AI as Axis - 39 Campaign

[cpdeyoung]

September 24th, 1943

Soviets.

[cpdeyoung]

October 8th, 1943

Soviets.

[cpdeyoung]

October 8th, 1943

Spain and France.

[cpdeyoung]

October 22nd, 1943

It becomes clear the war will go on into 1944. We slow down to digest our gains.

[cpdeyoung]

November 5th, 1943

Soviets.

[cpdeyoung]

November 19th, 1943

Soviets.

[cpdeyoung]

November 19th, 1943

South.

[AP514]

This AAR just shows how Bad/weak the AI is...........TY a PASS for me

[cpdeyoung]

Be careful.

My AI settings are far from the most difficult. I think you will miss some fun gaming if you judge based on this example. There are a couple of comments from other gamers to the effect that the AI plays much better if you bump the settings.

I will probably try harder settings next, and will probably do an intermittent AAR rather than a turn by turn so the results may be known faster.

Chuck

[cpdeyoung]

December 3rd, 1943

British units are about to meet Soviet units near Trieste.

[cpdeyoung]

December 17th, 1943

A ceasefire has been declared. Peace negotiations are underway. The ceasefire was negotiated as German units in the east started to surrender upon being attacked. They were low on everything, including spirit.

I enjoyed this game, and I learned from it.

1. The convoy war goes all war long and escorts and merchantmen must be a continuous build. The AI keeps waging this war.
2. High odds attacks work, low odds, not so much. Don't do iffy attacks unless you really have to.
3. It takes longer than you think for surrounded troops to grow frail.
4. The strategic bombing units must be husbanded. Do not send a weak bombing group to a mission it will not return from.
5. Build up an air force. Attacking without air is nowhere near as effective.

There is much more I am sure.

Chuck

[gwgardner]

Now go Ubermensch AI, highest experience and supply, and see the difference. Those really ought to be the normal settings for play against the AI.

[cpdeyoung]

I tried it and did not like it. YMMV.

September 1st, 1939 Italy declares war on France and Great Britain. No thanks.

Dutch 1-5 infantry (damaged) is 1-1 odds when attacked by three German Korps.

I found a setting between lowest and highest that seemed right. Glad I got to pick!

Chuck

[Chocolino]

ORIGINAL: cpdeyoung


1. The convoy war goes all war long and escorts and merchantmen must be a continuous build. The AI keeps waging this war.
2. High odds attacks work, low odds, not so much. Don't do iffy attacks unless you really have to.
3. It takes longer than you think for surrounded troops to grow frail.
4. The strategic bombing units must be husbanded. Do not send a weak bombing group to a mission it will not return from.
5. Build up an air force. Attacking without air is nowhere near as effective.

Thanks for the enjoyable AAR and for sharing your insightful lessons. Agree on all - except the last. I think it applies more to oil-rich factions. I feel that the Axis would also benefit from a strong air force but may not be able to use it for lack of oil in later years. Perhaps the Axis can try to do with less air which is higher teched-up as a compensation.

[cpdeyoung]

Ah yes, oil.

My Allies never had any lack of it, but then I had a small air force. The AI had a lot of planes, and used them, but where they were getting the oil from I do not know.

Chuck

[gwgardner]

YMMV? I've never seen those behaviors on difficulty max. Either a revision has changed it, or you had an unusual event occurance.

My experience was that on max the AI was capable of taking Poland by 1st turn October, then was able to take France and Low Countries by August 1940.

[cpdeyoung]

I use YMMV as "Your mileage may vary" as in gas mileage, or petrol for the Europeans. I did not make it up, but saw it used elsewhere.

The DoW by Italy surprised me as I was not playing with the "Italian Option". Mussolini is a loose cannon, declaring war on the USA without any reason to do so in this game.

When I play solo I want to find little tricks to optimize my play. For example in this game I had trouble with Soviet production being throttled by the logistics stockpile. I am trying a change to more units in garrison mode to see if this improves things. When I figure these little tricks out I will up the AI difficulty. Just now I have started another Allied game with the AI set two bumps up in each category. I am trying some new ideas with settings that will let me see how they work.

I wonder what Doomtrader's programmers could have done with the Unity engine? I have seen the code for "Road to Victory" and it is tough stuff. Admittedly neither C++ nor Polish are strong languages for me!

Good luck to both in your new game. I will watch with interest.

Chuck

[Kilo59]

Thanks for providing this AAR Chuck. I'm pretty new to strategic war games, and it has been very enjoyable for me to follow along with your game.

[gwgardner]

If you don't do an AAR with your new game, please at the end tell us how the AI did better or differently at the higher difficulty level.

[cpdeyoung]

@Kilo59

You are welcome!

I was a History major once upon a time, so an AAR is a labor of love.

Chuck