Anyone else miss the early aggressive AI from GnK?

[Astennu]

Recently in my BNW games I've noted how incredibly easy it is to build up early infrastructure. I have managed to finish with a score of 2500+ in my games and build 15+ wonders in my capital as Spain, Venice and Russia (Immortal difficulty) and I attribute it largely to having no early fear of being invaded and having to focus on building an army.

With the exception of starting next to Shaka or Attila I'm free to build and expand my empire.

By contrast in GnK I remember getting dogpiled by 3 different Civs early on regardless of who they were.

Perhaps the aggressive AI was a bit much in Gnk but it wouldn't hurt to at least instill some fear in the player of having to worry about early war.

I also think it much too easy to sign a peace treaty with an opposing AI. In Gnk if my opponent was much stronger than me it would be really hard to get peace. In BNW they'll offer you peace at a high price, which you can just basically reject and still get peace without having to trade any gold, luxes or cities.

I know that once Ideologies come around the AI is more willing to wage war on you if you adopt an opposing Ideology, but by that time my cities are large enough and my armies big enough to not worry about any threat (unless the AI is REALLY crafty with bombers, nukes etc, which rarely happens)

I'm not suggesting a return to the all out war of GnK, but I think the BnW AI should be a bit more aggressive and not willing to make peace so easily, especially if the war is going it in its favour.

 

[Ryika]

Aggressive and Expansive AI - Enjoy.

But I actually like the "civilized" AI in BNW. It fits into the whole Concept of the Expansion.

 

[Astennu]

Cheers, I'll try the mod tonight.

I'd also like to add, there is nothing more satisfying than sludging through the early game against annoying warmongers who may even capture a couple of your cities, then making it through to the industrial age and then dominating them with bombers and artillery (its near impossible to conquer aggressive Civs with just cannons as siege, especially with rough terrain)

 

[Arcaian]

(its near impossible to conquer aggressive Civs with just cannons as siege, especially with rough terrain)

Jesus, the one time in G&K I was fighting against Monty, he hadn't chopped almost any jungle, had like 6 promoted jaguars and they were muskets with incredible movement through the jungle as well as incredible defence there. I literally gave up, just stopped his expansion and then bombed the hell out of it later.

 

[Memoryjar]

Did you try Deity ?

 

[Astennu]

Did you try Deity ?

Hmmm, good point. Although I doubt that it increases the likeliness of AI to declare war, just gives them more bonuses.

 

[Callonia]

I watched byzantines forward settle on iroquois and hiawatha was like eh and decided to go piety. >_> When normally that is an recipe for hordes of angry mohawk warriors to descend onto unfortunate victim xD

 

[Walter R]

Not at all, I'm still playing G&K!

 

[Abraxis]

I really don't. I mean, I didn't hate it, at the time, but I prefer the way it is now.

In gods and kings, you really just need that early military for the inevitable early declaration of war, and so that became a priority in early build orders. Once you had your units, defending that early rush wasn't really a problem. And knowing it was coming kind of didn't make it much of a challenge.

The way it is now, these early rushes don't happen very often. Really tempting the player to avoid building an early military in favor of getting your infrastructure off the ground quicker. It allows for warmongers to be distinguished by their marked early build-up of forces, and the uncertainty requires a little more awareness and forethought on the player's side to prepare for these attacks.

It also makes barbarians a bit more of a potential issue. When you always had a strong early army they were pretty much just walking training dummies. They still are, but at least now they can sort of catch you unprepared sometimes and delay your workers.

This is all from a defensive point of view though.

 

[Memoryjar]

Hmmm, good point. Although I doubt that it increases the likeliness of AI to declare war, just gives them more bonuses.

Then, try Deity.

You're right about peace treaty. AIs offer peace with high price for you faster. Thanks to a bug you can have just a peace deal (I exploit it, without I'm nearly unable to manage early war). If you don't exploit it, you'll have you're early warfare.