AI needs to be way more suicidal when attacking cities. For some reason it is intimidated by garrisoned units and walls. However, as far as I know and understand this cannot be change by mods yet. So we need either new tools or Firaxis has to do it. I also think that would be one of the things that could lead to a different AI with higher difficulty. Leave the aggression level as it is now for the lower levels, maybe up until Prince. King and above make the AI don't care that much anymore if its units get harmed as long as there is a chance that it will win the battle/capture the city.
I totally agree.
Additionnally, I think Barbarian agression should be delayed a little (maybe start on turn 20-30 or so instead of turn 5), in order to give the player viable exploration or building options at the beginning of the game and not force them to have to go for military units every single time (as it was mentioned in another post).
I like the fact that barbarians are tough to deal with, they add real danger to the game. However, this can only work if the AI is able to deal with them. This way, the game doesn´t become unbalanced (as in AI crushed by barbarians) and it would take some of the load off of the human players (by having the AI dealing with some of the camps).
As the barbarians are that tough, there should be a way to know where they spawn in parts of the map that have been explored (as was suggested in another post).
Finally I think that the balance between unit types should be better. Anti Cavalry units should really crush Mounted Units, who should crush regular melee units, who in turn should crush anti-cavalry units. Having archery units really weak in melee shoud complete the trick. Siege units should be more dangerous to cities but same thing, very weak to melee attacks. What I mean is that unit strength should always be relative to the unit type they are facing (kind of like pokemons with plants, rock, electricity, fire, water etc...). Naval combat has to be retooled as well but that´s another topic.
Right now Mounted units wether they are light or heavy cavalry are too hard to deal with, building spearmen should be an easy counter and would force every player human or AI, to build and use balanced armies, or decide to specialize in something but with greater risk of being countered.
If the AI just knew how to use these unit types and with these simple things, I don´t even think Barbs would have to be nerfed compared to what they are now post patch. Having a better AI and delaying their agression should do it.
This game is so awesome, I just wish Firaxis could put out an AI that can play it :/
