Why is the battle AI so poor in comparison to Warband?

[fang44123]

Bannerlord not only butchered the combat system with changes to collision, formations and damage but also ruined the battle AI. The amount of times I have watched formations under AI control sit 30 feet from the enemies archers and get sniped to death because they constantly raise/lower their shields and refuse to charge is insane. The amount of times I have seen infantry run at an enemy formation, nearly clash with them then slowly start walking backwards to form up with their fresh reinforcements or totally turn around to reform is also absurd. At least in Warband the AI could properly deploy their skirmisher line THEN charge, for whatever reason the AI here seems to be completely unable to do so.
The awful friendly battle AI means you can never fight underneath someone else's command without fear of significant losses due to unit mismanagement, and you can NEVER go down in battle because the AI is completely incapable of playing the game. I have had several battles where I am absolutely beating the breaks off of the enemy but end up losing horribly when I went down. Your only way to play is to sit back and play relatively conservatively (unless your a horse archer) or install a mod like "RTS Camera" to allow you to continue controlling your units or at the very least do all the work yourself via killing the enemy.

 

[Ananda_The_Destroyer]

Maybe it's wanting so many units on the map but wanting to run on lower specs machines too. I agree though.

 

[Kentucky 『 ＨＥＩＧＵＩ 』 James]

I remember the AI being better about a year after release. Under no circumstances should formation-level battlefield AI cause frame issues in a game like this, it's almost certainly due to poor design.

 

[SadMoney]

I wouldn't be surprised if this turned out to be another misguided attempt at "balancing the game" and "preventing player snowballing". For some unfathomable reason TaleWorlds seems to think that less player control and horrendous AI -> more losses on player's side -> longer, more grindy game -> better game.

 

[fang44123]

I wouldn't be surprised if this turned out to be another misguided attempt at "balancing the game" and "preventing player snowballing". For some unfathomable reason TaleWorlds seems to think that less player control and horrendous AI -> more losses on player's side -> longer, more grindy game -> better game.

I actually think that's what it is, because the enemy battle AI isn't anywhere near as bad as it is for friendlies. Even with the RTS battle mod installed units are incapable of staying in formation or committing to a proper charge. I am playing as Sturgia right now and can't win any battles because my allies formations break into pieces when cavalry gets involved because they all try to chase them down.

 

[black_bulldog]

I wouldn't be surprised if this turned out to be another misguided attempt at "balancing the game" and "preventing player snowballing". For some unfathomable reason TaleWorlds seems to think that less player control and horrendous AI -> more losses on player's side -> longer, more grindy game -> better game.

Taking control away from the player is the opposite of what they should be doing and is my number 1 problem with this game. Players want to feel like they're winning not watch the ai play itself.

 

[CKnightHUE]

I remember my infantry actually staying back while using their skirmish weapons when told to advance, never see that work anymore.
I remember horse archers actually staying away from enemies properly and not acting like they have horse blinders on like they do now, anything outside of their target they almost completely ignore, I can just ride around them and they barely react, same goes for my own and my allies.
I remember horse archers being so much harder to catch before, they would actually notice enemies in their peripherals and ride away, now they ride straight into infantry lines and other cav. Now its comically easy to intercept and catch them.
I remember telling my cav to charge and they'd never get stuck in a ball or just press themselves against an infantry line(that isn't shield walled.) It feels like they never ride at full speed either anymore no matter what command I use. I enjoy doing some micro with move command to slam them against enemy lines back and forth, and while it still works it feels like they never ride at anything faster than maybe medium speed or slightly higher than that.
I was actually impressed with bannerlord AI both with individual troops and with the lords themselves during the first year or so of EA release but now it feels so much dumber.
There's always the chance that I was just enchanted by the game finally being in my hands that false memories were created or some rose tinted glasses but as with many other features in the game that feel undercooked, I can only hope that modders fill in the gaps with their incredible work.

 

[Julio-Claudian]

I remember my infantry actually staying back while using their skirmish weapons when told to advance, never see that work anymore.
I remember horse archers actually staying away from enemies properly and not acting like they have horse blinders on like they do now, anything outside of their target they almost completely ignore, I can just ride around them and they barely react, same goes for my own and my allies.
I remember horse archers being so much harder to catch before, they would actually notice enemies in their peripherals and ride away, now they ride straight into infantry lines and other cav. Now its comically easy to intercept and catch them.
I remember telling my cav to charge and they'd never get stuck in a ball or just press themselves against an infantry line(that isn't shield walled.) It feels like they never ride at full speed either anymore no matter what command I use. I enjoy doing some micro with move command to slam them against enemy lines back and forth, and while it still works it feels like they never ride at anything faster than maybe medium speed or slightly higher than that.
I was actually impressed with bannerlord AI both with individual troops and with the lords themselves during the first year or so of EA release but now it feels so much dumber.
There's always the chance that I was just enchanted by the game finally being in my hands that false memories were created or some rose tinted glasses but as with many other features in the game that feel undercooked, I can only hope that modders fill in the gaps with their incredible work.

It isn't rose-tinted glasses. At least not for the Horse Archer stuff, in 2020 they were scary, a threat and difficult to defeat - as they should be. However people kept complaining about HA being OP and Khuzaits steamrolling so HA were 'nerfed' and and have seemingly become progressively worse.

 

[Rossa]

The way bannerlord deals with reinforcements is utterly moronic and the main reason i avoid big battles at all cost( which ends up making me avoid reaching mid to end game on most campaings and just starting over) It is always just waiting for 15 minutes while your allies kill themselves for your own troops to spawn and mop up the battlefield.

and you can NEVER go down in battle because the AI is completely incapable of playing the game.

They could just use the exact same behaviour as the F6 command, i can't understand why they choose to give the whole army the charge command.