I'm bored playing this AI.

[Poorlaggedman]

Aside from PBEM, are there any good mods out that help the AI with strategy? I'm getting really bored with the same old crap. The last half-dozen games I played were of no challenge at all really.

The CSA AI is obsessed with trying to invade West Virginia. Perhaps I should start playing with attrition and supply rules off for it, but that's sort of lame? It also builds a large navy for no apparent reason. If I let the game drag on like a cat playing with it's prey, sometimes they'll have a bigger Navy than I have. I almost do nothing Navy-wise as the U.S. in hopes that it will blockade run whatever it needs.

The Union AI always seems to get bogged down around D.C. as soon as I threaten it. It'll usually do a few failed invasions of Texas and New Orleans and maybe drop a few regiments off in Florida. None of them ever seem to have any support or plan to it. It's all quite abysmal and I'm usually always on an offensive posture against the Union AI.

I looked around in the modding section and did some searches, does anybody work on scripts that alter the AI or improve it with any success?

[grimjaw]

It is possible to tweak the AI to give it different objectives. I don't know anyone that has done it and then shared the results. The most I've done is fiddle with stack affinity in an attempt to get cavalry generals to focus on cavalry stacks.

[Menschliches.Gehirn]

Nothing beats the human brain.

It is very hard to program AI for defence. How much force is need to defend an objective against known and potential enemy forces. You can't program an AI to know when to give up a strategic city once it has served its purpose of delaying opponent forces.

[Blood and Thunder Brigade]

The Union AI has always been very Virginia-centric. It'll build numerous large armies around Washington D.C. while often largely neglecting the other theatres, which in my opinion should be just as engrossing as the 'Virginia theatre'. As I see it, the two biggest problems as the Confederate player are:
A. That by around May of 1862, those Federal armies around D.C. are just so large and numerous that nothing can be really be done against them but defend, defend, defend. The problem with that is that it isn't long before the Confederate players Virginia armies are bled white with no real advantage gained.
B. The map in the 'Virginia theatre' is just too condensed, which, as I stated in another post, leads to an endless procession of regional back and forth slugging matches which the Confederate player cannot hope to sustain, much less win. In my humble opinion, it makes a pretty solid case for a much more detailed map which includes numerous more regions with roads and various geographical features included, or, as ridiculous as it may sound, a completely separate map for the 'Virginia theatre' altogether.

But yes... if the AI could be tweaked to distribute its forces with relative evenness, consolidate all its infantry & cavalry brigades under generals, give those forces a focus of some kind rather than having them wandering here, there and everywhere around the map with no rhyme or reason, and make coastal landings in force rather than just a token regiment or brigade thrown at New Orleans or Galveston which provides nothing more than nuisance value, then yes, it'd be a vast improvement

[Poorlaggedman]

I'm very hesitant to do PBEM on top of it just being a lousy and slow process. Generally for a game like this I find people to be extremely gamey and use a lot of cheap tricks and uber-optimization taking it down to a science. I can envision small raiding parties cutting my faction apart throughout and I'd get very bored and annoyed (although I suppose it works both ways). I'm looking forward to Grand Tactician's game coming out this summer. I like the CW genre and I hope this series doesn't end with this installment. I continuously give the other AI stuff (morale and money) and it doesn't do much of anything if it can't even place its armies logically.

I really feel like there should be more work done on AI if there was a CW3. It's awful as all hell how the CSA AI just keeps pouring armies into West Virginia and getting ground down by attrition with no sensible plan. It's just incredibly terrible and I can scarcely bring myself to play another campaign as either side.

[Straight Arrow]

There are some excellent, dependable and trust worthy pbem players out there. When you find one, daisy chain and build up your pool of potential opponents by asking who they play with.

If you want to avoid pbem altogether, try playing both sides. It works; I've done it for years.

[Blood and Thunder Brigade]

I'm very hesitant to do PBEM on top of it just being a lousy and slow process. Generally for a game like this I find people to be extremely gamey and use a lot of cheap tricks and uber-optimization taking it down to a science. I can envision small raiding parties cutting my faction apart throughout and I'd get very bored and annoyed (although I suppose it works both ways). I'm looking forward to Grand Tactician's game coming out this summer. I like the CW genre and I hope this series doesn't end with this installment. I continuously give the other AI stuff (morale and money) and it doesn't do much of anything if it can't even place its armies logically.

I really feel like there should be more work done on AI if there was a CW3. It's awful as all hell how the CSA AI just keeps pouring armies into West Virginia and getting ground down by attrition with no sensible plan. It's just incredibly terrible and I can scarcely bring myself to play another campaign as either side.

While I'd agree that it can be an oft infuriating game, it also possesses a high degree of brilliance that has fascinated me for years now. The AI can frequently be horribly wrong, but on occasion it gets it beautifully right, and that, for me, makes it worth every minute invested. But, after 7 years or so, it is time for a rework. Fingers crossed!

[Blood and Thunder Brigade]

If you want to avoid pbem altogether, try playing both sides. It works; I've done it for years.

How do you go about doing that exactly? How does that work?

[Poorlaggedman]

I think I'm going to have to begrudgingly turn supply rules off. No matter how many resources I give the CSA she just seems to bleed her people away in supply dead zones like West Virginia. And does it ever build depots? It'll be a while until I play again but that is what I'll have to do.

