I put a lot of thought into balance of units and I came up with the very same points when I first created what I think is a balanced EDU. If you yourself have any idea's to add feel free to do so.


These points I feel are very effective in creating a balanced but historically correct campaign and battles, some of which Mark Centurion came up with to balance the private mod we made together.

-removing ships from the 1st tier harbour so ai doesn't spam ships early ingame but concentrates on land battles/armies, this also affects the player of course. However some factions who were originaly a sea power like carthage as example will have a fleet at gamestart to be able to do naval invasions early.

-remove the epic stone walls (ai can't siege it since to stupid)

-increase the law bonus for all walls, so they have a higher meaning.

I came up with a tier system.

It goes

Tier 0 Infantry
HP 1
Unit Size 100
AP weapon no

Tier 1 Infantry
HP 2
Unit Size 80
AP weapon no

Tier 2 Infantry
HP 3
Unit Size 60
AP weapon dependant on unit but almost always no (examples of yes are falx weapon or some axes)

Tier 3 Infantry
HP 4
Unit Size 40
AP weapon yes
hardy yes

Tier 4 Infantry
HP 5
Unit Size 20
AP weapon yes
very hardy yes
commander aura

-tier 0,1,2 units need 1 turn to be build t3 units takes 2 turns and t4 units takes 3 turns

Darth's information which I follow closely and use some of my own parameters

-stat_charge_dist
(Beside its common sense usage it is actually the value given to foot missile units to determine the distance from where they can begin the AI projectile attack approach!)
-stat_fire_delay
(Its value is interpreted more by me like the median of AI number of ticks to calculate the cycle between 2 attacks hard coded AI routines(projectile or melee)

At the moment I write these lines I have not much time to write a lot of things so I will come later here for more specifications.

So about the foot missile defense fix...

-Archers/Slingers need

-stat_charge_dist=approx double and less (For example if range is 120 then set to 200-250), the value of the range of their weapon. Generally give value>=range of weapon
-stat_fire_delay=zero (=important!...CA gave some value here in BI units with devastating effect to the AI.Do NOT give even minus value here!)

-Javelineers need
-stat_charge_dist=Can be set to a really large value (5x-7x their missile range>=range of weapon)
-stat_fire_delay=minus (-50000) - (-70000) ...this makes them fire in very good and realistic rate against approaching opponent. You can leave them and they will do their work effectively now even in corners of their map (They will not be trapped now!!!)

-Siege weapons need
-stat_charge_dist=range of their weapon
-stat_fire_delay=zero (Important!)


What is the outcome in all this?
When AI now defends will effectively use its foot missile units than wander with them.
And not only this...the general behaviour of the units is a lot better when used by the AI. It seems that the stat_fire_delay value helps them to group units more distinctively and not mess them all together.

Not only this!

-General Cavalry settings
-stat_charge_dist=in my mod I give very large setting in this (approx 100 - 300 m) according to kind of cavalry.
-stat_fire_delay=minus large values (approx (-90000) - (-450000!)

Specifications:
-(Mobile light cavalry / with projectiles)
-stat_charge_dist=(150-200)
-stat_fire_delay=minus large values (approx (-150000) - (-350000) (according to armour)

-(medium/heavy cavalry )
-stat_charge_dist=(90-400) (In BI lancers I give the max, in very heavy cavalry with much staying power I give the min.)
-stat_fire_delay=minus large values (approx (-90000) - (-450000) (according to armour and character of unit)
For melee cavalry I give approx (-90000) - (-190000) for special elite units with much charge I give above -200000, and....
most importantly!....general cavalry units get the max in the whole game...I give -350000 in RTW and -450000 in BI.
This makes them almost impossible to catch the AI general to a fight as he cleverly engages and disengages.

-(Elephants)
-stat_charge_dist=approx 100 (may change this to get the exact value of their projectile range if they have...will test)
-stat_fire_delay=approx 100000. Not only this makes them heavy enough to change directions all the time but makes their missile tower units
to fire more realistically decisive volleys...you must increase their projectile attack after this .

-(Chariots)
-stat_charge_dist=approx 200
-stat_fire_delay=approx 100000. Not only this makes them heavy enough to change directions all the time but makes their missile to fire more realistically decisive volleys...you must increase their projectile attack after this .


