Matrix Games Forums

Iraq setup AI

Iraq Forces
2-5 CAV, Res 2-2 MIL.

Iraq has one basic setup:
* Capital defence: Is just as the name suggests a setup where the Iraqi
CAV is setup on Baghdad or close to Baghdad (if there is no paradrop or ground strike threat) moving to the capital the next impulse.

Iraq has one extreme setup:
* Marauder defence: Is just as the name suggests a setup where the Iraqi CAV is set up to raise mayhem before Iraq is beaten

Declaration of war
Given a CW/FR/US/USSR and IT/GE control the suggested reasoning for the AI could be as below.

Threats to guard against:
* Threat of paradrop on the capital

Good hopes:
* Chance of IT/GE peace keepers

Chance of IT/GE peace keepers:

IF Any of IT/GE has a unit in any of Syria, Tranjordan, Turkey, Persia, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia AND
it’s in supply or can be put in supply AND
the unit can cooperate with Iraq AND
the unit can move and reach within supply range of Baghdad or have trace own supply

ELSE IF Any of IT/GE can railmove a unit into Iraq AND
the unit can cooperate with Iraq AND
the unit can reach within supply range of Baghdad or have trace own supply

ELSE IF Any of IT/GE can navaltransport or airtransport a unit into Iraq AND
it’s in supply or can be put in supply AND
the unit can cooperate with Iraq AND
the unit can reach within supply range of Baghdad or have trace own supply AND
the transporting unit can enter Iraq

THEN

There is a chance of IT/GE peace keepers


Risk of paradrop on the capital:

IF the Weather is Storm or Blizzard the no risk of paradrop

IF any of the countries at war has a:

Organized ATR AND
it’s in supply or can be put in supply AND
the ATR has range to Teheran or can be put in range of it AND
there is a organized PARA AND
it’s in supply or can be put in supply AND
the PARA has range to ATR or can be put in range of it AND
the PARA and the ATR belongs to countries that can cooperate AND
the chance of a successful paradrop is > 20 %

THEN

There is risk of a paradrop on the capital

When a setup is used

* The Capital defence
Is consider to be used when A or B or when the AI wants

A) Chance of IT/GE peace keepers
B) Threat of paradrop on the capital

* The Maruder defence
Is consider to be used when X and one of A,B,C and D or E,F,G and H or I,J,K and L or M,N,O and P

-- Try to conquer Syria,
A) Syria is controlled/conquered by the Allies
B) There is no allied unit in Damascus
C) the Iraq CAV can reach Damascus in one impulses
D) The axis major power controlling Iraq is at war with allied major power controlling Damascus

-- Try to conquer Kuwait ,
E) Kuwait is controlled/conquered by the Allies
F) There is no allied unit in Kuwait capital
G) the Iraq CAV can reach Kuwait capital in one impulses
H) The axis major power controlling Iraq is at war with allied major power controlling Kuwait

--Try to step on facedown unit(s)
I) There is a disorganized allied fleet/air/Supply unit(s) with out a land unit guarding it
J) The Iraq CAV can reach it in one impulse
K) The axis major power controlling Iraq is at war with allied major power that controls the disorganized unit
L) The Iraq CAV can enter the country/territory that the disorganized unit is located in

-- Try capture a port in Syria or Palestine,
M) Syria is controlled/conquered by the Allies
N) None of Tripoli, Beirut Haifa is in IT/GE control
O) the Iraq CAV can reach one of the ports in one impulses
P) The axis major power controlling Iraq is at war with allied major power controlling Damascus

-- No way of stopping the CAV
X) The allies can’t directly rail/move or transport a unit to the hex that the CAV want to reach and they can’t block the CAVs movement and the chance of a successful ground strike on CAV it is less than 20 %

* The Capital defence



Note the map is slightly altered, new map

* The Maruder defence A



Ex Try to conquer Syra, the way to Damascus is clear...

Note the map is slightly altered, new map

ORIGINAL: peskpesk

* The Maruder defence A



Ex Try to conquer Syra, the way to Damascus is clear...

Note the map is slightly altered, new map

You should place the unit 1 hex NE so it is in supply to start.

ORIGINAL: Shannon V. OKeets
You should place the unit 1 hex NE so it is in supply to start.

Steve's still very sharp eyed !!!

* The Maruder defence B



Ex Try to conquer Kuwait, after a USSR declaration of war that caught CW unprepared...

Note the map is slightly altered, new map and this makes the CAV in supply during clear weather

ORIGINAL: Shannon V. OKeets
You should place the unit 1 hex NE so it is in supply to start.

Yes, the CAV could be there but then it can't reach Haifa too

So the setup rule could be:

IF the AI want's to capture a port in Syria and (IF the road to Haifa is blocked OR IF the road to Tripoli, Beirut can't be blocked) THEN setup unit 1 hex NE so it is in supply.

IF the AI only want to try to conquer Syria THEN setup unit 1 hex NE so it is in supply.

ORIGINAL: peskpesk

ORIGINAL: Shannon V. OKeets
You should place the unit 1 hex NE so it is in supply to start.

Yes, the CAV could be there but then it can't reach Haifa too

So the setup rule could be:

IF the AI want's to capture a port in Syria and (IF the road to Haifa is blocked OR IF the road to Tripoli, Beirut can't be blocked) THEN setup unit 1 hex NE so it is in supply.

