Creative Assembly has announced a new beta update for Total War: Warhammer 3, set to launch on February 13, aimed at improving the campaign AI’s behavior. The update focuses on making AI factions more active and strategic, and in the process, the developers uncovered a fascinating bug that had been affecting gameplay for quite some time.
The Bug That Made AI Play Too Defensively
As explained by Creative Assembly Sofia’s principal technical designer, Radoslav Borisov, the AI had a flawed “query system” that determined how it responded to enemy presence. The issue? The AI was overreacting to even a single hero entering its territory, interpreting it as a major threat.
This meant that if a player sent a lone scout or agent to observe an enemy faction, the AI would immediately go into defensive mode, pulling forces back to settlements and fortifying positions often unnecessarily. With this bug now fixed, AI factions will no longer waste resources on unnecessary defensive maneuvers, instead making smarter, more balanced decisions about when and where to defend.
Additional AI Improvements in the Beta
Alongside this fix, two other AI tweaks are being tested:
✅ Increased AI Aggression – Factions will be more wary of unknown civilizations, making them more likely to go to war when they first encounter each other.
✅ Stronger Major Factions – Key factions will be less likely to be wiped out early by minor factions before the player even meets them. This should help maintain better campaign balance, preventing unexpected power shifts in hidden parts of the map.
Beta Launch Details
The beta test will run for two weeks, with more details on how to join available on Creative Assembly’s blog when it launches. Players are advised to disable mods while testing, as they could cause unexpected interactions with the updated AI system.
These AI changes aim to create a more dynamic and engaging campaign, ensuring that factions behave more logically and strategically throughout the game. With the AI no longer panicking over lone heroes, players can expect a more balanced and immersive experience in future campaigns.
Stay tuned for more updates as Total War: Warhammer 3 continues to evolve!
