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 Post subject: Tips for beating the AI
PostPosted: Wed Dec 31, 2003 10:14 am 
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Tough Nut

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First off, these strategies are just for playing against the computer. Playing against other humans is totally different and these tips won't work. . .

1. Develop long range superiority, especially for defense. The AI doesn't handle fighting against rocket launchers very well at all. Use LAV's to hold the front line and save up your revenue to buy rocket launchers, as many as you can. The AI wastes all his time and resources beating against your LAV's while you slowly pound his attackers with your rocket launchers.

2. When ready to invade a neutral country or enemy ally, invade first with LAV's only, I usually only invade with 1 LAV on the first turn. The enemy will have to raise guerillas, and then you will have a better idea of how to finish the attack. I try to have a couple of rocket launchers laying back in my country, and once the enemy discloses his guerillas, then pound them from afar with my rocket launchers. Once they are gone, then re-invade with whatever unit you want and take the capital. I've never seen the AI hold back from disclosing his allies, so you shouldn't have any surprises after your initial attack.

3. To defeat enemy rocket launchers, buy a transport, and load it up with a rocket launcher. Make sure it is out of range of the enemy of course. Then on your next turn, move your transport in, unload your rocket launcher, and fire - 1 hit will eliminate his RL. The same works for enemy death turrets also, but it will take 3 RL's to kill 1 death transport.

4. Just remember that unlike against human opponents, you don't have to be quick or mobile or try to surpise the AI. It's much more effective to be patient and slowly wear him down. Rocket Launchers are a great way to do this and are my favorite unit for fighting the AI.

5. Two LAV's are almost always more useful than a single tank, and they cost the same. Tanks have better mobility of course, but mobility is not necessary against the AI. Having many LAV's will slow you down, but it will also slow your enemy down, and if you are prepared for it (by having rocket launchers behind your line), you can slowly destroy his forces.

6. This tip is especially for scenario's, but also works a little in world wars: When the AI is invading, he often has a force of LAV's against his border and you have a force of LAV's against your border. A good strategy is to not kill his LAV's! Instead, use your long range Rocket Launchers (you may have to save up a couple revenue turns to afford them) to kill his stronger units behind his front line. Especially kill his morters and Ostrich units. That way, he can only attack with his smallfoots which can only do 1 damage each, while his more power units like tanks are stuck waiting to move, and you can safely pound them from long range with your rocket launchers. The only thing you have to worry about are his rocket launchers, but there is a way to prevent him from using his RL's. The AI won't bring his RL's into range of your RL's, so if you are able to position yours right behind your front line of LAV's, the AI won't risk shooting your LAV's with his rocket launchers for fear of you retaliating with your RL's. However, this requires that the AI not have any Ostrich or scorchers that could hit your RL's right behind your front line.

The first few times I faced the AI he wiped me clean, but once you start to figure out it's limitations, you can easily beat the computer every time. Hope these tips help out, and please, if you have any other suggestions post them here, I'd like to hear what you think. And feel free to criticize my strategy, I won't be offended. But just don't say how these strategy's won't work against other humans, because I already know they won't work the same way. :D

Happy gaming!


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 Post subject: Re: Tips for beating the AI
PostPosted: Wed Dec 31, 2003 11:07 am 
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Sea Wolf
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This is a very good description on how to deal with the AI on a land-based map. Some very good points made here. I only disagree on one point:


Wasabe wrote:
2. When ready to invade a neutral country or enemy ally, invade first with LAV's only, I usually only invade with 1 LAV on the first turn.


The one problem with that is that they will probably be able to destroy your LAV with their guerrilla forces. Then they can resecure their borders and start getting revenue from their country. My experience shows that its best to invade with as many units as you can (while keeping your weaker units out of range still). If you can do this successfully, the only units the AI will get for that country will be the guerrilla ones, as the AI will never get standard revenue for the country. And remember, any turn the AI can use a country's revenue, thats one less turn for you once you take it.

Tanks are good for invading a territory that has a battle line in place. Because of their two move, they can enter a small hole you open, then allow another unit in behind it, making it more difficult for the AI to resecure its borders with its guerrilla units.

One additional trick for dealing with AI guerrillas:
If you have a battle line along a country border, it is dangerous to invade because the AI will suddenly have a bunch more units to fight in that main battle location. It is better to take a naval transport with a couple cheap units or a amphibian and invade the enemy from a far corner of the country. The AI will raise its guerrillas at this location rather than on the main battle line. Even better if you can get enough units in so the AI can't destory them with the guerrilla units immediately. So now the AI can't build any more units on the front line, making it easy for you to break through. The AI usually builds mortars and LAVs as guerrillas, and with their slow movement, these units won't make it to the front line for a while, even if they destroy your invading units quickly. By then you've broken through, and are well on your way to conquer the country.

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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Wed Dec 31, 2003 12:25 pm 
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Tough Nut

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Good points, espicially about not letting the enemy getting any revenue from the countries you invade. I guess it would be better to invade with at least enough troops to not be killed off on the first turn. Thanks!


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Wed Dec 31, 2003 9:15 pm 
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Conscript

Joined: Wed Dec 24, 2003 2:48 pm
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Good points, Wasabe - I've come to similar conclusions, and your point about invading with one unit actually does make sense when you don't have enough strength to invade and win. Get the guerillas out in the open where your RL can kill them. Then worry about invading them. So it does make sense if depending upon the circumstances and your play style (relying upon RLs).

The AI is also bad about getting strung out and defeated in detail. They'll race to attack you from far away, but don't mass their units to breakthrough. Instead they dribble in and can be crushed turn by turn.

Grifman


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue Apr 27, 2004 8:30 am 
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Levy

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Thanks for the tips. I'm just playing the demo right now, I want to see how the game is before I decide to buy the game or not. The AI has been kicking my butt, but I've been learning some things. I was purchasing too many tanks and the walking mechs, not enough lav's and rocket launchers. I noticed the AI using a lot of lav's and rocket launchers to decimate me. I'll try out these new strategies and see how they work.


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue Apr 27, 2004 9:23 am 
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Sea Wolf
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Check out the replays that come with the demo, they teach you some valuable lessons.

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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sat Oct 23, 2004 5:56 am 
I must say, the AI is one of the most retarded ive ever seen. It uses a very formulaic approach. Since finally finding the full game after playing the demo, Ive never lost a World War with AI turned up to the hardest setting. I experiment with different strategies, like ALL mortars or ALL lavs, but the computer is still too stupid to win.

Multiplayer, however, is far more interesting :)


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sat Oct 23, 2004 10:29 pm 
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Sea Wolf
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Anonymous wrote:
I must say, the AI is one of the most retarded ive ever seen.

You must not play many strategy games then.

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