American AAR : AI Experiments In HoI3

[stnylan]

Mmm, perhaps the AI thinks it needs to set up the command first before committing any troops.

 

[Eurasia]

Mmm, perhaps the AI thinks it needs to set up the command first before committing any troops.

It better commit the troops soon because their is a FLOOD of Italians coming.

 

[Bullfilter]

The silence from Tay-Tay is a bit ominous. Are the marine pilots and aircraft refitting and resting? How long now have the Japanese been trying to make the crossing?

And using large fleets to deposit single Corps HQs after having to run the gauntlet of Italian maritime air power is one of the more useless and perplexing AI behaviours. All talk, no walk at the front. Am sure the British would enjoy a bunch of American generals coming over to advise them on desert warfare operations without having even brought any fighting troops with them!

 

[Eurasia]

AI Experiments In HoI3
Chapter Fifty-Six : Where Are The Japanese Carriers?

Oh Noes!
​

We open this chapter during the Ground Attack on Kwajalein. The attack ends two hours later with the deaths of only 2 Japanese defenders.

On the other hand even this tiny amount of help supports the invasion as most of the Marines are still on the Transports. At least the Transports protect the soldiers from bullets!

The Carrier planes launched two more attacks and killed another 37 Japanese soldiers total.

Then the Germans attacked another convoy from Boston. They sank a cargo ship and a escort ship. NO! The Boston Beans! And the Franks! The heathens!

Then I received a report about another advancement in the Technology of Artillery which was good. Maybe future Artillery Brigades would be more modern.

The 3rd Marine Transport Fleet launched another Ground Attack on Kwajalein.

But shortly after that I received more bad news from the Navy. Again the Germans attacked another convey from Boston. They sunk a cargo ship and a escort. NO! Not the Smoky Pork and Beans! You monsters! And why are my Submarines not sinking Japanese conveys? Has Japan run out of cargo ships?

As I mourned the Smoky Pork I got a report that the American pilots had killed another 8 Japanese soldiers in Kwajalein.

Soon they launched another Ground Attack and killed another 30 Japanese soldiers.

The Carrier planes were quick to refuel and rearm. They launched another Ground Attack that afternoon.

But while they were gone the Japanese Carrier Attack Groups launched their own Naval Strike on Burke and gave me a small heart attack. Where the heck did that come from? How many Japanese Carriers are out there?

When the American pilots returned they reported killing 25 Japanese defenders.

The Japanese Naval Strike ended about an hour later. I had to quickly check the Fleet to see what kind of damage there was. I feared a LOT of damage from that many Japanese CAGs!

The USS Langley received 4 % damage. Not too bad when you figure it was the main target of hundreds of Japanese warplanes! Four Heavy Cruisers, out of the seven, received 16 % damage or 2.28 % of their Total Strength of all the Heavy Cruisers gone. In other words, some railings blasted off or maybe some secondary gun damage.

The Light Cruisers received no damage while five Destroyer Divisions lost 9 % or a total of 1.125 % for their Total Strength for all Divisions combined. Four of the Transport Flotillas received 30% or 2.72 % of their Total Strength gone. In other words a Transport was sunk.

But, after saying that, the Japanese attack is too little, too late, as the Marines are now on the beaches and it is just a matter of time before the island is ours! But I do wonder two things. Where did those planes come from? And why are the Philippines so silent?

 

[roverS3]

The weather over the area must be terrible... that's probably why the ground attack numbers were rubbish and why the Japs did so little damage relative to the number of planes. Not to mention that the Japanese strike was at night. That's some very poor planning by the Japs... You're right, the Marines will take the island soon, and whatever fleet those CAGs came from won't be able to close in fast enough to stop it from happening.
There must be a German U-boot commander out there who hates beans, and his mother kept forcing him to eat them... his favourite convoys to hunt are those coming out of Boston... and his determination to sink as many bean-carrying vessels as possible makes him a very effective convoy hunter, which is why the Kriegsmarine tolerates his antics...

