Dear AI, Please build an Army , pretty please

[MadRat]

*shakes head*

Note: This is my experience only - your may vary

What happened folks? In every game I am playing at the King level I am seeing even LESS military than any previous version of Civ V. Warfare is now an absolute pushover if you have 1 or 2 siege units. The Ai seems to either not build cities (or anything at all) or just spams settlers, despite being at war with 2 other civs. The CS now build respectable militaries and sadly are more powerful then many mid game civs.

I remember at vanilla I would get swarmed by hordes, but dumb hordes. AFter patch 1 the suicide factor was lower but the armies were smaller; no wit seems teh AI is even smarter, so smart it doesn't build much of a military at all.

I love the new diplo changes and tweaks, but seriously at the AI poses no milt threat now.

Rat

[PrAyTeLLa]

I had a swarm of Monty's archers and warriors nearly take my city (well they did but I may have accidently reloaded) and all I had was a warrior to defend. Think he had 3 or 4 archers, and about 5 or 6 warriors. Luckily the stronger city was able to hold them off while it and another close city was bombarding. Really the update city strength increase was the only thing that saved me, plus I was able to get my iron mine just in time to upgrade the warrior when my city was at its last points, and was able to rush another to push them back. Once my 2nd swordsman was on the move and they lost a couple of their warriors, the archers headed home but I got them all in the end.

The only funny thing I noticed was that he only built one city (his capital). He obviosuly spent most of his time building an army, as by the time I saw him with a settler I was able to capture it and then seige the city which took ages to conquer (basically got Steel before I was able to assault it without seige units which is awesome). I had 3 cities and the other neighbours 5 or 6, but they didnt seem to have much of an army til later.

[hardcore_gamer]

Originally Posted by PrAyTeLLa

I had a swarm of Monty's archers and warriors nearly take my city (well they did but I may have accidently reloaded) and all I had was a warrior to defend. Think he had 3 or 4 archers, and about 5 or 6 warriors. Luckily the stronger city was able to hold them off while it and another close city was bombarding. Really the update city strength increase was the only thing that saved me, plus I was able to get my iron mine just in time to upgrade the warrior when my city was at its last points, and was able to rush another to push them back. Once my 2nd swordsman was on the move and they lost a couple of their warriors, the archers headed home but I got them all in the end.

The only funny thing I noticed was that he only built one city (his capital). He obviosuly spent most of his time building an army, as by the time I saw him with a settler I was able to capture it and then seige the city which took ages to conquer (basically got Steel before I was able to assault it without seige units which is awesome). I had 3 cities and the other neighbours 5 or 6, but they didnt seem to have much of an army til later.

This, plus I have seen the AI build plenty of units. Not a huge amount but still at least enough to be dangerous. And I am playing on Prince.

I guess the OP is just being unlucky.

Almost everything about the game has become better after the patch.

[TheHarshax]

I've played twice, since the patch. Once on king, once on prince. One random pangea, one earth, respectively. Both times Napoleon field huge armies, of at least 12 units. On King, Napoleon steam rolled every city I took from China, using artillery and his foreign legions. I had about 3 Infantry and 2 Artillery and he soundly routed my army. I fell back to a one tile choke point and turtled. His response was to attempt a naval invasion at the other end of my country. I was able to fight him off there as well, barely. When I popped Satellites, I saw he had control of more than 50% of the map. He started fielding mechanized infantry, I could see that there was no way I could beat him.

On prince, he owned all of Europe, spent most of the time at war with Arabia and conquered much of Africa, then turned on Japan in East Europe and northern Asia. I know Oda was far behind tech-wise, even though he was ICS'ing. Rifleman vs. Samurai. Didn't see Arabia forces at all.

I was his next target, but I won the space victory just as he was setting up.

The AI is truly random. I think the OP just saw a particularly silly mix of random flavors in the AI.

[joyous_gard]

Originally Posted by TheHarshax

I've played twice, since the patch. Once on king, once on prince. One random pangea, one earth, respectively. Both times Napoleon field huge armies, of at least 12 units. On King, Napoleon steam rolled every city I took from China, using artillery and his foreign legions. I had about 3 Infantry and 2 Artillery and he soundly routed my army. I fell back to a one tile choke point and turtled. His response was to attempt a naval invasion at the other end of my country. I was able to fight him off there as well, barely. When I popped Satellites, I saw he had control of more than 50% of the map. He started fielding mechanized infantry, I could see that there was no way I could beat him.

On prince, he owned all of Europe, spent most of the time at war with Arabia and conquered much of Africa, then turned on Japan in East Europe and northern Asia. I know Oda was far behind tech-wise, even though he was ICS'ing. Rifleman vs. Samurai. Didn't see Arabia forces at all.

I was his next target, but I won the space victory just as he was setting up.

The AI is truly random. I think the OP just saw a particularly silly mix of random flavors in the AI.

Sounds like an epic AI game. I'd like to see that save game. AI using Artillery correctly, identifying a chokepoint and creating a navy to open a second front. It's all so amazing.

[MadRat]

I'd love to have those games you guys are having. I am getting game after game of wimpy AI that is content to just spam settlers and just be content going ICS hell. It is annoying at best having friendly relations with everyone around you and you encounter a new civ at AD 1100 and they have 28 cities, happiness in the 70s and 0 army and top tech and score. Yet to beat them I have to fight my way through 28 seiges, destroy my happiness (and by extention my economy) all the while the AI is blossoming cities out of its south end? It feels like some kind of perverse TBS hell; like being in an afterlife with 100 virgins and they all the the clap.

Rat

[Gort]

Is it the "flavour" settings, perhaps? Montezuma obviously will have a high military setting. Which AIs are people seeing not building armies? Gandhi, perhaps?

[MadRat]

Originally Posted by Gort

Is it the "flavour" settings, perhaps? Montezuma obviously will have a high military setting. Which AIs are people seeing not building armies? Gandhi, perhaps?

It varies.. my current game Askia had 4 cities and whopping 1 warrior in ~ 1550 AD.

Rat

[hardcore_gamer]

Originally Posted by Gort

Is it the "flavour" settings, perhaps? Montezuma obviously will have a high military setting. Which AIs are people seeing not building armies? Gandhi, perhaps?

In my game Ghandi has one of the largest armies in the world and has waged a number of wars against his neighbors.

[Kyroshill]

In my current game... Alex got all huffy as soon as I settled my 2nd city (apparently HE wanted that spot)...

So as time passes... I see Alex putting more and more warriors "on maneuvers" along my borders... so I stick a horse and scout out there to get a look....

He's got 15 warriors and 2 swords!! LOL... guess we're going to war soon!!