OK. I was playing a MP game as the Axis against BigA but after I installed the 1.01 Beta my right-click to move feature stopped working properly. Some moves just wouldn't 'take'.
So, I am going to take Erik's advice and start a GC game vs. Soviet the AI, with the AI set to 110%. I'll be playing more slowly this time.
Firstly, Airfield attacks. I managed to get 4 AI phases out of the system by reducing the Air Doctrine values after each attack.
One annoying game feature is the way that routed units can somehow leap 10 hexes and thus avoid being pocketed... That needs to be changed in my view. (Note - in the image below I have moved more Axis units after the bug out.)
TOP HAT 1812 says: "I was annoyed by this and the Hq's ability to seemingly "BUGOUT" and appear many hexes to the east. However,think about it,that is exactly what those units are doing displacing and routing away from the enemy. Usually the routed combat units have lost a good deal of men and equipment,not to mention loss of morale for the unit routing."
I fear that the 10-deep carpet of units behind the Dnepr is being formed again. AAR ends here.
The AI in the scenario I played yesterday (Kiev) was fantastic and behaved in a convincingly 'Soviet' manner. The GC AI seems to have issues. I'm sure it's very clever, but it's not providing me with a satisfying WW2 struggle.
ORIGINAL: redmarkus4
I fear that the 10-deep carpet of units behind the Dnepr is being formed again. AAR ends here.
The AI in the scenario I played yesterday (Kiev) was fantastic and behaved in a convincingly 'Soviet' manner. The GC AI seems to have issues. I'm sure it's very clever, but it's not providing me with a satisfying WW2 struggle.
If you don't play through the full scenario, I'm not sure you can really form final conclusions though? You've barely scratched the surface. There is a whole heck of a lot of play still to happen and a lot of it will no doubt give you a satisfying WW2 struggle.
It's your call obviously, I just hate to see you giving up on it so easily given what I know is still in store for you from my play experiences.
@redmarkus: Please look at my Field Marshal Noob AAR, which was played on 110/100 for a full year. Is the 1942 front line that far from History? The AI evacuated Minsk in that game, and I think I captured Riga on turn 1.
The AI put the same "carpet" in place by Turn 6. It was gone by turn 9 and was never seen again.
What the AI is doing may not be what you expect, but it is a means to an end - to make it really hard to capture Moscow in 1941. How is that different from Stavka's objectives in 1941? The AI gave me a great game in that AAR and did some very historical moves. I think it was Andy and his ability to rip through Gary's AI defences that has seen the AI default to the "Sir Robin" approach. Andy used to be able to get to Moscow in 7 turns. I don't know if he can still do it. Imagine the howls of complaint if Moscow was falling on turn 7.
You are missing out on a lot of fun if you give up now.
I don't think what the AI is doing is bad per se, but it tends to leave one area (SW Front's area in 1941, Caucasus in 1942) wide open, and will usually correct it after a while. I can see how that can reduce the fun you're having when playing against the AI.
SSG tester
WitE Alpha tester
Panzer Corps Beta tester
Unity of Command scenario designer
In my experience, you can crack a front and particularly in the South if you pocket enough forces it is possible to take Kiev quickly. However, more often than not in my tests I had to fight for it and in the cases where I saw the AI pull back there, it quickly reformed a new line and continued fighting. The AI has a tough job and making a tweak in one place can make it weak in other places.
My point is that while experiences will vary (and you guys have more than I do), as will preferences, I think the AI plays a game that is on the whole historical and challenging. I would rather see more AARs that get past the first year or two of the war before making conclusions about what may need adjusting.
Jon, that's because Gary made the AI more aggressive after I reported that there were only some air bases between my spearhead and Baku as the AI evacuated the entire Caucasus to reinforce the north. This looks like the exact same issue, only a year earlier.
SSG tester
WitE Alpha tester
Panzer Corps Beta tester
Unity of Command scenario designer
RedMarkus, I have one doubt. When you play the Soviets, how many reinforcements do you send to Riga and Minsk in your first turn?. And as of your critic of the poor "Sovietship" of the AI, what about changing the AirDoctrine of the Luftwaffe three times the same day? Is it very German?
