Game AI is a Joke

I started the Darthmod compaign taking England. First move I blocked all of Frances ports. I had 8000 to spend so I started upgrading buildings that produced income and ordered a few additional ships. I had a small army and added a unit here and there always watching the money I had to make sure I did not over extend and get the dreaded bankrupt notice. Now Frances ports were all blocked so to me that cut a lot of their income. Yet by the 20th game move they had a massive army and were still getting ships from somewhere. I was just struggling to get by and keep my income above my expenses. Here is another kicker. A small one region country Baviria with one port that was blocked and one farm had three massive armies by move 25. The game AI does not make any sense. It is most apparent money does not affect the computer played regions just the human player. Also all my allies who have also acquired massive armies do nothing to help. It is totally rediculous. Baviria's ground forces alone outnumbered mine 5 to one. Now add in France and Spain's massive forces by turn 25 and what chance to I have. There is no way to win the campaign. The game AI needs to tweaking.

Not sure what is wrong. I am doing fine and i even play on Very Hard difficulty as Prussia or Denmark or Sweden , sometimes the UK.

I do not get annihilated. Lower your difficulty settings.

Also , Auto-Resolve is tweaked down a bit , you have to fight the battles your self or lose.

Make Campaign AI , Normal or Easy , and battle AI Hard or Very Hard.

Battles are very fun because you have to fight for every square inch of ground :thumbsup2

My difficulty settings are on normal. I don't let the AI resolve battles I fight every one. For this campaign I have been outnumbered on each battle and came out on top because of superior tactics. Yet I cannot take the loses like my enemies can because of their superior numbers. Heck Spain has attacked Girbralter twice with superior forces and I have beat them back with less troops. The next wave which I am sure is coming will be the end. I cannot resupply like the computer AI is doing for the enemy forces because of funds and if I over extend my resources then bankruptcy. That is were the problem lies.

With the UK the trick (as it was in real life) lies in your naval power.

On turn 1 immediately consolidate your entire fleet into one navy and seek to do pitched battle with the main French and Spanish battle fleets. There is also a nearby Batavian Republic Fleet that will provide free 3rd rates and trading vessels for you. In this manner I effectively doubled the size of my navy within 10 turns - The French and Spanish fleets might as well have signs saying "Free first-rates". The naval AI is terrible and has no concept of wind or points of sail so decisive victories at sea are quite easy.

Once you have immediate dominance of the oceans you can begin spamming merchantmen and indiamen. Trade will be your main source of income. Just remember to station naval squadrons in from of your main trading ports - your enemies will still attempt to raid ports with the few small warships they have - typically a few heavy frigates is all that is required. Within 100 turns I was well on my way to having a million in my treasury.

Don't even worry about fighting on land at all until you have the technology for decent artillery and heavy cavalry (meaning dragoons). If you are struggling to keep from going bankrupt, you have no business raising armies anyway. The sinews of war are money, money, money.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by edo562

With the UK the trick (as it was in real life) lies in your naval power.

On turn 1 immediately consolidate your entire fleet into one navy and seek to do pitched battle with the main French and Spanish battle fleets. There is also a nearby Batavian Republic Fleet that will provide free 3rd rates and trading vessels for you. In this manner I effectively doubled the size of my navy within 10 turns - The French and Spanish fleets might as well have signs saying "Free first-rates". The naval AI is terrible and has no concept of wind or points of sail so decisive victories at sea are quite easy.

Once you have immediate dominance of the oceans you can begin spamming merchantmen and indiamen. Trade will be your main source of income. Just remember to station naval squadrons in from of your main trading ports - your enemies will still attempt to raid ports with the few small warships they have - typically a few heavy frigates is all that is required. Within 100 turns I was well on my way to having a million in my treasury.

Don't even worry about fighting on land at all until you have the technology for decent artillery and heavy cavalry (meaning dragoons). If you are struggling to keep from going bankrupt, you have no business raising armies anyway. The sinews of war are money, money, money.

---

I played like this (GB, 40 unit save) and have been complaining that France has been to idle... Maybe I've just been pounding them too hard?

I have given 200k+ to France overall (I'm still in 1809) Because I want them to push east and make my war on land challenging. I even gave 30k once and 10k twice to the Ottomans (who I also trade with) so that they would last against Austria and Russia, so that the French weren't getting hit by them!

Of course, I own the sea. That's a big part of it.

I have control of the oceans around France and Spain. As a matter of fact all of Frances ports are blocked. I have taken 2/3 of Frances regions yet his armies keep on coming. Seems France never runs out of resources. That is why I say the AI is a joke and needs tweaking. The money and bankruptcy nightmare must not apply to the computer handled countries. In real life France would not have any resources to draw on at this point yet that is not the case. Another joke is my allies. They have done completely nothing to help. All they do is walk around in circles with massive armies in their respective regions some of which border France. I was just informed I am bankrupt again. One turn I had 5000 to spend next turn 0. I am going to check my game settings again. Last time I looked I had it set to normal which is where I always keep it. Just can't figure out how France is getting all the resources each turn and why now I am bankrupt again. Frustrating to say the least.

I don't know what to tell you... I waited 40 turns for France to respond to my sinking their fleet. Their response was to lose ground to Prussia, and cry. Then they sat and never attacked anyone. I had to start giving MOST of my income to them to get them moving.

In my Ottoman campaign France attacked British fleets and crushed through Switzerland, Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria and has beaten Austria and Prussia; Austria thanks to my help attacking them from the Balkans. Russia and Prussia tried to help Austria in battles against me and now, after Austria und Prussia are nearly eliminated, Russia attacks me finally in Bessarabia. Only the first turns I had to fight their armies there and I took Tartaristan (or what it is called) from them. With sea power in the Mediterranean I was easiliy able to make money with building lots of merchant ships. By now I have four full-stack armies and two big navy fleets; and of course 500.000 gold :)