Does the computer use siege units in Conquests?

[Optimizer]

I've only played PTW so far, and I am disappointed that the AI does not use siege units. Does it use them in C3C?

[G'Kar]

Not really.

I was in the open feild once and I moved a stack of units next to AI artillery. During the AI turn his arty did fire offensively on me.

[Gibsie]

Somewhat, they build em a little, but don't use them offensively.

[ChrisiusMaximus]

Ive seen more AI Artillery units but they still seem to keep them holed up in their cities, and only seem to use them when I attack as a defensive strike.

I always end up capturing them and adding them to my stack so its pretty useless really.

[Master Marcus]

About this whole ''AI not using arty in Civ3, at least offensively'' I've come to think with the time it's not so bad at all....For an experienced player, if the AI was able to march on one of his cities with a full defended stack including a good amount of artys, well for that experienced player they would be eventually captured too much easily ( strong defensive units move only 1 per turn; the player has all the time to react and using his own arty to weaken the AI stack, then cavalry units make the ultimate move for free additional artillery units ). In fact, if the AI was able to use too much of them offensively, it would probably lose them most of the time : perhaps the human player would count on this to collect enough units for his own campaign, thus avoiding the cost to build them. And I think the player should build them, like the vast majority of its military. Since the AI uses well non-land artys like planes, bombers, and vessels, I'm happy for now with the actual engine.

But they can improve this in Civ4...

[Jeem]

The AI does 'attempt' to use ground artillery offensively now, but it's still pretty rare and to easy to beat the (usually single) defender and capture the unit.

It seems to me that the main problem with AI using artillery is that it uses terrain to the fullest with normal units (it will generally go for the mountain route when it can), but because wheeled war machines cannot enter mountains, the AI falls apart somewhat.

[Vince278]

Originally posted by ChrisiusMaximus
Ive seen more AI Artillery units but they still seem to keep them holed up in their cities, and only seem to use them when I attack as a defensive strike.

I always end up capturing them and adding them to my stack so its pretty useless really.

That has been my experience as well.

[Jaybe]

On OCCASION I have seen AI arty being used offensively, though seldom in the field.

I am really UPSET that the AI does not use arty offensively while hold up in cities! AI artillery in cities should be used EVERY turn if there is an enemy unit within range -- No IfAndOrButs!

[Dis]

Originally posted by Jaybe
On OCCASION I have seen AI arty being used offensively, though seldom in the field.

I am really UPSET that the AI does not use arty offensively while hold up in cities! AI artillery in cities should be used EVERY turn if there is an enemy unit within range -- No IfAndOrButs!

agreed.

I do this all the time. I esp. did this in the ww2 scenario. I used my artillery on passing ships. Even if the ships posed no threat to any of my units. I still would bombard it just for the hell of it (it also disrupts them for a few turns while the ai heals their ship)

[Catt]

It uses an artillery unit on offense on occasion, but usually only one. The big difference between common human use and AI use is that the AI won't usea stack of 10+ artillery units, with appropriate defense, to lay siege to a city or a defensive position.

Catt

[MrWhereItsAt]

Indeed Catt. Perhaps a potential future fix for this in later games is to program the AI to set up stack types - a Cav stack, a slowmover attacker/defender stack and an arty/defender stack. These stacks could have a set number of units in them, and ensure the AI builds the complete stack before sending it out. Thus Arty would no longer be considered as another single unit to stick any old place as the AI does now.

On a slight OT here: When the AI captures your Arty (stop laughing - it doesn't happen all that often), does it disband most of them? I have seen this a few times (of course never very often... ), and seems to be rather counterproductive, unless of course you would be in a position to take them back soon. Although, if that were the case, there should be little chance of you losing the Arty in the first place, right?

[Dis]

never seen them disband them (perhaps when they captured yours it was too far away from their own cities- or on another continent from their cities).

But in my games they usually retreat the artys to their nearest city.

It does seem like it wouldn't be that hard to program the ai to form a task force.

Just 1 task force is all I ask for. A task force would consist of units stacked together consisting of several infantry, several fast moving units, and several bombarding units, and even stealth units if applicable. 2 or 3 task forces would be a little better as they could protect each border.

You script it so that the force stays together except when they have to attack. After attacking the task force should regroup to protect injuried units. If the stack starts getting too many injured units, then move to a safe location to heal- and use various individual units in the area to cover the retreat.

I also would like to see armie scripted in as well (properly that is- I've seen AI armies that were not "full")

And don't tell me this task force idea is impossible. I have seen the ai move their units in stacks in the Napoleon scenario. I almost **** a brick when I saw 4 stacks of 6 or 7 advanced infantry (not sure of the name, but the units had an attack of 6, defense of 6- no easy pickins) move through my territory. The stacks stayed together when moving.

This wouldn't be as much of a problem if units did not move into the enemy's square after winning a battle. The AI actually would have an easier time keeping their stacks together.

Sure the human could bypass the stack. But you could program it in that the ai just moves the stack adjacent to a human city and start attacking it. That will get their attention . In my games, I don't ignore large groups of units attacking my cities

[CerberusIV]

I'm sure the AI could be programmed to make use of stacks and armies but I imagine it would then have to be linked to difficulty level. The reason is that, whilst most of the people who haunt these forums could cope with that and even enjoy the challenge, the majority of those who buy the game never come here, never get past chieftain/warlord and would die of fright if they saw the AI operate that way - so they would not buy the next version of civ.

[Master Marcus]

Originally posted by CerberusIV
I'm sure the AI could be programmed to make use of stacks and armies but I imagine it would then have to be linked to difficulty level. The reason is that, whilst most of the people who haunt these forums could cope with that and even enjoy the challenge, the majority of those who buy the game never come here, never get past chieftain/warlord and would die of fright if they saw the AI operate that way - so they would not buy the next version of civ.

True enough, I agree, and Civ3 has ALREADY one of the smartest AI of the TBS market, and offers the best challenge in my mind ( hey, Monarch is a good challenge for me on large maps, there's another 4 higher difficulty levels unplayable for the vast majority of civers, and I've beaten easily the highest settings of great classics such as Civ2, MoO2, SMAC, etc...)

[Cookie Monster]

While siege weapons are even more important in C3C I've rarely seen the ai use them. They primarily keep them in cities and benefit from their defensive fire.

In all the games I've played the ai has only used one artillery piece offensively against me. This was only because they captured it in a lightly defended fort and used the gun and fort against me.

What the ai does use relentlessly is bombers.