enemy AI

[razorbackjac]

Playing against the AI(on easy) to learn the game. New to Dom3. Ive notice in all four starts the other nations are at my borders in about 12 or so turns.

Is this normal?

[Gandalf Parker]

How is the "Independents" set?
Some people turn that down thinking that it will make an easier game but its just the opposite. Turn it up to 6 or 7. And make sure the map is big enough to allow each nation a few provinces between them. Something like 10 provinces per nation or higher.

You will tend to make better decisions about who to attack, and when to attack them, than the AI will. A low indept setting will cause you to get rushed by the AI.

[Endoperez]

Also, it depends a lot about the size of the map and the number of enemy AIs you chose to have. In Silent Seas, as an example, having just two-three enemy nations would probably give you more time before they get to you. If even that's too much, take just one enemy nation for Silent Seas. Unless you get really unlucky in where the other nation starts, you should have lots of space to expand to. If you happen to meet the other nation early on, put some Province defence in the provinces neighbouring it. It'll notice that you have some forces there, and the AI usually prefers to take independent provinces before attacking players. PD 11 is usually enough, and going much above 20 is too expensive to do that in any but the most important provinces.

[Belcarl]

If you play a nation with strong PD like Jotunheim. Putting a PD of 35-45 will most likely repell most attempts of AI invasions into your provinces.

If the AI has amassed armies of 250+ troops though, simple PD will not be enough.

Remember that this is against the game AI, any human opponent will trash your regular PD easily. It is really expensive too, and may not be the best use of your gold.

[Endoperez]

That high PD IS good for some nations. Man of MA and LA gets Spearman, 2 Militia, a Longbowman and a Tower Guard (and Chelms Tower Guards are superior to MA ones) for every point of PD over 20. 45 gp for 5 units is pretty decent.

Jotunheim only gets giants at even numbers of PD. At PD 46, they only have 46 Jotuns, half of them Militia and half Javelineers. 46 gp for two giants isn't bad, but it isn't that great either. In Dominions 3, Jotun PD is quite mediocre. It needs some support units to become great - some chaff to be coupled with the giants to prevent the Jotun from being massed, perhaps. Javelineers are nice ranged units, but with just 2 ammo they could use some archer support.

[Hullu]

Regarding enemy AI.

Does the difficulty setting (easy-impossible) only make them better players, or will it also give them extra resources etc?