An observation about AI

[saintsup]

In several occasions, I noticed a single AI artillery (both union & CSA) unit just wandering alone around some of my units making for an easy prey.

I think perhaps there is room for improvement here.

[GShock]

I've even seen the AI move fort guns... you know, those that take 260 days to move from one place to another without rail/ship movement...

[Clovis]

Sorry to insist, but I find AI with normal agresiveness setting and no FOW advantage to be a bit reckless in 1.07h.

It seems AI absolutly want to destroy railroads and capture some garrisoned towns, even at bad odds. I saw AI regularly send troops in a region containing a large enemey AI without other reasons, on offensive stance and taking huge defeats when my my own troops were on defense and heavily entrenched.

I will do a try with the low agressiveness setting. But as much I agree AI has made great progress, I'm a little concerned by this new behaviour. AI is sytematically invading Kentucky in the first turns of April 61 scenario, which wasn't as quickly the case in preceding patches.

[Brochgale]

Sorry to insist, but I find AI with normal agresiveness setting and no FOW advantage to be a bit reckless in 1.07h.

It seems AI absolutly want to destroy railroads and capture some garrisoned towns, even at bad odds. I saw AI regularly send troops in a region containing a large enemey AI without other reasons, on offensive stance and taking huge defeats when my my own troops were on defense and heavily entrenched.

I will do a try with the low agressiveness setting. But as much I agree AI has made great progress, I'm a little concerned by this new behaviour. AI is sytematically invading Kentucky in the first turns of April 61 scenario, which wasn't as quickly the case in preceding patches.

I have had this in a new game I just started - also the St Lious Massaacre event did not happen and yanks get whole of Missouri with virtually no fight! They cut railroads like mad then I kill the yank units doing it - been picking up Supply Units and Artilery all over the place - no attack of any kind into Virginia either yet and it is now Jan62 on game time!It has also been sending units down Mississippi River and eventually I just kill those units where ever I catch up with them! They took Port Hudson and sat there till I got a force together to kick thier butts!Oh and I am picking up Rifles and prisoners by the score! Yank attacks in winter just seems not just reckless but insane - I just sit in the towns and wait for them - let them cut the rr - and set out militia in spring to repair them. The captured Supply units seem to be useless for anything though!

[Pocus]

Sorry to insist, but I find AI with normal agresiveness setting and no FOW advantage to be a bit reckless in 1.07h.

It seems AI absolutly want to destroy railroads and capture some garrisoned towns, even at bad odds. I saw AI regularly send troops in a region containing a large enemey AI without other reasons, on offensive stance and taking huge defeats when my my own troops were on defense and heavily entrenched.

I will do a try with the low agressiveness setting. But as much I agree AI has made great progress, I'm a little concerned by this new behaviour. AI is sytematically invading Kentucky in the first turns of April 61 scenario, which wasn't as quickly the case in preceding patches.

Send me an example of suicide attack please.

[Clovis]

Send me an example of suicide attack please.

Unfortunatly, as I'm using my mod, I can't. The situation is by example Polk with a lone infantry brigade containing one regiment and a supply unit crossing the Cumberland to attack 5 fixed union units. At least 2 attacks were made leading to destruction of Polk stack.

[Pocus]

I will see when I can launch a new serie of test rounds on the AI.

[Coffee Sergeant]

I don't know if anyone's encountered this before - but the USA AI completely pulled out of the blockade by Oct '61. Then about a month later I see a spot huge fleet commanded by Farragut sailing off the coast. I thought that he was planning an invasion of the Southeast, so I build up as much as fast I can can in Georgia, carolinas, Alabama, etc. but as of late January '62, still nada. Perhaps he is waiting for the spring thaw .

[Clovis]

another example: April 61 scenario, first turn, CSA AI , normal agressiveness with small fow advantage.

The Winchester militia units runs to Wshington and attacks the garrison. of course, CSA militia is destroyed :

[Clovis]

another example: CSA AI normal agressiveness, no FOW advantage: the Winchester militia is going into Alexandria against the whole McDowell's army:



I don't find any justification to such amove, except trying to disable railroad...to the cost of one unit... There is dedefinitly something wrong in the 1.07 h AI behaviour. I see too more often artillery or supply units going into region occupied by enemy..The militia is in passive mode...but I Guess it will be insufficient to avoid destruction when attacked in the next turn...

[richfed]

I don't know if anyone's encountered this before - but the USA AI completely pulled out of the blockade by Oct '61. Then about a month later I see a spot huge fleet commanded by Farragut sailing off the coast. I thought that he was planning an invasion of the Southeast, so I build up as much as fast I can can in Georgia, carolinas, Alabama, etc. but as of late January '62, still nada. Perhaps he is waiting for the spring thaw .

