Strategic Command AI

[Benedict151]

Hello all

Please use this thread for posting your key comments and observations on the AI, especially any odd or poor decisions.

thanks

Ben Wilkins

[crispy131313]

Just a few observations that stood out to me:

•USSR AI has failed to prioritize Infantry Tech - This is game breaking if the AI does not IMO
•AI has to do a better job of protecting Air Fleets in the Middle East after Egypt surrender (Maybe operate out of the Theater would be best)
•Allied Navy AI in the Mediterranean is not aggressive in my game - Allowed me too much time to build up my Navy
•Talinn - An Industrial center had no garrison (summer 1941)
•Kharkov and Kursk - No Garrison, but Belgorod did (the town right between the two - Fall 1941)
•Alexandria was only defended by Garrison when multiple Corps units were outside the city (early 1942) - The city was too easy to capture, and it should not have been if a Corps was inside the city instead
•USSR/France though understandingly not aggressive (Apparently USSR will be later) should be more opportunistic in trying to kill low strength units

[crispy131313]

No Garrison in Saratov (City)

This seems unusual given how highly contested each hex is immediately southward, and this is the route to Kubyshev

Some notes:
Kubyshev is the current USSR Capital
Game date May 7, 1943
USSR currently has 60 land units

[John B.]

The Italian AI was not the best for its navy. They gathered around one ship near Taronto in the face of a host of British and French BBs and were then exterminated. The Germans seems to be doing a pretty good job with their subs and with clearing their own sea lanes. German attacks have been good so far. Poland and France fell about on time. They have pushed to the historical limit in Russia. Probably a bit supbar since Hitler seized all of Poland in 1939.

[sPzAbt653]

The Soviet Black Sea Fleet is in love with the red highlighted hex. They park a unit there every turn, and every turn the adjacent Rumanian Armies wipe it out. The Soviet Fleet will soon be kaput !

Edit: I am Axis human, computer is running the Soviets.

[Ason]

Yes that happened to me also.

[Ostwindflak]

The Russian's do the same in my game. Also I have been building my own Atlantic Wall with an engineer unit along the coast in France. The units I have garrisoned there are attacked almost every turn by the RN. They pull up to the coast to bombard and sometimes use CV strikes. They do almost no damage, but it is 1942. Seems a bit odd as I doubt they are setting up to invade.

[Ason]

They landed in 1943 in my game, and 1944, and 1945[:D]

[sPzAbt653]

Same here, and now that I have taken Egypt, the computer moved the UK Med. Fleet back to England. This is an amazing feat of programming to be seen in a game ! However, maybe an event to move a percentage of that force off-map to the Pacific ? [Because I am assuming that when Alexandria is captured by the Axis, there is an event that tells the Med. Fleet to head home, and maybe if that happened historically, it wouldn't be unreasonable to expect part of that fleet to head to the Pacific].

[TheBattlefield]

ORIGINAL: crispy131313


•AI has to do a better job of protecting Air Fleets in the Middle East after Egypt surrender (Maybe operate out

Beside this, I think the AI should generally know that Air Force units are not appropriate troops to block the enemy or for protecting a resource. Particularly if many suitable infantry units are available. Such behavior was observed repeatedly in an AI turn.

[ncc1701e]

ORIGINAL: TheBattlefield

ORIGINAL: crispy131313


•AI has to do a better job of protecting Air Fleets in the Middle East after Egypt surrender (Maybe operate out

Beside this, I think the AI should generally know that Air Force units are not appropriate troops to block the enemy or for protecting a resource. Particularly if many suitable infantry units are available. Such behavior was observed repeatedly in an AI turn.

Agree, I have seen this too. Coming back on stacking once more, looks like the AI already know that an air unit could be protected by a ground unit. [:D]

[TheBattlefield]

ORIGINAL: ncc1701e

ORIGINAL: TheBattlefield

ORIGINAL: crispy131313


•AI has to do a better job of protecting Air Fleets in the Middle East after Egypt surrender (Maybe operate out

Beside this, I think the AI should generally know that Air Force units are not appropriate troops to block the enemy or for protecting a resource. Particularly if many suitable infantry units are available. Such behavior was observed repeatedly in an AI turn.

