How good is the AI?

[Texican]

Is the AI a pushover, or will it put up a good fight?

Will the Axis AI put forces into North Africa for a lively African campaign, or are they a pushover like most of these grand strategy games?

[Chocolino]

The AI is pretty decent as far as AIs go. I would not call it a pushover - especially if you give yourself a disadvantage via the Easy-Normal-Hard settings. Some players also enforce special house rules on themselves in order to engineer a challenge against the AI. There is no limit to your creativity here. Most settings are modable and you can adjust the game as much as you like.

Especially defending the USSR, the AI does a good job in building lines and it does detect local tactical situations and counterattacks when it has a chance.

But I don't want to mislead you either - there is only so much you can expect from any AI. It has some weaknesses in the use of aircraft and naval forces and tends to fritter them away.

Once you know the game well and want a challenging game you need to play PBEM.

The AAR section has some games against the AI that will give you a good idea on what to expect.

[zoot]

As a human player you should be able to beat any AI side. I have played all sides ,except Russia. The AI tends to build alot of aircraft at the expense of heavy ground units.
The AI can not tell it's getting bagged and when you do an encirclement the encircled units tend to stay put instead of trying to get out. Playing Germany against Russia I have made many very large encirclements, some times your encircling elements get eliminated by unexpected guests, a chance you take.
I find that putting Italy under human control and rebuilding its navy and combining it all into 2 task forces, you can eliminate all Allied shipping, and reinforcements to Egypt. The Italians if kept in supply from convoys can finish the British off in Egypt. I send a German Inf. unit down to take Malta by amphib.
You need to keep your sea transport points up for the Italians to win in Egypt.
If you ignore all other attack possibilities and go after Russia ,after France falls you will be fine in Russia.
Worry about England, Greece, etc later. You have to cripple Russia early and quickly. Build lots of motorized inf. You need to travel fast and far in Russia, you can be at Kiev by turn four and don't forget to put a large mobile force in Romania when they join the Axis, most of Russian production point are in the South and you want them.
I hardly use any air force in Russia ,except to bomb Leningrad. The Russian just have to many planes. Put Romanians under human control and use them to control partisans in Poland, and garrison cities. The Italians are also a good fighting force when they upgrade.
Hope this has been of some help
zoot