1.5.15 Focussed Custom Campaign

[Benedict151]

Managed to grab 45 mins to give v1.5.15 a quick whirl (and was slightly alarmed at how much I'd forgotten in the 6 weeks since I last played).
Started a custom campaign - Byzantine 904AD vs. Bulgar, 3 battle focussed campaign, starting with small battle.
No oddities spotted in 1st battle, neither side fielded allies.
With regard to the AI use of cavalry reserve the AI (Bulgar) had 5 cavalry units in reserve close to its baseline, I went with a very heavy left and refused right. On turn 1 the AI moved its reserve forward (and also advanced with its main battleline), on turn 2 the reserve paused and on turn 3 it committed the reserve - 3 units to its right where they formed a 2nd line, 2 to its left centre where it tried to attack. Seemed Ok-ish to me and certainly not obviously wrong or overly hesitant.
Only noticed 1 push back (Bulgar shieldwall recoiling from Skutatoi) and my cavalry 'bounced' a couple of times from Bulgar foot, all seemed in order to be honest.
Battle won 52 v 13

For 2nd battle was offered choice of recruiting troops from home or from Serbian allies. Chose Serbian allies but not had a chance to go further yet.

regards
Ben

[rbodleyscott]

Thanks Ben. That does sound like the AI cavalry reserve code working as intended.

[Benedict151]

Had a chance to quickly finish this mini campaign

For 2nd battle was offered choice of recruiting troops from home or from Serbian allies. Bulgars had no allies (or none I noticed).
Won 53 v 13, nothing very much to report, all seemed as expected.

3rd battle, no allies, Byzantine army list for additional troops seemed to only consist of Byzantines and Serbs. Bulgars had no allies that I could see.
This was a mountain pass battle ... the enemy AI committed its reserve cavalry if anything too quickly allowing the outflanking Byzantine cavalry to sweep around and bottle up the entire enemy army in the pass.

See screenshot 1

Bulgars in pass 1.jpg (840.05 KiB) Viewed 2196 times

A fairly horrid slaughter took place, Byzantines winning 54 v 5 (all Byz' losses were light troops that failed to evade). Other than the AI cheerfully putting its head in the noose nothing untoward seemed to happen. The single unit of cataphracts (1st battle I could afford them) did sterling work supporting the infantry in the pass until the remaining horse swept in against the Bulgar rear.

End of battle is screen 2

Bulgars in pass 2.jpg (943.2 KiB) Viewed 2196 times

Potentially this was an interesting battle and I have suspicion that if the AI had either held its cavalry back or moved them against my cavalry it would be a lot closer. As it was the AI flung them into the pass where there wasn't room for them to help.

As noted above it seems as if the AI this time was overly keen to commit its cavalry (sorry Richard, you can't win) … unless its another example of fiendishly cunning programming showing that the enemy was not aware of my cunning outflanking move and blissfully moved into the trap (surely that must be it!) … although generally as I recall it was the Byzantines getting continually slaughtered in the mountain passes

That's it for now … other commitments I'm afraid for the next 2 weeks.

regards
Ben

[MVP7]

Going off-topic but that's really interesting looking map! I wish there was map seed system.

[matlegob]

the focus option for the creating campaign panel is a very good idea

thanks for it