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Let’s hope the USN and USAAF can keep that sea-air gap clear and hold on in Libya without the AI making a dog’s breakfast of it when you hand it back. And it’s great to see the USS Bullfilter, Stnylan etc actually going into battle rather than cycling through US ports! Soon enough the AI will have us transiting from Seattle to Boston and back once Admiral AI is back in charge. :rolleyes:;)
 
I rely on the AI to doing something to annoy you, even with the considerable handicap you have given the Libyan forces.
 
This looks great - concise, well explained texts and interesting graphics. I look forward to seeing how this develops. The AI throws up interesting results in land heavy powers such as the USSR, and I am interested to see how the AI handles a maritime challenge given the AI US is typically dormant in the Pacific.

Welcome to the AAR @jhoni! And as for how the AI handles a maritime challenge it can't. In most of my games I have no issue in handing a AI control of the Submarines and Naval Bombers and handing over Transports over to some Theater AIs. The AI has the ability to hunt down convoys and attack enemy ships without a problem AND can transfer new units from Europe to Africa and to India (at least in my German game). It will keep the Transports out of combat as long as you don't add warships with them.

BUT it can be very aggressive and will destroy its own Fleets if given warships. And while it can carry out invasions, sometimes, the end result is more likely going to end up negative - such as the two Armoured Divisions who were landed and have now been cut off.
 
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AI Experiments In HoI3
Chapter Two Hundred-Fifty-Two : Air And Sea Power

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An American "Pig" Boat

This chapters with another Japanese Ground Attack on Davao. Some of those Divisions are showing a lot of wear and tear.

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At the same time the Ground Attacks on Surigao and Bislig ended. The Americans forces lost 67 soldiers and 74 soldiers respectively. I hope the Tankers can hold out.

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And...a lone Heavy Cruiser is making a run for San Diego. Why was it hanging around in Davao all by itself? Weirdo.

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Then I noticed something interesting. As reported before the American Submarines seem to enjoy hunting in Japanese waters.

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But there seems to be a Submarine Fleet on its way to the waters south of Borneo. Not a bad place to hunt. Lots of Japanese cargo ships and crude oil tankers will be leaving these waters on their way to the home islands.

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Another one is hunting the waters between the Marshall Islands and the Japanese occupied islands that use to belong to the Americans. This is also a good spot to hunt. Lots of convoys loaded with fuel and supplies should be trying to deliver their cargo to the Japanese Divisions on those islands.

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I peeked back in the Mediterranean. I can’t but help wonder where is the rest of the Italian Navy?

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Around this time the 1st Med’s CAGs finished their attack on the Italian ships. I hope they did some damage. Well, more than just some.

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Soon the Japanese were back launching Ground Attacks on both Bislig and Surigao.

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While this was happening the Japanese pilots had ended their Ground Attack on Davao leaving behind 42 dead American soldiers.

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Back in the Mediterranean the 1st Med’s CAGs returned for another go at the Italian ships.

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An hour later it didn’t look good for the Italians.

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Frankly the Naval Battle of the Gulf of Gabes looks like an American victory to me. I am more worried, as always, about the Island of Mindanao.

I am starting to think we should stop calling the program in charge of the Pacific Front a “AI”. To me the term Artificial Intelligence promises a certain amount of data processing and some basic competency. Even some pre-programmed tactics or reactions to certain conditions.

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Maybe we should call it something along the lines of Automated Leadership? “AL”? That, at least, promises nothing. And does not insult my Roomba.
 
The US sub campaign against Japan in OTL did as much to defeat them in the Pacific as any of the big carrier battles, IMHO. Maybe your 'AL' (good name, that) is going to try something similar? Shut off their incoming raw materials and outgoing supplies to troops deployed on Pacific islands ... like Mindanao?

Have you checked the sunk ships list to see if the main Italian Navy still exists? Wouldn't be the first time in an game of HOI3 that the RN had effectively wiped them out. Those were only destroyers and transports in the Med - not much to be frightened of. And you haven't been attacked by NAV yet, either.
 
Yes, a promising Naval Battle that will end in your favour!

Have you checked the sunk ships list to see if the main Italian Navy still exists?
At this stage in the game, it's entirely possible the RM has been blown to smithereens by the RN.

Maybe we should call it something along the lines of Automated Leadership? “AL”? That, at least, promises nothing. And does not insult my Roomba.
When your AI insults a Roomba's intelligence, it really isn't worthy of being called AI. I concur, Automated leadership is definitely more neutral.
 
Did the game ask if it could call you Betty? :D:D
 
AI Experiments In HoI3
Chapter Two Hundred-Fifty-Three : Flames In The Mediterranean

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Italian Transport Trying To Dodge American Bombs

This chapter opens with the Japanese launching another Ground Attack on Davao. I really wish I knew where those enemy Carriers were. Not that it would help - I couldn't tell the Marines HQ where they were even if I wanted to.

