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Thread: What "house rules" do you follow?

  1. #1

    Default What "house rules" do you follow?

    So I've been seeing that a lot of people are against invading other factions suddenly and with multiple armies in a single turn, to let the AI defend proplerly. Do you follow this "rule"? What other things do you do to give the AI better chances?

  2. #2

    Default Re: What "house rules" do you follow?

    Not too many to be honest, unlike many of the people here. The main things that i always do are:

    - Try to keep every faction alive, even if it is as a rump state in a region i give them.
    - Don't declare war on the AI unless they declare war first, this is because the AI isn't usually ready for it. The only caveat to this, is that when i want to wage war with a faction, i try to get a sort of casus belli for them, by being annoying on purpose (spies, sabotages, bad diplomacy, armies on their lands, etc.) - this usually gets the relationship low and they declare war. I find that more historical and fun that outright declaring war when you want to.
    - When the AI starts asking for peace, i accept it - just not the initial conditions, i try to make some "gain" over them, even if it is minor and just simbolic. The idea is to avoid a war that never ends.
    - Army composition: i limit the number of elites in each stack and the number of repeated units. I also try each army to reflect their "origin" as in geographical homeland, trying to use units around that area. But i don't make these things strict just overall guidelines to avoid very unrealistic armies.
    Last edited by Hellenikon; November 29, 2018 at 10:24 AM.

  3. #3

    Default Re: What "house rules" do you follow?

    Unless I am on a punitive expedition because the A.I. pissed me off with assassins, I release prisoners after every battle.

    I don't overdo cavalry and elites.

    I give the AI a chance to develop - it makes the mid and late games much more interesting.

    For some reason, I feel compelled to trigger the garrison script.

    No banners, no information about morale/fatigue. It's one of those house rules I am not really sure about - fear and fatigue can be noticed on the battlefield, the information would just take more time to reach the commander. However, I stick with it.

    There's probably some other house rules I follow, just can't remember right now.

  4. #4
    Jurand of Cracow's Avatar History and gameplay!
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    Default Re: What "house rules" do you follow?

    Me, I've mentioned it a few times - the assorted set of rules is here (and growing!).

  5. #5

    Default Re: What "house rules" do you follow?

    Thank you for the answers! Very interesting stuff right there, I'm enjoying a lot my campaign because I actually can't steamroll the AI but I'm starting to improve a lot and didn't want to sweep the AI. This will help a lot!

  6. #6

    Default Re: What "house rules" do you follow?

    Good post, Jurand! Thanks for the link, it reminded me of many house rules I use. Will update my list... eventually.

  7. #7

    Default Re: What "house rules" do you follow?

    Basically same as Jurand, but I do sometimes flank/chase with skirmishers and I do not use Allied Government.

    Edit: Also, I do use "Manage all settlements" as its just to much of a hassle, and I never declare war if I am already at war.
    Last edited by Wolf Priest; November 30, 2018 at 03:08 PM.

  8. #8

    Default Re: What "house rules" do you follow?

    Here we go again. Thanks Jurand.

    - I don't kill crappy generals
    - Armies must be led into battle by a FM
    - Cities can only recruit/build when an FM is present. In the case of Carthage, Rome or similarish factions, only elected generals may levy troops
    - I do keep agents in field armies to help keep them loyal. I find it completely historical to keep people in check through fear. They can still rebel even if agents are present, it's just less likely
    -I don't bait garrisons out of cities
    -I don't build watchtowers to lure enemies, but I do build a lot of them because I want a complete picture of my domains at all times
    - I do not retrain any depleted units, I merge them. Retraining may be done on full sized units if experience can be boosted in another city (better training grounds)
    - I don't send missile units to fire at the back of the enemy while they are fighting my troops in melee. I try to avoid all manner of friendly fire, unlike that Bolton guy
    - I am not a fan of artillery units. Some of my armies do use light arrow throwers in the field, though.

    There's probably more lol

  9. #9
    Jurand of Cracow's Avatar History and gameplay!
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    Default Re: What "house rules" do you follow?

    Quote Originally Posted by Rad View Post
    - Armies must be led into battle by a FM
    - Cities can only recruit/build when an FM is present.
    If the EBII team would consider it right, then there's not very difficult ways to implement it in practice - described in this entry.

  10. #10

    Default Re: What "house rules" do you follow?

