Suggestion for AI supply problems.

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Twotribes
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Suggestion for AI supply problems.

Post by Twotribes »

If a game goes for long the AI always runs out of supply, it over builds and then has no supply for its troops at the latter stages. My solution is simple, when you create the solo game edit it before starting and give each AI hqs 99999999 supply max allowed.
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Tac2i
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RE: Suggestion for AI supply problems.

Post by Tac2i »

I definitely saw this in my last game which went 78 turns. The AI significantly over built over the long haul. On the other hand giving the AI enough supply to power that enormous mass of units might be suicide. I wish the AI could be coded not to over build and keep itself in a good supply condition.
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Josh
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RE: Suggestion for AI supply problems.

Post by Josh »

Yeah there lies a problem indeed. Overproducing and not enough supplies for the AI. Then again if all of the AI units would be supplied enough I think I wouldn't stand a chance against that horde. I think Webizen hits the nail right on the head... the AI should not overproduce and should keep the existing units well supplied. Sounds easy huh? [:D] [;)] My guess is that if it were that easy Vic would've done so loong ago.
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RE: Suggestion for AI supply problems.

Post by GaryChildress »

Interesting. I guess there's no way to code the AI to limit its production of units to a reasonable number and then stock their HQs accordingly?
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RE: Suggestion for AI supply problems.

Post by MilesNoctis »

ORIGINAL: Josh

Yeah there lies a problem indeed. Overproducing and not enough supplies for the AI. Then again if all of the AI units would be supplied enough I think I wouldn't stand a chance against that horde. I think Webizen hits the nail right on the head... the AI should not overproduce and should keep the existing units well supplied. Sounds easy huh? [:D] [;)] My guess is that if it were that easy Vic would've done so loong ago.

PT, Grand Campaign 3, Old Imperium :D Exact same situation occurred there already. The recommended strategy on the forums was "fortify your position, wait for turn 150, and let the AI be crushed by its own supply problems."

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Vic
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RE: Suggestion for AI supply problems.

Post by Vic »

Hi all.

I acknowledge there is room for improvement.

For any modders... It is possible to script AI production using the events. In the regular random games and new dawn games you can already find events that exactly do this. Apparently it doesn't work as intended in all cases currently.

Not 100% sure if the problem for the AI is production setting problems or logistical/chain of command issue or a combination of the two.

Please feel free to email any good late game examples of this AI behaviour to vic@xs4all.nl

It would be appreciated.

Best wishes,
Vic
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Twotribes
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RE: Suggestion for AI supply problems.

Post by Twotribes »

It is only a problem for me because I use monster maps and the game lasts for ever )
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Kaldadarnes
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RE: Suggestion for AI supply problems.

Post by Kaldadarnes »

I think this issue arises more because of the super abundance of free factories that the AI players receive. Even on smallish maps I find myself frequently overrunning 20 to 30 factories which the AI is running at full capacity each turn (remember that due to the raw upgrades the AI gets it basically has no building constraints from raw supply either)

There's simply no way it can keep up with that kind of production.

Potential solution are to cap number of AI factories or reduce raw bonuses???

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RE: Suggestion for AI supply problems.

Post by Jeffrey H. »

ORIGINAL: Kaldadarnes

I think this issue arises more because of the super abundance of free factories that the AI players receive. Even on smallish maps I find myself frequently overrunning 20 to 30 factories which the AI is running at full capacity each turn (remember that due to the raw upgrades the AI gets it basically has no building constraints from raw supply either)

There's simply no way it can keep up with that kind of production.

Potential solution are to cap number of AI factories or reduce raw bonuses???


It's a simple matter to limit production to available supply. The AI in this game is too chickenheaded to even consider it, but it's a simple matter in concept.


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Khanti
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RE: Suggestion for AI supply problems.

Post by Khanti »

ORIGINAL: Jeffrey H.

It's a simple matter to limit production to available supply. The AI in this game is too chickenheaded to even consider it, but it's a simple matter in concept.

YES. That is good micro solution to mega problem.
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Bombur
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RE: Suggestion for AI supply problems.

Post by Bombur »

In Bombur mod, the factories can produce supply. It seems it improves somewhat the supply troubles for the AI, but I never run a long game.....
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RE: Suggestion for AI supply problems.

Post by Tac2i »

The Ormand Mod has several new scenario files and couple of them have no factories. So playing with one of these might be a partial solution of the AI overbuilding problem. These new scenarios, however, alter several aspects of the game and some players may not care for those changes.
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banana
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RE: Suggestion for AI supply problems.

Post by banana »

Apologies for the thread necromancy.

It seems there are two problems with the AI and supply - it doesn't produce enough and it doesn't take account of the logistics of getting what supply it has to its units. One solution would be to treat all AI units as being in full supply at all times. However, this would remove the ability to encircle AI units and remove a big chunk of the tactical aspect of the game.

A more refined solution would be to treat AI units as being fully supplied provided they could trace a route back to a production centre (however long that route may be). This would prevent the AI needing to produce or manage supply while allowing human players to still engage in encircling manoeuvres and other such skulduggery. The production multipliers that get given to the AI could be modified to prevent an endless spam of units.

Is this something that would be possible to mod?
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RE: Suggestion for AI supply problems.

Post by bobarossa »

I disagree; if the AI gets to supply the units it builds, we will be crushed. I think the solution is to limit/prohibit factory creation. I know there is a rulevar/event that produces factories for Ai players that can be modified/deleted. I have been playing the Four Seasons mod and it has a 'no factories' option that I am trying out. Although it limits my production too, hopefully the AI will be unable to build the enormous masses of units it normally does. That should improve the supply issue although I am not far enough along to see its affect.
banana
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RE: Suggestion for AI supply problems.

Post by banana »

That's why the production multipliers would need to be changed. In theory (no idea if this is doable in practice), the AI's production could be dynamically altered based on the supply it needs each turn. So if the AI's available production were 10,000 PP and 3,000 were needed to produce supply to feed it's units then it would only get 7,000 to produce more units. You could force the AI to produce 3,000 supply but then it would still struggle to get it to where it was needed.

By the way I am suggesting this as a potential mod for those whose who find playing against the AI too easy (particularly in the mid to late game), not as something to be implemented in the game for those who find it hard enough as it is.
GaryChildress
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RE: Suggestion for AI supply problems.

Post by GaryChildress »

I changed the supply cost from 3 to 2 production points in many of my games and have noticed that the IA seems to do somewhat better with supply as a result.
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RE: Suggestion for AI supply problems.

Post by StrategyGamer »

My fix is to just multiply the supply need of the highest hq's (Already calculated, also works with Custom Scenarios), multiply it by 1.2 or something like that, and have that be the minimum amount of supply the AI should build, so it will always be in supply, and soon enough their production centers will all be producing supply, then the supply problems will be mostly fixed

The only problem is when there is a small exclave that the AI has, surrounded by water, regimes, or a combination of both, with no ports.
Of course the solution to that is to make sure that when making the map, it checks if it has any territory not connected to the capital via a supply route, of course this only happens on random maps
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