AI Bug from SC1 - Spain as Axis

[Edwin P.]

Note to Playtesters:

In Sc1 if you start the game with Spain & Portugal as Axis the German AI will only attack the Maginot Line. In fact, in a game last night the French, and French alone were able to hold the Axis Armies at the Maginot Line until August 1942!

This was partially due to the fact that Axis Air would first target units behind the Maginot line or naval units along the German shore as opposed to focusing on French units in the Maginor Line.

The Axis AI should have a decision tree that tells it to attack the low countries if the Maginot line has not fallen in X turns.

Ie:

1. Does AI attack France via Low Countries or Maginot Line.

2. IF attack via MAGINOT Line > and NO SUCCESS in X Turns Then Attack Low Countries.

PS: The GAME was with FOW Off and the AI could see that the Low countries border was not guarded.

PS: Perhaps the Axis AI should have a great chance to attack via the Low Countries if the Low Country border titles are not garrisonned.

Example:

1. Primary Axis Attack 70% Low Countries, 30% Maginot Line

+10% Low Countries if Border titles not garrisonned.

+70% Maginot Line if Maginot Tile not garrisonned.

2. If Primary Maginot Line Attack not successful in X turns then DOW Benelux countries.

Also, based on Blashy's AAR, I would consider having the French units in the Maginot line start the game fully entrenched. This would recreate the reason why the Axis did not attempt a direct assault against this line of fortifications.

Or Perhaps if the French abandon the Maginot Line on Turn 1 then Spain becomes +XX% more pro Axis.

[ November 27, 2005, 10:03 AM: Message edited by: Edwin P. ]

[guinty1]

v the AI u can hold france no probs ,just DOW LC in turn 2/3

[Edwin P.]

guinty1, I agree and that is a good strategy vs the AI as it deprives them of MPPs.

However, I am looking to make the game more interesting against the Axis AI.

In this case having Spain start the game as Allied with the Axis did not help as the AI did not take advantage of the diversion of French forces from the front and the Human controlled Allies easily conquered Spain and Portugal while the German AI knocked themselves senseless against the Maginot line.

PS: I tried this twice, in Case 1 the AI only attacked the Maginot Line, in Case 2 the AI attacked the Low Countries in 1941 after wasting many turns attacking the Maginot line and allowing the French to conquer Iberia. :eek:

Perhaps a better strategy would have been to have the Spain join the Axis after the Low Countries Surrender as the Allied forces would all be on the Eastern French Border., but I know not how to implement this in SC1, though it could be implemented in Sc2.

PS: Looking forward to a much improved AI in SC2.

[ November 27, 2005, 10:05 PM: Message edited by: Edwin P. ]

[jon_j_rambo]

@Eddie --- The entire SC-1 A.I. is a bug. It's impossible to design a great A.I. with a complex game.

[Mr.Dozer]

i tried it on campaign 2 fall gleb. worked fine.

[JerseyJohn]

Originally posted by jon_j_rambo:

... It's impossible to design a great A.I. with a complex game.

Exactly, Brother Rambo. The most complex game on this subject was High Command (DOS) and it had, by far, the worst AI. Incredibly, it didn't have a human vs human mode.

When I said in the other thread that I hoped someday to play a really good AI (in a really good war game), I was talking about slightly future technology and probably in both hardware and software. But I think we'll all see it on personal computers. Perhaps in, five years ?