AI and Unit Stacks?

[Qemarar]

Maybe I'm just being biased again the AI during wars, but does anyone else feel like AI alliances are notorious for piling all of their units into one stack? It's not even one country, I just fought a war were Britain, Portugal, and Austria had their three armies grouped together in one 200k stack incorporating the entire alliance's manpower. It bugs me because enemy armies seem to be drawn together like magnets, while my allies don't respond the same way. Even my vassals don't want to hook up with my army.

I know this isn't a new issue, but it's been happening more and more after some of the recent patches. Is there a trick to getting you allies at attach to your stacks?

 

[Chaingun]

Are you complaining about AI taking attrition or that they make one big army that's difficult to beat (and your allies seem not to)?

If the latter, keep in mind AI knows what the AI will do, whereas it has a harder time predicting the player. Thus, it's easier for AI to coordinate with other AI, because it can trust its estimates of AI allies' behavior. Essentially, the AI is constantly asking the question "what will my ally do next?" when it's trying to move its armies in support.

Anyway, you would probably have to be more specific to receive a more specific answer from me. Hopefully someone will reply with more practical advice, though.

 

[Incompetent]

Why would you even want your allies to pile into a 200k death stack? Past a certain point, it achieves nothing but attrition.

I've noticed that if a battle actually starts, the AI will try to help you (and it expects you to do the same). But it's not so good at predicting when a battle is about to take place. Also, more large-scale decisions about how many troops to send to which front are understandably trickier to get right. For instance, I've noticed that sometimes an AI ally will send an excessive number troops to knock over a minor war participant, rather than sending them to where the main action is.

 

[dolphin_boy]

I found myself thinking this just tonight in my wallachia game. I had Poland with lith, and bohemia, against Hungary and Austria. We had almost 80k to their 50k, but they trounced us battle after battle, cause Poland would not even gather their own amries, let alone theirs and liths.

both bohemia and I have mil 5 to their 4, so we pulled out a crushing victory...by me buying out allies in separate peaces thanks to war exhaustion. I still felt like I was tricking the AI out tho, we were not winning.

 

[Ex Mudder]

Maybe I'm just being biased again the AI during wars, but does anyone else feel like AI alliances are notorious for piling all of their units into one stack? It's not even one country, I just fought a war were Britain, Portugal, and Austria had their three armies grouped together in one 200k stack incorporating the entire alliance's manpower. It bugs me because enemy armies seem to be drawn together like magnets, while my allies don't respond the same way. Even my vassals don't want to hook up with my army.

I know this isn't a new issue, but it's been happening more and more after some of the recent patches. Is there a trick to getting you allies at attach to your stacks?

Did you click the "Attach to this unit" check box by any chance? It's above the split army button. Results in your allies following your stack around like little lost puppies. Navies, too.

There is also a military focus for subjects that does something similar. Magnifying glass and crossed swords button bottom right on subject view.