The AI strikes back: How the Pontics took Pergamum.

**Blokhoofd67** · August 20, 2006, 08:43 AM

Greetings all,

As you are all aware, one the greatest flaws in RTW is the Artificial Intelligence, or rather, the lack thereoff. However today I was pleasantly surprised that I lost a battle I should've won. I wasn't even playing a mod which somehow improved the AI: just vanilla RTW version 1.5
The situation:

The date is the winter of 251 BC. The Seleucid Empire has embarked on a quest to restore the empire of Alexander. Egypt clings on its last city, Thebes, and western Asia Minor has been taken as well. In the East, the Seleucid armies have taken Susa and Dumatha, and in the west, a Seleucid army has landed in Greece and captured the Peloponesos(sp?) See the screenshot below.

Anyway, as you can see Pergamum is Pontic. How come? Well, the turn before the Pontics had the city besieged. Their army was composed of: 2 Eastern Infantry, 1 Skirmisher Unit, 1 Scythed Chariot, and a General. And they had a ram. One ram. Just one. I had 4 Militia Hoplites and 1 Levy Pikemen to defend the gate. Easy as pie, I thought. So, all Pontics charge, and all die a horrible death. Except the General, who stands outside of the gate throwing javelins. He won't charge. I sent my army to get him, and chase him to the end of the map. He's got nowhere to run and will soon be impaled by my hoplites, I thought. But nay! The Pontic general charges AROUND my army and runs to the gate. Immediately I get what he's doing, but it's too late. The Pontic General rushes to the square, and when the timer runs out my hoplites have just entered the gate.

The AI did something I didn't expect. After one year of playing the AI has finally seen the light.

**boofhead** · August 20, 2006, 08:49 AM

Ha Ha! I like it. The AI by some freak fluke has kept you on your toes...

BTW you wrote that very concisely and well....you should do an AAR as these forums are sadly lacking in them.

**GORE** · August 20, 2006, 08:50 AM

thats funny, im sure you've learned a valuable lesson about protecting the objective though.

should be easy to retake if its being held by the general alone.

**Cyrus the Virus** · August 20, 2006, 09:42 AM

That was unexpected, nice to see such thing happen

**vikrant** · August 20, 2006, 09:53 AM

it really a good news
hope mtw 2will have similar ai

**ENSAIS** · August 20, 2006, 06:32 PM

That is pretty hilarious. Definitely unexpected to have the AI out maneuver you like that.

**Flogger** · August 21, 2006, 02:27 AM

See this thread for tips on siege battles.

**Kaidonni** · August 21, 2006, 02:45 AM

Way back in 2004, using 1.2, I tried Parthia on Hard campaign map...I was doing okay, conquering the Seleucids...when I made the very same mistake. I decided to leave the central plaza alone and defend the rest of my settlement. LOL! It was too late by the time I decided to save the central plaza! Ouch...

**Blokhoofd67** · August 21, 2006, 03:45 AM

Originally Posted by Flogger

See this thread for tips on siege battles.

Yeh, we all know that. The brilliance is just that the AI lured me out with his final unit, constantly attacking-retreating, so that I didn't realized what he was doing.

**Shadow_Imperator** · August 21, 2006, 05:24 AM

HAHAHAHAH pwn3d by teh A1.....
R0xx0rz......

**Cyrus the Virus** · August 21, 2006, 05:27 AM

Think the AI have improved with 1.5 when it comes to siege battles (mostly with wooden palisade), if they break through they try to come from different directions if I defend one way to the plaza. If I have few soldiers - lost battle.

**Revenge of Varus** · August 21, 2006, 09:41 PM

Well, the AI is a lot better in 1.5, but its also hard for hoplites to fight back missle cavalry such as eastern generals which are more mobile. One must take that into consideration.