Random AI idiocy of the day

[haphazard1]

I recently started my first game of Civ IV in about 8 months (Sullla's Always War vid series with Hammurabi got my interest up again ). Took a random leader and am having fun as Zara Yaqob, although I over-expanded and crashed my economy fairly hard. Ooops. My skills have gotten a bit rusty.

Anyway, I was exploring with a galley and came across the following newly founded AI city. Today's random AI idiocy is -- why THAT spot?

Why not 1W, or 1 SW, or 1N, or 1NW? Or anywhere but there, really? Surely the hill defense bonus is not so prized that it missed both seafood to get it? There was potential for a very solid city there, with seafood, tons of green tiles for Pacal's financial cottages, and plenty of coastline for 2/0/3 once the land was used. That spot is better than about half of my cities, but the AI completely wasted it.

Speaking of waste...here is the only copper within 25 tiles of my capital:

About as crummy a site as I have ever encountered. Of course it is the only metal not beyond AI borders (Pacal's capital and second city sealed me into my end of the continent very early). A very slow growing pure fishing village is about the best that could be done, and I probably will found one pretty soon since I just finished the Great Lighthouse. But why couldn't I get the copper/corn/cows/two flood plains site Pacal had in his second ring?

Oh well. It is good to be Civing once again. But that AI....

[flugauto]

Do you always play Epic speed?

[Gavagai]

There are mods which seriously improve AI behavior...

[haphazard1]

Do you always play Epic speed?

I like Epic speed and play many of my games with that setting. Normal is also enjoyable. I don't really like Quick for single player, although obviously multiplayer is a different story. Marathon...I have never actually tried Marathon. Probably ought to do that some time.

Gavagai, do you have any specific recommendations on mods for AI behavior? I have tried a few mods and mostly preferred the "standard" Civ IV experience. Some of the mega-mods like FfH can be great fun, though.

[thestick]

I go to war with Caesar. I move a stack of units to two tiles away from his city, and then he moves a bunch of units OUT of the city to escort a Settler.

[haphazard1]

I go to war with Caesar. I move a stack of units to two tiles away from his city, and then he moves a bunch of units OUT of the city to escort a Settler.

Things like this happen all the time. I believe this is caused by how AI units get "programmed" for a specific role. The units which left the city were programmed as settler escorts/future city garrison, and they stick with that even when it is obvious to a human that events should cause a re-prioritization of existing orders.

[Hesmyrr]

There are mods which seriously improve AI behavior...

Yeah, the reason why I always go with the K-Mod despite it having some changes I disagree with. I'm sure idiocy is to be found there too if I look for it though.
Haven't had time to play Civ4 for awhile so don't know better mods (that only involve AI!) came out yet.

[Gavagai]

Do you always play Epic speed?

I like Epic speed and play many of my games with that setting. Normal is also enjoyable. I don't really like Quick for single player, although obviously multiplayer is a different story. Marathon...I have never actually tried Marathon. Probably ought to do that some time.

Gavagai, do you have any specific recommendations on mods for AI behavior? I have tried a few mods and mostly preferred the "standard" Civ IV experience. Some of the mega-mods like FfH can be great fun, though.

K-mod is the best in this respect. Right now I'm playing a game with it on Immortal with tech trading off and it is actually challenging, the winner is still very unclear at industrial age. But it has some other changes, as a previous poster mentioned. Some of them can easily be reverted in XML but some of them can't...