Matrix Games Forums

Which setting do you prefer and why?

Im leaning towards hard.

Very Hard against AI (Allied vs AI) to give AI a better chance. That's what I did at WitP times.

With WitP/AE I consider myself in Training Mode and currently play at level Hard so AI doesn't get too much info.
When I feel I have mastered the game mechanics - knowing what button has what effect etc. - then I will certainly switch to level Very Hard and start a new campaign where I commit myself not to take back misfired turns, but will bear whatever the game (AI or Andy Mac) will throw at me.

I think a level between historical and hard might be useful to have.

Hahaha... I always play at Historical, but I make an extra effort to not take advantage of knowledge of the future. I always ask myself: "what would the bloke at this place have done at that date, with the information that he had?".

For example, I leave the 3 destroyers at Hong Kong, given that the Royal Navy does not turn tail and abandon their fortress at the slightest sign of a Japanese - inconceivable! For the Queen, let's attack those japs!! [:D]

Cheers
fbs

I use the historical mode of play. I find that it gives the best balance of what happened and what might
have happened. I pick my battles, deny the AI (Japanese) the resources & oil needed to run a war as long
as I can. You can't save everything so I don't try. 1942 is my best year because I am mostly on the defensive
using hit & run tactics, doing the most damage to the enemy while I take less (not always possible but can be
achieved most of the time if you interpret the info correctly). Right now in my game, it's 2/17/42 and the number
of Jap AI ships sunk is approaching my own. The AI has done some bonehead things and I was in a position
to make it pay. I have sunk 1 carrier and damaged 2 others (big ones). But mostly I have decimated alot of
his transport forces attacking my bases without proper escort. A few cruisers & destroyers in certain locations
have done most of the work. My subs have been very busy too. I use them mostly to shut off the resource and
oil deliveries to Japan.....

JIM

Historical, its enough [;)]

ORIGINAL: Admiral Scott

Which setting do you prefer and why?

ORIGINAL: fbs



For example, I leave the 3 destroyers at Hong Kong, given that the Royal Navy does not turn tail and abandon their fortress at the slightest sign of a Japanese - inconceivable! For the Queen, let's attack those japs!! [:D]

Cheers
fbs

Warspite1

History Lesson: That should be King i.e. King George VI [;)]

In a thread where I provided feedback regarding some truly pooor AI performance on the Historical setting Andy Mac told me I probably shouldn't play on Historical anymore as some fo the recent patch changes have bolloxed the AI on that setting. He recommended using at least Hard which is what I will be doing for my next game.

If you do a thread search on 'very disappointed', you should see an extended thread on the merits of the different AI settings. I will never play the AI on 'hard' or 'very hard' again, as there are too many production 'cheats' thrown into the system at these levels for anything resembling realistic gameplay. If you DO pick hard or very hard, it will be neigh unto impossible for you to attrit the Japanese economy, for example, as it gets production bonuses that negate the need to import oil and resources.

Hard v. Historical has nothing to do with the scripts or difficulty of the AI strategy-that's a common misconception. It has everything to do with what 'bonuses' the AI gets to keep its economy alive and moving.

On hard and very hard the AI does not negate the need to import resources etc etc

I wouldnt play on anythiong other than Hard or higher - Historic just is not a challenge.

Do not confuse the upgrade bug that gave the AI hundreds of free aircraft in its pool whwnever a new model came on stream which was fixed in patch 1 with the level of Ai production assistance on difficulty levels.

But actually you know what believe what you will I dont need to defend it anymore play on what level you like just dont complain when its 1944 and the AI has no ships left.

p.s. Ai isnt borked on historical it just wont give you as good a game as on hard and it may do a few more stuupid things

I prefer Hard over very hard.
At very hard the AI will always get 100% prep points in any land assault, making it nearly unstoppable, beside brute forcing it by using an Uber stack of land units.
 
Also at very hard the AI can "peek" at your disposition, making sneak attacks almost impossible. 
 
At hard the AI actually has to rely on naval searches to find your ships..

ORIGINAL: Andy Mac

On hard and very hard the AI does not negate the need to import resources etc etc

I wouldnt play on anythiong other than Hard or higher - Historic just is not a challenge.

