The AI and the manpower system...

[mikeCK]

I finished up my TROM campaigb and want to try APE. I am curious though...how does the AI handle the manpower system? Are there any unintended consequences? Does the AI end up with weird armies because it ran out of manpower?

[Indus_Valley]

My personal experience is that the AI fields better armies. They have XP and are a good mix of line infantry cavalry and artillery. I've been losing a few battles because I was matched up to units with three chevrons , or the artillery killed me. That's Hard campaign.

[alpaca]

It doesn't specifically handle manpower but we made sure it isn't impeded by it too much. Basically, it's the same as for the player: When it runs out of manpower or reaches its supply limit it can't recruit anymore. That means the small factions don't field three stacks anymore but they can manage one or occasionally two.

Smaller factions also can't re-recruit very quickly anymore and in the colonies the AI is as screwed as you are (this is the only problem I really acknowledge as a one since the AI can't handle shipping units over the ocean)

[Beersatron]

It doesn't specifically handle manpower but we made sure it isn't impeded by it too much. Basically, it's the same as for the player: When it runs out of manpower or reaches its supply limit it can't recruit anymore. That means the small factions don't field three stacks anymore but they can manage one or occasionally two.

Smaller factions also can't re-recruit very quickly anymore and in the colonies the AI is as screwed as you are (this is the only problem I really acknowledge as a one since the AI can't handle shipping units over the ocean)

The AI seems to be moving an army over the ocean in my game.

I'm playing as Sweden and noticed that the Brits had a 3/4 stack on the south coast of England in a port, two turns later a half stack of ships came along and took them aboard and headed west.

I lost track of them because at the time I had no trade route with the Americas but 5 turns later I did and noticed that a Brit fleet with damaged flag was off the coast of Nova Scotia with a large army embarked. It headed South along the East coast. I will probably loose track of it in the fog of war once it goes away from the trade route.

Conversely, there has been a near full stack of French ships with about 4 units embarked sitting beside the Portuguese capital for the last 12 turns. One of the Normandy coast ports have been blockaded by the UP for the same amount of time. The French seem to be having a nap

p.s. this mods is the only reason I am still playing Empire ... having soooo much fun with the changes you folks have made!

[alpaca]

The AI seems to be moving an army over the ocean in my game.

I'm playing as Sweden and noticed that the Brits had a 3/4 stack on the south coast of England in a port, two turns later a half stack of ships came along and took them aboard and headed west.

I lost track of them because at the time I had no trade route with the Americas but 5 turns later I did and noticed that a Brit fleet with damaged flag was off the coast of Nova Scotia with a large army embarked. It headed South along the East coast. I will probably loose track of it in the fog of war once it goes away from the trade route.

Conversely, there has been a near full stack of French ships with about 4 units embarked sitting beside the Portuguese capital for the last 12 turns. One of the Normandy coast ports have been blockaded by the UP for the same amount of time. The French seem to be having a nap

p.s. this mods is the only reason I am still playing Empire ... having soooo much fun with the changes you folks have made!

Welcome to the forums and glad you like our mod.

The AI occasionally seems to load troops on ships in my games but I've never see them do anything much with them (except for the Spanish who took Trinidad, probably because it's a victory condition). It's far too rare to be considered planful movement of forces into the colonies at any rate.

[Stildawn]

Ive got a question regarding Supply... how do you increase that? Or whatever? Like as malta, I can basically field just over a stack.. And I now own the barbary states.. Does it increase with regions or anything???

Also does Manpower/supply affect your navy? I dont think it has yet? I may be wrong?

[alpaca]

Ive got a question regarding Supply... how do you increase that? Or whatever? Like as malta, I can basically field just over a stack.. And I now own the barbary states.. Does it increase with regions or anything???

Also does Manpower/supply affect your navy? I dont think it has yet? I may be wrong?

Both supply and manpower increase with population, for this it is advantageous to have many smaller settlements rather than a single big one.

And no, it doesn't affect the navy. The navy in the game is represented on a quite different scale than the army and it wouln't be great for gameplay to include it. A separate recruit and supply pool may be considered in the future if it's technically possible.

[Stildawn]

Ok good. So Ill eventually be able to field more than a stack and a half... Cause as I break more and more away from my wee little Island, Im gonna need more armies to secure all the added threats.

[alpaca]

Ok good. So Ill eventually be able to field more than a stack and a half... Cause as I break more and more away from my wee little Island, Im gonna need more armies to secure all the added threats.

