How does the AI decides if going to war or not

[Pkaem]

So the question is basically, if the AI only takes a look at your warscore and at their own after and decides if its good idea to declare war or not, or does it value windows of opportunity. In my current game as germany, the UK annoys me alot by playing world police. They keep on intervening in my south america ally's wars, threaten my expansion in south-east asia, harcore colonizes south africa and peace out all colony crisis with their homeboys from moskau in their favor...

So I decided to punch them hard as I got a place in the sun CB against them by event. My plan was to invade their homeland, burn their 200 commercial raiders, cut them down in size, take my helgoland core back and aquire ceylon as india beachhead, if I want them to free india in the future. This war would further decide whos #1 in the house. So I really needed alot of men on the island. I was very afraid of france possibly jumping me while I'am out for a dance with the queen. They weren't allied but I feared they decide to get AL back when I leave my flank open at their border. So I started my invasion and nothing happend. Frenchies just watched London burning from the other side of the channel. If I was France in that situation, I would have thrown my entire army into Germany to break their neck. But it seemed that they didn't bother with this idea as I was #1 in military power.

On the other hand, the AI, especially GP's like to contain you if you pass infamy limit without taking the military power into account. I really wonder how they decide. It seems that they value your troops positioning, when I move a stack at any border, there will be troops on the other side soon. But why, if they see my troops are away, just DoW me and take AL. They didnt hate the UK as they werent at war with them in the whole game and they didnt have truce with me. They were #3 in military, #2 after the sucessful cutting of UK's power. So they werent weak at all. I was just abit ahead.

Does anyone have some more knowledge of this than me?

 

[unmerged(376721)]

So the question is basically, if the AI only takes a look at your warscore and at their own after and decides if its good idea to declare war or not, or does it value windows of opportunity. In my current game as germany, the UK annoys me alot by playing world police. They keep on intervening in my south america ally's wars, threaten my expansion in south-east asia, harcore colonizes south africa and peace out all colony crisis with their homeboys from moskau in their favor...

So I decided to punch them hard as I got a place in the sun CB against them by event. My plan was to invade their homeland, burn their 200 commercial raiders, cut them down in size, take my helgoland core back and aquire ceylon as india beachhead, if I want them to free india in the future. This war would further decide whos #1 in the house. So I really needed alot of men on the island. I was very afraid of france possibly jumping me while I'am out for a dance with the queen. They weren't allied but I feared they decide to get AL back when I leave my flank open at their border. So I started my invasion and nothing happend. Frenchies just watched London burning from the other side of the channel. If I was France in that situation, I would have thrown my entire army into Germany to break their neck. But it seemed that they didn't bother with this idea as I was #1 in military power.

On the other hand, the AI, especially GP's like to contain you if you pass infamy limit without taking the military power into account. I really wonder how they decide. It seems that they value your troops positioning, when I move a stack at any border, there will be troops on the other side soon. But why, if they see my troops are away, just DoW me and take AL. They didnt hate the UK as they werent at war with them in the whole game and they didnt have truce with me. They were #3 in military, #2 after the sucessful cutting of UK's power. So they werent weak at all. I was just abit ahead.

Does anyone have some more knowledge of this than me?

My experience is, if your military score is 2x the next GP, then others will not jump on you. Less than that, I have ai France jumping on me while I was at war with the Brit.

 

[Wizzington]

They do consider windows of opportunity. When comparing your military strength they will look at the strength of their alliance, the strength of your alliance and the strength of people you're at war with.

 

[delra]

Don't they look at tech too? I could swear Ottomans, Spaniards, Russians and Austrians are far more peaceful then Americans, French, Germans and British.

 

[Chamboozer]

Do they take into consideraton the balance of power? As in, in this situation where they see Britain being beaten, do they have any extra desire to fight (as logically if Britain is beaten, Germany will be unstoppable)?

 

[Pkaem]

They do consider windows of opportunity. When comparing your military strength they will look at the strength of their alliance, the strength of your alliance and the strength of people you're at war with.

I allied up with the USA before, to make them bind up british forces in Canada (wasn't released yet). So France considered that Germanys and USA overall strengh was bigger than those of France and UK? Correct? UK didnt have any ally joining the war. It would be very interesting to know if the AI takes the fact into its concederation, that the USA probably won't be able to throw large forces into an continental european war. Even more when the AI itself (France) has a much better fleet than USA.

Thanks so far!

 

[Wizzington]

Don't they look at tech too? I could swear Ottomans, Spaniards, Russians and Austrians are far more peaceful then Americans, French, Germans and British.

'Military strength' is not actual mil score but rather a hidden number determined by a lot of factors such as army size, army composition, tech, etc. Using mil score for AI calcs would be a bad idea since it's more a military prestige score than actual military effectiveness score.

On the topic of why the AI didn't attack in this particular case, impossible to say without having access to the save. There's a lot of reasons the AI might decide not go to war, such as strategic priorities, badboy, war exhaustion, planning another war, etc etc

 

[Tikinaattori]

I can confirm that AI seems to use those opportunities other countries give. For example Italy is very opportunistic in Europe, when big boys clash. When Germany vs. France happens, Italy usually waits to see which one will win, and then ninja claim cores after other one has been beaten and their military has been depleted. I've seen that happen many times now.

 

[General War]

I can confirm that AI seems to use those opportunities other countries give. For example Italy is very opportunistic in Europe, when big boys clash. When Germany vs. France happens, Italy usually waits to see which one will win, and then ninja claim cores after other one has been beaten and their military has been depleted. I've seen that happen many times now.

In my current game AI is very opportunistic! Poland formed as a single state country out of a crisis, and since both Germany and Austria are very weak, Poland was constantly declaring wars on them. With my help (US), Poland acquired most of her cores.

Other countries also attacked Germany at the same time, including Switzerland

 

[unmerged(536154)]

Wish AI would take into consideration fighting for resources (like rubber).

 

[Pkaem]

In my current game AI is very opportunistic! Poland formed as a single state country out of a crisis, and since both Germany and Austria are very weak, Poland was constantly declaring wars on them. With my help (US), Poland acquired most of her cores.

Other countries also attacked Germany at the same time, including Switzerland

I often recognized this behaviour when I play as Germany. I naturally try to keep Austria down for wiping out the threat and perhaps sphere them one day (if not going for GGermany ofc). Minors like Italy, Serbia and even GP's like the Russians bite pices out of them when they are cut down to size. So my question came up. I really was suprised that France didnt jump me I also have the impression that 2ndary powers like Brasil like to bog down their neighbours when having a big buddie. So they often go after Columbia when I've got them sphered and allied.

 

[Tikinaattori]

Also I'd like to point that AI seems to be able count alliances in their calculations. At first when I formed Germany, I had several wars alone against France and Russia, but as soon as I allied with USA, not a single DoW anymore. Also as a side note, I was really surprised how good ally USA really is, because it actually actively takes part in wars all over world, especially after building of Panama canal. Europe, Asia or Africa, you name it, and they always brought troops. And the best part is, they don't lose their own land constantly to lower war score, so certainly my favourite ally from now on.

 

[Dorevai]

I was in a messy war with Austria-Hungary to prop up Yugoslavia in PDM as France when Germany came for Alsace-Lorraine during AHD. It was very frustrating as my armies had been ground to dust against the Austrians. I peaced out with Austria for all but one of my goals and went about getting my butt kicked by the germans. Seven years later I took it back while they were marching to Moscow.