Does the AI build small wonders?

[korn469]

In my experience the AI seems to lag behind in production of small wonders, and it doesn't seem to like to build armies at all. I was wondering if I'm being paranoid or if this is real AI behavior.

[vmxa1]

In most games, I would agree with you. In huge maps played for Dom or Conquest, you will sometimes see a KAI making armies.

[alexman]

No, the AI definitely builds small wonders. For example, it almost always builds a FP as soon as it becomes available (resulting in a poor placement, by the way).

Not sure about armies, but given their high cost, I wouldn't say that it's a bad thing if the AI doesn't build them!

[bongo]

It will build other small wonders as well.

As for armies, I've seen some built from leader but I don't recall seeing one built from scratch. Their armies are mostly crap BTW. The last I saw were an army with one archer and two warriors

[Alex]

the AI armies are pathetic, but I recall the AI building small wonders in almost all of my games.

[Dominae]

The AI's use of Armies has been quite good in my experience.

In AU210, I've seen pure Pikemen Armies, pure Infantry Armies, and (worst of all) pure Panzer Armies. I think I even recall a 2 Modern Armor and 1 Mechanized Infantry Army, but it was late my vision was probably failing me.


Dominae

[Theseus]

There are AI Armies all over the place in my AU210... pure, mixed, you name it.

Not sure about SWs, but in my general experience KAIs will usually build most, including as a result of losing out on a GW cascade.

[korn469]

Dom and Theseus,

Is the AI actually building the armies or is it simply using GL's to form them? The AI seems to love to use GL's to create armies, so I was wondering if this is where they were coming from.

Tell me more about KAIs. This means killer AI right? I'm not completely familiar with the AU mod, and I want to wring as much as possible out of the AI for my Blitz mod.

[CerberusIV]

I play with the Military Academy requiring 5 barracks, not a successful army, and the AI's do build it and armies as well.

If you do change the Military Academy requirements in this way, just remember that the free barracks from Sun Tzu do not count as the requirement to build the Academy!

[Theseus]

korn:

I am pretty sure the AI Armies are from GLs... my supposedly peaceful game in AU210 has been a war torn hell throughout.

I am about to post a short update; you'll see what I mean.

[dexters]

Originally posted by Dominae
The AI's use of Armies has been quite good in my experience.

In AU210, I've seen pure Pikemen Armies, pure Infantry Armies, and (worst of all) pure Panzer Armies. I think I even recall a 2 Modern Armor and 1 Mechanized Infantry Army, but it was late my vision was probably failing me.


Dominae

This may be a 1.27f tweak, but in my recent game, 12 civs, large map (pangea) I've seen 2 pure tank armies from two different AI civs.

I don't think this was a coincidence. No longer do we see 2 tanks and a bowman and a spearman armies.

[Cookie Monster]

Not sure if the AI builds the small wonder required for manufacturing armies, however......

In my past two games I've seen on AI civ field at least 2 armies against me. Needless to say I was both angered and pleasantly surprised.

[Arrian]

Last night, just before saving the game and heading to bed, I investigated the capitols of each AI civ left in my game (Aztecs, Romans, Japanese, Carthaginians).

The Aztecs were building the Military Academy in Tenochticlan. So there you go.

Alexman is right to point out that the AI will build the FP as soon as it can, probably in the first city that pops up with it as an available option (like when your governer tells you "we should build the FP," and the next city in the production queue defaults to it). This often results in terrible FP placement. Occasionally, through blind luck, it ends up in a decent spot.

I've seen AI intelligence agencies too.

-Arrian

[dexters]

Originally posted by Cookie Monster
Not sure if the AI builds the small wonder required for manufacturing armies, however......

In my past two games I've seen on AI civ field at least 2 armies against me. Needless to say I was both angered and pleasantly surprised.

If you have the patience you can play a debug can and find out. I never actually considered the subject and this topic has me interested in revisiting my old debug saves to see. I'll find out in 12 hours, when i get home...

Alexman is right to point out that the AI will build the FP as soon as it can, probably in the first city that pops up with it as an available option (like when your governer tells you "we should build the FP," and the next city in the production queue defaults to it). This often results in terrible FP placement. Occasionally, through blind luck, it ends up in a decent spot.

You know I've always thought the had tweaked it for PTW. But your theory seems so simple and logical it's hard for me to disagree despite my observations to the contrary.

[realpolitic]

Originally posted by Dominae
The AI's use of Armies has been quite good in my experience.

In AU210, I've seen pure Pikemen Armies, pure Infantry Armies, and (worst of all) pure Panzer Armies. I think I even recall a 2 Modern Armor and 1 Mechanized Infantry Army, but it was late my vision was probably failing me.


Dominae

To the limited degree that armies work, I think the best are offensive armies, where all units move at the same speed. I've seen pikeman/Cavalry/Cavalry.