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I just finished a game against the Confederates set at expert.

All in all the AI didn't pretty good. Definitely an improvement over 1.01. However I do have a couple of thoughts for further improvement.

The AI held out until the end of July, the longest game I've had so far. It surrendered after Richmond fell. However it still held quite a bit of territory and had enough troops in the field to keep fighting for some time, if its fighting spirit hadn't dropped so much due to loss of units.

I was wondering if it would be possible to either set the initial FS of the AI higher, especially at the higher difficulties. Or have the AI take less of a hit for losing units. Or add more events to boost their FS.

One of the reasons it lost Richmond was that even though it had built a great fortified line in front of Richmond, and even manned it with corps, those corps left the line just to kill a couple of gunboats. They returned to the line, but it lost the advantage of full entrenchment. I don't know if it would be possible, but it would be nice if it was harder to lure the AI out of fortified positions. I also still think that both the Richmond and Washington city hexes need to be made level 4 fortifications at some point in the game.

Speaking of gunboats. They are way to strong at naval weapons 2. I was devastating Confederate corps with just the 3 gunboats I had in the James. They really need to be toned down at level 2. They seem ok at level 1, but at 2 they are death stars. Lol

One last thing. I think the Confederate AI needs to be more aggressive trying to take back ports. I took both Charleston and Wilmington and left one weak division in each, and the AI never attempted to take them back. Sure it would of had to have weakened the front somewhere, but those 2 cities are pretty important and my garrisons were weak, and the AI could of spared a corps. I saw one just being used as a blocking force on the west bank of the Mississippi in the middle of nowhere.

I am very impressed with the Confederate AI so far. Hopefully with just a few more improvements, it will soon be kicking my butt.

Thanks for the description Patrat. Yes, I've also found the AI to be much improved.

You mentioned that the AI held until July. What year?

Oops. 1864 I should of added. Lol

I can certainly add an FS boost for the AI on higher difficulties. Would +10k for Veteran, and then a further +10k for Expert, be about the right amount?

- BNC

That sounds good to me BNC. Anything that will help make the Confederates last closer to the historical end of the war would be welcome.

Any chance on getting the gunboats nerfed a little? I know that some MP guys have been complaining about them as well.

And it would help to have the city hexes of DC and Richmond become level 4 fortifications too.

Thanks for listening.

Patrat wrote: Mon Jul 25, 2022 3:12 pm
One last thing. I think the Confederate AI needs to be more aggressive trying to take back ports. I took both Charleston and Wilmington and left one weak division in each, and the AI never attempted to take them back. Sure it would of had to have weakened the front somewhere, but those 2 cities are pretty important and my garrisons were weak, and the AI could of spared a corps. I saw one just being used as a blocking force on the west bank of the Mississippi in the middle of nowhere.

The AI was actually very aggressive with me trying to re-take New Orleans - stupidly aggressive - throwing Corps into the Louisiana swamps to suffer and die.

Now, while they were crazy on NOLA, they were utterly uninterested in my efforts to take Florida points.

BiteNibbleChomp wrote: Mon Jul 25, 2022 10:49 pm I can certainly add an FS boost for the AI on higher difficulties. Would +10k for Veteran, and then a further +10k for Expert, be about the right amount?

- BNC

I totally support this, and for both side. I would have added 15k myself.