Have you ever been beat by the AI? - Page 4

Ragnarok · #31 July 22nd, 2002, 03:00 AM

Well, I'm now 3 years into my new game with the TDM AI and myself. Right now I'm in fifth place overall. I went the first 2 years without finding any empires but I recently found 3. One nutral, the Phong, and the Abbidon. I'm in a Trade and Researh alliance with the Abbidon and the nutral race. But the Phong are starting to give me hell. They got the Acid weapons and crap so they are ahead of me by aways. They are in first place if that tells you anything. I'm holding my own right now. They arn't pushing TOO hard. If they tried they could break into my system easy. But they won't come near to taking out my whole empire. Which is 9 systems 49 Planets. 28 ships and 1412 units. So I should be able to hold them off pretty easy. I'm working on mining warp points all over the place. I had my main planets build 100 mines each, and then build mine layers, so that helps. It took them 9 turns to build the mines. But this is pretty tough so far. I'm looking forward to finishing this game.

Ragnarok · #32 July 22nd, 2002, 03:02 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Master Belisarius:
Suggestion: If you really like the challenge, don't play with Large galaxies against the AI. And don't forget to select AIs vs Humans.

Hmm, I'll have to take that into consideration. I'll have to do that next game.

Stone Mill · #33 July 22nd, 2002, 04:02 PM

Master Belisarius hit the nail on the head.

Play with his suggestions, the critical factor being small galaxy , and if you get poor positioning, and bad luck, oh yes, you will lose, no matter who you are.

As you send your first scout/colony through the first warp point, you bump into some 5000 point souped-up warlike race (even the Krill will do this consistently), they will immediately proceed to scorch your single planet homeworld... and there is little you can do.

With the High AI bunus they will be pumping out LCs before you get to Mines or Ship Construction 2.

It's all about the settings... I often used to handicap myself as much as possible, and surprisingly enough, I've pulled out victories. But I would venture to say that people who have not lost have not set a real handicap for themselves.

I will admit, however, that my losses to the AI are in the opening stages and are due to poor starting position. In the long run, I agree, the AI can't compete.

While we are on the AI thing, I find that the Romulan race continues to be a VERY tough competitor in Team mode... it beats the heck out of its neighbors and expands quickly. By the time I meet them they give a surprisingly tough fight. Kudos to their creator.

kalorrith · #34 July 22nd, 2002, 05:59 PM

The only time I have ever lost was actually a non-game accident. I played a med tech, high AI, low bonus, and by year 10 I was in 2nd place with the pretorian empire in 1st place ahead of me by about 40% with a score above 2M. I was trying to play a non-aggressive game. Suddenly the game says that the victory conditions have been fufilled. I had no idea what happened. I remembered that I set the victory conditions to be peace after 10 years, and I checked the victory conditions and realized that I had accedently checked the 'after this many years elapse' box rather than the 'conditions only apply after this many years' box. Needless to say that was the first game I lost.

Scrytub Ka'Lorrith
Krintarian Imperium

Gandalph · #35 July 22nd, 2002, 06:20 PM

I think MB's best suggestion is the AI's vs human condition. It takes away the treaties with AI options and therefor no treaty trading so you have to research everything on your own and are instantly at war with every race you meet, kind of like instant MEE.

Gryphin · #36 July 23rd, 2002, 01:46 AM

In my case the queston should be,
"How many times have you been beatten?".

My worse defeat was wen Lorne Greene of the TDM Colonials glassed my planets. I never belived he would even attack.
Lesson Learned: "The bigger the smile, the sharper the knife".

killer · #37 July 23rd, 2002, 03:30 AM

Never in a normal game (one that isn't a scenario) but it could quickly kill me in the game I am playing now.

Ragnarok · #38 July 23rd, 2002, 05:05 AM

What the heck... Something is messed up here. I'm 3.8 years into my game with TDM races, and I had the warp point to my system from theirs sealed off with 106 mines and 13 ships. Consisting of Cruisers, LC, DD's. Then the empire that I'm at war with sent a fleet of 9 ships into that warp point and the mines didn't touch them one bit, and they are gone now. What the heck happened here? They had no ships with minesweepers in that fleet of ships, so that's like totally confused me. Any help would be appreciated.

Ragnarok · #39 July 23rd, 2002, 05:16 AM

Oh dear lord... Save me! 2 turns after they take out my mine field by unknown causes, they send a fleet of 45(!)

ships through my system. So far they haven't done anything. But I'm sure they will. This is going to be tough.

Edit: Ok, so far so good. I've got my talisman, that's helping out alot! Without it I'd stand no chance, I got my DUC IV's on Battleships with that talisman.. I think I fit 7 or 8 DUC's on each one. Nothing has beat one so far in a simulation. At least nothing that particualar enemy has. But that could change quickly. As long as they don't force that fleet of 43 on me I'll be ok.

[ July 23, 2002, 04:45: Message edited by: Ragnarok ]

Alpha Kodiak · #40 July 23rd, 2002, 07:31 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Ragnarok:
What the heck... Something is messed up here. I'm 3.8 years into my game with TDM races, and I had the warp point to my system from theirs sealed off with 106 mines and 13 ships. Consisting of Cruisers, LC, DD's. Then the empire that I'm at war with sent a fleet of 9 ships into that warp point and the mines didn't touch them one bit, and they are gone now. What the heck happened here? They had no ships with minesweepers in that fleet of ships, so that's like totally confused me. Any help would be appreciated.

What race breeched your minefield? Some of them (the Rage being one) carry one or two sweepers on most of their combat ships.