Lets be blunt here. The battle AI is really really stupid. I'm pretty sure it doesn't check the current state of the battle. They're either "offensive" if they had an advantage at the start of the battle, or "defensive" if they didn't.
The problem is the "defensive" tactics are really really bad. Not sure if swearing is allowed on this forum so I'll just say this is where I'd swear about how bad the AI is.
They basically just huddle into that one formation. The circle with the archers on the outside and the melee infantry on the inside.
Why are the infantry on the inside...?
If horses are charging around then you want the spearmen on the outside. To stop the horsemen hitting the archers.
If you've got archers shooting at you then you want the infantry with the shields at the front. To block the arrows.
The only time it MIGHT be beneficial is if the enemy has all shield-less infantry and you can kill them all before they reach the circle... BUT CONSIDERING THEY'RE IN DEFENSE MODE, THAT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN, IS IT?
I'm honestly trying very hard to not be totally negative about the developers... but whoever designed the auto-lose circle of death is an idiot.
The worst part of the whole thing is that I'll be leading my army, winning. I get lanced or headshot. One of those unfortunate but unavoidable incidents. My army immediately goes into death circle mode and even though I have 300/500 units left against their 300/900, we lose. Because the death circle makes your army worse than just charging.
SO, how do you fix this?
It's really easy. Just fix the AI so that it's not worse than Zapp Brannigan.
If that's beyond your ability, which it seems to be, then let the player still have control of THEIR army even if they get knocked out.
Frankly, I don't GAF about your 'realism'. The game is centered around armies fighting armies. To auto-lose because you tried to have fun actually playing instead of just waiting for your army to win is stupid. It's stupid. Are you trying to make the game not fun? Because that's how you make the game not fun.
If I wanted a game where I sat back and watched my army battle for me then I'd play the Total War games because they do that much better. I play mount and blade so that I can get stuck into the fight as well. That's what sets it apart from other games. SO LET US ACTUALLY GET STUCK INTO THE FIGHT!
The problem is the "defensive" tactics are really really bad. Not sure if swearing is allowed on this forum so I'll just say this is where I'd swear about how bad the AI is.
They basically just huddle into that one formation. The circle with the archers on the outside and the melee infantry on the inside.
Why are the infantry on the inside...?
If horses are charging around then you want the spearmen on the outside. To stop the horsemen hitting the archers.
If you've got archers shooting at you then you want the infantry with the shields at the front. To block the arrows.
The only time it MIGHT be beneficial is if the enemy has all shield-less infantry and you can kill them all before they reach the circle... BUT CONSIDERING THEY'RE IN DEFENSE MODE, THAT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN, IS IT?
I'm honestly trying very hard to not be totally negative about the developers... but whoever designed the auto-lose circle of death is an idiot.
The worst part of the whole thing is that I'll be leading my army, winning. I get lanced or headshot. One of those unfortunate but unavoidable incidents. My army immediately goes into death circle mode and even though I have 300/500 units left against their 300/900, we lose. Because the death circle makes your army worse than just charging.
SO, how do you fix this?
It's really easy. Just fix the AI so that it's not worse than Zapp Brannigan.
If that's beyond your ability, which it seems to be, then let the player still have control of THEIR army even if they get knocked out.
Frankly, I don't GAF about your 'realism'. The game is centered around armies fighting armies. To auto-lose because you tried to have fun actually playing instead of just waiting for your army to win is stupid. It's stupid. Are you trying to make the game not fun? Because that's how you make the game not fun.
If I wanted a game where I sat back and watched my army battle for me then I'd play the Total War games because they do that much better. I play mount and blade so that I can get stuck into the fight as well. That's what sets it apart from other games. SO LET US ACTUALLY GET STUCK INTO THE FIGHT!
