posted April 17, 2001 06:02 PM by Az:
Actually the AI tries to nuke the cities that have the most units inside. As far as I'm concerned the AI ONLY nukes cities of mine that have SDI because all of my big cities have it!
Myself (and doubtless others) have posted at length about the AI, nukes, and SDI.
Summary: The Civ II program code allows the AIs to know exactly which city has an SDI. It is not possible for an AI to attempt to nuke any city (AI or human) that has an operational SDI inside it. Conversly, the AI has absolutely no idea if a city is protected by a nearby SDI, and will waste dozens of nukes in a single turn on a single city that has no SDI, but is protected by a nearby SDI.
I've tested extensively to determine the nature of target selection (empirically under controlled circumstances, and in normal games), have never, ever observed the program logic differentiate target selection based on the value and/or quantity of units contained within a city. The differentiators are city size and SDI.
For instance, an empty size 20 city will be repeatedly nuked, while a nearby size 2 city with 20 nukes, 10 battleships, 10 fighters, and dozens of other units will be ignored. As the big city gets smaller, the odds of continued nuking are reduced. The smallest city I've ever observed the AI to nuke is a size 5, on several occasions.
I do not know if this is a hard-coded bottom limit, or merely a statistical unliklihood to not nuke a size 4 or less city. But without a doubt, the AI absolutely does not consider the value of the contents of a city when it nukes.
Note: these results are for Civ II MPE, 5.4.0f, March 99 (Microprose patch 3).
EDIT: add quote's author and time.
[This message has been edited by starlifter (edited June 26, 2001).]