AI focus on player is getting annoying by every update...

[Lotreanca]

I start a run as Castille. I managed to get Aragon and Austria under PU after 25 years (Austria by luck, Aragon thru mission).
However, everytime I start a war in Europe, France joins it even thou is not near them, ally or rival of rival or any other reason but me as their rival. I started against Portugal, France joined (twice). I started against England, France joined even thou England was RIVAL!
I went 2nd time against England, France joined again and I managed to hold to them again and now Commonwealth (who just got thru a 7 years war with Russia) enforce me to white peace..... -_-
I wish devs should rectify this but I know is not gonna happen but I am tired of AI just focusing on taking me down instead of playing. Beside that, should be some restrictions regarding how to join a GP war not just press the button...

[grotaclas]

They can only do a great power intervention if there are more great powers on your side than on the enemy side. That's easy to avoid.
And enforcing peace can be avoided by not attacking any country which has a high opinion of somebody who would be willing to enforce peace and who would be strong enough to do so.
And why do you think that they are focused on the player? Which tests did you do to determine that the AI would behave differently if your country would be played by an AI? And how did you make sure that the Castile AI in those tests behaves the same way as you behaved? E.g. maybe the AI never creates wars in which another AI would be motivated to intervene.

[Marquoz]

The AI does not "focus on the player." It is trying to survive by becoming stronger than anything that threatens it. This usually includes the player, if they have any skill at all, but is not targeted at them.

If France is a problem for you, destroy France. Ally French rivals or nations like Burgundy. Grab one province of what can become Gascony and fight a reconquest war. Etc etc etc. You need to up your game.

As proof this works, here's a screenshot from my last campaign as Spain:

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2825758519

[Narrowmind]

You really get around, Marquoz. Nice job.

[Lotreanca]

Originally posted by grotaclas:

They can only do a great power intervention if there are more great powers on your side than on the enemy side. That's easy to avoid.
And enforcing peace can be avoided by not attacking any country which has a high opinion of somebody who would be willing to enforce peace and who would be strong enough to do so.
And why do you think that they are focused on the player? Which tests did you do to determine that the AI would behave differently if your country would be played by an AI? And how did you make sure that the Castile AI in those tests behaves the same way as you behaved? E.g. maybe the AI never creates wars in which another AI would be motivated to intervene.

Well, it feels like it focus on player since I always gets to AI to behave against player. Than what would be the reason for France to come into all my wars with GP? AI France just toying with me? Commonwealth is with almost no manpower and decide to break alliance with Branderburg (my allied) so he can enforce me to peace? I do not really see it what reason would be.

[Marquoz]

Originally posted by YoDiac:

Originally posted by grotaclas:

They can only do a great power intervention if there are more great powers on your side than on the enemy side. That's easy to avoid.
And enforcing peace can be avoided by not attacking any country which has a high opinion of somebody who would be willing to enforce peace and who would be strong enough to do so.
And why do you think that they are focused on the player? Which tests did you do to determine that the AI would behave differently if your country would be played by an AI? And how did you make sure that the Castile AI in those tests behaves the same way as you behaved? E.g. maybe the AI never creates wars in which another AI would be motivated to intervene.

Well, it feels like it focus on player since I always gets to AI to behave against player. Than what would be the reason for France to come into all my wars with GP?

To keep you weak so you can't harm them. That's smart play by the AI, and it does the exact same thing against other AI nations as well. You just don't notice it.

If you don't like it, destroy France in the ways I suggested.

[Lotreanca]

Originally posted by Marquoz:

The AI does not "focus on the player." It is trying to survive by becoming stronger than anything that threatens it. This usually includes the player, if they have any skill at all, but is not targeted at them.

If France is a problem for you, destroy France. Ally French rivals or nations like Burgundy. Grab one province of what can become Gascony and fight a reconquest war. Etc etc etc. You need to up your game.

As proof this works, here's a screenshot from my last campaign as Spain:

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2825758519

I get your point but to take down France is a bit tricky, at least now (I am in 1514) when Otto is on the rise and allied France. I will have to peace out and see to take France thru his allies but, still feels, at least sometimes, that AI focus on player instead of their own campaign. As I said in previous comment, Commonwealth had really no reason to enforce me to WP,
And yea, maybe i have to up my game as I am a moderate player but still

[Marquoz]

Originally posted by YoDiac:

Originally posted by Marquoz:

The AI does not "focus on the player." It is trying to survive by becoming stronger than anything that threatens it. This usually includes the player, if they have any skill at all, but is not targeted at them.

If France is a problem for you, destroy France. Ally French rivals or nations like Burgundy. Grab one province of what can become Gascony and fight a reconquest war. Etc etc etc. You need to up your game.

As proof this works, here's a screenshot from my last campaign as Spain:

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2825758519

I get your point but to take down France is a bit tricky, at least now (I am in 1514) when Otto is on the rise and allied France.