Agree, I have seen this too. Coming back on stacking once more, looks like the AI already know that an air unit could be protected by a ground unit. [:D]

Unfortunately, the game does not support "stacking". But how about a new context function for the previously absent "Infantry Brigade", which is already prepared for the game? Perhaps the developers could add a "protect adjacent air/support unit (Air Force, Arti, Anti Air, Engineer, HQ, etc.)" order for these unit. So (with full action points) this unit could perform a defensive action (like the artillery). In an attack of the enemy the Brigade would take over the defense and not the weak support unit.

[sPzAbt653]

Maybe Air Units should be made to automatically re-base if attacked by a Ground Unit ?

[BillRunacre]

They do have a 50% chance of retreating if attacked by a ground unit when they are at low strength.

It's no higher because otherwise players could at times experience a frustrating whack-a-mole type situation where they chase an air unit around, with it taking 'umpteen attacks to destroy it.

[crispy131313]

Would it be possible to have air units retreat multiple hexes on first encounter? This would eliminate whack a mole and would also move them away from the front line

[xwormwood]

The German Afrika Korps (when AI controlled) should have at least one fighter unit, and this air force should stay put in Africa.

[xwormwood]

Greece:
After the Axis AI captured Athens, Greece did surrender.
An UK Garrison remained in Kalamarta. The AI appears to have no battle plan to free all of the Greek towns and places, as it ignores the enemy presence for at least 6 month by now, while an AI army sits just one hex away in Patras.

[sPzAbt653]

My first time playing, I'm the Axis on beginner vs. the computer Allies with no bonus.

At the beginning of 1944 the overall situation is fairly historical in Russia, the Allies did an Overlord in 1943 and still hold beach heads in Brittany and Normandy. In the Mediterranean the DAK and Italians took Egypt-Palestine-Irag-Iran and continued towards Baku where they ran into thick Soviet units around the border of Iran-Russia and are stopped. I think the Western Allies might have done more in the Mediterranean. There was no Torch and the USA did not send any units to Egypt/Iraq/Saudi Arabia . I know that Eisenhower was against sending any US units to the Middle East, but if the computer is not going to execute a Torch in West Africa, then it seems like maybe it should send some help to the Brits in the Middle East. Maybe something like this is in there and it hasn't been activated yet in my game. If it doesn't exist, I know it is a difficult thing to add but it just seems like, regardless Ike's historical position, that the USA would have done something to protect all the oilfields in the Middle East. Plus it might make the ME a little more difficult for the Axis to over run.

Maybe a Torch in 42 or 43, or if not then a few units to Egypt [or Iraq if Egypt is over run]. This might make the Computer Opponent a little better [as I don't think a few US units would be missed from Overlord].

Just my early opinion.

[sPzAbt653]

The computer made some nice Allied landings in Normandy and Brittany in 1943 and struck fear in me, but over the next year plus I slowly wiped them out. As you can see in the screenshot, the computer lines up his transports turn after turn to get wiped out by the U-Boats. I sorta guess that if he has a port available, he will try to land what he can, but he could probably use some help in recognizing that he can't land. Since a unit can be transported and landed in one turn, there shouldn't be a need to stack up outside the port and wait [like the Allies did historically !] if it is at all possible to program.

[Ason]

I've started a new campaign as Axis on expert and full experience bonus, and I'm happy to say there seems to be a noticable differance in the skill of the AI. I'm just curious what does the experience bonus do exactly? The enemy units don't seem to have any extra experience and they don't really seem to hit harder or anything like that. So is the experience bonus purely affecting the intelligence/aggressiveness of the AI? If so, that is really great!:D

I'm only at the very start of Barbarossa so I will have to go a bit further to really know but so far the AI seems better. I'm even being pushed back in Egypt[:D]