 

[stnylan]

The Philippines question is interesting.

 

[Bullfilter]

Cape Wrath - no wonder you were angry about those beans. Perhaps they should have been transporting grapes from California! Soon they will have sent all available tins of beans down to Davy Jones’ locker (expect some noxious gas bubbles to be rising to the surface from his/its vicinity soon, as they are consumed)! Perhaps they will have to try cans of clam chowder next?

So do you think no news is bad news from the Philippines?

 

[Eurasia]

AI Experiments In HoI3
Chapter Fifty-Seven : Another Nation Joins The Axis

But Why?
​

We open this chapter with the 12th CAG returning from it's latest Ground Attack. It is down 12 planes and pilots. And that Organization is pretty low also. Ouch.

At the same time the Marines are getting closer to victory in Kwajalein. By nightfall the Marines were ALL on the beaches and the full weight of their numbers were now being felt by the defenders.

At Midnight of the 17th it was announced that we had improved our Naval Air Targeting to Level 2. A new type of targeting sight maybe?

But then the Japanese pilots were back and bombing Burke and his ships. Where WERE those enemy Carriers?

At the same time the 12th CAG, instead of trying to protect the ships, launched another Ground Attack against the island defenders. Likely for the best. I doubt they could do anything to beat back the hundreds of Japanese planes.

So in the end both sides ended their CAG Duties at the same time. Wait...what?

The report clearly said our CAG was launching a Ground Attack! How did it switch? *sigh* Did the Japanese build fake ships on land to confuse my pilots?!?! All they have is wood! Let's move on....

The next report is bad. The Japanese CAGs are back. And they brought friends. 11 Fighter Units, which is 1100 aircraft according to how I look at it, launched a Naval Strike against the American Fleet.

WHERE ARE THESE PLANES COMING FROM?!?! Luckily for me it was still dark!

Their Strike ended around noon and allowed the American pilots to launch their own Ground Attack.

But they came back, once again, babbling about Japanese ships. I think they've been drugged or something!

Then Persia joined the Axis. I'm a tad confused by this. On one hand I guess they felt threatened by being surrounded by members of the Allied nations.

On the other hand they ARE surrounded by members of the Allied nations. Becoming an member of the Axis tosses Persia right into the war. That's NOT a good idea.

So we close this chapter with me shaking my head, confused and worried, and wondering where the Japanese Carriers were. And why were the Philippines so silent?

 

[stnylan]

Time to say goodbye Persia?

 

[Bullfilter]

Though Persia is roughly imitating OTL, I guess, where there was the Allied-Soviet invasion on the basis they were getting too close to the Axis (in very rough terms).

It's getting a bit hairy at Kwajalein. 11 CAGs - gotta be at least a six-carrier TF now. Where is your big CV fleet? Too far away to do any good?

 

[Eurasia]

AI Experiments In HoI3
Chapter Fifty-Eight : Taking Of Kwajalein

USS Langley
​

We start this chapter with the Japanese pilots launching another Naval Strike against Burke and his Fleet. Happily this time the Japanese only bring four Wings to the attack. Which just makes me wonder, once again, where are the rest of their planes?

Now I have to make a correction. Looking at Chapter Fifty-Six I realized I messed up. The USS Langley's 12th CAG is NOT made up of Grumman F3s as the image suggested. The one with the caption saying "245 Down! Hundreds To GO!" In fact the 12th CAG is made up of Boeing F4Bs. Which are biplanes with FIXED landing gear. As seen below. It is an older design than the Grumman F3s. All my Carrier planes are crap.

The four Japanese Wings left shortly afterwards but, to be honest, they did a LOT of damage for their numbers.

But that failed to stop the invasion. The Americans, sensing victory, launched an all out Assault on the Japanese soldiers. By Midnight victory was announced.

The American Marines had lost 95 men in Land Combat. The Japanese Garrison had lost 269 to Land Combat and another 149 to Ground Attacks. Anther 2,536 Japanese soldiers ended up as prisoners-of-war.

