Naval AI Questions - Again

[Edwin P.]

In SC1 the UK Allied always kept the UK fleet in the Eastern Mediterrean.

Question: In SC2 is there any reason why the AI should not choose between more than one strategy; perhaps adding to the keep the fleet anchored at Cairo strategy the 1) withdraw this fleet to the Atlantic or 2) shelter it in the Red Sea options or 3) withdrawing east of Cyprus to ambush any Axis transports or 4)Concentrating the UK navy to sink the Italian Fleet.

PS: I still think that the AI should know how many, but not exactly where, combat ships are in the Atlantic, Mediterrean, Black Sea, Baltic Sea, and Red Sea so that it can plan its naval strategy.

PSS: In addition the AI should base its naval strategy upon how many combat ships that the enemy has. Example, if most of the UK fleet has been sunk the Axis AI should have a higher likihood to build a submarine fleet to wage a battle for the North Atlantic. Similarly, if the Germans have a large naval fleet the Allied AI should consider adopting a Naval Production Strategy.

Example:

German Fleet > 2x Allied Fleet = 100% Naval Production Strategy for the Allies

German Fleet 1.0 to 2.0x Allied Fleet = 70% Naval Production Strategy for Allies

German Fleet < Allied Fleet = 0% Naval Production Strategy for the Allies.

[kozmeister]

Agree, give the PC some intelligence and options regarding naval strategy.

Disagree, Germans should adopt a strategy to build subs if most of the allied naval fleet is sunk?

It's usually not a problem eliminating most of the allied fleet using large sub production alone. Also, the allied AI does not play smart when hunting subs. It runs right into wolf packs constantly with less than overwhelming force.

I can usually sink the majority of its navy by early 1942 this way. How about making subs more vulnerable to surface ships?

KOZMEISTER

[Edwin P.]

I was thinking that if the Human player is foolish enough to takeon the Italian fleet in the early game and sees most of his ships sunk then the AI should consider cranking out subs to dominate the Atlantic.

Conversely, if the human player decides to launch a battle for the Atlantic the AI should respond by building either long range naval bombers or a larger fleet.

In SC1, it does neither and just sends transports out to be sunk by waiting Axis wolfpacks.

As for the Human Axis player being able to sink most of the Allied fleet by early 1942 the problem is not that subs are not vulnerable to surface ships but that the AI does not know how to wage a fight for the Atlantic. It sends its naval units peacemeal into Battle and does not build bombers to support the naval battle (and station them in a conquered Ireland).

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If you really want to make it interesting:

AI Novice: 0% Naval Intelligence

AI Beginner: 40% Naval Intelligence (ie how many combat ships are in each ocean)

AI Intermediate: 70% Naval Intelligence

AI Expert: 100% Naval Intelligence

Thus at higher levels of AI the AI is more likely to play a stronger game as it will more often than not know how many German Surface ships are in the Baltic or the Atlantic and can adjust its strategy accordingly.

[ June 28, 2005, 07:45 PM: Message edited by: Edwin P. ]

[Edwin P.]

Note: In SC2 since Gibraltar will not block the straits the Axis AI should carefully note the strength of the British Navy so that it can consider sending most of the Italian Fleet through the straits to the Atlantic, if the British Navy has been decimated.

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If Axis Controls North Africa + (Italian fleet > UK + USA Fleet) = Send Italian Fleet to Atlantic 90%.

[ June 30, 2005, 10:33 AM: Message edited by: Edwin P. ]

[Retributar]

As endlessly usual...sounds terrific!!! Edwin P.!.