Warhammer 3 patch 8.1 adds AI prioritization to cut idle armies

Creative Assembly released patch 8.1 for Total War: Warhammer 3 this week. The update adds a campaign AI prioritization system that changes what computer-controlled factions focus on as a campaign progresses, with the stated goal of reducing armies that stand idle and creating more active late-game encounters.

The new mechanism lets developers adjust AI priorities based on how many turns have passed since a campaign began. Senior Community Manager Steve Coleman explained: “We’ve added a new mechanism that allows us to control exactly what the campaign AI prioritizes, depending on how many turns have passed since campaign start.” He added that the system can lower the priority of defending specific regions late in a campaign and raise the priority of actions that target enemy forces.

Creative Assembly wrote in the patch notes that the change is intended to reduce “certain campaign AI tasks that lead to its armies clustering and idling” and to make computer opponents more likely to expand and compete rather than only defend. The studio said the update should reduce stalemates where multiple endgame factions remain defensive instead of engaging one another.

The developer listed persistent causes of clumping and standoffs that the new system will not fully eliminate. These include endgame factions spawning before turn 40, multiple endgame triggers activating at the same time, factions sharing direct borders whether or not they are at war, and contests over provinces where the sides are evenly matched. Creative Assembly said it will continue work on those issues in future updates and asked players to report new problems on the game forums.

Patch 8.1 also expands content and tweaks mechanics for Grand Cathay following the Bhashiva DLC. Grand Cathay receives four landmarks: the Monument of the White Tiger, which reduces cost and raises strength for Tiger Warriors; the House of Secrets, which offers alternate Alchemist recruitment and shorter cooldowns; the Terracotta Road, which improves defensive supplies and permits more Terracotta Sentinel recruitment; and the Grand Maritime Lift, which removes movement costs to embark and disembark and shortens sea-lane travel time.

Two new technologies for Tiger Warriors were added. “Tiger’s Call” reduces upkeep, increases damage for Tiger Warrior Stalkers and lowers recruitment costs for Tiger Warrior units by 10 percent. “Honed Sense” reduces upkeep, increases speed for Dual Axes and Iron Claw units, and adds two recruitment ranks to Tiger Warrior units. The Dragon-Blooded Shugengan Lord for Yin and Yan variants received unique skill lines.

Other campaign changes include approval for Goblin Big Boss, Goblin Great Shaman and Orc Warboss characters to use chariot mounts in campaign, a buff to Mio Ying’s starting army, and a reduction in the ability of Slaanesh factions to stack very large speed bonuses. The patch also contains hundreds of balance adjustments, battle improvements and technical and visual fixes, ranging from ability cost and effect rebalance to minor animation corrections such as fixing the Tiger Warrior Stalker’s hair animation.