Greetings,
I have now played three CSA games and just started a Union one. Have used all sorts of settings and at this stage find that the AI Union is best on; no FOW advantage and a mix (season dependant) of Low and normal agression. I acknowledge that there are many experienced gamers here and would like to start a thread where the Dev team (Pocus and company) can find a number of the current issues for looking into. I have not yet played this game in PBEM so comments are strongly focused on AI issues (noting the limits of any AI). I play with my own restrictive house rules to get a better game; such as not surrounding the AI forces, not taking Washington, and playing only to defend my sovereignty. So, my initial thoughts/problems are:
1. Weather - As noted elsewhere the AI moves around far to much in winter and suffers massive losses. A lot of the movement it does seems very random, un-necessary and un-cordinated, without focus on objective or force.
2. Very concerned that the AI is not using replacements for it's attrited/depleted units, or alternately does not place/rest them so that it can utilise the replacements that it has. It is also very poor at resting units to recover cohesion. I know nothing about coding etc, but surely it can read that if stack cohesion is below 'x' then defend/rest in size 2 town until units are at 'x' % strength and cohesion. It may already do this, if so it does not do it well.
3. Very concerned that the AI is not buying enough new units and or replacements (checked the 'other side' a few times and noted massive amounts of unspent cash, hordes of available conscript companies, and lots of war supplies).
4. Still seeing some issues with poor co-ord of the AI Command and control. Many Army and Corps stacks with so many attachments that they are always at the 35% penalty.
5. Agree strongly with the need to change the weightings on some of the towns, cities, and objectives so as to encourage better AI centre of gravity and focus.
6. AI focus on unimportant obcectives such as Confed AI focus on Fort Pickens, If it is going to do this then at least it should be able to calculate the odds and send the necessary force rather than committing in 'dribs and drabs'.
Just some initial ramblings, please feel free to add or comment. This is a superb game that can only get better (hopefully these improvements will flow into the Napoleonic game, can't wait!).
Regards,
Tony