Purpose: Analyze strategic AI behavior to help identify whether sovereigns, spouses, and champions are being fully geared based on available gildar and tech level.
Scope: Sovereigns, spouses, and champions within faction zone of control.
Scenario:
- Large custom map built from "Ovia" - created an island so I can cycle turns, reduced starting positions to 10 and spread them out
- Ridiculous across the board
- Max players
- Normal pacing
- Playing as Capitar
- Used Ctrl-U cheat to see entire map
- Used Ctrl-Z cheat to cycle turns
- Used Ctrl-T cheat to teleport sovereign into faction zoc and then visit shop for purchase options
Saves:
Codes:
- If item is mentioned it indicates the AI should buy the item but hasn't
- S = Sovereign
- SS = Sovereign Spouse
- C<#> = Champion # (note only reviewing champions within zoc)
- Tech # indicates # of equipment related techs showing in faction's shop
Faction Concerns:
- Pariden
- S12 FP5 (1 city) - 978 gildar, 0 tech
- S - staff, traveling boots, salted pork
- SS - staff, traveling boots, salted pork
- S24 FP5 (1 city) - 1,082 gildar, 0 tech
- S - staff, traveling boots, salted pork
- SS - staff, traveling boots, salted pork
- S36 FP9 (1 city) - 1,437 gildar, 1 tech
- S - traveling boots, complete padded armor set, oak spear or shield/1h, salted pork, soldier's cloak
- SS - traveling boots, complete padded armor set, oak spear or shield/1h, salted pork, soldier's cloak
- S48 FP19 (2 cities) - 2,155 gildar, 1 tech
- S - traveling boots, complete padded armor set, oak spear or shield/1h, salted pork, soldier's cloak
- SS - traveling boots, complete padded armor set, salted pork, soldier's cloak
- S60 FP24 (2 cities) - 3,210 gildar, 2 tech
- S - traveling boots, complete padded armor set, war staff, salted pork, soldier's cloak
- SS - traveling boots, complete padded armor set, war staff, salted pork, soldier's cloak
- PLEASE NOTE: anomaly, both S and SS bought some leather armor but shop does not indicate proper tech level
- Kraxis
- S12 FP5 (1 city) - 1,022 gildar, 0 tech
- S - traveling boots, salted pork
- SS - staff, traveling boots, salted pork
- S24 FP9 (1 city) - 1,129 gildar, 0 tech
- S - traveling boots, salted pork
- SS - staff, traveling boots, salted pork
- S36 FP12 (2 cities) - 1,678 gildar, 0 tech
- S - traveling boots, salted pork
- SS - traveling boots, salted pork
- PLEASE NOTE: anomaly, S bought boar spear and SS bought some armor but shop does not indicate proper tech level
- S48 FP21 (3 cities) - 2,338 gildar, 0 tech
- S - traveling boots, salted pork
- SS - traveling boots, salted pork
- S60 FP47 (4 cities) - 4,490 gildar, 1 tech
- S - traveling boots, partial padded armor set, salted pork, soldier's cloak
- SS - traveling boots, complete padded armor set, oak spear or shield/1h, salted pork, soldier's cloak
- PLEASE NOTE: anomaly, both S and SS bought some leather armor but shop does not indicate proper tech level
- Gilden
- S12 FP5 (1 city) - 1,079 gildar, 0 tech
- S - traveling boots, salted pork
- SS - staff, traveling boots, salted pork
- S24 FP5 (1 city) - 1,186 gildar, 0 tech
- S - traveling boots, salted pork
- SS - staff, traveling boots, salted pork
- C1 - staff, traveling boots, salted pork
- S36 FP24 (1 city) - 1,807 gildar, 1 tech
- S - traveling boots, complete padded armor set, shield, salted pork, soldier's cloak
- SS - traveling boots, complete padded armor set, oak spear or shield/1h, salted pork, soldier's cloak
- C1 - traveling boots, partial padded armor set, salted pork, soldier's cloak
- S48 FP47 (2 cities) - 4,906 gildar, 2 tech
- S - traveling boots, complete padded armor set, war staff, salted pork, soldier's cloak
- SS - traveling boots, complete padded armor set, salted pork, soldier's cloak
- C1 - traveling boots, partial padded armor set, war staff, salted pork, soldier's cloak
- PLEASE NOTE: anomaly, SS bought battle axe but shop does not indicate proper tech level
- S60 FP57 (2 cities) - 8,858 gildar, 2 tech
- S - traveling boots, complete padded armor set, war staff, salted pork, soldier's cloak
- SS - traveling boots, complete padded armor set, salted pork, soldier's cloak
- Resoln
- S12 FP5 (1 city) - 1,047 gildar, 0 tech
- S - staff, traveling boots, salted pork
- SS - staff, traveling boots, salted pork
- S24 FP10 (1 city) - 1,298 gildar, 1 tech
