Does the AI use intel very well?

[lwmweb]

I am presently in a game with max difficulty and max bonus and the AI intel is a real pain. They do not get through every turn but even with multiple level 3 counterintelligence they occasionally get through and I get hit with 8 or 9 things in the same turn. I have had ships stolen and one planet go over to the enemy.

On the flip side my attempts at crew revolt and PPP I am only successful 25% of the time. Against several AI I am almost never successful. I think the AI I am successful against is being pounded by the other two as well.

By the way when a fleet takes of I think what happens is when the AI happens to change the orders of the fleet leader your fleet takes of for other places. I have had individual ships get a change of orders but not affect the fleet. On the other hand I have had fleets guarding the warp holes take off on me. And it was the fleet leader who changed his mind.

[rdouglass]

The way I understand intel and counter-intel is this: Your intel points for intelligence operation gets negated by any counter-intel points spent by the target for that level.

For instance, Player A has 100,000 points of intel and has 4 projects running. Project 1 has 25,000 points towards Crew Insurrection (an Intel Level II project) of player B, Project 2 is Order Snafu (Intel Level I) toward player C for 25,000 points, Project 3 & 4 are both 25,000 points toward Counter-Intel II.

Player B has 60,000 points and uses them for 2 Projects: 30,000 toward Crew Insuurect toward Player A, and 30,000 in Counter Intel II.

Player C has 60,000 points and 3 projects: 20,000 toward Order Snafu on Player A; 20,000 toward Counter-Intel I, and 20,000 toward Counter-Intel II.

Now here's where the confusion usually begins:

Player A Project 1 NEVER is sucessful 'cause Player B puts 30,000 toward Counter-Intel II: 25,000 - 30,000 = -5,000.

Player A Project 2 is sucessful (I think at a reduced percentage) since 25,000 - 20,000 = 5,000. Remember Player C had 20,000 toward Counter Intel II.

Player B Project 1 Works at a reduced percentage: 30,000 (from B) - 25,000 (A CI II)= 5,000.

Player C Project 1 almost ALWAYS sucessful since Player A has NO Counter Intel I projects.

I'm sure I missed some details...maybe others can fill in the blanks and / or correct me.

[raynor]

Thanks, rdouglas!

I think my main question concerns the efficacy of having multiple counter-intel projects going at once vs. just one big one.

It sounds like most folks think you are better off having 12 counter-intel projects going at once instead of just one big one?

[Tomgs]

Actually each counter intell project will only work against one intell project. Even though it looks like it takes a lot of points to run a counter intell project as soon as you have put enough points into it to counter that first intell project it stops and gives you a message that it stopped that project. That is why you need more than one counter intell project running at once. Your project could look like it will take 4 or 5 turns to complete but all of a sudden it will be over once it counters an opponents project and you are left without counter intell. So if multiple projects are run against you then you have to run multiple counter intell. You will know when you need it especially on those turns that 5 or 6 projects go off against you all at once. The AI seems to run a lot of projects simultaniously so a lot can hit you at once. The worst is when you have 3 or more AI targeting you at once with intell (mega-evil time again).

[rdouglass]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Tomgs:
Actually each counter intell project will only work against one intell project. Even though it looks like it takes a lot of points to run a counter intell project as soon as you have put enough points into it to counter that first intell project it stops and gives you a message that it stopped that project. That is why you need more than one counter intell project running at once. Your project could look like it will take 4 or 5 turns to complete but all of a sudden it will be over once it counters an opponents project and you are left without counter intell. So if multiple projects are run against you then you have to run multiple counter intell. You will know when you need it especially on those turns that 5 or 6 projects go off against you all at once. The AI seems to run a lot of projects simultaniously so a lot can hit you at once. The worst is when you have 3 or more AI targeting you at once with intell (mega-evil time again).

---

Thanks for clarifying. I did take that into account in my explaination (hence the 2 C-Intel projects), but was not at all clear about it. I need to remember to read my Posts from a different perspective...but, yes, you are exactly right. However, I think the key is if the Intel Project is putting more points per turn than the Counter Intel (ON A 1 TO 1 BASIS - project for project), then it will succeed with respect to percentages. If the opposite is true, C-Intel more than Intel per turn, then it will fail.

Yeah, and when I'm MEE, I usually have 8 Counter Intel projects running at the same time. However, 1 or 2 always slip thru. I think on average, the AI has at least 3 offensive Intel porjects runnung against you when at war. Question: Is there anyway to Mod this???

[DirectorTsaarx]

BTW - there's a setting in "settings.txt" that implies there's a bonus for counter-intel points. Something like 100 counter-intel points will negate 125 intel points. Don't know if it's really working or not.

Also, I've noticed that not all projects have an effect. I've gotten a few Messages about ship bombs damaging a particular ship, but I can't find any damage on the ship that got bombed. I'd send it to MM, but I'm kinda happy about not finding damage .

[Daynarr]

That is because the damage is not high enough to destroy that particular component.

[DirectorTsaarx]

Thanks daynarr - that's kinda what I expected; although it must be a pretty low-powered ship bomb, considering the components on the ships it was supposed to damage (I think the biggest component was 50kT).

[Daynarr]

Hmm, I am not sure, but I think that intel operation does 80 points of damage. Perhaps the shields took the damage.

[Atrocities]

It has been my opinion that it varies upon use. Sometimes it does utalize the intel very well, while other times, it does not.



------------------
"We've made too many compromises already, too many retreats! They invade our space and we fall back -- they assimilate entire worlds and we fall back! Not again! The line must be drawn here -- this far, no further! And I will make them pay for what they've done!" -- Patric Stewart as Captain Picard
UCP/TCO Ship Yards