Edwin P.

True, with the gain of 1000+MPP the designer decided that allowing the UK to attack the USA was an obvious game flaw, simarily Germany can't attack Italy.

In the update - any unit that starts a turn in a fortification tile - gains entrenchment level 3.

Excellent points, One item I have asked for in other posts is a plan for Air Units and an option with Garrison units to tell it which type of unit to use. As you observed too often the AI garrisons a city with a HQ unit or an Air Fleet or a Rocket unit. Futhermore, the game does need a plan for engineers. As you noted they never build fortifications and and are used as ground pounders by the AI. I would also like to see the AI track how often the human opponent does a Sea Lion and use this to guide its strategic planning. Example: If the Human Opponent is 50% likely to execute a Sea Lion then position the AI forces accordingly. If the Human opponent is 10% likely to execute a Sea Lion then take a chance and send forces to North Africa or elsewhere.

Nice, list. I especially like the idea of allowing Russia to declare a preemptive war. In fact I would - allow Russia to DOW specific nations such as Turkey, Romania and Finland in addition to Germany. Example: Russia DOW Germany in 1940 or prior --- UK and France offer peace with Germany, which the Axis player can accept or decline. --- Activates convoy routes to Germany from Western Allies as they support Germany's fight against the red menance.

I second this as the current HQ units seem too generic and players tend to build only the highest rated ones as the game does not reflect the unique abilities of each Commander. The question is how to implement this? Do they reduce build times? Donitz reduces build time of Subs by 1 turn. Arnold reduces build time of Bombers by 1 turn Nimitz reduces build time of Carriers by 2 turns Or do they give a readiness bonus? Donitz gives subs a +20% readiness bonus Arnold gives Bombers a +20% readiness bonus Nimitz gives a +20% readiness bonus to Carriers Or do these special HQ units offer some other bonus to selected units? [ August 27, 2006, 08:22 PM: Message edited by: Edwin P. ]

Xmwormwood - Ability to change sides would be great. The AI offers to change sides with you if it is losing and the human player could accept or reject this request. This would not require any modification to the user interface, though a manual option would be much appreciated. Naturally the AI would make this offer only once per game. Mechanics: Popup: "Human, do you wish to change sides? Yes / No" How would the AI calculate that it is losing? As Allies, perhaps on a random turn (10% per turn) after it has lost 2 of 3 Major Cities: London, Moscow and Stalingrad or if the Axis has a 2:1 advantage in units after 1942. [ August 27, 2006, 08:27 PM: Message edited by: Edwin P. ]

In my opinion the most significant restraint to developing an AI with the current version of SC2 is the lack of support for Global Variables. Why? Currently you can not coordinate the selection of production, research, and diplomacy scripts. You can't tell the AI to focus on researching advanced subs and building subs. It may do one or the other or both at its whim. Launching an effective battle for the Atlantic requires the AI to do both at the same time. That said, developing new AI scripts is relatively easy. The hard part is testing them. It would be helpful if you could load a revised AI script into a saved game for testing purposes.

Against the AI you can take Stalingrad and Rostov with long range airborne units, and sometimes human Allied players overlook this.

Is there a way to send a convcy of 2 or 3 units through the transport loops? When I tried it 1 unit went through the loop and the others bypassed the loop and sailed across the Mediterranian.

Looking good, can't wait to see the scripts and the victory conditions!

Retributor, Not quite - as the Human player will be handicapped by partnering with the A.I. Making for a more interesting and frustrating game as your AI partner does not do what you wish it to.

Or perhaps, one of the major nations on the human side could be Allied controlled. Example: Game with Russia Human, UK, France and USA AI, Germany and Italy AI Example: Game with UK, USA and France Human, Russia AI vs Germany and Italy AI

In testing scripts that have the AI invade various neutrals I have found that the chance of success is highly dependent upon the IW tech of the AI nation. I would like to limit offensive and amphibious plan activation to cases where the AI has achieved a specified level of IW research. Example: IW= 2 ; This plan activates if the AI has Infantry Weapons 2 or higher IW= 0 ; This plan would always activate as its IW tech level would always equal or exceed zero

The current ACTIVATE_POSITION parameter is an OR condition. Adding a second parameter called ACTIVATE_AND_POSITION would add functionality to the scripts: Example: Activate if NO UNITS in CITY TILE XX and NO NAVAL Units within 10 tiles of PORT YY Example: Activate if XX Enemy units in RUSSIA and XX Enemy units in Western Europe

I believe that you cannot add new parameters to existing scripts. Any comments HC?

Agreed, Retributar, most strongly. In the current game I always know when the AI is going to launch D-Day, I know that it will not take any coastal cities if I leave them empty and that the AI will not make a strong push to take Egypt, nor will the Axis or Allied AI attempt to take Sweden or Spain or Turkey - ever. (Hint, Hint)

All I want is a much better and unpredictable AI.

Question 2: I don't know of any way to address the AND/OR Naval check as each check (Activate and Cancel) utilizes OR Logic.

Adding the potential for hypothetical strategic decsion points within the standard 1939 campaign would vastly increase the replayability of SC2. Example: What if the the French decided to fight on from their African provinces (Algeria), instead of agreeing to Vichy France? Highly unlikely but it makes for a totally different opening game. What it France and the UK accepted the German conquest of Poland to let the Germans and Soviets fight it out? Another interesting scenario that totally changes the game. What if Germany decided not to divide Poland with Russia, would Russia have attacked Germany?

Interesting scenario, its too bad that SC does not give players a choice - so that the Axis powers can make an offer to the Western Allies, and focus their resources in the East.

Looking forward to trying it out. Nice choice of major powers.

I have. If you have the French unit in a transport when France surrenders I believe that the chances of going Free French are much higher.

The game does not support land convoy routes, perhaps, have Germany annex Albania and have the Vichy convoy route go to the Albanian port.

In my view, the Bomber unit would be ordered to attack a specific convoy tile, similar to an attack on a resource or city tile. The attack would be aborted if it was intercepted. You could even have a random chance for it to be effective; as Canack_para suggested, i.e. attacks against convoy routes have a 50% to damage a convoy route.

Seamonkey, I like your idea. Ships in friendly allied ports should have a greater chance to become Free French or Free British when their parent country surrenders.