UK = Paper tiger in HoD?

[unmerged(53301)]

I've never seen the UK bring most of its might to bear against its enemies in any of its wars throughout three files (one as Russia, one as Portugal, and one as Sardinia-Piedmont/Italy).

They just seem to be a paper tiger. Outside of blockades, I've just never seen them do much.

Did I just get unlucky in my files or is the UK far too timid and weak in HoD?

 

[justin6477]

Seems to be hit and miss. I've only seen the UK expand substantially once, and I've only seen them implode once. The latter being when I enforced a liberate nation CB on them to free India... kind of ruined their whole East-Asia setup. The other times I've seen them not achieve all that much, and I've seen France outpace them more often than not.

 

[Lwantssugar]

The general patern in ahd was unless the war was taking place near India they wouldn only contribute a bare minimum, preceding to keep their armies in Ireland. The pattern seems to follow still in hod

 

[pacja]

keep their armies in Ireland. The pattern seems to follow still in hod

I've noticed the same thing. In a game as Prussia, GBR was my ally against France and Russia and did almost nothing. Huge british armies were sitting on their hands in Ireland while the blue guys even occupied London. This is an extreme case, but in general being allied with GBR seems good only to scare other GPs in crises or to prevent them from attacking as a british sphereling, but when it comes to wars in Europe, british contribution is most of the times neglectable.

 

[medopu]

I've noticed the same thing. In a game as Prussia, GBR was my ally against France and Russia and did almost nothing. Huge british armies were sitting on their hands in Ireland while the blue guys even occupied London. This is an extreme case, but in general being allied with GBR seems good only to scare other GPs in crises or to prevent them from attacking as a british sphereling, but when it comes to wars in Europe, british contribution is most of the times neglectable.

Yes, this is a massive problem. This needs to be fixed, and that's why I'm still waiting to buy HoD. I expected some flaws on release of HoD, that's why i didn't rush buying it, but this is more than just a flaw. You can't play it this way. Along with dominions releases, this is just unplayable at the moment. At least for me.

 

[KevinG]

Seems kind of realistic to me. When did the British ever field or threaten to field a substantial land army in Europe before WW1? Even during the Napoleonic wars their land contribution was negligible compared to the other great powers.

 

[ByeNow]

The problem for me is that UK doesn't understand the importance of naval race and France ends up with 3 times larger fleet

 

[delra]

I think every Vicky1 player prayed for this day to come, when the blob of the British is somehow balanced with the rest of the board, and can be struck down on occasion.

 

[grandad1982]

In real life the UK was always loath to send forces in to major wars. Instead of fighting Napoleon direct they fannied around in Spain. IN WW1 and WW2 huge numbers of the troops were commonwealth troops and we tried to us the same approach of fighting on indirect fronts (Gallipoli, N. Africa, Italy).

Having said that I'd like if they helped me against Russia and France rather than leaving them to beat my Scandinavia senseless!

 

[grommile]

Seems kind of realistic to me. When did the British ever field or threaten to field a substantial land army in Europe before WW1?

They contributed 250k troops to the Crimean War, which was the only European war they fought in at all between 1836 and 1913.

 

[Avernite]

Playing as the USA, I notice basically the same pattern as in AHD: the AI keeps some armies in Canada, but once those are beaten down, they are not reinforced. Instead the AI dumps british armies in my African colonies, Cuba (which I hold), Panama (idem) and my Pacific colonies.

They also once dropped an army in Florida, but if they did that kind of thing in, say, France, they'd be smashed even faster. 50k men just won't scare any major power, and the AI doesn't know to reinforce its invading force with a couple more. So even if, unseen, the AI is invading major powers, we wouldn't know as the invaders are easily wiped out.

 

[DrLulz]

to make matters worse, one of the things, we were told har been improved in HoD was "The Invasion AI", which I at least took as meaning that the UK would finally do something, and other powers would finally try to invade the UK mainland occasionally. None of these things happen, they just sit there.

Never, ever, count on the British in a crisis or as an ally. You're on your own, while they will be busy drinking tea and defending India from a Germany half a world away.

EDIT: In my experience this also seems to be a slight problem for France, who I've seen being slaughtered in europe, while having literally a 60k stack in each of the provinces of Algeria, just standing there... waiting... leading to the effect, that some of the states that are pushovers in Europe are total beasts in Africa.
I have a theory that the reason I always see Germany being so succesful is not that they have an inherently larger of better army than France - it's just that they have no colonies to park it in, so they keep it all at home.

