AI Germans

[hgman3]

Raw recruit reporting for duty. Just purchased WiTE in December, and, after learning the basics on a few smaller scenarios, have taken the plunge with the complete 1941/45 campaign game playing the Soviets (all default settings). Based on my limited experience with the game, I am wondering how much I should expect from the German AI opponent. So far, I've played through to Jan. 1942, and from what I've seen so far, I'm rather underwhelmed by them.

Of the three Army Groups, Center has done the best with regards to historical performance. They managed to get within 5 hexes of Moscow by early December, with one mechanized spearhead poised to test my defensive line east of Vyazma while another other pushed towards Orel. Unlike the historical Germans, AI AGC never diverted their panzers north and south to assist AGN or AGS, which may explain the lackluster performance of those two army groups. My winter counter-offensive has been making some progress against AGC, but it's a slow grind.

Army Group North has underperformed slightly vs. its historical benchmark. I managed to hold up the Germans at the Luga Line, which was just starting to crumble when winter hit. There are no Germans on the shores of Lake Ladoga, and the good citizens of Leningrad have bread to eat this winter. My winter counter-attacks on this front are limited because I don't have the extra forces to spare. I will be happy to re-take and strengthen my line behind the Luga.

I am severely disappointed in the AI performance of Army Group South. The furthest east the Germans were able to push was a line from Nikolaev to Kirovograd and northward along the line of the Sula River. AGS never even came close to threatening the Crimea, Karkov, or other points east. Moreover, my winter counter-attack has been brutal. I may very well re-take Odessa, and re-capturing Kiev is not out of the question.

Is this typical of the AI Germans? Is there anything I can do to boost the German performance to more readily match their historical standards? As the Soviets, I was expecting a tough slog, which is what I have with AGC and AGN, to a lesser extent, but AGS not so much. If I continue playing into 1942, what can I expect of the spring/summer Germans? Your insight is appreciated.

[Achsah]

it sounds to me that the game is doing fine. and is thinking ahead. orel is a dangerous place for Russians in spring summera and since he so close to Moscow it makes things uncomfortable for Russian as long as german continues to play consistently.

[heliodorus04]

The AI really can't run a great 1941 offensive at default settings.
Enjoy, keep learning the game. A somewhat inept AI is great for learning.
There will come a point where you 'learn the tricks' to defeat the AI, and you will know it because it becomes disappointingly easy to have your way against them. That's when you need to stop your game, start a new one, and change the difficulty settings.

Most of the players that I knew in the heyday of the game would play the German AI on very hard difficulty. At that level, from what I've heard, it can give you a very challenging game.
It's a normal phase of learning to realize you have to ramp up difficulty vs. AI. For each side.

[JocMeister]

I recently started a Soviet campaign after a long absence. Playing on 110/90 the German AI seems to be doing reasonably well. I think the key for any enjoyable AI play is to play reasonably historical and avoid min/maxing. When I last played a couple of years ago I remember the German AI being quite reasonable up until the later stages of the war if followed the above and gave it some advantages.

[micheljq]

I quite agree, AI could be a lot more agressive, here is my game so far.
I did change some settings mid-game to have better challenge, with FOW it is more enjoyable.
AI was able to do some encirclements though, in the south.

Leningrad front was historical, i had to put my best divisions there, 2-3 lines deep, to be able to keep a railway to Leningrad.
Moscow and center, in june, july, august, i was stressed but than AI when he saw good lines near Rzhez and Vyazma, he tried southern diversion between Bryansk and Rzhez.
Then he tried to break south of Rzhez, he tried near Vyazma. Finally on december 5th, Rzhez, Viazma were holding. What i do not understand is that both cities would have fell with direct attacks, maybe not on the first time but he would have been able to take them with just a little more agressiveness. But it created a salient between Bryansk and Rzhez, a salient he lost soon after.

In the south real lack of agressiveness. I hold Kiev, basically a line from Kiev to the south. This is a joke.

In the blizzard i did counterattack en masse, in the center and north, retook Velikye Luki, and i am beside Smolensk. Germany already lost more than 1 million troops. I am now in the end of january 1942. I hope the german will revert back to offense in spring/summer.

Michel.

[Gabriel B.]

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

I recently started a Soviet campaign after a long absence. Playing on 110/90 the German AI seems to be doing reasonably well. I think the key for any enjoyable AI play is to play reasonably historical and avoid min/maxing. When I last played a couple of years ago I remember the German AI being quite reasonable up until the later stages of the war if followed the above and gave it some advantages.

The german army simply melts away in 1942 even if i only build a historical soviet orbat . For a reasonable chalange the dificulty needs to be set at least on Hard .

[micheljq]

I began give AI advantage, i see that i can change options mid-game against the AI at least. I did choose FOW, the one where first winter is less rough for the germans, set the soviets to 90% of transport, logistics, etc.

Michel.

[JocMeister]

ORIGINAL: Gabriel B.

The german army simply melts away in 1942 even if i only build a historical soviet orbat . For a reasonable chalange the dificulty needs to be set at least on Hard .

Well, I havn´t played WitE since release so I don´t want to bump the AI too much. If needed I can always increase difficulty later.