AI is stupid

[philosophile]

I'm playing on Monarch, and I've just repelled a huge invasion from the AI, with disgusting ease. Apparently the AI is programmed to take undefended cities first. I normally defend my border cities, and leave my inner cities undefended. The AI marches its infantry into my land, bypassing all of my other cities, rushing for the undefended cities. but as they approach I simply move my infantry back to the city they're getting closer to, and they go for the next undefended city. They were pretty deep in my territory after about 20 turns. And also loosing units through my artillery fire and cavalry follow up.

Anyone else notice this? They had two stacks of about 120 infantry invading. I had a total of about 50 infantry AND cavalry, and was easily able to hold them off, and whittle them down by about 1/4. Had I let the war go on, I probably would have defeated them.... but this was just WAY too easy.

[Jack_www]

I always wipe out the most of the offensive army of the computer players in the first turns of the war, after that it is very easy to crush them. I remeber one time when Idina seeked attacked me. Then sent a huge stack of units to one city I had in the hills. I though for sure I would lose the city, but to my I was shocked at how easly I was able to fend off the attacking forces and kill them all. I also just love it when I really small and week civ sneeks attacks you, and you go out and crush them within couple of turns, very sad. I have even had civs I though were my friends sneek attack me, and they are all dead now.

[Theseus]

philosophile,

I think there's a balance between good gameplay and exploits. You can do this kind of thing with Privateer's too... the AI navies will chase you from the other side of the world.

I choose not to take advantage so much, except in limited ways. For instance, I once got an AI civ into a military alliance with me, and then stayed one step ahead of them in invading the target civ's territory... when we were finished, we were far away from my ally's territory, and I "shut the gate" on them with my reserves, and declared war. Not really an exploit I think, just devious strategy.

You're right, it's too easy to beat the AI with exploits, so I just avoid them... it's more fun.

R

[Coracle]

AI armies also seem to be drawn like a magnet to undefended workers, artillery, and resource tiles.

It can be figured out fairly easily. I expected a greater advance in AI abilities in the over five years since Civ 2.

[Grrr]

Originally posted by Coracle
AI armies also seem to be drawn like a magnet to undefended workers, artillery, and resource tiles.

It can be figured out fairly easily. I expected a greater advance in AI abilities in the over five years since Civ 2.

I agree. And the AI shouldn't cheat.

[Jethro83]

AI is definitely stupid. It can't think, and it can't act without formal instruction. Despite this, a better effort COULD have been made to make it harder to beat without letting it cheat.

[Solver]

Yeah, I don't use this exploit, but this is kinda mistake of Soren. Sure, AI should take undefended cities, but on occassions, it should just start pondering those outer defended cities, too.

[Flanker]

However, I think it is better that the AI aims for the undefended cities instead of the Civ2-style where they could attack a heavy fortified city a hundreds of times, loosing a LOT of units but with no particular impact.

[Solver]

I'm not suggesting the stupid Civ 2 style. I just think AI needs more evaluation. Is there an average size outer city fortified with 3-4 units? Attack! Is there a size 23 city defended with one unit half the way through enemy land? Either get some Paratroopers right there, or hold off... don't go there, try to cut the enemy by smaller bites.

[Flanker]

Solver, of course I understand, and I agree with your points. I wonder why the AI never uses paratroopers in Civ III, at least I´ve never seen it be used. In Civ II they actually used it somewhat smart, to take over undefended cities for example.

[Solver]

Flanker, read on the thtread why does AI prefer Paratroopers over Tanks. There are people who have seen the AI use lots of Paratroopers, and people who haven't seen the AI do so (like me, and likely you). Actually, Paratroopers are helpless vs. infantry fortified cities, so did also give them a hit points bonus and an attack increase, to make them more viable. With my mod, landing some Paratroopers near a city fortified by one Infantry is a very viable choice.

[campmajor!]

It would be nice if the AI would use a real strategy in stead of a bunch of loose easy-win strategies. It would be even nicer if each AI had different strategies!

But I'm afraid that we won't see such things till civ5.....

[Solver]

I got a more realistic approach to the AI. Programming the AI has to be the hardest part of programming job done in Civ 3. This is a game with so many possibilities, and everything, that the AI needs to evaluate everything, and for this, programmers must have taught it to do so.

Currently, the humankind hasn't actually developed THE AI. THE AI would think much like humans do, and construction of THE AI could only come after we actually discovered and understood how the human brain works. Currently, however, construction of THE AI is somewhat from the sci-fi area, and whatever we program is limited somewhat.

[Flanker]

Flanker, read on the thtread why does AI prefer Paratroopers over Tanks. There are people who have seen the AI use lots of Paratroopers, and people who haven't seen the AI do so (like me, and likely you). Actually, Paratroopers are helpless vs. infantry fortified cities, so did also give them a hit points bonus and an attack increase, to make them more viable. With my mod, landing some Paratroopers near a city fortified by one Infantry is a very viable choice.

Yes, I hadn´t read that before I replied, sorry for that. Maybe it´s just me that haven´t seen AI paratroopers action. Actually, I find it very rare that the AI even discovers advanced flight. I also modded my paratroopers slightly, so they just wouldn´t be sitting ducks on the battlefield. However, I´ve yet to find any really useful thing to do with them. In Civ II, they could at least attack directly after airdrop, and that made them useful in some situations. In Civ III, you might use them as a resourceblocker, but not for a long time since they will be under heavy attack directly after airdrop. And they are also hard to use on the field, when you just have captured some enemy cities and are moving deeper into enemy territory, and there are no cities with airports. However, they are cool so I use them. I often tend to use cool units instead of good units...

[Solver]

Flanker, you might want to give it A/D of 10/10, and, just as I did, increase the HP, say, a bonus of 2 HP would be good.