How does the AI respond?

[ddiplock]

What are people's opinion's on how the AI respond's to provinces with no armies in. Does the AI RELIGIOUSLY assault and take empty provinces all the time ? Because I've gotten into a terrible habit of trying to keep troops in every province along a front which sometimes isnt possible and makes winning wars for me I think alot harder than needed. I think I need to re-think my methods on how I approach combat in this game but I need some advice.

I see screenshots of some people's AAR's where they are moving troops around an enemy's flanks or to another sector of a front but leaving several of their own provinces, sometimes several "lines" deep empty of troops and clearly vulnerable to attack.

Am I being too paranoid in trying to keep troops in every province??? When I could use large numbers put together to push through an enemy's front?

Or is leaving some provinces enmpty for the enemy to advance into the perfect way in getting him to help you encircle him by making him advance too far?

Cheers guys

 

[Pal]

Or is leaving some provinces enmpty for the enemy to advance into the perfect way in getting him to help you encircle him by making him advance too far?

This

Although it might be considered a gamey tactic, as it exploits the AI's weakness to properly assess a situation and the potential outcomes of its own actions...

 

[ddiplock]

This

Although it might be considered a gamey tactic, as it exploits the AI's weakness to properly assess a situation and the potential outcomes of its own actions...

Yeah I can see where you are coming from. But still....sometimes its required I guess if you can't break through an enemy's front

 

[unmerged(70654)]

What are people's opinion's on how the AI respond's to provinces with no armies in. Does the AI RELIGIOUSLY assault and take empty provinces all the time ? Because I've gotten into a terrible habit of trying to keep troops in every province along a front which sometimes isnt possible and makes winning wars for me I think alot harder than needed. I think I need to re-think my methods on how I approach combat in this game but I need some advice.

I see screenshots of some people's AAR's where they are moving troops around an enemy's flanks or to another sector of a front but leaving several of their own provinces, sometimes several "lines" deep empty of troops and clearly vulnerable to attack.

Am I being too paranoid in trying to keep troops in every province??? When I could use large numbers put together to push through an enemy's front?

Or is leaving some provinces enmpty for the enemy to advance into the perfect way in getting him to help you encircle him by making him advance too far?

Cheers guys

The classic "gamey" tactic in this regard is leaving the German western border open to French attack after the Danzig event. WITHOUT FAIL the French AI will storm in with 60+ divisions and will be easily encircled. This is the only realistic way to conquer both france and poland before 1940.

The AI does try to landgrab as much as possible, it usually screws itself over by moving forces from important guarded fronts to undefended less important fronts, this becomes clearly apparent in the invasion of Russia , if you hold the southern latitudes the stupid AI Will usually steal back the northern most 0-20% infrastructure provinces, mis-allocating dozens of units.