Defend in depth planning?

[Sergius64]

So it looks like we'll be able to simulate breakthroughs with the new Battle Plans system. But how about the defense? In HoI3 the AI would stack all units at the front, with no reserves behind them. Will it be possible to get the AI to defend in an intelligent way?

 

[Jacques Wolffe]

From what I've seen so far, the AI will put all of the units you have assigned up to the defensive line. There are no reserves unless you create a second defensive/fallback line.

 

[fabius]

I really hope the battle planner gets more depth love over the patches and DLC. And at some point we can hope the AI can start to make and use things like strategic reserve; defence in depth; and some plans like back hand blow.

 

[CyberianK]

I guess if you define multiples fallback lines maybe you can do it that way?

Like 20 lines to defend the motherland from Poland to Vladivostock.

Thing is if the AI would use reserves then at the same times peoples would say "Stupid AI isnt using all its units".

 

[Zaku]

I'm sure the battle plan system gets expanded through the life of the game. It's such a wonderful feature, I would be suprised if they didn't.
Right now if you want to have defense in depth you'll need several armies. The first army group will be on the frontlines and the second/third etc will need fallback lines to simulate defense in depth.

 

[Lifthrasil]

The more interesting question in my opinion is, if the enemy-AI is able to defend intelligently and use reserves. The player can do that himself, but the enemy-AI is what gives the challenge. I fear that this will not be the case though, at least at release.

 

[nuarbnellaffej]

For what your mentioning I think the AI would have to be pretty darn sharp. I imagine it would be tough to balance between having a useful working reserve, and having its units defeated in detail, thus potentially weakening the front more than it otherwise would be.

I will say that I hope this feature gets implemented at some point, but these sort of "big picture" strategic concepts are difficult to program.

Edit: ninja'd by lifthrasil

 

[Bridger15]

I'm sure the battle plan system gets expanded through the life of the game. It's such a wonderful feature, I would be suprised if they didn't.
Right now if you want to have defense in depth you'll need several armies. The first army group will be on the frontlines and the second/third etc will need fallback lines to simulate defense in depth.

You don't strictly need to have separate armies. While you can quickly an easily assign an entire army to a front, you can also select half that army and assign it to a fall back line so that half stay on the front to cover the retreat. Then once the fallback line is in place, select the other half and have them retreat to the fallback line.

I might even experiment with creating a few small (1-2 province) fallback lines just behind my main defensive line to act as a strategic reserve, from which I can re-assign units to wherever they are needed.

 

[JerkyJerry]

I love the BP bonus! It is wonderful and a vast improvement from 3.
This addition is a grand slam!

If anyone wants to receive detailed information regarding the BP Bonus there is just one poster you need to read; @potski
His posts are filled with facts and the way he explains the system makes it very easy to understand. In addition he has answered dozens of questions in his posts. Some of which I'm sure you may have as well as you are learning about it.
After spending some time reading his posts you too will know the new system is extremely well thought out and flexible.
If you have any questions potski is your man!

 

[Bridger15]

I will say that I hope this feature gets implemented at some point, but these sort of "big picture" strategic concepts are difficult to program.

I feel like the easiest thing to do would be that if a unit has <10% org and/or less than 50% equipment the AI should send it to a fallback line (behind the front) until it's recovered org and/or equipment. You could even assign priority in a way that those units would stay on the fallback line unless a priority on the front became higher than their "needs recovery" value. Those numbers would obviously need to be tweaked, as I just made them up on the spot, but you get the idea. This would provide the AI with a way to allow exhausted divisions time to recover and also provide it with a working strategic reserve in times of great need.

This might still break down in a situation where you're getting slaughtered, like Poland or Soviet Union in a properly executed Barbarossa, but tbh, there shouldn't be anything the AI can do if you have vastly superior equipment, doctrine, and well executed plans.

 

[Number 7]

I'm sure the battle plan system gets expanded through the life of the game. It's such a wonderful feature, I would be suprised if they didn't.
Right now if you want to have defense in depth you'll need several armies. The first army group will be on the frontlines and the second/third etc will need fallback lines to simulate defense in depth.

those reserve secondary armies on fallback lines can have planning bonuses at least, like prepared defenders ready torush in and close the gap. will be interesting

 

[fabius]

I'm sure the battle plan system gets expanded through the life of the game. It's such a wonderful feature, I would be suprised if they didn't.
Right now if you want to have defense in depth you'll need several armies. The first army group will be on the frontlines and the second/third etc will need fallback lines to simulate defense in depth.

Yeah my bets are on it getting expanded.

I'm interested to see how fallback lines works and whether the AI uses them. Also, how the AI uses garrison plans.