AI improvements

[Spooky]

While the UV AI is quite good, I think some aspects could be easily improved without taking too much time.

Moreover, these improvements would be very useful in the forthcoming WITP.

I propose we list in this thread these "AI improvements" which should be implemented in UV or at least in WITP.

1) Damaged ships management
* The AI damaged ships will return to their home port even if their flotation damages are high - leading many AI ships to sunk on their way home - while they could have been saved if sent to a closer port (and their Flotation damage repaired).

Ie : AI IJN CV damaged near Gili Gili will go back directly to Truk (getting many additional flotation damages) instead of Rabaul or Kavieng.

Same thing for AI USN CV going directly to Noumea instead of reparing FD in Cairns or Luganville and then going back to Noumea.

I think a check should be done when a ship is damaged and if flotation damage are over a number (40-50 ?) then the ship is directed to the closer non damaged port (5+ size).

[kaleun]

I have to agree on that one, I would at least flag the ship, so the player can decide what port to send it to. In any case, I do not think a sane commander, with heavy damage would take the ship over a long distance, and risk losing it.
A ship with greater than X flotation damage would probably head for the nearest por with greater than 3 capacity; in fact, if flotation damage would be greater than 60 or 70, it would probably just go to the nearest friendly base, where the ship could be jury rigged to float long enough to get to a larger port, or at least, some of the equipment would be salvaged IRL.
K

[thantis]

During my "Long" Campaign - I've noticed that the AI does seem to dock heavily damaged ships at the closest port - at least until flotation damage is repaired enough to be sent back to Truk....

Specifically, during the Battle of the Slot (or Verdun on the Water) damaged Japanese ships were docking at Shortlands and then returning to Truk after a few turns (or at least tried too, I usually just blew the hell out of them in port).

And last night, the AI moved damaged vessels to Rabaul & docked them, rather than send them all the way up to Truk directly.

[Spooky]

Originally posted by thantis
During my "Long" Campaign - I've noticed that the AI does seem to dock heavily damaged ships at the closest port - at least until flotation damage is repaired enough to be sent back to Truk....

Specifically, during the Battle of the Slot (or Verdun on the Water) damaged Japanese ships were docking at Shortlands and then returning to Truk after a few turns (or at least tried too, I usually just blew the hell out of them in port).

And last night, the AI moved damaged vessels to Rabaul & docked them, rather than send them all the way up to Truk directly.

It seems to depend of their home base. If the TFs come from Rabaul or Shortlands (ie : bombing TF, ...) then they will go back to Rabaul/Shortlands for repairs ... However, IJN CV TF come mainly from Truk and so seem to go back to Truk

[thantis]

Actually, I had a Jap TF from Truk hit Buka - suffer severe damage - and head back to Rabaul for repairs (rather than Truk). I don't know if this is typical, but I did see it happen (and blow them out of the water at Rabaul a couple of turns later).

[Drongo]

I think this thread is a good idea. Even though a lot of players seem to seek PBEM battles as a preference, enhancing AI play will just give everyone better value for money.

On the topic of AI ship damage, the AI does tend to run its ships ragged (as do some players I would guess). On occasions when I switched sides from a save game to check combat results (all in the name of research of course!), I've noticed quite a few wrecked (>50% dam) ships sitting around in small ports where repair ability is low. Maybe the whole AI ship damage assesment routines could be "smartened" up (ie when to return to nearest port/major port/national port). The AI does handle ship damage assessment to some degree. However, I reckon that a lot of the AI's ships don't make it back to any port after receiving damage in combat as they were already running around with a high degree of damage before hand. Just an observation.

One AI improvement that comes immeadiately to mind would be adding an enemy CV numbers check (or AI cheat!). In most of my attempts at long scenarios, I eventually will win the first major CV vs CV brawl (stop applauding, its embaressing). The scenerio excitement level then drops alarmingly as you enter the phase of slowly crushing the life out of the AI. This is because the AI tends to then use its reinforcement carriers piecemeal (but still aggressively). When 2-3 carriers come out to jump my 4-5 or postion themselves within reach, the result is not hard to guess. As each small group comes out, you get to swat it and go back to sleep until the next time. In one save I checked immeadiatley after one of these engagements, the AI had just lost its whole force (1 CV, 2CVL) while another CV and CVL were sitting in perfect condition back in Truk. I would advocate a push for the AI to "know" the potential no of opposing carriers in use on map and act accordingly. If its heavily outnumbered in theatre, it should use do not react/retire orders and stay under LBA cover as much as possible operating at sea. If another CV is due as a reinforcement in, say, 3 days time, the routine would consider remaining in port till then. If it knows it has parity or better, do what it normally would.

While on the subject of AI carrier use, I've noticed a tendency to put to sea (the AI not me) even if the CV air complements are tiny (lack of replacements?). I think it would reduce the chances of AI CV slaughter by players if the AI checked to see whether the CV had a viable complement of a/c before going to sea.

I know what I've described is simplistic and in reality the code cutting/param changing would be for the guys doing it but it would result in long games against the AI that keep their entertainment value to the final battles.

I hope to have mastered the art of short, concise posts by the time I reach the rank of trooper.

[thantis]

At least the AI doesn't send out its ships without escorts. I found some games in the past that would fight with whatever was available (BBs, single DDs, even CVs). The AI here at least waits until it has a minimum number of escorts before sending them off - and it doesn't use units that it doesn't have a mission for (like AVs when there aren't any bases left to use them effectively).

Of course, this makes a port attack at Truk very tempting (though the ability of single Nells & Bettys to penetrate my carrier screen & still put torpedoes into my carriers pretty much puts an end to that thought).

I'm glad that they are tweeking the port attack combat routines. I can't even begin to count the number of DDs & APs that are now sitting at the bottom of the Shortlands Is. harbor because of my devastating air attacks out of Lunga. I believe half the Japanese fleet is now adorning a new man-made coral reef out there.

[doomonyou]

I don't think I have ever seen the Jap AI use mines against me...would be interesting if it did.

[Claudi]

Good thread.

The AI should use LR-CAP over its taskforces, especially transport TF's.

Coordination between carrier and surface TF's could be better.

Evacuation of lost or cutoff bases. Does it do that?