Edwin P. Posted December 7, 2003 Share Posted December 7, 2003 Does anyone know how to make the Italian Navy attack? I gave the Italian Navy 12 subs in the Barbarossa campaign and they did nothing. Even when they outnumbered the UK naval forces near Egypt by 16:3. This naval force did not even attempt to interdict UK merchant shipping. I understand why the Italian Navy may adopt a defensive position, but in those cases where it overwhelms the Allied navy forces in the region I believe that it should adopt a more aggressive policy. Perhaps the Italian Naval AI should at least one offensive routine and one defensive routine. I would also like to see the Italian Navy have access to a routine where it would attempt to blockade the Mediterrean to keep out allied naval forces and another routine where it would attempt a breakout into the Atlantic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les the Sarge 9-1 Posted December 7, 2003 Share Posted December 7, 2003 Actually a more relevant question might be, is the presence or possession of available units even a factor in the decisions made by the AI in any circumstance. Will it matter how many air units land units or naval units it possesses? What exactly makes the AI decide to attack in any situation at all. If the Italians had an extra army in North Africa for instance, would it be more aggressive as a result? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edwin P. Posted December 7, 2003 Author Share Posted December 7, 2003 Excellent point. I just started to test it in the Barborossa scenario with FOW Off. I gave the Italians 13 extra subs and 7 carriers and they did not attack. Then I gave them 6 armored in Northern Africa and Tobruk. They used the armor to attack towards Cairo, while their navy did nothing while the UK carrior bombed the attacking armor units. Only when a UK surface ship launched a shore bombardment did the Italian navy (in spite of its 26:3 naval superiority move to attack. When it did it sent in one surface ship at a time, which the small UK navy sunk. After losing serveral ships it then moved 8 subs to the Agean Sea and proceeded to send 2 subs at a time agains the UK fleet and based an air unit on Crete to lend support. With such a naval superiority the Italians should have launched a mass attack at the UK fleet. Ultimately - the UK navy (1 carrier, 1 battleship and 1 cruiser supported by 1 bomber) sunk 4 Italian surface ships, destroyed 2 air units based at Crete and sunk 8 Italian subs by the time I decided to end this test. The 6 Italian Carriers remained in the adriatic guarding Venice and Albania and 1 carrier moved to Guard Athens. What the Italian Navy AI needs is an Offensive Routine that kicks in when it believes that it has Naval superiority. How would this be done. As a first pass, compare the number of Italian ships in the Med vs the Number of Allied ships in the Med. 2:1 or more then a greater chance for an offensive strategy. 1:1 or less then the AI has a greater chance for a defensive strategy. In that case it should use a cheap transport to scout out enemy units and then use its navy in a big rush to attack and sinke the British naval units. Of course, if it determines that it has naval superiority it should consider (say 50%) blockading the eastern mediterrean and building an air unit in tobruk and an extra sub before launching its attack to clear the Eastern Mediterrean - to guarantee victory with minimal losses. [ December 07, 2003, 06:37 PM: Message edited by: Edwin P. ] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edwin P. Posted December 8, 2003 Author Share Posted December 8, 2003 Italian Naval AI Idea 1. Ratio of Italian Ships to Allied Ships in Med. >2:1 Then Offensive Strategy >>> If Difference is 1 unit then build Sub to obtain 2:1 ratio required for offensive operation in the Med. <=1:1 Then Defensive Strategy 2. Possible Strategies for the Italian Naval AI 2.1 Divide the Mediterrean with a line of Ships and Subs from Tobruk north to Athens. 2.2 Clear the Eastern Med of UK Ships 2.3 If Spain is Neutral or Axis Controlled: Blockade the West Med with ships east of Gibraltor. 2.4 Break out from the Med into the Atlantic. 2.5 Take Malta 2.6 Defend the Italian Coast. [ December 08, 2003, 12:37 PM: Message edited by: Edwin P. ] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J P Wagner Posted December 8, 2003 Share Posted December 8, 2003 Edwin has offered so many good options regarding offensive and defensive triggers, that I hope it is possible for some of these to be implemented for the AI...the need for a more agressive AI has been noted many times, by many people... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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