Matrix Games Forums

Portugal setup AI

Portugal Forces
3-1 GAR, RES 3-2 MIL, 1940 4-3 INF, 1 Naval unit, 1 CP

Portugal has two basic setups:

* Capital defence: Is just as the name suggests a setup where the Portuguese
land unit is setup on Lisbon.

* Border defence: The Portuguese land forces is setup on the border to prevent a direct assault on the capital leaving Lisbon for CW forces.

Portugal has two extreme setups:

* Northern invasion defence: The Portuguese land unit are setup on the cost guarding against a minor invasion from the Bay of Biscay.

* Marauder defence: Is just as the name suggests a setup where the one of the Portuguese units is set up to raise mayhem before Portugal is beaten. The List of targets are many: Southern Rhodesia, Belgian Congo, Gambia, French guinea, Bombay in India, Macao.

Declaration of war
Given a CW declaration of war (with or without FR/US) and GE/JP control of Portugal OR a GE declaration of war with or without IT and CW control of Portugal OR a JP declaration of war with or without GW/IT and CW control of Portugal suggested reasoning for the AI could be as below.

Threats to guard against:
* Threat of paradrop close to/on Lisbon
* Threat of invasion from Cape St.Vincent
* Threat of major invasion from Bay of Biscay
* Threat of minor invasion from Bay of Biscay
* Threat of a land advance toward Lisbon from Spain

Good hopes:
* Chance of intervention in Portugal from controlling power

Extreme Good hopes:
* Chance to try to conquer Southern Rhodesia
* Chance to try to conquer Belgian Congo
* Chance to try to conquer French guinea
* Chance to capture Bombay
* Chance to capture Canton
* Chance to try to step on facedown allied unit(s)
* Chance to try to step on facedown axis unit(s)


Threat of paradrop close to/on Lisbon:

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 Lisbon or can be put in range of it by naval transport 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

Threat of paradrop close to/on Lisbon:


Threat of invasion from Cape St. Vincent

IF the Weather is not Fine or Rain then there is no risk of invasion

IF any of the countries at war has a:

Organized TRS/AMPH/SCS AND one of A or B

A)
it’s in supply or can be put in supply AND
it has range to Cape St. Vincent AND
there is a organized LandUnit AND
the LandUnit it’s in supply or can be put in supply AND
the LandUnit and the transporting unit can cooperate AND
the transporting unit can transport the LandUnit AND
the LandUnit can invade from the transporting unit AND
the LandUnit is on a costal hex Cape St. Vincent OR stack with the transporting unit
the chance of a successful invasion is > 20 %

B)
It’s in the Cape St. Vincent the AND
there is a organized LandUnit stack with the transporting unit AND
the LandUnit can invade from the transporting unit
the chance of a successful invasion is > 20 %

THEN

Threat of invasion from Cape St. Vincent

Threat of minor invasion from Bay of Biscay

IF the Weather is not Fine or Rain then there is no risk of invasion

IF any of the countries at war has a:

Organized TRS/AMPH/SCS AND one of A or B

A)
it’s in supply or can be put in supply AND
it has range to Bay of Biscay AND
there is a organized LandUnit AND
the LandUnit it’s in supply or can be put in supply AND
the LandUnit and the transporting unit can cooperate AND
the transporting unit can transport the LandUnit AND
the LandUnit can invade from the transporting unit AND
the LandUnit is on a costal hex Bay of Biscay OR stack with the transporting unit AND
a maximum of two divisions or one corp can invade AND
the chance of a successful invasion is > 20 %

B)
It’s in the Bay of Biscay the AND
there is a organized LandUnit stack with the transporting unit AND
the LandUnit can invade from the transporting unit AND
a maximum of two divisions or one corp can invade AND
the chance of a successful invasion is > 20 %

THEN

Threat of minor invasion from Bay of Biscay

Threat of major invasion from Bay of Biscay:
Same as Threat of minor invasion from Bay of Biscay, but the size of the invading force exceeds two divisions or one corp.

