Dumb AI naval strategy

[econ21]

I generally like the MTW AI, both tactically and strategically. I haven't found - and don't want to find - any exploits and get a good challenge (currently playing HRE in an early game at war with a strong Byz and France). However, the naval part does seem weak. Partly, the AI does not put enough priority on building a fleet to get the massive potential trade income (probably the main edge I get over the AI). Additionally, when at war, the AI seems to keep its fleet dispersed as many solo ships and is very passive. In my current game, the Byzantines grew very strong and had more ships in the med area than me. However, while I have about stacks of ships slowly killing off their solitary vessels, they are leaving their ships unstacked and not attacking. It may be that my caravels outclass their ships (they have 3 types including fire galleys). But it does seem very passive AI behaviour.

[ToranagaSama]

Just wondering, are you having problems engaging in battles? Many keep complaining they can't get the AI to fight.

[econ21]

No - not much problem bringing the AI ships to battle. When the French launched a sneaky war against me, the next turn I engaged their solo barques in 3-4 sea zones with my solo caravels. Sunk the entire lot of them in the first turn! Felt suitably Germanic as I was the HRE. Some years later, I am in trouble though as the Pope prohibits me from attacking the new solitary French ship blocking my northern port.
Two Byzantine ships in the Baltic did dance around between two sea zones, eluding my fleet of three ships following them around. So in the end I kept a stack of two ships in the two adjacent sea zones and attacked when they appeared. Got them without too much frustration.
The war in the Med is a much bigger affair, but I have almost wiped out the Italian fleet with little trouble, killing 2-3 solo ships per turn.
The Byzantine fleet is very large and will take a long time to sink, but is being subject to my successful slicing salami tactics. As soon as war started, I withdrew or was wiped out from from the Black Sea and other Byzantine strong points, and started to concentrate into stacks of 2-6 ships in 3-4 key sea zones. It seems to work well although I suspect that as the Byzantines lose ships I will have to use similar tactics to those I used in the Baltic to stop them leading me on a merry dance..
I generally have a tech advantage, almost exclusively using Caravels against Barques, Dromons and Galleys, which presumably helps. I also try to use 2 or 3 star leaders for each fleet.
I like the naval war but think the AI is much weaker than the land AI on either the strategy or battle maps. At least the Byzantines and French are managing to cut my income dramatically by blocking my trade routes.

[HopAlongBunny]

Sounds like your exp is much different from mine Simon.

When I was playing England, I couldn't bring enemy fleets to battle; using mainly caravels and cogs.
I switched tatics the second time I played England and built barques almost exclusively. Massive multiple attacks by barques (all singles, no stacks) usually won the day.

Also, the loss of barques hurts a good deal less than watching my caravels and cogs float gently to the bottom of the sea http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/smile.gif

[Edratman]

I have read many posts about the inability to bring ships to battle but have not encountered anything like that. About 80% of my attempted battles result in an engagement and I've yet to experience the frustration of a single ship evading my ships for a long time. I have had no problems with any type of ship, with speeds varying from 1 to 4, or using single or multiple ship attacks. (I initially paid attention to my shipsspecs because I read several posts about the issue.)
Wonder if anyone has an explantion for the different extremes people are experiencing.
One thing I would like to see changed (fat chance) is reducing the ability of a single small ship like the droman (it's description makes it sound like a glorified rowboat) to halt all my trade, royal influence and military transport in a zone where I have multiple superior vessels. It just does not make much sense. I could accept some ratio of reduction, but I abhor that solitary droman acting like Jellico's High Sea fleet. It is an irritant having to check all the sea zones to see if the computer slipped some uber-rowboat in one of the sea zones cutting off all trade and provinces for a turn or three.

[Postino]

the problem i get with AI fleets is this:
after whittling down the major part of their fleet the AI starts shuffeling his few remaining ships around. so while i set a naval battle and let the AI take its turn, it moves it ships out of the zone before i can engage them. at least that is what it seems like to me, so i land war the faction and thus destroy the remaining ships.

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Postino
Derlivers Daily

[Papa Bear!]

I've had things go both ways.

In my current campaign as the poles my fleets often find battle.

Previously as the turks I couldn't engage anyone, (and I desperately needed the trade income, so I just gave up on that campaign).

[ToranagaSama]

Quote Originally posted by Edratman:
Wonder if anyone has an explantion for the different extremes people are experiencing.[/QUOTE]

Lame players whinning about their own ineptitude. If only there were Campaign Multiplay they could be exposed!!! http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/eek.gif