Mini AI challenge

[JasonC]

Gentlemen:

On another thread, Hans mentioned a particular force he drew once in a small QB with computer chosen forces. He meant it as an illustration of an impossible force to try to use. But in fact, in the right setting it can make for a fun and challenging little fight - with emphasis on the "little".

The defending German force, 300 pt attack scenario, is the following -

1 regular rifle 45 platoon

1 SPW-251/1 MG halftrack

3 daisy chain AT mine

4 roadblock

1 wire

This tiny force of 33 men must face 450 points of attackers. How can this be made an interesting fight?

Setting - March 1945, thus panzerfaust-100s are available, and the infantry is the 45 type rather than the 44. Thus each squad gets LMG, MP40, 2 MP44, 5 Rifle, and 2 Panzerfaust 100. Make the time of day dawn. The weather is rain. Length 20 turns. And most importantly, use the "town" terrain type.

You will get a very small map width wise, because the fight is only 300 pts in scale. And with "town" terrain, you should find the buildings, roadblocks, AT mines and wire, can cover the map width. Otherwise put, you can block off street with the daisy chains and roadblocks, creating a sort of mini-fortified area somewhere inside the town.

Pick just one objective to defend. Block off vehicle access not only to that objective, but to points close enough to see it, if possible. Defend the objective area - or any gaps cunningly left in the barricades to draw enemy vehicles into faust ambush - with the infantry, of course. Try to catch enemy infantry in the street, instead of dueling across them.

Two half-squads can provide both warning time via sighting, and single faust ambush points, while most of the infantry tries to protect the objective.

And husband that halftrack. From inside your little fortified area, it can sortie here or there to hose down intruders with its MG. Always avoiding LOS lines past your blockades, or the areas where enemy vehicles have been identified.

Your other big asset is an AI attacker. Try to hold the objective, or at least inflict as many causalties as you lose yourself. It will play very fast; the set up and ambush plan will be half the battle.

I hope some find this little idea fun. I did.

[lcm1947]

Well it might be fun - if I was the attacker. Sounds like the AI will win to me but it would be interesting to see what somebody really good at this game could do. I know let's pick Kiwi Guy to do it.

[ParaBellum]

Impossible?

I just tried it.

First time I got my butt kicked by the AI, next time I got my revenge.

I chose the setup Jason suggested with a small map and 30 turns.

AI chose british forces, 1 infantry platoon, 1 engineer platoon, a 4.2" FO, a Humber, a universal carrier and some additional mortars and PIATs.

I blocked all entrances to the town with road blocks and daisy-chain mines. I placed my infantry inside a large, L-shaped heavy building behind the first row of buíldings. My 251/1 was placed behind a building so that it could fire into the flanks of advancing infantry.

The AI attacked with its infantry platoons one after the other. I had placed my men inside the buildings away from the windows, so that the enemy infantry only got LOS when they already entered the house. The enemy squads got badly mauled by the MG fire of the HT, entered the building and were immediatly pinned down. The first enemy platoon was wiped out in a single minute.

Then a Humber and the MG carrier appeared.

I moved two squads from the rear of the building to the front, they fired their Panzerfäuste and knocked the Humber out. The MG carrier reversed right into some daisy-chain mines and got knocked out, too.

The rest of his infantry was hit by my 251/1 untill a 2" mortar knocked him out. The AI smoked the whole area with the 4.2" and attacked piecemeal with single squads. Every squad was targetet at close range (<30m) and was routet/killed in seconds.

On turn 25 the AI surrendered.

Result:

AI casualties:

62

11 captured

2 mortars knocked out

2 vehicles knocked out

My losses:

2 (1 KIA)

1 vehicle knocked out

Score:

AI: 10

Me: 90

I would like to post the victory screen but since Photopoint is charging money for their service...

The battle went perfectly for me, and it's the first time since I play CM that my infantry didn't suffer a single casualty!

(The casualties were the crew of the 251/1)

cheers

[ 08-30-2001: Message edited by: ParaBellum ]

[Juju]

Jason, always a joy to read your informative posts and the things you come up with.