dreadknought
timelord
Ok this is a thread for those people who wont to add a better AI driven opp. to their games. If you dont wont a serious challenge and simple wont to bash the computer to death then stop here.
This in a nut-shell explains the use of larger armies by the computer. You will need to add the ability to make armies without leaders to several wonders (you choose which) or as some as suggested add this to your palace. Then allow up to 10 units to stack into armies. Heres why.
1.0 The computer will attack you better and smarter. The AI tends to attack with units that one on one you have the advantage over with defense bonuses-artillery plus you are better organized. However in armies the AI actually negates this to a large degree. For example I recently saw the AI attack with an army of 10 fanatics (DYP MOD) and you might say so what. Well with a defense of 1 normally they wouldnt last but in a army they get to get their att6 shots in and retreat to the next unit as they are damaged.Hmm all of a sudden this is a formidable foe as they have alot of attack strengh and the defense of an army unit.
2.0 the AI USES this as well as you maybe better. In testing the AI will always retreat with a large army after its hit points get low enough which preserves its strengh. You can chase the army to destroy it but if you are being attacked by more than 1 army you will often be tied down and the damaged army will retreat and heal and attack again. Thus the AIS units are much more difficult to completely kill off.
3.0 Since the army counts as 1 unit on transport it is easier to see larger attacks with much less loading and unloading of units.
4.0 Less moves for the AI and you gives you overall quicker games. IF the AI has 50 units to move it will take up some time but if the AI has 5 armies to move 1 turn each thats just 5 moves you have to wait through.
5.0
More realistic in a historic sense. Great battles are normally fought with large armies with many divisions facing off that can retreat and charge and support each other. An AI 10 unit division better represents what real combat is like as rarely do you see entire armies completely wiped out without retreating though there are exceptions to this when a civ is really over matched and you can destrory AI armies its just harder.
6.0 More decisive results in combat. In general you will see less upsets like spearman beating tanks if armies fight each other as the better units will tend to win over a 10 unit spread from a numbers standpoint.
7.0 A better victory overall. There is a cooler feeling beating a nice large AI army and a lower low seeing one of your armies defeated.
8.0 The big advantage you have using artillery is reduced alot against AI armies as they can absorb this better.
A couple points I would suggest. Always give the AI 20 free units in the difficulty settings so that even a small civ can defend itself but tone downthe free units per city per govt settings. In general have the AI build growth-trade-production-culture as its main builds as it will play better and build more productive cities. I am also considering giving armies a defensive bombard to simulate artillery within the army itself but havnt tested this yet. I know this is not everyone as I have been told that this is just too scary for some of you . I had one person who told me that he was afraid of the large AI armies and couldnt deal with it so try this only if you can take the extra stress....................dread
This in a nut-shell explains the use of larger armies by the computer. You will need to add the ability to make armies without leaders to several wonders (you choose which) or as some as suggested add this to your palace. Then allow up to 10 units to stack into armies. Heres why.
1.0 The computer will attack you better and smarter. The AI tends to attack with units that one on one you have the advantage over with defense bonuses-artillery plus you are better organized. However in armies the AI actually negates this to a large degree. For example I recently saw the AI attack with an army of 10 fanatics (DYP MOD) and you might say so what. Well with a defense of 1 normally they wouldnt last but in a army they get to get their att6 shots in and retreat to the next unit as they are damaged.Hmm all of a sudden this is a formidable foe as they have alot of attack strengh and the defense of an army unit.
2.0 the AI USES this as well as you maybe better. In testing the AI will always retreat with a large army after its hit points get low enough which preserves its strengh. You can chase the army to destroy it but if you are being attacked by more than 1 army you will often be tied down and the damaged army will retreat and heal and attack again. Thus the AIS units are much more difficult to completely kill off.
3.0 Since the army counts as 1 unit on transport it is easier to see larger attacks with much less loading and unloading of units.
4.0 Less moves for the AI and you gives you overall quicker games. IF the AI has 50 units to move it will take up some time but if the AI has 5 armies to move 1 turn each thats just 5 moves you have to wait through.
5.0
More realistic in a historic sense. Great battles are normally fought with large armies with many divisions facing off that can retreat and charge and support each other. An AI 10 unit division better represents what real combat is like as rarely do you see entire armies completely wiped out without retreating though there are exceptions to this when a civ is really over matched and you can destrory AI armies its just harder.
6.0 More decisive results in combat. In general you will see less upsets like spearman beating tanks if armies fight each other as the better units will tend to win over a 10 unit spread from a numbers standpoint.
7.0 A better victory overall. There is a cooler feeling beating a nice large AI army and a lower low seeing one of your armies defeated.
8.0 The big advantage you have using artillery is reduced alot against AI armies as they can absorb this better.
A couple points I would suggest. Always give the AI 20 free units in the difficulty settings so that even a small civ can defend itself but tone downthe free units per city per govt settings. In general have the AI build growth-trade-production-culture as its main builds as it will play better and build more productive cities. I am also considering giving armies a defensive bombard to simulate artillery within the army itself but havnt tested this yet. I know this is not everyone as I have been told that this is just too scary for some of you . I had one person who told me that he was afraid of the large AI armies and couldnt deal with it so try this only if you can take the extra stress....................dread