AI for MWIF - Belgium

[peskpesk]

Belgium setup AI

Belgium Forces
4-3 INF, 5-3 INF, 3-5 CAV, RES 2-3 MIL, 3-2 TER, 1939 FTR2, 1939 1 Naval unit, 1 CP

Belgium has five basic setups:

* Capital defence: Is just as the name suggests a setup where the Belgian land units are setup to defend Brussels.
During a war against the Germans The CAV is scarified in Liege to keep the attacker from gaining more hexes
against the city and the defence only have a chance of success if the enemies don’t have forces in Rotterdam.

* Rear defence: The CAV is scarified in Liege to keep Dyle river line, while the rest units cover in the rear
to minimise effect from ground strike. Defence only have a chance of success if the Germans don’t have Rotterdam.

* Antwerp defence: Antwerp is defended by the best Belgian troops and together with the standard
CAV scarified in Liege, it might be hard to break the Dyle river line.

* City defence: All Belgian armies are setup in cities and spread out to keep ground strike effects to a minimum.

* River defence: All Belgian armies are setup in Antwerp and Brussels trying to hold the Dyle river line.

Belgium has four extreme setups:

* Border defence: During bad weather is it might be possible for the Belgian land unit to deny the axis direct access to Brussels and Antwerp by setting up blocking force against advance of land units leaving Brussels and Antwerp empty for Allied forces to occupy. Defence only have a chance of success if the Germans don’t control Netherlands.

* West Border defence: During bad weather is it might be possible for the Belgian land unit to deny the allies direct access to Brussels and Antwerp by setting up a blocking force against advance of land units leaving Brussels and Antwerp empty for Axis forces to occupy.

* Liege defence: Liege is defended by the best Belgian troops and together with the CAV being scarified in Brussels, hoping the Dyle river line might be hard to break for the Allies.

* Marauder defence: Is just as the name suggests a setup where the one of the Belgian units is set up to raise mayhem before Belgium is beaten. The List of targets is: Northern Rhodesia, Middle Congo, and Uganda.

Declaration of war
Given a CW/FR declaration of war (with or without US) and GE control of Belgium OR a GE declaration of war with or without IT and FR/CW control of Belgium the suggested reasoning for the AI could be as below.

Threats to guard against:
* Threat of paradrop on Antwerp
* Threat of invasion from North Sea
* Threat of paradrop on Brussels
* Threat of enemy land units reaching Antwerp by normal movement
* Threat of having the land overrun
* Threat of having the land unit disrupted

Good hopes:
* Chance of intervention from controlling power
* Chance of intervention from none controlling major power
* Chance to try to conquer Middle Congo
* Chance to try to conquer Northern Rhodesia
* Chance to try to conquer Uganda
* Chance to try to step on facedown allied unit(s)
* Chance to try to step on facedown axis unit(s)
* Chance to try to counterattack on paradroped unit
* Chance to try to counterattack on invaded unit
* Chance of bad weather

Chance to try to counterattack on paradroped/invaded unit

IF the current impulse can end after the phasing side impulse there is no chance to try to counterattack on paradroped/invaded unit

IF the none phasing side has

At least two hexes friendly adjacent enemy unit AND
At least three land units that can be pulled from the rear/frontline are capable of moving to the adjacent hexes AND
The units is in supply or can be put them in supply AND
The pulled units can cooperate AND
The pulled can enter Belgium under foreign HQ limits OR are from the Controlling major power AND
Estimates the chance of a successful counter attack is > 50 % and afterwards the chance attackers left organized > 50 %

THEN

Chance to try to counterattack on paradroped/invaded unit

Threat of paradrop on Antwerp:

IF the Weather is Storm or Blizzard there is no risk of paradrop

IF any of the countries at war has a:

Organized ATR AND
it’s in supply or can be put in supply AND
the ATR has range to Antwerp or can be put in range of it by naval transport AND
there is a organized PARA AND
it’s in supply or can be put in supply AND
the PARA has range to ATR or can be put in range of it AND
the PARA and the ATR belongs to countries that can cooperate AND

THEN

Threat of paradrop on Antwerp:

Threat of invasion from North Sea

IF the Weather is not Fine or Rain then there is no risk of invasion

IF any of the countries at war has a:

Organized TRS/AMPH/SCS AND one of A or B

A)
it’s in supply or can be put in supply AND
it has range to North Sea AND
there is a organized LandUnit AND
the LandUnit it’s in supply or can be put in supply AND
the LandUnit and the transporting unit can cooperate AND
the transporting unit can transport the LandUnit AND
the LandUnit can invade from the transporting unit AND
the LandUnit is on a costal hex in the North Sea OR stack with the transporting unit

B)
It’s in the North Sea the AND
there is a organized LandUnit stack with the transporting unit AND
the LandUnit can invade from the transporting unit

THEN

Threat of invasion from North Sea

Threat of paradrop on Brussels:

Same as Threat of paradrop on Antwerp, but range to Brussels

Threat of enemy land units reaching Antwerp by normal movement

IF any of the countries at war has

A organized LandUnit AND
it’s in Netherlands or Germany AND
it’s fast moving (reach the Antwerp in one impulses) AND
it’s not blocked by ZOC.