Threat of a land advance toward Lisbon from Spain

IF any of the countries at war has
A organized LandUnit AND
it’s in Spain AND
it’s fast moving (reach the Lisbon in one impulses) AND
it’s in supply or can be put in supply

THEN

Threat of a land advance toward Lisbon from Spain

Chance of intervention in Portugal from controlling power

IF Controlling major power has a unit in any of Spain AND
it’s in supply or can be put in supply AND
the unit can cooperate with Portugal AND
the unit can move into Portugal

ELSE IF Controlling major power can railmove a unit into Portugal AND
the unit can cooperate with Portugal AND

ELSE IF Controlling major power can navaltransport/airtransport a unit into Portugal AND
it’s in supply or can be put in supply AND
the unit can cooperate with Portugal AND
the transporting unit can enter Portugal or the unit can debark into Portugal

THEN

Chance of intervention in Portugal from controlling power

When a setup is used

* The Capital defence
Is consider to be used when one of A,B,C, D OR when the AI wants

A) Threat of paradrop close to/on Lisbon
B) Threat of invasion from Cape St.Vincent
C) Threat of major invasion from Bay of Biscay
D) Threat of a land advance toward Lisbon from Spain

* The Border defence
Is consider to be used when A, B, C, D and E

A) No Threat of paradrop close to/on Lisbon
B) No Threat of invasion from Cape St.Vincent
C) No Threat of major invasion from Bay of Biscay
D) No Threat of minor invasion from Bay of Biscay
E) Threat of a land advance toward Lisbon from Spain

* Northern invasion defence
Is consider to be used when A, B, C, D and E

A) No Threat of paradrop close to/on Lisbon
B) No Threat of invasion from Cape St.Vincent
C) No Threat of major invasion from Bay of Biscay
D) Threat of minor invasion from Bay of Biscay
E) No Threat of a land advance toward Lisbon from Spain

--Extreme setup
* The Marauder defence
Is consider to be used when X and A, B, C and D

-- Southern Rhodesia,
A) Southern Rhodesia is controlled/conquered by the allies
B) There is no allied landunit in Salisbury
C) the Portuguese 4-3 INF can reach Salisbury in one impulse
D) The axis major power controlling Portugal is at war with allied major power controlling Salisbury

X) The allies can’t directly rail/move or transport a unit to the hex that the INF want to reach and they can’t block the INF movement and the chance of a successful ground strike on INF it is less than 30%

-- Belgian Congo,
A) Belgian Congo is controlled/conquered by the allies
B) There is no allied landunit in Leopoldville
C) the Portuguese 4-3 INF can reach Leopoldville in one impulse
D) The axis major power controlling Portugal is at war with allied major power controlling Leopoldville

X) The allies can’t directly rail/move or transport a unit to the hex that the INF want to reach and they can’t block the INF movement and the chance of a successful ground strike on INF it is less than 30%¤

-- Gambia,
A) Gambia is controlled/conquered by the allies
B) There is no allied landunit in Bathurst
C) the Portuguese 4-3 INF can reach Bathurst in one impulse
D) The axis major power controlling Portugal is at war with allied major power controlling Bathurst

X) The allies can’t directly rail/move or transport a unit to the hex that the INF want to reach and they can’t block the INF movement and the chance of a successful ground strike on INF it is less than 30%¤

-- French guinea,
A) French guinea is controlled/conquered by the allies
B) There is no allied landunit in Konakri
C) the Portuguese 4-3 INF can reach Konakri in one impulse
D) The axis major power controlling Portugal is at war with allied major power controlling Konakri

X) The allies can’t directly rail/move or transport a unit to the hex that the INF want to reach and they can’t block the INF movement and the chance of a successful ground strike on INF it is less than 30%¤

-- Bombay,
A) India is controlled/conquered by the allies
B) There is no allied landunit in Bombay
C) the Portuguese 4-3 INF can reach Bombay in one impulse
D) JP is the axis major power controlling Portugal and JP is at war with CW

X) The allies can’t directly rail/move or transport a unit to the hex that the INF want to reach and they can’t block the INF movement and the chance of a successful ground strike on INF it is less than 30%¤

-- Canton,
A) Canton is controlled/conquered by JP
B) There is no axis landunit in Canton
C) the Portuguese 4-3 INF can reach Canton in one impulse
D) The allied major power controlling Portugal is at war with JP.

