Any ideas for evening the military playing field?

[Egbert]

I find that the AI is easy to beat in wars. I find they need a technological advantage and a massive numerical advantage to take human cities. On the other hand, there is no real difficulty taking cities away from the AI (unless they have technological advantages and a huge numerical advantage).

I am trying to think of ways to balance this up a bit so capturing a city is something of a difficult and notable event rather than a routine process.

I could mod things so the AI units have more hitpoints or more defense bonuses or cheaper units (but cheaper units mean more micromanagement when conducting my wars). On the other hand I have a tendency to create wildly unbalanced scenarios.

Has anyone experimented along these lines? If you have could you say what you did and how well it worked please?

[Cruddy]

What difficuly level are you playing at? I usually play Deity on a huge map, and I find it difficult to take AI cities without a large artillery stack and/or cruise missiles.

I may have totally missied you point - but it works for me.

[Bane Star]

MAYBE....

Defensive Bonuses in the Editor, Cities give a defensive bonus based (on what looks like) the citizens in the city (city size) and other such notes,

Also The Maximim supported military in governments, maybe up the limits, so they keep more troops in the cities?

Add in more city walls, I'm adding each stage of walls and castle structures into my Fantasy mod, each with its own defensive value.

Up the defence score of the defence troops:
Spearman
Pikeman
Musketeer
etc etc

[Noble713]

But most of those proposed changes will affect not only the AI but the player as well, so the net result will be pretty much the same. Is there any way to mod the AI itself to make it station more troops in its cities? I doubt there we can tell it to concentrate its offensive forces better though.....

[Egbert]

Cruddy,
Your suggestion gave me an idea. I went into the editor and amended some of the advantages for deity downwards (ie start with one settler and a worker but no other units, reduced free unit support, changed AI trade rate). I give myself a nice starting location for my first two cities. This seems to be working just fine, I have an AI that can defend itself very well indeed but does not have crushing starting advantages. It seems I can keep up with the science and production but I would be in deepest trouble if I allowed myself to fall behind. I will probably need to fiddle with the editor a bit more to get it just right but this has added to my enjoyment of the game. Thankyou for your reply.

Such modification, with a nice start location, gives me a game that probably works out at Regent or Monarch difficulty overall but a different mix of AI advantages. It keeps me on my toes too.

[Cruddy]

Credit where it's due - Bane Star recommended you fiddle with the editor.

But I'm glad you are having more fun.

[Egbert]

Originally posted by Cruddy
Credit where it's due - Bane Star recommended you fiddle with the editor.

But I'm glad you are having more fun.

Umh yes.

Thank you Bane Star.

[Jaybe]

You normally attack with what: knights, cavalry & tanks?

Increase the defense bonus for being fortified to 50% (from 25%). Option: do the same with River bonus.

Give knights & cavalry (-1) hitpoint. As an option, give ELITE units 6HP. This will make knights & cavalry fragile units unless they are Elite, when they will be 5HP.

Another option: Give pike, musket & rifles attack strengths similar to their defense strength, and in the AI strategies make them offensive/defensive units. In combination with the 50% fortified bonus it makes running battles even, but when fortified .... It also gives infantry types the ability to take out horse units.

Infantry might be given 8 for attack, to enable them to better take out your tanks that are out in the open without defensive support.