SetupRelease-v100 observations

[xwormwood]

My screenshots show the early February 1945 situation.
What you can't see is that I've started to mop up the Western Allies near Paris, the long bad weather situation certainly helped, though.

All in all the AI will win the game, even though surely later than Mid-1945.

This might have been different if the Russians wouldn't have blocked themself, and if the USA wouldn't have spent all its money on the fleet, and if the Allies would have reduced their MPP lend lease toward Russia (10.000 Mpps unspend)...

[Dgold]

May 28th turn as Axis. Just declared war on Benelux countries. Attempted to scroll map across Netherlands - received this error, then game crashed:

11/13/2016 9:37:08; 6.2.9200; 2560x1440x32(1); v1.00] SDL FAILED(draw_map_to_buffer_dc): Failed to create surface

Will email saved game just before error occurred

[Hubert Cater]

I'm still in the same 1944 campaign game. I've started to wonder how it was possible to hold so well against the Russians and Western Allies.
So I've switched sides.
The USSR had 10.000 MPPs cash (unused) and blockaded itself in the middle of the Eastern Front, while the Allies had not that many units at all, and no large cash reserves.
But the USA has laid on an enormous fleet build program.
You may want to order the AI to abandon all large fleet purchases during the 1944 campaign, while the Russian AI need to understand that it has to move to win the game.
And the western Allies need to get a clue about the Russian cash situation, and therefor stop or slow down Lend Lease towards the USSR (in my case the convoys toward Russia were on maximum level)

If you have a saved turn on the AI blocking itself on the Eastern Front that would be helpful as I can see what it might be doing exactly.

For the unused MPPs for the Soviets there is not much I can do about that as from a similar test I've run they've purchased every unit that they pretty much could under the Hard Build limits so it will eventually end up with a significant cash reserve, unless of course playing with Soft Build limits.

I checked on the Western Allies and for the US at least the situation is similar, they have bought most units so the AI there just spends on anything else it can buy which at that point is just the naval units. I can tweak the US purchase scripts but I don't think it will make much of a difference to be honest as they are then only likely to end up with a lot of unspent MPPs as well.

Good points on the convoys and that is something I'll have to add to the engine to have it better recognize that it can lower the transfer amounts when it no longer needs to send MPPs over, but even here I don't think it would make much difference if the AI has already pretty much bought every land unit in can.

[Hubert Cater]

Actually I will be amending the US purchase scripts as I took a closer look and they are indeed purchasing naval units while they could still be purchasing other land units.

[Hubert Cater]

Hi Claus, I've also now adjusted the AI engine to auto decrease a convoy transfer when applicable like the situation you've described above [:)]

[xwormwood]

Great news, Hubert!
I'll send you a save game file (anyway).

[n0kn0k]

ORIGINAL: Hubert Cater

I'm still in the same 1944 campaign game. I've started to wonder how it was possible to hold so well against the Russians and Western Allies.
So I've switched sides.
The USSR had 10.000 MPPs cash (unused) and blockaded itself in the middle of the Eastern Front, while the Allies had not that many units at all, and no large cash reserves.
But the USA has laid on an enormous fleet build program.
You may want to order the AI to abandon all large fleet purchases during the 1944 campaign, while the Russian AI need to understand that it has to move to win the game.
And the western Allies need to get a clue about the Russian cash situation, and therefor stop or slow down Lend Lease towards the USSR (in my case the convoys toward Russia were on maximum level)

If you have a saved turn on the AI blocking itself on the Eastern Front that would be helpful as I can see what it might be doing exactly.

For the unused MPPs for the Soviets there is not much I can do about that as from a similar test I've run they've purchased every unit that they pretty much could under the Hard Build limits so it will eventually end up with a significant cash reserve, unless of course playing with Soft Build limits.

I checked on the Western Allies and for the US at least the situation is similar, they have bought most units so the AI there just spends on anything else it can buy which at that point is just the naval units. I can tweak the US purchase scripts but I don't think it will make much of a difference to be honest as they are then only likely to end up with a lot of unspent MPPs as well.

