Observations on 1.07

[unmerged(151142)]

Running a game to test the balance of 1.07 (plus custom mod) I made some observations that should affect everyone:
1. Playing Germany (all events happened like in real history), it's end 1940 I realized that my Italian ally had kicked the British nearly out of Africa. When I looked into the UK-save I realized he had maybe three divisions in Egypt, so no miracle he get's smashed. Then I realized the Canadians have sent not a single division for help, all 15 of them stand in Canada and protect crucial places like Baffin Island and some Polar Bears (no offense please if you're a bear or from Baffin Island, but it's likely not the place evil Adolf will land to conquer the free world). If anyone knows how to change this pleeeeeease share your wisdom.
2. The AI promotion is a mess compared to 1.05 promoting nobodies to Great Admirals. I think it has to do with the initial deployment of officers at the beginning of the scenario, who are mostly of lowest ranks and these are being auto-promoted, ignoring the leader files. If you know how to get rid of this I'll praise your name. It's sad they changed it cause it worked just fine before.
3. Subs sink a little bit too easily, though having researched all doctrines. As of now it's not worth building them. What could be changed? Reducing visibility?
4. The AI is much better than ever before!!! I really had fun so far. After the fall of France I tried to move my fleet from the North Sea to Brest and Bordeaux. He blocked me with a superb fleet, and immediately pulled out every bomber he had. I loved it!!!

 

[lazarus.plus]

I played a variety game as Germany in 1.07 and my main comment is that the AI fights much harder when it must. I waited until '44 to give the French a chance to build up so it wouldn't be the usual crap. An attempt to flank the Maginot line through Switzerland (didn't want to lose useful neutrals Belgium and Netherlands) bogged down into a blood-bath and I had to call it off. Next try was straight through after a couple of months of railway arty going bang bang bang. When I finally got through it became maneuver warfare again but they tried very hard indeed to prevent my flanking moves. Finally broke clean through south, and then north, pocketing an army in the Italian defenses and the other around Paris. No surrender event has fired... Wonder why. Doesn't matter though, I'd say no on principle. Europe will be German. ALL of it.

Haven't attacked Soviets yet, will wait until 1948 or so. They are fighting the Japanese and their National puppets in China now. They definitely need the experience before they face me. My manpower pool is very low anyways, and I am shifting production to a Navy. The UK+Allies airforce in England is smashed, just need a Navy capable of Sealioning.

 

[kane279]

biggest problem of 1.07 in imho is the manpower-usage of the AI.
in my JAP game, USA run out of manpower in '43...from that point onward their whole juggernaut of IC was of no use. Now in '45 I even try to conquer the USA (as JAP!!!) because I hope to wear them down with my Nat.Chin borrowed INF.

a bit doubtful in my eyes is the building routine....GER with 20+ HQ but only 60 INF and about 30 MOT, LARM & ARM (together!) seems somewhat wrong
SOV got beaten by their love for motorized forces: 60 MOT & 40 ARM gave me hell of a fight but destroying Baku & Maikop set them dry in about 300 days. After that their German Front collapsed. But I have also seen many SOV divisions with just around 20 strength, which is odd because they had the manpower to regenerate them and the IC as well

But I agree - AI got far better (besides building & Manpower)
AI reacts well to threats and uses your weak spots
I feel the US airforce painfully in America and I got surprised a few times with invasion forces (Australia wasn't the best Idea of AI because it lost around 30 units there but it was a bold move!)

 

[Herodotus]

That observation on AI Canada not sending troops to help out the British in N-Africa has struck me, too.
Especially considering that the smaller and further away allies Australia and New Zealand seem to manage that task quie well.

How come AI Canada doesn't help the British? Anyone got a clue?

 

[Fürstbischof]

That observation on AI Canada not sending troops to help out the British in N-Africa has struck me, too.
Especially considering that the smaller and further away allies Australia and New Zealand seem to manage that task quie well.

How come AI Canada doesn't help the British? Anyone got a clue?

Shortly after the war begins you can see a long string of australian transports moving through the Indian Ocean to Egypt. But it might be that the Canadians don't have enough transports. Or these divisions seem to be somewhere else...

can_1936.ai file:

exp_force_ratio = 0.750
exp_force_ratios = {
ENG = 1.0
}
no_exp_forces_to = { FRA BEL HOL NOR DEN POL LUX SPA SPR GRE YUG }