Dynamic Flags to provide AI advantage

[Znarf]

I design only Human v. AI scenarios (author Pefz at the scenario depot). I am starting to design multiple dynamic flag scenarios to provide an AI advantage. Can anyone recommend dynamic flag scenarios at the Scenario Depot? I would like to play through them to see what other authors have done.

My own findings so far:

Multiple dynamic flags over a large map provides the attacking AI with an advantage. With multiple dynamic flags over a large map, the human must disperse his forces to cover unknown bogus flags while the AI may concentrate on the actual flag. If the flags are positioned along particular advance lines, it als becomes more difficult for the human to figure out which flag is the real flag during the battle. By the time the human figures it out, he has lost quite a lot of time and must redeploy his forces, often under fire from the AI.

Testing my current scenario I have also determined that multiple access routes should also be available to each flag. Recall that the acutal flag is picked randomly for each playing; thus, the multiple access routs allow the the AI to pathfind a relatively easy path to the true victory flag.

[junk2drive]

interesting idea. maybe too tough for the human? i'm game.

[Pzman]

Although it is a challenge the first time, don't count on replayablity as the AI will always choose the same Dynamic flage.

[junk2drive]

i rarely replay against the a.i. because the surprise of force makeup is gone.

[Znarf]

Originally posted by Panzerman:

Although it is a challenge the first time, don't count on replayablity as the AI will always choose the same Dynamic flage.

Hmm, I've only seen the same choice occur under the "random" setting. In my scenario, when the dynamic flag is set to be chosen randomly, it is always the same flag that is selected. However, when I set it for the AI attacker to choose the flag, it is randomly chosen. You may want to make sure that the flag option is set to the attacker choosing the flag.

[Znarf]

Originally posted by junk2drive:

i rarely replay against the a.i. because the surprise of force makeup is gone.

There is an easy way around this (well, easy in concept, but not easy to implement - it requires more playtesting). In the scenario I am designing, I have a large number small reinforcement groups (e.g., one infantry platoon for reinforcemnt #1, one or two armored vehicles for reinforcment #2, etc.). They may arrive after a certain turn, but their chance of arrival is a VERY SMALL percentage, e.g., 2-4% for human, 4-8% for AI, or maybe 1-3% for human, and 3-6% for AI. Sometimes reinforcements virtually never show up, sometimes a lot show up, sometimes you overwhelm the enemy, but more often the human is outnumbered. Thus, each replay you end up fighting possibly an entirely different force.

[Hans]

Originally posted by Znarf:

</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by junk2drive:

i rarely replay against the a.i. because the surprise of force makeup is gone.

There is an easy way around this (well, easy in concept, but not easy to implement - it requires more playtesting). In the scenario I am designing, I have a large number small reinforcement groups (e.g., one infantry platoon for reinforcemnt #1, one or two armored vehicles for reinforcment #2, etc.). They may arrive after a certain turn, but their chance of arrival is a VERY SMALL percentage, e.g., 2-4% for human, 4-8% for AI, or maybe 1-3% for human, and 3-6% for AI. Sometimes reinforcements virtually never show up, sometimes a lot show up, sometimes you overwhelm the enemy, but more often the human is outnumbered. Thus, each replay you end up fighting possibly an entirely different force. </font>

[Znarf]

Originally posted by Hans:

*snip*

Howdy Znarf

The technique works but the random factor can sometimes lead to a scenario being to easy or to hard...which is of course the effect one would expect from a random reinforcement method! The following scenarios use that technique.

Small Battles, Norway Encounter and Small Battles Retaliation. [/QB]

Thanks for noting similar scenarios. I will download these and give them a try. BTW, one of my early CMBB scenarios - "Prelude to Kursk" used a similar reinforcment technique - some AI reinforcements had a 7% chance of arriving, and the human reinforcements had a 5% chance.

UPDATE - Small Battles, Encounter Norway 1940 doesn't seem to be available on the Scenario Depot. FYI you may want to double check the ftp link - Paul

[ June 19, 2004, 10:47 PM: Message edited by: Znarf ]

[Hans]

Znarf

Thanks for the heads up the Admiral has been notified. Send me an email and I'll send you Encounter Norway directly