Miracle garrison

[Guder1an]

It has been talked here a lot for sure, I found some threads about it, but it seemed like this theme is hated by the authors of this mod also, because nowhere seemed any answers WHY is it here. I am talking of course about miraculously appearing garrison. Why??? It comletely ruined the game for me many times. Imagine you win few great battles around the castle you are going for, your army is really exhausted, then when you finally siege the castle with only a few units inside, suddenly, BAAM! The castle is completely FULL of the best unit available! And you lost right here! Words can't explain how stupid nonsense it is. If it was only FEW units, but this... I learned that I could not get rid of it on ongoing campaigns, which just made me want unistall this game after all that time I spent playing. Why the authors don't just get rid of this ?

Are there any working cheats in this mod, like how to make all units immortal etc? When ai cheats, I have to do the same...

[Stylix]

@Guder1an,

The AI garrison script was created to give the pitiful AI supplied by the CA a chance to make the game at least challenging. It clearly states in the install instructions that a 'no garrison' script version is offered. I suggest that you try playing at a lower level of difficulty if this AI is too hard for you.

There is a cheat available using the console command 'auto_win attacker' or 'auto_win defender'. The key to enable the console depends of your language. For English it is the ` key which on my keyboard is near the top left corner under the escape key. This cheat must be enabled before every battle you wish to use it in.

[Guder1an]

I play H/VH, but difficutly is irrelevant to this. It sure is more "challenging" this way, but mainly to players patience. Making all nations at a constant war with player, or dissabling save/load would be more challenging also for sure!

Thanks for the cheat, I will use it always against cheated units.

[Stylix]

@Guder1an

You are welcome for the cheat tip. The AI has a flaw where it will leave key cities with only one unit or even ungarrisoned and then it is just a cake walk. This flaw is part of the Creative Assembly's engine and the garrison script was just an attempt to add some realism to the mod. Who would believe that a capital would have only one unit to defend it? The AI was guilty of this on many occassions. Also note that not all cities have a garrison script. I hope that you enjoy the mod in any way you see fit and entertainment is the first priority of any computer 'game'.

[Guder1an]

Yes, the AI sometimes leave the cities with only a few garrison units, so some script adding some units it's not a bad idea in general. But why does it have to be the best units possible units and why does it have to be full garrison? In last game that this script ruined I was playing Byzanties, it was about round 30, when I sieged hungarian castle, and they got like 8 units of dismounted kinghts, in FULL PLATE MAIL. They obviously came from the future, because no one can build armorer at this level at that time (and next 100 rounds I guess). It would be logical if the script actually correspond with what can be build in that city/castle, and for example added all units in numbers that can be build at that time.

[VINC.XXIII]

The problem of the realism, in the reality, when you loose a battle, you are ready to the compromise. Like giving one or two castle to your enemy, or to get married you daughter with your worth enemy...to save the major part of your possessions. But Total War isn't the reality. You have a debile enemy, agressive and blow like a nippon bushi and you can engage at the maximum 5000 warriors in the battle. Well, this little wars aren't decisive.

[Stylix]

@Guder1an,

I see your point and I agree that the garrison script is not always appropriate, especially early in the game and for less experienced players. There are several ways around this of course. Plan for the unexpected is the first one. Also remember that the script does not fire everytime you lay siege. If I remember correctly it is limited to once every ten turns. You are always welcome to modify the campaign_script.txt file and reduce, eliminate or change the type of the units that appear in the garrison. Another option is to start at a lower difficulty level until experience and knowledge is gained to allow for a more satisfactory outcome. Lastly, as I mentioned in a previous post, the garrison script can be disabled entirely. Remember that it is impossible to make a mod that is all things to all people and bet if I tried I could find someone who thinks the garrison script is too weak! Happy campaigning!

[Magefsx]

The idea of the impossibly strong troops appearing in settlements is to prevent the AI being rushed early on, so it has at least a chance of surviving for a decent amount of time (especially the smaller nations).

[Dave Scarface]

I can understand new players hating the garrison script and thinking it is ridiculous and unfair. But be thankful, the AI garrisons only spawn once every 10 turns when attacked now. They used to activate on every single turn a very long time ago in this mod..

Anyway, the no garrison script helps keep everyone happy

Dave

[Kiev Kev]

I think the concept of, and the reasoning behind the Garrison script is spot on.
The problem is that a city that has been whittled down to just a few peasants two dogs and the local cub-scout group, suddenly, once besieged gets top of the line knights, cavalry, AT-ATs etc to defend it, rather than a populace that has been called to arms, which would make more sense to me.

I could even forgive this newly created army if it subsequently then went out of the city and tackled my other roaming armies in retribution for my initial assault, but what really grates is when the new 'Uber Clone Army' having teleported into the city under seige, leaves it and systematically wipes out half my empire.


I get the 'anti-Tank rush' assistance this gives to the AI, but It does rather limit the sense of fairness to the game.
Could the script not generate a full stack (or units to the maximum of a stack) of militia troops and the city itself get heightened defense stats? I could believe that as the local people would be driven to arms to defend themselves.

I read with interest that I could edit one of the scripts to do this, but I have no idea how or I would give it a go !

Anyway, as you say the No-Garrison script keeps us all happy, and KGCM+HHB is just fantastic, so it's no complaint, just a suggestion !

