Can you choose which AI defenders you attack?

[morpheous]

Please could someone possibly offer me some assistance or direction.

When attacking an AI's city (or even an occupied square for that matter), with a varied stack of units (for example) catapults, axemen, war elephants and pikemen, is there a way can you choose which opposing AI unit you attack to best utilize your units abilities. For example, attacking with a war elephant, which I think has a 100% advantage over other mounted units, it would be advantageous to attack an AI's mounted unit rather than an AI's pikeman which (I think) has a 100% advantage over mounted units.

The reason for asking this, is that in the games I have played, it appears that the game program determines which opposing AI unit will defend against your attacker and that you are unable to choose which AI unit you wish to attack.

regards
morpheous

 

[Harald500]

To my knowledge there is no way to

 

[Harald500]

Sorry!
The computer do it the other way around. When you attack, it calculates wich unit is best suited for defending against your unit. Alltough your strongest unit allways attack first, suposing you don't split your stack and choose your attacking unit your self..

 

[voek]

You can not. Obviously the whole combatunit system would collapse. The AI automatically determines the best defender. This forces you to balance your army/stack just like in real warfare. You could greatly manipulate warfare and the AI already sucks at warfare.

If you can chose your finest attacker, why shouldn't the opposing party have the right to defend with his finest (best) defender?

Anyway, just to answer you question, you can't. I would advice in waiting with promoting your units before you run into combat so you can pick the promotions to adapt the situation at hand.

 

[GaliBardi]

When attacking an AI's city (or even an occupied square for that matter), with a varied stack of units (for example) catapults, axemen, war elephants and pikemen, is there a way can you choose which opposing AI unit you attack to best utilize your units abilities.

Imo you should always fight with the hardest target for your unit you're trying to attack with... I.e. if you're trying to attack with your Elephant, probably it will have to face the pikemen, unless that's already weakend by one of your other units.
But for sure, there's no way of choosing wich enemy unit to attack from the stack.

Edit: I was too slow...

 

[Paeanblack]

Imo you should always fight with the hardest target for your unit you're trying to attack with... I.e. if you're trying to attack with your Elephant, probably it will have to face the pikemen, unless that's already weakend by one of your other units.
But for sure, there's no way of choosing wich enemy unit to attack from the stack.

Edit: I was too slow...

I believe I saw a mod that added some really creative promotions. I think Combat III unlocked the "Tactics" promotions, which worked as follows:

Tactics I: Bypass the best defender, fight second-best defender.
Tactics II: Bypass the best two defenders, fight third-best defender.
Tactics III: etc...

A couple of high level Tactics units could really throw a wrench into the defensive plans.

 

[CivDude86]

Throw enough cats at them then it won't matter who defends.

 

[voek]

I believe I saw a mod that added some really creative promotions. I think Combat III unlocked the "Tactics" promotions, which worked as follows:

Tactics I: Bypass the best defender, fight second-best defender.
Tactics II: Bypass the best two defenders, fight third-best defender.
Tactics III: etc...

A couple of high level Tactics units could really throw a wrench into the defensive plans.

Hmm, yes, this sounds much better. You still need to earn promotions and also the AI could easlily use it. I like it!

 

[cabert]

civdude86 is right :
the best way to do this is to weaken the defenders you don't want to fight with "generalist" units. The best ones are of course those inflicting colateral damage!

For example:
If a city is defended by
- 2 longbows
- 1 pikeman
- 1 maceman
- 1 HA,

And you have an attacking stack with
- 6 catapults
- 2 macemen
- 2 HA
- 1 elephant,

You can (after reducing defense to 0) attack with 4 catapults.
The first 2 will face the bows, the third will face the mace, the 4th will face the pike (assuming the catapults wound the defender every time).
It's very likely that the catapult killed the pikeman (he was hit 3 times from colateral!). It's not unlikely the catapult kills the mace.
After that you send units according to what is left. Probably a LB will defend regardless of who you attack with. One mace will do the trick.
If all are wounded, it may be that the HA defends = room for the elephant.
...

 

[WilliamOfOrange]

I am sure that many people do this, but you could leave some promotions for later. If I am running Theocracy and Vassalage and have units coming from cities with barracks and stables or even if they get promoted through victories I will leave their promotions for later provided I don't need a quick heal or there is impending danger. This way, I can approach the enemy city and see what they have to work with before you promote them. Granted you may need to escort them with stronger units because a unit waiting at the city gates with 7/2 XPs is a sitting duck. Also I give them the Strength I promotion first and that opens up other more anti-unit specific choices such as Cover, Charge and whatnot. Try that.

 

[OceansEleven]

They choose the best defender with the best chance of surviving. Then it keeps on going and going.

I hate how we can't choose who we want to fight. I swear sometimes they automatically attack my unit that has the med promotion. SINCE WHEN DO I WANT TO GIVE HIM UP? HE'S THE MOST IMPORTANT! Dangit -.-

This is in the offense attack. I had like 5 cavlary, 1 with a 10% strength and med. Other's had the same thing but with another 10% or gunpowder 25%.

But nooo, instead of going with the one with two 10% bonuses, it goes to the med. So stupid sometimes.

 

[Barney's_Soul]

Throw enough cats at them then it won't matter who defends.

True, that's my solution if your attackers don't have great odds in battle.