Something I stumbled upon

[Aeraaa]

Originally Posted by Suhiir

I'd say the AI in the games is "adequate".
And better then that in a good many other, and newer, games.

True, but one should play a PBEM game to see how vastly different an SP game actually is.

[Mobhack]

Originally Posted by Aeraaa

True, but one should play a PBEM game to see how vastly different an SP game actually is.

Yes, a human player does stuff the AI wont do - like using scouts on your flank to get eyes on your stuff and call accurate arty on them for example. So always sweep your flanks with recce stuff to look for spotters when playing a human.

Human players can also forget to do something as well. Played a game versus the Soviets PBEM in the Cuba missile crisis era as British where he a) forgot to buy any AAA and b) his T-62s were the type that had no 12.7 AAMG. ISTR that he had a few BRDMs with an AAMG, which I toasted easily. Once I had realised there was no flak or SAMs, I could enter from his side of the map and shoot the T-62s up the kilt with impunity once those 3 or 4 BRDMs were liquidated. He gave me the game after several turns. (Humans will also pack it in early when it is completely hopeless, unlike the AI)

[DRG]

Originally Posted by Mobhack

(Humans will also pack it in early when it is completely hopeless, unlike the AI)

The AI does occasionally go into a kinda No retreat/No surrender "Black Knight mode".......

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWlb57OSBlY

[wulfir]

The AI is an advantage when the set-up is unbalanced. Human players typically want "fair games" - often meeting engagements, equal points, opponent countries that are evenly matched, a few house rules (I played at the Blitz and it could be stuff like 10% artillery, no off-board artillery, limit on 0 size units, limit on Z-fire, only one tank per hex, AFVs only allowed to enter the first forest hex...)

This is understandable for a fun game - but that said, the AI will not complain if the set-up is lopsided...

[Aeraaa]

Originally Posted by wulfir

The AI is an advantage when the set-up is unbalanced. Human players typically want "fair games" - often meeting engagements, equal points, opponent countries that are evenly matched, a few house rules (I played at the Blitz and it could be stuff like 10% artillery, no off-board artillery, limit on 0 size units, limit on Z-fire, only one tank per hex, AFVs only allowed to enter the first forest hex...)

This is understandable for a fun game - but that said, the AI will not complain if the set-up is lopsided...

Tbh, I'm OK with all of the above. The only rule I'd make for MBT (less so for WW2) is max 2 air strikes allowed. I've had quite bad experience with a mass of cheap helos totalling my Leos with cheap HEAT rockets flying 50m to their rear...

[wulfir]

[quote=Aeraaa;854880]

Originally Posted by wulfir

The only rule I'd make for MBT (less so for WW2) is max 2 air strikes allowed. I've had quite bad experience with a mass of cheap helos totalling my Leos with cheap HEAT rockets flying 50m to their rear...

You could let the AI pick the forces for the PBEM.

You won't get gamey creative helicopter solutions then, or cluster munition weapons with ammo trucks...

The AI might not even pick the best tanks present in the OOB, so you'd have to do with tanks that don't have 40 vis TI sights even if the OOB has tanks with that capability present.

[Roman]

[quote=wulfir;854883]

Originally Posted by Aeraaa

You could let the AI pick the forces for the PBEM.

You won't get gamey creative helicopter solutions then, or cluster munition weapons with ammo trucks...

The AI might not even pick the best tanks present in the OOB, so you'd have to do with tanks that don't have 40 vis TI sights even if the OOB has tanks with that capability present.

Interesting rule for pbem. Let the AI ​​do the shopping and then you have to make do with what it gives you.

[georgesedlak]

Yes, letting the AI pick your force, PBEM or vs the AI, can make an interesting and unpredictable game. Let it do your setup too and have a lot of fun scrambling around.

[Suhiir]

Originally Posted by Aeraaa

True, but one should play a PBEM game to see how vastly different an SP game actually is.

Agreed.

But then that's one of the reasons I make scenarios. To give players that don't PBEM (for whatever reason) situations that, for one reason or another, aren't your typical "get on line and attack/defend".

Admittedly I'm biased toward the USMC but part of that is because they're not your "standard" first-world high tech military organization. FAR less armor, generally infantry focused, but it's high tech infantry not "Chinese/Russian Hordes", they do consider/use their aircraft, which are (almost) always present, as "flying artillery" (which Don hates ).