[Fheroes2 1.0] Enhanced Fheroes2 Combat AI

A few observations (related to the original Heroes 2 game) that come to mind about the behavior of the AI during combat and which could be improved.

If the AI can eliminate the last opposing troop with its shooters before it can play, no need to attack in meele and risk losing creatures.

If the AI can eliminate the last opposing troop before it can play without magic and loss, no need to use magic.

Also, the AI systematically casts a spell at the start of the combat even if it is not necessary.
For example, the AI casts the Lightning Bolt spell when its shooters will have the hand before the opposing troop and will be able to eliminate it without problem before it can play and win the combat.

The AI casts the Stoneskin spell on one of its troop before running away after it had cast the Magic Arrow spell the previous turn.

The AI always attacks with its troops.
Sometimes it is better not to attack, for example when defending in a castle with the opposing hero who has much higher defense and attack than the defending hero and the ballista and turrets are still active.

The AI does not always use the possibility of hitting two opposing troops with its units which can attack on two hexagons.
Or, the AI does not take into account the attack position and also affects its troops during an attack on two hexagons when this could have been avoided.

The AI should also take into account the retaliation of opposing troops attacking on two hexagons and position themselves so that the opposing troops are hit during the retaliation.

AI troops should not use all of their movement if it allows the opponent to attack them, they will get the hand on the next turn and therefore attack first.
Example a troop of Cavalries (speed 6) which attacks a troop of Ogres (speed 2).
If the troop of Cavalries moves with full movement (6 movement hexes), the Ogres will be able to attack it (2 movement hexes).
But if the troop of Cavalries moves only 5 hexes, the Ogres will not be able to attack it and the troop of Cavalries will be able to attack first the next turn.
This is, of course, to be considered on a case-by-case basis with more or less strong heroes, because sometimes it can be interesting to suffer the enemy attack anyway because the retaliation then occasioned makes it possible to do a large number of damages greater than the damage suffered by the attack of the opposing troop.

AI heroes never surrender.
I think it should stay that way, at least when the AI combats hero led by a human player who would never accept the AI hero's surrender anyway.
But what about that possibility when it's two heroes led by AI players?

Hi Unknown_Hero,

I forwarded your ideas to a member in our team who is currently working on new AI. We know that the original AI is bad in many places, that's why we're building a proper version of it for 0.9 release.

Hello ihhub,

Glad that can help.

I did not mention a few "classics" among others.

The 20 AI Titans shoot the poor troop with just one Gargoyle.
Or the 30 Phoenixes attack the poor troop of only one Archer.

During a siege, the human player positions one of his troops right next to the entrance to the castle.
The AI ​​advances one of its troops and opens the drawbridge to attack the opposing troop.
The AI ​​troop is eliminated by the retaliation of the opposing troop and the castle door is wide open to let the opposing troops enter.

The AI ​​casts a Summon Elemental spell several times when once would have been enough to annihilate the entire opposing army.

The AI ​​casts Summon Elemental spells and also sends its regular troops into combat and thus loses creatures from its regular troops when it could have sent only Elementals in contact with enemy troops to annihilate them, and thus having no loss in its regular troops.

The AI ​​casts a Summon Fire Elemental spell.
The human player uses the Cold Ray spell (double damage on Fire Elementals) on the Fire Elemental troop and reduces the troop to just a few units.
Despite this, the AI ​​continues to waste his magic points casting Summon Fire Elemental spells when it's ineffective.
The AI ​​could have cast other much more useful spells in this case.

Some tactics the AI could use.

During a siege, if it is to its advantage, the AI could position one of its troops just in front of the entrance to the castle thus preventing the opening of the drawbridge.
Defense troops can thus be decimated with spells and ranged attacks and be reduced before melee combat.
This is a tactic I use when I have a lot of ranged attackers in my ranks and not a lot of melee troops to defend them and I'm attacking a castle with a lot of melee troops defending.

Sometimes it can be advantageous not to eliminate the slowest troop when it is part of the opposing army.
This ensures that you get the hand first in the next round.