DeletedUser
I'm making a separate thread because I believe that the combat AI changes are the most significant change in the game since the introduction of Great Buildings. It changes the balance of combat / economy too.
My personal take on the changes are that they are excellent but a few other improvements should be made.
For what it's worth, I'm running with 125% combat bonuses, am the most tech advanced in my neighbourhood and have finished IndA tech tree. My neighbourhood consists of 50 players with one person using 130% defensive bonuses and IndA units to another just using 2 spearmen in Bronze Age.
The combat changes are a lot of fun first and foremost. Combat requires some strategy and you cannot just go with 1 grenadier and 7 long range and Auto Complete.
Unit balance changes I've noticed :
Rogues are now VERY useful. Having 1 in your army on defense means that unless they wipe your army in less than 2 turns, you will have to waste an attack on the rogue before it reaches your units. Rogues on attack will often be hit first too, so if you run 7x + 1 rogue you waste 1 attack of the enemy.
Long Range is pointless in Industrial Age. Short Range and Infantry Units all have range, and with increased distance they actually move, your LR be targetted by the second round at least. LR seems to be targetted second to rogues.
Jaeger Infantry is very good - it hides in forests and sticks to bushes - pulling your units out of formation.
All other units utilise their movement/attacks better now - either rushing into battle (Dragoons) or getting onto rocks within range and sniping (Riflemen)
You will need to dedicate a much larger amount of resources to PvP if you are inclined that way which is a good thing.
My feelings are that it doesn't help players on defense who are lower age. They'll still get broken and plundered (I don't but others do) by the bigger players and even more so as they're much easier to fight. There should be some way to modify the combat points to be greater than they currently are for 'fair' fights and lessen them against earlier age players. Also, as the ages passed, long range units were still used but at even greater ranges. If Long Range is to be of use, the combat maps should become much larger or unit movement should be lower to compensate. Last, there should be some way to scout your opponent first as combat is that much more challenging! I know I've ventured somewhat into an Idea/Suggestion but the core of this thread is to discuss the combat AI
My personal take on the changes are that they are excellent but a few other improvements should be made.
For what it's worth, I'm running with 125% combat bonuses, am the most tech advanced in my neighbourhood and have finished IndA tech tree. My neighbourhood consists of 50 players with one person using 130% defensive bonuses and IndA units to another just using 2 spearmen in Bronze Age.
The combat changes are a lot of fun first and foremost. Combat requires some strategy and you cannot just go with 1 grenadier and 7 long range and Auto Complete.
Unit balance changes I've noticed :
Rogues are now VERY useful. Having 1 in your army on defense means that unless they wipe your army in less than 2 turns, you will have to waste an attack on the rogue before it reaches your units. Rogues on attack will often be hit first too, so if you run 7x + 1 rogue you waste 1 attack of the enemy.
Long Range is pointless in Industrial Age. Short Range and Infantry Units all have range, and with increased distance they actually move, your LR be targetted by the second round at least. LR seems to be targetted second to rogues.
Jaeger Infantry is very good - it hides in forests and sticks to bushes - pulling your units out of formation.
All other units utilise their movement/attacks better now - either rushing into battle (Dragoons) or getting onto rocks within range and sniping (Riflemen)
You will need to dedicate a much larger amount of resources to PvP if you are inclined that way which is a good thing.
My feelings are that it doesn't help players on defense who are lower age. They'll still get broken and plundered (I don't but others do) by the bigger players and even more so as they're much easier to fight. There should be some way to modify the combat points to be greater than they currently are for 'fair' fights and lessen them against earlier age players. Also, as the ages passed, long range units were still used but at even greater ranges. If Long Range is to be of use, the combat maps should become much larger or unit movement should be lower to compensate. Last, there should be some way to scout your opponent first as combat is that much more challenging! I know I've ventured somewhat into an Idea/Suggestion but the core of this thread is to discuss the combat AI