AI Paradropping

[Mikematotski]

Hi guys
I must say your doing a fantastic work here but I have a question about paratroopers. Will you fix so the AI can handle paradropping in the game, as it is today I never seen AI using this type of units a single time and that is a very sad becouse its an important type of unit

If you do than let the AI use them only in conjuntion with land attacks so they dont waste them.

Keep up the good work.

Captain Jack

 

[DvD-IT]

I once saw vanilla US AI dropping one para in my Argentinian South American empire. I was stunned as I never saw the AI doing that - but that's a very rare thing.

I would question the use of division-sized paratroopers here, but since they're in, I hope they model paras in a different way and teach the AI to use them, yes.

 

[Titan79]

Knowing that the AI can now use paratrooper landings wisely would be another little step for AoD towards absolute perfection . Please try to implement that!

 

[Blecky]

I only saw AI paradropping once, when playing UK. When blocking the seaways around Norway the German airdropped a single division near Oslo. Since I hadn´t noticed immediately that division conquered three provinces but was easily crushed thereafter by exped. forces. But I´m sure that surprises like that will make gameplay more interesting.

 

[Titan79]

(...) I´m sure that surprises like that will make gameplay more interesting.

Yeah, especially if the AI could be taught to make paradrops with a bit more smartness (i.e. not dooming from the very start its airborne troops dropping them in an area where they're alone and surrounded by enemies - see "Market Garden" ).

 

[Nethros]

That's the point of paradropping, though Market Garden failed just like the Airborne Invasion of Normandy could have.

My opinion is that paradropping isn't well rendered in HoI2. This is because of the scale of the map.

Let's take the 101st Airborne for example. They landed in what would be the Avranches province in HoI2, except around forests and near towns. They were "behind enemy lines" and technically out of supply.

Problem is, Avranches is a coastal province, which means they'd get supplies from the sea anyway. This pretty much takes away the actual feeling and diversity of Airborne Assaults.

Still, a neat feature, even if it's unnecessary (At least, I've never found a use for it in HoI2). The AI doing it would add to the flavor of the game.

 

[Mikematotski]

I only saw AI paradropping once, when playing UK. When blocking the seaways around Norway the German airdropped a single division near Oslo. Since I hadn´t noticed immediately that division conquered three provinces but was easily crushed thereafter by exped. forces. But I´m sure that surprises like that will make gameplay more interesting.

Are you sure it wasn't a seaborne landing he did with a paratrooper unit....
I hope you're right but I never ever seen ai dropping paratroopers.

Captain Jack

 

[Titan79]

That's the point of paradropping, though Market Garden failed just like the Airborne Invasion of Normandy could have.

Yes, of course, but both were intended as a "first step" to conquer/eliminate key enemy positions/strongpoints etc., thus making the work of the army that followed them somehow easier. If the AI drops some paras somewhere and doesn't back them up with a subsequent invasion by land or sea - as in RL or a human in game should normally do - IMHO this has to be considered a totally silly move.

 

[Mikematotski]

That's the point of paradropping, though Market Garden failed just like the Airborne Invasion of Normandy could have.

My opinion is that paradropping isn't well rendered in HoI2. This is because of the scale of the map.

Let's take the 101st Airborne for example. They landed in what would be the Avranches province in HoI2, except around forests and near towns. They were "behind enemy lines" and technically out of supply.

Problem is, Avranches is a coastal province, which means they'd get supplies from the sea anyway. This pretty much takes away the actual feeling and diversity of Airborne Assaults.

Still, a neat feature, even if it's unnecessary (At least, I've never found a use for it in HoI2). The AI doing it would add to the flavor of the game.

If you never have used paratroopers you have missed a big opertunitys in your warfare. They are vital to make a mobile warfare. You can either drop them on a province where you attack and trying to get a breaktrough, you can use them in conjunction of a land attack to help to do a breakthrough or land them just behind a province you intend to attack through with your breaktrough.

In battleterms the paratroopers inflicting the same negative modifier as surprise or overcommand on every enemy unit that reinforce a province you dropped on and are attacking. With another means that new arrived units on the defending side will be penaltiest with overcommand penalty factor.

Its very usefull to use tham also to make a threat on the enemy particulary when you playing multiplayer game with freinds or so. Everyone fear the paratroopers and they need to garrison every vital points within range of them, as harbours, airfields, islands and so on.

So in my opiniun the paratroopers are one of the most valuble unit in the game if you use them as they should.

Captain Jack

 

[MR2]

I've seen the AI use Paras. Not frequently, but often they use them to cut off my supply route. Very frustrating.

I use Paras the same way and to drop into a province to block retreating units. Especially provinces that have low infrastructure or are marshy (SlowGo Terrain).

 

[Blecky]

Are you sure it wasn't a seaborne landing he did with a paratrooper unit....
I hope you're right but I never ever seen ai dropping paratroopers.

Captain Jack

Yep, I´m sure. There wasn´t any coastal province conquered.