Do not confuse the upgrade bug that gave the AI hundreds of free aircraft in its pool whwnever a new model came on stream which was fixed in patch 1 with the level of Ai production assistance on difficulty levels.

But actually you know what believe what you will I dont need to defend it anymore play on what level you like just dont complain when its 1944 and the AI has no ships left.

@ Andy Mac: The support you give gamers on this forum (and off) is second to none. Thank you. You've no need to feel defensive re: your efforts on the AI or the game in general. Peace.

My response to the OP was not intended as an indictment of your efforts re: the AI, merely my experiences pre patch II re: playing as the allies versus IJN AI on VERY HARD. I have no desire to go through another restart after every major patch to see if what I feel were AI game killers have been addressed on a point by point basis. My disappointment over the dimunition of my playing experience still stands and, yes, I'll believe and feel what I want to believe and feel. Thanks.

@ Admiral Scott: Once upon a time (up until about 2 months ago), I only played versus the AI (VERY HARD). It gave me good enough game in WiTP and in the early going with AE to satisfy. However, the AI MUST cheat to give you a good game. There's all sorts of ways that it has done this and still does this. I needn't go through these on a point by point basis.

Philosophically, if you're OK with this-then it's a matter of degrees to which you'll tolerate this AI behavior. Are you OK with turning a blind eye to a *little* bit of cheating, but will balk at wholesale inflagrante delecto cheating? Then historical setting may be your speed. Don't care what the AI does 'behind the scenes', so long as you get a tougher challenge? Then Hard or Very Hard may be more your speed.

Once you get the hang of the game mechanics, it's still comparatively easy to 'break' the AI versus a human player. It's not hard to finds forum posts of AI-only players that talk of thousands of IJN ships sent to the bottom in 1942 and / or tens of thousands of planes destroyed in short order because of an illogical 'loop' that the AI engages.

If you find yourself in that 'loop', what would you do? Abandon the game? Cede a strategic piece of real estate to stop the self-fulfilling AI slaughter? Stop attacking the AI units? Stay your hand and show mercy?

ORIGINAL: Andy Mac

On hard and very hard the AI does not negate the need to import resources etc etc

I wouldnt play on anythiong other than Hard or higher - Historic just is not a challenge.

Do not confuse the upgrade bug that gave the AI hundreds of free aircraft in its pool whwnever a new model came on stream which was fixed in patch 1 with the level of Ai production assistance on difficulty levels.

But actually you know what believe what you will I dont need to defend it anymore play on what level you like just dont complain when its 1944 and the AI has no ships left.

Andy, what exactly does the hard level do to help the AI have ships left in 1944?

How many prep points does the AI get on hard level compared to historic level?

I'm finding the Historical level a little too easy (I'm playing Japanese with Allied AI) myself...not nearly challenging enough.

Does anyone know if you can switch from Historical to Hard level in mid-campaign?

I see that I can do it via the preferences panel but does it actually work?

I prefer historical,but my wife likes it very hard.

Against AI you can switch in the opening screen (Game Options) next time you fire up the game and set AI Difficulty as you desire.

EDIT: Just saw that you know that, sorry.
I conclude from the fact that you can switch AI Difficulty on the Preferences Screen in game that this will have the desired effect, but never did a formal test. So to be absolutely sure one of the developers has to provide an andwer I'm afraid.

ORIGINAL: Andy Mac

On hard and very hard the AI does not negate the need to import resources etc etc

I wouldnt play on anythiong other than Hard or higher - Historic just is not a challenge.

Do not confuse the upgrade bug that gave the AI hundreds of free aircraft in its pool whwnever a new model came on stream which was fixed in patch 1 with the level of Ai production assistance on difficulty levels.

But actually you know what believe what you will I dont need to defend it anymore play on what level you like just dont complain when its 1944 and the AI has no ships left.

Instead of giving the AI ahistorical bonus' to insure it will have ships remaining in 1944, lower the effectiveness of all subs.
Reducing the number of salvos fired at a ship is one way to help fix the problem.
This will kill two birds with one stone.
Subs are too effective right now, and the AI runs low on ships in 1944, toning down sub effectiveness by lowering the amount of salvos fired by subs should help with both problems.
Also, adding crew fatigue for subs would help alot by keeping subs in port longer resting.