Seeking an AI submod

[Zenith_Zenith]

Hey guys,

I'm quite frustrated of something, and I thought that perhaps you could help.
I play SS6.4 with MSC 6.0, two settlement types & 2 turns per year, Savage AI, medium difficulty (both campaign and battle).

The problem is that I hardly get attacked, and when getting attacked, they always come with very large number of units, even if my settlement is not very defended - which is frustrating because I always have to do my best to keep a good defense in the settlement while they either never attack or besiege and leave (and also, the upkeep costs much). Also, when you have a battle against a full stack of units (and you have a likewise number of units), things & events are harder to manage (because the units are very many and you must keep an eye on everyone), the battle lasts a very long time (perhaps an hour, with many pauses to check everybody) and it's stressful. And I've played dozens of turns and I can remember only once that I fought from within the settlement when I was besieged (and in that time the enemy army was far superior to my army that I wondered how that I won!), ie they attacked me with battering rams and siege towers.

And what I am looking for is this:
The enemy to attack me much more often, but with fewer units. And I want to be besieged even when the balance of forces is not way against my favor; and the enemy to finally attack rather than leave after a few turns of besieging. And I want to fight from within the settlement when besieged more than once every 40 turns. If things could be this way, playing SS would be much more fun and relaxing... for me.

Do you know, is there a mod for what I need? Or a combination of something? (like easy + the AI of X, or hard + submod of Y, something?). Or if there really isn't, can you tell me what files to edit and how? Please.

[Ichon]

Not sure if you can find an AI that will attack with less than a full stack. Easier is probably just play on harder difficulties and be more aggressive. If you can attack AI will less men more rapidly alot of times it won't be able to get a full stack before the next battle.

[bɑne]

Setting the enemy strenght evaluation lower might help. Side effects may include a slight reduction in cognitive ability and loss of appetite. Cant check the files to tell you where that value is until later. Maybe someone else can help out in the meantime

[Bill Overbeck]

I can't really help you with the files, but it sounds almost like you're in over your head. I would try pretty much what Ichon said and try easy.

Also, what faction are you playing as? Some are much harder than others and it might be you've picked too tough of one to start with.

[Zenith_Zenith]

I play with the Romans. I'm in year 1126 (the turn is ~52). I try to reconquer the territory of the Roman Empire, first the territory of the Byzantine Empire of ~500 AD.
I've had big trouble with the Hungarians - they have very good mounted archers and I can't pretty attack them on the battlefield without having a likewise number of mounted archers, and needless to say, I can recruit magyar cavalry much harder than they can. I finally recruited units & mercenaries and started conquering settlements of theirs, exterminating the population, and I gave so far two settlements to England for a ceasefire (I had attacked them when they returned from the crusade, because they were standing too much hiding near Nicea).

I've conquered Venice, but Genoa has a few settlements and it too comes at me with full stack of units (and those units are Italian Militia, while Venice is protected mainly by Spear Militia by me).

Sicilly also gives me trouble as they also have strong infantry (Italian Militia) - they once traveled with the boats to Iraklion, I've had luck that I was already having professional units in boats around. The last time they tried something like that (I'm not sure where they wanted to attack) I cought them in time, while they were in the boat, and destroyed the boat.

The other problem was the turks - It lasts decades until I can gather enough mounted archers to be able to fight them on the field. It's good that the Khwarezmian Empire (their other enemy) bribed that full stack army.

I am interested in a more... non-frenzy attacks (from my side), perhaps with some politics involved. My faction's reputation is "Despicable" and I have no idea what exactly caused it. And hard difficulties & permanent attack don't sound too nice because I am usually busy and therefore I don't have too much time for playing, and when I play I wish some relaxation, not... stress.

[Bill Overbeck]

Ok first up...your reputation is not helping you at all. Extermination of cities will lower your global rep by a lot. That and executing prisoners is the most common thing to make it go down. This should be all you need about rep: http://www.twcenter.net/wiki/Reputation-M2TW

You might want to consider trying Lusted AI...it is a much more peaceful game and would give you longer to prepare if that's what you're after.

You also might have picked too hard a faction. I play as the Romans a lot, and to not end up in multiple front wars, you have to practice some good diplomacy. I usually give Caffa to the Rus, and start paying off Hungary, Venice, and Sicily right away and keep doing it to keep our relations up. This usually keeps them off my back so I can establish a good border with them, and focus my attention on the Turks.

As for your tactics...make lots of mourtatoi if you can and get HA mercs when possible. You might need to play a bit more defensively, but enough mourtatois will shred the Turk's HA. Mourtatois are a great unit and even get stakes.

