Does the AI cheat at both "very hard" and "legendary" level of difficulty?

[twgamer20197]

I'm just wondering if the AI cheats if you play a campaign at "very hard" or "legendary". If so, how does it cheat?

[Gyrosmeister]

Yes the AI cheats, it gets stuff like reduced upkeep, some food I think, extra recruitment slots etc

[twgamer20197]

Perhaps that's why some gamers play only at "hard" because they want fair play for both the AI and them...

[alhoon]

Unless things changed, the AI cheats even on normal.

[Morticia Iunia Bruti]

AI has had since RTW Boni in campaign and battle on higher difficulty levels, it would be even more easy to beaten without these boni.

A short summary about Boni (maybe outdated, maybe not):

[twgamer20197]

According to the video, then it means if someone wants fair play from the AI, the only option is playing at normal...

[Morticia Iunia Bruti]

Its not fair play, as AI is inferior to human player. The Boni compensate this a little bit.

[FootSoldier]

Yes, the AI cheats. In fact, that's all the AI does. It watches your every action and using info not available to the AI factions within the game it responds. The other factions are simply foils for the AI to "challenge" you within the game. They are not independently trying to conquer the world. All their activity is geared towards player challenges and dilemmas.

For better or worse all games do this.

At one time, long long ago, CA stated that they would try to produce a game where the other factions were genuinely independent, and operating on the same rules as the player. They said they failed (with MTW1). They stopped trying.

Of course players want to feel the AI is playing by the same rules as the player is. Most want a situation like a chess program where the same rules apply to both player and AI. The AI doesn't suddenly move a knight from one side of the board to the other. So far no game company has come up with such a game.

Other ways in which the AI cheats:
- spawning armies/fleets in fog of war areas, adding units to existing stacks
- lengthening AI moves on the strategic map and making AI units move faster in battle
- AI units and agents gain experience faster than the player
- AI diplomacy is easier than for the player, e.g. getting alliances or trade agreements

There's more, but again, all games do similar things. The game aims to challenge the player while still making it possible for the player to win. The difficulty settings control much of this

[Slaytaninc]

Are you having trouble with the game?

[Bran Mac Born]

There is no real AI in these games just scripted events. If there was a real AI then it would challenge the player. If that was the case no one would play the game as these are made for kids and they would not like to lose. I do not think we will see real AI in my lifetime....but I am an old man.

[Jake Armitage]

There is no real AI in these games just scripted events.

sad but true