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All Forums >> [New Releases from Matrix Games] >> War in the Pacific: Admiral's Edition >> Tech Support >> strange japanese AI TF compositions

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strange japanese AI TF compositions - 5/7/2010 5:44:41 AM

GeorgePatton

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I'm playing the grand campaign with China Quiet with the computer controlling the Japanese (latest patch 1.03.1002) and it's June 1942 but I'm noticing that a lot of Jap TFs are composed of transport ships with almost no surface or air protection at all except 1 or 2 SC or DDs.

This has been happening at Port Moresby, Port Blair, Tassaforanga, Nari, Baker Island, Kiska, Attu, Noumea etc.

I haven't really sank that many combat surface ships except maybe for a couple of CVs and a BB and CA but it just seems odd that the Japanese would send penny packets out without proper support.

Something seems out of whack here. It's not like the Japanese are starving for fuel right now as it's only mid 1942. The AI should be doing a better job of protecting their amphib TFs.

Any suggestions on what might be going on?

Should I reinstall the game or what?

Thanks

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RE: strange japanese AI TF compositions - 5/7/2010 5:56:48 AM

jomni

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Bottom line is that there's not enough going around.

I'm playing Japanese... It's May 1942 and I don't have enough DD's (and other escorts) going around to effectively escort all transports.� But I do keep unescorted TF's behind the front line with the occasional subs sinking some transports.

The AI routine must have put a priority on the objectives. So sending unescorted invasion forces are the norm. But if you program the AI to be cautious, there's the expansion stops very quickly... That ain't fun either.

< Message edited by jomni -- 5/7/2010 5:59:54 AM >

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RE: strange japanese AI TF compositions - 5/7/2010 8:30:29 AM

GeorgePatton

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I thought about that too. I figured the AI was being too extended but the thing that bothers me is that the AI should be assigning heavy escorts against major objectives like Luganville, Noumea or Johnston Island. These bases are so close to Allied major bases that it seems rather suicidal for the AI to just send in transports unescorted.

In fact I just haven't seen any surface task forces at all. I'm wondering where they all disappeared too.

Although it's fun blasting away at Japanese TFs with just my CAs and CLs but it is somewhat silly to see the AI doing something this weird.

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RE: strange japanese AI TF compositions - 5/7/2010 10:28:48 AM

jomni

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Which reminds me...

I was able to win the Guadalcanal campaign as Japanese vs. AI.
Reviewing the map in the end, I saw that I was able to sink all his transports mostly by surface combat. So most Marines were stuck in New Caledonia doing nothing. I was then able to take Port Morseby and the two Guadalcanal bases. The AI still had a bunch of CVE's and capital ships parked at Noumea.

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RE: strange japanese AI TF compositions - 5/14/2010 4:45:41 PM

STUCKER868

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This is exactly what I was talking about when I posted the question about the AI in WITP AE vs WITP. To me, behavior like this by the is a game breaker as there is no challenge what so ever when you can go in and easily do so much damage at your whim. I don't recall in my readings the Japanese or anyone else for that matter sending in major invasion forces unescorted, no CAP (or protected with a few minor escorts.)

When it comes to AI, there is little to hope for as games are getting bigger and more detailed.

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RE: strange japanese AI TF compositions - 5/14/2010 5:03:47 PM

Andy Mac

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Its normally a DD issue the Japanese have minimum requirements to form TF's which require a certain number of DD's so often big ships are available but the AI doesnt have them available

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RE: strange japanese AI TF compositions - 5/14/2010 5:18:01 PM

Grit

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I just sank 19 transports, and a DD, PB, and SC in 2 different TF off Timor.

Earlier in my game against the AI I sank a CVE off Soerabaja escorted by only 1 DD.

Otherwise I am pretty happy with the AI. It seems aggressive and actually makes some good decisions. I don't know who these people are playing the AI at Matrix but they do a good job.

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RE: strange japanese AI TF compositions - 5/14/2010 5:33:37 PM

Rainer

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It's not a game breaker.
Playing Allied against AI at level hard or very hard is a challenge.
Andy Mac has included a couple of very nasty surprises, thus forcing the player to be constantly on the watch.
He also forces the player in 1942 to disperse valuable and sparse forces (Carriers!) across the map to be prepared.

Try it.

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RE: strange japanese AI TF compositions - 9/23/2010 2:02:39 PM

Redmarkus5

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Rainer

It's not a game breaker.
Playing Allied against AI at level hard or very hard is a challenge.
Andy Mac has included a couple of very nasty surprises, thus forcing the player to be constantly on the watch.
He also forces the player in 1942 to disperse valuable and sparse forces (Carriers!) across the map to be prepared.

Try it.

It's May '42 and I am playing as the US. The Jap AI just launched 3 simultaneous carrier-supported attacks against Baker, Morseby and Brisbane. I was forced to focus all of my CVs on the Brisbane force (scratch 3 flatops, yay!) but it was an impressive AI effort.

So, I got a battle of Midway-type result at just about the right time :)

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RE: strange japanese AI TF compositions - 9/23/2010 6:26:21 PM

JWE

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quote:

ORIGINAL: GeorgePatton
Any suggestions on what might be going on?

Should I reinstall the game or what?

Thanks

No need to reinstall. Read section 5.0 AI Data of the Editor Manual, and you will get a good picture as what's going on.

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RE: strange japanese AI TF compositions - 9/24/2010 9:31:30 AM

CaptBeefheart

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I tend to let the AI do what it wants in the area the Japanese took historically. It's only when it goes beyond for places like Port Moresby and Akyab that I start to hit back. However, the AI does have a disconcerting need to continuously send BB TFs to the aforementioned bases, which allows you to whittle away their BBs and CAs with Vengeances, SBDs and the like, and even send a BB-laden British TF to park at Akyab for usually good results.

Cheers,
CC

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RE: strange japanese AI TF compositions - 9/26/2010 3:43:43 PM

Alpha77

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Mh, maybe we play a different game, but I have troubles with the Ai. Maybe they don�t escort their convois well, but my subs don�t seem to be very effective anyway. As for surface fleets, the Japs have air suppority mostly anyway, so I cannot send out BBs+CAs to sink their weakly escorted fleets. This is my 1st game, guess I am doing something wrong. Also my bombers are not really a thread to Jap as they rarely hit anything.

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RE: strange japanese AI TF compositions - 9/26/2010 4:36:29 PM

PaxMondo

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Which is why Ironman IJ works so well. The extra ships really help the AI keep effective. I've even editted it a bit more to add even MORE DD's and E's, because as you note: they are always short of escorts. Not necessarily because they don't have any, but rather they are in the wrong place. More of them really helps keep the AI going strong well into '43. Not at the same level as a PBEM, but not bad. Strong enough to practice out a number of strategies....

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