AI will not attack my cities?!?

[jonesinski]

Tried it over and over again. Playing Dutch, Emporer, Islands. First time Sitting Bull declared on me he sent one or two transports in pathetic attempt. All his units were lost as he attacked from the ship and THEN bombed... i was going for cultural victory and didn't need to attack anyone. i eventually won the game and although SB declared a couple more times I never saw another transport and won easily. On emporer which should be a challenge for me.

So I went back and tried declaring on EVERYBODY from a previous save. again and again and again, turn after turn, I NEVER saw an enemy transport no matter how many other ships showed up to reek havoc.

So, uh, what's like the deal?

 

[nfw]

The AI is just horrible at inter-continental invasion. It's also possible he was involved in a land war somewhere else so he's devoting all his resource to that.

 

[jonesinski]

Thanks but I feel like this particular game had a glitch or bug. I've played lots of civ 4 over the years and played many games with continents. Often the AI did not employ good strategy for attacking from sea, but they always brought plenty of transports and at least tried to take my cites with ground units. This time, after the initial two transport attacks from the bull, not a SINGLE enemy transport ever seen again. I had the lowest score and weakest power. I tried going to war with everybody else and they all showed up with ships and planes but no transports. I waited and waited. I deleted all of my units so that they could just walk in and take my cities, but no.

At first I was proud of my victory, holding on for a cultural win as the weakest civ. But now this victory seems hollow and I'll never play again.

Just kidding, I'm staring another game, but this time I'm wary of trying anything with water.

This ever happen to any of you?

 

[sydhe]

Alexander declared war on me in a recent game and kept sending one galley and a couple of triremes at a time, landing two units right next to one of my cities (the same city each time) and getting them wiped out. The triremes were more of a nuisance than the military units.

 

[jonesinski]

Alexander declared war on me in a recent game and kept sending one galley and a couple of triremes at a time, landing two units right next to one of my cities (the same city each time) and getting them wiped out. The triremes were more of a nuisance than the military units.

Fair, enough, I've seen stuff like that too, but never on higher levels with with very powerful enemies. This time not a SINGLE transport was sent, turn after turn, after turn.

 

[auagxa]

I have seen Huayna Capac capturing Augustus' cities in an archipelago map when they are half a world apart. So sometimes the AI does takes naval invasion seriously. Either that, or Augustus just sucked at defending his CORE cities

 

[Lemon Merchant]

Was this standard Vanilla or BTS? Or were you using a mod?

 

[jonesinski]

Was this standard Vanilla or BTS? Or were you using a mod?

BTS, started in modern era. No mod, custom game. Normal speed, Small map, 5 Civs.

 

[ZeekLTK]

Perhaps due to the modern start, the AI cities weren't as strong as they would have been had they been able to start from 4000 BC and build them up over time, so they weren't able to produce the kind of forces needed for such an invasion?

 

[jonesinski]

Perhaps due to the modern start, the AI cities weren't as strong as they would have been had they been able to start from 4000 BC and build them up over time, so they weren't able to produce the kind of forces needed for such an invasion?

But they send hundreds of ships loaded with stealth bombers and fighters?

Something screwy is going on. My new game under similar parameters also seems way too easy. Went to war with Mao who is much more powerful than me, he sends in two battleships which I sink and that is it. I proceed to take two of his cities which are hardly defended at all, I make peace, and that is it.

This is on emperor difficulty which was always a major challenge for me. Now it's way too easy. Perhaps it is something to do with starting in modern era, but I can't see why that would make such drastic differences. I'm also destroying everyone else in culture when the only victory options are cultural or conquest. You'd think someone else would also be ramping up culture, right?

I just don't get it...

 

[nfw]

How many coastal cities does Bully have?

Once I razed some AI's only coastal city, then we had like a 100 turn phony war.

 

[Drakarska]

AI always blows chunks when it comes to late era starts, unless your playing a mod or custom scenario. You could always try the advanced start option (where you have a pool of points for purchase), but The AI doesn't always use it's points effectively.

My recommendation is to head over to the mod/custom scenario threads, as a lot of these are highly polished and detailed, as well as quite a few relating to specific era's.

 

[capnvonbaron]

Advance start = WIN button.

The AI needs centuries to build up a naval assault. Usually the problem is that the AI puts outdated units on the boats, so it ends up attacking your infantry and arty with maces and cuirs. Once you get to the modern era their naval assaults can be scary, but they still aren't too sneaky... you can count on them attacking the closest city of yours to their continent. Stock extra garrison in that city and keep the blimp patrols looking for approaching transport stacks. If you see one, either bargain for peace until you can reinforce, or go all preemptive on their stack with air power and/or nukes.

 

[jonesinski]

OK, no more late starts then. Thanks for the heads-up!

 

[Drakarska]

yeah. Sorry for the bad news in that respect, but if you head over to the mods forums, you'll probably find what your looking for.