AI for Axis terrible!

[RPKUPK]

I've played the Allies against the computer three times on normal, -25% and -50%. The Axis AI is totally inept: air attacks on France without air superiority, a hopeless frittering away of their navy with single ship attacks, dozens of weak divisions, and hopelessly futile ground attacks. In the -50% PP the Germans never made it to France and were having a hard time in Belgium and Denmark.
The other great flaw as mentioned previously: if you are defending build NO motorized or armored units as they lose strength just like much cheaper infantry--VERY unrealistic.
The game is ingenious but these two flaws make me to not want to play the game or recommend it it to other players!

[doomtrader]

I've played the Allies

What Allied countries have you been playing?
Could you please write some more about your strategy?

if you are defending build NO motorized or armored units as they lose strength just like much cheaper infantry--VERY unrealistic.

During the WW2, motorized and armored units were designed and used for attack. Whole blitzkrieg doctrine is based on use fast moving forces against slower enemy. Using them as a (more-less) static defense, was a major mistake in German tactic since 1943.

[RPKUPK]

I have been playing all the Allies: Denmark, Belgium, France, Luxembourg, Britian, Ireland, Greece, USA, etc., Same thing-- build your forces and stop Germany easily even on -50%PP.
Motorized and armored units should have a MUCH greater defensive power and should be able to retreat through other units. They are easily pinned and eliminated. The defensive power of a PG or panzer unit was MUCH higher than an infantry unit.

[RPKUPK]

Well OK, the other strategy is early on to convoy PP from the USA to France and England which then sends to Netherlands, Norway and Belgium. This is how troops build up easily and easily defeat the Germans. There is no preventing this--unbalanced.

[doomtrader]

Now, please tell me, what do you think, how and when the war will end, if Poland, France, UK and Benelux (with US help) will cooperate against Germany in 1939?
German army success was in many moments of war build on their enemies mistakes. How the French campaign will end if the French will not make so many stupid strategic moves and keep their forces at the German border? Do you really think that the Germans will be able to march in Paris in three weeks? If you are making no mistakes, German AI (probably like German human player) will have hard times. Don't blame the AI that it's not able to make wonders.

Motorized and armored units should have a MUCH greater defensive power and should be able to retreat through other units. They are easily pinned and eliminated. The defensive power of a PG or panzer unit was MUCH higher than an infantry unit.

Maybe they should but they DON'T have. Remember that the biggest difference between motorized units and infantry is mobility. Motorized units are able to move fast and strike slower enemy on their conditions. The same with armors. Defending armored division is as much (if not more) vulnerable on artillery cannonade as infantry. Also remember that when you are defending and moving back, it's much more harder to maintain and resupply damaged equipment. Very often broken caterpillar means lost of the tank, because there was no time to repair it.

[doomtrader]

ORIGINAL: RPKUPK

Well OK, the other strategy is early on to convoy PP from the USA to France and England which then sends to Netherlands, Norway and Belgium. This is how troops build up easily and easily defeat the Germans. There is no preventing this--unbalanced.

So does it means that the AI in Time of Wrath is bad or maybe rather that the Germans never had a chance against 'rest of the world'?

[RPKUPK]

Good points, thank you. A commander utilizes ALL means to victory granted hindsight hinders reproduction of history. The point is fixes need to be made such as no USA convoy until a certain time or an even further reduction in handicap PP (-75%?) Similarly, when playing the Axis it results in an interesting but easy Axis win of all of North Africa, Britain and eventually Russia. The AI.
The designers can change the rule to allow motorized and armored units to retreat through units albeit with strength penalty.

[RPKUPK]

Both!

[gwgardner]

What you have experienced with the German AI points out

1) play PBEM with a human - really great game that way
2) use house rules with regard to such things as convoy restrictions

However, if you read a couple of my AARs where I played solo, you will find that the game becomes much more 'realistic' on either side as the human, if some historical limitations are placed on force sizes and commitment for the human player.

That being said, the AI use of air and naval assets is indeed in dire need of overhaul.