Fans suggestion thread for future releases

[wermez]

Is it possible to lead AI armies to a certain province by using script?

[QuintusSertorius]

Is it possible to lead AI armies to a certain province by using script?

Yes, but it's by no means foolproof, and is only reliable with one also spawned by script (so it can have a labelled named character leading it). When it gets there, it will also need scripting to make it do what is desired, otherwise it's likely to just wander off.

[wermez]

Interesting. Once you build a empire of 7-8 provinces, nothing can really stop you from conquering the world. Something like Cimbrian invasion or landing of few roman stacks in north africa.

[Beckitz]

Has the team ever considered including some more ways to boost public order through the building tree?

The question came to me the other day in a Sweboz campaign I am playing. I just recently conquered Italy and then Greece (after the obligatory halftime conquest of Gaul), with a great character who really smacked of the 'civilizing' type who would take a particular interest in accommodating himself to the sophisticated governance of urban polities. However I think that the idea is more universal. Initially I tried to set out and create a number of new Germanic provinces in Northern Italy as well as Attica and Thessalia, and only chose client rulers for the remainder. Of course, that didn't go so easily and I wound up having to return their privileges and make all of them client states when I came back from Gaul. I liked that a lot, as it had a great touch of realism balanced with gameplay. Now I am dismayed however. Despite my pragmatic move, the unrest is growing again as the population grows. I am aware of the granary building tree, which represents a type of grain dole to the populace. And I know that, in Italy at least, I can use the Games for a number of eligible cities. However, would the team ever consider adding any additional buildings or other trees, which represent additional types of privileges, indulgences, or ploys a ruler could try in a city to conciliate the people?

Some ideas off the top of my head:

- Government-manipulated crime inquisition and trial (show trials basically to wipe out dissidents and enemies under the aegis of morals and taste)
- Special mercantile and traffic rights (removing duties and taxes on certain commercial activities)
- Government-sponsored victory festival (claim supremacy over your rivals and advertise your power)

The notion being that these types of buildings could be quick and maybe even cheap to build, but inflict steep penalties to settlement income until the player deletes them. I am aware of at least one issue with this idea (the potential for gross misuse by the AI)...what do you all think?

[Rendon]

These are partially questions and partially suggestions, so apologies if its been addressed elsewhere already.

First, shouldn't the Kleruch settler guard cavalry, or some kind of levantine equivalent be available in some form or another outside of Egypt? My understanding is that the Kleruch were imported by the Ptolemies to form a domestically sourced elite cavalry unit below the status of the Mounted Royal Guards present in most Hellenic kingdoms (Hetaroi or regional equivalent). Did the Seleucid dynasty not attempt to do the same in Syria and Mesopotamia, or did they have no need to do so?

Second. surely Cappadocia deserves some form of semi-elite regional Lancer unit similar to the Hippomachoi? After all, the area was famed for producing such riders.

[QuintusSertorius]

The Kleruchoi Agema are a very specific solution to the need for heavy cavalry in Egypt. The Seleukids settled Thessalians in Syria as their chosen solution to that same problem.

[Gunydii]

I'm wondering if there should be some slight tinkering with the starting situation in Greece.

As the human player (especially as Epeiros) is highly exploitable. If you lead the FM in Ambrakia South and pass Thermon to the North then hire mercs, and take Thessaly and Corinth by turn 2 (you have a fair chance to take Corinth on turn 1), you take out the Antigonids without having to go near the doom stack near Pella.

The opposite is potentially sort of true, you can take Ambrakia and Pella before they take Sparta. Depending if Rome goes before Eperios at end turn (idk if this actually happens) they could lose Taras before taking Sparta hence be defeated more or less at game's start.

A small rebel stack hanging north of Thermon would make this much harder. Then again the team may think its not worth trying to stop all the 'gamey' ways people may try and win.

[Kull]

I'm wondering if there should be some slight tinkering with the starting situation in Greece.