    In addition to some of the rules already mentioned:- load and unload armies and characters onto and off fleets only at harbours - auto-manage settlements with client rulers (only building, not recruitment to avoid unit spam), can be disabled if low on funds, but don't build manually- keep reasonable garrisons in every city, even in cities far removed from the fighting. A few levies and maybe one or two proper unites, but no elites (except for special reasons, see below)- role play the usage of elites. Royal guards only and always with the leader and heir, even when they just sit in towns (example: pedites extraordinarii only with consuls, hetaroi only with those with proper traits)

  11. #11

    Default Re: What "house rules" do you follow?

    Quote Originally Posted by Rad View Post
    Unless I am on a punitive expedition because the A.I. pissed me off with assassins, I release prisoners after every battle.

    I don't overdo cavalry and elites.
    I do not quite understand what is the need to give the AI those kinds of concessions. I am playing on normal battle difficulty and what I assume to be the hard campaign difficulty (not sure what I picked and cannot figure it out now). I am playing without initiating agression, yet there are plenty of factions doing that for me. There is so much hostility regardless and troubles maintaining finances, public order, and defenses that there is no way for me to blitzkrieg my way over the campaign map.

    Much of the time I am simply managing resources and trying to fend off invading forces. Trying to muster invasion forces of my own usually leaves my regions poorly defended. Recruiting too many elite forces will hurt my finances, and too many cavalry units will simply not do against the waves of spearmen that the AI sends my way. In vanilla RTW cavalry was seriously overpowered, enemies underpowered, and the game in general was way too easy once one learned to play effectively. I find the mod very balanced and unforgiving.

  12. #12

    Default Re: What "house rules" do you follow?

    I usually play on VH battle difficulty. However, I recently played on Hard battle difficulty for the first time in... well, forever. I actually found it more enjoyable than VH because the AI isn't suicidial. Unfortunately, Hard AI's rather limited survival instincts make it all to easy to destroy entire armies by routing/capturing/enslaving them after the battle - even if you end the battle as soon as all the units are routed.

    Hence the "mercy". It's a house rule I use in order to not cause ahistorically high levels of casualties on the enemy side.

    Spamming cavalry and elites would just make it more difficult for the AI.

  13. #13

    Default Re: What "house rules" do you follow?

    Quote Originally Posted by Rad View Post
    I usually play on VH battle difficulty. However, I recently played on Hard battle difficulty for the first time in... well, forever. I actually found it more enjoyable than VH because the AI isn't suicidial. Unfortunately, Hard AI's rather limited survival instincts make it all to easy to destroy entire armies by routing/capturing/enslaving them after the battle - even if you end the battle as soon as all the units are routed.

    Hence the "mercy". It's a house rule I use in order to not cause ahistorically high levels of casualties on the enemy side.

    Spamming cavalry and elites would just make it more difficult for the AI.
    I have been testing AIGenerals Hitpoints and saw that having AIGenerals with 3 Hitpoints makes the battles harder (but still realistic), since the Generals will live longer, fight more and the usual route will take a bit longer to start, which in some cases may be too late for the player to win. You should try that

  14. #14

    Default Re: What "house rules" do you follow?

    Quote Originally Posted by Lusitanio View Post
    I have been testing AIGenerals Hitpoints and saw that having AIGenerals with 3 Hitpoints makes the battles harder (but still realistic), since the Generals will live longer, fight more and the usual route will take a bit longer to start, which in some cases may be too late for the player to win. You should try that
    What is EB 2.35 value for AIGenerals Hitpoints? Don't know where to check or tweak... Thanks in advance!

    By the way, how was the testing about increasing AI money limit from 30000 to 50000?

  15. #15

    Default Re: What "house rules" do you follow?

    Quote Originally Posted by jdofo View Post
    What is EB 2.35 value for AIGenerals Hitpoints? Don't know where to check or tweak... Thanks in advance!

    By the way, how was the testing about increasing AI money limit from 30000 to 50000?
    I'm not sure right now, because I already altered the values of my build, but I think its still the same (No hitpoints for Level 1 AIGeneral, 1 Hitpoint for level 2 and 2 Hitpoints for level 3)

    For others who may want to try other values, take in consideration that I already tested AI Generals with 5 Hitpoints and I had some battles were the AI General just didn't died, even isolated from his units, it took like 2 minutes to kill him. So 3 Hitpoints should be the max (but try giving 3 to all levels).

    To change the value you have to open export_descr_character_traits.txt. Use Notepad++ (not Windows Notepad), and do a search for AIGeneral. If the game doesn't crash on startup, you did it right. The EDCT is unforgiving that way, any errors crash the game before you get anywhere. Don't forget to add a hit points line to the first level of AIGeneral!

    Well, I didn't started that testing yet, but I plan on doing it very soon.