 

[otacon_22]

I consider Great Britain to be a worthless ally if you need to fight a land war. I played Austria all the way to 1900 and North German Confederation allied with them and not me, even though I got out of their way to forming Germany ( I like a strong Germany to play against/with) and France and Russia keep ripping Germany apart before I can intervene. Great Britain is useless in a lad war anywhere but India.

 

[Ricox]

In my game, British do contribute a lot on land Europe... I've seen them do amphibious invasions frequently, although not in great numbers (and that makes sense too, after all - they're an island nation and shouldn't care so much for what happens across the Channel). And their mobilized masses in the British isles are quite a threat until I send my mobilized masses + my elite armies across the Channel to get rid of them. The British navy is incompetent, tho, they pose no threat to my super France (almost all of Africa is mine, UK competed in only 1 state which was some 2 province useless colony where I competed back so they'd waste colonial points and I could freely reign in Africa) and I can have all my navy in the Channel, providing transport for the troops across.

 

[unmerged(376721)]

I think every Vicky1 player prayed for this day to come, when the blob of the British is somehow balanced with the rest of the board, and can be struck down on occasion.

No, I don't. It really pissed me of.I want to fight an intelligent UK.

I've noticed the same thing. In a game as Prussia, GBR was my ally against France and Russia and did almost nothing. Huge british armies were sitting on their hands in Ireland while the blue guys even occupied London. This is an extreme case, but in general being allied with GBR seems good only to scare other GPs in crises or to prevent them from attacking as a british sphereling, but when it comes to wars in Europe, british contribution is most of the times neglectable.

List of Uk's absurdities that piss me off:
1. UK divides her fleets based on the size of her oversea provinces, sending off 4/5 of her fleet to remote places like Northwest Territories, Australia/New Zealand, West Indies & India, instead of concentrating 80% of her navy in Europe, where it matters.
2. UK's placement of troop. As mentioned.
3. Total lack of intelligent use of transport.
4. Do not understand attrition
5. Do not understand strategic long-term alliances with key countries in the continent.

They contributed 250k troops to the Crimean War, which was the only European war they fought in at all between 1836 and 1913.

I don't buy the "well, it is historically accurate argument."
Instead of a consious decision to do so, it is more like the ai's path finding problem (leading to weird troop placement and inability to use transport, best example being UK marching from India through Center Asia to fight Russia instead of a sea-bourn attack) and the ai's lack of long-term strategic memory or game plan.

Yes, this is a massive problem. This needs to be fixed, and that's why I'm still waiting to buy HoD. I expected some flaws on release of HoD, that's why i didn't rush buying it, but this is more than just a flaw. You can't play it this way. Along with dominions releases, this is just unplayable at the moment. At least for me.

I think the problem is fundamental computer intelligent issue and a quick fix is unlikely. Better not wait. :sad:

 

[OrdepNM]

I do believe there is some sort of advancements in the invasion AI, as before HOD, playing Japan you'd never hear from the likes of Germany, France of Austria as even if they DOW'd you, theyd necer actually do anything about. In my latest japan game, a DOW on Russia caused Germany to attack me, and they did send ships all the way across the world to attack me in Vietnam. So yes, the AI can do overseas invasions if it so wishes to. I think the UK is just must less intereted in it, which as others have said, its not entirely unhistorical.

As for the naval part of warfare, yes they should be much more agressive, but I believe this was fixed in the latest patch.

 

[Morgothic]

I think every Vicky1 player prayed for this day to come, when the blob of the British is somehow balanced with the rest of the board, and can be struck down on occasion.

It is silly that they have power and do not useit.

 

[Thanik]

Where is fun for player when AI GB take all Asia, Africa ,and you can't do anything?

 

[Morgothic]

Where is fun for player when AI GB take all Asia, Africa ,and you can't do anything?

Where is the immersion when he greatest empire of the time is faffing about in Ireland with a quarter of its army?

 

[NapoleonComple]

The problem with invasions sounds a lot like the HOI 3/Darkest Hour problem the Allies have getting back into Europe when under the AI. The British AI is reluctant to commit forces to the mainland and when they do the stronger land forces of Europe simply crush them and, as they have no retreat, they simply get wiped out.