AI using AOs as transports

[bradfordkay]

I tried searching the forum for this subject but could not find any discussion of this.

Early in my present (Babes) game as Allies vs AI, the AI tried an invasion of Canton Is using a TF of AOs as transports. It mistakenly used only the Hiryu and her escorts as a covering force and so Halsey had a field day, sinking seven AOs as well as the Hiryu and three DDs, My guess is that because these AOs were a lot faster than most APs (and likely whatever other fast ones were in use in the NEI) the AI thought that it could slip in a landing before I could react.

My thought is that the AI hamstrung itself by wasting these valuable fleet oilers in a Hail Mary attempt to take an island.

My question is: has anyone else experienced this happening? Is it a common use of these ships by the AI? Has it since been curtailed (I've been playing this particular game for years, more so since my last PBEM finished)?

[Platoonist]

Never witnessed this tactic myself. Seems like it'd be kinda tough for AOs to be used as transports as they have an oil and fuel capacity but no troop capacity. Unless the AI has some way of stuffing them down in the cargo tanks to enjoy whiffing oil fumes the whole trip. However, seeing the AI throw away valuable ships in missions of dubious value is nothing new.

[Yaab]

bradfordkay, maybe you are using outdated AI scripts?

Here is my AI file for my scen001 game (this is prior to the latest November 2024 beta)

[BBfanboy]

I think I saw something years ago saying that tankers and AOs could be used to transport aircraft on deck? Certainly the code should never allow them to carry troops!

[RangerJoe]

I think I saw something years ago saying that tankers and AOs could be used to transport aircraft on deck? Certainly the code should never allow them to carry troops!

I saw pictures of PT Boats being carried, smaller craft could be carried as well.

[bradfordkay]

This happened so long ago that I am sure it was on an outdated script. To be honest, I do not know if they were carrying troops, aircraft, or what. It did seem strange to me that seven AOs would be sent forward to an allied base accompanied by a single carrier and (IIRC) three xAKs. I had to assume that they were carrying a vital part of the operation.

[Yaab]

I just checked if maybe BigBabes added a small cargo capacity to AO ships but AOs in BigBabes have 0 supply capacity.

[PaxMondo]

I tend to agree with Yaab here (although this is DBB, not S001), I think it is the AI files. IIRC, the DBB did NOT guarantee that the AI files would work perfectly with DBB due to all the changes that had been made to the game. This looks like a script that called out some specific ship id's that have been re-allocated in DBB to different ships.

It prolly hasn't been seen by many others as you are VERY late game with an allied invasion of Canton. If the AO's actually carried troops, it will be because the code forced it even though the ships can't actually carry troops. I would just ignore the ship type and keep playing ... call it "AK's cleverly disguised as AO's" ...

[bradfordkay]

No, it happened fairly early in the game, February of '42. I just did not get around to mentioning it until now. I cannot go back to look at the combat reports because it is so long ago, both in real time and game time. It is probable that there were no troops aboard those ships and that they were being sent forward to support further operations in the area - but they were sent to Canton Is before any invading troops (and, yes, there were follow up TFs over the next two months that were also obliterated), which is a very questionable strategy.

I brought it up because I had been reviewing shipping losses so as to identify major battles through the campaign so far, and the list of eight large fleet oilers sunk on the same day and almost the same location as the Hiryu was sunk stood out to me. At that time there were no troop transports, cargo ships or the like sunk in that area.

[PaxMondo]

So, probably the same issue, ship unit numbers switched, and the AI not updated. The fact that there were no troops is a good thing.

When you are writing a script, you can either select a unit type OR you can specify a specific unit number. AI scriptors tend to use unit numbers to minimize the number of secondary effects. Secondary effect means you pull a unit from an area where it is needed and was placed by on-boarding. Since you can't predict where a generic unit will be pulled from, you can create gaps unintentionally.