Battles Are Much Improved With Patch 3

[Quickening]

I haven't seen much on this forum about patch 3 other than technical complaints (my battles are also running at a few FPS less than before), so wanted to talk about the battles which are vastly improved now.

- Fatigue is meaningful now, though I don't think they went far enough in this regard; troops should tire even more quickly. They also don't seem to take into account how much armour a soldier is wearing.

- Engagements now last longer. I've run a variety of custom battles to check this out. Finally engagements last long enough for us to do what we all like to; take a little break from the micromanagement to watch our troops duel back and forth. Though again, I'd like to see this extended a liiiiiitle bit further yet. Nearly there.

- Formations seem to hold much better now.

- Cavalry is much better at cutting down routing troops now, though not perfect. I remember it took them two patches to get this right in Medieval 2 as well.

- I love it how the player and the AI can choose to sally forth for an open field battle when one of their regions is attacked. I really dislike those village fights.

- There is a marked improvement in the battle AI now. It's much more aggressive. No longer can you missile them to death while they run around dazed and confused.

What are your experiences so far?

[Frost, colonel]

Sounds good, thanks for sharing.

[Metallistic]

Aye, I have done quite a bit of tests and there have been substantial improvements in battles. Both battle-length and formation/unit cohesion wise.

[machotacoman]

And there was much rejoicing among the Me as for the first time, I witnessed the enemy actually attack me and inflict meaningful casualties.

[BigEl_nobody]

I can agree. Played with Romans on Legendary now a bit. Besides Roman Units still being massively overpowered, the Estrucan League put up a real fight and reacted quite aggressive while defending their last unwalled settlement in battle.

[BunnyPoopCereal]

It's gonna take at least one expansion, many... many updates and a full overhaul RADIOUS mod for this game to be at the state that most of us expected on release. This is why making threads for every update is kind of irrelevant. Unless it's an update that get's rid of invisible capture points or something major of that sort.

[Metallistic]

It's gonna take at least one expansion, many... many updates and a full overhaul RADIOUS mod for this game to be at the state that most of us expected on release. This is why making threads for every update is kind of irrelevant. Unless it's an update that get's rid of invisible capture points or something major of that sort.

Freedom of speech. As for the expansions, updates yada yada, no one knows how much it will take. It depends on how hard CA is willing to work and to what degree they can improve the game through patches. So far they have done a really good job.

As for capture/victory points, they have already been addressed in patch 3 beta, go check it out. The only scenarios in which you would encounter one is in sieges and in combined battle in which the defender has naval reinforcement. Nowhere else.

[Yoke]

It's gonna take at least one expansion, many... many updates and a full overhaul RADIOUS mod for this game to be at the state that most of us expected on release. This is why making threads for every update is kind of irrelevant. Unless it's an update that get's rid of invisible capture points or something major of that sort.

Better then the never-ending doom and gloom threads about every negative aspect every day. (not argueing with the fact the game does need alot of work to be where we deserve it to be)

[GnaReffotsirk]

Anyway, battles are good. Units clash and stay there for a while. Though, I kind of dislike the thrusting movement the soldiers make or the unit makes. Seems they are pushing themselves in and against their opponent. Seems odd to look at, but could be made sense of.

Anyway, campaign map have gotten a boost. No more choppy fps. Though I've come to hate the zoom feature when battles occur. I hope there's an option to disable that.

The AI recruitment seems good. Not that I've seen all the AI and their army comp. The AI also tries to sneak past your army on the campaign and try to attack an undefended city. Though I hope CA would add a personality that comes with two or three stacks once in a while.

In battle, I've lost a few open-field and some where the AI defends its city.

Looks promising.

[Roach]

My latest battle with Pontus on legendary was interesting. I have a full stack and got attacked by two stacks from two sides at a bridge. Normally, bridge battle maps are great places to be on the defense, but I knew that the 2nd enemy army would be reinforcing from behind me, so I set up back away from the river up a hill and waited.

The first enemy troops I saw was the reinforcing army marching in from my left to join their comrades, but once they met up they just sat in a defensive position on their side of the river. I went and fixed myself a quick dinner but they didn't attack me, so eventually I marched down and poked them with my ballista which convinced them to charge across the river. I won handily, losing only a chariot I didn't micro well enough, since they weren't able to use their ranged units hardly at all.

In an earlier battle I got my first opportunity to fight alongside a large allied army against two enemy stacks. I flanked right and we won pretty handily, but it didn't feel like the AI was completely inept but simply unable to handle my strong flanking maneuver. It wasn't a hard battle, but it was really cool to just watch so many units on the field fighting at once.

Once the AI is taught not to build so many ranged units, these battles will be quite fun.

[Remo]

I haven't seen much on this forum about patch 3 other than technical complaints (my battles are also running at a few FPS less than before), so wanted to talk about the battles which are vastly improved now.

- Fatigue is meaningful now, though I don't think they went far enough in this regard; troops should tire even more quickly. They also don't seem to take into account how much armour a soldier is wearing.

