AI hoarding catapults??

**CelphTitled** · April 20, 2007, 04:15 PM

Im currently playing as the knights templar(very nicely done btw). the campaign and everything is great but it seems like egypt is hoarding way to many catapults in 1 stack. it is kinda cool when they bombard the **** out of your city, but they carry like 7-8 catapult squads per stack. Is that right??
are other AI nations hoarding catapults in their army as well, like egypt?

**Serious Spamurai** · April 20, 2007, 04:19 PM

It's a generalthing, the AI bases unit choices on Dmg + Def for the cost. Catapults cost roughly 400 florins to recruit and they do 64 (I think) damage, the AI seems to think that they are going to amazing, I mean they do 64dmg, however we know that isn't the truth. Upping cost doesn't stop them recruiting them as there is a limit to how much a unit can cost. Of course removing them from the game works, and it isn't all that bad, the AI actually attacks in seiges!

**CelphTitled** · April 20, 2007, 04:36 PM

hmm is there a way to possibly limit the amount of catapults or any other siege weapon for that matter...to like only be able to recruit 1 per say 10 turns? and also adding that any seige weapons cannot be qued more than 2 or so?

**Serious Spamurai** · April 20, 2007, 04:53 PM

Well yes, I never thought of that. You could edit the unit pool so that you couldn't build too many in a short space of time, that ought to do it I suppose.

**CelphTitled** · April 20, 2007, 05:51 PM

what file would i have to edit inorder to change it so? im assuming i would only be changing a few numbers here and there yea?

**King Kong** · April 20, 2007, 06:05 PM

Hi Celph Citled,

Well, I've also recognized that the AI occasionally still builds too much artillery.
Therefore I'll release a new patch tomorrow where the AI artillary production will be slightly decreased.

hmm is there a way to possibly limit the amount of catapults or any other siege weapon for that matter...to like only be able to recruit 1 per say 10 turns? and also adding that any seige weapons cannot be qued more than 2 or so?

Well, this is what I've done in my mod. For example the first artillery, the ballista, can be recruited one time in 5 turns.
In the second level of siege works you can build 1 catapult in 5 turns and 1 ballista in 10 turns. And so on...
And you can have only a maximum of 2 of one artillery unit.
The file to change the unit pools and availability is the export_description_buildings.txt.

Hi Serious Samurai,

Well yes, I never thought of that. You could edit the unit pool so that you couldn't build too many in a short space of time, that ought to do it I suppose.

That is exactly what I've done in my mod to force the AI to build more balanced and better armies.
Though I have thought that I have limited the artillary to a reasonable minimum, it seems that they still build little too much of it.
However, as I mentioned above, I'll improve this tomorrow...

**CelphTitled** · April 21, 2007, 12:36 PM

nice, is the new version gonna have more features? or is it more geared towards a fix?

**King Kong** · April 21, 2007, 04:40 PM

Hi Celph Titled,

Well I've made the patch mainly to eliminate most bugs and to make some balance tweaks.
However, there are also a few new things...

**Mike13531** · April 27, 2007, 10:07 AM

LOL, a hoards of catapults, wow, xD

**funkris28** · April 30, 2007, 06:02 PM

Hi KK,
Were trebuchets used on the field in battles when armies with seige trains were intercepted? I feel the trebuchets and catapults fire too fast on the field. I suggest reducing their rate of firing , hence rendering them less potnt on the field but still effective on the battle map. Also ballistas and cannons do not have reduced firing rates. so preferably used on the field. What do u guys think?

**Mike13531** · May 01, 2007, 05:11 PM

no offense , practise some more, if your guys are moving, the faster they are moving, less damage is done, try to make catapults and artileries your top priority to kill , or better yet, if its really too much , get couple more stack of army to siege, make them to be AI controled

**King Kong** · May 02, 2007, 07:38 AM

Hi funkris,

First of all, welcome to the forums!

And well, I doubt that artillery was used much in field battles historically, but actually I like some artillery in the field.
Imo, artillery in field battles is relatively ineffective unless you have much luck and hit tight enemy troops several times.
Also I don't think it would be reasonable to lower the fire rates, because then siege battles where the AI attacks would take much too long...

**Pachinko** · May 02, 2007, 11:58 AM

I have a issue for that artillary. It should not be in the battle field! It was a siege battles.

It took a long time to build it. You just dont tag along a trebuchet and battering ram etc... You had a build it. They called the engineer corps called "ingeniatores". Those people rare and very good there craft. They were payed very well.

**Pachinko** · May 02, 2007, 12:07 PM

Heres a good picture of trebuchet. Could u see the tagging along from let say France to Germany? I wouldnt.

http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Academy/7967/treb2.jpg

**King Kong** · May 03, 2007, 12:08 PM

Hi Pachinko,

Thanks for the notes!

And actually I totally agree with you; and if this could be done, I would make the artillery buildable like ladders, rams and siege towers.
Unfortunately I have not found a way to make this and probably it is hardcoded...

btw, your trebuchet pic is not being displayed.
Perhaps you have to chosse another format or you you've put in a wrong link?