Your settings for a challenging AI in the AGEOD Wargames

[dGSe]

Hi all

I own and play many of the AGEOD titles but i have stopped to play solo with the AI the first time i have tried the PBEM with a friend and some members of this forum. I want to try again against the AI and your preference can be a good source of information for new or old players like me who want a historical and smart AI feeling (with not too many artificial bonuses).

My question is for the skilled "grognards" of these games or the developpers :
What are your personal settings when you play solo with Athena for a challenging realistical play ?

[Boomer]

Depends on which game/side I'm playing as. For something like Civil War 2, if I'm playing as the Confederates I bump up the AI aggression a bit to replicate the Union advances into the South. Even then the AI doesn't invade much until late game and they rarely do coastal invasions, though I have had the AI go for New Orleans a time or two. If you want an aggressive AI that offers some kind of challenge, then crank it up. Having it set to low results in a very tedious and boring game.

As for the other options, it's usually a standard to give the AI more time. Easy supply is a toss up based on which game. Some players always turn it off to ensure logistical realities. But it's a two way street, really. If you have no supply issues with easy supply on, then so does the AI. 6 to 1, half dozen to the other.

[loki100]

Hi all

I own and play many of the AGEOD titles but i have stopped to play solo with the AI the first time i have tried the PBEM with a friend and some members of this forum. I want to try again against the AI and your preference can be a good source of information for new or old players like me who want a historical and smart AI feeling (with not too many artificial bonuses).

My question is for the skilled "grognards" of these games or the developpers :
What are your personal settings when you play solo with Athena for a challenging realistical play ?

one way to get an excellent game is to set yourself the most restrictive of activation rules (ie inactive=no move). If you pick a side that historically had the advantage of numbers but was hampered by poor leadership (so Austria/France in Rise of Prussia, Union in CW2, Reds in RuS etc), you'll get a great game and real frustration. Watch McClellan decide not to move when he has a great chance, see Frederick slip away. Have to plan to move to winter quarters one turn early just in case.

On the other hand you can defend pretty well, so its got a nice balance, it basically stops you using the advantage of advance planning that any human player has over any AI ... or more strictly makes you develop very simple plans that might just survive the idiocy of your generals.

This works less well if you are playing the side with good leadership/limited numbers as it really keys off leadership shortfalls, but it still makes you much more cautious.

Give Athena more time, and off you go.