Is Raging Barbs unfair to the AI civs?

[Theben]

I usually have little difficulty fending off the barb hordes, and although it does slow down my expansion a little at first, I wind up with an experienced army ready to go kick some AI civ butt. Also I usually can get the Great Wall before anyone (Monarch level), easing my pain dramatically and channelling those barbs towards the nearest AI civ.

[alva]

I've always felt that bards are more damaging to the AI than to the human player ( be it raging or normal).

[Vampgelus]

My usual tech order just give me the possibility to build the great wall very early, and i almost ever get it (exept if i don't want to), that's the reason for me playing without barbs, i only want the GG bonus.

IMHO there should be two distinc wonders each with one of the effect. The barb repulsion effect wonder would not be available if you turn barbs off.

[#07]

The AI is fine against barbs, especially when they have archers from the beginning (>= monarch).

[Hauptman]

Originally posted by alva
I've always felt that bards are more damaging to the AI than to the human player ( be it raging or normal).

I have watched barbs walk passed the ai neighbors and come harass me... So I gotta vote NO!

[Vampgelus]

Originally posted by Hauptman


I have watched barbs walk passed the ai neighbors and come harass me... So I gotta vote NO!

Hahaha, that's what i call "paranoia"

[Garth Vader]

No I have seen that too.

[Ming]

I would have to agree... I really think the barbs are more of a problem to a human than the AI... especially at the higher levels when they start with better units.

However, the Barbarian Uprising Special Event causes both the human player and AI problems. I've seen the 6 to 8 barbarian horseman just trash me, and I've seen it trash my neighbor.

But besides that, I would vote a big fat no to the original question.

[Lord Avalon]

One time I had just settled my third city when the uprising event occurred, and the barbs popped up right outside that city. My poor warrior was no match for them. I eventually took the city back, but ended up abandoning that game.

[DaShi]

I usually build the Great Wall so barbs aren't usually a problem for me. However, I've noticed that the AI is pretty good at using barbs to upgrade their units.

As I've posted in a previous thread, I've had the barb uprising event wipe out all my competition in a few games. Personally, I feel it's a broken event as it often leads to a quick defeat or easy victory if it occurs in the early game, ruining the "fun factor."

[DaShi]

Originally posted by Hauptman


I have watched barbs walk passed the ai neighbors and come harass me... So I gotta vote NO!

I've seen this plenty of times myself. Unless it's event barbs. They seem programmed to head directly to nearest cities.

[Blaupanzer]

Event barbs took out three AI capitols in a recent game. Made my conquest a piece of cake.

I voted no. I like the results of selecting raging barbs, but I would have to admit that raging barbs can hinder AI survival and expansion a bit more than it does mine. I play on huge/large worlds at slow speeds, which is why I like the option.

[Supr49er]

No - unless you select it with the intent of rushing the Great Wall.

[Arrian]

Depends on the level. For a while I played only raging barbs games on Prince level, and once I adjusted my play to account for it, I thought it was easier for me. The AI gets big combat advantages, but doesn't adapt its play, so despite those advantages their infrastructure often gets ripped up and they even sometimes lose key cities.

-Arrian

[snoopy369]

Originally posted by DaShi


I've seen this plenty of times myself. Unless it's event barbs. They seem programmed to head directly to nearest cities.

They are not programmed to select human cities They will, however, randomly choose occasionally not to attack a city (or unit or whatever). I don't recall the exact decision tree, but it's in the code ... it was posted here a while back (years).