CS Tactical AI

umbro · (This post was last modified: 09-30-2008, 09:48 AM by umbro.)

I recently jumped back on to the CS bandwagon with JTCS and started refurbishing some old scenarios. While testing these I was surprised to find that the AI does not seem to have been touched at all since the old days. I was further surprised to find the number of players that regularly play against the AI. So to provide a better game for these folks in the future I was thinking that we could run a thread that would note sub-optimal AI play that could be easily fixed.

Some examples might be:

1. Never move leaders without being stacked with a combat unit.
2. Never leave leaders unstacked (if, say, their accompanying units is destroyed).
3. Never leave HQs in LOS.
4. Do not move HQs within the command range of their subordinate units unless the enemy gets LOS.
5. Never assault a hex that has undisrupted units in it.
6. Do not shoot at units that you cannot damage and cannot damage you if there are other targets in range.
7. Never stack more than 12SPs in a hex

Some counter-examples (primarily ones that would be hard to fix)

1. Play more like Guderian would.
2. Use combined arms effectively.

umbro

Von Earlmann · 10-01-2008, 08:46 AM,

Jonathan,
It has been my experiance while checking scenarios.......the AI will move leaders back and forth in the same 2 hexs until aps are used up...........it also seems to love to burn up the smoke asap :-)...........rather boring to even check scenarios against the AI

VE

WARHOG · 10-02-2008, 07:15 PM,

I think those are some excellent ideas and a good place to start. A serious revision of AI is long over due.

Kool Kat · 10-03-2008, 12:44 AM,

Also the AI tends to exhaust all air missions in the early stages of the game - regardless of appropriate ground targets.

Case in point: I recently played a RS scenario in which the AI had 15 air missions. Sure enough; starting on turn #1, the AI sent 3-5 air missions my way each turn - hitting any unit (combat, non-combat) in clear terrain. By turn #5, AI air mission capability was exhausted... and the scenario had 21 turns. Rest of the game, I could operate with no fear of a "hit" from the sky.

Kool Kat · 10-03-2008, 10:51 PM,

CS has always been at its best with human vs. human play. I believe that this "mode" is the most challenging, exciting and nerve racking CS! :)

The original TalonSoft folks; over 10 years ago, were well aware of the limited AI capabilities. Quotes from the original EF Playtester Notes:

"The A/I will sometimes stack up in Objective and fortification hexes to the exclusion of maintaining a good line around it..."

"When the A/I is defending it will tend to counterattack Objective hexes you control."

"The A/I will frequently expend Smoke and Air Attacks early in a scenario..."

"It [A/I] has been known to move HQ's too far forward..."

So; in order to have a more satisfying CS experience, either PBeM (the best way IMHO) or play with the A/I as defender. The A/I tends to make fewer stupid mistakes as defender, but it is still not brilliant.

I tend to get rather bored playing the A/I, so the majority of my CS games are PBeM.

umbro · 10-04-2008, 06:55 AM,

Mike:

Personally I never played against the AI as it was so flawed. I also have issues with PBEM as a venue. IMHO the only way to play CS is H2H online, but I am strange that way.

However, Jason did an informal poll on the Matrix site and ~50 responses showed that folks play against the AI 80% of the time, 20% PBEM and only 1% H2H online.

By generating this thread I was hoping to create an easy fix list that would make the AI less brain-dead without having to go to the expense of a complete reconstruction.

Jonathan

Pip Roberts · 10-04-2008, 07:03 AM,

H2H is great but I am sure there are a great number like me who play vs the AI while waiting for replies and often play for the shear joy of exploring interesting actions and seeing what the various generals had to contend with. I know that the AI is dumber than you lot but so am I and I have learned a lot about history and the difficulties of warfare from the AI.

We who also play AI are the secret members of our great club who do not appear on the results table. I do not care about winning or losing I love learning and studying history.

This post will elicit abuse from H2H players but I hope that it will flush out some other players who use and appreciate the AI

Pip Roberts · 10-04-2008, 07:12 AM,

I enthusiastically applaud the plans to improve the AI. Great ideas and much needed. Please keep us in touch via the message board. Please add the improvements to the original CS games for the many who have not gone to the wonderrful Matrix. I think that Matrix is great for serious gamers but am sure there are still may who play vs the AI using CS. Personally I use both CS and Matrix aas they both have a place

schnurbart · 10-04-2008, 08:04 AM,

great ideas all umbro..i like number 6 the most..only exeption i can see off hand is disrupted units should draw fire no matter what the odds unless there is a better move..perhaps getting out of los in defensive games.