Invincible AI

[Minor Power]

I have run into an interesting strategy that the AI uses to keep an invasion at bay indefinitely. The computer just keeps sending units one after another against my force and I can never move out of the province. I ran into this strategy when attacking the Incas. At first the armies were fairly large forces, but soon they were wiped out. But the computer kept sending zero or one strength units every month that were wiped out easily, but they prevented my movement. As the years dragged on, I began to worry about war fatigue, so I offered peace. I have one star, so I tried white peace--no deal. A couple more years of this and my provinces start having rebellions due to the feared war fatigue. I still have one star because I keep winning battles against zero strength units (no glory), but I decide to offer 250 ducats just to stop the insanity--but still not deal. I plan to pull together a second invasion force and launch a two-pronged attack, which might work, but the strategy could still be used on the second force by the AI if it wants to bottle up my invasion indefinitely. The bottom line is that the AI can stop a force of any size with tiny units doing kamakazi attacks monthly. I have tried to retreat, but I can't move anywhere before the kamakazis stop my movement. You can't escape, you can't force peace without big bucks, and it costs almost nothing to trap you until your empire collapses from war fatigue! It would be a great strategy for a human player if you had the patience and speed to keep those 100 man units flowing (but if you miss just once, you are dead--the computer never sleeps, so it can implement the strategy beautifully).

Has anyone else run into this problem? If this is built into the game AI, it is one of the most amazing strategies I have seen. Thermopolae?

 

[Porcius]

This is a common tactic, and can get annoying. But there are a few things you can do to weaken it.

a) Let them come to you.
b) Break up your army. Smaller armies move faster (I think)and might be able to get to the other province before being intercepted.
c) Send a small group of cavalry ahead. Horses are fastest, and could engage in the other province while waiting for the main body to arrive. This is the best tactic.

You can always take the chance that your army will annihilate the opposition, but generally they break and run and quickly as they can. They've delayed you, and caused attrition - their main goal.

I don't made this little tactic (I see it as guerrilla action slowing down my army), but the bounce-back when I'm almost all the way there...

Porcius

 

[Minor Power]

Thanks

Good advice, particularly the cavalry charge. I just needed some perspectives.

 

[unmerged(1255)]

Originally posted by Porcius
Smaller armies move faster (I think)

No they don't.

 

[hjarg]

Cavalry moves fastest, then infantary and atrillery is slow. And naturally your amry speed is the speed if your slowest unit. So don't expect your armies to win any races if you have artillery with them.

 

[BiB]

Infantry 2
Cavalry 3
Artillery 1.5

Moving points per month, that is.

Then u also have to take in account terrain and so.

 

[unmerged(1255)]

Just a small sidenote about terrain: the manual says that crossing a river requires 1 mv point, but IMHO it only requires 0.5 point.

Also, I suppose there is a multiplier in terrain cost for moving into terra incognita. Does anyone know this multiplier (with and without a conquistador)?
(I could of course figure it out myself by trying, but I'm so lazy...)

 

[Depp]

but watch out what troops you send into a mountain province. Infantery is the best there I think, cavelry isn't that good.
Correct me if im wrong though.

 

[Viking]

I call this AI, and my own.. technique guerilla warfare. You place your reserves in some godforsaken dump up on a mountain or in a swamp that the enemy has to pass through (or go past) then BEFORE the enemy starts moving then you send your unit to attack the enemy, the enemy is recalled to his province to defend and just before your 1k inf is wiped out then you send another 1k inf to keep them stranded. Ideally in a desert or some puny little land province where the attritt at full rate.. winter is good. thats how I defend calais from the french sometimes, although the french do not atritt they stay put in picardie while I finish the siege of paris. Now comes the question HOW TO BEAT THIS?

1) If guerilla base (ie the guerilla province) is on the coast, then invade with 1k inf. You start the 1k inf from the ship BEFORE you advance your regular unit. Then shortly after you advance you main army. The 1k inf should be designed to arrive in the guerilla province BEFORE the guerillas arrive on the plain to disrupt your movement.

2) If guerilla base is in open inland territory. Retreat your army one area, split it into two and advance on guerilla territory from two sides. The AI as of yet cannot handle two guerilla campiagns at once.

3) OR separate one cavalry, withdraw and send cavlary to outflank and allow main army to advance into hard terrain as per 1)

4) If you are sitting in a fertile province, just allow them to come and kill 1k every month. send main army somewhere else.

5) split army into infantry army, cav army and art army. Send all at once, the cav arrives before enemy guerilla then infantry and finally artillery arrive to support.