Unique units are a huge part of any civ’s identity and what helps make them special. I am not saying it should spam only the unique, but fighting it would become more varied a fun if it always used them to an extent. Especially infantry ones seem to go unused, is this because infantry is generally in such a bad state? While I hope this gets fixed, I think it would make the game more fun regardless if the AI actually leaned more into its unique units and techs and didn’t always just spam archer or knight.
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While it is possible to make an AI that will always try to use its UU, I don’t think it’s wise to make the game’s generally-available AI always use them. Sometimes using the UU is a poor choice (example: Genosese Crossbow against a meso civ, or Goth Huskarls when there aren’t any ranged units out on the battlefield). And some civs are less dependent on their UU than other civs (example: Aztecs rarely use Jaguar Warriors - and are better off using their very-strong monks, which are much more closely tied to their civ identity than their UU anyways). And the castle UUs often aren’t very helpful on water maps - making UUs when the AI should be making navy would just weaken the AI.
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UU is not always the best strategy. UU isnt used in all humans games as well. There are a lot of civs that use their UU rarely. So why would the AI always has to use UU?
I think it makes sense to have to AI play something “close to optimally” or at least try to emulate how a human plays. I don’t want my AI opponents to use their unique units for “flavor”.
I think it makes more sense to have the AI play to its “civ identity”. So I’d like it if a Spanish/Bulgarian AI were to avoid making archers or a Bohemian AI doesn’t try to open scouts. Similarly I’d like to see an Aztec AI rush with monks like @JasuniSmith mentioned.
Some UU are designed to be niche units (like Samurai, Jaguar warriors, composite bowmen (eww)) which fulfill a particular purpose in the army. I think this kind of variety makes the game interesting
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Except the AI doesn’t do that either. It ALWAYS goes knights and/or archers, no matter what.
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That’s what AI personalities are for. They really should add them, so it would be simple to add a personality that have a bias to the Civ unique units.
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That would be an option. The only RTS I know with personalities is Command & Conquer 3 and there it made a huge difference for the game’s replay value, so I would certainly like to see it in the AoE series too. They could use the same system/space in the UI where you currently have the old AIs and just add personalities there as well.
You didn’t write that. I just wish you would take it to heart.
I suspected as much. You don’t write that way.
I stopped replying because they weren’t helping. What you need is therapy. Just please leave the rest of us alone. Please.
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Well, you won’t get either with that attitude. You need to improve yourself before you worry about that stuff. Either way, please do that on your own time and leave us alone.
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I don’t think it should be a requirement for every game. Instead, if they read the room correctly, observing enemy tactics, and it would be prudent to react with UUs, then sure, make some UUs. I think there should be a slight bias toward the use of UUs – just so we can see them on matches more often – but never “always”.
Would be more varied if they made walls more often, too. Maybe it happens all the time and I’m just forgetting because I don’t play much lately, but I can’t remember when the last time was where AI opponents made walls. I really think it has been years.
Yet in the olden days of AoE2, I seem to recall AI using walls at least some of the time? Maybe I’m misremembering
What if the AI just prioritises unique units on lower difficulties and at higher difficulties it tires to play the best possible build orders.
This way the casual players get a more interesting experience where they get too see a bigger variety of units but the AI is not compromised for more experienced players.
Lower difficulty AIs should not try to get a perfect timing so it doesn’t matter if they get delayed by having to wait to construct a Castle.
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Could work, but where to set the threshhold? I would consider Hard and below casual.
Everything below the highest difficulty.
If training UUs is considered a disadvantage the lower AIs could just implement some of the higher difficulty features to compensate for it.
Doesn’t mean that any AI below the highest would only spam UUs but they should prioritise UUs over similar generic units.
You still want Franks to use Paladins right, but Britons don’t really need to use Crossbows.
Yes exactly, of course they shouldn’t only spam UU. I just want them to at least sprinkle some in for flavour/variation