Archery AI

[hruza]

We all know that power draw skill affects accuracy, damage and time reticule stay closed to significant extend and that power draw few levels above bow requirement is optimal one (2-3 points above).

But that applies to player. Does same apply to AI controlled characters (bowman, companions)? Does anybody know how it works?

Also I noticed that in Warband, unlike in original MB, AI aims for head, not for body (unless opponent have shield and is close, then it seems to aim for legs). I guess it was done to improve performance of AI archery in sieges. Is it true?

 

[Green Apostol]

Often, when fighting in the fields, I stand behind my army line with the shield in block position protecting my head. And i take hits every time.
AI archers do aim the body, not only the head.
My 25 cents : AI archer aiming is random.

 

[hruza]

If you are close enough and have shield up (not necessarily too high, just in front of you), AI aims for legs. You can test it in arena.

 

[Green Apostol]

I am talking about open field regular clashes, because i experienced it often.

"AI archers aim the head" was my initial creed too. That's why i tried to protect the head while holding the position or simply moving around the field while my army was fighting enemies.
First i tried the head protecting strategy while being behind my army line and the enemies were advancing from front in line formation. The archers were firing arrows in my direction and in my army direction.
The shield was up protecting the head and neck. Some arrows were hiting the horse, some arrows were hiting the shield, and some arrows were "you received X damage from X archer ". I dont know if was the legs or the body from the neck down. And they hited me from long distance.

What i can certainly say is that AI does aim not only the head in the field fightings.
About arena fights, can't tell if your theory is 100% correct or not.

 

[hruza]

AI is not 100% accurate, especially at long distance. That they aim at head does not mean they newer hit anything else. When I observe AI archers (my own) they always seems to aim at head. Except when enemy with shield is very close. They then aim for legs.

 

[Green Apostol]

I specified that i experienced while being in hold position. That means i didn't move, just holding the shield to protect the head and neck behind my army line. That imply no moving.

If they aim the head but got the body or legs, then doesnt matter what they aim, the result is the same: the shield position doesn't matter too much. It just must be somewhere protecting you.

Maybe "the AI always aim the head" theory is correct, but then doesn't matter when actualy fighting.
Ofc this is only my opinion from my experience.

 

[MaHuD]

AI still gets the same reticule that players use, so their aiming is really just putting the center of the reticule on the enemy's head, body or legs. After that it totally depends on their skill level as to how accurate their shots are, just like human players.
Therefor its possible to hit other unintended targets.

 

[hruza]

Exactly. And if I am right, implication is that AI archers hit their targets less often: If you aim at centre of mass, there is higher chance you hit something than if you aim at head.

Of course if they manage to hit head (which high proficiency archers can at reasonable distance) than they are going to make more damage.

So result is that in open battles AI archery is less accurate but potentially more dangerous at close distance.

 

[Green Apostol]

Yes, that is true ( from experience also), when they hit the head, they usualy need only one hit to end the show.
Even a low tier archer can do a lethal one with a headshot.
Once i've been headshoted by a skirmisher  , my head armor being somewhere at 60 head defense.

 

[TheGoldElite]

I can definitely confirm that they aim for the head at fairly close range, and when you approach them with a shield raised, they seem to aim for the legs (albeit too late and they have to swap weapon 9/10 times before shooting)

Also, the enemy seems incapable of leading their targets, so sidestepping is very effective against them.