[Nefarious]

I think the concept of, and the reasoning behind the Garrison script is spot on.
<snip>
I read with interest that I could edit one of the scripts to do this, but I have no idea how or I would give it a go !

Anyway, as you say the No-Garrison script keeps us all happy, and KGCM+HHB is just fantastic, so it's no complaint, just a suggestion !

If possible, could someone upload the campaign_script.txt in question? I'd like to take a closer look at the original. I updated mine with the xmas gift/no garrison script and no longer have the first. As KGCM comes as an installer, I'm unable to just extract that one file.

If someone could post the file, excellent. If not, no worries. Just curious.
Perhaps I could change which troops are available for the garrison pool to a more acceptable level for some.

[Valiant86]

If possible, could someone upload the campaign_script.txt in question? I'd like to take a closer look at the original. I updated mine with the xmas gift/no garrison script and no longer have the first. As KGCM comes as an installer, I'm unable to just extract that one file.

If someone could post the file, excellent. If not, no worries. Just curious.
Perhaps I could change which troops are available for the garrison pool to a more acceptable level for some.

I've started work on that right now, trying to create a script that produces units that would reflect the locals grabbing their weapons.

Trying to make it easier on players but not a total walk over.

I might remove the script from some settlements, for example, Ireland has all three settlements protected which I think is a little over the top.

Btw I'm loving KGCM and HHB but I agree the script is a little excessive at times and having no script is a little too easy.

Lets see if I can find a compromise!

[Guder1an]

I just reinstalled Medieval2+Kingdoms, how do I now instal KGCM without garrison?

[Stylix]

I just reinstalled Medieval2+Kingdoms, how do I now instal KGCM without garrison?

1. Install KGCM v4.2.
2. Install the KGCM Patch 4.2.
3. Go to the bottom of the post in the link below and download the campaign_script.txt file. Follow the install instructions.

KGCM Patch 4.2 (Hotfix released 19/10/09

[Old Geezer]

On a whim I tried creating units in enemy castles and cities and was pleasantly surprised to see that I could recruit units for them! So now if I want to fight some Byz with flamethrowers I just create them in a city or castle and my men can have the glory of attacking them. Anyway, this is a simple way to put an interesting garrison into a settlement that is under defended or lacking in elan.

[Calbrenar]

Ah this makes more sense now. I see the reason behind it and in some ways I like it. But playing as Lithuania with the Teutonics going mad at me and barely managing to hold on and defeat their last army before the city... it was very disheartening to have it magically fill with 2000 troops much better then any I had lol. On the other hand playing as Egypt I was pretty much able to take over 90% of Jerusalem in like 10 turns without even trying so I can see why the script is added. I just think it probably is less useful when the player is already playing a nation that starts at a big disadvantage.

[Nefarious]

Perhaps some will find this useful: HHB RGS

It's a Reduced Garrison Script I created for HHB. A happy medium, if you like.
Not too hot, not too cold...

[Agamaran]

Garrison scripts are awful I must say. People that put forth this "only one unit defending the capital" argument almost always forget a number of issues, such as: 1) The faction might actually be that weak, 2) the faction may have sent its units elsewhere to fight on other fronts, and 3) blitzkrieg anyone? Even if you manage to take a powerful faction's capital with a couple of units because there's only one in there, if you lack the necessary reinforcements it will be easily taken back. What exactly is the "low" challenge in this? I'm currently playing as England and Wales is down to one region. They stationed all of their troops in their fort to hold off my advanced army from the north that threatens to walk into their lands. Instead I sneak in by sea and launch an army and a half of forces on the capital which has four units in it. The next turn around, it's FULL of the highest-tier units and I of course lose the battle. The next turn after that two full stacks march upon one of my forts.

So basically to recap: I played fair and square and the enemy cheated.

I really wish people would stop putting garrison scripts into their mods.

[Stylix]

@Agamaran

You give the computer AI waaaay too much credit. I have played too many campaigns, with the enemy fielding armies much larger than my own, I have been able to march in and take an enemy key territory because the AI has positioned its armies in some totally useless defensive position and left no garrison in a major recruitment center. I would also like to point out that unless you play on a very easy difficulty level, the computer cheats by giving the AI additional funds and bonuses to troops. If you don't like the computer cheating, play with human opponents.

[Agamaran]

@Agamaran

You give the computer AI waaaay too much credit. I have played too many campaigns, with the enemy fielding armies much larger than my own, I have been able to march in and take an enemy key territory because the AI has positioned its armies in some totally useless defensive position and left no garrison in a major recruitment center. I would also like to point out that unless you play on a very easy difficulty level, the computer cheats by giving the AI additional funds and bonuses to troops. If you don't like the computer cheating, play with human opponents.

My point is that the game actually is designed well enough to compensate over problems like these. I'm fondly reminded of Civ 5 complaints where people think the AI is completely defunct because they're able to launch a sneak attack they had been planning for the past fifteen turns or something. The AI is fine from what I saw in my vanilla games.

By the way this miracle garrison script is not limited to capitals--it seems is any settlement that has three or fewer units stationed in it will automatically give it an entire stack of top-tier units with veterancy. It's getting to a point where I'm afraid to attack Ireland, which I have down to two settlements and it's bankrupt and has one general, because if I don't try and take a settlement with a stack and backup then some script says, "Uh oh, you're trying to take advantage of an enemy that has trouble breathing! I must now give them a full stack!"

Crap like this has prolonged factions I should have destroyed twenty turns ago.