RELEASED: Soulsons Campaign AI Improvements 1.7

[Polycarpe]

Like increasing the number of units garrisoned. 12-20 units should be fair?

[soulson]

CAI for rebels not that easy I suspect, as their territories are scattered all over the map, makes any coherent strategy impossible, unless they are down to a couple of nearby territories.
The LTGD will search for five targets for attack and defence in a turn so how are the rebels to know how to prioritise any region or faction for attack or defence?
At best one can hope for random acts of aggression, but they need a strong defence to slow down other factions' expansion.

Very true Roz. From what I remember wasn't there a problem with the Rebels leaving their garrisons around turn 8? It may be a safer bet to make them defend at all times. The only way to really make them aggressive is to go by frontline balance and nothing else because they are so scattered and outnumbered and possibly add a rand decision. Also, you can never tell any faction to attack anywhere specific (unless scripted maybe) all you can do is encourage them to attack something.

[Furor_Mancunia]

Downloaded. Will start a new game with Hungary.

[Kilgore Trout]

Soulson

I may have mixed up my vanilla campaign ai db file with your new ai file. I'm trying to figure out which one I am actually using in my current game. Could you please tell me a few of the numbers that you changed so that I can take a look at the file and see which one I am currently using.

Thanks!

[Gorrrrrn]

Well we can tell slave garrisons to stay put for as long as we like in descr_campaign_db.xml viz:
settlement section:
<min_turn_keep_rebel_garrison int="30"/> (SS6.4 has a much lower number.) (no idea what the max number is.)

I don't think that applies to forts though (be handy if it did!)

We could spawn more random rebel armies, they wouldn't be affected by the garrison entry.

[soulson]

Right now I have them defending Deep, default is fortified.

[hippacrocafish]

Sorry I haven't been giving you any updates soulson, busy with work ya' know. @_@

I'm going to start a new campaign (VH/VH) as the Crusader States with the newest files. And here is that log I was keeping in case you're interested.

[soulson]

Thank you sir.

[AClockworkOrange]

Poland - Early Campaign
30 Turns
At war with HRE and Lithuania, allied with Hungary

Better start than usual. When I play as Poland, I get hammered by Denmark, Norway, HRE, Lithuania, Hungary, Novgorod, and Scotland all at the same time. Definitely an improvement.

What I liked: I didn't get hammered by everyone and anyone.
In the future: I hope this aspect stays. It was nice finally playing as Poland without all the ridiculous war.

Portugal - Late Campaign
20 Turns
Gave up after 20 turns. At war with Moors and Castile. Stack after stack after stack...I was obliterated. Felt like old Medieval AI. Castile at war with only me; Moors at war with only me on the Iberian Peninsula. Aragon not at with anyone. It was odd that the Moors and Castile weren't at war.

what I liked: Again, no acts of random war.
In the future: Not sure if this can change, but getting attacked by stack, after stack, after stack of Moors was too much. Aragon and Castile were not at war with the Moors, so I got the brunt of all their forces.

Hungary - Late Campaign
20 Turns
Not at war with anyone. Unfortunately, this is how it usually goes when I play as Hungary. Waiting to see if I go to war with HRE, Venice, Byzantines, or at least Kievan Rus'. Scratch Venice. They came asking for an alliance. Obliged.

UPDATE: T22 as Hungary. Roman Empire declared war. Off to shoot plenty of arrows in the sides of many Byzantines!!!!

what I liked: Once again, no randomness in war declarations.
In the future: Nothing yet. Will update as the campaign progresses.

I can definitely say that random declarations of war are not happening. In that regard, there is improvement.

[soulson]

Great feedback thanks. As for as the stacks of AI, thats not my department, I just "guide" the ai. The AI should try and concentrate on you the players so the Moors did exactly that. Factions hate fighting a lot of enemies now so they can try and last longer.

[Gorrrrrn]

Great feedback thanks. As for as the stacks of AI, thats not my department, I just "guide" the ai. The AI should try and concentrate on you the players so the Moors did exactly that. Factions hate fighting a lot of enemies now so they can try and last longer.

Hmm is it possible to tone down the AI vs human player IF the human player only has say 3 or less settlements. That would allow human players to get started in the game. People won't play small factions if they know they're going to get hammered from turn1 by every AI faction around them?

[soulson]

I could but players could also play on lower difficulty levels, gain alliances ( in this case ally with spain or aragon), or call a crusade. Typically, the AI must wait 5 turns to attack the Human on VH and i think it's 8 turns for Hard. I removed the entry for VH allowing them to attack right away.

[AClockworkOrange]

I'm not a little bit further in my Hungary campaign. Poland was allied with HRE and me, and then the HRE declared war on me. Poland stayed allies with me. I don't recall this sort of thing happening much before now.

I've never been good at diplomacy; it would probably would've helped me in the Portugal campaign.

[soulson]

Very Nice. Ive been very interested in seeing how the AI decides who to stay allied with. Can you provide more info? Was HRE at war with other factions?

[Boleslaw I.]

I played 20 turns with Hungary and I can say that I see some good changes so I made my 20 turns log like "hippacrocafish"! you can read it.

Now I started new campaign with France H/H Early Campaign and I'm planning to play a lot further in game(right now I'm at 54. turn) and I really like this AI...
example:Genoa was in war with HRE and I attacked them and beat their army near Lyon , then I conquered Marseille and next turn their diplomat is offering me to cease fire but when I refused , they made peace with HRE and sent almost all their armys on my border. Same thing happened with England when Scotland attacked them(I was allied with Scotland).

It's very good because AI doesn't like to fight on multiple fronts and I don't see that lame random wars like when last time I played with Moors and ship from Novgorod comes and blocks my port at Lisboa -.-.

Rebels - hmm...maybe it's just me but I don't see some changes , they are still "camping" a lot, they should get a bit more aggressive

I'll report back again. around turn 80 maybe.

[soulson]

Thanks for the feedback glad your enjoying. Decided to keep the rebels defensive, at least for now.

[soulson]

Going to make this a "open beta" tonight. Will be releasing the files after a few touch ups and will go from there. Beta testers if you have anything else to present please do so by today.

[hippacrocafish]

Going to make this a "open beta" tonight. Will be releasing the files after a few touch ups and will go from there. Beta testers if you have anything else to present please do so by today.

I'm going to play a few more turns of my Crusaders Campaign and give you the results, should be done by the end of today.

[hippacrocafish]

Sweet mother of mercy this is a hard campaign. >_<

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Improved A.I. Beta Test
Crusader States (VH/VH)-Version 2
Turn 1
-Papal States accept Trade rights and map information.
-Fatimid Caliphate accepts trade rights in exchange for their payment of 300 gold.
Turn 2
-Sicily accepts trade rights and an alliance.
-I take Tortosa and sack it.
Turn 4
-The Republic of Venice accepts an offer of trade rights and an alliance.
-The Turks accept trade rights.
-I take Kerak.
Turn 5
-Spain and Portugal form an alliance.
Turn 6
-Relations with the Fatimids worsen.
-The Turks accept my offer of an alliance.
Turn 7
-The Fatimids blockade my port at Jerusalem.
-France and Scotland are now allies
-The Byzantines accept my offer of an alliance.
-I call a crusade on Gaza and join immediately.

The log doesn't exactly show it, but this is one tough campaign. I'm thinking the Crusader States need a little buff.

[Polycarpe]

In CHIP, my CS roster will be implanted