?AI weakness

from GalCiv2 Forums
Hi all,

Has anyone noticed how your ships become invincible if you place 3 or more of the same defences on the same ship (assuming you know which attacks enemy ship use). Heck you can conquer the opponent even when you're militiary score is way below the next highest, ie, even when enemy ships overwhelm yours. Also, the AI doesn't seem to learn from the first failed invasion by researching more soldier techs (except when they're Drengi), they keep invading with one transport and soldier tech of 20 or so against a full planet with soldier tech of 86+ (tough setting).

So is this an AI weakness: low soldier tech and not enough defence on ships?


Thanks
6,141 views 8 replies
Reply #1 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Repeated invasions by the Drengs DO work, if they wear down the colony pop.
This happened to me on a recently colonized planet...
But, of course I was setting a trap for the bums !!!

Lt. Byram
Reply #2 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
What you are seeing is a first class example of how the AI can be exploited, the AI only ever upgrade their ships once every 52 or so turns, so if you catch them early in that build cycle you can easily choose a defense and weapon strategy against theirs, build some ships and go on the rampage tearing thru their systems.

This is supposed to be changed, in the 1.2 upgrade we are about to receive, so that the AI upgrade more often. They originally did this so that your computer wouldn't spend all of its cycles on ship design to the exclusion of other AI processing.

Hopefully they have found a way to make it work to their satisfaction. Personally, I wouldn't mind waiting a little bit longer between turns for an effective AI.

Cheers,
Reaver
Offworld Trading Company
Reply #3 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Only the Yor seem to value soldiering techs. It makes sense that certain civs like the Altarians would not be interested. It does make them relatively easy to conquer though. The defense thing, I disagree. Most games, I put minimal defenses on my ships. By concentrating on offense, I build more ships, that do more damage and can win the game much earlier.

If a player can afford the time to research top level defense techs and have the production to crank them out in numbers, that player already has won the war, no matter if he/she focused on weapons or defense. A focus on offense will generally get the job done a lot faster and a bit cheaper, even with 1.2 and simultaneous combat. Another choice is to build bigger ships. The increase in hitpoints usually works out better than more defense. Because defensive components are so expensive, the larger ships usually cost no more to build than a smaller defensive ship.

With all that said, there are certainly game situations in individual games where a bit more focus on defense tips the balance heavily.
Reply #5 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Absolutely! I go entire wars without losing ships because of defense. It is way cheaper in the long run.
Reply #6 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I've seen several good race AIs actually build ships that have far more more defense than offense. I've run up against mass-produced ships with stats like 3/8 and 4/16 before, sometimes even suited to my current weapons which is a pain. Just adding defense though just isn't enough to save them though because if they are less advanced overall, their weapons just don't do enough so even if the ship survives 2-3 rounds, it loses anyway. If you are about equal or lower in tech and logistics, using the first-strike initiative is usually enough to out perform them until you can get your weapons switched if you have to. Attention to details like swapping damaged ships out of fleets and always taking first-strike, you can take out a military that is 5x larger than yours without much loss if any at all. Once first-strike is gone though, defeating an enemy that has a much larger military will be harder.

The Drengin are very keen on weapons and soldiering techs. I actually rush to Tir-Quan after my 1st-3rd wonder (depending on difficulty) just so they won't build it. Conquering Drengin soldiering bonuses, soldiering tech, Tir-Quan and planetary defenses is rough on your population...
Reply #7 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Hi!
Conquering Drengin soldiering bonuses, soldiering tech, Tir-Quan and planetary defenses is rough on your population...

Yeah, makes using mass drivers with first two invading transports almost a must. Well, finished approval branch and Aphrodisiacs help a bit.

BR, Iztok

Reply #8 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
A focus on offense will generally get the job done a lot faster and a bit cheaper, even with 1.2 and simultaneous combat. Another choice is to build bigger ships. The increase in hitpoints usually works out better than more defense. Because defensive components are so expensive, the larger ships usually cost no more to build than a smaller defensive ship.


I think in 1.2, a little defense especially on bigger ships will go a long way to cut down on attrition and hence become economical.