2 the army gone charge all infantry... bleh. Dead AI army.

AI on defense- face infantry forward, missiles slightly forward but run back when enemy approaches, cavalry in reserve for at least a little while, general sits to the rear of the army protected.

Sure if you have the right units you can pick apart this defense even easier than an AI offense sometimes but... try attacking that AI army playing defense without the right units and its going to be rather difficult compared if that army was acting offensively.

[Amaranth]

When you are fighting AI that is usually true that offense is better but that is because AI sits still too long. Try attacking a human player in defensive position that actually moves to counter your offense. WAY harder because your timing has to be perfect while theirs merely has to be good.

You're right. But I was talking about AI strategy there, and even though I have little multiplayer experience I have to say that I've seen both very good defensive and offensive strategies so all I can say is that human intelligence -ofcourse- can not be compared to any artificial one, and most important of all, that it's unpredictable which in my opinion what makes it lethal above all else.

The occasional battles where AI decides to go suicidal on your carefully planned offensive operation is a good example. Usually AI still lose but it makes it much harder and that is with it doing stupid moves. .

All it makes it hard is forcing me to make an extra effort by moving X unit to Y position, only to delay what is inevitable, usually hopelessly increasing their casualties. Though, I have to be honest, sometimes it does make a good move, I mean not like"Wow I wasn't expecting that!" but sometimes they take advantage of my careless moments, like missing one of AI cavalry to change direction to one of my missile unit on the far end of the line and in the open vulnerable to cavalry etc. And I notice it on the units screen, I zoom immediately but often a little late. But that usually their cavalry ends up beign slaughtered by my spearmen and in the end their effort is worthy but futile.

Still- unless the AI has tons of heavy cavalry usually it does better in defense than in offense. Doesn't mean it ever does very good, but slightly better only. When AI moves to offense it usually does something like- missile units in front with no protection, then when those are dead, charge all cavalry without infantry support, finally with 1/2 the army gone charge all infantry... bleh. Dead AI army.

AI on defense- face infantry forward, missiles slightly forward but run back when enemy approaches, cavalry in reserve for at least a little while, general sits to the rear of the army protected.

Yes they do make senseless moves. But I usually march to a point where I can harass them with my missile units, forcing them to take action, mostly they keep their missile units behind while marching like you said, and I send my cavalry from the wings and charge them behind. Even when the missile units are the key for the faction, they leave them unprotected. The only unit AI is really good at in my opinion is Missile Cav. they really do good harrassing with them, and I hate chasing and trying to corner them.

Sure if you have the right units you can pick apart this defense even easier than an AI offense sometimes but... try attacking that AI army playing defense without the right units and its going to be rather difficult compared if that army was acting offensively.

I think you meant attacking AI army on defense without having right units to easily break them. True, but if you don't have right units, you won't do any good on neither defense nor offense. So either way it'll be AI's advantage, however if you play your cards right, AI is defeatable on most condition even when you are disadvantaged, in fact, that's my favourite type of battle versus AI, cause otherwise it's usually just too easy.

[Smokey Bacon]

Attitude on internet is of no use, now don't bite me for that but it's true.

Sorry I didn't mean to come across as rude, was a light hearted comment

[SirRobin]

Why does the AI camp, especially in siege battles

Maybe because they are defending their castle ?

[Smokey Bacon]

Maybe if you thought about it for a minute longer you would deduce i was talking about when they are sieging me...

[SirRobin]

Maybe if you thought about it for a minute longer you would deduce i was talking about when they are sieging me...

I still think my joke was pretty funny.

On topic, the only time I have seen the enemy inactive when attacking in a siege has been when they wanted to use artillery first.

[Ishan]

Maybe if you thought about it for a minute longer you would deduce i was talking about when they are sieging me... No you misunderstood bro i'm talking about when the AI sieges a players settlement.

Corrected.
Attitude on internet is of no use, now don't bite me for that but it's true.

[rockman4417]

Yeah I've never had the AI camp when it's sieging me, except to use artillery, which is totally fine. Are you talking about when you sally out?

And as for field battles: how many times have you sat there with your forces, waiting for the AI to charge? Even with superior numbers.

[philipjd]

When the AI sits on the defensive in a field battle is the only time that I see my crossbowmen shine, as they are lethal given the opportunuity to fire off a good portion, if not all, of their ammo'! But it is very rare.