By the 18th the island was officially occupied and under control of the USA. And the 3rd Marine Transport Fleet was on its way to rebase in Kwajalein for much needed repair.

Of course I had to check on it again. And it wasn't pretty. The USS Langley is badly damaged having lost 28 % of its Strength. The seven Heavy Cruisers have lost a total of 9.14 % from their Total Strength. And the four Light Cruisers lost a total of 10.75 % of their Total Strength.

All the Destroyer Divisions were damaged but I screwed up and deleted one of the images so can't tell you the percent of Total Strength lost. Can only tell you that they held up better than the Cruisers. And the Transports did NOT do well at all. All Flotillas were hit but for the Anthony Wayne Flotilla. They lost 8.45 % of their Total Strength. In other words we lost six Transport ships.

Funny enough it looks like the Japanese aircraft were fleeing to the southeast. Is that where some of them came from? Are some of the CAGs from land based airbases?

But at this point I was wondering why nothing had been heard from the Philippines and went over to peek. The Naval Bombers were at Clark Field but the Tactical Bombers were NOT! So I went to the West Coast Marine Chain-Of-Command to look for them.

Found them in San Francisco. Maybe their Organization had gotten so low that the AI had pulled it back to the USA. I don't know. But I do know that they had killed a total of 6,241 Japanese Marines/Engineers during their Ground Attacks at Taytay. And that's not bad!

So we close this chapter with a victory and slight confusion. And wondering where the Japanese Carriers were at.

 

[stnylan]

Now bad going - that is six thousand the Japanese will not find easy to replace. And a successful invasion is nice.

 

[Eurasia]

AI Experiments In HoI3
Chapter Fifty-Nine : What? What?! WHAT?!?!

Tired American Marines
​

You know those Japanese prisoners we captured after the Battle of Kwajalein? You know what? They were never captured. Yes, it seems they have an escape route.

Yes, it seems they can WALK from Kwajalein to Maleolap. WALK! Really? Really? Well, that's just silly. Still, this is a problem. As these Japanese soldiers could put up another fight OR escape via the seaport.

But our Marines refused to let the Japanese get away. And launched an attack on them as they withdrew.

The Americans outnumbered the Japanese and therefore decided to use the Assault tactic. I assumed that the Leader, being Superior, just picked the right tactic for the moment.

But it was not going to be that easy. For the Japanese sent in the aircraft to hit the American Marines with a Ground Attack.

But even as they attacked the Marines the Japanese Garrison broke and retreated. But the Marines were very determined. They were moving to Maleolap also. It looks like the 1st Marine Army AI was after the Garrison.

But the Japanese pilots were just as determined. For after killing 14 American Marines they launched another Ground Attack on the island.

This time the Japanese brought friends and I truly started to wonder where their Carriers were and how many pilots did the Empire have!

At this point I was wondering where were the Marines' Fighters. I know they had them. And they had a airbase on the island. Where were they? And the ships in dock had PLANES TOO! Was nobody going to protect the Marines?

And there they are. In Portland. The 1st Marine Fighter Group under direct control of the 1st Marine Army. Maybe that's the problem. Maybe the AI, looking at the big picture, wants to keep them on standby in case something REALLY big happens. What a waste!

As I pondered what to do I got a report from the Navy. They had sunk two Japanese cargo ships and an enemy escort. HA! Down to the bottom of the sea with you...whatever you are...

Also I got some Intelligence about the Island of Mili. Not sure why or how I got it. I assume it was from Intelligence because there were no ships passing by. So it has to be Agents of some kind giving me this clear pictures of the Garrison and a seaport with ships in it.

Then we had another Technology Improvement in the Naval Aviation. Wonderful. Now if my Naval Bombers would just bomb something. *sigh*

Also the US captured a spy from Mexico and forced him to eat American tacos till he died of shame.

