The AI & Naval Offensives

[Txurce]

In my first game with G&K, the AI took another AI city with naval units. In general, the AI plays aggressive defense with its naval units, especially via the use of wolfpacks. But in games on Continents Plus, I've noticed very little of the expected attacks on cities. Does the AI need some tuning in this area, or have I just had an oddly defensive run?

 

[Miravlix]

Continents reduce the Navy focus from the AI.

To get it to go navy nuts you need Island maps.

 

[gunslinger6792]

i was just playing on continents in the Renascence era where i had just met japan. japan hand the largest army along with 10 trimarans. japan quickly stole astrology from me and upgraded all 10 trimarans to caravels. from their the launched a huge naval and amphibious assault in the span of 10 turns after meeting them. if it wasn't for my 2 frigates and privateer they would have done serious damage. long story short the AI atleast on king does use a navy. perhaps a bit sloppy but they still use it and if caught by surprise they use it well.

 

[tibbles]

In my immortal game I had England do a naval attack on me. Definitely could have used better AI though. She sailed up with 8 Ships of the Line, 2 Swordsmen and 1 Trebuchet. It was an impressive first 2 turns, she blew away the defense on 2 of my coastal cities. The problem was she only had those 2 Swordsmen capable of capturing anything. I took those out on the first turn with my Cannons. After that, she just sat her Ships in range of my cities and units and I got a bunch of free promotions on my Cannons killing them all. Not sure why she didn't sail away out of range or bring some melee units.

 

[glider1]

In my first game with G&K, the AI took another AI city with naval units. In general, the AI plays aggressive defense with its naval units, especially via the use of wolfpacks. But in games on Continents Plus, I've noticed very little of the expected attacks on cities. Does the AI need some tuning in this area, or have I just had an oddly defensive run?

Txurce I know what you mean it's an issue that is actually intensified for Continents+ mapscripts and why I have switched to Continents.

The problem I have noticed and I wish I would have taken a screen shot now, is that the AI generally has problems on complex coastline shapes which are more predominant on Continents+. Shapes like Peninsula's combined with a city on a hill and a bay, things like that.

In my last game, literally three different AI's tried the whole game to capture an Incan city via naval assault because the Incan's were weak and exposed. However they could not organise themselves properly to take it. Three different AI's tried it in three different eras. They just couldn't do it and the attacks stalled and they gave up.

This is why I have moved back to straight Continents map where the coastline shapes are a lot simpler. It's not so bad, Continents maps are still interesting enough. Totally forget mapscripts like Perfect World that the AI just cannot begin to fathom the complexities of that map. These are great maps but if the AI can't play them there isn't much point.

EDIT: I also think there may be a bug with Continents+ and setting the world age. What I do is to set the world age to 5000BC to create less complex mountains and hills for the sake of a better AI, but I think I only notice it working on Continents, not Continents+.

Cheers

 

[Txurce]

That's an interesting factor. I'd been thinking of playing again on Continents anyway, if only to give Astronomy some of its pre-C+ importance. Now you've given me another reason.