Why Don't the A.I Ever Use Seige?

[Nooble]

How come the A.I never use seige units? (Catapaults, cannons, etc)

The only time I see them use them is when they capture my catapualts, than use them to defend their cities. I went into the map editor, and set all the civilization A.I to build arthirllery often, but I still don't see they build them....

?

 

[Ginger_Ale]

The only time I notice the AI using seige weapons is in the Industrial Ages onwards. I rarely see a catapult, cannon, or trebuchet ( only). Even I don't use them much pre-artillery. They don't have good range, they are slow, and they don't have much accuracy. However, later on in the game, the AI will build both artillery and bombers, but not as much as a human would. They don't realize the importance and effectiveness of it.

 

[Tomoyo]

What he said.

They actually do build them. They just let them sit in their cities doing nothing except bombing your ships.

 

[citizen001]

I think the code from Firaxis hasn't developed to thata sophisticated level and thus AI still doesn't know how to use siege weapons.

 

[Doc Tsiolkovski]

Not true. At DG and above, the AI does use siege weapons occasionally - but never enough. However, the AI at least knows how to use Bombers...

 

[Mr. Do]

I think the AI did know how to use artillery at some point, and it's highly unlikely that it was specifically programmed to target ships but not troops, so I'm guessing that there was a conflict in some patch at some point over time that caused it to stop using it properly. Which is a shame.

 

[kb2tvl]

The AI using siege equip is a little pointless. The ai gets production bonsus and that translates into more attacks which acts like siege equipment.

 

[Sid Monster]

I think your looking at it all wrong. The computer thinks like this: 'well, why should I build a couple of catapults or such when I can just send over thirty archers!! Ha that'll keep them geuss'n'

 

[Doc Tsiolkovski]

The same logic applies for Production Boosters as well. Why should the AI bother with Factories outside their top (wonder) cities? And, another difference to the Human on the higher levels:
The Human has to build his forces 'Just in Time', otherwise he'd drawn in unit support.
The AI can afford to keep its starting Archers around 'til they can be upgraded to TOW...

 

[majk-iii]

yeah, but the AI hardly ever upgrades their units... if ever?

 

[Mr. Do]

Well in my experience they do, as long as they have some money. Which often they don't, especially since the upgrade cost got raised even higher in Conquests (I think).

 

[SVAN]

I have more important question: why does AI never use Military Academy??? Only very occasionally I do see AI armies, and I am pretty sure they are gained from GML. But in advanced ages military academy can produce Army every 5-6 turns or so, and it would give a hell of fighting power. But no, AI prefers building extra battleship or two, but not an Army. Why???

SVAN

 

[dgfred]

What he said.

They actually do build them. They just let them sit in their cities doing nothing except bombing your ships.

You are right as usual Tomoyo , I only see (capture) the AIs in cities.
Every now and then they will bomb one of my ships, then I know they are
there . I also use cats and such as bait for drawing the AI to
bad terrain, then them and capture my stuff back . The
Rise of Rome scenario is almost unbeatable as Carthage with tons of cats
and fire cats , the Romans units are just too tough .

 

[Jawz II]

in my recent conquest game the AI dose use catapults, they send them up next to my cities with spearman escort, but they didnt make them, im fighting the celts, and they just kicked the ottomans ass and captured their catapults which they are now using for attacking me, however ive managed to attack them and capture their catas twice now

they dont use them in stacks of doom, just in small stacks