Why are the Wood Elves AI conquering the world?

[Ecthelion]

I tried to the WE Grand Campaign a few times but they're just too frustrating to play given how they can't build real settlements.
So when I booted up a new VH Empire campaign, I assumed the WE would get wiped out pretty fast or at least wouldn't be able to expand effectively.

Boy was I wrong!

I ran the VH Empire campaign twice and the WE managed to overrun all of Bretonnia, Estalia, Tilea, and everything north of Altdorf.
They never declared war on me, and never allied with any faction other than that one dwarf clan.
I took them on in both runs and it was a slaughter, the only thing that slowed me down was how long it took to rebuild the settlements the WE had taken, rather razed, since nothing was left to build on.
Then I marched into Athel Loren and razed the 4 settlements (or rather 3 as the Beastmen had already burned King's Glade and the Oak of Ages). It was quite easy actually.

So I don't get it why are the WE so damn powerful? Does it have something to do with the quirks of the AI mechanics?

[General Sultan V]

Yeah, I have an Empire campaign going on currently, 120 turns in I believe and they are a world power and already invaded across the Grey mountains many times and attacked Weissenland and even into Reikland where they razed Helmgart twice and killed one of my important lords and are in grinding wars with my Dwarven allies who also apparently became a world power by exterminating the orcs and conquering all their land, to curb their expansion I launched a few punitive and costly attacks on their heartland, one was response to their invasions across the valley into Helmgart and Reikland from their waypoint and Montfort (I conquered it and fortified the town as a post across the grey mountains, from there I launched a campaign into the north of their forest and sacked & Razed the waterfall palace and gained alot of money) my 2nd expedition was down from Weissenland, crossing the valley south of the grey mountains near Karak Hirn and attacking right into King's glade, I could only sack it (gaining a massive 38,000 gold in loot) before retreating due to casualties and heavy attrition.

Needless to say both my expeditions into their lands were very arduous and costly in manpower.

[♔atthias♔]

the AI does not have to pay amber for upgrading the oak uints and technology so they can pump armies out faster than the player can

[ostendadler]

In that case they should be a passive faction then

[Ecthelion]

the AI does not have to pay amber for upgrading the oak uints and technology so they can pump armies out faster than the player can

The AI doesn't pay amber?
Holy Sigmar, that explains everything.

Also, the Dwarves in my two campaigns have also consistently exterminated the Greenskins and confederated into one giant pan-Dwarf nation. The only "minor" world power that seems to consistently hold out is VC, probably due to how difficult it is to invade their territory.

[M2TWRocks]

This just makes me want to play a competing faction to see them dominate.

[Igor85]

If CA can't make the AI handle amber, they at least should make the WE AI more passive. They belong in their woods, nowhere else. :-P

[LestaT]

Wood Elves are the new Maratha!

In any case, the WE does appear to be strong, however if you quickly destroy Athel Lorean they will crumble quickly. In my current campaign as Dwarfs, they DOW on me but since I have 2 stacks mear their home province I quickly send them both to burn their grounds. They become history.