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Then I received three reports at once. The Ground Attacks on Bislig and Surigao resulted in the deaths of 37 American soldiers and 29 American soldiers, respectively.

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While the American CAGs in the Mediterranean had finished their attack on the Italian ships.

Then I noticed Burke was bringing three more Armoured Divisions to the Port of Davao. Plus a HQ unit.

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Now, I could complain about them piling reinforcements into Davao but then I realized something. It could be that the US Navy’s ships don’t have the ranges needed to reach any of the other ports directly. And the “AL” may not be smart enough to use the Port of Davao as a stepping stone, a rest stop, to make a second journey to take the Divisions to one of the other Ports. Such as Manila.

Funny enough this idea hit me because of my problems with the Japanese Fleet in my Practice Game!

Back in the Gulf of Gabes the CAGs from the USS Bullfilter, the USS Stnylan, and the USS Princeton are attacking the Italian ships again.

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In the early afternoon the Japanese CAGs were back to launch a Ground Attack on Bislig. Funny...they are not attacking Surigao at the same time? Maybe the pilots and planes are starting to lose their Organization?

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The Japanese Ground Attack on Davao had resulted in 55 American deaths.

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Then the CAGs in the Gulf of Gables, on returning to their Carriers, claim they sank the last Transports of the 12a Squadrone Trasporti

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Looks like the Battle of the Gulf of Gabes is going VERY badly for the Italians. I mean, they’re putting up a fight. But...it also looks like they are trying to flee. (1)

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The Carriers soon sent their CAGs back into the skies and the pilots launched another attack on the Italian ships. Even while they tried to disengage.

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So we close the chapter with the Italians being blasted out of the water and fleeing towards ANOTHER one of my Fleets. Not looking good for them.
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Author's Note:

1. Are they fleeing toward Malta? That’s not going to work out for them.
 
And now for something different! Kind of...

The Naval Conflict with the UK and the French would not stay as one-sided as I would have liked. Many of my ships were old and had limited range. Almost all my screening units were too short ranged to reach Singapore from the Chinese coast.

I had gone over all my ships and formed what I would call a Transport/Carrier Fleet. This had all the ships who could get to Singapore in one go. But there wasn't enough screenings units. So I decided to take British Borneo. Or at least part of it. IT was within invasion range of Singapore and Malaya.

And it looked like the UK was NOT going to just politely let me take their colonial territories. Their air forces were trying to attack my holdings. Luckily one thing I had a LOT of was air units.

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Of course while I waged war with the Fleets of the Allies the AI in China made sure the most important coastal regions were protected while preparing for the next war. Which it seemed to think was with Yunnan. While only placing a few token units on the border of Xibei San Ma and completely ignoring the colonies of the Allies.

The Invasion of Kuala Belait was a mixed bag. I tried to use the Marines by themselves at first but the defenders were putting up a fight. I think they were Gurkha. I was hoping to use the Infantry Divisions in attacking the southern port in British Borneo but I had to toss them into the fight.

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By this time there had been multiple naval clashes between me, the Brits, and the French. It turns out the French had ships stationed in Indochina. I was reminded how important it was that ALL my Fleets would need Carriers as the Battle Fleet got its butt defeated TWICE before slapping the French ships down. And the French learned that Submarines should not attack my Fleets.

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Luckily, most of my losses at sea were old, outdated, ships. But I still got pissed when I lost the Hyuga. And losing Destroyers, old or new, was also annoying. But the French lost three Submarine Flotillas, two Armoured Cruisers, a Light Cruiser, a Battleship in Asian waters. And the UK lost another Destroyer Flotilla and Light Cruiser while trying to tangle with my Fleets during the invasion - they failed. Add those to the losses they were suffering with Italy and they were not doing too well.

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This number would be added to as I tried to keep the enemy ships away from Borneo. I had finally taken Kuala Belait. All I had to do now was let my ships recover, get some more ground units, and I could launch the invasion of Singapore. Of course that would take time. My Battle Fleet was recovering back in the home islands, my Special Forces were still marching towards the Transport/Carrier Fleet, and I was not sure how many enemy ships were still out there. Or how many were being sent from Europe.

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So I had a long list of things to do. The Army would have unite China and, then, go after the British Far East. The Navy would have take Singapore and, afterwards, finish occupying Borneo and Malaya (to insure a source of crude oil and rudder for our industry). Then they would have go after the Allied nations in the South Pacific. Australia and New Zealand had joined the Allies. So I would have to take them to keep them from helping the Americans.