  16. #16

    Default Re: What "house rules" do you follow?

    Worth noting the higher your campaign difficulty, the greater the chances of AIGeneral being 2 or 3, rather than the first level.

  17. #17

    Default Re: What "house rules" do you follow?

    Quote Originally Posted by Septentrionalis View Post
    I do not quite understand what is the need to give the AI those kinds of concessions. I am playing on normal battle difficulty and what I assume to be the hard campaign difficulty (not sure what I picked and cannot figure it out now). I am playing without initiating agression, yet there are plenty of factions doing that for me. There is so much hostility regardless and troubles maintaining finances, public order, and defenses that there is no way for me to blitzkrieg my way over the campaign map.

    Much of the time I am simply managing resources and trying to fend off invading forces. Trying to muster invasion forces of my own usually leaves my regions poorly defended. Recruiting too many elite forces will hurt my finances, and too many cavalry units will simply not do against the waves of spearmen that the AI sends my way. In vanilla RTW cavalry was seriously overpowered, enemies underpowered, and the game in general was way too easy once one learned to play effectively. I find the mod very balanced and unforgiving.
    I felt the same at the start of my campaign, but after consolidating economy, defeating invaders, and making good alliances I'm in a very strong position now. I think when you develop your faction more, you will notice that the AI needs some "help" if you don't want to steamroll

  18. #18

    Default Re: What "house rules" do you follow?

    Does anyone know how to hide the morale and fatigue info that shows up when your mouse is over a unit? I forgot :/

  19. #19

    Default Re: What "house rules" do you follow?

    Quote Originally Posted by gangster19 View Post
    I felt the same at the start of my campaign, but after consolidating economy, defeating invaders, and making good alliances I'm in a very strong position now. I think when you develop your faction more, you will notice that the AI needs some "help" if you don't want to steamroll
    Thanks for the pointer. My most important house rule is not to use the status scrolls at all; I only use spies or diplomats to scout out the cities and territories of any potential enemy or ally to get a rough idea of their standing. The only assassin missions I give is to counter enemy assassins.

    Out of curiosity, at what point did you consolidate things in the way you described? I am playing Rome at around 200 turns and with slightly over 30 regions. I have had times of relative peace and wealth during which money was accumulating faster than I could spend it on infrastructure (leading to increased recruiting). I already commended myself as a good governor of a state at some point until things turned sour with insufficient funds and escalating conflicts. All that seems quite natural though and adds to my perception of immersion in the game. That is why I used the words "balanced and unforgiving" in describing my experience with the mod. It really delivers on many levels at least at this point. As for your heads up about the AI needing help, I now realize that I have never really been very close to losing a city, so I guess I am having an upper hand even at the moment when my resources seem scarce.

  20. #20

    Default Re: What "house rules" do you follow?

    Quote Originally Posted by Septentrionalis View Post
    Thanks for the pointer. My most important house rule is not to use the status scrolls at all; I only use spies or diplomats to scout out the cities and territories of any potential enemy or ally to get a rough idea of their standing. The only assassin missions I give is to counter enemy assassins.

    Out of curiosity, at what point did you consolidate things in the way you described? I am playing Rome at around 200 turns and with slightly over 30 regions. I have had times of relative peace and wealth during which money was accumulating faster than I could spend it on infrastructure (leading to increased recruiting). I already commended myself as a good governor of a state at some point until things turned sour with insufficient funds and escalating conflicts. All that seems quite natural though and adds to my perception of immersion in the game. That is why I used the words "balanced and unforgiving" in describing my experience with the mod. It really delivers on many levels at least at this point. As for your heads up about the AI needing help, I now realize that I have never really been very close to losing a city, so I guess I am having an upper hand even at the moment when my resources seem scarce.
    My longest campaign with Koinon Hellenon (greek polis) has been an incredible rollercoaster. I started very bad with Epeiros and Makedonia invading me (I had only Athens left). Luckily the Getai started a war against them and kept'em busy. So until turn 40 or so I didn't come back to the original settlements of my campaign. I think till turn 200 or so I wasn't able to start a war or invade a country, because bad economy and keeping enemies out of my borders. After some "defensive" wars against Ptolemaics and Seleukids I captured some undefended settlements and kept expanding through Turkey and all the Eastern mediterranean (I think this regions are the wealthiest). So after that I was an economic power, like at turn 350 or so. At this point I started to use "house rules", like not invading suddenly a faction and destroy them in a single turn.

    But at first I suffered a lot, and even in the late game, Rome invaded my western cities but I was able to defend and push'em back.

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