Struggle for a vast future for 1.12RC5

[Clovis]

In this game, this is the best I've seen, right now I can't win a battle and feeling the heat. Longstreet beat both Banks (so-so) & McDowell (very strong) Corps singlehanded!

I'm was going to start a push, until current developements, I will have to regroup and probably wait till "63. I can't wait to see the improvements Clovis comes up with, I'm hoping for more balance and a little more aggression. Last game AI was erratic, this time very good.

As it stands now I have 95 MP, CSA 108, Union loses 28,374, CSA 16,975, I made a risky move with Fremont to retake Cairo (which he did), but almost lost St. Louis.

Whatever work made, The AI will alaways remain erratic, because it's...just an AI. So from time to time, It makes the wrong moves. But all in all, by better focusing it and helping here and there a bit AI will at last I hope in any game to get some right moves too. And any player who will not reload the game when defeated should get a taste of the Civil war ebb and flow between the 2 sides.

[Big Muddy]

Whatever work made, The AI will alaways remain erratic, because it's...just an AI. So from time to time, It makes the wrong moves. But all in all, by better focusing it and helping here and there a bit AI will at last I hope in any game to get some right moves too. And any player who will not reload the game when defeated should get a taste of the Civil war ebb and flow between the 2 sides.

I understand about the AI, actually this game the AI is doing very good, there were a couple of instances where CSA could have taken a town, or beat some of my forces. I didn't take into account that they were low on cohesion. I'm sure they were tired after beating me in battles.

I did eventually lose St. Louis, and the state of Missouri, I regained the state back, but not St. Louis. Arkansas is mine, at least for the time being. I'm still suffering heavy loses, 55,010 compared to CSA 33,375, I got the Souix uprising, if I blow that, I'm blaming the AI

Clovis are you going to wait for the Beta to become offical before updating?

[Clovis]

Clovis are you going to wait for the Beta to become offical before updating?

No. The 1.13e exe is compatable with my mod as is. The rest is made of changes in data files I may yet "translate" (or not when disagreeing) into SVF ones.

The main point is the time needed to write AI events for CSA. US AI events are now numbering over one hundred. CSA AI will need less but there is a large number to write. Less, because CSA AI will be most of the time in defensive strategic stance. I've to learn it to be more attentive to KY TN aera, less obssessed with Saint Louis, West Virginia, and to launch here and there counterstrikes...

[Big Muddy]

No. The 1.13e exe is compatable with my mod as is. The rest is made of changes in data files I may yet "translate" (or not when disagreeing) into SVF ones.

The main point is the time needed to write AI events for CSA. US AI events are now numbering over one hundred. CSA AI will need less but there is a large number to write. Less, because CSA AI will be most of the time in defensive strategic stance. I've to learn it to be more attentive to KY TN aera, less obssessed with Saint Louis, West Virginia, and to launch here and there counterstrikes...

Just applied Beta 1.13e(RC5), made a new game folder & DL SVF. I copied save game folder from current game and hit end turn and got CTD. Not a problem, deleted the saved games and it runs fine. I was hoping to play my current game with new RC5.

[Clovis]

Just applied Beta 1.13e(RC5), made a new game folder & DL SVF. I copied save game folder from current game and hit end turn and got CTD. Not a problem, deleted the saved games and it runs fine. I was hoping to play my current game with new RC5.

Not my case as my current test game runs fine. Now, the RC1 had evidently some small bugs. Maybe some data of your save was altered.

[Big Muddy]

Not my case as my current test game runs fine. Now, the RC1 had evidently some small bugs. Maybe some data of your save was altered.

It runs fine but not with the save. I still have my current game folder, I'm not doing to discontinue it, current game is far to enjoyable. When you update I will apply to new folder, I also have a spare tucked away, I've got copies all over the place.

[marecone]

Solved my problem playing some mix of svf and greys patch. Confurming that one supply for depot is just wrong and too ewsy for union. Rebels doing much better. LOVE IT

[Clovis]

Solved my problem playing some mix of svf and greys patch. Confurming that one supply for depot is just wrong and too ewsy for union. Rebels doing much better. LOVE IT

Good to hear.

[marecone]

Possible supply bug. Maybe because my messy instalation but I will list just in case. My transports don't get me any supplies from shipping box. In Mob svf mod this works and I am notified every turn. In svf mod I don't get them nor Am I notified.

P.s. Good job in aar clovis.

