Per the FE coming to Steam thread, and Frogboy asking players for their strategies, I thought I'd write down a few of my tactics. I don't consider myself the best FE player by far, but challenging is pretty easy (and generally where I've been playing for balance testing).
One of my big strategies in almost every game is mana storage. I don't cast many enchants with upkeep; I prefer an extra unit to help out, so in most battles the enchant isn't making a significant difference (generally have 3x normal units per champion in my stack). I'll cast some cheap buffs like a haste or a fog. Resistable spells like slow I rarely use. I just don't find I need it early on when I fight mostly monsters. I'm waiting to gather shards and to get good spells in the midgame to use vs other factions. Then I have a huge mana store (generally in the 500 range, even if I'm not upgrading shrines or have many built). Now I fight the other factions, where things like fireball is much more useful, or I can regularly high cost map spells like flamestrike, tremor, wither, etc. I can really go all out and wipe tougher stacks pretty easily.
On a more micro level, in my early games, my first thing I build is almost always a pioneer. I'm trying to get 3-5 cities early on, since food stops growth more than prestige, and having more build quenes is invaluable, plus the huge boost to research if I can do inspiration city enchantments on some of them. Games where I can get 5 or 6 cities early are always easier than ones where I'm locked to 1-2 bigger cities. I try to do about 2 town /1 conclave / 1 fort mix in terms of specialization as time goes on, the fort being on places with at least 3-4 base resources or with clay. If I have essence, almost all cities get inspiration/ enchanted hammers in the early game (and often I just leave it there). Taxes stay low, sometimes to none if I can swing it.
I explore a bit, usually recruit the nearby champ and split them in 2 seperate stacks to explore / pick up loot. My goal is to have at least 1 stack that can take on most any early unit up through medium toughness (shills or whatnot) fairly easily, and to wipe lairs and monsters from the map. If I can do this with what I find, I'll build either another pioneer, especially if I'm finding fertile ground / really good resources. If I can't take on the medium monsters, I usually go with a low level troop or two (something with a shield if possible). My new towns focus on building a couple scouts or pioneers, depending on what I find, and a bit later usually build any production boost structures and unrest buildings to get near 0% fast, then doing whatever I need. I focus on getting most cities to the top production they can achieve before doing anything else with them.
Techwise, I try to get eary civ advances (up through the first 2 tiers) pretty quickly. I'll focus magic or warfare depending on resources and faction. Really good techs seem to be trade, construction, and then a tech to get out a good unit that can support a champ and soak some blows in battle. Then I focus on some civ/ production techs and focus on 1 line of magic or warfare to aim for a really strong unit for the mid/lategame (ie heading towards blacksmithing or arcane weapons).
My armies are usually 1 champ (2 on rare occasions)/ 3-4 normal units. I often go for more expensive troops with a ton of armor (if warfare) or a ton of dodge (if magic path). Their attack is rarely improtant, as I use them more to tank, and the champ to bring the DPS, at least in the early game. Later, horse troops with battleaxe, or the lighting hammers seem to bring DPS if I need more. Expense is rarely an issue, as I don't lose many units, and I build almost exclusively in my high production forts. I don't garrison much, since I kill off the monsters early on, maybe a few units on the border towns, or a spare champ in an important town if I have a few extras kicking around.
Within battles the most helpful tactic I use is baiting attacks to my tanky/ trash units as much as I can, then pulling them back as needed so they don't die, then the AI retargets to the next nearest unit rather than finishing off the weakened unit. I never want a unit to die, its a waste of time and exp, and its the one thing the AI is worst at when in auto battles. Even if that puleld back unit just sits there defending the rest of the match, it lives and gets more powerful for next time. I'll also set a unit that is getting attacked a lot on defend mode, unless its my highest attack unit. Later on, since I conserve my mana, I can focus/ cast fireball or big army devestators, then mop up.
So TLDR the idea is: early on lots of cities to build support/tank units, and kill off all monsters in your area. Conserve mana. Champs provide most of the DPS. Once some good spells are achieved, use the big mana store and start taking lots of cities. Focus on high production techs, and one battle tech line to create some powerful mid-lategame units just incase you get unlucky on champ level ups or finding shards.
It seems to work well and it is reasonably robust. Even if you get suprised by a stack or a sudden war dec, the mana store lets you win a few fights, or cripple/ freeze a stack long enough to get some units in place to counter it. Games end fairly early on a medium map, and spell of mastery is a very easy win if you want it most games.
By comparison to the current AI, I find myself having far less units/ stacks in the early to midgame, and less city defenders. My lands are far more clear of monsters (usually only slags around if anything). I have more tech, more gold, and more mana. If I'm lucky at all I have more cities. If I get into a really lategame, I stil lhave fewer stacks, but my units are significantly more powerful (ie fully armored battleaxe horsemen with 3x traits) that crush the AI's weaker, more plentiful units.
Anyways, I hope it gives a few AI ideas that'll help make the game even better!
