AI Glitches - Weird Happenings!

[Capt Cliff]

I have discovered a AI glitch. I found a Japanese replenishment TF 8 or 9 hexes north of Pearl on 12/21/41 all by itself. There was 5 or 6 AO's with DD escort. I toasted it with the CV's at Pearl.

I have game saves if they are wanted.

[jeffk3510]

How is that a glitch? Wouldn't that be the ones that are in the area on the 7th for the raid?

[cohimbra]

Hi, I play with Japanese and I'm sure that this is the Kido Butai replenish TF (6AO+2DD).
This TF stay at the hexes you tell in the first turn of the full campaign and his order is
to return in Japanese port...maybe the TF is grounded or the crew is searching for the
yellowfin tuna!

(sorry for my bad english, I do my best)

[Puhis]

ORIGINAL: jeffk3510

How is that a glitch? Woulnd't that be the ones that are in the area on the 7th for the raid?

It should not be there 2 weeks after Pearl, I guess...

[jeffk3510]

ORIGINAL: Puhis

ORIGINAL: jeffk3510

How is that a glitch? Woulnd't that be the ones that are in the area on the 7th for the raid?

It should not be there 2 weeks after Pearl, I guess...

I realize that, but I was saying it could still be in the area, and not from a glitch.

[Nikademus]

ORIGINAL: Capt Cliff

I have discovered a AI glitch. I found a Japanese replenishment TF 8 or 9 hexes north of Pearl on 12/21/41 all by itself. There was 5 or 6 AO's with DD escort. I toasted it with the CV's at Pearl.

I have game saves if they are wanted.

post it to the Tech Support sub forum.

[Treetop64]

It's not a bug, but a feature.  [:D]

Seriously, they were meant to be there.  Replenishment fleet for KB.

[JeffroK]

Happens all of the time, I think more of a problem with the AI script than a glitch/bug.

In the end you leave them alone and they will go home.........

[janh]

ORIGINAL: Capt Cliff
I have discovered a AI glitch. I found a Japanese replenishment TF 8 or 9 hexes north of Pearl on 12/21/41 all by itself. There was 5 or 6 AO's with DD escort. I toasted it with the CV's at Pearl.
I have game saves if they are wanted.

I suppose you are talking about TF 8002, which is present in all Dec 7 or Dec 8 start scenarios including Iron Man, just with minimal differences. You can look at it with the editor.
It is a regularly placed replenishment TF with a movement target near French Frigate shoals, no additional waypoints, zero reaction and it is allowed to withdraw. Hence, it will withdraw like all other TFs if it is low on fuel or ammo, has taken damage, or is under an acute air thread.
It, like the KB attack on Pearl, appears not part of a strategic script. So I believe it behaves probably identical to any such TF a player could have set up. Haven't noticed anything contrary to that either.

One fix could be giving this TF a follow order at 3 or more hexes behind KB, such that when KB withdraws, also the replenishment retires. However, since KB usually heads for raids to Wake or alike, triggered by the real AI scripting, the AO TF would also follow. But that's perhaps even sensible.

Ideally, there would be a canceling trigger for any TF depending on events like for example "no other friendly to (that may require replenishment) present with xx hexes/the area" or more scripting functions that would allow to script such things. Like almost all other games, WitP isn't that powerful in regard to scripting. Seems to be a soft spot, but nonetheless AI can give you a good lot of headaches and surprises since Andy Mac has really made up in meanness what the AI lacks in cleverness. He has really maxed out what you can get with the available scripting implementation. [X(]

[Sredni]

ORIGINAL: JeffK

Happens all of the time, I think more of a problem with the AI script than a glitch/bug.

In the end you leave them alone and they will go home.........

... eventually. [:D]

I've stumbled across those poor AO's months after the attack on PH.

[PaxMondo]

ORIGINAL: janh

... but nonetheless AI can give you a good lot of headaches and surprises since Andy Mac has really made up in meanness what the AI lacks in cleverness. He has really maxed out what you can get with the available scripting implementation. [X(]

Yes he has, particularly with the latest Ironman updates ... woof. Just plain nasty.

Cheers to Andy!!!

Round o' schooners mate!!

[Capt Cliff]

ORIGINAL: jeffk3510

How is that a glitch? Wouldn't that be the ones that are in the area on the 7th for the raid?

Well it seems they should have retired to Japan with the CV TF and not wandered about. I also said they were north, perhaps Nor by Nor-west way south of where the CV's left them to run south to launched their attack. I've seen them when I ran the Japanese and they start below Attu at least 20 hexes from Pearl.

[Capt Cliff]

ORIGINAL: Nikademus

ORIGINAL: Capt Cliff

I have discovered a AI glitch. I found a Japanese replenishment TF 8 or 9 hexes north of Pearl on 12/21/41 all by itself. There was 5 or 6 AO's with DD escort. I toasted it with the CV's at Pearl.

I have game saves if they are wanted.

post it to the Tech Support sub forum.

Ok.

[janh]

Actually once arriving at their WP destination, they should have retired anyway. You might want to open up the exact scenario variant you are playing, and check the destination of it there. Could you have blocked it by sending some TF nearby, particularly the CV, which should even have been detected by AI? That would be my only idea why it would not have retired automatically much sooner.

Indeed, I am not sure whether this replenishment TF does anything at all other then heading there and back. It is not set to "meet" and refuel, nor follow. A human player would do this, park the AOs somewhere in readiness without retirement permission and then order replenishment meetings as necessary. Would be nice if AI would also be able to do so, but so far I have only observed that AI must set up meetings when creating the replenishment TF, which then will remain fixed.  Not sure it can detach them flexibly.

[PaxMondo]

I'm pretty sure this is WAD ... is it perfect?  No.  But there are some things you don't want to do against the AI.  The three biggies are:
 
1.  Do not hunt TF's based upon starting location knowledge.  As IJ you can easily take out the starting CV's which will really diminish your game length.
 
2.  Do not capture key bases:  PH, Karachi, Sydney are amoung them.  Sure there are others.  If you take them, the AI will pound itself to re-take them OR it will never form up missions correctly as it doesn't have a starting point that it can work from.
 
3.  No deep penetrations.  If you go too deep too fast, the AI cannot react fast enough and will put too many units in easy jeopardy.
 
Again, you can do all these things and quickly defeat the AI.  I'm just suggesting that if you are looking for a game to go more than 1 year of game time, you need to avoid them.