Athena's Naval Timidity

[MajorMandrake]

In my first playthrough or two as the Confederates, the AI did a good job of keeping me on my toes by striking in unexpected places, including launching amphibious landings at Galveston and Norfolk. Since then, however (I think it was after the first patch), I have never seen this kind of behavior again. The action is almost entirely on land, and while the Union maintains the blockade and occasionally sends naval forces to bombard my armies, the key ports and forts along the Atlantic and the Gulf Coast have been entirely quiet. Has anyone else noticed a distinct lack of pressure by the AI on the Atlantic Seaboard and Gulf Coast? It seems to be going far too easy on me, and I was curious if anyone else has observed something similar.

[Ol' Choctaw]

You get games with a raid or two. You get games where you never see a seaborne invasion. But Athena can surprise you at times and land a couple of corps up the Mississippi, running the forts and New Orleans as well. Don’t make bets on what she will do.

[Pocus]

The chances to get a major AI invasion are probably lower than if the side was piloted by a human, right. This is because the algorithms to trigger an invasion are complex and need time to gear up, and sometime not all lights are green so ... nothing of significance.

[grimjaw]

From a frequent human CSA vs AI Union player, long live complex algorithms. That's alot of coastline to defend.

[minipol]

A few days ago, I started a new campaign as the CSA.
Wow, last couple of times, I won against the Union by capturing Washington after capturing a few other important cities.
I won both games as the CSA at the end of 1861.

However, now I used slightly more difficult settings and the AI is a whole different "person".
I can't get to Washington. If i want to go up North, I'm blocked.
AND, I saw 5 (!!!) landings on my shore. 1 near New Orleans, a few units at the end of 1861.
1 big stack directly targeting New Orleans by Feb 1861, power +-1250. Several divisions, luckily,
I had a few ships near to attack the fleet, and a few transports sunk killing several units otherwise NO was lost.

I had to bring over lots of units to form a division able to deal with the threat.
Next turn, boom, 2 small units land near Savannah and Charleston. Again, I had to divert troops from somewhere else to deal with the threat,
as I don't trust the small garrisons to be able to deal with them.
Also Butler left Ft Monroe to attack (and take) Suffolk and besiege Norfolk. He left a garrison behind.

That's 5 units/stacks on my shores by beginning of February. I also feel that with the last patch I'm not able to make units as quick as with the previous patches.
I have money and recruits waiting, but no WS. 2 times I have now issued orders to build armories but at the moment, my cities only bring me 37 WS a turn.
All combined I have between 62 and 77 WS a turn.

Not enough to quickly build new armories all the time. I have to choose between that, new troops or a few ships.
It makes the game hard. Once the union is steamrolling, I will have to retreat. In the west, I took Cairo, and held on to Rolla and Jefferson City.
On the plains, the CSA rules but it's not like there is a lot to be won there.

I'm impressed, and it now seems like I have to put out fires all over the place instead of just worrying about VA.
I got the message that Kentucky is leaning towards the Union. Aaarghh. Another fire ...

[Pocus]

Yes, the AI can only really shines (at time only ) if the settings are rights, otherwise she might be a tad dormant, although if you are too cocky, there is always the possibility that she slaps on your head when you don't expect it, because that's an AI and she is NEVER lazy when analyzing things.

As for the WS thing, indeed, since the new patch if you build many 'WS hungry' units, it costs much more! Quality is more difficult to achieve here.

[vonRocko]

A few days ago, I started a new campaign as the CSA.
Wow, last couple of times, I won against the Union by capturing Washington after capturing a few other important cities.
I won both games as the CSA at the end of 1861.

However, now I used slightly more difficult settings and the AI is a whole different "person".
I can't get to Washington. If i want to go up North, I'm blocked.
AND, I saw 5 (!!!) landings on my shore. 1 near New Orleans, a few units at the end of 1861.
1 big stack directly targeting New Orleans by Feb 1861, power +-1250. Several divisions, luckily,
I had a few ships near to attack the fleet, and a few transports sunk killing several units otherwise NO was lost.

I had to bring over lots of units to form a division able to deal with the threat.
Next turn, boom, 2 small units land near Savannah and Charleston. Again, I had to divert troops from somewhere else to deal with the threat,
as I don't trust the small garrisons to be able to deal with them.
Also Butler left Ft Monroe to attack (and take) Suffolk and besiege Norfolk. He left a garrison behind.

That's 5 units/stacks on my shores by beginning of February. I also feel that with the last patch I'm not able to make units as quick as with the previous patches.
I have money and recruits waiting, but no WS. 2 times I have now issued orders to build armories but at the moment, my cities only bring me 37 WS a turn.
All combined I have between 62 and 77 WS a turn.

Not enough to quickly build new armories all the time. I have to choose between that, new troops or a few ships.
It makes the game hard. Once the union is steamrolling, I will have to retreat. In the west, I took Cairo, and held on to Rolla and Jefferson City.
On the plains, the CSA rules but it's not like there is a lot to be won there.

I'm impressed, and it now seems like I have to put out fires all over the place instead of just worrying about VA.
I got the message that Kentucky is leaning towards the Union. Aaarghh. Another fire ...

Can you tell us what settings you are using?

[minipol]

VonRocko, I'll try and post them tonight.

I was trying to deal with the invasions, and off course, Kentucky was open for business, and McDowell stormed the trenches of Manassas
with a huge army Athena had been building. Wow.
It was early May 1862, he attacked with 98.000 men, 381 gunsn vs Beauregard with 50.000 men and 107 guns.
I didn't build much guns yet, tried to first focus on getting more WS through arsenals, and powdermills.

First battle resulted in a big confederate victory (troops were entreched at level 4).!
19.000 Union soldiers lost vs 8000 Confederates.
It thought they were going to retreat but no, in the same turn, they attacked again!
16.500 new Union casualties vs 5.500 Confederates.
In 1 turn, 2 consecutive attacks, 35.500 Union soldiers lost, 13.500 Confederates lost. Wow haven't seen that before.

After the turn, I was surprised to see some of the Union troops still at Manassas.
I had to put my troops in an offensive stance, otherwise the Union troops could break through.
Battle ensued and we won again, 10.000 Union losses vs 5.000 Confederates.
We captured 2 supply trains of 4 elements, no guns captured. Darn

It was hugely annoying that the Union troops didn't retreat after the battle because that usually happens when an attack of mine fails.
As a matter of fact, there are still 4 Union divisions at Manassas. I hope I really crush them for good now and capture some guns and supply trains.
I urgently need to build artillery to deal with this huge threat.
If McDowell's whole army rebuilds, I'm in for a treat. I will divert an additional division to assist.

Meanwhile I had Joseph E. Johnston raid the North together with Jackson.

I've captured Harrisburg, and going to swing back South in the hopes of diverting troops from Manassas.
Also, I anticipated on Kentucky and hold Louisville, Lexington and more to the west Salem and Cairo.
I want to force a real breakthrough here to divert troops from either Kentucky or the East so I have more troops
to send to the Virginia theater.

It's a really exciting game. And now that I'm starting to have some WS, I don't have any money left. Hooray for plunder and requisitions