Armys and upgrading units

[tbplayer59]

Does the AI Civs know the status of your army? Is it sound thinking to not upgrade your military units, saving the money for other uses, until you actually need them upgraded?

Does having older tech military invite DoW? Does having the best tech in your military units prevent DoW?

 

[fyar]

Yes, the AI knows. Upgrading your army definitely improves your diplomatic standing. Just look at the demographics screen under military strength. Upgrade a unit and you'll see that the number in that category increases. And the AI seems to always know where you are in that category, even though you can only know from the demographics screen your own value, the leader, and the lowest.

 

[redwings1340]

The AI knows the combined strength of your military, but doesn't look at tech, as far as I know. That means the AI generally overestimates the strength of a massive, low tech army, and underestimates the strength of a small, high tech army. That said, upgrading still does increase your combat strength, so it does provide a considerable increase in your military power. It also makes you more prepared for surprise DOWs, so it's often worth doing. This is definitely a judgement call though, based on your current situation.

 

[Volcanon]

If you have a huge army the AI will sometimes become "Afraid".

 

[sixty4half]

Yes, the AI knows. Upgrading your army definitely improves your diplomatic standing. Just look at the demographics screen under military strength. Upgrade a unit and you'll see that the number in that category increases. And the AI seems to always know where you are in that category, even though you can only know from the demographics screen your own value, the leader, and the lowest.

While that's true, you can hover your mouse over the Score for each civ, and it will come up with a Pop-Up of a breakdown of their score. It tells you how they come to that total score by giving you their score for Wonders, Population, Tech and Military as well as all the other things that make up the overall score. This is also more accurate as it gives you the total Military score, instead of just telling you the Ranking (1st, 2nd, last ect).

 

[Mesodius]

While that's true, you can hover your mouse over the Score for each civ, and it will come up with a Pop-Up of a breakdown of their score. It tells you how they come to that total score by giving you their score for Wonders, Population, Tech and Military as well as all the other things that make up the overall score. This is also more accurate as it gives you the total Military score, instead of just telling you the Ranking (1st, 2nd, last ect).

I like the 'Info Addict' mod, because it gives you a chart of everyones ranking on each category and the change over time. I didn't really download it to gain an advantage in the game, but rather because playing too many Paradox games made me develop a fetish for staring at charts and graphs.

 

[MechMedic130]

The key is to know your neighbor. You could be guarding your Capitol with a Scout in the Middle Ages and Morocco still probably won't DoW you, but you can be best friends with Dido and if she smells ANY weakness she'll flood your lands with Elephants.

 

[Primacide]

Awhile back, joncnunn posted a good rule of thumb regarding unit upgrades:

If you want to bait the AI into attacking you, leave units unupgraded but in good positions to BE upgraded and hold the line in one turn.

If you want to discourage the AI from attacking you, keep your units upgraded and on the periphery of your empire.

 

[Aea]

The key is to know your neighbor. You could be guarding your Capitol with a Scout in the Middle Ages and Morocco still probably won't DoW you, but you can be best friends with Dido and if she smells ANY weakness she'll flood your lands with Elephants.

Well, you can't ever be truly friends with Dido...

 

[fyar]

While that's true, you can hover your mouse over the Score for each civ, and it will come up with a Pop-Up of a breakdown of their score. It tells you how they come to that total score by giving you their score for Wonders, Population, Tech and Military as well as all the other things that make up the overall score. This is also more accurate as it gives you the total Military score, instead of just telling you the Ranking (1st, 2nd, last ect).

Hey, I didn't know that! Thanks for the tidbit!

 

[beetle]

That means the AI generally overestimates the strength of a massive, low tech army, and underestimates the strength of a small, high tech army.

This. Plus, the AI does not seem to factor promotions into its estimates at all. 1UPT makes a veteran worth two raw unpromoted recruits.

 

[komodowaran]

This. Plus, the AI does not seem to factor promotions into its estimates at all. 1UPT makes a veteran worth two raw unpromoted recruits.

thats wrong the AI factor's in promotions in there calculation of your military power
but they don't count it enough
the ai still thinks 3 infantrys with no promotions are stronger than 2 infantry with 2x cover and 3 rough terain

 

[beetle]

thats wrong the AI factor's in promotions in there calculation of your military power

Thanks, that is good to know!

but they don't count it enough

Can you share some of the maths?

The AI overestimates raw numbers versus higher tech units.
The AI overestimates raw numbers versus well promoted units.

I would be very curious to know the rough scale of these. Also, which estimation do you figure that the AI get more wrong?

 

[tbplayer59]

While that's true, you can hover your mouse over the Score for each civ, and it will come up with a Pop-Up of a breakdown of their score. It tells you how they come to that total score by giving you their score for Wonders, Population, Tech and Military as well as all the other things that make up the overall score. This is also more accurate as it gives you the total Military score, instead of just telling you the Ranking (1st, 2nd, last ect).

Which screen has the Score for each civ? One thing that frustrates me with this game is having to use those pull down menus. I played III a little, but a lot of Alpha Centauri, where they had those line graphs that would just pop up in rotation, so I always knew where I stood.