[Durk]

If you want to avoid pbem altogether, try playing both sides. It works; I've done it for years.

How do you go about doing that exactly? How does that work?

I am picking up on Straight Arrow's comment for two reasons, he and I do have fun in pbem play, which is nice for many players, but also like Straight Arrow, I prefer to play both sides rather than playing against AI. Probably this comes from being an old board wargamer who did not have human opponents, playing versus yourself on a map with cardboard counters was the only option to play any game.

How to do this with AGEOD games:
Make the move of one side, like the CSA, save and exit the game.
Re-enter as the Union and make the Union move. Save and run the turn.
Then you can make the next Union move and save.
Opening as the Confederate where you move and save and run.

You can of course do all CSA moves first and run the game after all USA moves, but I do the alternating. Thing is, you no longer have to curse the AI. You only have yourself to blame, but kidding aside, you can cheat if you want to, but it is really fun to play both sides in earnest.

[grimjaw]

I think I'm going to have to begrudgingly turn supply rules off. No matter how many resources I give the CSA she just seems to bleed her people away in supply dead zones like West Virginia. And does it ever build depots? It'll be a while until I play again but that is what I'll have to do.

The AI will build depots. I've seen it occasionally in my own games. I don't know under what conditions the AI pulls the depot trigger, and if it's primarily using RGDs or just a bunch of supply wagons.

[Blood and Thunder Brigade]

If you want to avoid pbem altogether, try playing both sides. It works; I've done it for years.

How do you go about doing that exactly? How does that work?

I am picking up on Straight Arrow's comment for two reasons, he and I do have fun in pbem play, which is nice for many players, but also like Straight Arrow, I prefer to play both sides rather than playing against AI. Probably this comes from being an old board wargamer who did not have human opponents, playing versus yourself on a map with cardboard counters was the only option to play any game.

How to do this with AGEOD games:
Make the move of one side, like the CSA, save and exit the game.
Re-enter as the Union and make the Union move. Save and run the turn.
Then you can make the next Union move and save.
Opening as the Confederate where you move and save and run.

You can of course do all CSA moves first and run the game after all USA moves, but I do the alternating. Thing is, you no longer have to curse the AI. You only have yourself to blame, but kidding aside, you can cheat if you want to, but it is really fun to play both sides in earnest.

Sounds interesting. I might just try that. Cheers!

[Blood and Thunder Brigade]

Rather than the play by email system, which seems quite cumbersome to me, was online player vs player never an option here? Could that be done?

[Durk]

pbem is not really cumbersome as long as you know how to zip a file. It takes about a minute, but chat time if you and your opponent like to chat about the game. Many play by saying only, "New turn" or "New Files." I love to chat so I do add a bit more and get to know new friends.
Online is not an option for AGEOD games

[Blood and Thunder Brigade]

Sounds interesting. I might try it out soon

[Blood and Thunder Brigade]

If you want to avoid pbem altogether, try playing both sides.

I'm trying this out and having a lot of fun with it. And the Union Army has never been so organised

[Durk]

Excellent news. There is a lot of fun playing both sides.

[Blood and Thunder Brigade]

Excellent news. There is a lot of fun playing both sides.

There really is. When I first started trying it that way I wasn't entirely convinced but now I think it's the best fun I've ever had playing this game

[Durk]

And PBEM is even better, except you are still the great player and your opponent sucks, as opposed to both sides are well managed in solo play.

[Blood and Thunder Brigade]

My only concern there is that I assume I'm living in a different time zone to the majority of potential opponents. As such, it might take me 3 years to complete a single game

[Durk]

Most players play one turn a day, so time zone does not matter too much. It does take some time to resolve a game, but not forever. Each day brings the joy (or terror) of making a new move.

[Straight Arrow]

There is a key and vital reason to play pbem that is almost never mentioned; pbem is by far the best way to improve your game.

I don't care how much you study the material, know the history, or have played solo; real mastery comes from the struggle with other humans. Almost all the tricks in my bag and what little I know about strategy and tactics comes from the school of hard knocks. Also, remember that anything developed on your own will still need to be tested, revised, and refined in the fire.

Creating and reading a mountain of “Points to Know” play guides can only take you so far. I learned more in one year of pbem games with Cardinal Ape and other forum players then I did in 50 years of board, miniature, and computer gaming.

Yes, pbem can be a real pain in the ass: sometimes you must keep playing when the desire is long gone; the daily pattern and commitment will continue in spite of life’s deaths, births, marriage and other interventions; some games like PON can last until the doomsday trumpets blow; humble pie can be a dish served daily; your opponent may cheat; and can disappear when the game turns in your favor throwing away months of effort in a way that leaves a sour taste in your mouth.

But, in spite of all this, I firmly believe pbem is worth doing. Take a gamble and ask someone for a game, strive to build some relationships founded on trust and friendship. The internet can make the whole world your oyster.

Give pbem a chance – examine the results. Its value to you will be known by the fruit.

[Blood and Thunder Brigade]

I think that by playing both sides what I'm most enjoying is that I'm becoming much more familiar with Union generals and regiments that whose history I'd never delved into too deeply before. That and that I'm seeing what the game really needs and what it really doesn't...