Alpha AAR - A year at the front with Field Marshal Noob

[karonagames]

The Airbases in front of Kiev are a definite AI bug that was reported.

[karonagames]

OOps, chopped off a bit of the South.

[HerzKaraya]

ORIGINAL: Helpless

Hi Helpless,

I remember from the previous AAR (Elmo and Pyledriver) that you mentioned something was in the works.
Just wanted to know if it was finished already.
Can't wait!!!

Bubi,

The list of aircraft been finalized (many been added). Soon we should get the art (photos) and fix missing data. WITE is not as air centric as WITP, but I hope it still should be a lot of fun to plan air raids.

Btw, Congrats on World Cup. We have a Spanish testers section but they got MIA (probably) due to that. [:)]

Thanks for the update, and yes - it has been a really outstanding feat to win the World Cup. Still celebrating!
If you need more Spanish testers....[:D]

[Crocky]

Great to have another AAR to whet the appetite   ......

Go the Kiwis (New Zealand) only unbeaten team at the world cup ....... got to cling to something

[karonagames]

I'm surprised no-one wanted to comment on GAIA's moves here, so I'll give my opinion.

She clearly recognised the threat to the river south of Kiev and created a "defence in depth" set up behind the river with armoured units in the 3rd hex row behind the river. I think this is what all the testers would strive to achieve in the same situation.

Further south I think she had to trade space for time and therefore set up a screen using river lines wherever she could. My dash with the motorised brigades has given her an awkward defence in the south that I may be able to take advantage of, the "flying brigade" is fast but it doesn't pack a lot of punch.

The only thing she didn't do was put "skirmishers" or delaying forces in front of the panzers.

Overall I would score her 8/10 for that move.

[janh]

Indeed, the GAIA seems to do an excellent job for the Russian side in this situation.  If it is capable of giving you a hard time with just 10% bonuses (plus x-ray sight), it really must be considered excellent.  I am sure many people will appreciate it.
Secondary question:  Is there a way to script AI in this game?  I.e. make a scenario and script some initial moves, for example?

[ComradeP]

I'm surprised no-one wanted to comment on GAIA's moves here

I'm still considering whether it would be worth doing so, as it's not clear how old the build you're showing us is. As you said in your first post, the AI changes/is improved every day. The progress was easier to track in PyleDriver's AAR because what we saw was the, at the time, current build.

[karonagames]

The Build version date is in the top left of the all screenshots. I think I had 2 updates during the course of this test. I know the Airbase left behind bug has been fixed.

@ janh Yes the AI does have a scripting facility, and I know that before I came on board there was an SU Turn1 script based on Sabre21's (the head tester)"perfect" defence, but there have been so many changes to code that this script is now obsolete. Some of the scenario designers could tell you more about how it works. I think the smaller scenarios can make more use of AI scripts. It is obviously near impossible to script the full campaign, but I think as the modding community develops after the game releases, people will probably find ways to squeeze even more out of the AI.

[karonagames]

End of Turn 7. Well, she didn't stop me getting across the river. Delaying units would have burned the 1MP that a couple of the bridgehead units have, and may have stopped the 5MP unit that got across. This bridgehead will give me lots of options.

[karonagames]

The screening force is unhinged - she can't keep reforming a line can she?

[karonagames]

On the approaches to Leningrad 18th Army faces a solidifying defence, but 4th Panzer group is faced by disorganised units and has the chance of a significant breakthrough.

[karonagames]

I decided to risk breaking an SS division down to regiments - their superior morale should help them fight off any attempts to break into the pocket.

[karonagames]

Start of Turn 8. Yes, they managed to fight off the SU attempts to free their comrades from the pocket, with substantial help from the Luftwaffe. You will notice that GAIA only attacked regiment sized units.

[karonagames]

Beginning turn 8: She didn't counter attack the bridgehead near Kiev, but she continues to build a defence in depth in front of my Panzers.

[karonagames]

Beginning Turn 8: And she continues to scrape together screening forces in the far south.

[karonagames]

End of Turn 8. 4th Panzer knocks on the door of Leningrad. The numbers in the red circles are the fortification levels. I had expected the SU to have been digging bigger numbers than this. As a result of this, it was discovered that GAIA had not been using support units, particularly construction battalions, as well as she should. It is on Gary's "to do" list.

1st Panzer Div. down to 50 AFVs.

[karonagames]

End of turn 8: Moving railhead forward to support the Drive on Moscow.

[karonagames]

End Turn 8: Kiev is Encircled.

[karonagames]

End of Turn 8: The grey shaded area near Kirovograd is an example of my role-playing. I pulled back to a deployment I would use against a human. I have a good enough threat to the south of Cherkassy.

[SGHunt]

Thanks for these Screenies - they are really exciting and show the flow of the game very well.

Are you on target in game turns,  according to your planning schedule, and/or historically?

Stuart

PS the reason I didn't comment on your question was that I couldn't work out what it was you meant when you said some people wouldn't like what they saw.   It struck me that the GAPO (GAry's Programmed Opponent ) was doing a good job of legging it to escape envelopment and building a decent-ish defence in depth.   What else can it do?    I wonder if it could/should counter- attack more often, for the attrition as much as anything?