Strategic Command AI

[sPzAbt653]

Thats gonna cost you like 50-60 mpp a turn if he goes raiding.

The Norway Convoys ? He usually does that with the UK and I've given up on trying to stop him.

The past two turns [March and April] I used the Kreigsmarine to snipe at him, and he lost a French CL and a French CA. I didn't lose any KM ships but most everybody had to put back into port for repairs. Plunder from the Low Countries rebuilt my fleet.

[sPzAbt653]

v1.07.01 - Axis Intermediate vs. Allies Computer +1.

After Gibraltar and Alexandria are taken by the Axis, the computer doesn't seem to know what to do with the Mediterranean Fleet. He moved them up to the coast of Spain/Vichy and has let them sit there for several turns.

[gwgardner]

In my intermediate level game as the Axis, the naval AI has been vicious.

Sorties out of Scapa Flow have decimated my sub fleet, and any attempt by my surface fleet to take some opportunities to hit isolated Allied ships has been met with swift, massed attacks. I've been forced to wait for the conquest of France to get my subs established out of St. Nazaire.

Most surprising, and devastating, after the Italians declared war rather early, both the French and British fleets entered the Adriatic, where I had thought my fleet would be safe, and completely wiped the Italian fleet out. In future games I'll have to consider trying to ramp up the Italian ability to safeguard the fleet from the air. Don't know if that will be possible.

[sPzAbt653]

GW - In my current game I have moved the Italian Fleet into ports as soon as possible. Being in a port somehow gives them some protection from direct naval attack. Then, when Italy was in the war the UK Med. Fleet moved near Taranto. Even though my Italian BB's were mostly under strength, I managed to kill both UK Carriers because the computer left them at the front of the fleet phalanx instead of protecting them.

[sPzAbt653]

An update to post #42 above - The computer UK finally moved the Med. Fleet - to the island bastion of Cyprus. This seems like a very reasonable thing for the computer to do in this situation, as the Suez, Malta and Gibraltar are in Axis hands. I guess the only historical option if this had happened would be to try and run the Canal or the Straits.

[sPzAbt653]

I know that the Mid-East is a tough one on the computer, but I can't help but think he could send a few units there from the multitude he has in England. Since I beat him at El Alamein, he hadn't sent one unit to the Mid-East. It's August '42 and the US is in the war, sending what looks to be about 15 corps to England.

[ReinerAllen]

German subs are concentrating on attacking BB units in British ports (Scapa Flow to be precise). Shouldn't be out attacking convoys?

[sPzAbt653]

It's March-April 1943 and I kinda feel like the computer is screwing up here with his Allied invasion force. The last two turns he has left his AVL's unprotected in the channel so that I can use the German naval units to pick them off. I'll see what happens in the upcoming turns.

Some of those AVL's 'evade damage' when attacked. I don't mean to question but - why is this happening ? [I get a visual image of troop transports running away at 3/mph from the German Navy]. [:'(]

[BillRunacre]

ORIGINAL: sPzAbt653

Some of those AVL's 'evade damage' when attacked. I don't mean to question but - why is this happening ? [I get a visual image of troop transports running away at 3/mph from the German Navy]. [:'(]

What's happening is that they are evading, something which a select few units can do in certain circumstances, i.e. running for cover.

[sPzAbt653]

something which a select few units can do in certain circumstances

Hmm ... I think I get it ... if the Tirpitz left Cherbourg and headed for the invasion fleet, somebody on the Allied side would have done something. But since this is IGO/UGO, nobody can do anything, therefore, they 'evade'. Pretty smart you guys. [&o]

[Hubert Cater]

ORIGINAL: sPzAbt653

I know that the Mid-East is a tough one on the computer, but I can't help but think he could send a few units there from the multitude he has in England. Since I beat him at El Alamein, he hadn't sent one unit to the Mid-East. It's August '42 and the US is in the war, sending what looks to be about 15 corps to England.

There is some programmed variety in the AI and how many units it sends down to the Middle East versus how many it keeps at home in the UK.

Sometimes it goes all in the Middle East and other games it tried to balance things out more between forces at home and/or in the Middle East. This can also have an effect on when it will perform D-Day as well since it looks for a minimum unit threshold in the UK before it does so. The US invading North Africa can also add to some of the variety from game to game.

[Hubert Cater]

ORIGINAL: RickEAllen

German subs are concentrating on attacking BB units in British ports (Scapa Flow to be precise). Shouldn't be out attacking convoys?

It should but if you are playing with FoW off, then it might be baited into attacking those units as described, is this the case?

I only ask as the game has really only been optimized for FoW and with it off things can play out a bit less than ideal as the AI sees units it can attack that otherwise it might have not seen etc.

[Hubert Cater]

ORIGINAL: sPzAbt653

It's March-April 1943 and I kinda feel like the computer is screwing up here with his Allied invasion force. The last two turns he has left his AVL's unprotected in the channel so that I can use the German naval units to pick them off. I'll see what happens in the upcoming turns.

Some of those AVL's 'evade damage' when attacked. I don't mean to question but - why is this happening ? [I get a visual image of troop transports running away at 3/mph from the German Navy]. [:'(]

With the date changes in game, i.e. adding more turns in Spring and Fall, there was a bit of an introduced bug in the scripts for this latest build where the Allied AI did not have its effective naval screens properly forming as you've shown in your screenshot for D-Day.

I've since fixed this and the next build should be much more improved with those Axis naval units in the channel to be dealt with much more efficiently, or least more ideally.

[sPzAbt653]

Ok, the computer knows what it is doing. Even if he does leave those AVL's unprotected, he still handed my ass to me in two turns. I spent two years building up those defense's ! [:@]

[Hubert Cater]

Hehe... great to see! [:D]

[sPzAbt653]

I thought you'd like seeing that. Nice work, thanks a lot ! [respectful sarcasm there].

Wondering if the computer turn can be speeded up ? In some other game we can hit Caps Lock and the computers' turn playback/calculation speed doubles. I know some folks don't like it because it is too fast, but for some of us it would come in handy at times.

[jpinard]

I am the Allies and the AI is kicking my ass. This is on beginner with no bonus to the AI and FOW ON. It is 1940's still and I am in terrible shape to survive the war. Will post screenies in a bit.

[gwgardner]

Playing intermediate difficulty, no experience bonus, it's now the end of '41. The Soviet AI has done a very respectable job of defending in Barbarossa (perhaps combine that with my mistakes!).

It held tenaciously to isolated pockets and on the flanks of the German thrusts. My thrust towards Leningrad was successful, but I became complacent with the generally defensive posture of the Soviet AI, and failed to guard against exactly what it did in early December - it sliced up through my south flank and cut off my forces near Leningrad.

[gwgardner]

Although I took Leningrad, I am far away from both Moscow and Rostov.

[Ostwindflak]

gwgardner, I see a noticeable lack of German HQs...have you not been building any or are they elsewhere? HQs go a long way in keeping your troops supply and morale up.