Advanced AI Submod – Better AI Unit Usage

Mod version 1.3

This is the standalone mod of the modifications I made to the AI unit usage in battle. There are many mistakes and inconsistencies in how the AI perceives some units so I decided to fix that. Those modifications were originally in the main Advanced AI mod but I decided to remove them to keep it as compatible as possible. You don’t need the main mod to use this one but it’s still recommended to also get the improvements to the AI usage of abilities in battle.

NOTE: this mod does not change how the AI micromanage its units in battle, that is NOT POSSIBLE because it is hardcoded into the game. However it improves some units behaviour, see below.

—– FEATURES —–

CHAOS

– Chaos Knights with lances will now cycle charge more often while those without lances will stay longer in combat.
– Improved Manticore’s role.
– Shaggoths can now cycle charge as well because of high speed, high mass and high charge bonus.
– Trolls and Armoured Trolls will no longer cycle charge, they have a low charge bonus and this tends to have a devastating effect on their already low leadership.
– Mounted Exalted will be deployed on flanks more often.

BEASTMEN

– Centigors will cycle charge more and move around more on the battlefield which suits their high speed.
– Centigors with throwing axes will now use the new WH2 AI routine for harasser cavalry.
– Improved Manticore’s role.
– Minotaurs and Gorebull will now take the front of the attack as they’re meant to do.
– Lords, including Khazrak, will now cycle charge when mounted on chariots and move around more. They were set as regular melee infantry.

WOOD ELVES

– RoR units had the old WH1 AI routines, they got updated to the new ones.
– Lords have their AI routine updated to the new hybrid WH2 one.
– Treekin will no longer cycle charge, that’s not their role and they have the lowest charge bonus amongst all monstrous infantry.
– Improved Great Eagle’s role.

THE EMPIRE

– Warrior Priests, Archlectors and Volkmar are now considered as melee infantry instead of mages. It prevented them from joining the fight sometimes!
– Witch Hunter is now considered a ranged unit instead of a mage.
– Knights of the Blazing Sun are now considered shock cavalry instead of regular melee infantry.
– Karl Franz can now cycle charge, with a huge charge bonus of 90 when mounted (one of the highest in the whole game) it was a shame not to see him charge.
– Free Company Militia are now used as close quarter infantry as they should.

DWARFS

– Runesmith is now considered melee infantry instead of mage. It prevented him from joining the fight sometimes!
– Master Engineer is now considered a ranged unit instead of a mage.
– Flame Cannons are now deployed at the back as they can fire above their infantry line, making them more dangerous in the hands of the AI.
– Rangers units can now skirmish.

GREENSKINS

– Squig Hoppers are now deployed on the flanks.
– Skarsnik is now considered melee infantry instead of mage. It prevented him from joining the fight sometimes!
– Orc Boar Boys will no longer cycle charge and stay in combat longer, however the Big’Uns will.
– Trolls will no longer cycle charge.
– Mounted Goblin Big Boss will try to flank more often.

VAMPIRE COUNTS

– Vampire Lords, including Vlad and Mannfred, are now considered both melee and caster so they will not hesitate to fight. In vanilla they tend to stay behind doing nothing.
– Improved Terrorgheist’s and hero Vampires roles.
– Improved Corpse Carts behaviour. They will now support their front line as they should.
– Varghulf will now cycle charge and move around more to take advantage of its big charge bonus and high speed.
– Mounted Wight King will try to flank more often.
– Necrarch Lords are now considered mages instead of melee infantry. Though they will still suicide themselves when mounted on flying units like all AI characters do.

BRETONNIA

– Improved Lords behaviour.
– Grail Guardians and Questing Knights will no longer cycle charge and will stay longer in combat.
– Improved Grail Reliquae’s behaviour. It will now support its front line as it should.
– Updated RoR units to use the new WH2 AI routines.

TOMB KINGS

– Fixed Khalida’s AI, it was all messed up. CA used the right AI routines but at the wrong location so I fixed it!
– Lords, including Settra, will now cycle charge and move around more when mounted on chariots.
– Arkhan and Khatep are now considered mages instead of melee infantry.
– Improved AI for all chariots.
– Improved AI for Ushabtis.

DARK ELVES

– Improved Manticore’s role.
– The Assassin hero AI got updated to the new hybrid routine.
– Bolt Throwers are now deployed at the back as they can fire above friendly units.

HIGH ELVES

– Ellyrian Reavears and Silver Helms are now considered shock cavalry instead of regular infantry.
– Improved Great Eagle’s role.
– Bolt Throwers are now deployed at the back as they can fire above friendly units.
– Lothern Sea Guards are now deployed at the front and will no longer skirmish, they’re supposed to hold the line.
– Improved AI for all chariots.
– Mounted Nobles will try to flank more often.

LIZARDMEN

– Skink Priests are now considered mages instead of melee infantry.
– Improved AI for Skink Cameleon units.
– Kroxigors will no longer cycle charge.
– Improved AI for all dinosaur units. The AI will now use the Bastiladon Solar Engine as an artillery unit when defending and will also cycle charge with Carnosaurs and Stegadons to take advantage of their high charge bonus, high speed and high mass.

Note: I tried to make the AI use the Solar Engine as an artillery all the time just like Cygor or Bone Giant but when I do that it crashes the game! CA really wants the AI to use this unit as a melee unit because reasons.

SKAVEN

– Cannons are now deployed at the back as they can fire above friendly units.
– Improved AI for Globadier units.
– Skaven Lords mounted on Rat Ogres will now cycle charge and move around more to take advantage of their high charge bonus, high speed and high mass.
– Rat Ogres will now be deployed on flanks and will move around more to take advantage of their speed.

NORSCA

– Trolls, Ice Trolls and Fimirs will no longer cycle charge. That’s not their role and they have a low charge bonus.
– Improved Manticore’s role.
– Updated Marauders cavalry AI to the new WH2 harasser AI.
– Skin Wolves will be deployed on flanks and move around more to take advantage of their high speed.
– Improved AI for chariots, including Lords on chariots too.

VAMPIRE COAST

– Luthor Harkon and female Vampire Admiral will now use the hybrid AI routine as they are both suited for melee and ranged combat.
– All vampire characters are now considered both mage and melee instead of just mages as it could prevent them from joining the fight sometimes. Cylostra is considered a mage only though.
– All monstrous infantry units won’t cycle charge anymore, they’re slow and have a low charge bonus, they’re more efficient at holding the line.
– Mourngul units will now be deployed on flanks and will try to sneak behind enemy lines as they’re stalkers. Watch out for them!

—– COMPATIBILITY —–

The mod is compatible with the latest version of the game (1.5.1, "coast_beta") and all DLCs. It works in both campaigns, the Vortex and Mortal Empires. It is savegame compatible, you can add or remove it at any time.

It is compatible with all mods, including new units, but NOT with mods that change the units stats or increase their size (so you can forget about SFO and such). It won’t work because they all use the same table so don’t ask.

It is also compatible with my other mods.

I hope you’ll like those changes, too bad I couldn’t do more as I’d love to tweak the battle AI 😉
And as always thank you for your support!