AI unit upgrades

[Sincro]

Do the AIs get some sort of bonus or discount when it comes to upgrading their units to the next type, for instance archers to longbowman? I ask because I've been keeping a good eye on how much cash each civ has to play around with, and it hasn't gone over 20 or 30 gold, but the turn after Mao (my neighbor) got feudalism, all 6 archers I could see in his cities transformed into longbowman. I had just done the same thing a few turns earlier, but I had a cash store ready for it, and I know it should have cost him 134 gold per upgrade.

What gives?

-Sinc

 

[Ghpstage]

They do get a bonus, a really big one although I can't remember how big or how (if?) it differs on different difficulties. Also, the gold you can see in the trade screen isn't all of what they have, it is only what they are willing to trade.

 

[Sincro]

Thanks for the reply. I figured there was an advantage, but was unaware they could have a gold stock in addition to what I could see in the trade screen.

-Sinc

 

[Peteyboy]

I believe its a 50% discount - bear in mind that often the AI will chuck in a quick 0% research turn in order to get the provided gold - but yes it can seem a little harsh!

 

[aday]

The discount varies by difficulty. On the higher ones, upgrading units is almost free for them.

 

[Kierkegaard]

tbh I miss the Art Tsun or something. The wonder that halves the cost of upgrading units ;o

 

[theskibum]

tbh I miss the Art Tsun or something. The wonder that halves the cost of upgrading units ;o

From Civ3 that was Leonardo's Workshop

 

[the_elf]

Often, the AI civs will not upgrade, but will instead stockpile legacy units somewhere out of sight. I'm still not sure where the civs manage to hide their units, but I've seen them horde their older units and then use them for fodder for softening their enemies defenses when attacking. Who cares what happens to an Axeman in the era of Riflemen? Why not spam them against your enemies walls to soften them?

Also, upgrading units is a lot more costly than you might imagine. You really have to slow down your science to keep a large military current. The only units I have trouble not upgrading all the way up to Infantry and Mech Infantry are my Macemen with City Raider 3 promotions.

Economically, you would do better to destroy legacy units (reducing your maintenance), and then crank out updated units out of your military production city (also with plenty of XP from barracks, civics, and settled Great Generals.

 

[Sincro]

From Civ3 that was Leonardo's Workshop

Heh, in Civ 2, it didn't halve the cost, it auto-upgraded them as soon as the upgrade became available. It was the single most important wonder in the game, imo.

-Sinc

 

[Willem]

They do get a bonus, a really big one although I can't remember how big or how (if?) it differs on different difficulties.

It's 50% for all levels.

 

[TheMeInTeam]

It's 50% for all levels.

This is true, but it certainly feels otherwise when the AI is also building units at 1/2 cost on top of this and paying a tiny fraction of what the human does in maintenance .

 

[DanF5771]

Don't forget the AIPerEraModifier that introduces the variance by difficulty level already mentioned by aday.
A deity AI in the future era will only pay 35% of the compared to the human player, allowing the instant upgrade Infantry-->MechInf.