Well your manpower and supply should both have increased after you conquered the barbary pirates

[Lethe]

It doesn't specifically handle manpower but we made sure it isn't impeded by it too much. Basically, it's the same as for the player: When it runs out of manpower or reaches its supply limit it can't recruit anymore. That means the small factions don't field three stacks anymore but they can manage one or occasionally two.

Smaller factions also can't re-recruit very quickly anymore and in the colonies the AI is as screwed as you are (this is the only problem I really acknowledge as a one since the AI can't handle shipping units over the ocean)

I thought I remember reading on the patch thread that CA was supposed to have fixed this, that the AI can now use boats for troop movements. Is this not true?

[Stildawn]

I think it did. Lol although I probably didnt notice as I was still building my army (takes long lol which is good, love this mod) so I thought that I was just using up my starting amount lol.

Ive noticed that my artillery being the awesomeness that it is, quite often routs enemy units before they even reach my lines (I manually aim for greater efficiency)... Is this just cause Im fighting useless pirates? Will the major european armies give me more trouble? Or do units just dont like getting shot at by cannons as much?

[l33tl4m3r]

I think it did. Lol although I probably didnt notice as I was still building my army (takes long lol which is good, love this mod) so I thought that I was just using up my starting amount lol.

Ive noticed that my artillery being the awesomeness that it is, quite often routs enemy units before they even reach my lines (I manually aim for greater efficiency)... Is this just cause Im fighting useless pirates? Will the major european armies give me more trouble? Or do units just dont like getting shot at by cannons as much?

The artillery is much more useful. Are you using roundshot manually or shrapnel?

Once the game gets going and the armies of the world gain more experience you'll find it tougher and tougher to challenge a main army unit off the field with artillery alone.

[Stildawn]

lol dont have Shrapnel yet... So mainly round shot but when they do get close its canister..

I dont have a school yet lol.

[REQUIEM]

I think it did. Lol although I probably didnt notice as I was still building my army (takes long lol which is good, love this mod) so I thought that I was just using up my starting amount lol.

Ive noticed that my artillery being the awesomeness that it is, quite often routs enemy units before they even reach my lines (I manually aim for greater efficiency)... Is this just cause Im fighting useless pirates? Will the major european armies give me more trouble? Or do units just dont like getting shot at by cannons as much?

I'm playing as GB pirates invaded cuba, we had a battle and my arty routed a fair few units before they reached me. However i had a full 1 stack vs 1 stack battle with france and none of their units routed from the arty fire.

[Stildawn]

yeah I was thinking it was just a Pirate thing as like there units must be pretty useless...

Man Im still in awe last night after taking Morroco my General unit was 148 strong lol and one of my 12 pounders was 130 ish strong but with only 2 extra cannon (6 gun strong) lol had some fun with my general unit... what an epic mass of cav.

[Kurisu Paifuaa]

I played a short campaign as Bavaria recently (APE:TI 1.03) where GB regularly dropped a full stack on Hannover (perhaps on three separate occasions). Unfortunately they would have needed twice that number as they were regularly pummeled, but I was impressed by the enthusiasm nonetheless

[Dr. Pibb]

I played a short campaign as Bavaria recently (APE:TI 1.03) where GB regularly dropped a full stack on Hannover (perhaps on three separate occasions). Unfortunately they would have needed twice that number as they were regularly pummeled, but I was impressed by the enthusiasm nonetheless

Happened to me too. Bavaria is fun until you realize your trade is crap because you cant invade austria without bringing wurtemburg(forgive my spelling) in to a war with them. So i decided to take Venice and invade India instead.

[Kurisu Paifuaa]

Yes, it's a challenging setup. Because of the way the roads run northwards, it isn't really feasible to try to establish trade through conquering in that direction (you need to invade practically everyone). Austria is by far the quickest path to the ocean. I tried the former without realizing the logistical nightmare awaiting and ended up ceding my regions in favor of the latter. It seems buying off Wurttenberg as a protectorate doesn't stop them from declaring war when you start expanding in either case. I think the manpower system helps here, as their priorities change once France establishes a reasonable army on their border.

[NYG 5]

And no, it doesn't affect the navy. The navy in the game is represented on a quite different scale than the army and it wouln't be great for gameplay to include it. A separate recruit and supply pool may be considered in the future if it's technically possible.

maybe there could be something like ship material. i know single ships used to eat up acres of forest themselves, plus all the resin and stuff needed to treat the lumber.

but if you do that, you might as well make raw materials for every unit

[Falcon]

I think the supply/manpower issue is a great idea to add strategic depth to gameplay, but I wonder if it applies to AI as well or just human player? Playing as Prussia I constantly face deficit in manpower, whereas Polan (my arch enemy) seems to be constanlty spawning troops.