New Arty Routine

[DRG]

Every time we release a new version of either game somebody complains the AI has developed supernatural arty ability ( ie we let it cheat )

However, you're the first to assume that EVERYBODY must already see this so there's absolutely no need whatsoever to prove it.

Well, I tell you what I always tell people and it's not because I'm covering anything up but because it's true

The AI does not have "special powers" It cannot see through hills or beyond the visible range in the game. It WILL however, because Andy programmed it this way, select likely areas of deployment and hammer those areas if given the chance at the start of the game . If you got nailed that way, blame Andy, not the AI as it's only "following orders".

If you move in high visibility and create dust the AI will target the dust. That's something any human would do.

If you fire on map arty or mortars that produce smoke the AI will target that. Again, this something any human player would do as well.

The AI does NOT use Forward observers. Only human players use those to adjust fire.

So, if this "can be easily seen in any game you wish to set up." then the test game I just set up should show it easily as I gave the AI SIX British Divisional artillery groups but I only gave it a company of infantry. I wouldn't want to throw the test off with troops infiltrating my lines and spotting "where nothing has moved and it has no LOS."

I set up my troops away from the front and behind high hills and away from the roads. ( Italy 1943, November ) ( ... the AI likes Roads and little towns BTW so expect it to try to neutralize them )I then moved them here and there and sometimes nowhere at all and it was no surprise to me that of all the artillery under the AI's control there were only a couple of stonks that came only a bit close to any of my troops but it did beat the living crap out of the two roads leading through the town on my side of the map. At the very least, 98 % of the arty the AI fired at me landed on empty ground because I avoided the places we've told to hit becasue people like to put troops there. That's not "cheating" that's what any human player would do if given the chance.

For 14 turns I paraded a full strength panzer company around in circles within a ten hex area of the map. Any AI with the ability you claim it has and all that arty at it's disposal would nail that right away. I even moved them a couple of turns then waited a couple of turns so the AI would have lot's of time to target them and NOT ONE SHELL was directed at them but the AI did target the areas around the Victory hex clusters that it's one company of infantry was advancing on but I wasn't within 20 hexes of them . I ended the game at turn 14 and there was not one casualty on my side. NOT ONE. Now...you'd think with 34 troops of artillery and "borg" ability the AI would have killed somebody on my side wouldn't you ?? ( I had two companies of tank and three companies of infantry )

So, if anyone else agrees with this "borg" arty theory and can actually prove this is happening I will be happy to fix it.

Good luck..

Don