Indifferent AI performance

[graham]

I've played 3 games fully through and have managed to win total victories each time. Once as the Axis player in Last Defence ( I didn't lose a tank and took out all three Hellcats in the first turn that they appeared on top of the hill).

Once as the Americans attacking Reisberg.

And in the last game as the Germans defending Reisberg the whole of the American force surrendered! I took out all four Shermans (2 by an 88, one a panzerschreck and one a panzerfaust). The AI got the Americans to mill about around the road and to their left a bit whilst I used up all my 88HE and mortar ammo blasting them. I swung a pltn out right and attacked their left flank which was uncovered and counter-attacked with my reserve pltn on the front right of Reisberg to eject an Allied foothold gained there. I had taken three units prisoner by then and around turn 27-28 the whole lot surrendered - Company HQ and everything. I don't have a 3d card yet so it takes ages to play one game (maybe 4-6 hours with horrible mouse lag) but I haven't been giving anything like a decent game yet by the AI. Is this a statistical fluke which will iron out when I get a 3d card and can play more games and will then get hammered or what?

The fact that I play these four-hour games shows what a great game I think this is by the way.

[Doug Beman]

BTS has said quite often that the AI has been reworked and tweaked and fiddled so much that it's almost a whole new system. The full-product will behave much differently (and hopefully much more consistently) than the beta AI.

That said, some other reasons that you got the victory you did:

1) in the beta the AI is forced to use default setups, which in Riesberg have the Shermans marching right down the road. The German default setup puts a decent amount of firepower on the road, and if you fiddle with it you can get even more. Of course, playing vs humans is different, as most players realize the dangers of that straight, treelined road.

2) Simple luck; my first game of Riesberg (vs AI like you) both my 88s got whacked without scoring even a hit on a Sherman, let alone a kill. (then the PS teams killed all 4 Shermas!) Playing vs humans, I've only been able to score 2 kills with the 88s before the guns are either destroyed or so supressed they don't fire again. (gotta make sure there's a command unit near the guns to keep the crews going)

DjB

[Major Tom]

I am encountering a nasty shock doing these PBEM games. The opponent is MUCH harder. I agree that the AI for the Beta Demo is really good, but, their actions can get to be predictable. The only games vs the AI that I was losing was by the Germans on Risenburg (my first game) and the Americans on last defence. However, in my two PBEM games for Chance Encounter the real players are much more aggressive, so, basically all the tactics I use against the AI are innefective vs a human player.