The US had NOT yet joined the Allies but they HAD put an embargo on Japan. Our major trading partners are now the USSR and the Axis nations. And I had cancelled a lot the trade with the European and South American nations just to keep my convoys from being destroyed. Taking the European colonies was no longer an option. IT was needed
 
By all means, let us not insult your Roomba.
 
AI Experiments In HoI3
Chapter Two Hundred-Fifty-Four : Victory At Sea

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Nervous Italian Artillery Men Waiting For The Americans

This opens with the Japanese launching another Ground Attack on Davao.

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At the same time they were also launching a Ground Attack on Surigao.

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The results for the Ground Attack on Bislig also came in. 15 Tankers had died.

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An hour later I noticed the Japanese were trying to retake the Province of Manay. Or are they were trying to stop the attack on Tagum. And they may of have a small chance of taking Manay again. But I noticed the American Divisions all rushing into the Province. No doubt to reinforcement the 24th Cavalry Division. And likely even head into Bislig.

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And, yes, the American attack on Tagum failed. The Cavalry lost 271 men, and horses, while the Japanese lost 206 Marines. But while they broke our attack on Tagum this may hurt their attack on Manay.

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Then the CAGs of the 1st Army Transport Fleet carried out a Ground Attack on Malta. Which should help greatly once they start wearing down the Italian Garrisons.

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The CAGs in Gabes finished their attack right when the Naval Battle ended with an American victory. Between the planes and the ships they destroyed two Transport Flotillas total.

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I ordered the Fleet into the Port of Tripoli which would be its base in the Mediterranean.

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And back at Malta the Italians are defending their Forts and trenches against Americans swarming up the beaches while being shelled by the offshore warships and being bombed by American planes overhead.

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So this chapter, and gaming session, came to an end on a cliffhanger. But I had played over three hours at this point and decided to save the game and work on the images I had already captured.
 
Always a good idea to stop and write up before you forget the context of what happened, or get too far ahead if you play-and-post. ;)

well, they’re hanging on in Mindanao and attacking (under direction) in the Med. So nothing much happening in Europe still?
 
Messe, one of the better Italian Generals of the war, lives up to his name with these clever withdrawal tactics. In-game, this reduces the front width to 5, meaning that he only has to hold off 2 US Divisions instead of 4, is really helping his odds and dragging out the battle for Malta.

The USN won a naval battle! The result of the Battle of the Gulf of Gabes was positive. I do think more damage could have been done by pursuing the enemy fleet.

The operations in the Med seem to be keeping us and you sane, counterbalancing the fiasco that is the AL-lead pacific theatre. It was definitely a good call to take the reins there.
 
Well Malta should fall.
 
AI Experiments In HoI3
Chapter Two Hundred-Fifty-Five : Peace?!?!

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Bloody Time Lords!

Well folks, this is the final chapter. I opened the game today to play a couple more hours and found this...

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Yes...no war, no factions, no ships sunk. In fact I noticed that first because I wanted to start out the next chapter with a report on the Italian Navy.

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Went to a earlier save and found this...

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Turned off the only Mod I was using (which was a graphic mod and could not have caused anything like this) just in case, then went to a even earlier save and found this...

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So this AAR has come to a close. I blame Time Lords or Greenland. Well, somehow the latest saves have been corrupted.

Anyway, I think the AAR did prove that the ALs in this game can't handle the many factors and complex calculations that are involved in the game’s naval operations.

Maybe handing it control of Submarines and Naval Bombers, yes, that‘s doable. And the use of Transport for PURELY transportation purposes is also something it can handle. But the large distances and large scale of naval operations are well beyond its programming.

If you wish to use AL in the game use it only in land combat and, even then, limit it’s freedom of choice and make sure the AL is scaled up or down according to the size of the border/Front it is facing.

I would like to thank all the readers who have followed, no matter how painful, this AAR. Don’t worry, I have ideas for future AARs. IF my game still works! :D
 
Sorry to see this AAR end, but definitely it has proven that the AI is broken, at best... and it also validates that I need to take control of all sides for my AAR!
 
Oh, sorry to see this AAR end like this.

Looking forward to the new one now :)
 
Dangus! :( I suppose you tested something else to confirm it was the game save and not the game itself that had gone? Or an even earlier save you knew had worked ok?

But if it is the end, then thanks for persisting with another AI/AL experiment and good luck with the next project.
 
Dangus! :( I suppose you tested something else to confirm it was the game save and not the game itself that had gone? Or an even earlier save you knew had worked ok?

But if it is the end, then thanks for persisting with another AI/AL experiment and good luck with the next project.

Started a new game - the new game was all working. So I assume it was the saves. I could check even EARLIER save files but at a certain point if the clean file is months earlier I still am NOT going to replay months of the conflict. :p
 
I blame the American AI, regardless of the actal cause