- S - traveling boots, complete padded armor set, oak spear or shield/1h, salted pork, soldier's cloak
- SS - traveling boots, complete padded armor set, oak spear or shield/1h, salted pork, soldier's cloak
- S36 FP11 (1 city) - 1,757 gildar, 2 tech
- S - traveling boots, complete leather armor set, oak spear or shield/1h, salted pork, soldier's cloak
- SS - traveling boots, complete leather armor set, oak spear or shield/1h, salted pork, soldier's cloak
- S48 FP27 (2 cities) - 2,758 gildar, 2 tech
- S - traveling boots, complete leather armor set, salted pork, soldier's cloak
- SS - traveling boots, complete leather armor set, oak spear or shield/1h, salted pork, soldier's cloak
- PLEASE NOTE: anomaly, S bought battle axe but shop does not indicate proper tech level
- S60 FP33 (3 cities) - 4,284 gildar, 3 tech
- S - traveling boots, complete leather armor set, salted pork, soldier's cloak
- SS - traveling boots, complete leather armor set, war staff, salted pork, soldier's cloak
- Yithril
- S12 FP3 (1 city) - 1,034 gildar, 1 tech
- S - traveling boots, complete padded armor set, oak spear or shield/1h, salted pork, soldier's cloak
- SS - traveling boots, complete padded armor set (except chest), oak spear or shield/1h, salted pork, soldier's cloak
- S24 FP5 (1 city) - 1,138 gildar, 2 tech
- S - traveling boots, complete leather armor set, oak spear or shield/1h, salted pork, soldier's cloak
- SS - traveling boots, complete leather armor set, oak spear or shield/1h, salted pork, soldier's cloak
- S36 FP10 (1 city) - 1,423 gildar, 3 tech
- S - traveling boots, complete leather armor set, war staff, salted pork, soldier's cloak
- SS - traveling boots, complete leather armor set, war staff, salted pork, soldier's cloak
- S48 FP10 (2 cities) - 1,807 gildar, 3 tech
- S - traveling boots, complete leather armor set, war staff, salted pork, soldier's cloak
- SS - traveling boots, complete leather armor set, war staff, salted pork, soldier's cloak
- S60 FP33 (2 cities) - 3.050 gildar, 4 tech
- S - traveling boots, complete leather armor set, salted pork, soldier's cloak
- SS - traveling boots, partial leather armor set, imperial short sword/shield, salted pork, soldier's cloak
- C1 - traveling boots, partial leather armor set, imperial short sword/shield, salted pork, soldier's cloak
- C2 - traveling boots, partial leather armor set, imperial short sword/shield, salted pork, soldier's cloak
- C3 - traveling boots, partial leather armor set, imperial short sword/shield, salted pork, soldier's cloak
- PLEASE NOTE: anomaly, S bought battle axe but shop does not indicate proper tech level
- Magnar
- S12 FP5 (1 city) - 1,039 gildar, 0 tech
- S - traveling boots, salted pork
- SS - staff, traveling boots, salted pork
- S24 FP10 (1 city) - 1,219 gildar, 1 tech
- S - traveling boots, complete padded armor set, oak spear or shield/1h, salted pork, soldier's cloak
- SS - traveling boots, complete padded armor set, oak spear or shield/1h, salted pork, soldier's cloak
- S36 FP10 (1 city) - 1,668 gildar, 2 tech
- S - traveling boots, complete padded armor set, war staff, salted pork, soldier's cloak
- SS - traveling boots, complete padded armor set, war staff, salted pork, soldier's cloak
- S48 FP12 (2 cities) - 2,113 gildar, 3 tech
- S - traveling boots, complete leather armor set, salted pork, soldier's cloak
- SS - traveling boots, complete leather armor set, war staff, salted pork, soldier's cloak
- PLEASE NOTE: anomaly, S bought battle axe but shop does not indicate proper tech level
- S60 FP30 (3 cities) - 2,828 gildar, 3 tech
- S - traveling boots, complete leather armor set, salted pork
- SS - traveling boots, partial leather armor set, war staff, salted pork, soldier's cloak
- Tarth
- S12 FP3 (1 city) - 1,045 gildar, 0 tech
- S - traveling boots, salted pork
- SS - staff, traveling boots, salted pork
- S24 FP7 (1 city) - 1,142 gildar, 0 tech
- S - traveling boots, salted pork
- SS - staff, traveling boots, salted pork
- S36 FP15 (3 cities) - 1,528 gildar, 1 tech
- S - traveling boots, complete padded armor set, salted pork
- SS - traveling boots, complete padded armor set, salted pork
- S48 FP31 (3 cities) - 2,787 gildar, 1 tech
- S - traveling boots, complete padded armor set, salted pork
- SS - traveling boots, complete padded armor set, salted pork
