AI question

[sapper_astro]

Hello guys,

I followed the short report by Markshot regarding his Attack but i was wondering......

How good is the attacking AI? Is the german AI good at wiping the floor with your Greek/Commonwealth units? is it easy to push the germans off?

[MarkShot]

The AI does an equally good job on the attack and the defense.

If you are familiar with the CM series (CMBO/CMBB/CMAK) {most who play RDOA/HTTR/COTA are}, then you probably know that for SP it is much more common for the player to take the attacking side in scenarios, since the AI can do a reasonable job of defending in a hand crafted scenario. However, on the attack the AI is unable to coordinate and utilize its resources properly.

Happily, that is not the case for RDOA/HTTR/COTA.

[MarkShot]

One clarification, there is no such thing as a German AI or Greek AI. The same AI is used. There has been some discussion that for greater realism the game should support the use of various national and service doctrines. As with many good ideas, that is on the wish list.

[MarkShot]

A last and final clarification ... units and commanders do have individual attributes that will impact their performance on the field of battle. So, it is possible to model differences such as superior training or experience of a unit or better judgement or determination as a commander. Thus, if one side's troops were green and poorly led as a result of that nation's poor military preparedness that could be modeled within the existing framework of the engine.

[jungelsj_slith]

ORIGINAL: MarkShot

One clarification, there is no such thing as a German AI or Greek AI. The same AI is used.

*plugs ears while yelling* LALALALALALALA IM NOT LISTENING!


that's ok. now if you move over to the russian front................

[sapper_astro]

Well, you got me there...

I play the Combat mission games quite a bit and this has always been its only slight achilles heel (apart from the lack of a campaign, which is currently, sorta, in the works).

Haven't played either of your other games im afraid, but will be getting this one for sure. Im all late-game western-fronted out you see....Even a little eastern fronted out actually....its about time the earlier war was given a chance in games....France 1940 next? Malaya/Singapore/Burma would be something new as well. Perhaps you could add your wishlisted campaign thingie into it and see if the WA can hold the Germans or even cut off the panzer thrust through consecutive scenarios. Perhaps Malaya command could get another crack at stopping the Japs, or pulling off op matador.


Another question: Will the physical copy of the game ship with a printed manual?

[Major Disaster]

I would like to second that for a France 1940 version of AA! New features could be refugees, terror bombing, tank panic, command delays becuase of the lack of radios by the French (apparantly they they over reacted to the danger of the radio interception threat), and (for Dunkirk) sea evacuation, air attacks on ships, etc, (which could be the next extention from the PTOA version's ability to do naval gunfire). Some of the battles would be like HTTR in reverse like the Germans trying to race through Holland and quickly KO it it unbalance the left wing of the allied front (Highway to the Dike?) [:D]. Also, the race to Sedan [8D] would make a cool battle as well and would benefit from both COTA and BFTB in modeling non tank friendly terrian. Even though the Battle for France didn't last long I think it would make an excellent setting for AA in that the AA battles work well out to 10 or 11 days and that let's you capture major campaigns in their entirety (or nearly so).

[Major Disaster]

Also, it would be interesting to model the differencies in the German and Allied ability to do CAS. Also, Counter Air Missions could be flown (at perhaps a level of abstraction and perhaps outside of the typical AA commander's control in that for example a Corps commander would not set what percentage of aircraft are doing CAS vesrses Air-Air that are supporting his corps area.)

BTW, I have just recently read through Sir Allan Brooke's diary of the 1940 campaign and it would sure be cool to play being the corps comander of his coprs and see if we too can save the BEF and thus keep from loosing WWII! [:'(]

[Major Disaster]

And oh, BTW, after the France 1940 version it would be great to then have a France 1914 version to cover the battles up to and including the Battel of the Marne. A new feature in both France 1940 and 1914 could be non unity of cammnd where the British and the French commanders can't quite be sure what the other will be doing. This is wonderully described in Liason 1914 and in Allan Brookes memoirs. In AA terms it might mean team play with fog of war between not just the Allies and teh germans but between the British and the French. Even in non team play the human palyer could paly as a seperate player the Britich asn the French and thuas have a bit of the fog of war. BTW, Too bad this isn't also part of COTA in that I would guess that a similar situation existed between the Greeks and the British. [&o]

[Major Disaster]

And while I'm in the wouldn't it be wonderful if... mode, a cool "Modern" version might be Korea 50 (with Google earth like 3D terrain obviously!). ...Obviously, you guys at Panther Games need to get own with it and get COTA out cause you have a lot more work to do! [:)]

[Guz]

Greek AI....Heh...

[sapper_astro]

Greek AI....Heh...

evidently better than the Italian AI...[;)]