I remember them well. I have mostly played pbem and multiplayer campaigns through the years, but there have been times where I played against the AI for one reason or another.
In CMx1, staying at level 1 (unless the unit was on a 2nd floor), advancing from unit to unit via the + and - keys, never clicking on an enemy unit, and letting my units choose their own targets gave a real sense of immersion and limited control.
It was always funny to jump to a routed unit in the woods and wonder where in the world they were.
It was the only way the AI could ever even come close to a draw.
In CMx2, I could see events leading to an actual AI win one day, which would actually be satisfying, but yes, it's still quite enjoyable in RT, BN, and FI.