If the ai was actually smart they would just surrender to an overwhelming force instead of depleting their army in a hopeless war, thereby making them an easy target for their other neighbors. In your previous example of the mongols, they typically gave rulers the option to surrender peacefully and become part of the Empire before they slaughtered or enslaved the entire populace.
AI so dumb it cant even hire mercenaries. When I started war, I had 100 gold, he could've hired mercenaries and destroyed me, because my army was only 400 men bigger. But noo, he better give me land.
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AI so dumb it cant even hire mercenaries. When I started war, I had 100 gold, he could've hired mercenaries and destroyed me, because my army was only 400 men bigger. But noo, he better give me land.
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In the AI's defense, Mercenaries need time to build their morale up to be of any use. If you're coming right away, it's just a waste of gold to have some mercs show up to be slaughtered. And depending on army composition a 850-man army could easily be slapped down by a 400-man one.AI so dumb it cant even hire mercenaries. When I started war, I had 100 gold, he could've hired mercenaries and destroyed me, because my army was only 400 men bigger. But noo, he better give me land.
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A lot can happen in a war. I've won Jihads defending against the Ummayyads as Tribal Africans by letting them kill myself in my deserts. I was outnumbered 3:1. They could blitz and catch you trying to consolidate your forces and win a series of smaller battles. Allies could join in. They could hold out just enough to run you out of funds so you White Peace.Would be too easy for the player though. "Hey, I've an army of 5,000 versus your army of 2,000. You gonna defend yourself or can I declare war on the next fool who refuse to be vassalized by me?" The snowball would happen too quickly in terms of expansions if the AI always surrendered to overwhelming forces. Now they at least stall the advancement of the player. Time as well as resources (gold for raising an army...). And well, sometimes it's just fun to fight, right?
You know, my main force is in middlesex his in Leicester. I need to group my troops, at least I do that before first big battle on this game stage. He also should group up his men. So if he's Insta hire mercenaries, moves away from me, for example to Chester, his mercanaries morale would restore quite a bit till I could reach him. Than he simply could destroy me.In the AI's defense, Mercenaries need time to build their morale up to be of any use. If you're coming right away, it's just a waste of gold to have some mercs show up to be slaughtered. And depending on army composition a 850-man army could easily be slapped down by a 400-man one.
A lot of worthwhile mercenary companies cost 300-350 to hire, plus upkeep. His paltry sum isn't enough to keep them around for a drawn out defensive war. Hell, the minor 150g companies could've all been on contracts. Bottom line though, the AI does use mercenaries quite a bit, they just typically try not to bankrupt themselves doing it.You know, my main force is in middlesex his in Leicester. I need to group my troops, at least I do that before first big battle on this game stage. He also should group up his men. So if he's Insta hire mercenaries, moves away from me, for example to Chester, his mercanaries morale would restore quite a bit till I could reach him. Than he simply could destroy me.
Or maybe it's too much for AI?
I'm sorry, but how can someone say the AI avoiding enemy armies is unrealistic? Sieges were the order of the day, not set-piece battles. Look up The Anarchy period of civil war in England.