IF the AI only want to try to conquer Syria THEN setup unit 1 hex NE so it is in supply.

Why would you want Haifa? I think the choice is either sit in Damascus to conquer the Syria or sit in Beirut to control a major port. Beirut is also a mountain hex which makes it much better for defense.

ORIGINAL: Shannon V. OKeets

Why would you want Haifa? I think the choice is either sit in Damascus to conquer the Syria or sit in Beirut to control a major port. Beirut is also a mountain hex which makes it much better for defense.

There may be a unit blocking the advance towards Damascus/Beirut and if Iraq is allied to Italy (Germany as well, if there are German units in the med) capturing a costal port allows the Italians to reinforce fast.

-Orm

ORIGINAL: peskpesk
Ex Try to conquer Kuwait, after a USSR declaration of war that caught CW unprepared...

This defence should be coupled with aligning with Japan but it is not enough for the AI to check Kuwait for the presence of a CW unit. It must check to make sure no currently at war Allied power can transport and/or chain transport and/or move and/or air transport and/or paradrop a unit into Kuwait this impulse.

With all those 6 move 6 range SCS's and long range ATRs, the Allies can get a parachute infantry division to just about anywhere in the world in one impulse. Good luck programming the AI to spot all the possibilities. On the other hand, trading the about-to-be-surrendered 2-5 Cav for a Para-Div is something I would try. Besides, if the AI can see that the invader of Iraq can achieve a lossless auto on a 2-5 in Baghdad, then it may as well go with a Marauder defence to make the invader utilize more resources then he might have planned upon.

The AI could also look at where the attacking forces are versus whether the turn can end before the next enemy impulse and consider placing the 2-5 in a blocking position so that it will take more than one impulse for the invader to reach Baghdad.

ORIGINAL: Orm

ORIGINAL: Shannon V. OKeets

Why would you want Haifa? I think the choice is either sit in Damascus to conquer the Syria or sit in Beirut to control a major port. Beirut is also a mountain hex which makes it much better for defense.

There may be a unit blocking the advance towards Damascus/Beirut and if Iraq is allied to Italy (Germany as well, if there are German units in the med) capturing a costal port allows the Italians to reinforce fast.

-Orm

Yes, one of the goals of the Maruder defence is to try capture a port in Syria or Palestine.
There is only one hex that the CAV can threaten all three of Tripoli, Beirut Haifa. Beirut is of course the best port so given the option the AI will take it first.
The plan is then for IT/GE to immediately land units in the port and skip an invasion. Ex Egypt may then be threatened from two fronts…

This defence should be coupled with aligning with Japan

Yes, good point. The Maruder defence with the goal of try to conquer Kuwait should be used in combination with aligning Iraq with Japan unless the IT/GE controls suez channel.

ORIGINAL: paulderynck

This defence should be coupled with aligning with Japan but it is not enough for the AI to check Kuwait for the presence of a CW unit. It must check to make sure no currently at war Allied power can transport and/or chain transport and/or move and/or air transport and/or paradrop a unit into Kuwait this impulse.

With all those 6 move 6 range SCS's and long range ATRs, the Allies can get a parachute infantry division to just about anywhere in the world in one impulse. Good luck programming the AI to spot all the possibilities. On the other hand, trading the about-to-be-surrendered 2-5 Cav for a Para-Div is something I would try. Besides, if the AI can see that the invader of Iraq can achieve a lossless auto on a 2-5 in Baghdad, then it may as well go with a Marauder defence to make the invader utilize more resources then he might have planned upon.

The AI could also look at where the attacking forces are versus whether the turn can end before the next enemy impulse and consider placing the 2-5 in a blocking position so that it will take more than one impulse for the invader to reach Baghdad.

For Iraq to be able to enter Kuwait its controlling nation must be at war with CW. Japan may not be at war with CW. If only Germany is at war with CW it may be better to attempt to conquer Kuwait for Germany than a hopeless defence of Baghdad. Even if there is no other reason to do so than to try to get ones enemies off balance.

-Orm

But if it's only hopeless after they fly in bombers and use up a bunch of oil dependent units and are trying to do it all on a Combined impulse, maybe it is good to force the enemy to actually use their military assets. With Suez closed and no Japanese interest in the Middle East, Kuwait gains you nothing.

If the threat is strictly maritime (Japan, no Persian invasion yet?) would you not want to have a Basra defense?

ORIGINAL: wfzimmerman
If the threat is strictly maritime (Japan, no Persian invasion yet?) would you not want to have a Basra defense?

Good point, will at it to the todo list and post it to the forum soon.

And not necessarily IN Basra, depends on the situation.  The swamp just to the north of Basra might be better.  Can't use shore bombardment (because it's in-land), and its ZOC would lend +1 to the notional unit in both Basra and the clear hex to the W of Basra.

From that swamp hex, it can either sit and delay an advance for a while, and can always scramble back to the gates of Baghdad to slow the advance down further, once that current position is outflanked.

Also, how about an anti-Persia marauding option?  Say, due to an early war DoW from either USSR or Japan following a conquest of Persia?

* The Basra defence A

* The Basra defence B