MVDH
Private
Posts: 32
Joined: Sat Feb 21, 2009 9:33 pm
Location: Austin, Texas

AI Railroad Repair

Tue Feb 24, 2009 8:05 pm

First off I have to say I love this game. First bought Forge of Freedom, then bought GG War Between the States (very good game as well) and finally AACW.

Bought this one last because I thought it might be too complicated and a little too much micro-management involved. BUT, while it is a deep and somewhat complicated game it is a true delight once you dive in and start to learn all of its detail and nuances. Kudos to all involved and also to Banks and Soundoff for their delightful and informative AAR as well. Be sure to check it out if you haven't done so already (especially if you are new to the game)

Anyway on to my question. I am the Union player and it is Feb 62 and I have ripped up a lot of Rebel rail lines in Virginia but the AI doesn't seem to be repairing any of them. Am I missing something? Couldn't find any insight when searching this forum.

BTW, other than this problem the AI has surprised me more than once already.... :D

Thanks for any insights.

Mark

User avatar
Major Tom
Lieutenant Colonel
Posts: 275
Joined: Mon Jan 12, 2009 4:00 pm
Location: Alexandria, Virginia

Wed Feb 25, 2009 4:15 am

I've noticed the same thing. AI not very aggressive about repairing rail.
Sic Semper Tyrannis

User avatar
Pocus
Posts: 25659
Joined: Wed Oct 19, 2005 7:37 am
Location: Lyon (France)

Wed Feb 25, 2009 4:36 pm

It can be that the CSA AI has no WSU to spare on railroad repair. Historically they even cannibalized secondary lines they owned to produce guns. It can be plain dumb AI dumbness also :) I guess you are playing in 1.13 or later?
Image


Hofstadter's Law: "It always takes longer than you expect, even when you take into account Hofstadter's law."

MVDH
Private
Posts: 32
Joined: Sat Feb 21, 2009 9:33 pm
Location: Austin, Texas

Wed Feb 25, 2009 5:11 pm

Hi Pocus:

Yes, I am playing with 1.13. I was thinking that lack of WSU could be the problem as well. If so maybe I am doing some thing right! :)

Thanks for the reply.

Mark

User avatar
cobraII
Captain
Posts: 175
Joined: Sun Feb 17, 2008 3:47 am
Location: Kansas, USA

Thu Feb 26, 2009 3:01 am

I have seen the Union AI take months to repair railroads. so its not just the south, ai is still fun to play on cramped time however latelyi have been doing a lot more pbem games because the challenge is greater.
Quote General Lee Gettysburg movie,
"Do you see, General, there is the great trap, to be a good soldier you must love the army, to be a good commander you must be ready to order the death of the thing you love. We don't fear our death. But if this war goes on and on and the men die and the price gets ever high. We are prepared to lose some of us, but we are never prepared to lose all of us. We are adrift here in a sea of blood and I want it to end. I want this to be the final battle".

User avatar
Jim-NC
Posts: 2981
Joined: Wed Feb 25, 2009 4:21 pm
Location: Near Region 209, North Carolina

AI Railroad Repair

Thu Feb 26, 2009 3:53 am

I am playing as the CSA, and the US AI is taking months to fix it's rail. It is 1864, and I burned PA rail in 1863 that has not yet been fixed. Apparently it is the AI.

User avatar
Pocus
Posts: 25659
Joined: Wed Oct 19, 2005 7:37 am
Location: Lyon (France)

Thu Feb 26, 2009 4:39 pm

That would sure help the AI if she could spent WSU for the repair without having to move physically units in the region (provided the region is not enemy occupied!)... I'm considering adding these kinds of 'AI helpers' as an option. Would you use them, or is it too much close to cheating for you?
Image


Hofstadter's Law: "It always takes longer than you expect, even when you take into account Hofstadter's law."

User avatar
77NY
Lieutenant
Posts: 116
Joined: Wed Feb 11, 2009 5:30 pm
Location: Boston, MA

Thu Feb 26, 2009 4:56 pm

Pocus wrote:That would sure help the AI if she could spent WSU for the repair without having to move physically units in the region (provided the region is not enemy occupied!)... I'm considering adding these kinds of 'AI helpers' as an option. Would you use them, or is it too much close to cheating for you?


Pocus, I was wondering about that when I read these posts yesterday. Maybe the % chance of the AI helpers (aka "railroad elves") coming could be modified by closeness to cities and/or level of friendly ZOC?

