AI Breakthrough

[4kEY]

At Orel, the AI suppressed before attacking for the first time. Two of my Pionieres supporting the Italians were hit with Katyushas before regular infantry and tank attacks. They were brought to a 4 and a 5, and adjacent to enemy units. I had to retreat behind the Oka River, to keep them alive. Next turn Paratroopers hit one of them again while still in armored transport, down to a 2.

[El_Condoro]

I'm still skeptical. I have seen SP artillery fire before other units before (and move adjacent to a player tank to do so!) - until I see a truck transported artillery unit remain in place and fire before other infantry I will hold my excitement.

[4kEY]

Yup. This probably wasn't a conscious decision on part of the AI, but it did look good.

[brettz123]

I have noticed that the AI is better at using Katyushas as compared to normal artillery. I have had this happen several times too. Though to be honest it tends to leave them exposed to counterattack.

[bebro]

I remember similar cases sometimes.

Wild guess without any background knowledge:

The order in which the AI attacks has nothing to do with unit types, but may be determined by something else, like unit ID, or the sequence units were placed in the editor. If that is the case one could have luck with arty firing before another attacker in certain cases...

As said, just a wild guess, maybe it's totally different...

[brettz123]

I remember similar cases sometimes.

Wild guess without any background knowledge:

The order in which the AI attacks has nothing to do with unit types, but may be determined by something else, like unit ID, or the sequence units were placed in the editor. If that is the case one could have luck with arty firing before another attacker in certain cases...

As said, just a wild guess, maybe it's totally different...

Yes that makes sense. It would be better if they moved by category so you would artillery, AA, and airplanes move first.

[4kEY]

AI often uses airplanes first.

[brettz123]

AI often uses airplanes first.

Yes I think your right about that. Personally I think the order should be something along the lines of AA, Fighters, Artillery, then bombers.

[El_Condoro]

...where fighters attack other fighters as a preference and then soft targets if better results can be achieved or the player's fighters are too tough.

[brettz123]

...where fighters attack other fighters as a preference and then soft targets if better results can be achieved or the player's fighters are too tough.

One of the things I would like to see is the AI attacking even at bad odds to soften up targets.

[deducter]

...where fighters attack other fighters as a preference and then soft targets if better results can be achieved or the player's fighters are too tough.

One of the things I would like to see is the AI attacking even at bad odds to soften up targets.

This is an incredibly advanced technique that I think is very hard to code for the AI, and potentially extremely frustrating for a human player. This is used all the time in MP, but for SP this can get very dangerous.

For instance, given that the AI doesn't care about losses, it can simply swarm one of your fighters and kill it even it if has to sacrifice 10 of its fighters to do so. It can attack your Elefants over and over again until it is out of ammo. I doubt everyone will love this feature.

[brettz123]

...where fighters attack other fighters as a preference and then soft targets if better results can be achieved or the player's fighters are too tough.

One of the things I would like to see is the AI attacking even at bad odds to soften up targets.

This is an incredibly advanced technique that I think is very hard to code for the AI, and potentially extremely frustrating for a human player. This is used all the time in MP, but for SP this can get very dangerous.

For instance, given that the AI doesn't care about losses, it can simply swarm one of your fighters and kill it even it if has to sacrifice 10 of its fighters to do so. It can attack your Elefants over and over again until it is out of ammo. I doubt everyone will love this feature.

True on both points. But again these should be options or at least used sparingly. The problem though is that I just played a game where a bunch of strength 13 T-34s just ran a turn and didn't even attack anything. There has to be some happy medium here.

[dks]

True on both points. But again these should be options or at least used sparingly. The problem though is that I just played a game where a bunch of strength 13 T-34s just ran a turn and didn't even attack anything. There has to be some happy medium here.

I'm playing the 41 DLC at "colonel" and seeing more and more of this type of AI behavior. from artillery to tanks. at some points of an attack by the AI, my core unit has been reduced to a (1) strength and an available AI ground unit could have finished it off easily.

I have fought my way to a city to block reinforcements which reduced my panzer unit strength to an (8) and the AI has an artillery unit available with other ground units and does no counter attack on its turn. perhaps the AI reads the stats of my panzer unit which includes the hero add in points and decides my unit is to strong????

but then if my core unit is destroyed, I CHEAT!!!!! I replay the AI turn untill my core unit survives

[4kEY]

dks, I do that too. Not so much anymore, but I still make mistakes. Core units are usually lost from mistakes, not because the AI is 'good'. There may also be some situations you may not have precedence for, and lack of preparation can lead to core losses. This can mean not having a solid defense against a possible counterattack, or simply not giving your units space to retreat from choke points. I recently had a 450 Exp. Infantry surrender on me for lack of preparation.

I also find myself saving often and replaying certain situations, even with no losses or casualties, to find the most efficient means to an end that won't leave holes in my defense.

[brettz123]

You should try to always leave a slot for infantry to fall back through (unless you can stack up two artillery behind him that is). This can be really hard to do but especially in the later scenarios you need to be careful with infantry that isn't overstrengthed because some tank units can nail them so hard they will surrender in one shot.