Matrix Games Forums

I've been paying close attention to this title and watching a number of plays. I've not bought it yet as I have a question about the AI: is it up to snuff?

The reason I ask is I've seen the AI fail to defend key 'in harms way' locations, i.e., within one turn's movement range of known enemy positions, numerous times.

I suspect the AI isn't really up to the task of dealing with the complexity. Anecdotally, playing Arracourt as the Germans once versus the AI and once versus a human, the outcome was radically different. In the game versus the AI I pretty much took all objectives and mashed the AI. Versus the human the outcome was almost a tie.

The AI is capable in picking the right defensive locations, but it might be too eager to react to enemy moves, meaning that it voluntarily retreats from those ideal defensive spots too easily (if it feels threatened elsewhere). Also, the offensive AI does not seem to be as coordinated in its attacks as a human player. In small/medium scenarios the AI can be beaten very easily (even against very hard AI with slow speed setting). I think that the main scenarios are most well-balanced at the moment, at least based on my +100 hours experience.

AI can move units and use artillery, aircraft and attack with units.
But AI does not have a plan. It creates new plan every turn again. Nothing long term.

Sometimes it attacks non sensible at all.
AI does not know staff units are not infantry (they are "unit group infantry in game, in fact).
In this attack AI destroyed itself most of it command unit.



Sometimes AI attacks very sensible.

Now that I have played my first main scenario almost till the end as the Axis (I am not yet in Namur, but not really seeing how the AI could bounce back), I have to agree that the AI player cannot compete with a human player in the main scenarios either. I played with AI speed slow and difficulty as challenging (increasing the AI units' combat power would not address the main issue, which is lack of planning).

AI CAN use air supply card effectively to supply cut off troops

AI can retreat also:

stryc wrote: Tue Feb 15, 2022 1:28 pm I've been paying close attention to this title and watching a number of plays. I've not bought it yet as I have a question about the AI: is it up to snuff?

The reason I ask is I've seen the AI fail to defend key 'in harms way' locations, i.e., within one turn's movement range of known enemy positions, numerous times.

The best AI for Decisive Campaign game is the Barbarossa game, closely followed by Case Blue. Those games are challenging. This game is tied for dead last. I ended up refunding the game after 2 disappointing games. I should have known better after my experience with Shadow Empire.

Sorry you are disappointed, but we need your feedback to improve or fix the game.
What scenario or behavior did you dislike?

Ok, I'll bite.

In order of importance :

1) Fix the artillery. I'll begin the AM 18th Dec turn of my first campaign, and the AI didn't fire its artillery a single time. Worse, it continues to put it at the front lines, and moves it every turn without any visible logic. In my game, AI already lost 569 guns against 28 for the Germans.

A simple rule proposal :

IF arty in enemy LOS and enemy unit is at 5 hexes or less : retreat west.
Otherwise, fire at the target that will take the most casualties.
At the very least : stay put to use opportunity fire.

2) Fix the infantry. AI moves too much, does not attack at all and put its INF in field and open hexes without entrenchment.

Again, AI should move a lot less. Losses for INF so far : 19100 against 2148. I was at only 1450 losses last turn. AI eventually launched an attack against the garrison at the south end of the map, killing a few hundreds.

The game has a lot of interesting concepts, I really want to like it. Unfortunately, the AI level is so low that I stopped playing for the moment.

I've lost every scenario I've tried - so I think the game is too difficult - perhaps you guys are all too clever and should do something useful other than play games.

Thanks for reporting.
We take note of every feedback.

Agree the AI seems to move around too much.
Other than that, I've been pleased with the AI so far. AI units seem to attack-maneuver-retreat in a logical manner based on unit strength vs. opposition and terrain.
AI will always be at a disadvantage so any additional capability you can give it would be appreciated.
Thanks for taking the time to develop a great game.
G

The AI is a complete waste of time if you're playing as Allies. If I'd bought on steam I would have refunded. The Axis AI, in every scenario I've played, is easily beaten on the very hardest settings. It does nothing. I was very disappointed. I have a feeling you're meant to play as Axis maybe, but I've never tried that. I gave up playing it pretty soon and haven't touched it for ages. Just saw this thread when I was looking here to see if there had been any updates to improve the AI. No such luck. I suppose it's a great game PBEM, but it's not worth playing as Allies against the AI and I'm guessing the dev knows this all too well (he's not stupid).