What's the best use of the AI?

[Attack Condor]

I know... I know.... *don't play the AI - start more PBEM games!*

but.....

for those times when the e-mail server is down,
for those times when you hafta ,
for those times when you're just plain addicted -

is there *any* saving grace vs the AI apart from the introductory scenarios? (e.g. U.S. vs. IJN AI scenario 19, all options set to most favourable for AI, or IJN vs. US AI scenario 16, all options set to heavily favour AI)?

Just curious for those of you out there who have played a while... is in my first couple of PBEMs now (learned about the early FT blitz on L'ville and Efate the hard way ) and loving the game!

[pasternakski]

All I rely on the AI for anymore is to scr*w up my naval attacks, feed the dog, and take out the garbage.

[Drex]

Use the AI to try new tactics or strategies but that is still a poor substitute for humans.

[pasternakski]

A lot of the stuff you learn that works against the AI will get you killed against a human opponent - take it from someone who learned the hard way, over and over.

For example, the first time I saw the Luganville-Efate fast transport dash, I about crapped.

Then I managed to lose an early May '42 carrier battle to Yorktown and Lexington with their silly little complement of 37 F4Fs, half of which are the -3 model. I overconfidently strayed within torpedo-carrying range of those TBDs, and wound up with beaucoup flotation damage and my Sho and Zui air groups either splashed or decimated sitting at Rabaul. I never had much to fear from the AI's handling of the Allied carriers early in sc 17.

Playing against the AI to learn the basic mechanics of the game is fine. Honing your strategies against the AI sure didn't work for me. PBEM is a vastly different game IMO.

BTW, I was looking around inside my hard drive the other day and found the AI! This is what it looks like...

[Grotius]

Well, I've only played against the AI so far, and while I'm a slow learner, even I've come to see how predictable the AI is. Playing as the Allies, it seems obsessed with Lunga, and it builds no intermediate bases between Lunga and Luganville. Worse, it sorties its CVs for about 7-8 turns, then retires them back to Noumea. In my latest game, I just waited for the CVs to leave, then launched a massive invasion fleet to PM, which arrived without a scratch. <shrug>

That said, I'm still learning things from playing the AI -- mostly learning how not to make really really dumb mistakes. The AI does punish me for those.

I'm looking forward to trying PBEM, once my work schedule calms down, as I expect it to shortly.

[Admiral DadMan]

Practice logistics,

invade Truk/Noumea on turn 10...

[danielr_g]

Yes, the AI so far I've encountered seems about as competent as the AI for the Gary Grigsby Apple IIe computer game Guadalcanal. Hmm... Wonder if he didn't just cut and paste the code over?

[Point Luck]

There's an AI interface for the game? Dam I didn't know that.

Just kidding

I use the AI to run test patterns on edited scenarios to make sure they run OK and don't crash

[Shot2Pieces]

Please show me some examples of where the REAL japanese forces did much better than the AI, as there are plenty where they appeared to do worse, eg last 'do-or-die' troop convoy to Guadalcanal vs strong air assets and with minimal cover is almost straight outa the AI's bag of tricks. Doubt even the AI would try an overland attack from Buna to PM.

[tri71669]

Okay.... I'm going to show my noob factor here...
but what's wrong with an overland attack fron Buna to PM...?
I've sent troops north to Buna when I knew it was going to be invaded.

[bilbow]

Originally posted by tri71669
Okay.... I'm going to show my noob factor here...
but what's wrong with an overland attack fron Buna to PM...?
I've sent troops north to Buna when I knew it was going to be invaded.

A couple of thing are wrong with it. It will take 3 weeks or so to make the trek, and they will end up at PM disrupted and fatigued, in no condition to fight. Also, supply traced over the trail will be barely sufficient to keep them from starving. So as long as PM has a reasonable garrision, these guys won't have much chance to be successful.

[tri71669]

So if I understand correctly, then troops from PM heading north to Buna will suffer the same kind of attrition and disruption?

[bilbow]

Correct.

However if Buna if lighly garrisoned, you could probably still take it an hopefully have sufficient time to recover before the other side tries to take it back. Will also need c-47s for air supply. A lot of them if you expect to build up enough supply to sustain combat.

[Thurmonator]

I remember playing versus myself in the the game, Guadalcanal, on the Apple IIe.

I needed more of a challenge. Actually, the challenge was trying to make myself forget the moves that I had just made as one side or another. Well, it was still more challenging than the AI.

Love ya Gary

Don't take it personally.

Thurm

[tri71669]

Boy I can't tell you how many board wargames I did this on... I usually just ran experiment scenarios and grand WAHTIFS me versus me to see what a outcome might look like using a board game. Cours' no FOW back then really...
It did teach me to experiment with some of the principals of manuever warfare and try them out which helped...