Day 1: Ally Burgundy, royal marry them, and go for the Burgundian inheritance. Even if you don't get it, having Burgundy as an ally will enable you to rip France apart. If Burgundy won't ally you immediately, start improving relations and rival the same nations they rival.

Day 1, part 2: Fabricate claims on the provinces in southwestern France that have Gascony cores. Take them from either England or France and release Gascony as a vassal after you do so. Then fight reconquest wars for those cores and start ripping France apart.

Doing those two things will wreck France every single time. If Burgundy rivals you, restart.

[Lotreanca]

Originally posted by Marquoz:

Originally posted by YoDiac:

I get your point but to take down France is a bit tricky, at least now (I am in 1514) when Otto is on the rise and allied France.

Day 1: Ally Burgundy, royal marry them, and go for the Burgundian inheritance. Even if you don't get it, having Burgundy as an ally will enable you to rip France apart. If Burgundy won't ally you immediately, start improving relations and rival the same nations they rival.

Day 1, part 2: Fabricate claims on the provinces in southwestern France that have Gascony cores. Take them from either England or France and release Gascony as a vassal after you do so. Then fight reconquest wars for those cores and start ripping France apart.

Doing those two things will wreck France every single time. If Burgundy rivals you, restart.

Noted. Thanks

[Damphair]

They don't focus on the player, you as the player are very likely to expand fast and since you've PU'd Austria you are pretty much in the top 3 biggest threats in Europe. And seeing as neighbouring countries don't want to get conquered by you they will take steps to ensure their survival, such as making sure you cannot expand easily, also attacking you when you are weak in order to secure land for themselves which will cripple you.

[Marquoz]

Originally posted by YoDiac:

Originally posted by Marquoz:

Day 1: Ally Burgundy, royal marry them, and go for the Burgundian inheritance. Even if you don't get it, having Burgundy as an ally will enable you to rip France apart. If Burgundy won't ally you immediately, start improving relations and rival the same nations they rival.

Day 1, part 2: Fabricate claims on the provinces in southwestern France that have Gascony cores. Take them from either England or France and release Gascony as a vassal after you do so. Then fight reconquest wars for those cores and start ripping France apart.

Doing those two things will wreck France every single time. If Burgundy rivals you, restart.

Noted. Thanks

No problem. As a general rule, your first job as any nation is to form an alliance web so strong that no enemy or combination of enemies can stop you. Figure out what you want to do before you unpause the game for the first time and make allies accordingly.

For example, as Castile/Spain, France is always a problem. You can:

1) Become their best buddies if they don't rival you from the beginning. This approach works well if you don't care much about expanding in Europe and want to focus on the colonial game.

2) Destroy them in the way I outlined.

Both work, and both lead to very different games.

[Totally Innocent Chatbot]

Originally posted by Marquoz:

Fabricate claims on the provinces in southwestern France that have Gascony cores. Take them from either England or France and release Gascony as a vassal after you do so. Then fight reconquest wars for those cores and start ripping France apart.

On the other hand, if it's a little later into the game (you've already gotten Aragon plus a bit of extra coring range from tech, likely France has already taken Labourd and Bordeaux), you can instead take the provinces of Carcassonne and Foix from France in your first war, and release both Gascony and Toulouse. In your next war you'll be able to reconquest every one of both nations' cores, eating virtually all of southern France for almost no AE.

Yes, France is weaker if you tackle them in the early game before they finish their first Idea Group and get that +15% Morale of Armies, but you can also be in a much better position in terms of allies and subjects by waiting a bit. You'll have the advantage either way with more defensible forts on your side of the border than theirs. There's also the fact that fighting England first forces you to take more AE (Bordeaux is a high dev province, and due to its starting Basque culture you cannot release Gascony from Labourd alone), though I suppose as early game Castile there's not a lot of European Catholic AE to be had.

[ChaffyExpert]

AI doesn't focus on player, the player is just the biggest threat.

I've had games (on ET tho) where i play a major druidist nation in Britain, and all the minors around me improve relations and try to get on my good side, because being on the side of a major nation is a tried and true survival mechanism.

The AI doesn't gang up against the player or anything it's just looking after it's countrie's survival, and is also opportunistic. The AI is much more likely to ignore you or ally you if you aren't perceived as a direct threat and will choose to focus on weaker prey.

[red1]

All of the above are great suggestions. Many a time I have gotten the Burgundy PU as Aragon or Castille. However, not all runs are easy. My latest run starting as Aragon, I should have gotten the Burg PU, but they opted for staying independent. The first war fought against France they had mil lvl 7. and me and my allies were still 5. I am pretty sure they got the morale buff early also. It was not pretty. I keep having allies peel off and designate me as a Rival. I did turn a few rivals into allies, so kind of a wash. Anyway, my point every strategy depends at least somewhat on chance. I have had runs where everything falls into place and others where the "gods of EU IV" are against me. HA! Sometimes, it is just better to start again.

[Spulls]

The perception of bias is more important than the reality of bias.