You'll be waiting for a long time. It won't happen. I have seen small incursions, but no major naval landing operations. That is my biggest wish for this game.

[Guru80]

Hmm...I wonder if it has to do with your mod somehow. I am playing a CSA and Union campaigns right now and have yet to experience that. Going to start another to screw around with and see if I see anything goofy.

[Guru80]

This is just a test scenario that I am not actually playing as I would. I am just trying to find suicide attacks by the AI that others have posted. What I have found is nothing as severe as others but the odds in this scenario for the attacking AI force is common. Every turn the Army of the Potomoc hs been attacked while entrenching more every turn and outnumbering the attacking AI probably 3-2 and better with every attack yet they come back for more each turn so far while I am a 2-1 favorite in strength in the St.Louis screenshot. Not the 2-3 to 1 odds that was recommended for attacking forces at the time. In fact, it seems the AI has it backwards. If severely outnumbered by 2-3 to 1 attack at all costs seems to be the AI motto.

Here are the worst understrength attacks undertaken by the AI the first couple of turns:

[Longstreet]

Hi Pocus,

So...is there any news as to what is going on with the AI in the latest version? It is one thing to be a bit more aggressive, but another to start launching foolhardy attacks. Just wondering....thanks as always for your dedicated work on this!

[Clovis]

Hi Pocus,

So...is there any news as to what is going on with the AI in the latest version? It is one thing to be a bit more aggressive, but another to start launching foolhardy attacks. Just wondering....thanks as always for your dedicated work on this!

I wonder if this behaviour isn't tied to the fact AI isn't considering entrenchment level of the target... All examples ( mine and from Guru 80) show entrenched defending forces... In NCP, field entrenchment aren't present;;;

[Longstreet]

Hi Clovis,

You know....you may be right...in what I have seen, the "suicidal" AI attacks are against not only much superior in number forces, but also entrenched.

Hmmm....Pocus....what do you think?

-Longstreet

[Clovis]

playing with Ai at low aggressiveness level and small FOW advantage is giving no more "against all odds" attacks. So it can be a temporary solution while we're waiting to some changes if needed.

But I must stress out overall AI quality has yet improved with 1.07h. In the April 61 scenario, CSA AI is able to divide Johnston group in Shenendoah in 2: most units reinforcing Beauregard and Johnston with one strong infantry going to Grafton to defend West Vriginia.

Even If I guess USA will prevail quickly here, the ability to use wisely leaders and reorganizing forces is very surprising... and a rarity in computer wargames in general....

[Coffee Sergeant]

Yeah, playing as Union recently Polk did have a suicide attack against Bowling Green early on. Also playing as CSA, in '62 the Union took massive casualties assaulting heavily entreched Winchester - in winter I might add. They did eventually manage to capture it, and took out my entire corps, but the casualties on their side were horrendous. I tried to exploit the situation as CSA, taking Harpers ferry with Jackons's corp and trying to cut them off and destroy them, but it didn't work. Partially because my intial plan was to make a move on Washington, but only one of my corps made it across the Potomac, and I had to retreat back across. I tried to do two things at once ( destroy McDowell's AoNEV and sieg Washington) , and ended up achieving neither.

[emu]

April 61 campaign playing union
The good:
I attacked NO in Dec 61 with supply and 2 very strong divisions. Van Dorn with a large csa force was waiting and that was that. Lost 3 NM and the bulk of those troops.

Took Knoxville depot with a skirmisher raid. Counter-attacked promptly next turn.

The Bad:
The city is retaken with the dump intact if the skirmisher tries to hang on and blow the dump(great), but the depot is destroyed if the skirmisher flees elsewhere with a destroy depot and rail first command. There is not time to destroy the depot as the city is actually retaken day 3 or so. I've seen this elsewhere too. Turn sequencing problem here.

[emu]

April 61 campaign playing union
The good:
I attacked NO in Dec 61 with supply and 2 very strong divisions. Van Dorn with a large csa force was waiting and that was that. Lost 3 NM and the bulk of those troops.

That was 13, not 3 NM that I lost.

[Pocus]

What I'm doing? I'm reading you, to try understanding the underlying problems ... and then when I get some 'AI time', I will do a pass on err ... her.

[Longstreet]

Hi Pocus,

Thanks for reading and listening to all of us....we only wish to help make this already fantastic game even better. The AI is much improved in this latest version...but just a bit reckless...

-Longstreet