X) The axis can’t directly rail/move or transport a unit to the hex that the INF want to reach and they can’t block the INF movement and the chance of a successful ground strike on INF it is less than 30%¤

--Try to step on facedown allied unit(s)
A) There is a disorganized allied fleet/air/Supply unit(s) with out a land unit guarding it
B) The Portuguese 4-3 INF can reach it in one impulse
C) The axis major power controlling Portugal is at war with allied major power controls the disorganized unit
D) The Portuguese 4-3 INF can enter the country/territory that the disorganized unit is located in

X) The allied can’t directly rail/move or transport a unit to the hex that the INF want to reach and they can’t block the INF movement and the chance of a successful ground strike on INF it is less than 30%¤


--Try to step on facedown axis unit(s)
A) There is a disorganized axis fleet/air/Supply unit(s) with out a land unit guarding it
B) The Portuguese 4-3 INF can reach it in one impulse
C) The allied major power controlling Portugal is at war with allied axis power controls the disorganized unit
D) The Portuguese 4-3 INF can enter the country/territory that the disorganized unit is located in

X) The axis can’t directly rail/move or transport a unit to the hex that the INF want to reach and they can’t block the INF movement and the chance of a successful ground strike on INF it is less than 30%¤

Convoy points and Naval unit setup

During a JP declaration of war:

Lisbon 1 CP
Lourenco Marques 1 Naval unit

During a GE/IT declaration of war:

Lisbon 1 Naval unit
Bolama 1 CP

During a allied declaration of war:

Lisbon 1 Naval unit
Macao 1 CP

* Capital Defence 39/40

* Capital Defence 41+

* Border Defence 39/40

* Border Defence 41+

* Northen Coastal Defence 39/40

* Northen Coastal Defence 41+

* Marauder Defence A 41+

* Marauder Defence C 41+

* Marauder Defence D 41+

* Marauder Defence E 41+

* Marauder Defence F 39+

Seems quite thorough. Might I point out, though, that the word Maruder should be Marauder? It was properly spelled in earlier minor AI setups but seems to have got out of whack.

ORIGINAL: peskpesk

* Northen Coastal Defence 39/40

This northern setup guards nothing. Neither Porto nor Lisbon. It should guard at least one of them for it to be of some use.

If the British only have a 1-4 INF div to invade with (not uncommon), that northern defense could be good to keep them from landing on the hex adjacent to Lisbon on the first impulse. I'd put the 3-1 adjacent to Lisbon however, so it could retire into the city after the intitial landing (or maybe later, depending on if the RAF Blenheim was around threatening a ground strike). Make the CW waste enough impulses getting into position and you might get lucky enough with a turn end to bring on the RES MIL.

I still think Macao (28 square km) should be edited out of the game, much like Luxembourg (2856 square km) is, but that's water under the bridge.

I don't totally mind many of what some people would label 'gamey' strategies such as sending the Dutch 4-3 INF to Indonesia on set-up, but if the AI took Canton from a momentarily sloppy Japanese player I would be rather unhappy with the blatant unreality. I occasionally leave it ungarrisoned during a turn depending on the flow of the Japanese impulses, but never/very-rarely at the end of a turn when a Partisan might appear there. Recall that the Japanese occupied Timor during the war, with nary a diplomatic ripple of any sort, and the same would have happened to Macao if the slightest bit of military force had been deployed there, or even threatened.

