AoW2 Strategies vs. the Computer A.I.

By: JasonArg
Last Updated: July 8, 2002

Here are a few strategies for playing AoW2 against computer opponents. These strategies exploit certain logic deficiencies displayed by the computer AI.

1. Use an "All Shooters" Town Defense.
The best strategy for town defense is to just build a wooden wall and then start building a team of low level, low cost "shooters" (i.e, range-attack units). By low cost I mean using a Halfling Slinger instead of a Halfling Rogue; a Frostling Shard Thrower instead of a Frostling Frost Witch. The only exception is to use a Human Swashbuckler (with is incredibly efficient) instead of a Human Crossbowman. Here are my personal recommendations for each of the 12 races, and their production cost:

• Archons: Archers (30 gold)
  
• Elves: Longbowmen (30 gold)
  
• Halflings: Slingers (25 gold)
  
• Dwarves: Crossbowmen (30 gold)
  
• Draconians: Flamers (40 gold)
  
• Frostlings: Shard Thrower (25 gold)
  
• Humans: Swashbucklers (60 gold)
  
• Tigrans: Shedders (30 gold)
  
• Dark Elves: Archers (30 gold)
  
• Goblins: Darters (25 gold)
  
• Orcs: Archers (30 gold)
  
• Undead: Archers (30 gold)

You should build between 2-4 stacks of 8 shooters. At some point, the computer will determine that you are lightly defended, and send a large attack team of Level 3 or Level 4 creatures to attack you. In such a case, just use autocombat, and your all-shooters team will bring down the much stronger computer team with minimum casualties. In fact, the computer is often "dumb" enough to repeatedly assault your all-shooters town over and over again, and you can quickly build up your shooters to gold medal status (giving them increased Marksmanship abilities) to add more potency to your town defense.

2. Exploit Dead Zones in Town Attack.
When you attack a computer town, you should move your team to certain "dead zones" where the computer cannot assault you with range weapons. If you attack a town from the Northwest for example, you can then move your team further North from your entrance position, behind the "retreat positional arrows." At this position, the town shooters will often not be able to shoot at you, and will pass their turns. The wizard tower shooter, if any, will still continue to shoot, but will miss you most of the time.

From this safe position, you have unlimited time to take out the entire town defense by casting spells (from your heroes or wizard). Note that the defending team will not come out of the town to attack you until all their shooters are dead. You should kill everything but keep the last shooter alive until the last minute.

3. Use a Single Strong Hero Attack Squad.
A single high level hero is incredibly useful in taking over towns and killing enemy wizards, simply because the computer underestimates you. You hero should be very resilient, and preferably be buffered up to 20 DEF and 20 RES, with as many spell points as possible. Be sure to cast Bless and Stone Skin on you hero to quickly raise its Defense rating.

Because of deficiencies in the computer AI, when the computer detects that you have but a single unit approaching the town, it may actually move away several of the army stacks defending the wizard tower; leaving the town lightly defended by a single stack. Conversely, if you attack with three or four large army stacks, the computer will amass an equally large defending force.

Your single strong hero should be able to easily capture the town. If you run into difficulty, you can combine the "exploit dead zones" strategy above for maximum effectiveness.

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