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[Chosrau]

From what I've noticed so far, the reason for the AI rarely using big armies are the garrison units. If every province contains 10-15 garrison units, an AI will never be able to field a big army, since it won't fit in any province anymore. Maybe they should add some garrison slots to provinces (something along the lines of 5+number of forts) in order to make garrison units not use up space for non-garrison units.

[Zangi]

From what I've noticed so far, the reason for the AI rarely using big armies are the garrison units. If every province contains 10-15 garrison units, an AI will never be able to field a big army, since it won't fit in any province anymore. Maybe they should add some garrison slots to provinces (something along the lines of 5+number of forts) in order to make garrison units not use up space for non-garrison units.

Or if the AI could prioritize what provinces need garrisons, whats at the border to enemies and what not.  But then that is a whole nother can o worms if the player can exploit that sort of weakness, while the AI can't.
I'm still waiting on picking this up.  It is inevitable at this rate...

[Majestic7]

I've enjoyed the game so far and think it has huge potential. Economy, research and diplomacy all need work, but the basics are solid and the fluff is fun. The game is quite challenging; I've only been playing smaller realms, so I don't know if the AI cheats or if the big boys just have the money to field as huge armies as I keep destroying. So far I've been playing racist elves, fascist dwarves and the-totally-not-Romania vampire count in the east. I tried the undead, but their economy is so fucked you can't do really anything. (Palemoor)

[a1s]

Maybe they should add some garrison slots to provinces (something along the lines of 5+number of forts) in order to make garrison units not use up space for non-garrison units.

Not really. forts are already garrison units. And, aside from their immobility, pretty decent ones. I would rather see a 'reserves' system, where you can field 20 units, and keep another 20 in storage (in the province.) You can swap manually on your turn, and If you're attacked and have free slots in the "active" 20 - they automatically fill them for the fight. (If not, they hang back, if you lose- they retreat. If you lose really badly they're captured- "welcome  to summer of '41".)

[Majestic7]

The way tactical battles work though, attacker always have the advantage by having the first turn and being able to concentrate their forces. Considering how in ordinary military lore defender is supposed to have an advantage, this seems a little strange. Defenders should get some sort of entrenchment buffs. Sure, there are forts and they are nice, but not all provinces have forts and currently there is no way to build more. (Unless some nation has spells for it or something, I haven't played everyone.)

[a1s]

Defenders should get some sort of entrenchment buffs.

Trenches weren't a thing during this time period. There was occasionally some point defense (improvised fortification of strategically important towns and such), but in general, before the invention of rapid communications big clumps of attackers did have a tactical advantage (whereas the defender had the advantage of established (and shorter!) supply lines)

Sure, there are forts and they are nice, but not all provinces have forts and currently there is no way to build more.

I'm assuming this will come with the building update.

This all being said, it would be nice if you at least had a little more freedom in placing your defensive units (maybe 40 slots instead of 20?)

[Majestic7]

Entrenchment was a figurative term; I mean more like bonus to defense as long as the unit doesn't move due to local support and terrain knowledge or something like that. In general I think the game favors attacking a lot, since the economic damage you deal by occupying provinces is so harsh.

[a1s]

In general I think the game favors attacking a lot, since the economic damage you deal by occupying provinces is so harsh.

This is 100% on purpose. Aside from the fact that most cultures live on top of their favored terrain (so you need that bonus), encouraging attack makes for a more dynamic game. Economic damage, while very harsh, doesn't occur if you kick the enemy out on your turn (during which you get to go first and exploit force concentration.)

I'd actually say that economic damage hits the invader more than it does the defender- every victory I ever had (out of, like two, so 'grain of salt' and all that) has felt Pyrrhic and unsatisfying.

[Majestic7]

Yah, hence why small aggro factions like Palemoor are screwed; they gain nothing by conquering places, winding down their offensives really quickly. In general, there is no point in upgrading any other places than your capital and/or favorite terrain provinces. I feel that any game lacking in strategic options because a certain option is supreme compared to others has no options at all in the end.

Yes, work in progress and I hope all these things will be worked upon.

[a1s]

There are a few obvious fixes there-
1. make upgrading more expensive based on existing economy. (doesn't have to be a massive increase, even a meager +100 gold/level will encourage a savvy player to diversify, though I'd go for 500)
2. give the occupying army some of the economy money back (~25% of base upgrade cost+ additional 10% if the culture is good_at_looting, creating a raid economy for various Orks/Vikings/Mongols)

[Majestic7]

2) Incidentally I suggested something like that on Steam forum.

[Chosrau]

Maybe they should add some garrison slots to provinces (something along the lines of 5+number of forts) in order to make garrison units not use up space for non-garrison units.

Not really. forts are already garrison units. And, aside from their immobility, pretty decent ones. I would rather see a 'reserves' system, where you can field 20 units, and keep another 20 in storage (in the province.) You can swap manually on your turn, and If you're attacked and have free slots in the "active" 20 - they automatically fill them for the fight. (If not, they hang back, if you lose- they retreat. If you lose really badly they're captured- "welcome  to summer of '41".)

Can't see forts as garrison units. There position and amount is fixed, large swath of the map have no fortresses whatsoever anywhere near. Also, forts can't fight for themselves, they actually need other units present to actually be useful (which makes forts useless as garrison, if you still need other units acting as garrison to actually make them work).

I also can't see how your approach would help. The only thing I would see happening is the AI building even more useless garrison units who eat upkeep, and who can't even help when a battle happens and who get instawiped since there is no place to retreat to anywhere. Or am I missing something about how this is supposed to alleviate the problem?

[gimli]

I'd actually say that economic damage hits the invader more than it does the defender- every victory I ever had (out of, like two, so 'grain of salt' and all that) has felt Pyrrhic and unsatisfying.

There are a few obvious fixes there-
1. make upgrading more expensive based on existing economy. (doesn't have to be a massive increase, even a meager +100 gold/level will encourage a savvy player to diversify, though I'd go for 500)
2. give the occupying army some of the economy money back (~25% of base upgrade cost+ additional 10% if the culture is good_at_looting, creating a raid economy for various Orks/Vikings/Mongols)

Absolutely, something must be done in this case. This Pyrrhic province occupation style is annoying. I am not even sure that why did they went with a system like this. Destroy the eco and rebuild it?
Even a basic system would work much better. Example: The number of turns required to conquer a province should be based on the total strength of the occupying units & province size.

[a1s]

a 'reserves' system, where you can field 20 units, and keep another 20 in storage (in the province.) You can swap manually on your turn, and If you're attacked and have free slots in the "active" 20 - they automatically fill them for the fight.

I also can't see how your approach would help. The only thing I would see happening is the AI building even more useless garrison units who eat upkeep, and who can't even help when a battle happens and who get instawiped since there is no place to retreat to anywhere. Or am I missing something about how this is supposed to alleviate the problem?

I am, perhaps, trying to solve a different problem (which the AI might not have? I'm not sure.) I assumed that the problem wasn't overall lack of units, but Garrison Clutter on the border (you can only keep 20 units in a province, and either have to attack under-strengthed, or leave your province undefended.) This can be fixed alleviated by shuffling the garrisons around, but that feels fiddly, and so far the AI doesn't do it well.

[lijacote]

Do provinces ceded in a peace treaty lose their economic level?