Question for all...Is it possible to "Bluff" the AI?

[Jack ONeill]

ALl,

I bring this up because I frankly can't tell. I am playing a huge number of Lace Wars Battles, which engender a massive amount of Cavalry. (Note to all: when Alessillo's Spanish Succession War Mod comes out, you CANNOT have too much Cavalry...ever. Trust me.) (Also, the general rule of thumb is 2 Squadrons for each Battalion of Foot you have, OR since I don't do individual Squadrons, it's one Regiment of Horse for every 2 Battalions of Foot. They used A LOT of Cavalry back then). At certain points, one's Cavalry are "blown" and will not charge. HOWEVER, they are able to stand there and look a bit fierce. The AI does this, too. I know my trusty Horsemen are worn out, but does the AI know my Cav are tired? I've seen the AI advance his "Poor Foot" towards my Cav and then stop just outside of charge range, as if uncertain. I also have moved my tired Cav around the Battlefield, in order to present a bold front, usually as my flank is giving way and his fresh Horse is preparing to ride down my retreating Infantry. So, thoughts on this?

Jack B)

[Marching Thru Georgia]

The Ai uses a cavalry brigade just like any infantry brigade. So if you arrange the OOB so that the cav. brigade(s) come after the infantry in a division, the AI will tend to hold them in reserve and not advance them until latter in the battle. That's when their charging ability would have the best effect anyway. So indeed, the AI will send them in just when your flank is giving way.

If you want the AI to aggressively use its cavalry early, place the brigade before your infantry brigades or create cavalry divisions. The AI will then make a hash of your lines at the start of the fighting.

[Jack ONeill]

Brother,

With respect, I think you've missed the point of my question. It's not about what the AI "does", but about what it "knows" about your, (the human player's), troops. This is sort of along the same lines as an earlier thread from awhile back regarding "can the AI be surprised?" (The answer was yes). Again, does the AI "know" my cavalry is worn-out and not combat-worthy or is it looking at my cavalry across the field and wondering about it?

Also, as an aside, the AI tends to push all the types of troops forward down the road, especially the Cav. I have learned thru bitter experience, even when I don't want to have my Cav scouting out front, I'd better do so. Fresh Cavalry is hard to beat, even with really good (English/Hanoverian/Prussian) Infantry.

Jack B)

[Davinci]

It's not about what the AI "does", but about what it "knows" about your, (the human player's), troops. This is sort of along the same lines as an earlier thread from awhile back regarding "can the AI be surprised?" (The answer was yes). Again, does the AI "know" my cavalry is worn-out and not combat-worthy or is it looking at my cavalry across the field and wondering about it?

Jack - If I had to guess I'll say that the AI doesn't know if your troops are too exhausted.

Norb takes great pride in not allowing the AI to cheat.

Now, the AI does know when it has the advantage of numbers, and will attack with a vengeance to try and destroy that part of your army.

Now, I can go back to a previous saved game and move a larger force at the point that the AI attacked previously, and they will not attack as they did before.

davinci

[Marching Thru Georgia]

I doubt the AI knows the condition of your troops, just like you don't know the condition of his. If the AI sees a significant enemy force to his front, he may just sit there and observe it, depending on the brigadier's style, rather than advancing on it. This feature was added in version 1.4.

To fix the problem of the two forces banging into each other during road march, try the KS Napoleon Mod: KS Napoleon Mod Download

The problem is that often there is an infantry/cavalry battalion/squadron at the front of the column, not a commander. Battalions/squadrons are blind, commanders are not. If there is a commander in front, the usual road scrum is reduced. The two sides tend to partially deploy before engaging in combat. But beware, the cavalry in this mod is much more powerful than the stock version. It's much more European. The square will be your friend.

[Anthropoid]

I would have to say, that I my limited experience: yeah sort of.

I was just futzing with the MP demo as yanks. I had inflicted about 1500 reb casualties to my 1000 and they were falling apart. A few regiments had fled and come back. I had one getting hit from fire from two angles (one was rear side) and had another large fresh unit approaching from an oblique front side.

I got the fresh unit to within about 100 yards at a jog and then told them to charge. Before they ever got there, the AI reb unit fled. The probably would've fled eventually anyway but it certainly appeared that the charge psyched them out and that is when they high-tailed it.

[Jack ONeill]

All,

That has been my experience also.

Dav - I thought I remembered that about Norb not letting the AI cheat. Makes sense. It is nice to know one can bluff the AI, sort of like a Human player.

MTG - Yeah, I know about squares. I helped develop them, remember? (I remember posting some screenshots.....)

Also, no squares in the 18th Century - Firepower and Bayonets, combined with a somewhat different tactical use of cavalry, kept them from using squares. They knew how to, but they used them facing inboard - for witness to punishment. I have studied this period and have never found a single reference to forming square against Cavalry.

Anth - well done.

Jack

MTG - now, about getting those officers out front, leading from the front, as it were.....

[Marching Thru Georgia]

Jack wrote:

Also, no squares in the 18th Century - Firepower and Bayonets, combined with a somewhat different tactical use of cavalry, kept them from using squares. They knew how to, but they used them facing inboard - for witness to punishment. I have studied this period and have never found a single reference to forming square against Cavalry.

They must have known about pike squares. As to cavalry, I thought it was all deployed on the flanks during that period, very similar to the ACW use of cavalry.

To get the commanders in front of the column, make their walk speed a bit faster than their unit's. 0.3mph faster seems to do the trick.

[Jack ONeill]

MTG,

Pike squares were used in the 17th. Century, with "sleeves" of Musketeers deployed alongside to provide the firepower against charging Horse. Pikes were gradually replaced by the Plug-Bayonet in the late 1600's and completely replaced by the Socket-Bayonet by the early 18th. Century, (1703), the French being the last to do so.

Cavalry was "generally" deployed on the flanks during battle. However, many commanders kept a number of Squadrons handy towards the center of their lines in the rear of the Infantry, to either counter enemy breakthroughs or take advantage of tiring and/or retiring enemy Infantry, charging home to complete the rout, as it were. John Churchill, 1st. Duke of Marlborough, and Prince Eugene of Savoy were Masters of this tactic.

Yes, I have sped up my Commanders. I got tired of them holding up the Parade, as it were. :laugh:

Jack B)

[Marching Thru Georgia]

Pike squares were used very frequently throughout the Napoleonic conflicts, primarily by the Austrians and Russians. They used bayonets rather than wooden sticks of course. The term was used to describe a solid square.