THEN

Threat of enemy land units reaching Antwerp by normal movement

Threat of having the land unit disrupted

IF the Weather is Storm or Blizzard there is no risk of having the land unit disrupted

IF any of the countries at war has A or B

A)
A organized air unit AND
the unit has tactical factors AND
it’s in supply or can be put in supply AND
it has range to the hex where the land unit is planed to be placed AND
the chance of a successful ground strike is > 30 %
B)
A organized ART unit AND
it’s in supply or can be put in supply AND
it has adjacent to the hex where the land unit is planed to be placed AND
the chance of a successful ground strike is > 30 %

THEN

There is risk of having the land unit disrupted


Chance of intervention in Belgium from controlling power

IF Controlling major power has a unit in any of Netherlands, Germany and France AND
it’s in supply or can be put in supply AND
the unit can cooperate with Belgium AND
the unit can move into Belgium

ELSE IF Controlling major power can railmove a unit into Belgium AND
the unit can cooperate with Belgium AND

ELSE IF Controlling major power can navaltransport/airtransport a unit into Belgium AND
it’s in supply or can be put in supply AND
the unit can cooperate with Belgium AND
the transporting unit can enter Belgium or the unit can debark into Belgium

THEN

Chance of intervention in Belgium from controlling power

Chance of intervention from none controlling major power

IF none controlling major power has a HQ in any of Netherlands, Germany and France AND
it’s in supply or can be put in supply AND
the HQ can move into Belgium AND

One of A, B, C

A)
IF none controlling major power has a LandUnit in any of Netherlands, Germany and France AND
it’s in supply or can be put in supply AND
the unit can move into Belgium

B)
ELSE IF none controlling major power can railmove a LandUnit into Belgium

C)
ELSE IF none controlling major power can navaltransport/airtransport a LandUnit into Belgium AND it’s in supply or can be put in supply AND
the transporting unit can enter Belgium or the unit can debark into Belgium

THEN

Chance of intervention from none controlling major power


When a setup is used

* Capital defence
Is consider to be used when A, B, C

A) No Threat of paradrop on Antwerp OR Threat of paradrop on Antwerp AND Chance to try to counterattack on paradroped unit
B) No Threat of invasion from North Sea OR Threat of invasion from North Sea AND Chance to try to counterattack on invaded unit
C) No Threat of enemy land units reaching Antwerp by normal movement


* Rear defence:
Is consider to be used when A, B, C, D, AND E

A) No Threat of paradrop on Antwerp OR Threat of paradrop on Antwerp AND Chance to try to counterattack on paradroped unit
B) No Threat of paradrop on Brussels OR Threat of paradrop on Brussels AND Chance to try to counterattack on paradroped unit
C) No Threat of invasion from North Sea OR Threat of invasion from North Sea AND Chance to try to counterattack on invaded unit
D) No Threat of enemy land units reaching Antwerp by normal movement
E) War with GE/IT


* Antwerp defence
Is consider to be used when D and one of A OR B AND C

A) Threat of enemy land units reaching Antwerp by normal movement
B) Threat of paradrop on Antwerp AND No Chance to try to counterattack on paradroped unit
C) Threat of invasion from North Sea AND No Chance to try to counterattack on invaded unit
D) War with GE/IT


* City defence
Is consider to be used when A

A) Threat of having the land unit disrupted ‘


* River line defence
Is consider to be used when A, B, C, OR D OR When the AI wants

A) Threat of paradrop on Antwerp AND No Chance to try to counterattack on paradroped unit
B) Threat of paradrop on Brussels AND No Chance to try to counterattack on paradroped unit
C) Threat of invasion from North Sea AND No Chance to try to counterattack on invaded unit
D) Threat of enemy land units reaching Antwerp by normal movement

--Extreme setup

* Border defence
Is consider to be used when A, B, C, D, E, F, G AND H

A) The weather is not Fine
B) War with GE/IT
C) Chance of intervention from controlling major power OR Chance of intervention from none controlling major power
D) No hex in Netherlands is German controlled
E) No Threat of paradrop on Antwerp
F) No Threat of paradrop on Brussels
G) No of invasion from North Sea
H) Option Railway Movement is not used


* West Border defence
Is consider to be used when A, B, C, D, E, F, G AND H

A) The weather is not Fine
B) War with CW/FR/US
C) Chance of intervention from controlling major power OR Chance of intervention from none controlling major power
D) No hex in Netherlands is Allied controlled
E) No Threat of paradrop on Antwerp
F) No Threat of paradrop on Brussels
G) No of invasion from North Sea
H) Option Railway Movement is not used

* Liege defence
Is consider to be used when A

A) War with CW/FR/US


* The Marauder defence
Is consider to be used when X and A, B, C and D

-- Northern Rhodesia,
A) Northern Rhodesia is controlled/conquered by the allies
B) There is no allied landunit in Lusake
C) The Belgian 3-5 CAV can reach Lusake in one impulse OR the Belgian 2-3 TER can reach the town in two impules
D) The axis major power controlling Belgium is at war with allied major power controlling Lusake