[Clovis]

Possible supply bug. Maybe because my messy instalation but I will list just in case. My transports don't get me any supplies from shipping box. In Mob svf mod this works and I am notified every turn. In svf mod I don't get them nor Am I notified.

P.s. Good job in aar clovis.

Playing Union? Transport ships are now coming in 2 sorts: transports with the icon symbol which have no commercial capacity and commercial transports which have no transport capacity. That's a way to limit Union advantage in naval supply. You need as union to build more to get the same commercial results and transport capacity.

[Clovis]

For those interested to try the new CSA AI, I post here the needed files.

Unzip the 2 events file in the SVF/events folder.

You will have to start a new game to get full results.

It's a first draft...

[Big Muddy]

I am aware of the commcerical transports but have never built any. I have only built transports which are sent to the shipping box. As of the moment I have a count of 421 under Transport Assets & Capacity. Blue water naval forces transport up to 4210 supply & ammo over the seas. However I have just built two commerical and sent them to the shipping box and my count of 421 didn't go up. That's why I don't build them, what do I use them for? Also, I don't recall ever being notified every turn, maybe I am missing this.

Actually I haven't build commerical anything, Brigs etc. Back to the shipping box, is it best to have equal ammount of commercial/trans in the box? to get a notification? marecone says he's gets a notification with his combo mod, by the way glad your back at it marecone.

[marecone]

For those interested to try the new CSA AI, I post here the needed files.

Unzip the 2 events file in the SVF/events folder.

You will have to start a new game to get full results.



It's a first draft...

Again I will not finish my game
Anyway, Clovis could you provide us with Info about how you teach ai to play? Perhaps we could help here As well. Before your patch rebel ai made some very deep raids in my territory. It got columbus and paducah and next turn went As far As salem, illinois. It stayed there and didn't get the city. I attacked him with grant and As he couldn't retreat he was destroyed. Whole army! Rebs can't take such great loses.

[marecone]

Perhaps you should limit rebel ai to take such deep raids. Cavalry should be able to go deep but armies should go to first line of cities at max imho.

[marecone]

I will try using commercial transports then. I suggest that you change those ships srarting in shipping box to commercial ones As well.
Big m, glad to be back. In non moded game ships in shipping box bring you war supplies from europe and you are notifed every turn.

[Clovis]

Perhaps you should limit rebel ai to take such deep raids. Cavalry should be able to go deep but armies should go to first line of cities at max imho.

That's yet the case...before any AI modding, CSA raided to Pittsburg or Chicago... I understand your point and I limited too raids on Cairo a bit. I hope the new events will limit more such a behaviour But I feel it will never been totally avoided. Union AI is yet sometimes doing this

AI modding is simple in concept:

- a command (AIset.aggro) will alter the forceratio computing in an area ( Like South_East, including KY, TN...). Above 100, AI will be more aggressive, under less.

- another one (AIChgInterest) will alter the value of a region ( by example, Richmond). The less the value, the less interest.

Other tools are VP and Objective values and ai pool ratio for type of unit construction preferences.

What's less easier is AGE AI is built to do different things in the same situation...And avoiding to get by event scripting a foreseable AIattcaking in the same aeras aronud the same times... So I use most a probality condition to event firing. Then I use too other conditions to change values of regions once one is conquered.

Last, I help AI with building stuff by giving it soem free ressources and here and there a free fort or depot...Nothing about combat results because advantaging AI here is immediatly notices by player to the detriment of immersion...when a depot in the rear...

Once agin, AGE AI is good. But it's generic. A Generic AI is good at operational level but poor at strategy definition. My modest work is just trying to help AI to develop a resonable but changing strategy. The fist point is avoiding as much as possible AI shooting itself by sending troops too far and losing them...

[Clovis]

I will try using commercial transports then. I suggest that you change those ships srarting in shipping box to commercial ones As well.
Big m, glad to be back. In non moded game ships in shipping box bring you war supplies from europe and you are notifed every turn.

Will redo...was there in a precedent version but a crash forced me to rebuild mod and I forgot to reapply the changes at start...

[Big Muddy]

Will redo...was there in a precedent version but a crash forced me to rebuild mod and I forgot to reapply the changes at start...

I started building commerical transports, but notived that brigs were being built at the same time without me ordering them. So when ordering a commerical transport this includes a brig as well?

[Clovis]

I started building commerical transports, but notived that brigs were being built at the same time without me ordering them. So when ordering a commerical transport this includes a brig as well?

