Random map: early playtest of Bombur map

[Bombur]

I´m starting an AI vs. Human player in order to playtest my (still incomplete) mod. It will be a 40x40 map with 50% water and 4 regimes. We will start with no level 1 techs, which would be close to the 1890´s tech level. This mod already have 40 units, covering up to WWI tech level (althought some 30´s units were already defined).

[Bombur]

Here is the scenario start screenshot

[Bombur]

-Argh....it won´t be easy, for the Holy party, to crush the infidels....we started in a rat hole. I´m starting to build horses and Riflemen., as transport will be absolutely neceessary in the jungle and we have no trucks.

[Bombur]

Round 7: More two cities were captured, however, the long supply lines forced us to create two extra HQ units. We are also building enginners, so we can improve our communication network.

[Bombur]

Here is the tech tree. Land units tech will give us the early truck and open the path to 1900´s land tech. Air tech will give us the Zeppelin and Naval tech will give us the pathetic early submarine, but it is necessary for...the dreadnought!!!!

[Bombur]

8th turn. Bad news. Our new city is under attack from Agnostic Marine units. The strenght and composition of the enemy forces are unknown. We will try a desperate defense. Production in Monnsleep hope is shifted to machineguns and Rifle units.

[Bombur]

Good news, the enemy forces were very weak and were easily defeated.

[Bombur]

Turn 12 and Moonsleep Hope is still threatened, while another city joined our country. Again, we have serious troubles with our transport nework. We already developed Early truck and the next step will likely to be an improved artillery.

[Bombur]

Turn 15: The enemies maneged to cut my country in three, forcing us to build another HQ to avoid starvation and collapse. Troops from my capital are trying to re link to Moonsleep Hope and we started to build artillery.

[Bombur]

-This was first artillery combat in the game. It seems artillery is very effective. Unfortunately, I can´t see the AI bringing artillery to destroy my cities....

[Bombur]

Turn 23 and the situation has degenerated in a bloodbath withouth any side making significant games. The Agnostic Marines advanced to my capital but they suffered heavy losses in the process and will likely be driven back. Moonsleep Hope is still threatened but not surrounded and the defenses are going stronger. The Third Union seems on full retreat from Finton. Some intel sources wonder to what extent they are under attack from the Agnostic Marines too.

[Joshuatree]

I found, trying out a different mod, that the AI tends to invest heavilly in "expensive" units. Foregoing thereby cheaper units which you can use for, uhm, just about anything. Is that the case with your mod too?
Also I wonder how the AI copes with the multitude of choices it has to make with the tech tree?

[Bombur]

ORIGINAL: Joshuatree

I found, trying out a different mod, that the AI tends to invest heavilly in "expensive" units. Foregoing thereby cheaper units which you can use for, uhm, just about anything. Is that the case with your mod too?
Also I wonder how the AI copes with the multitude of choices it has to make with the tech tree?

These are good questions, and answers to them are important to see if this mod is AI feasible.
1-In my playtests with Bombur mod, it seems that the AI seems to make a cost benefit calculation. They avoid very expensive units as Battleships (30000) and armored cruisers (20000), not to mention Zeppelins (15000-notice that one Zeppelim unit is squadron sized, about 20 airships, that´s why they are so expensive). In earlier versions the AI almost never bought artillery (which is very important in WWI scenarios), so I decreased artillery costs.
2-The AI seems to put strong emphasis in land units. They quickly will develop early light tank (FT-17) and Special Forces level I (WWI stormtroops). I´m yet to see them making any significant develop in air and naval units. Let us see how this scenario will play.

[Bombur]

Turn 23. The offensive against my capital was completely beaten with heavy losses.
Notice that the AI already developed SMG I (WWI SMG)

[Bombur]

The stalemate goes on. Notice that the infidels already have special forces.

[Bombur]

Sorry, here are the graphics

[Bombur]

Hmmm...realized a mistake, as land units 1900-1909, instead of 1910-1919 was being used as pre requisite the light tank I. Already fixed in a new version.

[Bombur]

And here is the tech tree

[Joshuatree]

"The AI seems to put strong emphasis in land units. They quickly will develop early light tank (FT-17) and Special Forces level I (WWI stormtroops). I´m yet to see them making any significant develop in air and naval units."
 
Yep, the AI tends to do that with the original AT too. I was ... hoping the AI might change it's behaviour with your quite different tech tree. Well anyway, your mod is a welcome addition! Thanks.

[Vic]

keep in mind that the AI in its calculations about what to research thinks that the SFType picture shown in the researchfield is the unit it will get! (these in between research fields like 1910-1919 might be hard for the AI. I would give them infantry stypepic, cruiser sftype pic and fighter sftype pic)

furthermore the ai will try to research what will be most effective against the enemy major troop types.

kind reg,
vic