X) The allies can’t directly rail/move or transport a unit to the hex that the axis want to reach and they can’t block the axis land units movement and the chance of a successful ground strike on the axis land unit it is less than 30%

-- Uganda
A) Uganda is controlled/conquered by the allies
B) There is no allied landunit in Kampala
C) The Belgian 3-5 CAV OR the Belgian 2-3 TER can reach Kampala in one
D) The axis major power controlling Belgium is at war with allied major power controlling Kampala

-- Middle Congo
A) Middle Congo is controlled/conquered by the allies
B) There is no allied landunit in Brazzaville
C) The Belgian 3-5 CAV OR the Belgian 2-3 TER can reach Brazzaville in one
D) The axis major power controlling Belgium is at war with allied major power controlling Brazzaville


X) The allies can’t directly rail/move or transport a unit to the hex that the axis want to reach and they can’t block the axis land units movement and the chance of a successful ground strike on the axis land unit it is less than 30%


Planes, Convoy points and Naval unit setup

During a Allied declaration of war:

Boma 1 CP
Boma 1 Naval unit
Hex E of Antwerpen 1 FTR2 or Liege

During a Axis declaration of war:

Boma 1 Naval unit
Boma 1 CP
Hex W of Antwerp 1 FTR2 or Hex W of Brussels

[peskpesk]

* Antwerp Defence

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* Capital Defence

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* City Defence

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* Rear Defence

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* River Defence

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* Border defence

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* West Border defence

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* Liege Defence

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* Marauder defence A

[composer99]

IF
 
(1) Defending against a German DoW
(2) ZoCs are still active when surprised
(3) The Germans (for whatever bizarre reason!) do not have land units in Aachen to advance across the Maas
 
THEN
 
The Belgians should put a land unit in the Luxembourg hex to keep the resource hex from falling.
 
I would not expect this to happen often, but it did in our real-life game and only the Germans' good fortune in succeeding an assault on Metz allowed them to get through the French defence during the summer of 40.

[peskpesk]

* Marauder defence A with TER

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* Marauder defence B

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* Marauder defence B with TER

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* Marauder defence C

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* Marauder defence C with TER

[peskpesk]

ORIGINAL: composer99

IF

(1) Defending against a German DoW
(2) ZoCs are still active when surprised
(3) The Germans (for whatever bizarre reason!) do not have land units in Aachen to advance across the Maas

THEN

The Belgians should put a land unit in the Luxembourg hex to keep the resource hex from falling.

I would not expect this to happen often, but it did in our real-life game and only the Germans' good fortune in succeeding an assault on Metz allowed them to get through the French defence during the summer of 40.

Nice, will add it.

[brian brian]

In my opinion, the only good one is the "Rear Defence". The rest of those, a good German player would just drool over, I would. Remember that even with a one-hex attack, such as on Antwerp, the Germans can easily generate a 20 factor attack easily increased if not doubled with surprise-impulse Stukas (2 5 factors is all it takes), throw in HQ support from Rundstedt and you are looking at a +10 to +14 (depending on Ground Strikes, quite likely to be successful) attack on Antwerp and there goes the Dyle River line. And that is from only one German hex, without Rotterdam.

You could check to see what the Germans have in the resource hex on the Ne/Be/Ge border, and if it is too weak, the Antwerp defense _could_ be good.

The CAV is definitely a good unit to have in Africa. I would put it in the north or east of BE Congo generally, depending on which TERRs the Italians drew. But my thinking on that would be colored by LoC Vichy experiences that don't apply to MWiF.

[In my current game the Belgians pulled off a neat trick on the paper Africa map...first the Belgian CAV rode in a circle around the Libyan TERR in Ubang-Shari to cut it off from supply and re-flipping...then it rode back to the Congo to get in supply for attack...next it, the BE-Congo TERR, and the Belgian plane should be able to take it out before the plane gets retired to supply a Pilot for the upcoming Battle of Britain. The Africa map is fun...we've seen several memorable battles between the BE-Congo TERR and the Libyan Camel Corps.]

[Shannon V. OKeets]

ORIGINAL: composer99

IF

(1) Defending against a German DoW
(2) ZoCs are still active when surprised
(3) The Germans (for whatever bizarre reason!) do not have land units in Aachen to advance across the Maas

THEN

The Belgians should put a land unit in the Luxembourg hex to keep the resource hex from falling.

I would not expect this to happen often, but it did in our real-life game and only the Germans' good fortune in succeeding an assault on Metz allowed them to get through the French defence during the summer of 40.

The AIO will not permit the optional rule No ZOC on Surprise to be used.

[wfzimmerman]

ORIGINAL: brian brian

In my opinion, the only good one is the "Rear Defence".

Ok, I'm a newbie. Explain it to me. How does leaving the capital city ungarrisoned help defend the country? ...

Fred