AI's Good Use of Air Superiority and Guided Missiles

[escl]

I'm playing a cultural diety game as France with the new patch and noticed improvements in the AI's late game war tactics. We all know that the AI cannot fight a ground or sea war competently, but I was very impressed with its use of its air force.

I had being at war with England for 200+ turns and held a chokepoint with a citadel. The AI as usual couldn't break the line even with a large amount of artillary. England then research flight and began fielding fighters and bombers, but I managed to survive 30-40 turns of air strikes by fielding anti aircraft guns. Then in a further move the AI began using cruise missiles on my AA guns, for which I had no counter measures for. The citadel still stood at this point being defended by lvl5 foreign legions. However, in a stunning turn of events, the AI massed 9 aircrafts and 17 guided missiles in a city and launched them all on the same turn. This took out 2 entrenched lvl 5 foreign legions and reduced my 74 defense city to 1 hp. At this point I had clearly lost as I could not repeal further ground advances into my core territory.

My conclusions from this experience is that the the AI builds more aircraft and artillary now, and uses a lot of helicopter gunships to scout out targets. I have also grown an appreciation for the AI's heavy deployment of AA guns, as I was being air striked 4-5 times a turn.

However, there is a problem with aircraft being stackable and anti-aircraft guns restricted to 1UPT. Since fighters and AA guns can only intercept 1 unit per turn, you get completely overwhelmed to the point where even your AA guns gets air striked to death. I think either ground based AA guns should be able to intercept more than 1 unit, or there should be a suppression effect where AA guns increase the strength against air strikes of adjacent units.

All in all the shifting of AI focus away from building AA guns (pre-patch) to building aircraft has made diety end game much more difficult as air superiority is completely dependent on production (AI's greatest strength). This definitely makes the late game much more interesting.

http://img689.imageshack.us/i/guidedmissilebefore.jpg/
http://img580.imageshack.us/i/guidedmissileafter.jpg/

 

[apotheoser]

Since fighters and AA guns can only intercept 1 unit per turn, you get completely overwhelmed to the point where even your AA guns gets air striked to death.

Yes, this is pretty much how it's supposed to work.

 

[qyll]

The AI doe NOT use air units well. It's just that they have so many that you get overwhelmed. They're relentless to the point of being stupid. By that, I mean they'll keep attacking you regardless of how much HP the aircraft has, and the AI will gladly send an aircraft to its death instead of letting it heal.

 

[Haig]

There's been progress on how AI uses it's units, it's not excellent yet but better and better.

I've been happy to see embarked units and invasions supported by frigates, also by non-naval leaders like Ramhaekhamng..

Siege units positioned behind musketmen, and also siege units retreating when without escort.

 

[Mustakrakish]

However, in a stunning turn of events, the AI massed 9 aircrafts and 17 guided missiles in a city and launched them all on the same turn. This took out 2 entrenched lvl 5 foreign legions and reduced my 74 defense city to 1 hp. At this point I had clearly lost as I could not repeal further ground advances into my core territory.

To add to what qyll said... And you know why they seem to be more capable with air superiority?
You answered it yourself. Here:

However, there is a problem with !!!aircraft being stackable!!! and anti-aircraft guns restricted to 1UPT.

They were quite adept with Stack of Dooms too...
So they are more "capable" simply because of higher emphasis on building air units.

Not saying it's a bad thing... Anything to help the poor bastards.

BTW that empty continent looks weird. It's overran by zombies? Nuclear wasteland? Horny dwarves? Why is it completely ignored by the whole world?

 

[skallben]

Pre-patch I had a stalemate war with England, them being slightly ahead in tech. We both fielded infantry and was shelling back and forth with artillery, neither side gaining momentum. Then the britons started bringing fighters in, I was surprised at how the AI contiously targetted my artillery forcing me to retreat. Even though fighers are weak for land strikes, artillery are so weak on defense that they hurt alot from it. I really like how the Industrial/modern era brings out countermeasures and extends your toolbox gradually.

Now I only wish the AI would get better at not doing useless kamikaze runs and instead go on the defensive when opposing air force obviously hurt him alot. Having not played this far in a post-patch game yet, I cannot say for sure the problem persist but since patch notes mention nothing on it I guess it's the same.

 

[zomg]

Yea, I'd have to say that pre-patch AI was just fine with air superiority, dont think the patch necessarily improved this. Last game pre-patch they pretty much gave up on tanks and just built mech inf, air and anti-air units. They did ok but with enough anti-air of your own you can hurt it pretty bad.

 

[MadDjinn]

for OP:

You should have had more fighters/jet fighters in your city set to intercept mode. After a few interceptions your fighters can get a promotion that lets them intercept twice per turn.

AA does help, but yes the AI will suicide bomb the AA guns until they're gone. That hasn't changed post-patch.

Also, pretty sure AA 'interception' just harms the aircraft/helps the attacked unit fight back. Fighter/Jet Fighter interception ensures 0 damage to the unit being attacked.

edit:

oh, and you should have done what any sane person does in that situation:

Nuke the city with all of the AI aircraft/GMs. No more stack issue.

 

[bryanw1995]

yeah, that appears to have been a strategic error since OP has uranium. a couple nukes could have completely decimated the enemy.