Why does thE AI insist on Paratroopers instead of Tanks!?!

=DrJambo= · April 30, 2002, 12:02

In my game i'm in the early-late modern era and the AI continuously churns out tons of paratroopers....why!? Surely tanks would be a more sensible and profitable option for conquest especially considering the AI never actually uses the airdrop feature of the paratroopers!?

Anyone else been finding tons of paras and very little number of tanks appearing from the AI?

Kyle · April 30, 2002, 12:11

Nope, I've yet to see any paratroopers. Lots of tanks and mobile infantry though.

ALPHA WOLF 64 · April 30, 2002, 12:29

I havent gotten that far in 1.21 yet, but under 1.17 i noticed tons of paratroopers since they were defensive and tanks were offensive.

ixnay · April 30, 2002, 12:30

I have yet to see the AI build paratroopers.

SpencerH · April 30, 2002, 12:41

I've never built one and neither has the AI. I wonder if there's a connection?

swt1 · April 30, 2002, 14:00

Same reason why my modern era cities prefer to build frigates over destroyers, and ancient UUs over infantry

.

I can change the build, so that is OK. I hate the idea of the AI "players" doing the same.

I think this has become a little better in the patches, but it still needs improvement

Cyclotron · April 30, 2002, 17:14

My AI just goes mech inf-mad. Of course, that's not so bad when you've got the only significant bomber wing, and a stack of radar art...

Feyd · April 30, 2002, 17:46

Sometimes I've noticed that the computer builds the best unit for the least amount of build time. This is why the AI sets your big producing cities to ICBM's when they come up for changed build orders and sets the lower producing cities to paratoopers or other... The AI seems to calculate in the number of turns it will take to build something. If it will take 1 turn to build a paratrooper and 3 turns to build a modern armor then they go for the paratrooper. I don't know the truth to this, but this was just my observation.

Lawrence of Arabia · April 30, 2002, 18:32

Well, I always build tons of Paras. Never seen AI do it tho. Mayhaps cuz they dont know how to use them. Kinda like Privateers.

Coracle · April 30, 2002, 18:35

Some of you guys must be kidding.

The AI continuously cranks out paratroops in my games. I constantly have to correct the annoying AI governor.

player1 · April 30, 2002, 19:54

Mech Inf mode happend to me too.

DrJambo,
What are stats for that Paratrooper that AI used. Is it MODed in any way (or maybe Tanks)?

Jaybe · April 30, 2002, 19:54

Quote:

Originally posted by Feyd
... The AI seems to calculate in the number of turns it will take to build something. If it will take 1 turn to build a paratrooper and 3 turns to build a modern armor then they go for the paratrooper. ...

Yeah, like when I first build factories, get 40 shields/turn and my governors want to build longbows in 1 turn instead of infantry/cavalry in 2 or 3.

JB

=DrJambo= · April 30, 2002, 20:11

player1, i think it may have something to do with my 'modded' paras and tanks...

i had set tanks to cost 130 instead of 100 and paras to cost 90 instead of 100. Plus i had them at 8,8,2.

Therefore they are now the cheapest offensive unit and maybe that's why the AI builds tons of them now?! Maybe when i set tanks back to the same price as paras they'll prefer tanks as their offensive unit of choice....!?

Inverse Icarus · April 30, 2002, 20:32

i've actually seen the germans use a 8 paratrooper attack (on diety). sure my modern armors rolled right over them, but they landed on strategic resources.

player1 · April 30, 2002, 20:33

Maybe they are cheapest mobile (movment of 2) offensive unit.

What realy puzzles me is why Horsemen + Swordsmen grups are OK, but there are problems in modern age?

Soren needs to answer lots of questions.

Txurce · April 30, 2002, 21:47

The AI sometimes builds paratroopers in my games, and never for paradropping. It's usually at a time when the civ in question is down at the mouth. I recall the first time I saw one, wondering "what the hell is that cool unit, and how come I don't have one?"

Grrr · May 1, 2002, 00:26

I have yet to see AI paratroops. So I can't argue here.

Jethro83 · May 1, 2002, 07:04

I wipe out the AI too early for them to be able to use paratroopers. But in the few cases where they can, I haven't had that problem. They're getting tanks, tanks, and yep... tanks to reinforce their killer spearman regiments.

Solver · May 1, 2002, 07:32

Does the AI finally upgrade its units in 1.21? It's a change that would make the AI slightly tougher, and, IMHO, one of the easiest to implement.

Panag · May 5, 2002, 19:22

Quote:

Originally posted by =DrJambo=
In my game i'm in the early-late modern era and the AI continuously churns out tons of paratroopers....why!? Surely tanks would be a more sensible and profitable option for conquest especially considering the AI never actually uses the airdrop feature of the paratroopers!?

Anyone else been finding tons of paras and very little number of tanks appearing from the AI?

hi ,

could you give more info , as who you play , map , tech's ya have , the ai has , etc , ....???

have a nice day

Panag · May 5, 2002, 19:25

Quote:

Originally posted by Solver
Does the AI finally upgrade its units in 1.21? It's a change that would make the AI slightly tougher, and, IMHO, one of the easiest to implement.

hi ,

yes and no , depending on where the ai is on the map , tech advance etc , .... in general , i see the ai upgrade , however , ones in a while , i find a galleon or a swordsman , even if that civ has future tech 3 or 4 , ....aint civ3 just full of surprise's , ......

LOL

have a nice day

Amesjustin · May 5, 2002, 19:40

Never even seen the para unit. On regent an above AI just FLOODS me with modern armor. Lost half my (large) empire in one turn when 6 (yes 6

) countires declared wor on me simultaneously then beat me to the ground like a scared little girl. And I HAD been winning....

Dom Pedro II · May 5, 2002, 20:26

I saw one game where the AI just kept cranking out Marines... they work well as an offensive unit before the advent of tanks. Of course, that didn't save the Zulus when I came along.

Panag · May 6, 2002, 08:47

Quote:

Originally posted by Amesjustin
Never even seen the para unit. On regent an above AI just FLOODS me with modern armor. Lost half my (large) empire in one turn when 6 (yes 6

) countires declared wor on me simultaneously then beat me to the ground like a scared little girl. And I HAD been winning....

hi ,

peace through power , build nukes , and use them , play poker , sign some treaties , sneak up to their big city's and , bang , take them over , that shall make the ai think again , later on , in the game , ..;

have a nice day