Jester (V 2.21) & Forthwind (V 2.1)

[screamingkoos]

Hey Everyone! Just a smaller update here that brings bug fixes for Jester (He is now playable again as of the March 2024 PUP which messed him up). I also decided to add a couple extras into the update last minute (literally the past few hours before the update today) so it is a more exciting download

Many thanks to you all for your continued support! Have an awesome day!

Your pal,

ScreamingKoos

;==========UPDATES for Jester Version 2.21 (March 9, 2024):
- This is a smaller update that aims to fix some recently introduced bugs and make Jester playable again for the March PUP. Added a couple new additions as well!
;====================================================
- Fixed a bug that was introduced in the March 2024 PUP that would make Jester unplayable.
- Fixed a circular logic bug that could cause Jester to turn on & off arrow dodging rules repeatedly.
- Provided a bug fix for a rare but critical Direct Unit Control (DUC) bug that would set all military units to no-attack-stance forever. Should not be able to happen anymore with backup conditions added.
- Jester now disregards using villagers to target rams & armored elephants when villager numbers are too low (dynamically based on pop-cap settings).
- Improved focus-player rules by allowing them to update much more often. Jester's initial scout should have less of a chance to dying from early enemy TC's.
- Fixed a bug which consisted of Jester endlessly deleting the first mining-camp foundation even when it was placed correctly near gold or stone. This could sometimes lead to serious delays of the first mining-camp greatly affecting economy.
- Jester now targets and deletes his oldest camps (lumber & mining) one at a time after a number of them have been built.
- Introduced a temporary solution that forces a small number of villagers to nearby berries (if close to a mill) once farms start getting built (useful for Yucatan style maps).
- Testing VERY basic rules in this update that should influence Jester to help AI allies. Ran out of time to test this fully...
- Jester flanks & pockets now properly counter war-elephants and have improved countering for enemy unique siege units (i.e. organ guns, hussite-wagons, etc).
- Jester no longer automatically retreats when pursuing a booming strategy (was causing Jester to stop attacking even when far ahead in military, allowing enemy to reboom in many situations and catch up).
- The first placed castle has improved preference to be placed at the front of Jester's base.
- Jester can now research ri-devotion.
- Changed out a few of the chats/updated existing ones!
- A couple other small improvements/bug fixes.
;----------END OF GENERAL UPDATES:----------

[jadeeye]

Thank you for the update. Good to see your AI get improvement day by day. Here's my feedback.

Jester seems to attack and retreat better but he really really needs to know how to use Sieges more effectively. I have watched a death match in Imp Age between 8 civs and none of them were defeated at the end of the match (resources are expired) because they don't know how to get through defensive buildings as I mentioned before. I believe you will fix this issue later by DUC.

Could you also make Jester split a raiding group to harass villagers? They let enemies's villagers gather the whole map especially a map like Gold Rush. And I think Jester need to balance between villagers and militaries. He produced too many villagers and trade carts. Late game, he only has about 50 military pops.