Strange AI Behavior - BabesLite

[Justus2]

I've noticed a strange AI habit of parking TFs at my ports. It is still early game (JAN42, never seem to get much beyond that before I start over), and I have had the IJ AI park a BB SCTF at Davao for a couple weeks, before the invasion force eventually arrived. I've also had a CVTF (Akagi and Kaga) park at Makassar for a week, and never did invade (I eventually sank Kaga in a surface engagement). Meanwhile, they flew strikes against Kendari and other nearby bases, but all while parked in my port. Another CVTF parked at Miri for a while flying strikes against Tarakan (the amphib force eventually followed up and took Miri).

And I've had two single-carrier TFs show up at Midway. I understand wanting to raid the base, but they literally pull right up to the port, opening with a night-time surface attack on a couple DDs doing ASW patrol in the hex, then go with air strikes the following day.

Is this normal? I don't remember this in my previous game. I am playing DaBabesLite Scen26, not sure if it is caused by the scenario or normal AI.

[Symon]

Hi Justus2. This sounds like something that the AI is doing. The scenario has nothing to do with the AI. The AI simply grabs ships that are available and does with them what it is instructed to do. If you have ships in the scenario (stock, Babes, RA, whatever) it will do it.

Never heard of your problem from anyone, anywhere, before. Often, people keep the game running and do other things. The game tends to get unstable when that happens. If you are not actively playing, then shut down. And restart from scratch/desktop. This is a legacy DOS system after all, with much code in original C. Modern DLLs aren't quite able to do the deed. Multiple open applications will choke the game into instability. So you need to manage your desktop and applications, i.e, run the game and forget about any other stuff you want to have going.

[witpqs]

I've been playing PBM for quite a while, but when I used to play against the AI I found that if you just did a long gaming session then things got wacky just like John is saying. At most go a few turns before completely exiting the game and starting it up again will help head off a lot of little crazy things here and there.

[Justus2]

OK thanks. Don't think it's multiple turns, I am lucky to get in one turn a day, but on the other hand, I frequently spend multiple days on a turn before I execute it (do one region, save, do the next region the next night), and will often leave the game running (orders phase) for a couple hours while I tab to forums etc. So it may be that. I will see if it continues to happen or just a coincidence.

On the other hand, maybe it means I need to do a better job of patrolling my ports, so they don't look so inviting!!

[Yaab]

This BB SC TF sitting at Davao has been there from the very beginning of the game. I have seen it in stock, BabesLite, DaBigBabes and AHMOD campaigns. I have always assumed it is some left-over from some deleted invasion script.

[inqistor]

Enemy TFs sitting in your ports were here from the beginning, and I doubt it is Script fault, because I had German CB sitting in port in western Java, and I doubt it was there to support any invasion.