Nonsensical AI

[FAA]

I tried playing vs AI using DaBigBabes Lite, and the AI is atrocious, as atrocious as vanilla - it will, for example, keep sending amphibious groups to land in Port Moresby, which I heavily fortified, and get slaughtered each time. Additionally, they will send bombardment groups there even when I have carriers present.

Is there any way to improve the AI? Better scenarios or something?

[geofflambert]

Ask for someone whose initials are A.I. in the opponents wanted forum. I'm sure someone would be up for a short scenario.

[PaxMondo]

What difficult and scenario are you playing?

[Andy Mac]

FAA DaBabesLight is a great scenario and the guys put a lot of effort into it and it is definitely playable v the AI but it is basically scenario 1 ie historical and I would never recommend playing the AI on any version of scen 1 - to be effective in that scenario the AI has to do everything right and a scripted AI simply cannot do that v a player

Andy

[Yaab]

ORIGINAL: FAA

I tried playing vs AI using DaBigBabes Lite, and the AI is atrocious, as atrocious as vanilla - it will, for example, keep sending amphibious groups to land in Port Moresby, which I heavily fortified, and get slaughtered each time. Additionally, they will send bombardment groups there even when I have carriers present.

Is there any way to improve the AI? Better scenarios or something?

Here Kull speaks how to update the AI

https://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=4257473

[FAA]

ORIGINAL: Andy Mac

FAA DaBabesLight is a great scenario and the guys put a lot of effort into it and it is definitely playable v the AI but it is basically scenario 1 ie historical and I would never recommend playing the AI on any version of scen 1 - to be effective in that scenario the AI has to do everything right and a scripted AI simply cannot do that v a player

Andy

Which scenario should I choose then to make sure that AI doesn’t behave like a complete idiot?

[Yaab]

FAA, the AI is scripted, so you will break the AI in any scenario.

Ironman scenarios give AI more units than historical to make the AI last longer.
You can play on Hard on Very Hard difficulty to give AI various bonuses.

If you want to continue play BabesLite , go to the thread I linked and read posts 100 and 101.
They show how you can update the old AI with new scripts.

Consider that some scenarios are more historical (stock, Babes, RHS), some are what-if scenarios (RA Reluctant Admiral), and some are AI-boosting (Ironman scenarios). I play historical ones, and since AI is scripted, I house-rule myself to give AI more handicap.

[Lowpe]

I think you are looking at the AI in the wrong way.

They are more your partner than your opponent. It is very easy to break the AI and take ridiculous advantage of it.

I am currently playing an Ironman Tier 3 game, and I have restricted all CV task forces to 2 carriers, not resized air groups, not transferred restricted groups to carriers, pursuing diversified r&d, restricted base and fort building, following pp for commands, leaving most troops at start in Manchuko, etc, etc.

I don't plan on setting up a fortress defense anywhere along my perimeter.

Why don't you let the AI into Port Moresby for a while?

[stretch]

Holding Canton Island early results in the same thing, the AI will send force after force to try and get it. What I did was allow the landings without destroying the APs, the landings were each defeated. After a few tries it stops. Just don't decimate the AI in those situations and you'll have an enjoyable game. I could also have just let the AI have Canton and take it later; its not going to defeat me to lose it for a few months.

[Shellshock]

ORIGINAL: FAA

FAA

Which scenario should I choose then to make sure that AI doesn’t behave like a complete idiot?

Whether playing as the Japanese or the Allies, the AI is always going to play as an idiot the further you get from the established beginning strategies of the campaign game. It doesn't matter how many times you ambush it in night battles or combat air patrol traps it's never going suddenly "learn" its lesson and change its ways. It only changes strategy when it no longer has the material to carry on with its current one. Usually after you've shot down hundreds of poorly escorted bombers and sunken dozens of sitting duck transports offloading their cargoes.

The only way to mitigate it, is to either handicap yourself or give it more toys to play with.

