Questions on Unit Size and Effectiveness

[NobleNick]

I have two questions; and I hope both belong in this forum (and not in battle strategies).

I am new to RTW. (I played short campaign through as Julii on M/M difficulty, and am now in a Brutii short campaign on M/H difficulty. I intend to move next to Scipii short campaign on H/H.) I am using vanilla RTW with no patches nor mods; and I know it is at least version 1.2 out of the box (bought it from a fresh shipment in Feb 2006). I am playing with the default "normal" unit size

Question #1.) Do Wardogs count as 48 "men" for purposes of determining PO bonus to a city for garrisoned troops?

I know the 48 is really 12 men with 3 dogs per man; but I wonder if the unit counts as size 48 for figuring the PO bonus. If so, then Wardogs would be the cheapest unit to use for garrisons (not the peasants, as is touted in all the FAQs I've read). This is because the initial high cost of Wardogs is speedily offset by their low upkeep.

Question #2.) At what difficulty level are the computer-controlled (enemy) units of the same calibre as the human-controlled units?

The reason I ask is that I did some custom ("sandbox") battles, to explore the effects of experience and weapon upgrades. I **thought** I was on "hard" difficulty, but maybe not.

I first played as 10 units of "silver chevron" Principes, against the computer's 20 units of inexperienced Principes. I tried to march my guys, 10 abreast, directly into the enemy, matching my actions to the enemy's actions, to minimize the effects of "generalship" on the outcome. The 10 experienced units won, barely.

So I turned the tables and played as 18 inexperienced Principes (9 abreast and 2 deep) against the computer's 9 units of "silver chevron" Principes. It was a blow out victory for the 18 inexperienced units.

I should have won one battle or the other, not both. This makes me think the computer is giving the human player some sort of advantage. Of course I don't want this advantage when exploring the relative worth of upgrades. So was my experience just a fluke?

[Slimshoom]

The computer i believe is never on equal par with the human player, increasing the difficulty level simply increase the bonuses given to the AI units and decreases the bonuses to the player controlled units.

As for your first question, I have no idea.

[NobleNick]

Thanks, Slimshoom.

O.K., I guess I'll just have to play against the computer with one set of units and then play against the computer agian with the comparison set of units; and determine the relative worth of upgrades by comparing the results of the two battles. Twice as much work, but I'll get there....

[Sitarus Originalus PM-30+]

i also think that AI is not equal to human. AI is just a computer who doesnt think, doesnt plan and is not evil (Ai just try to defeat human, but he isnt creative or sneeky.

[Slimshoom]

well, sort of the AI, in a way, does "think", but it only thinks of the quickest way to kill the enemy, not the smartest, but sometimes the AI wil use seemingly clever manuevers.

[Sitarus Originalus PM-30+]

Ai's so called "clever manuevers" are just a bling shot. he tryes to kill anemy but when he surpriese us he just got lucky in my oppinion. about thinking comp ... well.. i think he just calculates some options (like playing chess against comp) but i dont know what or how he thinks... but i know that (like slimshoot said: -- ai sure tryes to get a queek victory and not victory on a long run with planing attacks and so on as human would do.

[shadowarmy75]

like playing chess against comp

Didn't some computer beat the World Chess Champion.

[Sitarus Originalus PM-30+]

Didn't some computer beat the World Chess Champion.

true, but you have to know that chess on computer is being developed since the earliest games came out. (many decates) wile RTW is being developed just a few last years. also chess has limit of moves, wile TR games dont really have limit of possibilitys or moves. i dont know how to say or explain that better, but i play also chess and know a bit how computer chess games are made. computer will calculate million possibitlities in a part of a second and then see which move is the best for him to make.

[Gogoas]

well with unlimited resources the a.i. doesn't really need to think that much, just send in droves of units to your lines. lol

[hellheaven1987]

Hey, how can I choose unit size? I can't find it!

[Slimshoom]

go to video options, and click on "show advanced options" then there should be a drop-down menu that says unit size with 4 choices, small, normal, large, and huge. Pick one, i recommend large.

[hellheaven1987]

go to video options, and click on "show advanced options" then there should be a drop-down menu that says unit size with 4 choices, small, normal, large, and huge. Pick one, i recommend large.

Thanks, how about huge? Would it really huge? How huge it is? Would it affect the display?

[Aristocrat]

Huge is twice as big as large I think, so yes it would affect the display if you have a not-so-good computer....or have 3 or more full armies in a battle.