Real Strategy (AI)

New version 2.3.1 as of 6.08 - AI should build Walls.

The mod is currently being updated. I will try to address suggestions and fix problems reported since v2.0. Contributions in various forms are welcomed. Please contact me via GitHub.

Different approach to make the AI better, a mixture of Lua "thinking" and tuning of AiLists.

CivFanatics GitHub

Before you start

• Real Strategy (RST) works with vanilla, Rise and Fall, Gathering Storm and all DLCs, in any configuration. However, please note that it is balanced for Gathering Storm.
• Do NOT use with Scenarios as they usually have their own rules for AI.
• The mod's flag "affects save files" is set to FALSE. You can enable / disable it whenever you want. However, it stores its own data in a save-file, so after a reload a civ can continue its behavior uninterrupted.
• It is NOT compatible with AI+. You will most likely get DB errors with both mods enabled.
• It is also NOT recommended to mix it with other AI-altering mods - they technically might work together, but you will most likely get weird results.
• Game Modes that change AI behavior will not align well - like Barbarian Clans or Zombies. Game Modes with only new content added should work ok - like Tech Shuffle, Monopolies and Corporations, Secret Societies, Heroes and Legends.

Overview of the key features

Detailed description

• AI uses more sophisticated approach to decide what victory to pursue. This is the core part of the mod programmed in Lua. It evaluates the current situation, and assess what other are doing. Basically these are concepts and ideas used in Civ5 re-programmed to be used in Civ6.
• Each Victory Strategy is revised and enhanced accordingly. Diplomatic Victory is also supported.
• Anti-Strategies to better handle disabled victory-conditions have been created.
• New approach to Naval strategies. A civ will determine based on revealed tiles (during exploration) in what situation it is: Pangea, Default, Coastal, Island and tune its behavior accordingly.
• Each Leader, Policy, Wonders, and few other things have flavors assigned to indicate what type of game we are playing.
• The leaders' behavior (AiLists) have been enhanced. Not changed - (practically) all original entries are there. Errors are fixed and many more are added to help leaders pursue their goals.
• Few supporting strategies have been implemented, mostly to help manage military and wars. Very simple ones, this area will be improved in the future. Basically Peace/War behavior, Catching up behavior when we start lagging in military (weak civs are always first to be killed), Science or Culture and an emergency Defense when a strong civ attacks us.
• Time strategies - revised and updated.
• Simple tweaks to Tactics and Operations systems. Some fiddling with behavior trees. Mostly to make AI better at sieges (they use Rams, etc.) and general war preparation.
• AI uses Bombers extensively, and Nukes cites too.
• Missing start biases added for civs depending on geo-location.
• A bit revised Settling params. AI chooses better spots (a bit, the system is too simple to achieve any grand results).
• Scripts for better GWAM handling (temporarily disabled).
• Last, but not least. No cheating policy is in effect. The "thinking" part uses only information that is also available to the human player, e.g. it doesn't know anything about another civ until it's met. This mod doesn't give AI anything for free (no units, no boosts, yields, etc.)

If you want to check yourself how the AI works with the mod, on the CivFanatics forum I posted a simple tool for that (FireTuner panel). Important. In case of issues or errors please also post Lua.log - it contains crucial information needed for analysis and tuning.

More information on the mod homepage on CivFanatics.

I really prefer to have discussions on CivFanatics.

Multi Player note

This mod can be used in MP. The support was added 2 months ago and I have not received any reports about de-sync issues. The most problematic function - random numbers - has been changed into a function from the game engine that works in MP. There are 3 options (RST_Params.sql) that you can choose to use / test:

• 0 - random numbers are not used at all.
• 1 - for Single Player only, uses math.random.
• 2 - for Multi Player & SP, uses Game.GetRandNum - this is the default option.

iOS note

I think all platforms have now the same base game and all expansions (?), so the mod should work on all of them with no issues. However, I am not able to test it on iOS, as I only have the base game there. The latest version dedicated for only vanilla game is 1.4 and can be downloaded from CivFanatics.

Differences from AI+

Since this is going to be an inevitable question:

• AI+ adds a lot of strategies on top of existing ones. RST enhances existing programming. You can turn it on / off even for games in-progress (doesn't affect the save files).
• Victory conditions. AI+ uses existing conditions, no improvement here. RST uses a more sophisticated approach here (see here for details).
• Leaders. AI+ uses Traits as a way to give various civs more unique behavior. RST tunes each civ and leader separately to its preferred victories.
• Tactics. AI+ introduces its own behavior tress and overhauls this part. RST just tweaks few things here. However, I see the need to use more advanced (or better) behavior trees. This is for the future development.
• Difficulties. AI+ employs a bit different strategies on higher diffs, with focus on Deity