Frankly, given the complexities of this game it's amazing the AI does as well as it does. It can pull off the occasional surprise when you get careless and is available to play 24 hours a day unlike a human opponent. It does better in the short scenarios. I guess there are trade-offs.

[GetAssista]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe
I think you are looking at the AI in the wrong way.

They are more your partner than your opponent.

Hear, hear!
Playing against AI in this game is not about winning the scenarios. It is more about going through a series of set up battles where your goal is to play your part correctly in a particular battle. To organize your assets, to execute a plan, to deal with unexpected stuff along the way. And then move on to another battle

E.g. you already organized the defense of Port Moresby and AI was not able to take int in the initial push? That's it, this battle is resolved, you did things right, it's time to move on and not stall the AI milking it for assets in futile attempts to get PM (because it's in his scripts to try take PM with whatever assets available nearby). Either go on the offensive and play through the amphibious invasion battle on the theater. Or let AI take PM and move on to another defensive battle deeper into your territory. That is, help AI to move on and let him present you with another set piece battle.

[Lovejoy]

ORIGINAL: FAA

ORIGINAL: Andy Mac

FAA DaBabesLight is a great scenario and the guys put a lot of effort into it and it is definitely playable v the AI but it is basically scenario 1 ie historical and I would never recommend playing the AI on any version of scen 1 - to be effective in that scenario the AI has to do everything right and a scripted AI simply cannot do that v a player

Andy

Which scenario should I choose then to make sure that AI doesn’t behave like a complete idiot?

Andy Mac has done a lot of Ironman scenarios that give players a good game. Lowpe is currently doing an AAR against the Allied AI, and a number of Allied players have had good games against his Japan AI ironmans.

[FAA]

Surprisingly, AI got much worse after updating to the newest version. I have followed the instructions and moved new AI files and left just scenarios 1-6, which are supposed to be the most historical ones, and in December Japanese sent a single light carrier to within one hex of Pearl Harbor, quickly destroyed by my dive bombers stationed there, and on Jan 1st they tried the same thing with 2 carriers, this time desrroyed without much difficulty by my carriers fixe hexes from Pearl.

It’s beyond dumb now.

Edit: I checked it in head-to-head view. AI sent two carriers and two destroyers with Pearll Harbour base as their destination. Are they trying to enter a U.S. port or something? I’ve never seen AI do something as stupid as that.

[Yaab]

My aei001.dat file for scen001 is from 25 September 2019. What is your date for aei files?

[FAA]

Ir’s the stock Dec 8 scenario, so as per Kull’s topic it’s 24/06/2012. All my files are from 2012, where can I find newer ones?

[Yaab]

Here, post number 2

https://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=4692890

However, the updates have no AI variants, so you only get one aei002.dat file.

Though, I cannot remember if you have to restart the campaign for the AI changes to take effect.

[FAA]

ORIGINAL: Yaab

Here, post number

However, the updates have no AI variants, so you only get one aei002.dat file.

Though, I cannot remember if you have to restart the campaign for the AI changes to take effect.

Thanks a lot!What can I expect from this AI?

Also, it’s in the protected slot, I edited it to give rhe enemy some stronger forts for better late game, saved it and renamed the scn file to replace the old one - can I break anything this way?

[Yaab]

Less suicidal scripts - AI TFs not reacting into Bataan CD guns, Singapore CD guns, fewer small carrier raids.

But don't expect a dynamic AI, it is stiil the scripts.

If this AI doesn't work for you, than maybe PBEM against human opponent will suit you more.

BTW, I would restart the campaign to be sure you use the new scripts.

[btd64]

Yaab, you do have to restart to use the new scripts. And I also would suggest a PBEM against a human. So much fun[;)]....GP

[FAA]

ORIGINAL: btd64

Yaab, you do have to restart to use the new scripts. And I also would suggest a PBEM against a human. So much fun[;)]....GP

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