ADAman Posted March 13, 2001 Share Posted March 13, 2001 I'm curious to know how much of a handicap players give the AI and in what form they give it, more troops or more experience. Going in to a scenerio cold, do you try and give it a handicap you believe will make for a dead even game or one that just makes it tougher to win? FWIW, as a rookie who is still learning the game, I prefer raising the experience level. I haven't yet figured out if I can get an equal game this way but I don't like giving additional assets because it changes the dynamics of the scenario more than I like (too much "defense in depth", too easy to cover all the access routes, that sort of thing). Any data points would be appreciated (percentages, experience, differences between offense and defense...). ------------------ Air Defense: Shoot 'em down, sort 'em out on the ground (AKA - if it flies, it dies) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimmy Yarbrough Posted March 13, 2001 Share Posted March 13, 2001 In the QBs I usually give the attacker a +25% handicap (sometimes +50%). Because, frankly, it gives me more stuff to destroy. When I attack,usually as the allies, I don't handicap at all. Maybe as I get better I will. ------------------ Your Most Humble, Obedient Servant, Jimmy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peterk Posted March 13, 2001 Share Posted March 13, 2001 You're looking for a setting in which you will get mostly draws against the computer so experiment a little bit. I use +1 experience and +25% troops and I have trouble getting onto the victory side in everything I play like this (about 25 scenarios so far). GIve it a shot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vergeltungswaffe Posted March 13, 2001 Share Posted March 13, 2001 Mostly, +2. So its troops won't break so easily. Under some circumstances, +1 and 25%. If I feel like attacking some elite troops in a QB, +3. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest fytinghellfish Posted March 13, 2001 Share Posted March 13, 2001 Handicap? What the hell would I do that for? I've had this game for months now and I still get my ass kicked by Green troops. If I should ever beat regular Germans, I might go looking for a PBEM/TCP game, but until then.. I'll suffer at the hands of something that doesn't outwardly mock me. ------------------ hellfish erk! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ciks Posted March 13, 2001 Share Posted March 13, 2001 I have to say that i rarely give force handicap to the AI in quickbattles (i like it balanced). But i ALWAYS play with +3 AI experience level (note: this is not a unit experience level +3 but some kind of AI boost). I find a big difference between 0 and +3 setting. For example, if I lead my force with some armored car (as discussed in "Thin vehicle recon" post), AI with 0 experience setting will rarely open up all its AT assets to deal with a lone armored car. Insted it waits for some real stuff to come in LOS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pascal DI FOLCO Posted March 13, 2001 Share Posted March 13, 2001 Usually +1 exp, sometimes +25% troops. The other day I tried a QB with +100% AI attacker handicap, I was chewed up by an armed mob when my scarce elite troops ran out of ammo !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Head Mahone Posted March 13, 2001 Share Posted March 13, 2001 +3 experience always, and 25% handicap usually. Only on a really well made scenario, where the AI has a great defense is the handicap not necessary. When the AI attacks he's GOT to have the boost. Nothing quite like facing the hordes of platoon HQs charging over open fields Gettysburg style! -Oh where would we be without PBEM/TCP/IP!?! -Head ------------------ "I don't need my junkie friends all knockin' at my door. I just wanna do an old time waltz with a buxom Irish whore!" -Shane MacGowan [This message has been edited by Head Mahone (edited 03-13-2001).] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vanir Posted March 13, 2001 Share Posted March 13, 2001 In an attack/defend QB against the AI I will be the attacker with a -30% points penalty. This gives me about an equal force but I'm the attacker. I also like to use random weather, heavy forest map and give the AI VG SMG squads or Fusiliers. In turn I take vanilla British troops. It can be a challenge. ------------------ What a bunch of horsecrap. -Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Andrew Hedges Posted March 13, 2001 Share Posted March 13, 2001 I usually give the AI +50% in numbers and +1 experience. I give less in probes because the AI is very good (or I'm very bad). Occasionally I'll purchase the AI's units for it. This reduces FOW, but sometimes gives a better battle. Also, if I purchase Vets for the AI, they are crack with a +1 experience level, and very effective against, say, regulars. ------------------ WOOT! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Rex_Bellator Posted March 14, 2001 Share Posted March 14, 2001 I prefer to base the handicap on the opposition I'm facing, ie. give the Allies a large force % bonus and give the Germans a large experience bonus which seems roughly the most 'realistic' way to me. I know there have been plenty of occasions where Germans outnumbered Allies or Allies were more experienced but it just feels better for me that way in a random encounter. While I'm here can anyone explain exactly what the AI experience bonus does? The manual infers that the troop quality will be upgraded but I've fought against conscripts while the AI had an experience bonus so this clearly does not happen. This is just about my last 'grey area' with this game so any clarification is appreciated. Thanks in advance ------------------ In blossom today then scattered, life is so like a delicate flower, how can one expect the fragrance to last forever Vice Admiral Takijiro Ohnishi - Commander Kamikaze Special Attack Force Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romanov Posted March 14, 2001 Share Posted March 14, 2001 I enjoy the occasional +200% to the AI QB. It's not really meant to be won, but its fun trying to do as much damage as you can before you're overrun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olle Petersson Posted March 14, 2001 Share Posted March 14, 2001 Originally posted by Romanov: I enjoy the occasional +200% to the AI QB. It's not really meant to be won, but its fun trying to do as much damage as you can before you're overrun.Seems cool, especially if you're the defender of an Assault. The AI get low quality troops and you get High quality... Let the massacre begin. Cheers Olle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Andrew Hedges Posted March 15, 2001 Share Posted March 15, 2001 Originally posted by Rex_Bellator: While I'm here can anyone explain exactly what the AI experience bonus does? The manual infers that the troop quality will be upgraded but I've fought against conscripts while the AI had an experience bonus so this clearly does not happen. This is just about my last 'grey area' with this game so any clarification is appreciated. Thanks in advance Giving the AI a +1, etc. *does* increase the experience level of the troops to the next highest level, it just doesn't change the labels on the troops. You can see this if you set up a QB with "medium" experience and purchase troops for the AI (and for yourself). Even where the experience level thing at the top of the purchase screen says veteran, you will notice that the troops you buy on the purchase screen (the screen on the right where all of your purchased troops show up), the purchased troops will show up as "crack" if you've given the AI +1 experience. I don't know what happens if you give the AI a +3 experience level and it purchases elite troops to begin with. Maybe the troops move *before* you give them orders. I think I'll experiment. ------------------ WOOT! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawkeye Posted March 15, 2001 Share Posted March 15, 2001 I prefer +200% forces and +3 experience against the AI in ALL scenarios. I am especially fond of doing so when defending with conscripted Volkssturm. Oh, and I always win too. Hawkeye Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StellarRat Posted March 15, 2001 Share Posted March 15, 2001 Originally posted by Romanov: I enjoy the occasional +200% to the AI QB. It's not really meant to be won, but its fun trying to do as much damage as you can before you're overrun. That's how I like to play too. Actually, I have won or gotten draws in a lot of games where the AI had +200 and I was defending. Although, I was usually overrun in the end I managed to inflict enough casualities that the AI lost. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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