Message to Devs on AI

[Hubert Cater]

Bug #3 - Simultaneous Turns - Weather keeps alternating even though the date is the same for both sides. When turns are simultaneous the weather should not change until the calendar date changes.

So what happens is one side can get clear weather and the other side can get a torrential rain and both sides are playing on the same exact date.

I can add this to the list, but to confirm, are you really sure this is desired?

For example, in a full 1939 campaign Axis goes first and then the Allies. So for each and every turn for a full game, the Allies is guaranteed the same weather as the Axis, but the Axis will not be guaranteed the same weather as the Allies.

I only mention this as it's a topic of discussion that comes up from time to time, and arguably it kinda favours whoever goes second in game and seems less than optimal, e.g. versus a random system that doesn't favour any one side.

e.g. as one example, Axis attacks in clear weather, Allies are guaranteed to be able to respond in clear weather.

Allies attack in clear weather, Axis may or may not be able to respond in clear weather etc.

[Lothos]

IMO it favors the side that goes first which is the Axis as they get to use the Clear Weather first.

It is fair, I have run so many simulations and it annoys me when September 21st comes around and the Allies get clear weather but the same 21st day the Axis get Rain. Happens often, it is just the fair thing to do.

[Hubert Cater]

How about later on in the war when the Allies have the initiative and it feels like they are going first, e.g. they are mostly attacking while the Axis are defending.

There will be turns when the Allies attack and the Axis may have bad weather on the follow up turn.

Is it not then still a similar issue where one player goes and has good weather, and the other player cannot respond as they have bad weather?

[Lothos]

Note sure if this is a bug or intended but noticed the AI never force marches its transports. Instead of taking one turn to transport a troop from Italy to Libya it takes several turns. As a human player you can literally run the ship from Italy to Libya from the Genoa Italy.

Is their a way to force the AI to force march the transport?

[Hubert Cater]

Currently the AI Transports are not scripted to Naval Cruise, most if not all of them, as there is some timing set with FLEET screen units and so on that would all need to be re-worked. It is on my list, just haven't had a chance to get back to it.

But you can enable this by using #NAVAL_CRUISE=1 for your mods.

[Lothos]

Added suggestion #6

#6 - LINK= - AI Events, recommend support multiple Links with an OR clause for each of them so if any of the conditions are true then it fires. This may be a good feature to also add to other places to. It would help cut down on the duplicate events to handle conditions such as the winter war

[Hubert Cater]

Just a quick follow up, Bill Macon (our new developer 'pzgndr' ) has also tracked down the Vichy issue, and we believe this to now be fixed as well

[Lothos]

Just a quick follow up, Bill Macon (our new developer 'pzgndr' ) has also tracked down the Vichy issue, and we believe this to now be fixed as well

Awesome!

[Lothos]

Bug #5

#5 - Transport AI (use the evac of BEF as example) will only load 1 unit per turn on to a transport. Even with multiple units assigned to the Transport AI command (yes it has MP to do it as I lowered the cost to 10MP per transport for my test). AI should embark all units (as long as MP is present) assigned to the command if next to a port. A human player can do this so the AI should even if multiple units on the same port.

UPDATED: Not a bug, finally saw the AI transport more than 1 unit

[Lothos]

Bug #6

#6 - AI does not know how to use Naval Bombers. It consistently tries to use it for Building up offensives and near land forces (in land) rather than using it near a coast or an island to attack enemy ships or to protect its convoy routes.

[Lothos]

Bug #7 added

#7 - AI only process 1 Fortified command at a time even if it has 2 or more engineers. It should process the amount of fortified plans equal to the amount of engineers the AI currently has. This seems to be happening only if the AI is not at war.

[Lothos]

Bug #8 added


#8 - AI does not upgrade air units that are locked in place (guard command) and has a mission it can run. I have locked a Strategic bomber in the UK and it bombs Germany constantly but it has not been upgraded in the 2 years (in my sim) it has been their. I have ran several sims and it never gets upgraded (even though it can).

[steevodeevo]

OK, gotcha. Then that means the list is randomized, THEN read in the random order from start to end?

If so, that's good to know and will affect what I do with the scripts in question.