- S60 FP38 (3 cities) - 4,260 gildar, 2 tech
- S - traveling boots, partial padded armor set, war staff, salted pork, soldier's cloak
- SS - traveling boots, partial padded armor set, war staff, salted pork, soldier's cloak
- PLEASE NOTE: anomaly, both S and SS bought some leather armor but shop does not indicate proper tech level
- Altar
- S12 FP5 (1 city) - 1,053 gildar, 1 tech
- S - traveling boots, complete padded armor set, oak spear or shield/1h, salted pork
- SS - traveling boots, complete padded armor set, oak spear or shield/1h, salted pork, soldier's cloak
- S24 FP6 (2 cities) - 1,080 gildar, 1 tech
- S - traveling boots, complete padded armor set, oak spear or shield/1h, salted pork
- SS - traveling boots, complete padded armor set, oak spear or shield/1h, salted pork, soldier's cloak
- S36 FP18 (2 cities) - 1,441 gildar, 1 tech
- S - traveling boots, complete padded armor set, oak spear or shield/1h, salted pork
- SS - traveling boots, complete padded armor set, salted pork, soldier's cloak
- S48 FP24 (4 cities) - 2,151 gildar, 2 tech
- S - traveling boots, complete padded armor set, war staff, salted pork
- SS - traveling boots, complete padded armor set, war staff, salted pork, soldier's cloak
- S60 FP39 (4 cities) - 3,178 gildar, 2 tech
- S - traveling boots, partial, padded armor set, war staff, salted pork
- SS - traveling boots, complete padded armor set, war staff, salted pork, soldier's cloak
- PLEASE NOTE: anomaly, S bought some leather armor but shop does not indicate proper tech level
- Umber
- S12 FP4 (1 city) - 1,098 gildar, 0 tech
- S - staff, traveling boots, salted pork
- SS - staff, traveling boots, salted pork
- S24 FP6 (2 cities) - 1,264 gildar, 0 tech
- S - staff, traveling boots, salted pork
- SS - staff, traveling boots, salted pork
- S36 FP17 (2 cities) - 1,978 gildar, 0 tech
- S - staff, traveling boots, salted pork
- SS - staff, traveling boots, salted pork
- S48 FP36 (5 cities) - 3,421 gildar, 1 tech
- S - traveling boots, complete padded armor set, salted pork, soldier's cloak
- SS - traveling boots, complete padded armor set, oak spear or shield/1h, salted pork, soldier's cloak
- C1 - traveling boots, complete padded armor set, oak spear or shield/1h, salted pork, soldier's cloak
- C2 - traveling boots, complete padded armor set, oak spear or shield/1h, salted pork, soldier's cloak
- S60 FP69 (6 cities) - 5,843 gildar, 2 tech
- S - traveling boots, complete padded armor set, salted pork, soldier's cloak
- SS - traveling boots, complete padded armor set, oak spear or shield/1h, salted pork, soldier's cloak
Summary of Observations:
- The observations are clear: the AI is not gearing sovereigns, spouses, or champions despite available tech levels and gildar.
- Furthermore, a number of anomalies were noted where the AI did gear beyond observable tech levels. Something is weird there. Unknown if due to a programmed handicap.
- Gearing armor is especially weak, in fact almost non-existent. The anomalies observed were minor slot improvements, not entire sets.
Recommendations:
- AI needs to agressively check and gear sovereigns, spouses, and champions. Reasons are self-evident. I believe this is a fundamental reason why the more hardcore players are able to rush early and dominate the game - its easy to take over an enemy capital when the AI is fighting in their birthday suit. The AI needs to spend like a woman with a credit card (sorry women!). The AI is fighting players with normal units - not heroes. That's a serious gimp.
- In addition, the AI needs to do what us players do: if a unit/stack is about to engage in combat, buff the unit/stack with arcane weapon and then dispel when no longer needed (please note arcane weapon is a 1 mana spell with unlimited cast range and 1 mana maintenance). If the AI geared their heroes and also buffed with arcane weapon, I guarantee it would help counter the early rush and make the games more competitive.
- As noted in my strategic AI thread the AI needs to agressively hire champions and explore/level their sovereigns and spouses. The combination of gearing, leveling, and buffing/dispelling arcane weapon would be a serious early game threat to players.
- Let's put some meaning behind the ridiculous in ridiculous AI setting!
- Brad, Derek and crew (and you too Jon), thank you!
