diff --git a/data/ai/lua/battle_calcs.lua b/data/ai/lua/battle_calcs.lua
index 53dc77ec010b..afa50e965e15 100644
--- a/data/ai/lua/battle_calcs.lua
+++ b/data/ai/lua/battle_calcs.lua
@@ -38,38 +38,35 @@ function battle_calcs.unit_attack_info(unit, cache)
         resist_mod = {},
         alignment = unit_cfg.alignment
     }
-    for attack in wml.child_range(unit_cfg, 'attack') do
+    local attacks = unit.attacks
+    for i_a = 1,#attacks do
+        local attack = attacks[i_a]
         -- Extract information for specials; we do this first because some
         -- custom special might have the same name as one of the default scalar fields
         local a = {}
-        for special in wml.child_range(attack, 'specials') do
-            for _,sp in ipairs(special) do
-                if (sp[1] == 'damage') then  -- this is 'backstab'
-                    if (sp[2].id == 'backstab') then
-                        a.backstab = true
-                    else
-                        if (sp[2].id == 'charge') then a.charge = true end
-                    end
+        for _,sp in ipairs(attack.specials) do
+            if (sp[1] == 'damage') then  -- this is 'backstab'
+                if (sp[2].id == 'backstab') then
+                    a.backstab = true
                 else
-                    -- magical, marksman
-                    if (sp[1] == 'chance_to_hit') then
-                        a[sp[2].id] = true
-                    else
-                        a[sp[1]] = true
-                    end
+                    if (sp[2].id == 'charge') then a.charge = true end
+                end
+            else
+                -- magical, marksman
+                if (sp[1] == 'chance_to_hit') then
+                    a[sp[2].id] = true
+                else
+                    a[sp[1]] = true
                 end
             end
         end
 
         -- Now extract the scalar (string and number) values from attack
-        for k,v in pairs(attack) do
-            if (type(v) == 'number') or (type(v) == 'string') then
-                a[k] = v
-            end
-        end
-
-        -- [attack]number= defaults to zero; must be defined for battle_calcs.best_weapons()
-        a.number = a.number or 0
+        a.damage = attack.damage
+        a.type = attack.type
+        a.range = attack.range
+        -- number must be defined for battle_calcs.best_weapons()
+        a.number = attack.number or 0
 
         table.insert(unit_info.attacks, a)
     end
diff --git a/data/ai/lua/generic_recruit_engine.lua b/data/ai/lua/generic_recruit_engine.lua
index 209bef1253bd..20cdbc77fa32 100644
--- a/data/ai/lua/generic_recruit_engine.lua
+++ b/data/ai/lua/generic_recruit_engine.lua
@@ -193,10 +193,12 @@ return {
 
                     -- Handle drain for defender
                     local drain_recovery = 0
-                    for defender_attack in wml.child_range(defender.__cfg, 'attack') do
+                    local defender_attacks = defender.attacks
+                    for i_d = 1,#defender_attacks do
+                        local defender_attack = defender_attacks[i_d]
                         if (defender_attack.range == attack.range) then
-                            for special in wml.child_range(defender_attack, 'specials') do
-                                if wml.get_child(special, 'drains') and drainable(attacker) then
+                            for _,sp in ipairs(defender_attack.specials) do
+                                if (sp[1] == 'drains') and drainable(attacker) then
                                     -- TODO: calculate chance to hit
                                     -- currently assumes 50% chance to hit using supplied constant
                                     local attacker_resistance = attacker:resistance(defender_attack.type)
@@ -291,9 +293,10 @@ return {
         end
 
         function can_slow(unit)
-            for defender_attack in wml.child_range(unit.__cfg, 'attack') do
-                for special in wml.child_range(defender_attack, 'specials') do
-                    if wml.get_child(special, 'slow') then
+            local attacks = unit.attacks
+            for i_a = 1,#attacks do
+                for _,sp in ipairs(attacks[i_a].specials) do
+                    if (sp[1] == 'slow') then
                         return true
                     end
                 end