Correct the unit list is randomized each time it reads in a purchase event, e.g. a unique random order for each event (and each time through on each turn), and then it reads in that list from start to end.

@Bill, ..

May i ask on a 'semi philosophical' level how allowing the AI to design its own units rather than hard code against the clock works in the evolution of the WW2 campaigns in the game? Obviously we don't have specific models of tank, such as the T-34/76 and T-34/85, but the arrival of the former and then the latter on the WW2 Eastern Front in 1940 was a 'game changer' in real historical terms, as was the case with other vehicles, aircraft and military strategies.

Am I to understand that the randomness means that in any given play-through the Russians may or may not introduce a game changing medium tank and if they do, when they do this and how many they therefore produce can vary by years?

This is simply for my understanding as I am intrigued.

[Lothos]

OK, gotcha. Then that means the list is randomized, THEN read in the random order from start to end?

If so, that's good to know and will affect what I do with the scripts in question.

Correct the unit list is randomized each time it reads in a purchase event, e.g. a unique random order for each event (and each time through on each turn), and then it reads in that list from start to end.

@Bill, ..

May i ask on a 'semi philosophical' level how allowing the AI to design its own units rather than hard code against the clock works in the evolution of the WW2 campaigns in the game? Obviously we don't have specific models of tank, such as the T-34/76 and T-34/85, but the arrival of the former and then the latter on the WW2 Eastern Front in 1940 was a 'game changer' in real historical terms, as was the case with other vehicles, aircraft and military strategies.

Am I to understand that the randomness means that in any given play-through the Russians may or may not introduce a game changing medium tank and if they do, when they do this and how many they therefore produce can vary by years?

This is simply for my understanding as I am intrigued.

Thats why they have Research. That represents the difference in tank technologies etc...

[BillRunacre]

Indeed, the AI has to conduct research just as we have to, so when they attain level 1, 2 etc will vary from game to game just as it does for us.

[Lothos]

Suggestion #7 added

#7 - You can only have one convoy between two countries. For example if you want to have a convoy from Glasgow to Murmansk and another one from Glasgow to Archangelsk. This would help simulate how Murmansk was a small port but open all year and Archangelsk was the major port and during the summer months the USSR would get way more supplies. I tried to do this and it would not work. Best I could do was have UK ship to one port and USA to the other.

[BillRunacre]

Suggestion #7 added

#7 - You can only have one convoy between two countries. For example if you want to have a convoy from Glasgow to Murmansk and another one from Glasgow to Archangelsk. This would help simulate how Murmansk was a small port but open all year and Archangelsk was the major port and during the summer months the USSR would get way more supplies. I tried to do this and it would not work. Best I could do was have UK ship to one port and USA to the other.

The way we get round this is that we have a convoy to both, and the engine picks the relevant one, i.e. in winter it switches to Murmansk, in the summer to Archangelsk.

One thing you could try would be to increase the % of the UK's MPPs that can be sent via the Archangelsk script, as that would effectively replicate what you've mentioned about the USSR getting more supplies in summer.

I hope that makes sense, and referring to the scripts in the campaigns should help.

[Lothos]

Suggestion #7 added

#7 - You can only have one convoy between two countries. For example if you want to have a convoy from Glasgow to Murmansk and another one from Glasgow to Archangelsk. This would help simulate how Murmansk was a small port but open all year and Archangelsk was the major port and during the summer months the USSR would get way more supplies. I tried to do this and it would not work. Best I could do was have UK ship to one port and USA to the other.

The way we get round this is that we have a convoy to both, and the engine picks the relevant one, i.e. in winter it switches to Murmansk, in the summer to Archangelsk.

One thing you could try would be to increase the % of the UK's MPPs that can be sent via the Archangelsk script, as that would effectively replicate what you've mentioned about the USSR getting more supplies in summer.

I hope that makes sense, and referring to the scripts in the campaigns should help.

Thank you

BY chance do you know if NAVAL_CRUISE works in the Amphib AI files? It makes no mention of it in the files and I added the command in the editor did not give any errors. Will this work?

[Hubert Cater]

Unfortunately no, not at this time

[Lothos]

Unfortunately no, not at this time

Is their a possible consideration to adding it ?

As a human player I tend to use ships to scout the general area and then fly the amphib transports as fast as they can go.