Is the AI different?

[Basileus of Byzantium]

Just downloaded Roma Surrectum, never played it before. Is the AI in this mod, on the battle and campaign map, better than vanilla Rome? If it isn't then I'll probably have the mod use the ALEX.exe instead.

[Silius Saurus]

Well, I've played as Rome, on my third FL, taken all of Hispania, Africa Greece and the Averni are a longtime ally, and the Macedonians asked me for a peace settlement after a long war, which has never happened before. So the CAI is different. Allies seem to stay that way, though not always. The Greeks turned on me once I started beating the Macedonians back, but what can you expect from a Greek?

[Larkin]

Yes, it is significantly improved. The difference from 2.5 to 2.6 alone was very noticeable. You should use the Alex.exe anyway unless you're really bothered about shieldwall.

[Dramatic Cat]

I've noticed that the BAI is no longer the predictable, suicidal and plainly idiotic BAI of Vanilla.
True, it still sends it's General head-first into your phalanx, it flanks with a single light cav unit and it tries to assault cities with a sinlge ram lol.

I play on BI and I'm not sure whether there's some battle scripts or some other going on but the AI is kinda improved.

[Silius Saurus]

I'm seeing the AI flanking on both flanks simultaneously with light infantry and cavalry. Playing with Alex. Still some rock-paper-scissors stuff like spear units leaving the battle to chase a cavalry unit, but there's only so much you can expect of the AI.

Still, it's heaps better than RTW 2.

[Basileus of Byzantium]

Seems like I'll have to use ALEX for improved BAI then unless the AI for BI is actually good too; I've heard that BI's BAI isn't that different from Rome and that ALEX's is better. Good to hear that the CAI is better though.

[ur-Lord Tedric]

There are no, and never will be (for it's 'not allowed') any, changes to the AI. What I and you can thank the Team for is having tweaked and modified all the little bits that the AI uses to make decisions - that's what is so much better!

All my tests used BI and now I'm giving Alex a go (or was, until Rome2 arrived - but let's not go there - I'm still 'finding out'!) - I haven't noticed much difference.

[Aismov]

There are no, and never will be (for it's 'not allowed') any, changes to the AI. What I and you can thank the Team for is having tweaked and modified all the little bits that the AI uses to make decisions - that's what is so much better!

All my tests used BI and now I'm giving Alex a go (or was, until Rome2 arrived - but let's not go there - I'm still 'finding out'!) - I haven't noticed much difference.

Well I actually lost a battle to the AI. That should say something since that is the first time that has ever happened to me in a mod or even Vanilla after I got the hang of it.

It was during the Cimbri invasion scriptwhere my full stack -1 slot attacked their full stack of ubers. I had a balanced polybian army (3V/10HP/3T/2cav/1gen) with a reinforcment general from a beseiged city. Cimbri set up in this weird box formation but they had a ton of heavy cav in their stack (3-4 heavies and 2 missle IIRC). Looking back I made the tactical error of sending my first wave of H/P's not in guard mode at their box since they had the naked spearmen dudes (rookie move heh).

Anyway, I pulled my V's back behind the line and manuevered 2 H/Ps and a cav on each flank. Essentially my plan was going to be a reverse Cannae with my 3 Ts in reserve to help the H/Ps duking it out with the front of the cimbri box formation. I managed to envelope both flanks with my H/Ps with one cover the flank with the single cav against the cimbri heavy cavs. Moved V's up and showered flanks with javelines. Feeling pretty good about myself right now. This is gonna be easy.

No way.

My general reinforment arrives late but just in time to partake in the massive cimbri 3 unit cav bloodbath on my left flank against my general, one equites and my reserve flank H/P. I send him around their back and punch through their screen of archers to charge the cav heavies. A massive slog ensues where I am forced to commit my VELITES! into this crazy cav battle. The engagement on the left flank leaves me in awe. I manage to kill their general and take out all their heavy cav but the losses are catastrophic - equites almost completely wiped out (17 remaining or so), general down to 10 bodyguards, reinforcement general down to 2! velities sustain 75% casualties and my flank screen H/P has 50% casualties. But I saved the left flank! This battle is mine!

Uh huh.

The right flank is easy since I just mop up their missle cav with my allied equites and one unit of H/P. They have no cav left now so I can leave the right flank uncovered. Now my trap has been set. The enemy in their silly box formation is enveloped on all three sides. But not is as well as its seems. In the time I was fighting for the flanks I had to send in all my T reserves - 2 to support the center and one to support the right flank. This is when I realize my center has been fighting with guard mode off. These guys are already down 30-40%, which is not good since my legion had 3200 and their stack had 3900 and change.

So situation now is I have maybe 100 cav left, but its all light. I don't dare risk my general with so few bodygaurds so I send him to rally the center. What ensues is a series of vain rear charges on the cimbri center which refuses to budge. Despite my best efforts the naked spears hack a hole right through my center in about 30 minutes. I'm forced to send in my 2 Vs to try to hold the line. Not looking good. Despite constant rallies by the general the cimbri punch through the center just as I'm able to route a few units on the left flank. I see a glimmer of hope since the right is solid (it had that extra T reserve) and I think I have the right taken care of. Try as hard as I can the fight on my left flank is stubborn. By now my cavs are non existant and I get so desparate I start using my general. I pull him from the left when he's the lone survivor.

By now the cimbri center has enveloped my left flank and the situation looks grim. Both sides are pushing 90% casualties at this point. My left completely collapse with only a single gold chevron H/P still holding - they are down to 50 men. The right flank is even with 2 H/P and one T and some surviving velities I was able to rally. By now we are pushing 90% casualties. My cimbri from my left flank are moving to the right and I know the gig is up.

I send my remaining cav (1 general, 2 units in reinforcement general, and 1 remaing equite) into manual retreat. Do then same with the H/P leaving on for a rear guard action. Then I do what I don't think I've every done in a game - click the little white flag button.


Result: entire professional legion shattered, sustaining 95% casualties. 3 Cimbri stacks left and only one rookie legion I was randomly recruiting when the cimbri invasion occured stationed in rome (plus my half propraetor army in transalpine gual). Just utterly amazing battle. Hard fought, long, opportunity to send in reserve, time to maneuver, constant shifting tides of the battle. This is how RTW should be!

[Risasi]

I'm playing M/H and I'm only using BI, but in 2.6 it is definitely giving me trouble. CAI seems smarter about how it attacks me. The previous version would just throw stack after stack against my strongest city closest to their territory. This time around the Seleucid empire sneaked in behind me and took a city from the Greeks in Anatolia and then put both of my western most cities under seige. Of course my main army is sitting in the east, waiting for Seleucia to hit me there like they normally do. It's also ganging up on me. Pulled two of my allies from me, I'm barely maintaining trade agreements by throwing money at them. The only reason I mention this is it affects my battles. I'm not able to isolate CAI, focus on my economy and afford all the stuff I normally buy. Almost like the AI is using that as a weapon. First time I've seen that.

As for battles I've now lost two against the Seleucids, and a draw on one of my cities under siege. Granted one of the battles I lost I was outnumbered 2.5:1, but the other one I feel like I should have won. He pulled this double pronged flank with his cav I had never seen before, and made great use of a scythed chariot unit. That chariot just chewed up a Nakharar Cav unit, and two of my cata archers before I realized I was too close. I'm almost afraid to use Alexander...