WeGo, Real Time, and AI (questions)

[Holman]

I've been wondering about how the differences between WeGo and Real Time affect playing against the AI. Can anyone clarify some things for me?

My assumptions are these. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

1) In WeGo play, the Strategic AI gives orders during the orders phase (just like the player) and then "sits back" while the Tac AI carries out those orders during the one-minute execution phase.

2) In Real Time play, the Strategic AI monitors the situation continuously and can give new orders at any time (again, just like the player). Units carry out their orders and respond to new developments via TacAI, but the StratAI can intervene with new orders at any time rather than at one-minute intervals.

These assumptions lead me to guess that Real Time play allows the AI to be more responsive to changing situations, and thus "smarter." Is this so? Is there something I'm missing? (For instance, is the StratAI really always "on" in Real Time play, or does it just check in at certain intervals?)

If this has already been hashed out in an older thread, I'd love to see it.

[Paper Tiger]

Afraid not mate. The only real difference between WEGO and RT is that the human player can issue orders at any point in the game while the WEGO player has to wait a minute for the current turn to end before making his changes. The poor dumb AI is just the same for both players.

[George MC]

In CMSF both forms of play WEGO or RT the Strat AI plan is done by the scenario designer therefore the Strat AI doe snot react as such to what the other (human) player does. In that respects the AI if there is no created AI plan by the designer will not move units unless they see a threat then react (usually a defensive or aggressive posture). In that respects the Tac AI is the one that reacts to the situation but only on a macro level i.e. tank pops smoke and reverses; infantry take cover and enagage enemy target.

So your asumption 1 is partly correct in that the Tac AI carries out the already scenario designed AI plan. Your assumption 2 is incorrect as the Strat AI is following the same scenario designer designed AI plan i.e. the AI uses the same AI Plan regradless of wether you play WEGO or RT.

The main difference between WEGO and RT is the time the human player has to plot their moves. With lot's of units in RT this can get a bit frenetic (even with pause) for some player's tastes. It's nothing to do with the Strat AI and it's ability to plot moves or react.

Hope this helps.

Cheers fur noo

George

[Huntarr]

You gents are missing the most important difference between WEGO & RT.

Is the frickin sweet ability in WEGO to replay the actions over and over again! Being mesmerized by the action unfolding from every angle!

[Vergeltungswaffe]

Which is why WEGO is the only way to go. :cool:

[rich12545]

1. Is it possible for the scenario designer to set up different strat ais so the scenario can play differently each time?

2. And how is the strat ai set up for quick battles?

Thanks.

[Holman]

1. Is it possible for the scenario designer to set up different strat ais so the scenario can play differently each time?

Yes, definitely. These are called "plans" in the manual.

2. And how is the strat ai set up for quick battles?

This I don't know.

[Holman]

In CMSF both forms of play WEGO or RT the Strat AI plan is done by the scenario designer therefore the Strat AI doe snot react as such to what the other (human) player does. In that respects the AI if there is no created AI plan by the designer will not move units unless they see a threat then react (usually a defensive or aggressive posture). In that respects the Tac AI is the one that reacts to the situation but only on a macro level i.e. tank pops smoke and reverses; infantry take cover and enagage enemy target.

So your asumption 1 is partly correct in that the Tac AI carries out the already scenario designed AI plan. Your assumption 2 is incorrect as the Strat AI is following the same scenario designer designed AI plan i.e. the AI uses the same AI Plan regradless of wether you play WEGO or RT.

The main difference between WEGO and RT is the time the human player has to plot their moves. With lot's of units in RT this can get a bit frenetic (even with pause) for some player's tastes. It's nothing to do with the Strat AI and it's ability to plot moves or react.

Hope this helps.

Cheers fur noo

George

Now I'm confused. Is there nothing more to the "Strategic AI" than the scenario Plan established by the designer and chosen by the AI for that game?

As a CMx1 veteran, I'm imagining things in terms of two levels of AI: StratAI for giving orders and TacAI for carrying them out. That is, the StratAI gives an order "move here now at fast speed" and the TacAI determines (when enemy units appear during that movement) whether to keep going, return fire, bunker down, retreat, etc. In other words, the StratAI plans movements for the whole side while the TacAI is each unit's reactions to enemy stimuli.

Is this still how it works in CMSF or not?

[Paper Tiger]

There are three levels of AI in CMx2; strategic, operational and tactical.

Strategic is the AI plan created by the scenario designer and it tells the AI where to go and how to do it through setting stance, length of time to perform the order etc, that are all explained thoroughly on p133-137 of the manual so there's no need to repeat it all here.

The second, mid level AI, as I understand it, basically just organises the movement and placement of units within a group as it carries out it's order. For example, if your group consists of vehicles and infantry, this is the AI that governs how the individual units within the group move. And also where that tank goes when it reaches it's new objective zone etc.

The third and lowest level is the TAC AI. It decides what each individual unit does when it comes into contact with the enemy.

Now, in CMx1, I believe that the AI was programmed to move to the nearest enemy controlled VP location. This meant that if the AI was attacking one VP location and you sneaked a force around it's flank to seize one of it's VP locations, you would see the AI react to your move and send units to attack your new VP location. CMx2's AI can't do this at all. Instead, it will follow it's plan until it's finished. Just think of the computer plan as one huge WEGO turn plan and you'll get a better feel for what it can and can't do.