Weird AI behavior with ROP

[Luca Brasi]

Was moving 3 transports, each with 8 modern armor, into Chinese territory (they had one island with about 8 cities). In between turns, Mao tells me to move my troops out. I suggest a Right of Passage, and he rejects, because I backstabbed ze Germans. Fair enough. So I agree to move my troops out, figuring I'll bribe him to a Right of Passange on my turn, using some luxuries (usually works like a charm). But when my turn comes, he accepts the Right of Passage STRAIGHT UP. No bribe. Completely idiotic on his part, because with ROP I move 2 more transports, and destroy him in one turn. Besides, there was absolutely no way he'd benefit from the ROP in this situation, as his island was isolated from everyone else. But it's not the idiocy of his decision which concerns me, but the inconsistency with which this idiotic choice was made.

 

[etj4Eagle]

Likely the cause of the change of heart here are your transports. When you first offered the right of passage, you he saw your transports as a threat (them being in his territory) and he consquently rejected giving it to you. But then after they were withdrawn from his territory the immenint threat was gone, so when you reoffered the ROP he agreed.

This just shows the inherent flaw in any AI, for the AI decisions are all just number. The weighting of giving you the ROP may have changed by only a tiny bit, but that was enough to cause a complete turn in the AI's decision.