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I´d really like to have something of a correct OOB for ETH, but am aware that making it like posted above would unbalance the game. Abyssinia shouldn´t become a major power after all ;). So that´s why I´d like to hear your advice on how to solve that.
(consider this post a *bump*, too)
 
It is quite cheap to upgrade units to 100 strength and you can be sure that the AI will do so on day 1 if they got any MP/supplies. I think you might get better results starting them with fewer full strength militia divisions than with more low strength militia divisions.

I think that ETH has 380 points of militia (6 divisions) and 30 points of infantry (1 division) right now and they tend to occassionally destroy the Italians, occassionally fold completely. How about taking the ETH army up to 2 infantry (one in the south line, one in the north line) and 6 militia, all full strength? This falls a little short of in number of divisions of your outline but avoids the problem of first day reinforcement to max strength doubling army strength.

Maybe take out 40-60 manpower from the ETH pool and also reduce their supplies drastically to handicap them in any long term conflict.
 
thanks. :)
I think I´m gonna have 1 Inf and 5 Mil in the north and 1 Inf and 1 Mil in the south then.
also reduce their supplies drastically to handicap them in any long term conflict.
that is a really good point there. I think I´ll make some events then aditionally to capture ITA supplies if ETH manages to take any part of Italian Eastafrica. The Italians had ****loads of supplies stored there for the case the Brits close Suez...

another (minor) thing: Ethiopia never takes part in the world trade as it is at war from the beginning and is landlocked. One day it is inevitable that you run out of rubber. no conversion tech handy. now I do not really think that the small industry ETH had relied on rubber. tricky. maybe I just add a lil rubber to the planned booty events...
 
Ethiopia

Having watched how the AI does things over the past couple of days (have to watch some part of the world while testing), is there a way to reduce the aggressiveness of the AI? In most of the games that I have watched, the AI goes on the offensive with 2/3 of their army into Mogidishu. That would be good, but the 5 divisions of Italian troops that are there at the beginning of the game are stratigically moved out of there in the first week of the game. This leaves 2 divisions to guard the northern border against the Italian attack that always develops. I haven't seen Ethiopia last longer than 3 months (except for one weird game in which they won). It might make sense to give the AI the idea that the capital is important as well. The only VP territory shouldn't be defended by retreating troops. Just my two cents worth. MDow
 
Sounds like we might need to tweak the Italian AI setting for strat redeploy and set a max_garrison for the ETH AI (which doesn't have an AI file at all so uses one of the generic files :().

Hmm... just had a quick look at the files, there's definitely work to be done. Does anybody know if Emperor Dennis is working on ETH and ITA files?
 
ethiopia.ai

Try adding ai = "ethiopia.ai" to the ethiopia.inc file in your C.O.R.E. mod directory, then copy the text below into a new file ..\ai\ethiopia.ai and let me know how that works.

EDIT: Fixed the code. Thanks ;)

#
# Hearts of Iron
#
# Default ethiopia.ai file
#
# by Steel. Updated 15/5
#


combat = { ITA }
war = 50

influence = {
ENG FRA USA
}

strat_redeploy_threshold = 120

max_front_ratio = 6
max_garrison_prop = 1.0
min_garrison_prop = 0.5

construction = {

max_factor = 0.1
max_AA = 1
AA_batteries = no
max_AA_level = 1
coastal_fort = no
max_coastal_level = 1
ic_at_war = no
ic_end_year = 1946
max_land_level = 1
}

military = {

relative_build_scheme = no

infantry = 90
cavalry = 10
motorized = 0
mechanized = 0
panzer = 0
paratrooper = 0
marine = 0
bergsjaeger = 0
# 100 %

fighter = 0
strategic_bomber = 0
tactical_bomber = 0
naval_bomber = 0
dive_bomber = 0
transport_plane = 0
torpedo_plane = 0
# 0 %

battleship = 0
carrier = 0
destroyer = 0
cruiser = 0
submarine = 0
transports = 0
# 0 %
}


technology = {

endgoal = {}
preference = {

1400 1401 1402 1406 1407 1408 # Improved infantry weapons

}

electronics = 0.1
armor = 0.5
infantry = 2.0
industry = 1.0
rocket = 0.1
nuclear = 0.1
heavy_aircraft = 0.1
light_aircraft = 0.1
naval = 0.1
submarine = 0.1
artillery = 2.0
naval_doctrine = 0.1
land_doctrine = 0.5
air_doctrine = 0.1
}

garrison = {

# OVERSEAS DISTRIBUTION:
defend_overseas_beaches = no
home_multiplier = 1.0
home_peace_cap = 6
war_zone_odds = 1
area_multiplier = {
1295 = 1.0
}

