Pulling Punches

[Veracity]

I moved up to Emperor level for my current game because I read on the civiii site that the AI no longer "pulls punches" at that level. But in my first war, the enemy sent a couple cavalry into my territory before declaring war, giving me a chance to fortify against a possible assault.

The AI backed these up with about 10 more cavalry but the end result was the enemy AI lost a city and gave me a lucrative treaty.

I thought the AI was supposed to come strong on this level! I didn't really want to move up from Monarch (or Regent, for that matter), but I got tired of these wars the AI starts w/o backing up their intentions with troops.

Are these SoD I keep hearing about (stacks of death) yet to come? Consistently weak invasions by the AI are not very realistic.

 

[Theoden]

I have only ever seen the AI make SOD's one time. They had two SOD's in that game. However mostly the AI will just attack with a few units each turn killing themselves off.

 

[Bagatur]

On Emperor is rare to see SoD more than 12-15 units, but above.... Largest I've seen was 137 Cavalries + several rifles in one tile, atacking me. First wave. On Demigod. If AI is on island is likely to see huge stacks, bcs they never fought intensivly enough.

SoD is an elastic term. 5-6 archers can look like this if u have town defended by spear.

 

[Choffy]

Agree with you except if you keep a civ peacefull for ages. I have seen at Emperor a SoD of 80+ Russian Cosaks (Map Regular size). Really impossible to stop.

Try Demi-God for a good SoD if you find it to easy at emperor.

 

[Veracity]

Thanks for your replies. If the AI is not that much more aggressive and dangerous at Emperor I think I'll drop back down to Regent after this game. I don't really like the head start the AI gets in cities and techs at this level.

 

[sadu]

You could turn the AI agression up if you have C3C, and choose opponents such as Zulus, Aztecs, Germany etc.

 

[vmxa]

The ai is the same regardless of the levels. It is set in the editor. The differences are in the bonus and starting units.

SoD are not seen at emperor, unless a KAI develops or the game is late. I agee what a SoD is, is relevant to your power at the time. 14 mixed units comig my way, while I have only 3 units in the area, is very much a SoD. I can't stop it.

400+ standing near to my newly founded city defended by 6 armies and a few score of other units when I invade a sid civ, is maybe not so scary, depending on the make up of my units and theirs. If I have 4 or more defensive armies and their units are not better than mine and I have barracks up, I feel comfortable.

Change things a bit and I am looking at big trouble. Say I have no barracks and no defensive armies and they can hit me with all of those units this turn????

Typically I can expect to see 100+ attacks on the first round, up to maybe 180. Most of those units are defenders and will not attack me. The barracks lets me heal all survivors and face the next round. I have experienced so many battles just like that.