Strange behaviour of AI-controlled ships and squadrons.

[gornik]

I decided to start separate thread to talk about strange ship's behaviour, as for most times it is not real bug, only subjective opinion of player.
Please, post your own experience here too.

My spottings:

Subordinate divisions sometimes stuck near enemy ship (usually single and sinking), and don't react to their commander's moves. They move around on full speed, sometimes firing guns and launching torpedoes, and leave enemy alone only after flagship division departs from them at distance of 10-12 miles. This happens usually with DD's, though I saw one time Japanese B division in the same situation.
Here is the example:
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(My personal pain ) DD's in RJW tend to fire from their guns rather then from torpedo mounts. For example, situation (unfortunately without screenshot): Novik met Japanese DD in rainy but calm night, DD had advantage of speed and position (1500-2000 yds at 2 o'clock),but instead of launching torpedoes and escape, her captain decided to start gunfight, increased distance and start shooting! My DD's, unfortunately, do the same even under manual control.  

[gornik]

Naniwa tried to bombard Vladivostok near the end of scenario. In daylight. With no support at all. Kind of sepokku?
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However, I waste some OP to emergency activate Peresvets, as I thought she was scout for main forces. So Japanese finally got some advantage - OP's for Russia are more valuable than old enemy cruiser... But it's very specific way to win war for Japan

[phoenix]

I sometimes send single ships on virtually suicide bombard missions because I have very little points and the mission is '(S)'. I always assume that the orders are nonsensical and 'political'. Maybe the AI has this issue too. Or maybe it needs tweaking. Hard to tell. Depends how often it happens, I guess. ?

[gornik]

I do the same to roleplay, but with some "improvements". First, ship should be at least CA (I better lose some turns to increase OP again, than send ineffective ship to suicide) Also, after medium damage (especially underwater) ship try to escape, no matter, in what condition object is. "Resistance was much harder, than suspected, and we should retreat". So Tzar and politics got action they wanted and I usually save ship. Unfortunately, retreat in time is usually the problem for AI.

Fortunatelly, it happens rarely - 2 times in present campaign. Second was Yaeyama in Port-Artur, but she escaped after losing all superstructures from single 10-inch

[gornik]

Kamimura goes fishing
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Here is my typical sortie route to Korea Straits. I use it with variations every time I should sink TR's there. As you can see, Japanese CA patrol showed no interest to it at all, though my cruiser was shurely spotted several times, met DD and sunk AMC near Fusan. Seems that Kamimura will never even see my ships, if he stay on this place... Or he may meet Peresvets and Gromoboy next time

[gornik]

Just saw strange situation: Active-class CL was hit by torpedo-but not mine!
Here is scheme:


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I can't understand, why DD (Leonidas in after battle report) launch her torpedo and killed her crippled force flagship - maybe, captain didn't like his commander?
I saw many situations with friendly torpedoes before, but they happen only in darkness, or after "wrong" manoeuvres (DD's too close to enemy sometimes go berserk), but they never were as simply and clear as this.

[fredsanford]

Feb 22, 2014 15:39:25 GMT -6 gornik said:

Just saw strange situation: Active-class CL was hit by torpedo-but not mine!
Here is scheme:




I can't understand, why DD (Leonidas in after battle report) launch her torpedo and killed her crippled force flagship - maybe, captain didn't like his commander?
I saw many situations with friendly torpedoes before, but they happen only in darkness, or after "wrong" manoeuvres (DD's too close to enemy sometimes go berserk), but they never were as simply and clear as this.

I've seen 'friendly' torpedo hits several times. Usually from an under-trained ship. Part of the game, IMO.

[randomizer]

Fratricide by torpedo is possible and does happen on occasion as noted by Fredsanford; even in good conditions when the victim manoeuvre's place it in harms way.

Thanks.

[gornik]

Grand Fleet stopped!
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In current WWI campaign part of AI-controlled Grand Fleet (Erin, Iron Dukes, Colossus) suddenly stopped under heavy fire of my HSF and stay at one place despite  torpedoes and shells for about an hour without any need. Machinery damage reduced their speed to ~15 knots, not more. Strangely, they were not sunk
I can't explain their behaviour. Saw this in previous versions of game too.

Saves - different stages of this stop:
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[randomizer]

@ Gornik: Thanks for the save.

[Fredrik W]

Mar 3, 2014 11:07:21 GMT -6 gornik said:

Grand Fleet stopped!

In current WWI campaign part of AI-controlled Grand Fleet (Erin, Iron Dukes, Colossus) suddenly stopped under heavy fire of my HSF and stay at one place despite  torpedoes and shells for about an hour without any need. Machinery damage reduced their speed to ~15 knots, not more. Strangely, they were not sunk
I can't explain their behaviour. Saw this in previous versions of game too.

Saves - different stages of this stop:

The saves made it possible to find out what happened, thanks! The lead ship, BB Agincourt, got a hit that knocked out the electrics leaving her briefly dead in the water. All the following divisions reduced speed to avoid overtaking the division in front. Not totally unrealistic, but I have looked over the code to make sure divisions keep a minimum speed even when their lead divisions is stopped for whatever reason. Thanks for the report and the saves!