Anyone elsie notice the A.I. sometimes doesnt defend its cities?

[trickey]

It might just be me, but before v1.29f, i had never seen the A.I. leave one of its cities undefended. But now, after the patch, twice the A.I. built a city without having a defender for it.

I play on regent.

[phunny_pharmer]

hmm...can't say I've noticed this myself?

Do you have a save?

[Killerdaffy]

I haven't seen undefended cities yet but since 1.29f the AI DOES send out settlers with the escort joining on the way, especially in the beginning. It makes sense, at least when all the babarian settlements have been cleared. I think the cities might stay undefended if the (intended) defender gets killed en route.

[ixnay]

I once had the situation where I declared war on the Americans, whose city of New Orleans was planted entirely on the other side of my empire. As I moved troops within striking range, a ship sailed in and evacuated all of the units defending it, leaving it open for the taking.

[vondrack]

Originally posted by ixnay37
I once had the situation where I declared war on the Americans, whose city of New Orleans was planted entirely on the other side of my empire. As I moved troops within striking range, a ship sailed in and evacuated all of the units defending it, leaving it open for the taking.

Yep, I had exactly the same experience once. I was really glad to see the AI behave in this way, as it made perfect sense... (unlike planting the city in that remote location, that is... )

[dexters]

Human players sometimes leave cities undefended as well

[ChrisiusMaximus]

I do quite often but always try to have something near to just in case.

[GhengisFarb™]

Re: Anyone elsie notice the A.I. sometimes doesnt defend its cities?

Originally posted by trickey
It might just be me, but before v1.29f, i had never seen the A.I. leave one of its cities undefended. But now, after the patch, twice the A.I. built a city without having a defender for it.

I play on regent.

I've noticed it to. Not only to the found cities without a military unit. They often build the first military unit for the settlement instead of moving one in.

However, after I've picked a few of their vagrant settlers off for slave labor they tend to start escorting them again.

[Carver]

Originally posted by ixnay37
I once had the situation where I declared war on the Americans, whose city of New Orleans was planted entirely on the other side of my empire. As I moved troops within striking range, a ship sailed in and evacuated all of the units defending it, leaving it open for the taking.

I've never seen that myself but I've read many posts describing such evacs.

Overall, I guess its an AI improvement to send out settlers sans escort, as the AI can probably settle territory faster without waiting to build a defender.

[dnassman]

Even before 1.29 I found AI civs planting cities without a defending unit. This was in the ancient era and when I was pounding them in a war. It happened a few times actually. After capturing most of the AI civs I almost always find one or two new cities that have no defender. I'm assuming the AI rushes the settler and needs the defensive unit in the city that I am attacking. So yes I have seen this happen the way you describe it.

[trickey]

Sorry, i dont have a save game, i didnt think of it at the time to take a screenshot This was very early in the game ( in both cases, the undefende city was the second one built by the A.I.), i took the cities with the inithial warrior that i always build first. I must admit, it worked awesome. The A.I. would then give me the 2-3 tech they had that i didnt, and usually thier worker. Then i would make peace with 'em. I cant believe how much me taking that 1 city slowed down the A.I expansion.

[dexters]

From what I've read here, the AI probably has a learning algorithm where it eavsdrops onto your movies and see if you have enough troops in the region to threaten it, and or, whether you are in the habit of attacking with your forces (at the time) if both return no, the AI may then go for more aggressive fast paced expansion where it settles new cities without support.

[GhengisFarb™]

Originally posted by dexters
From what I've read here, the AI probably has a learning algorithm where it eavsdrops onto your movies and see if you have enough troops in the region to threaten it, and or, whether you are in the habit of attacking with your forces (at the time) if both return no, the AI may then go for more aggressive fast paced expansion where it settles new cities without support.

I don't think its based on the number of units you may have in the area because I'd often have their lone settlers run into 3-4 or my scouting militia units.

[Zylka]

To what end???

[Ijuin]

Originally posted by Zylka
To what end???

I am thinking that if the AI knows that it cannot hold onto a city--for example, if it only has a pair of Spearmen defending it and you are bearing down on them with a stack of 20 Swordsmen, then it will abandon the city, stripping away the units and selling improvements in a "scortched earth" maneuver to save whatever it can.