-Melee Infantry
-Short weapons (sword-axes-short spears etc.)
-stat_charge_dist=varies (For example I give to barbarian units large values to have a realistic thunderous charge effect and smaller to heavier civilized units.)
-stat_fire_delay=fixed 5000 to all (helps AI to group units together and not do isolations..for example I gave the same value even to germanic
phalanxes bcs all their units must have the same or else AI groups them individually and messes things up.If you give minus value the unit becomes to behave like crazy skirmisher and does not melee too much. But can be used maybe for certain troop types like woad warriors)

-Phalanxes
-stat_charge_dist=1-2 (very small value for fix of the tossing effect and also for the AI to stop wandering with them). They get more static.Avoid giving zero or minus values bcs it creates unorthodox phalanx moving and crazy single troop isolation moving constantly in front when in melee
-stat_fire_delay=55000 - 100000 or more. (Large value which actually becomes an advantage since the phalanx must stay in formation to be
effective than point too many times to many directions...watch AI phalanx approach now....)
For best effect give to each faction available phalanx unit the SAME value for better AI grouping

-Precursor units (Like Romans)
-stat_charge_dist=range of their weapon
-stat_fire_delay=-55000 approx....

This setting is so clever..the precursor AI units gain more mobility, fire more effectively, charge sooner...they do not stall as before!\

I also use basic setups of armour/defense skill/shield values. E.G. 2, 6, 3 and basic attack values. Arrow amount, arrow range, etc. I make sure it is very detailed.

The original idea of my tier system was detailed here

e= elite


b= regular


m= militia


c= cavalry


a= artillery



~>~>Costs<~<~

+30upkeep for cavalry with missile weapon
^ arrow upkeep

TurnsPerRecruitment for all tier troops depends on quality

~Skirmishers~

m-skirm 1, 320, 122 < young or poor militia


b-skirm 2, 420, 192 < promoted troops who show skill at hand to hand combat and using a javelin


m-sling 1, 489, 172 < young or poor militia skilled with a sling





~Archers~

m-arch 2, 570, 172 <+ 81cost compared to m-slinger (arrow quality debatable therefore addition to upkeep debatable)


b-arch 3, 810, 281 <arrow quality, armour, primary weapon superior therefore superior cost


e-arch 3, 823, 351





~Infantry~

m-infantry 1, 401, 191 young or inept melee fighters cheaply equipped by their leader


m-flank 2, 601, 233 <promoted m-infantry usually with better weapons and training due to age


e-infantry 4, 823, 379 <promoted b-assault and best infantry



~Assault Troops
e-assault 3, 823, 379 <2nd best infantry


b-infantry/assault 2, 643, 251 <promoted m-flank, -10 denarii to trick AI into recruiting more b-infantry



~Cavalry~

c-militia 1, 651, 271 rich enough to afford a horse but not enough to buy any real armour


c-regular 2, 671, 371 able to afford armour and some training


c-elite 3, 791, 423 able to afford best armour and training usually noble

c-companion 4, 1291, 423

~Artillery~

a-regular 2, 725, 214 engineers not equipped with any armour but highly trained at what they do


a-elite 3, 920, 251 better trained with a better siege weapon






~>~>stat explanation<~<~

Mercs>Normal Troops

Mercs were essentially a standing army for hire and one that could kill with impunity. Look at hannibal's army of mercanaries for example vs the romans.



Troop tier explanation.


Elite. Small troop size, big effect on a battle. use carefully because losing an elite means waiting a very long time to get one back.


Regular. A strong but small core of your army.



Militia. The main part of your army.


Cavalry. A key part of any battle, use and recruit with caution.



~>Infantry<~



Elite infantry are used to flank an enemy or attack a key part of the battle. Elites have increase the morale of militia and regular troops who see them in battle.


Regular infantry are used to turn a battle by breaking the opposing armies militia troops or engaging an elite or regular unit.


Militia infantry are used to hold an army in place. They aren't very dangerous to the opponent and can be dangerous to you. If one starts fleeing the rest often follow.




~>Cavalry<~

militia cavalry are used to screen your troops and chase down those pesky skirmishers and perhaps charge an exhausted enemy or scared militia unit.


regular cavalry can be used to engage and destroy the oppositions cavalry and are expected to charge the enemy.


elite cavalry strike fear into the heart of any foe.



~>Skirmishers<~

militia skirmishers wound and sometimes kill the enemy. they can be used to engage enemy skirmishers or if all seems lost to engage a nearly triumphant enemy.

regular skirmishers can easily out-skirmish their militia counterparts and even hold the line.



~>assault infantry<~

What you use to take over an enemy's walls or ravage an enemy's flank.







~>stat setup<~

militia generally have no armour, aren't very lethal and poor morale.


regulars generally have 4+ armour and a higher lethality and good morale.


elites generally have 7+ armour and a high lethality and the best morale.



Upkeep and cost are directly related to armour and training (morale and attack).


Cavalry have a higher cost, charge and training. It took a long time to breed a horse, raise it (on expensive grain) and train it for war.


All of this is subject to change as it is WIP.

Hope you find it interesting and feel free to share an opinion.