German AI turning the tide

[unmerged(67329)]

So I played this game as japan... happily conquering everything in sight (it is a little too easy at the moment). In Europe everything went according to plan at first (including the great italian army conquering france), so i went about my business and didnt look at it for a while.

And while i was busy in India and Australia (actually i wasnt too busy there, since my Imperial HQ conquered it almost by itself) i took a look at europe. Sadly I had a little Allies-spam and the US entered early. And they brought divisions!:

I didnt really know what to do, since i was quite far away and didnt dare send troops by sea, so i just kept on conquering... content to soon have to face the whole world (including some kind of FRG) alone. But lo and behold, when the yankees conquered munich the AI finally decided it´s time to use those divisions from the eastern front:

And when I finally arrived via Beograd, the germans were well on their way to painting europe grey again (which they soon afterwards did, with only a small amount of my east-asian prosperity paladins helping):

So I conclude: The original german threat assessment was correct. It was more important to keep the Bolsheviks from entering the war than to oppose those annoying americans - they could be dealt with in time . The fun thing will be if the Soviets decide to join in on us, now that theres hardly any division left to face them(they just recently mobilized).

I was really positively suprised by the "flexibility" of the german AI, though of course USSR not dowing helped (I´m wondering if Germany consciously chose not to go to war with them because of the american threat though). On the other hand i cant understand how the US AI managed to fail like that, after such a promising start.

Anyways, now i can definitly never go back to HoI2

 

[userstupid]

Woot That.... was unexpected to say a tleast

 

[BaDBoYFIN]

That was a fun little story, you the bright red/brownish color in the balkans?

Though its a bit odd that the yanks managed to do that much and still in the end loose. Means either the german or yank AI screwd the poch. In the early stage or late stage depending on who it was.

 

[unmerged(38835)]

How could you get to Yugoslavia?

Otherwise, very interesting.

 

[Earl Uhtred]

I wonder why they went to all that trouble to create the GiE system and then just have Germany 'annex' the whole of northern France a la HoI2 when Vichy fires.

 

[Klewer]

Looking at the first map it just looks like the yanks have stretched there forces a bit thin, but enough to defeat what German forces were there. Once the extra divisons were brought across the Germans were stronger. Does not seem that strange.

 

[unmerged(94346)]

If that had happened in real life; the Allied nations would have collapsed trying to explain the war-dead. It would be interesting if ultra high casualties like those here could be implemented in the "Strategic Warfare/national unity section."

 

[Fulmen]

I can imagine just how happy the Führer was after seeing results of all his screaming of "DRIVE BACK ZE AMERIKANER SCHWEINEHUNDE!" :rofl:

 

[unmerged(67329)]

How could you get to Yugoslavia?

Otherwise, very interesting.

Sadly it was not really very challenging to get there.

With the notable exception of the european minors and nat.china the way is paved with complete pushovers. But the real problem is that it was too easy to supply my troops, especially after getting the Indian Ports. I eliminated Philippines/Malaysia/Australia/Dutch Colonies early, which probably helped protect the sealines, but I was also not getting any American resistance there (seeing how busy he was in europe, it´s at least partly understandable) and i would have thought that I´d suffer a *lot* more pressure on my convoys than happened (maybe once every two months i got the message that one of my transports was sunk. not enough to seriously hinder my war efforts).

 

[ComTrav]

I've learned Germany is a lot bigger then I remember in Hoi2 .

Usually a breakout into Germany, especially by the West, meant the end of the war was nigh. Now it has strategic depth and can use that to defend itself.

I still wonder if the AI realizes the importance of guarding sea ports, though.

 

[wright1331]

I'd be interested to know if Germany waits till the west is clear before it Dow's SU, and not scripted to dow by such and such date regaurdless of whats happening wacko like we had in "the past" . That would be very cool.

 

[heraklonas]

no surprise, the ai is blocked in theatres. in the moment americans get into the sphere of the eastern theatre, this one's AI react. i would say, this is ridicoulous. a good AI would have given some divisions to the western theatre, enough to push, enough to guard the border. now it did nothing till the theatre crossing piont and afterwards send mostly all guards to the west.

however, its a shame that germany didnt protect italy, as is seen on your screen.

 

[unmerged(67329)]

Looking at the first map it just looks like the yanks have stretched there forces a bit thin, but enough to defeat what German forces were there. Once the extra divisons were brought across the Germans were stronger. Does not seem that strange.

That is true, but after seeing the americans conquer half of europe with those german troops just standing there, i didnt expect them to move *ever* (the picture also doesnt even show the Allied Invasion force at the height of its power). That they finally did move, and that it wasnt too late for them to come back by then is quite a surprise to me. A development like this would be inconceivable in HoI2.

I still wonder if the AI realizes the importance of guarding sea ports, though.

Judging from my experience in China and Australia, it seems while the AI does guard the ports, it is usually not enough to repel a real invading force consisting of more than 1 or two divisions (especially since you can usually just land one province next to the port and avoid the invasion-penalty). Also I feel that the Naval AI should more consciously try to defend sea-provinces that allow access to harbors or tiles next to harbors.

On the other hand, i had only targets smaller than me, so far. wonder what it will be like to invade the US.

 

[Gatkramp]

That was a fun little story, you the bright red/brownish color in the balkans?

Though its a bit odd that the yanks managed to do that much and still in the end loose. Means either the german or yank AI screwd the poch. In the early stage or late stage depending on who it was.

Or the Hitler thought the invasion from France was a decoy. So he kept guarding the East, incase the Americans came through the USSR. But then, after alot of Germany fell, Hitler realised he was a nutter and let his generals actually run the war?


Really, I assume it's similar to the Japan issue, where Japan guards the border with the USSR while losing the war in China. The AI doesn't seem to realise that the threat from a country your at war with is greater than that of an Uber-powrful neigbour. Guarding the border is good. 90% of the army guarding it while your losing a war elsewhere, not so much.

 

[e-stab]

I wonder if part of the reason was US logistics breaking down due to supply issues (a) in overseas territory or (b) not being adequately supplied by an ally.

 

[Socratatus]

Well, once again I see that as great, flexble A in the first post. The AI appears aware of the situation and tries to act accordingly. I find it sad when someone always find an excuse to see the glass as half empty.

 

[unmerged(67329)]

I wonder if part of the reason was US logistics breaking down due to supply issues (a) in overseas territory or (b) not being adequately supplied by an ally.

It´s highly unlikely, as supply is really not a problem if you have a port and some transports and the US has its own ports in france, not "liberated" ones.

Well, once again I see that as great, flexble A in the first post. The AI appears aware of the situation and tries to act accordingly. I find it sad when someone always find an excuse to see the glass as half empty.

Well, the criticism concerning theatre AI is correct i think. it really seems that the game is mostly lacking a "global" strategic AI that manages troops between theatres according to which one faces the most direct threat. Nevertheless, this kind of behavior we have now(and the fact that the AI managed to "pick up the pieces" after it had an almost completely hopeless situation) is soo far above and beyond HoI2, that it´s incredible to me.

 

[unmerged(91248)]

Niiiiiiiiiiiiice

And there's only one way the AI (and the game in general) is going from here............. and that's up. The boys in PI will polish it until it gleams. This is going to be great!

 

[userstupid]

It would be interesting to see how much oil germany had.

Also how much us had in supplies.