Hype vs Reality

[ng cavscout]

I guess this is what comes from trolling through the archives. I was checking some of the threads from 1999. I know, I know, talk about desperate for new CM posts!!!

Anyway, two snippets really grabbed my attention, but I am sure there are more. These are items that make me curious as to what happened. Were they just hype? Or did something change, pre-release, and if so, why?

First, there was a description of how good the AI was, how it could detect a strong defense, and withdraw its units from one axis of attack, and manuever them to another, outflanking the human player.

AI Story

Now, as we all know, the AI is legendary for its incompetence in the attack. I haven't played on the defense against the AI in a long time, but I can't ever remember it shifting its axis of attack. While not worse than most other AI opponents, the CM AI still leaves alot to be desired.

Am I being too hard on the CM AI? Were its capabilities overstated during beta testing? Did the AI get worse prior to release?

Second is a statement that re-crewing of abandoned vehicles would be in the release version, and in the same thread, some beta tester stated that he had vehicles re-crew while playing the game.

re crewing statement

When and why was this removed?

Now, this is probably old news, but with nothing new in the CMSF forum, I thought I would stir up some old mud. Try to get an interesting conversation not needing tinfoil hats going.

If anyone else wants to throw anything into the mix, go ahead. If this post is just old hat and doesn't interest anyone, just let it languish, and it will soon fade into obscurity.

[slysniper]

I do not play the AI much, but I have seen it preform the first function. I remember one battle where it had its forces committed to the middle of the map. I knowing it to never change tactics pulled my units from the right flank and then watched as it pulled units and sent them down that flank to try and outflank my armor. Made for a interesting game, but I cannot tell you how it was triggered but that it did happen. Pretty rare though.

[John Kettler]

NG cavscout,

In my early days with the game, the AI repeatedly beat me at normal settings in QBs when it was attacking, but this was with very small forces involved, pure armor only on AI side. It definitely switched attack axes and made very good, almost diabolical, use of the terrain.

I suspect that the AI's decision making simply implodes at some point once the force it has to run reaches a certain size. Certainly, it doesn't handle infantry well, coming through the same piece of exposed ground over and over again, while ignoring better protected routes of advance. Of course, it's even worse with artillery!

Regards,

John Kettler

[ng cavscout]

John Kettler,

I agree, when using small forces, and when the human is attacking, the AI does a pretty good job of it, I have been beaten while on the offense by the AI in the past. I have also noticed, as you stated, that AI use of artillery, unless given visible targets during the first turn, where it can assign pre-plotted barrages, tends to be, suboptimal (to be kind).

Slysniper,

Maybe I just haven't played the AI enough, or given it the correct situations in order to see it shift forces and attempt to outflank me.

Thanks for the responses guys.