Barbarian information

[TimBentley]

Attached is a picture of the order a barbarian will look for defenseless units/cities, similar to the governor's order in looking for the next tile to work and forest chops going to cities, with the addition of N-N, E-E, S-S, and W-W. Although this shouldn't matter since you shouldn't have your workers or etc. in range.

If anyone wants to create a scenario with barbarians with 3 movement points, note that they don't look for defenseless units the way I would expect. It appears they look for defenseless units/cities within two tiles that can be reached, then look for anything on the NW/SE axis, then move randomly/fortify (after moving one tile, they'll look for defenseless units/cities again). It was interesting to see several barbs fortified while a worker was within range.

 

[Chamnix]

Interesting stuff - thanks Tim !

In my experience, it seems that when there have been multiple options within range, given a choice between pillaging a city or killing a worker/settler, the barbarians have gone for the units. I'm not sure if that was because the units just happened to be in the preferred direction like you mention, or if they really do give preference to some targets over others. Have you found a preference like that?

 

[ZzarkLinux]

Attached is a picture of [...] forest chops going to cities

Perfect timing; I've been looking for this.
I'm tired of guessing where the chops would go, and I'm too lazy to check clockwise-counterclockwise-etc...

Excellent

 

[TimBentley]

I found some earlier testing I had done (which I think some I had posted, some I had not), and I did a little more, so here's some more information.

The barbs look for defenseless units or cities (both count the same as far as I can tell) within 2 tiles and 1 turn, then for anything on the NW/SE axis, then fortify or move randomly if NoAIPatrol=0. In looking at the NW/SE axis, it looks for units within 12 tiles, and goes toward the one that can be reached in the fewest turns, and ends its turn on the tile with the highest defensive value. If two units/cities are the same number of turns away on the axis, it goes toward a city before a unit, then goes SE before NW. If a barb on roads or with >2 movement moves randomly one tile then sees a defenseless unit/city within 2 tiles and 1 turn, it will attack it; if it is going towards something on the NW/SE axis, it is locked in (I'm not sure what would happen if it could attack a defenseless unit on its way to the NW or SE). If the only target on the NW/SE axis can't be reached due to a blocked land bridge (I don't think this would happen if they're on different islands), the barb fortifies.

In pillaging a city, barbs will destroy production of more than 10 shields, then kill a citizen, then take gold of any amount (which may be gold/NumCities, or it may be more complex; apparently I haven't tested), then <=10 shields.

No barb camps will appear until everyone has settled and there are at least (2*NumPlayers) cities. The maximum number of camps is the number of players (which I think counts dead people, but I'm not sure). The maximum number of barbarians (I believe it can get larger if a camp starts) is 2, 3, or 4 (for roaming, restless, and raging) * NumPlayers.

Apparently one time a barb pillaged when there was a city one tile SE, so I don't understand that.

 

[Nergal]

Thats interesting. I'm not a 100% sure on the 2 tile thing. I think its down to their fog of war range. so it varies if they are on a hill or a mountain, or if you are.