My first 1.5.21 game --- observations!

[MarkShot]

(1) I had one cav unit chase a defeated cav unit in melee for 4-5 turns clear across the map. Usually, pursuit only lasts a turn. If this is not WAD; I have save games of this.

(2) Usually, the skirmisher line will get in a few volleys and clear the area as the heavies arrive. For the most part, this did not happen. Needless, to say this was not a winning strategy. (A human certainly would have won with IMPACT FOOT units which the skirmishers were blocking from fighting.) Screenshot follows. (This went on for 5-7 turns.)

NOTE: I finally charged many of the skirmish units on turn #23 knowing that I couldn't be pulled badly out of place and that I was going to win anyway. I don't know the game rules well enough, but I think the AI may have locked those skirmishers in place with nowhere to evade to. They were easily shattered on turn #24. The good news was that the Roman battle line was more cohesive as it crossed the field than I have seen in the past.

Fewer heavy units were pulled out of the main fight than in the past by skirmishers and cavalry. This may also have been good ... in the past too many heavy units were detached to negate skirmishers and cavalry, but the end approach was that I was able to across the game pick off: 1 x Triarii, 2 x Legion, 2 x Cav. Using about 4 x Cretan Archers, 2 x Horse Archers, 4 x Amored Cav (but it should noted that by this point my units had graduated to elite).

[rbodleyscott]

Nothing in the game has changed that would affect either of these things.

The skirmishers not withdrawing thing needs looking at however - I wonder if it is because you were (forgive me) corner sitting and hence a deadline had been reached before the battle lines came close enough to trigger the light infantry withdrawal. Or had some non-light infantry got close enough to each other to trigger the light foot withdrawal earlier in the game and then they readvanced? (The withdrawal only occurs once)

[rbodleyscott]

Looking at the code, it looks like it might have been because the two infantry lines were so offset relative to each other.

[MarkShot]

Richard,

Oh! Please don't make Mike Chung come and get me! I am sure that guy must work for a private debt collection agency.

Thanks.

[MarkShot]

Okay, Richard, I beat the Romans meeting them in the middle blow for blow ... no camping.