Good points on the convoys and that is something I'll have to add to the engine to have it better recognize that it can lower the transfer amounts when it no longer needs to send MPPs over, but even here I don't think it would make much difference if the AI has already pretty much bought every land unit in can.

Perhaps it's wise to check if diplomacy and research are maxed out also during the earlier parts of the game.

[xwormwood]

I'm currently playing the 1943 campaign, Allied side.

Italy surrendered (because of low NM), and all of Italy came under US control, which cut off the german units fighting around rome.
Rome itself turned into a level 12 supply city (12?).

Question: was this intended, or did some kind of script missed its own activation?
And what about the level 12 status of Rome?

I would have expected that at least northern Italy would fall under Axis control (Fall Achse).

[BillRunacre]

I am confused too, as Rome should be no stronger than 10. Please can you send a save turn to Hubert for him to take a look?

With regards to what happens to Italy after it surrenders, the only way for Italian territory to stay in Axis hands is for German (or their Minor) units to position themselves in Italian resources prior to the surrender, or to move into them after the surrender.

[xwormwood]

I'll send a save game to Hubert.

Btw.: even while it is still under italian control, Rome shows a supply level of 12.

I guess it might be a good idea to either prepare the AI for the Italian surrender (place units into key positions) or to create a new "italian", german controlled country north of Rome.

edit:
Something is rotten in Dane, err, Italy.
I've sent Hubert another save game file.
Same game, restarted from a previous save game file.
Italy did surrender, but did not surrender. Every town was announced seperately (Italy lose NM morale because the loss of Genua, Italy lose NM because the loss of Milan, ...), and the entire Italian map became US controlled. But no Italy surrendered message appeared, and I guess no plunder message too. Some turns later Italian garrisons enter the map, fighting on the Axis side.

[xwormwood]

Italy since several turns at 0 NM

[xwormwood]

Here a screen with one of those town-by-town messages when Italy surrendered (and did not):



End of turn May 21st, 1944 (and no Allied units had entered Turin...)

[sPzAbt653]

I have also seen he same events transpire on a few occasions [most recently in v1.11a with which I am approaching the end game]. Here is how I see it:
1. Italy surrenders due to low NM [which in my opinion has worked well in all versions, by that I mean that Italy does not seem to leave too soon or too late].
2. Non German occupied hexes in Italy change to Allied control. [I also suspect that hexes in Russia that were occupied by Italian units switch to Allied control as I think I've seen this on at least two occasions].
3. Germany then moves to occupy Rome, which now causes problems because Italy is then 'liberated' by the Axis side.
4. This liberation triggers all the 'Allied Occupation' messages, as the Germans have not actually occupied all of Italy, they only 'recaptured' Rome.
5. It appears, although I have not switched sides to be certain, that Italy is now back in the war.

If possible, I suggest that an Italian surrender should be final and there should be no chance of the Germans liberating Italy once that country surrenders due to low NM. The hex ownership changing sides well reflects the German need to occupy and take control of the country. The player can watch the Italian NM level and will know when to react [as the Germans did historically]. Perhaps a Popup to notify the player about the need to occupy Italy once the Italian NM hits a certain level ?

Also, if the computer Axis side conquers France with Italy [which seems to happen frequently], then when Italy surrenders France is considered liberated and all of it's non-Axis occupied hexes switch to Allied control. I think this should not happen.

[BillRunacre]

I agree with you that the Axis, AI or Human, needs to position units in Italy to prevent locations switching to Allied control. This is actually what happened in real life too.

