does the AI cheat?

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All Forums >> [Current Games From Matrix.] >> [World War II] >> Uncommon Valor - Campaign for the South Pacific >> does the AI cheat?

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does the AI cheat? - 7/28/2004 11:10:47 PM

ritterkruz

Posts: 14
Joined: 7/28/2004
From: Canada's Pacific Island.
Status: offline

My first ever post. I've been reading your Qs and As and there's sure a lot of wisdom and experience out there. After a few short games I then started playing as the IJN in the basic campaign ("historical difficulty") I had, as of late July '42, secured Guad/Tulagi, and finally captured Port Morseby. Now the, shall I say, "unlucky" things suddenly happened, prompting my subject question... With 2 squadrons of fairly experienced pilots (65-69%), and my best squadron (147 kills), each set at 50% cap, I managed to get all of 9 Zeroes in the air to get hammered there and on the ground by Lightnings and medium bombers! The other event,in the same move, had me launch 3 rested and experienced bomber groups against a US bombardment group- only to lose 20 bombers and crews without scratching a ship!! Does anyone know whether the AI, when at a certain level of disadvantage, "fixes" the odds in combat? Or do I have to go away and try to rebuild the morale and experience of my top fighter and bomber groups? Thanks for letting me vent.

Post #: 1

RE: does the AI cheat? - 7/29/2004 12:57:27 AM

Black Cat

Posts: 615
Joined: 7/4/2002
Status: offline

It can be several things past an AI cheat, which if they exist in UV are very modest

Morale and fatigue will effect how many AC gets up in a CAP, no matter how many are set. The AI does checks of these before the CAP launch. You may also have got an unluckly die roll on the fight, but be aware that the Lightning can be a tougher customer then the P-40`s and P-39`s when it shows up. IMO, most players, including myself over use the Air Groups building up too much fat. and low morale.

I also think that supply at a base can affect the AC Sq`s performence.

As far as the Bombers, the effectiveness of the LBA VS ship has be toned down since the release of the game, perhaps too much, and the AA effectiveness of Ships have been increased, perhaps a bit too much. Just IMHO, others will disagree.

However having said that, by 7/42 most US surface ships will have quad 40 MM AA which were deadly in reality to low flying bombers, especially your Nells and Bettys dropping Torps at 200 feet. BTW, Morale and fatague will effect their performance. If there are BB`s or several CA`s in the Bombardment Group that`s not an unexpected loss rate for the Bombers.

So, not unlucky at all, in fact very much in line with my Game experiences.

Oh, you should check the Sqdn. window to see actual losses, the Combat Reports are really effected by Fog Of War and not very accurate.

< Message edited by Black Cat -- 7/28/2004 11:05:59 PM >

(in reply to ritterkruz)

Post #: 2

RE: does the AI cheat? - 7/29/2004 4:51:30 AM

ritterkruz

Posts: 14
Joined: 7/28/2004
From: Canada's Pacific Island.
Status: offline

Thanks Black Cat. In reading around these pages some more, I found that s**t happens regularly to both sides. Luck does affect results- you mentioned the computer die-roll. Several things you mentioned will be followed up on. As to whether,and how much, the AI cheats, certain events will make you wonder, tho'.

(in reply to Black Cat)

Post #: 3

RE: does the AI cheat? - 7/29/2004 4:31:47 PM

GI Tom

Posts: 8
Joined: 7/5/2004
Status: offline

One thing I seem to notice, or at least it feels like, the times I have my CAP either on rest or on assignment to another convoy, some convoy without the CAP gets hit. Don't get me wrong, my CAP has been used effectively as well, but I just find it odd that I'll have an unprotected Convoy North of Lae (way north) and that is the one they will go after from Moresby after it already left Lae unmolested. (Protected by CAP the whole time it was there, and it was spotted) I know, it's just my newbieness.

Those precious AP's though, I have enough supply problems without losing transports.

Tom

(in reply to ritterkruz)

Post #: 4

RE: does the AI cheat? - 7/29/2004 7:25:54 PM

crsutton

Posts: 9590
Joined: 12/6/2002
From: Maryland
Status: offline

The AI is purposely designed to be better when it comes to kills and such. Expecially on the higher levels. I suppose this is to compensate for the fact that it does a lot of dumb things as well. Look at it as a sort of balance issue.

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(in reply to GI Tom)

Post #: 5

RE: does the AI cheat? - 7/29/2004 9:52:00 PM

AmiralLaurent

Posts: 3351
Joined: 3/11/2003
From: Near Paris, France
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: crsutton

The AI is purposely designed to be better when it comes to kills and such. Expecially on the higher levels. I suppose this is to compensate for the fact that it does a lot of dumb things as well. Look at it as a sort of balance issue.

In difficutly levels more than historical, combat results will be modified in the AI favor.

But I am playing only PBEM, so no advantage to anybody, and I have seen the same as you. Depens of the fatigue, morale, range and leadership and so on.

Anyway, Allied AA is a killer.... Betties and Nells flying against Allied warships in 1943 suffer 50% losses even if they escape the CAP. And the Corsair has a 7/1 kill ratio in air battles...

(in reply to crsutton)

Post #: 6

RE: does the AI cheat? - 7/31/2004 5:16:43 PM

Halsey

Posts: 5069
Joined: 2/7/2004
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Like a one armed bandit!

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RE: does the AI cheat? - 7/31/2004 6:48:26 PM

BlackVoid

Posts: 639
Joined: 10/17/2003
Status: offline

The AI does cheat some.

It is also quite dumb. I am playing scen 19 as Japan to try out some strategy for my next PBEM where I expect to be Japan.

No matter how many carriers I had, when I attacked with them (raid or invasion) the AI always reacted with all the CVs it had (2-3 most of the time against 6-9 of my own). The AI lost 6 CVs by Nov/1942, I lost one CVL and suffered hvy dmg to 2 CVs.

I also took Nevea and Luganville, yet the AI still sends surface TF raids against Lunga, only to be slaughtered when they pass Luganville on the way back home.

I am bombing Noumea regularly at night with Bettys, scoring many hits on allied shipping, yet the AI made no attempt to evac Noumea.

The AI is very passive against Luganville, it really should concentrate its bombers and bomb Luganville day and night. Instead the computer decided to invade Buna with an unescorted convoy which achieved surprise, but got slaughtered by my CVs.

The AI in this game is totally static, unable to assess risk. It follows a set strategy and does not mind anything. It is actually quite sad...

Not all is lost however, because the game is a winner in PBEM. Go play by mail

The AI is for practice only.

(in reply to Halsey)

Post #: 8

RE: does the AI cheat? - 8/2/2004 3:16:19 AM

ritterkruz

Posts: 14
Joined: 7/28/2004
From: Canada's Pacific Island.
Status: offline

I've been playing computer games since forever, practically. In fact, before computer games, I played solitare with those huge, awesome boardgames, trying to "be fair" according to the situation. My brother got me started with Tactics II. When I beat him twice in a row he never played again, but I was hooked. So, now, I have only played against AI in a large variety of wargames, especially US civil war, MOO 2, and WW 2. Usually I win, and when the AI throws me a curve, it's easy to say that it "cheated". BlackVoid was right, though, when he remined me that the AI can be really illogical (stupid) at times. When I suck up enough courage, I'll learn how to play PBEM (whatever that is) to see whether I have a clue against non-AI :)

(in reply to ritterkruz)

Post #: 9