Two simple things to greatly improve AI combat: (instant heal, embarkation)

[Haig]

Here's two things that would give AI a great boost in combat and invasions, two things that since release people have noticed aren't balanced but there's yet no improvement to them:

Remove ships runnnig over embarked units
So many times a superior AI fails it's amphibious invasions as human player simply criss-crosses over it's units and sinks them with a caravel. They should get a combat strenght so naval combats and invasions would become way more exciting and fair to AI.

Remove instant heal
By timing the instant heal promotions, human player has again a big advantage over AI who can't use it as well.

These two things are ones that give the biggest boost to human combat in my opinion, I really really hope that devs consider this, I think they have done great jobs with patching and I sincerely feel removing these would be A LOT easier than just improving AI tactics.

 

[Becomedeath]

I'd much rather see them actually build a more sophisticated AI engine rather than take things out to try and simulate an improvement.

Making the games AI harder should be a case of adding, not subtracting imo.

 

[Txurce]

Here's two things that would give AI a great boost in combat and invasions, two things that since release people have noticed aren't balanced but there's yet no improvement to them:

Remove ships runnnig over embarked units
So many times a superior AI fails it's amphibious invasions as human player simply criss-crosses over it's units and sinks them with a caravel. They should get a combat strenght so naval combats and invasions would become way more exciting and fair to AI.

Remove instant heal
By timing the instant heal promotions, human player has again a big advantage over AI who can't use it as well.

These two things are ones that give the biggest boost to human combat in my opinion, I really really hope that devs consider this, I think they have done great jobs with patching and I sincerely feel removing these would be A LOT easier than just improving AI tactics.

Giving embarked unit a Songhai-like defensive buff would be a huge improvement to AI performance, given the present AI inability to use ships well vs other ships, and over-aggressiveness in embarking units. (The AI is actually good at sinking embarked units.)

Insta-heal is controversial, but I'm not sure it favors the human player over the AI to a significant degree.

I'd much rather see them actually build a more sophisticated AI engine rather than take things out to try and simulate an improvement.

Making the games AI harder should be a case of adding, not subtracting imo.

Changing the embarkation rules doesn't subtract anything.

Dropping insta-heal has long been suggested for its lack of realism, and distorted effect on gameplay.

 

[Balkor Wolf]

I agree with that embarked units should have a combat strength, but only for defense, they shouldnt be allowed to attack hostile ships (Just as you wouldnt expect a transport ship to attack a hostile battleship)

The instant heal promotion im not sure about. Yes it can be over powering but I cant count how many times ive saved losing a highly upgraded unit from a barbarian when left exposed and on low health.

 

[Becomedeath]

Changing the embarkation rules doesn't subtract anything.

Dropping insta-heal has long been suggested for its lack of realism, and distorted effect on gameplay.

Except the ability to defend your borders with a navy and take out enemy troops. The addition of a transport ship would be an idea though.

I don't find that instant healing distorts gameplay, once you accept that it's there and that leaving a unit on low health carries with it the risk of it healing you're fine.

As for realism, reinforcements for a damaged squad is unrealistic, but the 6,000 year old leader of a civilisation making their way to another star system whilst conquering his enemies with giant nuclear robots is perfectly fine?

 

[Txurce]

Except the ability to defend your borders with a navy and take out enemy troops. The addition of a transport ship would be an idea though.

You can defend. You just can't ram.

Transport ships would be a major change, and are unlikely to be part of a patch.

I don't find that instant healing distorts gameplay, once you accept that it's there and that leaving a unit on low health carries with it the risk of it healing you're fine.

I agree. Lots of people don't.

As for realism, reinforcements for a damaged squad is unrealistic, but the 6,000 year old leader of a civilisation making way for another star system whilst conquering his enemies with giant robots is perfectly fine?

"Perfectly fine" is in the eye of the beholder. More to the point, no one seriously complains about the realism of a 6000 year old leader. Few complain about the realism of GDR's. (I used to, then rationalized it as a future-era weapon, like SDI.) Many more complain about insta-heals, since they are a much bigger factor in the game.