# PRIORITIES:
beach_1 = 0 # Beach level 1
beach_2 = 0 # Beach level 2
beach_3 = 0 # Beach level 3
capital = 100 # Our capital
human_border = 0 # Ignored for allied human players
war_target = 10 # The next country targeted for attack by this AI

opposing_alliance = 10 # For neutrals, all alliances are "opposing"
claim_threat = 10 # If we are neutral, countries with claims on us get this
unstable_border = 10 # Bordering countries at war with someone else get this

# Borders with specific countries
country_priorities = {
ITA = 10
ENG = -1
FRA = -1
}

province_priorities = {

# Japanese Home Islands
1295 = 400 # Capital
}

key_point_prio_mult = 0

}

front = {
recklessness = 2
distrib_vs_ai = reactive
distrib_vs_human = reactive

passivity = {
ITA = 180
}

}
 
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Thank you - obviously "fat fingers" when trying to type a 0 :D Edited my post so it has the correct code.

Sent you an email with two ETH AI files (one default, one if ETH joins Axis - the latter will need an event to trigger) and also some other feedback.
 
Originally posted by Steel
one if ETH joins Axis

there´d be an event chain possible if the game started a little earlier. Germany and Ethiopia were preparing a trade of Panzers to Ethiopia. Of course when the war broke out Germany denied such plans as Mussolini was protesting naturally.
 
Originally posted by SykoNurse
there´d be an event chain possible if the game started a little earlier. Germany and Ethiopia were preparing a trade of Panzers to Ethiopia. Of course when the war broke out Germany denied such plans as Mussolini was protesting naturally.

Would be neat :D and there's tons of events that could be included if it started in 1935... but if we move the start date it will break almost every event in the game (so many have start dates in 1936) and it's a slippery slope giving the player even more time to optimise their tech and units for eventual war :(

Let me know how the AI deploys it's units with the new ETH AI and your planned OOB changes, the garrison values may need some tweaking.
 
country = {
tag = ETH

ai = "ethiopia.ai"
alignment = { x = 30 y = 0 }

# Resource Reserves
coal = 5000 steel = 5000 rubber = 2000 oil = 2000 supplies = 2000

capital = 1295
manpower = 190


ownedprovinces = {
1290 1288 1294 1293 1296 1295 1297
}
controlledprovinces = {
1290 1288 1294 1293 1296 1295 1297
}
nationalprovinces = {
1290 1288 1294 1293 1296 1295 1297
# added
1285 # Asmara
1289 # Djibouti
}


landunit = {
#Regular army#

id = { type = 14670 id = 1 }
location = 1290
name = "Mahel Safari"
leader = 3301

division = {
id = { type = 14670 id = 2 }
name = "Army of Illubabor"
type = infantry
strength = 100
}
division = {
id = { type = 14670 id = 3 }
name = "1. Division"
type = militia
strength = 100
}
division = {
id = { type = 14670 id = 4 }
name = "2. Division"
type = militia
strength = 100
}
division = {
id = { type = 14670 id = 5 }
name = "3. Division"
type = militia
strength = 100
}
}

landunit = {
#Militia#

id = { type = 14670 id = 6 }
location = 1293
name = "1. Shifta Corps"
leader = 3304

division = {
id = { type = 14670 id = 7 }
name = "1. Militia"
type = militia
strength = 100
}
division = {
id = { type = 14670 id = 8 }
name = "2. Militia"
type = militia
strength = 100
}
}

landunit = {
#Militia#
id = { type = 14670 id = 9 }
location = 1288
name = "Army of the Ogaden"
leader = 3307

division = {
id = { type = 14670 id = 10 }
name = "Imperial Guard"
type = infantry
strength = 100
}
division = {
id = { type = 14670 id = 11 }
name = "3. Militia"
type = militia
strength = 100
}
}



}

that´s the new OOB for now.

Italy attacks Dagabur. Southern Army is defeated and retreats to Harar. At that moment The troops in Gondar split up 50:50 and send half their manpower back to Addis Abeba. Looks good so far :)
end of january Harar is under attack (2 vs. 2). One of the northern division proceeded to defend Magalo while the other one rushes to reinforce the Harar troops.
3 Ita divisions are on their way to Harar.
Be4 they arrive the first wave is defeated. Another ITA div tries to take Magalo but is sent back instantly.
newai1.jpg


at 1st they even seem to counterattack Dagabur. This is blown off really soon. The ai leaves 1 div in Harar and 1 in Magalo. The rest marches off to Addis Abeba again and spreads them to Gondar (now 3 divs) and Makale (also 3 divs).
As Harar is under attack now, 1 div marches back from Makale to Harar.
1 div in Harar is wiped out by April.
Makale falls in May, the 2 divisions from there retreat to the capital.
end of june also Harar falls to ITA. In that moment 1 division from Gondar hurries to the defence of Addis Abeba.
On july 5th 4 divisions are defending Addis against 2 italian divs. at that date i have a freeze accompanied by a virtual memory error... game over
 
