Almost all BB/CVs gone in endgame

[orkel]

When did you start the game - 1920
What nation were you playing? USA
Were there any start options that were not the default? Varied techs, no treaty in effect
Describe the issue in detail. There are little to no BB/CV in the endgame built or kept by the AI. Instead they're spamming a lot of CAs.
What were you doing when the bug occurred? Just played and noticed it in 1968.
What did you expect to happen and how was the result you saw different than you expected. I expected the AI to own BBs and CVs.
Can you describe how to reproduce the bug? Probably just by playing to the end years. I have three games of which two have ended (1970, 1970, 1968) and the AI only is in this state in the 1968 one (the two other saves have multiple BBs and CVs per nation in the endgame). I am currently starting a new game to see if it happens again.
What version of the game were you playing (v1.00, v1.01, etc)? 1.05b

Picture of fleets and save file attached. I am the USA.

I have varied techs enabled, but I do not believe that would effect the AI in this manner.

I only sank a total of ~5 BBs throughout the entire game, so the AI either scrapped all the rest or didn't build any more.

Game6.7z (286.95 KB)

[dohboy]

That's some super small fleets. Just for first observations. What are you set on, super small fleets?

All the Battleships being gone makes sense I think. Wouldn't the Iowa, a generation of it's own, be considered a BC in this game?

[orkel]

Jul 1, 2019 17:57:14 GMT -6 dohboy said:

That's some super small fleets. Just for first observations. What are you set on, super small fleets?

All the Battleships being gone makes sense I think. Wouldn't the Iowa, a generation of it's own, be considered a BC in this game?

I play on medium fleet size.

[alsadius]

Yeah, the AI is weird about fleet composition. I'm in the middle of a fleet battle right now where he has like 15 capital ships engaged, and not a single ship smaller than a BC in sight. Naturally, torpedoes are slaughtering his fleet.

[DeMatt]

First thing to note, you have a giganto-budget (almost double the runner-up Britain), so of course you can afford to maintain the largest and bestest fleet in the world.

Second thing, I've noticed the same effect myself... and I think it has to do with the AI's love of building naval airbases (and other coastal forts). AI builds lots of large airbases => AI has to maintain lots of expensive aircraft => AI can't afford to build ships. Looking at one game I played to 1956, I (USA) am spending 1/6th of my budget on 932 aircraft (2CV 6CVL carrying 262, plus 600 on airbases and 70 floatplanes)... and I estimate Italy (as the worst offender) is spending 2/3rds of its budget on 1924 aircraft (1CVL carrying 22, plus 2 floatplanes and... 1900 on airbases). Maybe closer to 4/5ths.

Dunno what the solution is. Reduce aircraft maintenance cost, either directly or with a "peacetime reduced readiness" function? Teach the AI to account for aircraft cost when building/upgrading airbases? Teach the AI to dismantle forts?