AI majors should build air forces

[entropyembrace]

I've played several games since the air forces were introduced and have yet to see any AI major build an air base or air unit. Only nemesis AI makes any use of air forces and it seems like that's only because they start with one. Nemesis AI does not seem to expand or replenish their air force.

As it is since the AI makes so attempt to build an air force the player gets unopposed air superiority making fighter aircraft and air defense land units useless. This also greatly decreases engagement with the air forces aspect of the game. For me personally this is the biggest thing holding back my enjoyment of Shadow Empire in the current version.

If the AI majors were able to build their own air forces and nemesis AI better able to maintain and expand the air forces they start with it would greatly improve the game experience and make the additions from the air forces update a lot more engaging and fun.

[Elver]

Majors have a split chance (might be 50/50? Not sure) where they'll either decide to make air forces or rely entirely on anti-air and ignore air forces. You should be seeing both. What tech level are you playing on, though?

[entropyembrace]

I've been starting on tech level 3 meaning they would have to research the tech before they can build an airforce. I see every AI major choosing to rely entirely on anti-air and never build air forces even when they have time to deploy advanced technologies like laser weapons.

[Elver]

I've unquestionably had some majors build both airbases and aircraft, and attack me with aircraft. AA seems more common, but I've seen both. They do seem to prioritize conventional forces even when they have both, though.

[entropyembrace]

Are you using a higher starting tech level? Which difficulty settings?

[Elver]

I've seen air forces on both tech 4 and 5, certainly. Not sure about 3 - I think I've seen it on 3, but I don't like how that level tends to play out so I've played it a lot less than 4. Difficulty would be pretty much everything up to... Hard, I think?

(My current game is 4 & Hard, and my nearest neighbor has been doing airstrikes, and has airbases in every city of theirs I've seen, plus one outside of their cities.)

[entropyembrace]

I'm playing on Hard too, so I think the AI is failing to ever develop air forces when it starts at tech 3.