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it´s based on the stuff i posted up there
the northern line:
Haile Kebbede - 10k men (6 men to 1 rifle, 3 machineguns)
Ras Mulugueta - 70k-80k men (400 machineguns, 10 cannons, few Oerlikon AA)
Imru/Kassa/Seyum - together 20k men
Makonnen Demissie - 12k (described as 'well armed', 10 Oerlikon AA)
+ several other groups to add up to a total of 150k men. they had 10 mio cartridges and 50k shells to fire.

the southern line:
the Imperial Guard
Arussi/Abebe - 6000
Endelkatchew - 12,000
Desta Damtew - over 20k men (fully armed, Oerlikon AA, Guards Battalion with them.
Data is from Haile Selassie´s War by Anthony Mockler.

combined with steel´s suggestion. the supplies are not shortened yet, as I do not have events to make up for that. also have in mind that ETH has absolutely NO tech at all, so their combat values suck badly...;)
the names of the units still might be changed as only a few units actually had names...
 
Last edited:
Originally posted by SykoNurse
it´s based on the stuff i posted up there


combined with steel´s suggestion. the supplies are not shortened yet, as I do not have events to make up for that. also have in mind that ETH has absolutely NO tech at all, so their combat values suck badly...;)
the names of the units still might be changed as only a few units actually had names...
are you sure no techs at all?
maybe the same as NatChi... (i think they have something like that)
 
Originally posted by Generalisimo
are you sure no techs at all?
often enuff was frustrated that they don´t even have early inf weapons and small mortars... if you survive and join the allies they tend to give you everything but infantry techs, too. [sigh]
 
Originally posted by Generalisimo
are you sure no techs at all?
maybe the same as NatChi... (i think they have something like that)

Well, zero tech is the way they are set up right now in C.O.R.E. but I think they should have the first category techs.

This is the NatChi tech setup:

techlevels = {
# Infantry
1000
# Industry
4000
# Land Doctrine
11000
}
techapps = {
1001
4001
11001
}



The AI files I threw together will primarily do infantry and artillery research. Maybe the first artillery tech (14000, Basic Equipment and Ordnance) should also be included in the techlevels Ethiopia start with. It will not save them from Italy but may give them a shot at actually developing a tech ;)
 
Originally posted by Steel
Well, zero tech is the way they are set up right now in C.O.R.E. but I think they should have the first category techs.

This is the NatChi tech setup:

techlevels = {
# Infantry
1000
# Industry
4000
# Land Doctrine
11000
}
techapps = {
1001
4001
11001
}



The AI files I threw together will primarily do infantry and artillery research. Maybe the first artillery tech (14000, Basic Equipment and Ordnance) should also be included in the techlevels Ethiopia start with. It will not save them from Italy but may give them a shot at actually developing a tech ;)
ok, done :D
 
Balancing

Ran a hands-off game and saw Italy get bogged down in Ethiopia, by May 1937 they had lost a number of units and only taken two provinces. Then ran a game with myself playing Italy, using only the forces initially in Africa (ie militia only, no air support):


1936-02-14 : 4:00 March 15, 1936 : We went with Install Friendly Government in Creation of a Ethiopian Vassal.

1936-02-14 : 4:00 March 15, 1936 : Italy have made Ethiopia their puppet state.

1936-02-14 : 4:00 March 15, 1936 : Ethiopia had Creation of a Ethiopian Vassal .


I'd welcome any thoughts and suggestions on how to make the Italian AI a little bit brighter. Should we be assigning OffDoc leaders (incl. an FM) to the Mogadishu forces? Who was historically assigned to the theater? Maybe we should break down the 7-division force to make sure there's no command penalty? I could try to tweak attack odds for the Italian AI and give it some province priorities.
 
Re: Balancing

Originally posted by Steel
Should we be assigning OffDoc leaders (incl. an FM) to the Mogadishu forces?
yes!

Who was historically assigned to the theater?
IIRC it was de Bono for the 1st months who then was replaced by Graziani. so a missing FM shouldn´t be the problem.

Maybe we should break down the 7-division force to make sure there's no command penalty?
yup
I could try to tweak attack odds for the Italian AI and give it some province priorities.
Maybe make them use tac and strat bombers en masse to replace the use of gas? the gas is the thing that made the italians win. without it they´d been sent home like 1896 imho
 
I made some changes, there's actually comments in the italy.inc file that indicates who was in command (General Nasi for the largest force) and I played a quick game against the Italian AI. It used the default leaders for the first assault, then assigned an FM for the assault on the Ethiopian capital. There was only a few airstrikes during the campaign but I was defeated by August :eek: The Italians lost about 800 strength points but I never stood a chance.