Basically no trenches for the AI

[Dr. Strangelove]

After finally managing to make this game work I was disappointed to see that the AI still does not build a consistent front line - basically in the middle of 1915 the front remained opened, despite my efforts to recreate real lines, preparing for a long war - I have good trenches, a lot of middle and heavy artillery, spread across the entire front line, with some reserves behind the main line. My line is largely similar to the real one, but I still control Lille.

AI however would have none of it. It has three units in Belgium, none of them close to the front. It doesn't even bother to take Antwerp or recover Colmar, even though I have retreated. They theoretically control Saint Mihiel, Briey and Longwy but have no forces there. They only have one division in Sedan.

I did some testing and in neither of my games would AI even bother to maintain a front line. They will begin a concentrated offensive where my forces are not that strong once in a while, but won't even bother defending anything or using the trenches to their advantage. There is no deadlock here apart from the one I'm dictating - it's much better to watch those Germans getting slaughtered trying to defeat my heavily entrenched forces than to try to attack myself so far. Not to mention they do stupid things sometimes like sending zeppelins and engineers to attack my entrenched forces without any assitance. I've got some zeps now which is quite cool.

Do devs plan to address this issue and make AI seem more realistic? I remember reading that it was supposed to replicate WW1 fairly well but it doesn't.

[Dr. Strangelove]

Well, opened the Central Powers AI and boy, oh boy.

1. Austrians have lost Lemberg, will likely lose Krakau soon and four of their korps, and many new divisions rest in Wien, doing nothing.
2. Tirpitz, Mata Hari, several corps and many divisions are a one, huge unit in Berlin. Tirpitz is still blocked so it cannot even move. Meanwhile, offensive in the west is not going too well and they've almost lost Koenigsberg.
3. Von Hindenburg, one of Germany's most valuable generals is in charge of an Austro-Hungarian division in the middle of nowhere.
4. Admiral Hugo von Pohl commands a large Turkish army despite not providing any leadership ability.
5. Armies are merged with air units.
6. They're doing terribly well against a weak opponent (Eastern Entente is their focus now and despite being weak compared to the German they're still kicking their a**es) and their national morale has dropped to 82. In the middle of 1915. That's something.
7. They have wasted all their money and supplies on things like artillery they're not even using. All of their artillery is either in Berlin or Wien and military units anywhere else don't really have more than they started with.

The list could go on, but hardly ever can you see such dumb behavior in a game. Say what you will about Hearts of Iron or any of Paradox's games, they never had something like that.

[zajcev169]

This game has nothing to do with WW1 strategy. AI is very poor. All it essentially does is print money and build superstacks. As Central Powers it is not a problem to keep Russians in check but the same cannot be said about western front where Germans are in big trouble unless printing money like mad.

[Dr. Strangelove]

Well, it seems that this game is a really bad representation of WW1 simply because the combat mechanics don't work for static warfare at all. You can use it to represent a mobile warfare, where units move to meet the enemy, but not one based on trenches.

Even despite that this could have been a good game if it only had a decent AI. How hard can a WW1 AI be? You don't have to move your forces too much, you essentially maintain a static front with reserves and try to achieve a breakthrough every once in a while. It's much easier than creating an AI for Napoleonic Wars, where units move great distances, have to outmaneuver each other, choose when to fight and when to retreat etc. Of course they failed that either, but it was a much more difficult a task.

I've heard that they are working to make a new engine that would allow them to introduce better graphics. Please, don't focus on that. I doubt many grognards want that. Those of us who can't always devote enough time to play with our friends want at least a decent AI. It varies in your games, with Civil War II AI being not terrible, or Espana 1936 one being ok most of the time, but in most of your newer titles it's just awful. It makes childish mistakes, stacks forces like an idiot, and doesn't utilize its potential at all. I don't know, maybe your engine is incapable of making AI work well, but please, concentrate on that, not on the graphics which are great already.

Overall, just get your priorities straight. You've already lost trust of a lot of people I know after games like this, Wars of Napoleon, Pride of Nations 2 (which is good now though) and English Civil War. I mean, for crying out loud, you've made a game about WW1 in which the AI cannot even entrench. So basically please, just concentrate on what matters.

[Vuyek]

Get Birth of America 2: Wars in America.
Thank me later.

Also: "Say what you will about Hearts of Iron or any of Paradox's games, they never had something like that."

Err, hearts of iron 4. Whole italian army marches to Somalia to die. French army leaves the border with Germany open and retreats past Paris because... reasons.
HOI3 was awesome... new games, just like AGEOD, games like HOI4 and EU4 are trash.

[zajcev169]

I find Hears of Iron 2 with its mods the best WW1/2 game, then followed by Commander Great War even with its airpower madness and poor AI. Potzblitz mod improves it overall.

In this game small campaigns are good, but the grand campaign is a complete waste of time. The AI does just too much cheating (it sees your plans when it makes its own), stacking and leaving undefended land to be enjoyable.

Very simple solution, don't buy anything from them.

[Vuyek]

Eh, I now like AGEOD.
Solution is to buy the games which work: Birth of America 2, Civil War 2, Revolution under siege Gold, Rise of Prussia (it was recently fixed), Alea Jacta Ex.

Stay away from more modern titles like Napoleon or WW1 silliness.

[Dr. Strangelove]

Originally posted by Uncle Timo:

Get Birth of America 2: Wars in America.
Thank me later.

Also: "Say what you will about Hearts of Iron or any of Paradox's games, they never had something like that."

Err, hearts of iron 4. Whole italian army marches to Somalia to die. French army leaves the border with Germany open and retreats past Paris because... reasons.
HOI3 was awesome... new games, just like AGEOD, games like HOI4 and EU4 are trash.

Alright, guess I'm trying to forget about the HoI4 travesty. Have you tried Campaign Series: Barbarossa? It has a great system of putting you as the main commander of the German or Soviet forces where you have to deal with issues like Hitler's plans, his interference, joining the Nazi party, war crimes, and you can even make friends and enemies - being friends with Goering will make him help you more while being on bad terms with your Army Group commander will make him less effective.You even have the historical conflict between the logisticians responsible for the railroad and the one responsible for the trucks, competing for men and resources. Also, the AI is pretty good, despite it being a pretty modern title.

[Vuyek]

"Campaign Series: Barbarossa"
Watched youtube letsplays by some clueless people

The RPG element is fantastic and superbly done and, dare I say it, revolutionary, in a WW2 war hex game about WW2. Great job.

But underneath it is a Advanced Tactics Gold (which is a superb game, look it up, I even made a tutorial on how to create your own scenario on youtube for it). The tanks are too slow, there is no feeling of blitzkrieg.

Also, I now refuse to play strategic level wargames on the PC which are IGOUGO and are not WEGO. Full stop.

So War in the Pacific Admiral's Edition, AGEOD, Combat Mission games are in (OK, last one is tactical).

[Wispy]

War in the East and War in the West are pretty good, albeit insanely expensive.