AI, Vassal-Alliances, & Renegotiating Pacts: Please acknowledge this severe imbalance

[Azarias59]

I actually quite enjoy playing CK2 after the 2.5 patch. The Alliance system is an improvement in many ways... yet it also presents a huge imbalance that, quite frankly, I'm surprised there isn't more outrage about: The AI's lack of initiative to re-negotiate pacts, and the feudal-vassal AI's lack of initiative in forming alliances.

At any given time, I can easily have 5+ alliances; because I, the human, am able to re-negotiate non-aggression pacts, and then. The AI, often has considerably less, if any, alliances than I. And this is because they don't take the initiative to re-negotiate pacts.

Combine this with the fact that feudal vassals never form alliances, and give the human an insane advantage over the AI! It's gotten to the point that, upon reaching the "Duke" tier, I never lose any non-faction-revolt war, simply because I always have an exponentially larger amount of allies that my enemies do. If my enemy is a feudal vassal, he is guaranteed to have zero allies, while, as I said, I usually maintain 5+ alliances. So the wars essentially become 6v1. If my enemy is an independent ruler, well, they often have an ally; but rarely more than two. But quite often they don't have any allies, simply because they never get around to renegotiating the alliances that their predecessor had made.

...

All-in-all, this is probably my biggest gripe that I've had with CK2 ever. I love the game dearly, but until this is addressed, the AI will almost lose to a human. I have posted about this multiple times in the past; if I could just get some response from the Paradox Team on this matter, it would mean the world to me.

 

[kmh42]

The Alliance system got worst since 2.5 and that's a known fact and there were complains all over the place. Many thinks you mention are on the list and hopefully on the agenda of the devs. I also know there were comments by devs about the abusibility of the new system and they will definitely change auto CtA, so hopefully the make another Alliance overhaul.

 

[Thrake]

I actually quite enjoy playing CK2 after the 2.5 patch. The Alliance system is an improvement in many ways...

The Alliance system got worst since 2.5 and that's a known fact and there were complains all over the place.

You realize you're just contradicting OP?

I'm on board with the improvement of alliances and would also like a more active AI in the diplomatic field. The worse part is probably that it's not too hard to get a NAP but getting an alliance from there is usually pretty hard but I, as the human, work around that by increasing target's opinion (chancelor, gift). It would be nice to teach the AI to do the same, especially the chancelor as it only seems to use it to placate its own vassals (it's a good use of chancelor, but leaving internal affairs a year of two to get an alliance is well worth it).

It also makes playing as a vassal pretty dull as I'm pretty much the only one to have alliances, so the start as a one county count can still be challenging (no one want to ally me besides baron tiers, but they do not raise their levies in war...), but past that, I have enough political weight to get to sign alliances with other vassals and from there I rule the internal politics while I'm still an undergod.

 

[kmh42]

You realize you're just contradicting OP?

Yes why not. He stated his opinion and I mine.
I quote my self from the past

Alliance and NAP
NAP is the best feature in my opinion. I like it to be save from another realm but not in a alliance.
The alliance system on the other hand sucks just because of auto CtA. This will be changed in the next patch, I know, but still it's annoying and exploitable and it lags player choice. But exactly because of aCtA I think especially carefully about who I make an alliance.
I hope the devs think carefully about those mechanics and find a good and fun way to balance this and don't forget the AI has to handle this on some degree.

In the mean time my opinion got worse because of the AI handling the present system. Like the OP says it not totally inbalanced. Don't get me wrong I don't hate it entirely and I enjoy CK2 heartfully but the current system in not at got as it could be. The old system was a little bit feature less but it worked

 

[Azarias59]

You realize you're just contradicting OP?

I'm on board with the improvement of alliances and would also like a more active AI in the diplomatic field. The worse part is probably that it's not too hard to get a NAP but getting an alliance from there is usually pretty hard but I, as the human, work around that by increasing target's opinion (chancelor, gift). It would be nice to teach the AI to do the same, especially the chancelor as it only seems to use it to placate its own vassals (it's a good use of chancelor, but leaving internal affairs a year of two to get an alliance is well worth it).

It also makes playing as a vassal pretty dull as I'm pretty much the only one to have alliances, so the start as a one county count can still be challenging (no one want to ally me besides baron tiers, but they do not raise their levies in war...), but past that, I have enough political weight to get to sign alliances with other vassals and from there I rule the internal politics while I'm still an undergod.

There is nothing wrong with him contradicting me.

 

[Thrake]

There is nothing wrong with him contradicting me.

Of course, nothing wrong. I guess I misunderstood part of his post.

 

[Azarias59]

Of course, nothing wrong. I guess I misunderstood part of his post.

I see that at least 8 people agreed with me. If you are reading this and have similar feelings, please post now. Only if we combine our voices may we get a response from the game developers.

And if by chance a developer read this, please understand that I love this game dearly, and that is why I feel so strongly about this issue, which up to this point has not even been acknowledged.