AI build privateers?

[The JIG is up]

Yes Ive seen the AI with Privateers...not often and usually pretty useless, but it happens...and I play CivIII without Mods of any kind.

[s3d]

In my mod I have privateers with bombardment and "land privateers" (hidden nat units). AI use all, but not in every game.

[Arrian]

Cool, I get to revive an old thread.

I just wanted to mention that I finally was attacked by an AI privateer. Last night, unable to get AU106 to work (corrupted file, apparently), I created my own psuedo-AU106. My galleon - carrying 4 elite cavalry in the general direction of Zululand - was hit by what I believe to be a Persian privateer. Luckily for me, my galleon won.

I am pleased with this development. I actually considered building an escort or two for my galleons (but decided against it, since I saw no more privateers in the next several turns). This may actually turn out to be dumb, as my galleon fleet is crucial to my plans.

I almost never build frigates or ironclads in CivIII. I just wait for destroyers, and if I really want to play with naval combat in the meantime, I build some privateers.

This is emperor level, and the Persians are the strongest AI civ. I think it was them because I was near their coast and there are two other Persian ships in the immediate vicinity.

Has anyone experienced the AI using privateers in numbers? If so, any guesses as to what conditions bring this about?

-Arrian

p.s. for fun, check out the delightful post from the poster-now-known-as-Coracle.

[Inverse Icarus]

Originally posted by Kc7mxo
Hah. The AI in this game is far too intelligent to use those worthless privateers.

ding ding ding, we have a winner!



maybe they'll be useful in MP

[alva]

on a (related?) side note, in my current game, I decided to not build any arty of any kind. So far I have not seen any from the Ai either. He never builds many, but not one.
Could it be that the Ai adapts to the human ? I.E. copies him.
Try building alot of privateers and see what happens. Maybe the Ai will build some too

[alva]

arrianp.s. for fun, check out the delightful post from the poster-now-known-as-Coracle.

was thinking the same thing

[Arrian]

alva,

Interesting theory, and one that I've considered. I have built exactly 1 privateer in the game I mentioned.

Then again, I remember an old game I played on the regular world map in which I built large numbers of privateers, and the AI did not. They did, however, build frigates and send them to kill my privateers (this was back when the AI would hunt your privateers like barbs... straight for 'em from halfway 'round the world).

-Arrian

[planetfall]

Unedited privateers--
AI builds almost none. Let AI get ironclads or higher and it goes on search and destroy missions for privateers.

Edited privateers--
Cut cost in 1/2, make power one less than frigate, increase movement range by 1 and voila, lots of privateers.

I used to build them at warrior or settler levels, on Regent can't afford to waste gold for them. There is always something else more valuable.

AI builds what is most valuable. I could not figure out why they were wasting gold on marines with their weak defense. Then I noticed they have 2 more offense than infantry.

--PF

[HazieDaVampire]

abjera plays with moded units, in defualt, the AIs think privateers are a waste of time, but his moded ones mite be better!