Relearning vs the AI advice needed...

[The Gnome]

Hey all,

Back to playing the game (dang it's so good) after a bunch of years. I downloaded a nice map mod, and it's gorgeous. I only wish I could get better fonts as my eyes haven't gotten any better over the years.

I need some advice from the fine people of the Matrix forums. After forgetting that the British had an infantry division inbound to Singapore, and not diverting it, I decided I might as well make a stand there. I managed to get over 100k supplies into the base, spent PP upgrading the leaders, and allowed the combat units to take on replacements. After pulling back combat units from the surrounding area, I ended up with a combat force of about 2k.

The IJA showed up on roughly 1/11/42. He tried to secure a bridgehead with two attacks with armored units, both of which were shattered. The AI then sent his main force, which suffered massive casualties on the forced shock attack.

He decided to double down, following up with another shock attack a few days later, which was also decisively smashed. Including the bombarment attacks he had made between shock attacks, he had taken over 22k casualties, while mine were negligable. The final shock attack odds were so bad, that I decided to throw the dice, and shock attack them back before they could recover. We inflicted monsterous casualties and sent him back across the river.

I guess my question is what now? I still have about 90k supplies in Singapore and a growing army in Rangoon. The air war is raging with neither side having a clear upper hand. I can't see just hunkering down after such a huge upset, so my current plan is a pincer attack on Bangcock from the north and south.

Looking for any thoughts as to whether that's a good idea or not.

[btd64]

Welcome back. If your playing the AI, the AI in that area is broken. Usually you have to let the AI win till August or so. That said, you have nothing to lose to try it....GP

[The Gnome]

ORIGINAL: btd64

Welcome back. If your playing the AI, the AI in that area is broken. Usually you have to let the AI win till August or so. That said, you have nothing to lose to try it....GP

Thanks, never seen anything like this before. The AI was never strong, but I didn't remember it to be this bad unless I did something completely gamey.

Also, does anyone know of any mods to help the font situation?

[RangerJoe]

Do not attack yet. Your replacement stream is weak.

Playing against the AI is fun but you do have to let it win sometimes. Play as if you were against a human. A human would not have made the second shock attack. A human would not have let you reinforce Singapore too much either unless you forced it in.

There is a new AI script that is supposedly a little better.

[BBfanboy]

If you've played it before, you know the AI is not truly intelligent about reacting to your actions. It follows scripts about what places to target and when, but it doesn't have a mechanism for assessing your defence and adjusting the assault. Consequently, it will impale itself on unexpected defences and keep doing so until the script runs out (an end date or success).

You can continue to block the Computer Opponent because you have advance knowledge of the likely targets, and the game will soon become moot because you will destroy most of the Japanese ability to hurt you. It then becomes a cake-walk for the Allies.
The alternative is to pull back your strong forces and let the Japanese expand to historical levels before mounting your counter-attack. That would be about six months of playing mostly "Sir Robin" with perhaps a few raids or minor speed bumps in the way of the Japanese. After that, you have a chance at a longer, more interesting game (although the AI will still not react effectively to your advances).

[Alfred]

If the intent is to have a viable AI opponent, then you simply must pay close attention to post #38 of this thread.

https://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.a ... =&#4820894

There are certain bases which the Japanese AI must capture in order to remain competitive. Actually the list of bases is the same list which a human player would also need to capture.

Alfred

[The Gnome]

Thanks for the link Alfred!

[RangerJoe]

So keeping Luzon and liberating Hong Kong so you can send 200+k in supplies to China is not a good thing for the AI. Even if you do give up Singapore and Burma. [:D]

Of course, sending Force Z through to Malaca straight to ambush two CVs is fine. The first warning was when four 14" shells penetrated a IJN CV. [:'(]

[CaptBeefheart]

One thing you can do for a challenge is set up Computer vs Computer in Continuous mode and let the two sides duke it out for about six months. You can stop the game with a "9" (or maybe an "8," it's been a while) and recover from that situation.

Cheers,
CB

[Ian R]

F9

[Nami Koshino]

ORIGINAL: CaptBeefheart

One thing you can do for a challenge is set up Computer vs Computer in Continuous mode and let the two sides duke it out for about six months.

How does one set up the game for continuous mode? I've tried letting it play in the Computer Vs Computer mode, but it always comes to a halt again at the beginning of each Japanese order phase.

[Yaab]

The Gnome, which scenario are you playing? Do you use the updated AI?

[The Gnome]

ORIGINAL: CaptBeefheart

One thing you can do for a challenge is set up Computer vs Computer in Continuous mode and let the two sides duke it out for about six months. You can stop the game with a "9" (or maybe an "8," it's been a while) and recover from that situation.

Cheers,
CB

Thanks that's an interesting solution, I may give it a go.

[The Gnome]

ORIGINAL: Yaab

The Gnome, which scenario are you playing? Do you use the updated AI?

I forget the scenario number off hand, but it's the long scenario with the Pearl Harbor strike (and possibly quiet China) using updated maps. Is the updated AI in a new scenario, or is a separate thing to download?

[RangerJoe]

Separate download, I do believe.

[Shellshock]

ORIGINAL: Nami Koshino

How does one set up the game for continuous mode? I've tried letting it play in the Computer Vs Computer mode, but it always comes to a halt again at the beginning of each Japanese order phase.

Before you start a game, in the game options screen you want to set the turn cycle to 'continuous'. It sounds like you still have it set on one day turns. You will probably want to turn all combat animations off and turn all message delays down as low as you can too to speed things up.

Any time you want it to stop you can then hit F9 to force an orders phase after the current day finishes executing.

[The Gnome]

Thanks, will try that in another play through.