As the human player (especially as Epeiros) is highly exploitable. If you lead the FM in Ambrakia South and pass Thermon to the North then hire mercs, and take Thessaly and Corinth by turn 2 (you have a fair chance to take Corinth on turn 1), you take out the Antigonids without having to go near the doom stack near Pella.

The opposite is potentially sort of true, you can take Ambrakia and Pella before they take Sparta. Depending if Rome goes before Eperios at end turn (idk if this actually happens) they could lose Taras before taking Sparta hence be defeated more or less at game's start.

A small rebel stack hanging north of Thermon would make this much harder. Then again the team may think its not worth trying to stop all the 'gamey' ways people may try and win.

Have you tested these scenarios? If so, how frequently are they successful? As to your last question, in general the team is not able to eliminate every possible human-player exploit (since that's essentially impossible), but in some cases its worth it.

[Gunydii]

Have you tested these scenarios? If so, how frequently are they successful? As to your last question, in general the team is not able to eliminate every possible human-player exploit (since that's essentially impossible), but in some cases its worth it.

As Epirus I can say its 100% doable, I've seen Gonatas the rebel, as Macedonia I'm speculating. As Epirus I couldn't guarantee its doable 100% of the time, but I've just tested it for at least the third time.

The key thing to note is you can besiege both Macedonian cities turn 1. which means you can take them both before the Macedonian turn 2, when they take Pella (unless ofc you spend your Merc budget there).

As a guess it looks like the 'root cause' is the Gonatas doomstack being scripted to attack Pella even if they're about to lose Thessaly. Options to fix the Epirus exploit could include either deplete Merc pools, even if its just for a turn, put a small group of rebels north of Thermon or have an extra check in the Gonatas script.

I'm fine if the team has better things to do with its time, it was just a laugh when I discovered this 'honestly'.

[Kull]

As Epirus I can say its 100% doable, I've seen Gonatas the rebel, as Macedonia I'm speculating. As Epirus I couldn't guarantee its doable 100% of the time, but I've just tested it for at least the third time.

The key thing to note is you can besiege both Macedonian cities turn 1. which means you can take them both before the Macedonian turn 2, when they take Pella (unless ofc you spend your Merc budget there).

As a guess it looks like the 'root cause' is the Gonatas doomstack being scripted to attack Pella even if they're about to lose Thessaly. Options to fix the Epirus exploit could include either deplete Merc pools, even if its just for a turn, put a small group of rebels north of Thermon or have an extra check in the Gonatas script.

I'm fine if the team has better things to do with its time, it was just a laugh when I discovered this 'honestly'.

Yeah, I just tested this and it does work. Definitely gamey because you need to hire mercs (of the troops in Ambrakia, only the FM can reach Demetrias on T1) and even then you still need to sell improvements in order to give him a half stack. We'll talk about it - 1st/2nd turn decapitation strikes are something we try to ensure against.

[isa0005]

My god I swear the battle ai in this mod is semi-sentient!

[Roma_Victrix]

My god I swear the battle ai in this mod is semi-sentient!

I agree. It's almost like playing chess or something. It's very invigorating. Even when you're just besieging a settlement that has like 4 units in it, it still plays out like an epic siege where the enemy is pecking at you and finding every opportunity to survive, outmaneuver your forces, and lash out viciously when you show any weak spots.

[alex33]

I agree. It's almost like playing chess or something. It's very invigorating. Even when you're just besieging a settlement that has like 4 units in it, it still plays out like an epic siege where the enemy is pecking at you and finding every opportunity to survive, outmaneuver your forces, and lash out viciously when you show any weak spots.

looks at this... remembers back to a few days ago when I destroyed the whole glitched out pergamese garisson with a Linhobolos xD I dunno. Never really noticed that the AI is smart they tend to still suicide Generals without assitance in my Phalanx. They sadly also can't handle phalanx warfare at all. I wonder if premade formations would change that

[Roma_Victrix]

looks at this... remembers back to a few days ago when I destroyed the whole glitched out pergamese garisson with a Linhobolos xD I dunno. Never really noticed that the AI is smart they tend to still suicide Generals without assitance in my Phalanx. They sadly also can't handle phalanx warfare at all. I wonder if premade formations would change that

You and I must be playing a different game altogether. I literally just played a siege as Makedonia where the enemy Ptolemaic armies not only tried to out-flank me at every opportunity, but when the AI realized I had taken the walls and was moving my Oxybeles artillery into the city to shoot at their troops clustered in the city square, they wisely shifted their troops (including three family members) into one of the streets leading to the square. This allowed them to use buildings to block artillery fire, so that I could only really fire at a few units of theirs that were still able to hold the square for quite a while.