All that being said, I'd try another faction, Lusted AI, and easy setting. Once you start getting the hang of creating and using large armies in the field, you should do fine. If you decide to stick with your Roman game, I play them ALOT...you can always message me if you need some advice with them.

[Zenith_Zenith]

Ok first up...your reputation is not helping you at all. Extermination of cities will lower your global rep by a lot. That and executing prisoners is the most common thing to make it go down. This should be all you need about rep: http://www.twcenter.net/wiki/Reputation-M2TW

It didn't work politically, but it eased my northern border - hungarians kicked off, the settlements won't upgrade soon, and the new occupants (england) will try to defend their settlements more than think about attacking me. Anyway, I thought that I can't get a worse reputation than "Despicable". Anyway I wonder, what will I do after the crusade towards Constantinople? (as I know, SS6.4 didn't remove it, did it?) I mean, I would be at war with every catholic faction and with no way of getting at peace with them. Worse, war = no trade = less money.

You might want to consider trying Lusted AI...it is a much more peaceful game and would give you longer to prepare if that's what you're after.

I'm not very sure. I do want some challenge. The problem is not with preparation... it's that I don't want to expand too quickly, I don't want to conquer settlements & factions only to ensure my border is safe, I want to be attacked from time to time with lesser armies and even besieged by smaller armies. Currently I'm doing fine with the Romans. It was very dangerous when I had both the turks and The Crusader States as my enemies, and the crusader armies (england, genoa, etc.) were returning from the crusade and standing besides my settlements - The Crusader States have strong infantry and, I not even having Caesarea conquered, was not having army at my disposal to face the Crusader States - but I finally succeeded. For now I'm doing pretty fine. I'm only a bit frustrated that I expanded too quickly, and mostly out of need. I am currently resolving the problem in the north with Hungary (ie conquering the settlements they had conquered from the cumans and from the rebels) and will give those settlements to other countries. In the east the problem is quite solved - I have good quality units and many enough to handle a problem, the turks are having problems with the Khwarezmian Empire (one of their main army got bribed by a Khwarezmian diplomat, and now fights for the Khwarezmain Empire), the crusader states are finished (for good), I'm waiting the crusader armies (the 2nd crusade in the game) to deal with Gaza, after which I should conquer Gaza from the catholics. In the west I have some problems as I don't have very strong & numerous armies - I'm thinking about dealing with the sicilians now, but I don't like too much the idea of conquering their settlements with many low quality units (for some reason I prefer using some... professional armies to do the job and after I convert some population to orthodoxy). Genoa is also causing some trouble, but I don't want for now to expand to Genoa & Milan, besides of the fact that I lack priests in the region (I can barely keep the people of Venice to 64% orthodox, while Naples also has trouble). Besides Venice and Naples, I also posses Bari and Ancona. The rest of Italy is possessed by Genoa, Papal States, and Sicily. Immediately I will be attacked by the Kievan Rus, and I already have many enemies and no ally (the only ally I had, the HRE, turned against me at a calling for crusade for Gaza).

You also might have picked too hard a faction. I play as the Romans a lot, and to not end up in multiple front wars, you have to practice some good diplomacy. I usually give Caffa to the Rus, and start paying off Hungary, Venice, and Sicily right away and keep doing it to keep our relations up. This usually keeps them off my back so I can establish a good border with them, and focus my attention on the Turks.

My bad luck at the beginning: I formed no alliance at the beginning. Anyway, I don't know how useful it can be, because, unless I am wrong, at every call for a crusade, a catholic faction starts a war with you, and that faction may be the ally you cared for most (cared = payed to keep good relations).

As for your tactics...make lots of mourtatoi if you can and get HA mercs when possible. You might need to play a bit more defensively, but enough mourtatois will shred the Turk's HA. Mourtatois are a great unit and even get stakes.

Yeah, that's a good idea. I even forgot that the mourtatoi have spikes. That's nice as they don't get charged by the mounted archers in any case. I do have some bad luck however, because up to the Castle level, you can't recruit many mourtatois. And I built that archery range building after upgrading the barracks and stables. I also love the Roman Empire very much. That's the faction I play most.

All that being said, I'd try another faction, Lusted AI, and easy setting. Once you start getting the hang of creating and using large armies in the field, you should do fine. If you decide to stick with your Roman game, I play them ALOT...you can always message me if you need some advice with them.

I fought enough large armies in the field. But it's not very... pleasant. Especially when the enemy has many knights or many mounted archers.

[King Agamemnon of Mycenae]

To me it sounds like you want lusted's ai.
There is definitely a lot of politics and maneuvering in that ai (i.e. it isn't very aggressive and it keeps alliances and whatnot.)

hope this helps.
King Agamemnon of Mycenae

edit: I didn't refresh the page since yesterday, sorry for repeating the same thing.