Surrender

[jpmcrowley]

I’ve noticed, through several re-plays of the demo scenarios, that when the AI is beaten it always surrenders.

While this might be an appropriate response, when the bulk of its forces are surrounded and/or in very close proximity to superior numbers of enemy forces, in the majority of cases this is not so.

In a recent Reisberg replay, playing as the Germans, the AI controlled US forces surrendered on turn 26. However, most of their remaining units were in good cover (woods mainly), several were still in reasonable order and quite a few were several hundred metres from the German line of defence. A more realistic response IMO would have been to break off the attack and withdraw.

While it is good to see that the AI is able to “realise” that it is beaten (presumably being triggered by loss of global morale) I think that a more realistic response, appropriate to the conditions, should apply (i.e. attacking units break-off and withdraw; defending units break of and retreat etc.

This may seem a little ‘nit-picky’, after all a win is a win, but given the overall realism of the rest of CM , this is an area that jars a little, for me at least.

Also, as an aside, I would really like to know on what basis the final ratio of KIA to WIA is calculated in the AAR (asked this before but never got an answer).

Cheers

Jim

[Guest Zigster]

I agree with you, except in the case of Reisberg & Chance Encounter. Check the dates on those scenarios

[Doug Beman]

Remember that the AI does not have godlike knowledge of your forces any more than you have of its. If the AI is really badly hurt and does not "KNOW" that you are as well, it will assume that you are simply going to annihilate it soon, and will surrender to prevent that. Additionally, once ammo and morale get low enough, troops just plain lose effectiveness. They won't shoot cause they're out of ammo, they won't move cause their morale is really low, and their morale is really low cause they can't shoot.

I've had a few games vs the AI go to the bitter end; hand to hand fighting on the objective area seems a really bassackward way to decide things, but I guess all is fair in war.

DjB