If that's not sentience and problem-solving on the part of the AI, then I don't know what it is!

[Pooploop]

Shouldn't the Jewish skirmishers have pants? They kinda look too much like Carians. Also, shouldn't the current Carians be more heavily armored (they were noted for it, Herodotus himself mentioned it)?

[Rad]

Defensive siege AI is really good. In some of my campaigns, I really felt that the defenders are making me fight for every inch of the place.

[Roma_Victrix]

I'd like to make a humble suggestion that the EBII team consider making an armor upgrade for the Machairophoroi or a different unit altogether for a Hellenistic heavy swordsman. The Thorakitai are great solid spearmen and javelin-chuckers, but it would be nice to have a sword-wielding heavy infantry equivalent to match them. I'm pretty sure it would be historically accurate as well, since a lot of units in EBII actually often carried a lot more sidearm weaponry than the hard-coded limit of two weapons available to each unit. In fact, the Thorakitai already have swords holstered to their side with a strap around their torso! What a tease!



So yeah, it would be awesome if we could have some swordsmen of the same caliber for Greek factions.

Defensive siege AI is really good. In some of my campaigns, I really felt that the defenders are making me fight for every inch of the place.

"Those are brave men out there...let's go kill them!" - HBO show (you damn well know which one)

[NapoleonMaster]

I'd like to make a humble suggestion that the EBII team consider making an armor upgrade for the Machairophoroi or a different unit altogether for a Hellenistic heavy swordsman. The Thorakitai are great solid spearmen and javelin-chuckers, but it would be nice to have a sword-wielding heavy infantry equivalent to match them. I'm pretty sure it would be historically accurate as well, since a lot of units in EBII actually often carried a lot more sidearm weaponry than the hard-coded limit of two weapons available to each unit. In fact, the Thorakitai already have swords holstered to their side with a strap around their torso! What a tease!



So yeah, it would be awesome if we could have some swordsmen of the same caliber for Greek factions.

You already have heavy swordsmen with the Peltastai Makedones.

I wouldn't waste a unit slot for a "heavier" version of Machairaphoroi, an armour upgrade will be enough imo.

I would rather use that slot for the central asian roster or for the Germanic factions than to make another "heavier" version of a unit.

[Roma_Victrix]

You already have heavy swordsmen with the Peltastai Makedones.

I wouldn't waste a unit slot for a "heavier" version of Machairaphoroi, an armour upgrade will be enough imo.

I would rather use that slot for the central asian roster or for the Germanic factions than to make another "heavier" version of a unit.

I played Europa Barbarorum II v. 2.2b for the longest time, so playing as Makedonia in v. 2.3 I only recently discovered that the Peltastai Makedones can now still be recruited after the Thorakitai reform event (I'm on turn #239 at the moment). However, they still eventually disappear from the roster, right? If so that's enough justification to allow the Machairophoroi to have an armor upgrade at the very least, after losing a viable heavy swordsman unit.

[alex33]

I played Europa Barbarorum II v. 2.2b for the longest time, so playing as Makedonia in v. 2.3 I only recently discovered that the Peltastai Makedones can now still be recruited after the Thorakitai reform event (I'm on turn #239 at the moment). However, they still eventually disappear from the roster, right? If so that's enough justification to allow the Machairophoroi to have an armor upgrade at the very least, after losing a viable heavy swordsman unit.

they don‘t dissapear in any hellenistoc faction afaik.