No. There are some events creating brigs ( from the vanilla version, Ididn't added for human player)

[marecone]

Dowloaded events. Ai plays fine. No blunders. Price didn't get lexington As my new militia showed there. He went to fayeteville. Reserve troops in sumter created problems for rebs As they nedeed several turns to win. Is this new event and does it happen every time?

[Clovis]

Dowloaded events. Ai plays fine. No blunders. Price didn't get lexington As my new militia showed there. He went to fayeteville. Reserve troops in sumter created problems for rebs As they nedeed several turns to win. Is this new event and does it happen every time?

Sumter? No, i didn't change anything. let's say for now a rare occurence ( this is a vanilla event I don't have looked in).

Lexington: I found a way to prevent this but I will implement later as I'm on a real big change about riverine move.

To summarize, I'm waiting confirmation suppression of transport ability for "invisible riverine boats" doesn't block supply distribution. If so riverine transport will be limited to units with real riverine counters.

Why?

1) totally unhistorical moves are common. Just get close to a river and embark to Nex Orleans or Pittsburg...Human player will have to plan now

2) AI is encouraged to long range raid by this rule. Less movement ability should help it to focuse a little more on the same objectives for several turns

Possible cons:

AI could be fully unable to exert riverine move. Possible solutions: give it free riverine counters and hope it will somehow use it like for amphibious operations

We'll see...

[marecone]

1862 came. Rebs fighting fantastic. Did you give rebel ai some bonus in fights?no deep raids by rebs. Only attack on lexington, mo. He lost there As I control all mo.
Good news is that commercial transports are bringing money and war supplies when placed in shipping box! I even got a message!

Keep up the great work Clovis

[Clovis]

1862 came. Rebs fighting fantastic. Did you give rebel ai some bonus in fights?no deep raids by rebs. Only attack on lexington, mo. He lost there As I control all mo.
Good news is that commercial transports are bringing money and war supplies when placed in shipping box! I even got a message!

Keep up the great work Clovis

Never. I hate this.Ai gets a bit of help in the rear ( its economic and political management is closer to Hoover than Roosevelt to say the least) but it gets unnoticed because it's just tailored to give about real armies size.

Now, the Ai after 1862 is yet to strenghten.

forget about proponed change for riverine movement. Mod doesn't work. Riverine movement is certainly hard coded and out of reach...Alas...

[Big Muddy]

The 1st PA Bde, line infantry show up as cannon in the unit panel, (v1.13e-RC5 new CSA AI). I never noticed this in previous versions.

[Clovis]

The 1st PA Bde, line infantry show up as cannon in the unit panel, (v1.13e-RC5 new CSA AI). I never noticed this in previous versions.

Thanks. will look at. Could ber tied to the mdl files. When I moddded it, I've maybe made some glitches. It's just a gfx problem, ie the unit is acting as infantry.

[Big Muddy]

Thanks. will look at. Could ber tied to the mdl files. When I moddded it, I've maybe made some glitches. It's just a gfx problem, ie the unit is acting as infantry.

Don't recall how they acted,I think this may have been a glitch on my end. The 1st perished (supply), I decided to go back a turn and check on them. As you would suspect the 1st serves under Mansfield. Symbol show the 1st as MN Arty!, Mansfield has no artillery, so I went back one more turn and the 1st showed correctly.

I will continue on from this point and see if this happens again. E.Johnson beat me to Grafton and Mansfield lost to a small force, Railed to Harrisburg to recover. I will let you know if this happens again.

Does Rolla start with a depot, I captured it and there's depot in the city.

[Clovis]

I think this may have been a glitch on my end. The 1st perished (supply), I decided to go back a turn and check on them. As you would suspect the 1st serves under Mansfield. Symbol show the 1st as MN Arty!, Mansfield has no artillery, so I went back one more turn and the 1st showed correctly.

I will continue on from this point and see if this happens again. E.Johnson beat me to Grafton and Mansfield lost to a small force, Railed to Harrisburg to recover. I will let you know if this happens again.

Does Rolla start with a depot, I captured it and there's depot in the city.

Rolla: yes. Don't remember if the same in the official version, but in any case it helps the AI.

[Big Muddy]

Clovis, just to let you know the 1st PA Bde is ok now, it was on my end.

[marecone]

Got a critical error that threw me out of the game. Haven't seen this since early beta . Hope you can fix it Clovis. Rebs still doing great. I have attached last 3 turns of saves and all log files.

[Clovis]

Played the turn to completion with the Union side. ... Could you retry ? The error is tied to Bragg AI computation ( maybe Bragg is quarrelling with AI after all?) and I did nothing to Bragg since some months.