Now, I also was alerted to the 24th CAG being available for deployment. In other words a fresh unit. I added it to the 13th CAG, formed the 10th CAG, and handed it over to the Navy. Sadly they are made up of Boeing F4Bs. I HOPE the Navy will use it to switch out worn out CAGs.

BUT I don't think it CAN. Because I made it so it can't go reorganizing its units or Chain-Of-Command/Order-Of-Battle. Yet somehow the AIs have massive fleets! By breaking the rules when I don't want them to. Bur I don't think they will break them when I NEED the AIs to break the rules. *sigh*

So I decided to do a little reorganization myself. The 1st US Marine Division was under the IV Marine Corps.

So if I took the Fighters away from the 1st Marine Army level AI who is thinking about the Big Picture, in other words Strategy, and gave them to the IV Corps would the Fighters be used in a more tactical operational level? Would the IV Corps HQ say, "Hey, I have direct control of these Fighters now. Maybe I should go use them to protect my Division?" So I gave the 1st Marine Fighter Group to the IV Marine Corps to see what would happen.

We close this chapter on the hope the AIs will do something smart. Hint - they won't. At least not MY AIs.

 

[Bullfilter]

It may be an experiment and conducted with a scientific intent but the AI Keeps producing the same silly results! The only hope is that the enemy one is as bad!

 

[stnylan]

Only enemy AIs ever do anything smart. Proven fact.

 

[roverS3]

I missed a few updates here as notifications vanished once again... Too bad the USMC bombers were relocated to the mainland, as they could have done quite a bit more damage, though they did plenty already.
As you said, I wouldn't hold my breath for the AI doing something smart with those CAGs, as I haven't ever seen an AI switch out CAGs, when a CAG is placed on a Carrier, it stays there until either the Carrier, or the CAG, is destroyed...
Interesting development with the 'march' from Kwajalein to Maleolap. In paradox's defence that kind of movement is not meant to be a march but a crossing with small boats... moving across a 'strait' takes ages, and when said movement is opposed it comes with the same penalties as an amphibious landing.
Interesting to see what the AI does next, if anything...

 

[Wraith11B]

If you put a fleet astride the sea zones that are between the two locations, it will cancel the enemy (or one's own) movement and force them back into battle!

 

[Eurasia]

AI Experiments In HoI3
Chapter Sixty : Invasion Of Midway

Japanese Landing Craft Approaching The Beaches
​

So we open this chapter with a report that caused me to pause the game and wonder if I was doomed to lose. The Japanese were bombing Midway.

And we ALL know what that means? When the planes show up the Marines are not far behind. Wait...I thought there were more Divisions on the island? In the end the Japanese pilots only killed 30 American soldiers.

The US Navy reported sinking a Japanese transport and escort. No more....toys....for you Europe! You sickos.

The Americans had barely finished their lunches before the Japanese launched another Ground Attack on Midway.

The Japanese pilots killed 89 soldiers. I can't help but wonder how many pilots had been shot down with my defending anti-aircraft guns.

At this time I was told that Persia was now mobilizing. I somehow doubted they would be fielding a "strong" army.

Then a spy from Japan was captured. The poor fool was forced to eat a greasy hamburger sandwich. He, of course, died from a heart attack.

The Japanese came back and bombed the Island of Midway. This time three Wings were involved.

As the Japanese dropped their last bombs, killing 38 American soldiers, my nightmare appeared. The Japanese started the invasion of Midway at 4:00 AM on the 21st of February.

So we close this chapter with the opening stages of the invasion of Midway and me going to take a shot of Virginia moonshine.

Bottoms up!

 

[roverS3]

That's a lot of Imperial Marines... I might need some of that moonshine myself...

 

[Eurasia]

That's a lot of Imperial Marines... I might need some of that moonshine myself...

WHERE are they getting SO many MARINES! Did they take them away from the Asian mainland?!?! Remember the five Divisions still at the Philippines? The Imperial Japanese Navy HAS to run out of men and material sooner or later!