Reflections on AI behaviour in 1.05a

[Hyazinth von Strachwitz]

Sirs,

at first I need to say I`m deeply impressed by the AI improvements in 1.05a... D-Day script, Algiers, Tunisia, Tobruk, France... that all seems very good to me.

But there are two things I don`t understand.. maybe that helps for 1.06

(1) Allied Bombers in 1941/42

I play the Axis and hold France.. UK and American Bombers are working. But what I don`t understand: Why do they just bomb the ports from 1 down to 0? Doesn`t bring any benefit.. bombing ports is fine when you want top prevent an invasion, but once the ports are below 5, why bomb them twice a turn? In ealier versions the Bomber command shrunk Brest and Brussels down to zero... that did always cost me a lot of MPPs. That is a small step back.

(2) Defense of Egypt

I`m playing the axis as well.. Allied forces control Egypt, Tobruk, El Agheila and fight the Italians in Tripolis. The english and Commonwealth troops have 2 HQ, a bomber, a fighter, a tank and a couple of corps. I launch an amphib invasion from Greece with HQ, 1 army, 1 Corps, 2 Tanks and 2 Fighters... I take Tobruk and cut the supply line south of Tobruk so the Allied forces cannot operate back.. meanwhile the AF take Tripolis. So there are almost evenly matched forces.. AF have the sea supremacy, so any of my units close to the shores get bombarded. I decided to take out Alexandria first, because if Egypt surrendes, the commonwealth troops disappear. So I close in onto Alexandria.. just to find the Pioneer unit sitting next to the El Alamein Entrechment having their lunch.. and Alexandria was left unguarded.. I think there is room for improvements.

Apart from that I love the new AI.

[TaoJah]

i can't comment ont he bomber thingy (the game never gets to a point where he bombs me), but the defence of capitals is indeed still... shaky.

He defends Paris, Stalingrad and Alexandria with a HQ. And yes, if you lure his troops away from their positions around Alexandria, he leaves it undefended :-(

I reported the HQ-defence, but it wasn't changed.

I didn't notice the Alexandria-thing while testing (probably because I always went to attack Alexandria head on early), but in my lastest two games, he came out of his defence positions around alexandria (probably because I took more time to go to Africa, first taking some minors) and always left Alexandria undefended :-(

Will be patched, I guess.

[Hyazinth von Strachwitz]

Hopefully... if HC´s good work continues, we have a perfect game in version 1.08 or 1.09....

[Edwin P.]

From my point of view, the AI was a 4 when released. Its now about a 6. With slight tweaking it will be a 7. Then it will take a great deal more work to create the AI scripts to get it to a 9 or 10.

Personally, I would like to see HC work on the Axis scripts (for 1.07), and then focus on the Allied Scripts (for 1.08).

[Hyazinth von Strachwitz]

@ Edwin P: Agreed.. but to program all the scripts and to the playtesting takes lot of time. I think most game developers wouldn`t put as much effort in patches as HC does... but I think all this is a kind of preparation for SC3..

[Korut Zelva]

Maybe have a special rule for the AI where operating unit is free, so it wouldn't be penalized as much from operating troops around.

I still wish it would invest more in tech. My first game vs the AI after the patch it attacked russia with lvl 3 anti-tank/infantry weapons. Since I was playing carelessly (like leaving Egypt underdefended to those new free axis units), I decided to start over. But I've played many game since but most of the time Germany is still sitting at lvl 1 around barbarossa. I should have kept that big tech game that would have been a decent challenge. >.<

Maybe germany could conquer Norway after France if Norway is neutral and alligned with allies.

[Edwin P.]

The problem with the tech researc, is that I believe the AI researchs tech after it purchases units. If so, it would be good to have another tech plan that executed before the production plan. Then you could have a tech plan that gets priority while Russia is at peace, and reduce its priority after the Axis is at war with Russia. Aka, the Amphibious Minor script.

[Korut Zelva]

I finished a game, in the end the USA and like 5000 mpp. But they didn't have his tech maxed or bought all their land and air unit under the hard limit. XD

[ChrisND]

I am working on scripts right now to resolve that problem. Basically I am scaling my scripts to difficulty level selected. So the default scripts are used at beginner level (0%). If you select 50% or 100%, different scipts are activated that let the AI take advantage of the extra MPPs. I have a beta version of the Axis out, it will soon be updated and have an Allied version added with it.

I am also experimenting with making the purchase, research, and diplomacy scripts activate and deactivate not by date, but by the strategic situation.

[Hyazinth von Strachwitz]

@ Korut Zelva & Normal Dude:

I made the same experiences... I finished a game yesterday, and USA had like 6750 MPPs left.. but almost no land units, tech not maxed out, no ships and so on..

I have an idea why this might not work out: once you destroy a unit and it doesn`t have supply, its name disappears from the list of units you can buy.. and I think the AI can only pick unit from this list... otherwise it would not make sense for the AI not to have all his land units and ship..

Do you think that`s possible?

[Edwin P.]

You can fix this problem by giving the AI a date specific purchase - Type 0 - script that execute once a year and uses all of its MPPs - i.e. Trigger 100: Corps= 100 [5], Armor= 100 [5], etc.

What if the AI Purchase and Tech Plans had parameters for MPP Balance?

Then you could have a purchase script that executes; 100% trigger, if the MPP Balance is 2000MPP or more.

Example: #MMP_Bank= 2000

Example: #MPP_Bank= 0 (default)

[Hyazinth von Strachwitz]

Sounds like a good idea to me... but finally HC and his team has to decide.

[TaoJah]

Originally posted by Hyazinth von Strachwitz:

USA had like 6750 MPPs left.. but almost no land units, tech not maxed out, no ships and so on..

I have an idea why this might not work out: once you destroy a unit and it doesn`t have supply, its name disappears from the list of units you can buy.

No, that's not the reason. When I end the game, the US also has thousands of MPPs even though I never destroyed a single American unit because the game is over before D-Day. Must be another reason.

[Hyazinth von Strachwitz]

@ TaoJah:

Good to hear... I wonder what the real reason might be.

Do you have any idea how we could help HC and his team with this issue?

[Blashy]

Pretty much all my games vs. the AI on either sides ends up with it not using all of its MPPs when it could do plenty with it.

Hubert is aware and I wager he is working on a solution.

[John DiFool the 2nd]

I'd also like to see a lessening of these AI attacks

at bad odds (for an attack): far too often I'll see

an AI unit leave entrenchment to walk up to one of

my units and whack it, often taking more damage than

it inflicts on me.