Matrix Games Forums

Rather than posting some vague ideas on what to improve I hope to get very concrete.
I think it would be good if people would post ideas (for diplomacy or otherwise) for each MP that are directly possible to code.

My first suggestion would be to limit how the AI players DoW other MPs. I know that these suggestions are possible to exploit - but certainly they are much better than the current state of the game.

AI France - Declarations of war
• Do not declare war on any MP if already at war with Austria or Prussia
• Do not declare war on Russia unless you have at least 12 months enforced peace with Prussia and Austria.
• Do not declare war on Spain unless you have at least 8 months enforced peace with Prussia and Austria.
• Do not declare war on Turkey if Turkey is played by the AI.
• Do not declare war on Turkey if at war with Austria, Prussia, Russia or Spain.

AI Prussia - Declarations of war
• Do not declare war on any MP if an enemy corps is inside Prussia.
• Do not declare war if already at war with France, Russia or Austria.
• Do not declare war on Austria if Austria is played by the AI.
• Do not declare war on Austria if France or Russia is played by a human.
• Do not declare war on Austria unless Napoleon has been removed from the game and the French army has less INF and less CAV than your own army.
• Do not declare war on Russia if Russia is played by the AI and France or Austria is played by a human.
• Do not declare war on Russia unless Napoleon has been removed from the game and the French army has less INF and less CAV than your own army.
• Do not declare war on Spain
• Do not declare war on Turkey.
• Do not declare war on GB.

AI Austria - Declarations of war
• Do not declare war on any MP if an enemy corps is inside Austria.
• Do not declare war if already at war with France, Russia, Prussia or Turkey.
• Do not declare war on Prussia if Prussia is played by the AI.
• Do not declare war on Prussia if France, Turkey or Russia is played by a human.
• Do not declare war on Prussia unless Napoleon has been removed from the game and the French army has less INF and less CAV than your own army.
• Do not declare war on Russia if Russia is played by the AI and France, Prussia or Turkey is played by a human.
• Do not declare war on Russia unless Napoleon has been removed from the game and the French army has less INF and less CAV than your own army.
• Do not declare war on GB if GB is played by the AI.
• Do not declare war on Spain, Turkey or GB unless Napoleon has been removed from the game and the French army has less INF and less CAV than your own army.
• Do not declare war on Turkey unless Napoleon has been removed from the game and the French army has less INF and less CAV than your own army.

AI Russia - Declarations of war
• Do not declare war on any MP if an enemy corps is inside Russia
• Do not declare war if already at war with Austria, Prussia or Turkey.
• Do not declare war on Prussia or Austria if France is played by a human unless Napoleon has been removed from the game and the French army has less INF and less CAV than your own army.
• Do not declare war on Spain if Spain is played by the AI.

AI Turkey - Declarations of war
• Do not declare war on any MP if an enemy corps is inside Turkey
• Do not declare war on any MP if already at war with Austria or Russia.
• Do not declare war on Prussia.
• Do not declare war on France If France is played by the AI.

AI Spain - Declarations of war
• Do not declare war on any MP if an enemy corps is inside Spain
• Do not declare war on any MP if already at war with GB or France.
• Do not declare war on Prussia.

AI GB - Declarations of war
• Do not declare war on any MP if an enemy corps is inside GB
• Do not declare war on Prussia unless Prussia is played by a human and Napoleon has been removed from the game.
• Do not declare war on Austria unless Austria is played by a human and Napoleon has been removed from the game.
• Do not declare war on Spain if Spain is played by the AI and Spain is at war with France.
• Do not declare war on Russia if Russia is played by the AI and Russia is at war with France.


Keep in mind - these restrictions are dual-purpose. They should help AI players from getting into too much trouble AND they should help provide a greater challenge for a human player.

Excellent list. I second!

I would find it reasonable that the AIs not bother attempting to invade Russia, regardless of what controls it, until they either grok the logistics and how to defend the supply chain (fairly tricky), or have blessed targets.

In the case of an approach from the west, a nation that has naval superiority over Russian's Baltic Sea fleet may attempt to seize Sweden and Finland -- this provides a land-based supply chain that will still be in effect through winter, plus gives proximity to St. Petersburg -- which, if ceded, would give an even better-placed jumping-off point.

