The AI and Ammo Trucks

[KG Erwin]

Anyone else ever notice that the AI never buys an ammo carrier? It may make no difference, as the AI's off-board support never seems to run out of ammo, but for the ON-board arty, that's a different story.

Still, I took great pleasure the other day in slipping a couple of German motorcycle platoons, reinforced by some armored cars, a couple of flak-wagons, and a couple of Pz IVs down a side road and coming up behind the attacking Poles' mortar positions. Within three or four turns, I'd virtually wiped out the enemy's 81s and a couple of ATGs in their deep rear.

In any case, though, does the AI have any clue about how to replenish ammo, even if you add ammo carriers to the AI purchase list?

[RERomine]

I certainly have never seen or killed an AI ammo carrier or dump in a game generated scenario. It's not likely it has a clue what to do wth them, even if they were available. More than likely, it would attack with it [:)]

The AI does know to target ammo carriers however. There must be some sort of target prioritization routine it goes through where ammo carriers are at the top of the list.

[Alby]

ORIGINAL: KG Erwin

Anyone else ever notice that the AI never buys an ammo carrier? It may make no difference, as the AI's off-board support never seems to run out of ammo, but for the ON-board arty, that's a different story.

Still, I took great pleasure the other day in slipping a couple of German motorcycle platoons, reinforced by some armored cars, a couple of flak-wagons, and a couple of Pz IVs down a side road and coming up behind the attacking Poles' mortar positions. Within three or four turns, I'd virtually wiped out the enemy's 81s and a couple of ATGs in their deep rear.

In any case, though, does the AI have any clue about how to replenish ammo, even if you add ammo carriers to the AI purchase list?

Exactly why I removed the On board Nebels from the German AI picklist and gave them something with more ammo, in the FV HTH mod.
[:)]

[Orzel Bialy]

ORIGINAL: Alby

ORIGINAL: KG Erwin

Anyone else ever notice that the AI never buys an ammo carrier? It may make no difference, as the AI's off-board support never seems to run out of ammo, but for the ON-board arty, that's a different story.

Still, I took great pleasure the other day in slipping a couple of German motorcycle platoons, reinforced by some armored cars, a couple of flak-wagons, and a couple of Pz IVs down a side road and coming up behind the attacking Poles' mortar positions. Within three or four turns, I'd virtually wiped out the enemy's 81s and a couple of ATGs in their deep rear.

In any case, though, does the AI have any clue about how to replenish ammo, even if you add ammo carriers to the AI purchase list?

Exactly why I removed the On board Nebels from the German AI picklist and gave them something with more ammo, in the FV HTH mod.
[:)]

It's the little things (like this) that you think of in advance Alby that make us refer to you as the "wise ***" when it comes to these matters my friend. [:D]





So...did you guess "wise one" or jump right to "wise @ss"? [:'(]

[Alby]

ORIGINAL: Orzel Bialy

ORIGINAL: Alby

ORIGINAL: KG Erwin

Anyone else ever notice that the AI never buys an ammo carrier? It may make no difference, as the AI's off-board support never seems to run out of ammo, but for the ON-board arty, that's a different story.

Still, I took great pleasure the other day in slipping a couple of German motorcycle platoons, reinforced by some armored cars, a couple of flak-wagons, and a couple of Pz IVs down a side road and coming up behind the attacking Poles' mortar positions. Within three or four turns, I'd virtually wiped out the enemy's 81s and a couple of ATGs in their deep rear.

In any case, though, does the AI have any clue about how to replenish ammo, even if you add ammo carriers to the AI purchase list?

Exactly why I removed the On board Nebels from the German AI picklist and gave them something with more ammo, in the FV HTH mod.
[:)]

It's the little things (like this) that you think of in advance Alby that make us refer to you as the "wise ***" when it comes to these matters my friend. [:D]





So...did you guess "wise one" or jump right to "wise @ss"? [:'(]

LOL
actually I jumped to wise @ss
[X(]

[General Turgidson]

Point taken about AI and ammo carriers which is why I will do the unit selecting when going aginst AI. I'm sure you all have noticed the sometimes ridiculous placement of AT guns if left to AI auto deploy. Usually when setting up for AI I hit auto deploy, then readjust those units which the AI dosen't have a clue about where to place(i.e. HQs, FOs, AT guns, AA units etc...). After I've done this I put the game into the deep freeze (save game) and come back weeks later and play so to give myself sufficient time to forget where the I placed those units for AI. I will do this many times so to  have a steady supply of "suprise" scenarios waiting in the saved game bank without having to contend with the sometimes absurd placement notions and selections of the AI.

[Twotribes]

Actually while you have a point, the placement of AT and artillery ( and AA) can be hurtful and suprising, to say the least, when one is involved in clearing operations in an assault or advance. You round a corner and wham out of the blue some gun opens up on you, where you had no reason to expect it to be.

The only problem I have then is when the AI puts some such weapon system in a spot where it has almost no field of view.

[Korpraali V]

ORIGINAL: Twotribes

Actually while you have a point, the placement of AT and artillery ( and AA) can be hurtful and suprising, to say the least, when one is involved in clearing operations in an assault or advance. You round a corner and wham out of the blue some gun opens up on you, where you had no reason to expect it to be.

The only problem I have then is when the AI puts some such weapon system in a spot where it has almost no field of view.

One of the weird things is that you can well find a bunker from the middle of the forest...

AI can't use ammo carriers even in designed scenarios. They are (as other trucks) usually first to withdraw from the exit hex. For AI it's better to give ammo crates or dumps.

[KG Erwin]

I agree with both of you on those weirdly-placed ATGs, AAGs & bunkers. The very lack of obvious logic in placement offers up some unpleasant surprises/unexpected ambushes.

More than once, I've triumphantly entered a rear-area VH, only to have my troops blasted and sent scurrying by a hidden gun emplacement. [X(]

[Korpraali V]

Yes, that's very surprising. Once dropped a company of German FJ's to Belgian rear area town. There were something like twenty bunkers [X(] Was a _bit_ tough to try to keep my men alive without any reasonable AT-weapons.

[RERomine]

ORIGINAL: Korpraali V

Yes, that's very surprising. Once dropped a company of German FJ's to Belgian rear area town. There were something like twenty bunkers [X(] Was a _bit_ tough to try to keep my men alive without any reasonable AT-weapons.

Was it an random AI scenario or someone's personal creation?

Not only does the AI set everything up strangely, bunkers always face toward the enemy side of the board. And since bunkers don't have 360 capability, if you drop close enough to the AI map edge, you get to come up behind everything. Nothing is more fun than popping a cluster of bunkers from behind. [:D]

[General Turgidson]

Yes, there are suprises-but your point-and mine, AT guns(field guns etc.) stuck behind the trees, buildings, etc. with no fields of fire when they should cover the approaches to V hexs or intentional gaps in positional defenses etc., really doesen't make much sense. Numerous accounts of WWII vets attest to the axiom "...open fields of fire are more important than cover..." at least to a point anyway.