User avatar
Major Tom
Lieutenant Colonel
Posts: 275
Joined: Mon Jan 12, 2009 4:00 pm
Location: Alexandria, Virginia

Thu Feb 26, 2009 5:18 pm

Pocus wrote:That would sure help the AI if she could spent WSU for the repair without having to move physically units in the region (provided the region is not enemy occupied!)... I'm considering adding these kinds of 'AI helpers' as an option. Would you use them, or is it too much close to cheating for you?


Absolutely - this is a great idea, but there should be some limitation on it, as 77NY suggested, based on either military control or the proximity of friendly troops, or both.

Also, she shouldn't be able to automatically repair rail in a reagion that's cut off from supply. Maybe that should be the test -- if supply can get there, the "AI helpers" can get there. And by supply getting there, I don't mean theoretically, but actually -- so the same weather and terrain effects that would stop supply would also stop the "helpers."
Sic Semper Tyrannis

User avatar
arsan
Posts: 6244
Joined: Tue Nov 28, 2006 6:35 pm
Location: Madrid, Spain

Thu Feb 26, 2009 6:12 pm

I vote yes! :thumbsup:
A little help like this to Athena don't seems unfair and will give us a more interesting AI rival. :coeurs:

User avatar
Generalisimo
Posts: 4176
Joined: Wed Jun 07, 2006 10:03 pm
Location: Buenos Aires, Argentina
Contact: ICQ WLM

Thu Feb 26, 2009 6:13 pm

Pocus wrote:That would sure help the AI if she could spent WSU for the repair without having to move physically units in the region (provided the region is not enemy occupied!)... I'm considering adding these kinds of 'AI helpers' as an option. Would you use them, or is it too much close to cheating for you?

Maybe you can add another option to the AI panel?
I really think it will help a lot. :thumbsup:
"History is the version of past events that people have decided to agree upon."
Napoleon Bonaparte


BOA-AAR: ¡Abajo el imperialismo Británico! (en español)

AGEOD Facebook Fanpage - news & screenshots about the upcoming games!

User avatar
Jim-NC
Posts: 2981
Joined: Wed Feb 25, 2009 4:21 pm
Location: Near Region 209, North Carolina

Thu Feb 26, 2009 6:31 pm

I agree with Generalisimo, that the level of "elves" should be an option on the main screen, or else tie it to 1 of the other AI choices/levels (maybe redeployment). I say also that the computer must have ZOC or something else to limit it (for example I don't want it repairing in Baltimore during my seige of Baltimore MD - why else cut off the rail lines and try to slow down the enemy).

MVDH
Private
Posts: 32
Joined: Sat Feb 21, 2009 9:33 pm
Location: Austin, Texas

Thu Feb 26, 2009 11:21 pm

Major Tom wrote:Absolutely - this is a great idea, but there should be some limitation on it, as 77NY suggested, based on either military control or the proximity of friendly troops, or both.

Also, she shouldn't be able to automatically repair rail in a reagion that's cut off from supply. Maybe that should be the test -- if supply can get there, the "AI helpers" can get there. And by supply getting there, I don't mean theoretically, but actually -- so the same weather and terrain effects that would stop supply would also stop the "helpers."


I am with Major Tom on this issue. I don't think this is really cheating as much as simply helping the AI (Athena) play a more realistic and challenging game.

Mark

User avatar
Chaplain Lovejoy
Brigadier General
Posts: 440
Joined: Sun Mar 30, 2008 12:20 am
Location: Fairfield, OH (near Cincinnati)

Fri Feb 27, 2009 12:04 am

Pocus wrote:That would sure help the AI if she could spent WSU for the repair without having to move physically units in the region (provided the region is not enemy occupied!)... I'm considering adding these kinds of 'AI helpers' as an option. Would you use them, or is it too much close to cheating for you?


Agree. Good idea.

User avatar
Pocus
Posts: 25659
Joined: Wed Oct 19, 2005 7:37 am
Location: Lyon (France)

Fri Feb 27, 2009 5:13 pm

Oh I would have no problem adding various checks involving military control and proximity to cities and such. As long as no real move of units is involved, the AI can do a really good job, nearly on par with a good human player. When pathfinding (= moving units on the map) is involved, its performance degrades to 'I play at best like a mediocre player'. That is the sad truth :)
Image


Hofstadter's Law: "It always takes longer than you expect, even when you take into account Hofstadter's law."

Return to “AGEod's American Civil War”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 30 guests