Why Does the AI Keep Lame Units?

[RJMooreII]

I have noticed that even when the AI has a productive and technological base similar (or in some cases, superior) to mine that they will still have Phalanx and bowmen and stuff running around when I've replaced all my units with infantry and so forth. Doesn't the AI realize that it's better to have one Infantryman than 5 bowmen? He's just paying for a unit that's going to instantly die if anyone attacks it.

It's also just weird/anachronistic.

 

[Turner]

Part of the formula to determine strength is the number of units. The AI doesn't take into consideration cost of units vs strength of unit.

 

[bigFRANK]

AI doesn’t scrap units from what I have seen instead preffering to keep adding new units as budget allows, this also means that the budget to mass upgrade is seldom available either, hence you may find a town with Infantry/Musket/Pike/Spear/Spear and Longbow defending it.

 

[RJMooreII]

AI doesn’t scrap units from what I have seen instead preffering to keep adding new units as budget allows, this also means that the budget to mass upgrade is seldom available either, hence you may find a town with Infantry/Musket/Pike/Spear/Spear and Longbow defending it.

That's really stupid.

 

[del62]

That's really stupid.

It is the AI.

 

[RJMooreII]

I have noticed the AI is generally bankrupt. Often times I end up with vastly more money than I need by halfway through the game.

 

[Raliuven]

One of the problems is that the AI will not disband units, even if that unit is at a 'dead-end' for developement and the shields could be used to push another build along. Until Guerillas become available, you'll have a lot of outdated units running around trying to fight cavalry and tanks and if you play to Modern Armor you'll still see AI cavalry running around. The AI also cannot conceive of the idea that it may actually be better to disband a unit and build a better unit rather than to spend the gold to upgrade.

The same applies to buildings too. The AI would never consider selling a temple, barracks, granary, etc even if they are no longer serving any practial purpose.

 

[RJMooreII]

The same applies to buildings too. The AI would never consider selling a temple, barracks, granary, etc even if they are no longer serving any practial purpose.

This is actually something I've never thought of doing. Why would you want to disband barracks and a temple?

 

[Quintillus]

In the AI's defence, I often have at least some woefully obsolete units around too, especially if I have plenty of unit support or money. It's not unusual for me to only upgrade 'as needed' and to keep obsolete units in non-threatened area. Then occasionally I get in a war in the later ages, look around for some extra units to throw into the fray, and find a decent amount of Archers!

This is actually something I've never thought of doing. Why would you want to disband barracks and a temple?

For the temple, as you acquire extra luxuries and build more cathedrals, the 1 contentness isn't needed anymore, and 1 GPT per content face becomes a bad deal. You might not need any content-face-producing buildings if you have enough luxuries plus a market, and even if you do, a Cathedral produces 3 content faces for 2 GPT, and thus is a better deal. If you have the Sistine Chapel, it's much, much better.

As for the barracks, I don't usually sell those either. I guess if you feel you've already got a powerful enough military? Or maybe if you built one 'on the front' as a quick-unit-heal-point, and the city that has it will never be productive.

 

[TheOverseer714]

I also notice that obsolete builds keep appearing as you finish older builds, via sme formula only the AI knows. Just finished a factory? How about a longbow next?

 

[Ataxerxes]

This is actually something I've never thought of doing. Why would you want to disband barracks and a temple?

Building maintenance. If you don't have a happiness problem and have enough culture, what does a temple do? If you build Sun Tzu's you might as well sell off all your barracks. Also, if you capture a city that has a barracks that you're going to use just to farm scientists, it doesn't need the barracks.

If you capture the Pyramids (or build it using a SGL), you should sell all your granaries (can't remember if it's empire-wide or your continent) that the Pyramids gives you. Make a little spare change.

 

[GamezRule]

I usually don't build something I will sell later. Granary's for settler factories are an exception. The occasional temple will stay after it is no longer needed because the cultural bonus lasts all game. On higher levels when you will be behind in the culture race, every little bit helps to prevent culture wins and flips.

 

[ChaosArbiter]

In the AI's defence, I often have at least some woefully obsolete units around too, especially if I have plenty of unit support or money. It's not unusual for me to only upgrade 'as needed' and to keep obsolete units in non-threatened area. Then occasionally I get in a war in the later ages, look around for some extra units to throw into the fray, and find a decent amount of Archers!

I would have that same problem (if problem it is), except that I always set the Military Advisor screen to show units by Type rather than City, and since I usually look at the MA at least once an hour, I can see any obsolete units.

Edit: ... of course, I usually end up disbanding those units instead of upgrading them, so ... :/

 

[Ataxerxes]

I usually don't build something I will sell later. Granary's for settler factories are an exception. The occasional temple will stay after it is no longer needed because the cultural bonus lasts all game. On higher levels when you will be behind in the culture race, every little bit helps to prevent culture wins and flips.

I don't think any of us do generally. My main selling is early Granary's for settler factories as you noted. I like early barracks for early war, but Sun Tzu is a nice wonder to have. I can imagine situations where selling a temple might make sense but, as you say, I generally leave them. Of course, I probably don't settle my cities as tightly as I should.

 

[Spoonwood]

I also notice that obsolete builds keep appearing as you finish older builds, via sme formula only the AI knows. Just finished a factory? How about a longbow next?

But what if longbows are actually the strongest offensive unit you can build? Just busting your chops Overseer.

 

[Turner]

Not only that, but you may be able to spit out two or three longbows in the time it takes you to do one infantry, and that could spell the difference between keeping and losing the city.

 

[GamezRule]

Sometimes it has nothing to do with the quality of the defenders, just the amount.

I would rather attack a city with 10 infantry then 120 spearmen. (Arathorn's SAW)

 

[CommandoBob]

I tend to keep around old units, too. In Republic they can serve as coastwatchers to notify me of AI movements. In Monarchy (AW kind of games) they are excellent MPs. The gpt of a Spear vs. Infantry is the same and their crowd control abilties are the same, too. Upgrading units that are only going to be keeping the locals in line isn't what I want to do.

But I have done mass upgrades of crowd pleasers to boost my overall strength and thus keep the AI from pestering me so much with demands of tribute.

Mod idea: Old units, say over 100 turns or 1000 years old, can act as a tourist attraction (like the units defending the Tower of London).

 

[Hellfiredoom]

I sometimes (meaning I have a gold surplus) use my old units as shore guards. I'll plant them on mountains or hills next to a coastal city to keep the AI from landing units there. It gives me peace of mind not having to monitor galleys/whatever cruising by my shores.

 

[RJMooreII]

I just disband or upgrade all my units. I just don't see the point of paying for them, especially since I am Rep/Dem most of the game. 20 turns of paying for some crap unit that will get killed instantly is way more money than it's worth. The only exception is if I have a warrior or caravel way out in the ocean exploring, because then it's just as good as any other unit.