Pangaea+ and naval warfare in G&K

[glider1]

This is merely speculation but what the hell why not. I have gotten used to playing large map Pangaea+ games in vanilla/VEM because the naval AI sucks. Probably already everyone knows that Pangaea+/Continents+ maps are among the best ever maps written for the civ series.

1. What do you think is the likelyhood of the AI using naval combat to good effect on Pangaea+ maps in G&K?
2. Will it pillage sea resources?
3. Will it block trade?
4. Will it capture cities on Pangaea coastlines?
5. Will it get the balance between land/sea forces or spam navies and not use them?
6. Will it capture maritime city states on islands?

Just speculation but perhaps there are some clues from it's behavior in vanilla and any news on the naval AI that is floating around.

Cheers

 

[Callonia]

Pangea Plus Map? Its amusing you asked this question because I'm currently playing on one at the moment. I got the island chain end of pangea for the first time on pangea. Me Germany, east of me the ocean + various islands and France/Japan.

Japan/France go to war against each other multiple times.

And suddenly for some reason, both of them decided on a coordinated naval invasion against me.

However their Invading naval fleet was pitiful.

Japan
1 Frigate
3 Caravels
10+ Transports

France
2 Frigates
2 Caravels
10+ Transports

vs

Germany
10+ Frigates

Guess how that ended up for Japan/France.

My Frigates routed their invasion fleets after sinking all the attacking ships quickly.

Japan however did attempt to try sneak in 2nd Invasion Fleet which was 10+ transports after my frigates was distracted bombarding Japanese islands. I only caught it because I was like, hey, Lhasa, sure, lets be ally I want me some moar culture. dropped 3k gold and went wait what? Japan sneaking a fleet ? Damn.

Quick go frigates! And the transport fleet is tied up by Lhasa and sunk by my frigates.


In conclusion, It seems AI have rough concept on what to do, but doesn't understand navy tactics. They just had the Navy ships lead the transport column.

If I spot an suspucious group just "passing through" my seas I ain't sitting back, I fire immediately.

AI needs to be made to understand it needs to control the seas first in order to move transpots unmolested.

All in all, only a single unit of samurai made it on my shores which was killed by my bored waiting soldiers.

And i wasn't ramming the transports, i was firing on them instead for extra exp points.

 

[glider1]

Thanks Callonia. The positives from this are that from what I hear, the tactical naval AI has had some work done on it. Therefore since you think that the strategic decisions were not idiotic, there might be some hope.

I guess the difficulty on Pangaea+ maps is getting the composition between land and sea strength appropriate and it's an extra layer of difficulty...

When I think about it, most likely Continents+ is going to be the map of choice in G&K because on Continents+ maps building a navy is never a bad thing, which would make it easier for the AI to do well.

Cheers

 

[Louis XXIV]

Even I don't use navies effectively on Pangaea maps. My hope is they do have a small navy and use it with infantry to force me to build a navy of my own, but I don't think they should overdo it because, on Pangaea maps, they are still not the best use of resources.

 

[Haig]

It's said that AI will do brutal naval invasions, it will be helped by defensive embarked units and melee ships that can also attack coastal cities.

Also in a preview someone used intrigue to find out another empire plotting to do a naval invasion against another one, so I belive G&K AI plans them more now.

I see AI blocking trade routes in my games, I guess with the 100hp system it will be more effective, and for myself blocking them too.

Hopefully the AI also settles distant juicy spots too, I hate to play the Terra map where AI doesn't leave the old world.

 

[Ajuga]

I'm pretty sure that the ai is able to do better invasions simply because embarked units can now defend themselves.

 

[MadDjinn]

the big thing for pangea+ and continents+ will be the rush to get your religion into those city states. Normally they're all bunched up, so once you get some converted, they should help push the religion into the others.