Somehow, I'm having more trouble with the AI in MA than in Domination.
Also I doubt that the AI is thinking "better" in Domination - take the "good guy's" campaign episode where you have to reach the turrets' control centre (the one with the 3 bridges), where the AI does nothing consistent or focused to prevent your transport and units to reach the control centre. If a Human Player was playing the PL in that game, it would simply be unfeasible to win.
My take is that (as in ANY OTHER strategy game) the AI is "unit panic" driven, not "tactically" driven. "Unit panic" is when they miss really good opportunities just to finish off your ailing units which are unimportant, or when the AI fails to retreat or protect a strong unit that could give you added trouble when properly placed, moving and using it to finish your unimportant stuff.
One of the best techniques against the AI is to "bait" it with tons of units while some of them approach the objective (the "gambit" moves). The AI gets quickly confused when you give it too much to chew.
The AI priorities seem to be centered on, roughly in this order: Hero Units (you lose one, you lose the episode - correct tactical orientation); Ailing units or units finishable in that turn PLUS proximity - that is, if a unit is the way of the AI's objective, or closer to an AI important objective to keep, it will deserve more "attention" from the AI.
Other than that, the AI just seems to work in a general "aggressive" patttern, moving units towrds the objective, vaguely supporting each other, which you can disrupt by presenting it with judiciously placed baits, in case you need to split the AI's forces (this tactic does not work in very small or restricted countries, of course. In that case you better have more muscle or else).
This said, I still am no match for the AI in many occasions. There is a scenario in MA (Troubled flanks or something like that) that I can hardly win and one or two more. In contrast, I've been able to bend scenarios that many people say impossible. As to why, it simply beats the crap out of me, no idea.
Overall, these MA games are GOOD and a lot of FUN.
|