There is no similar approach from the east; the shortest path for Turkey, IIRC, requires sea supply from Constantinople through Taganrog and something like four or so more depots (dangerously close to the Cossack provinces) to Moscow.  AI Turkey shouldn't bother, because it can't handle defending a supply chain -- it doesn't even get militia to drop in depot garrisons.  In most if not all games, I've seen it never move outside its initial borders other than to attack Egypt, even when "at war" with its neighbors... or even within its borders.

Until that latter bit is fixed, it's reasonable for GB, Spain, Russia and maybe Austria (if France is not human-controlled...) to shred Turkey for the easy PP, because the human player's probably going to do it if nobody else does.

JanSorensen:
 
That is a great list! It has been saved.
I specifically like the varialbes of your enforced peace situations.
Appreciate the effort.
 
 

Ok, here is one I have not seen that when you think of it is actually a big one.  The AI rarely declares war on minors, and even still will leave central Europenan countries neutral through the entire game...  Minors are money and manpower, and in the case of England, more corp.  The priority of conquering minors should be increased and play a larger role in the AI strategy.  The English should go for the Ottoman in its spare time just to have the armies with the large components of cav to mix with 1 or 2 English corp for morale and say Wellington and France is in trouble.  Not to mention the manpower to go with the English money.  All I have seen the AI do is maybe have Turkey take Egypt and Spain take Morocco but most of Africa sits prime and empty.  Conquest of minors however should not take the place of Home nation defense or supporting a war against another major power, but durring peace time should be paramount to rebuild you army.

obsidiandragon:
 
I have written the AI to be more agressive when going after minors. It was just too darn passive against minors in the past. You should see this being better in 1.03
 
 

ORIGINAL: JanSorensen

AI Prussia - Declarations of war
• Do not declare war on Spain
• Do not declare war on Turkey.

I disagree. If you are in a 8+ month enforced peace with France, and Turkey is at war with Austria, then declare war on Turkey. March on them with 4 corps and Blucher, in support of Austria. Double bonus chance of that if Turkey is also at war with Russia.

If you are in a 8+ month enforced peace with France, and Spain is at war with Austria and there are Spanish troops in Venetia or any further north, declare war on Spain. March 4 corps and Blucher down to assist the Austrians in northern Italy.

ORIGINAL: JanSorensen

AI Austria - Declarations of war
• Do not declare war on GB if GB is played by the AI.
• Do not declare war on Spain, Turkey or GB unless Napoleon has been removed from the game and the French army has less INF and less CAV than your own army.
• Do not declare war on Turkey unless Napoleon has been removed from the game and the French army has less INF and less CAV than your own army.

I would say: Do not declare war on GB. You need their money.
If you have an enforced peace with France and France and Turkey are allies then you need to beat Turkey while you can. Especially if Russia is at war with Turkey you should also go to war with Turkey.
I concur with your assessment re: Spain. Stay away, there is nothing to gain.

ORIGINAL: JanSorensen

AI Turkey - Declarations of war
• Do not declare war on any MP if an enemy corps is inside Turkey
• Do not declare war on any MP if already at war with Austria or Russia.
• Do not declare war on Prussia.
• Do not declare war on France If France is played by the AI.

I would say: Do not declare war on France. Do not declare war on GB. The only exception to that is if one of the two holds Syria and/or Egypt and can be beaten easily.

ORIGINAL: JanSorensen

AI GB - Declarations of war
• Do not declare war on any MP if an enemy corps is inside GB
• Do not declare war on Spain if Spain is played by the AI and Spain is at war with France.
• Do not declare war on Russia if Russia is played by the AI and Russia is at war with France.

Do not declare war on any power that is at war with France. In fact I'd go so far as to say do not declare war on any power unless they are allied to France.

France: Do not declare war on Russia unless you have enforced access through Prussia. Always take enforced access from Prussia as a victory condition.

Del,
 
Good points. Obviously my list can and should be improved. My main point was to get something implemented rather than the current "DoW anything with no reason at all".

I think it's important (if you want a robust AI) to look at many different strategies and variables, that way the AI won't do just ONE THING and can then be played against over and over.

ORIGINAL: NeverMan

I think it's important (if you want a robust AI) to look at many different strategies and variables, that way the AI won't do just ONE THING and can then be played against over and over.

I tend to agree with this, in terms of how the AI conducts a war.

(1) very defensively
(2) go all out for cities
(3) try to strip away minors then go defensive
(4) long range attack
(5) "mad dog"