What's the deal with AI planet capturing?

[Devin D.Bass]

I here that several people have designed some races that actually capture planets.

I here that the Acquilaeian are one such race? has anyone experience the AI taking over planets? If so which of the AI's do it the best?

[Rollo]

As far as I know there are currently three races using troops and capturing planets (correct me, if I am wrong): The Aquilaeian (AI by Master Belisarius), the Orks(AI by Atraikius) and the Vikings(AI by myself). I suggest that get all three and find out yourself which one does it the best . I am not sure myself, yet, but my view is biased anyway, since I am doing the Viking AI. If you do this, please let us know what you think.

Have fun,
Rollo

[Ekaj]

Can you change the other races to capture planets? I would love to make that the prefered method of conquest.

[Master Belisarius]

I think that Rollo is right, about the races that currently can take over planets.

When I did the Aquilaeian AI scripts, I wanted to use the Transport Troops as resupply / repair ships, but also, to take over small colonies.

With the Troop Transports, I can see two problems:

1) The AI have not an strategic view, then, is not very wise selecting planets to take over.
For example, Rollo showed me a savegame, where the Vikings tried to take over a planet without hope for two reasons:
a) The Planet was well defended.
b) The owner of the planet (the human player), had a lot of ships inside the same system (a lot more ships than the Viking AI), and then, although if the Viking fleet would had success conquering the planet, the human player would have destroyed the colony at the next turn.

An human player, never would tried to take over such planet!

Also, after manage the situation to allow the Vikings take over the planet (scrapping the defenses), after conquer the planet they removed the attaking fleet, leaving without protection the planet... inside a system with a lot of enemy planets/ships.

2) The second problem is that after full the Troop Transport with troops, the Troops Transports will remain placed without do anything, over the Last planet were loaded the troops... and only will join into a fleet, if by chance a fleet go trough the system.
It mean that sometimes, you will see inactive Troop Transports... just waiting for a fleet to join!

The good thing is that every AI can take over planets: you only need to indicate to the AI, research troops, and then, build some troops and Troop Transports. You don't need more!

[This message has been edited by Master Belisarius (edited 25 August 2001).]

[Gorgo]

I've once seen the Sergetti from the Mod Pack doing it - I was really surprised, as I had never seen the AI doing it before!

[Rollo]

I second Master Belisarius' opinion about the AI having little strategic concept about attack locations and also that they leave captured planets behind undefended.
It is also true that in the example MB used the AI tried to capture a well defended world, however, it could not have known how well defended it actually was. The world had two defense stations (which could have been space yards as well), five weapon platforms and a few missile sats. If the space stations were scrapped (Okay, a little cheating, but which non-homeworld has two defense bases anyway? ), the attack on the planet was well executed by the AI (troops stay behind; WPs are destroyed; troops move in for the capture, while sats are destroyed). So that's not bad.
A few turns later in the same testgame another AI fleet showed up that was strong enough to capture the planet even with all defenses. I reinforced the defenses of that planet with a few ships to see what would happen. The AI was now attacking a different planet that had no defenseive fleet and captured that instead. So the AI does seem to attack the least defended planet in a system.
IMHO the AI handles planet capture not too bad. The thing that really hurts is that they leave the planets undefended.
So why bother with it, some might ask? Because it's fun .

Rollo