Drongo
Posts: 2205
Joined: 7/12/2002
From: Melb. Oztralia
Status: offline
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I think this thread is a good idea. Even though a lot of players seem to seek PBEM battles as a preference, enhancing AI play will just give everyone better value for money.
On the topic of AI ship damage, the AI does tend to run its ships ragged (as do some players I would guess). On occasions when I switched sides from a save game to check combat results (all in the name of research of course!), I've noticed quite a few wrecked (>50% dam) ships sitting around in small ports where repair ability is low. Maybe the whole AI ship damage assesment routines could be "smartened" up (ie when to return to nearest port/major port/national port). The AI does handle ship damage assessment to some degree. However, I reckon that a lot of the AI's ships don't make it back to any port after receiving damage in combat as they were already running around with a high degree of damage before hand. Just an observation.
One AI improvement that comes immeadiately to mind would be adding an enemy CV numbers check (or AI cheat!). In most of my attempts at long scenarios, I eventually will win the first major CV vs CV brawl (stop applauding, its embaressing). The scenerio excitement level then drops alarmingly as you enter the phase of slowly crushing the life out of the AI. This is because the AI tends to then use its reinforcement carriers piecemeal (but still aggressively). When 2-3 carriers come out to jump my 4-5 or postion themselves within reach, the result is not hard to guess. As each small group comes out, you get to swat it and go back to sleep until the next time. In one save I checked immeadiatley after one of these engagements, the AI had just lost its whole force (1 CV, 2CVL) while another CV and CVL were sitting in perfect condition back in Truk. I would advocate a push for the AI to "know" the potential no of opposing carriers in use on map and act accordingly. If its heavily outnumbered in theatre, it should use do not react/retire orders and stay under LBA cover as much as possible operating at sea. If another CV is due as a reinforcement in, say, 3 days time, the routine would consider remaining in port till then. If it knows it has parity or better, do what it normally would.
While on the subject of AI carrier use, I've noticed a tendency to put to sea (the AI not me) even if the CV air complements are tiny (lack of replacements?). I think it would reduce the chances of AI CV slaughter by players if the AI checked to see whether the CV had a viable complement of a/c before going to sea.
I know what I've described is simplistic and in reality the code cutting/param changing would be :eek: for the guys doing it but it would result in long games against the AI that keep their entertainment value to the final battles.
I hope to have mastered the art of short, concise posts by the time I reach the rank of trooper.
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