- Engagements now last longer. I've run a variety of custom battles to check this out. Finally engagements last long enough for us to do what we all like to; take a little break from the micromanagement to watch our troops duel back and forth. Though again, I'd like to see this extended a liiiiiitle bit further yet. Nearly there.

- Formations seem to hold much better now.

- Cavalry is much better at cutting down routing troops now, though not perfect. I remember it took them two patches to get this right in Medieval 2 as well.

- I love it how the player and the AI can choose to sally forth for an open field battle when one of their regions is attacked. I really dislike those village fights.

- There is a marked improvement in the battle AI now. It's much more aggressive. No longer can you missile them to death while they run around dazed and confused.

What are your experiences so far?

Was playing as Carthage about to attack a northern tribes city, usually they would let me but they cut me off before I reached the city with a stack and a half. So I set up a very wide 14 hoplite line to take them head on. The AI slammed into me with their infantry then did something unexpected. They actually flanked their cavalry ALL the way around my fairly wide line, mirroring my OWN cavalrys move on the opposite side. I did not foresee this as I have become rather lazy because of horrible AI. When I noticed it, it was too late. They slammed into my peltasts, I pulled my numidian cavalry back missing my chance for my own hammer and anvil, they ended getting routed before they could help. Their cavalry once finished with the Peltasts went for the strongest section of my lines. If anything the AI normally would have hit the closest next target, but no they went to the opposite side of my line, to the strongest area. Routed my entire right flank, I eventually won by pulling in my reserve from the other side. I was surprised win or no, that the AI would do something I had not expected.

Rome 2 has potential my friends, the AI is getting better. I have seen glimpses of the AI doing some crazy good stuff. Will report more if I see anything, along with screenshots this time if I can.

[acm_no1]

Was playing as Carthage about to attack a northern tribes city, usually they would let me but they cut me off before I reached the city with a stack and a half. So I set up a very wide 14 hoplite line to take them head on. The AI slammed into me with their infantry then did something unexpected. They actually flanked their cavalry ALL the way around my fairly wide line, mirroring my OWN cavalrys move on the opposite side. I did not foresee this as I have become rather lazy because of horrible AI. When I noticed it, it was too late. They slammed into my peltasts, I pulled my numidian cavalry back missing my chance for my own hammer and anvil, they ended getting routed before they could help. Their cavalry once finished with the Peltasts went for the strongest section of my lines. If anything the AI normally would have hit the closest next target, but no they went to the opposite side of my line, to the strongest area. Routed my entire right flank, I eventually won by pulling in my reserve from the other side. I was surprised win or no, that the AI would do something I had not expected.

Rome 2 has potential my friends, the AI is getting better. I have seen glimpses of the AI doing some crazy good stuff. Will report more if I see anything, along with screenshots this time if I can.

Yes, I almost lost 2 battles after updating to new patches, which I've never encountered before... they ACTUALLY FLANKED my side while their cavalry tried to counter charge my cavalry

now it's time to have better reserve infantry instead of clicking attack and massacre the AI...

[LSG]

It would be awesome if the fatigue was high enough so players and even AI would keep troops back in as reserves, would be a whole different game with tactics like that.

[Hadro]

Much improved BAI in my opinion with patch 3. I now feel like the BAI is the equal of shogun 2 fully updated. Which is good news! at patch 3 they have equalled my satisfaction with rome 2 to that of shogun 2. Can't wait to see what they keep developing!

[Lugotorix]

Much improved BAI in my opinion with patch 3. I now feel like the BAI is the equal of shogun 2 fully updated. Which is good news! at patch 3 they have equalled my satisfaction with rome 2 to that of shogun 2. Can't wait to see what they keep developing!

Glad I'm not the only one that's satisfied with this game.

[LSG]

I haven't noticed any changes to the CAI, has anyone else?

[Carlucio]

I heard that pikemans are even more bugged right now, anyone confirm?

[Kenios]

Disagree. CA have boosted troop morale to ridiculous levels. I had a very heavy horse unit charge a very light slinger unit head-on at the very edge of the army's formation, far from the general's influence circle. The slinger unit is still fighting when it has 9 men alive out of a 90 men unit. Is it some kind of super elite unit? Only when its numbers fell to 5 men, did the slingers finally break and rout.

[Humble Warrior]

Units were all sped up and given super low morale on purpose - To get the arcade crowd, finger twitch crowd. Think about it- they know from the past that no one here liked the speeds.

This Patching malarky, while it does fix things that really needed fixing was set up from the get go. They know what they`re doing - It`s all part of the plan.

[Sharpe]

Units were all sped up and given super low morale on purpose - To get the arcade crowd, finger twitch crowd. Think about it- they know from the past that no one here liked the speeds.

This Patching malarky, while it does fix things that really needed fixing was set up from the get go. They know what they`re doing - It`s all part of the plan.

OT: Yes much improved, I just fought a battle as Egypt against the Berbers and after they beat my core of crappy infantry they zoomed through the gap they created onto some high ground and formed a new position. Great stuff. I had to use my elites which were on the flanks to form a new battle line and take it head on, loads of casualties.