I would mention your latest observations to Hubert about Italy surrendering/not surrendering and Italian Garrisons fighting on, and attach a save if you can. [:)]

Thanks

[BillRunacre]

ORIGINAL: sPzAbt653

I have also seen he same events transpire on a few occasions [most recently in v1.11a with which I am approaching the end game]. Here is how I see it:
1. Italy surrenders due to low NM [which in my opinion has worked well in all versions, by that I mean that Italy does not seem to leave too soon or too late].
2. Non German occupied hexes in Italy change to Allied control. [I also suspect that hexes in Russia that were occupied by Italian units switch to Allied control as I think I've seen this on at least two occasions].
3. Germany then moves to occupy Rome, which now causes problems because Italy is then 'liberated' by the Axis side.
4. This liberation triggers all the 'Allied Occupation' messages, as the Germans have not actually occupied all of Italy, they only 'recaptured' Rome.
5. It appears, although I have not switched sides to be certain, that Italy is now back in the war.

If possible, I suggest that an Italian surrender should be final and there should be no chance of the Germans liberating Italy once that country surrenders due to low NM. The hex ownership changing sides well reflects the German need to occupy and take control of the country. The player can watch the Italian NM level and will know when to react [as the Germans did historically]. Perhaps a Popup to notify the player about the need to occupy Italy once the Italian NM hits a certain level ?

Also, if the computer Axis side conquers France with Italy [which seems to happen frequently], then when Italy surrenders France is considered liberated and all of it's non-Axis occupied hexes switch to Allied control. I think this should not happen.

I hadn't seen your post when I replied to Xwormwood a moment ago. I think you've hit the nail on the head as to how this is happening.

It might use up some grey cells trying to work out how to implement this in game.

[xwormwood]

Btw.: save game file has already been sent yesterday

[xwormwood]

ORIGINAL: Bill Runacre

ORIGINAL: sPzAbt653

I have also seen he same events transpire on a few occasions [most recently in v1.11a with which I am approaching the end game]. Here is how I see it:
1. Italy surrenders due to low NM [which in my opinion has worked well in all versions, by that I mean that Italy does not seem to leave too soon or too late].
2. Non German occupied hexes in Italy change to Allied control. [I also suspect that hexes in Russia that were occupied by Italian units switch to Allied control as I think I've seen this on at least two occasions].
3. Germany then moves to occupy Rome, which now causes problems because Italy is then 'liberated' by the Axis side.
4. This liberation triggers all the 'Allied Occupation' messages, as the Germans have not actually occupied all of Italy, they only 'recaptured' Rome.
5. It appears, although I have not switched sides to be certain, that Italy is now back in the war.

If possible, I suggest that an Italian surrender should be final and there should be no chance of the Germans liberating Italy once that country surrenders due to low NM. The hex ownership changing sides well reflects the German need to occupy and take control of the country. The player can watch the Italian NM level and will know when to react [as the Germans did historically]. Perhaps a Popup to notify the player about the need to occupy Italy once the Italian NM hits a certain level ?

Also, if the computer Axis side conquers France with Italy [which seems to happen frequently], then when Italy surrenders France is considered liberated and all of it's non-Axis occupied hexes switch to Allied control. I think this should not happen.

I hadn't seen your post when I replied to Xwormwood a moment ago. I think you've hit the nail on the head as to how this is happening.

It might use up some grey cells trying to work out how to implement this in game.

You need to act before Italy surrenders (NM level 10 or lower) - you could even create a DE out of it!
Germany grabs all italian controlled hexes but Rome.
When Italy surrenderes, only Rome comes under Allied control (if not already controlled by an axis unit). All italian units disappear.
A turn later you could give the Axis a DE asking to create a northern italian puppet state.

[sPzAbt653]

I am Allies vs. the computer Axis, v1.0 public release.
Greece was conquered by Germany, and the UK did not help at that time. Later in the game, I liberated Greece, and received the message below. I've been thinking about it and don't think that it can be prevented. There is no way to 'cancel' an event, is there ? There could be another condition added that might prevent this message in this circumstance, but anything I think isn't bulletproof.

[BillRunacre]

You're right, some events cannot be prevented from happening when their conditions are met. Fortunately in this instance it's not as incorrect as it might feel, because the Greeks would no doubt have been happy at the event (even if one of them did take a pot-shot at Churchill when he was there).