I also like to get the German TRS to Brest with a white print unit (given no Sea Lion plans) or at least maybe a division, ready for a high-risk run to the Azores to deny that to the Allies for a while, possibly quite a long while...could be more valuable than some of the marauder runs. Haven't had the chance to set-up Portugal with the new 3-1 GARR yet, but depending on the availability of Axis lift in an Allied DoW that could be worthwhile. Or, if the CW aren't in position to take all 3 of the aligned Portugese countries on the first turn, Portugal could declare Germany it's new home country after losing Lisbon and the 3-1 GARR would stay there permanently.

I also have long-planned to align Portugal to the Japanese if the CW are not in position to take an empty Mozambique but that hasn't come up in a game either. With only one unit available, I might deploy the GARR there until relief from Japan could arrive. Or try the above mentioned Azores trick...if the 3-1 became a Japanese unit I don't think the CW could even attack it without a a DoW, and they don't really have the assets to do it until mid-41 when the Royal Marines can first appear anyway, and even then they'd possibly have some trouble getting the unit flipped first.

ORIGINAL: Froonp

ORIGINAL: peskpesk

* Northen Coastal Defence 39/40

This northern setup guards nothing. Neither Porto nor Lisbon. It should guard at least one of them for it to be of some use.

'The problem with Porto defence is that it with out peacekeepers it risks to leave Lisbon to open. In best case an invasion by a division on the arrow hex will force the GAR to rail back to the capital. If a enemy corp successfully land on the arrow hex the capital will fall because ZOC will prevent the rail move.



With the current setup, a Invasion into Porto will can be met by a move to the mountain hex NE by the GAR (risk of disruption depending on options used) but effectively stop the immediate break out from the beach.

I agree it’s nicer to have the GAR in the port. A setup with guarantied intervention in Portugal
from controlling power might be the trick to allow a Porto defence. I shall add it too, so both setup options exists.

ORIGINAL: brian brian

If the British only have a 1-4 INF div to invade with (not uncommon), that northern defense could be good to keep them from landing on the hex adjacent to Lisbon on the first impulse. I'd put the 3-1 adjacent to Lisbon however, so it could retire into the city after the intitial landing (or maybe later, depending on if the RAF Blenheim was around threatening a ground strike). Make the CW waste enough impulses getting into position and you might get lucky enough with a turn end to bring on the RES MIL.
...

I will add a check to minimize the threat of ground strike beating the defence.

I would normally align Portugal with Japan and place the SCS ship in Macau to be able to harass the CW shipping in the  India areas
 
Lars
 
 
 

Unless the CW does a naval, deploys its invasion forces then, and then does a land during the invasion, they will be able to outmaneuvre the Portugese garrison wherever it sets up. If they do a combined they just wait to see where the GARR goes, then sail the invading div + reinforcements (two separate naval moves) and invade either from Bay of Biscay or Cape St. Vincent, whichever allows them to land without resistance.

>>I also like to get the German TRS to Brest with a white print unit (given no Sea Lion plans) or at least maybe a division, ready for a high-risk run to the Azores to deny that to the Allies for a while, possibly quite a long while...could be more valuable than some of the marauder runs. Haven't had the chance to set-up Portugal with the new 3-1 GARR yet, but depending on the availability of Axis lift in an Allied DoW that could be worthwhile. Or, if the CW aren't in position to take all 3 of the aligned Portugese countries on the first turn, Portugal could declare Germany it's new home country after losing Lisbon and the 3-1 GARR would stay there permanently.

I also have long-planned to align Portugal to the Japanese if the CW are not in position to take an empty Mozambique but that hasn't come up in a game either. With only one unit available, I might deploy the GARR there until relief from Japan could arrive. Or try the above mentioned Azores trick...if the 3-1 became a Japanese unit I don't think the CW could even attack it without a a DoW, and they don't really have the assets to do it until mid-41 when the Royal Marines can first appear anyway, and even then they'd possibly have some trouble getting the unit flipped first. <<

Brian -- the PT unit is still Portugese. As soon as the CW conquers PT and all the PT aligned minors, the PT unit will disappear. Similarly, the GARR will never become a Japanese unit. If it stayed in the Azores until PT was completely conquered, then it would disappear and the Azores would revert to neutrality. No DOW on Japan would be needed.