American Civil War Game Club (ACWGC)

Question concerning JTS ACW games.

How many of you play against the A/I?
What percentage of you games are against the A/I?
What optional rules do you play against the A/I?
And what scenario or scenarios have you enjoyed the most when playing the A/I, and why?

Thanks to all who respond?

Rich Walker
JTS Scenario Designer
Franklin, Shiloh, Chickamauga, Atlanta
Antietam, Chancellorsville, Petersburg, Shenandoah

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Brigadier General Richard Walker
4th Brigade,3rd Division
Hardee's Corps
Army of Tennessee
(JTS/WDS Scenario Designer)

I play the A/I alot (which probably explains why i was so unprepared for real opponents). My favorite being meeting engagements on large maps. The ones i play the most are whichever i am currently in a PBEM with an opponent. i use the optional rules that are most commonly used in the PBEM matches, with the exception i never use "capture arty" or extreme FOW. Instead of my Favorite, id rather say the ones i like the least with A/I is any that include exit hexes.

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B. Gen. W. Stewart
4/2 ANV

I have not played the AI since I joined the ACWGC. When I used to play against it (only as the Confederates) I usually gave the Union 10-20% advantage and had all optional rules checked except Manual Defensive Fire, Artillery Capture and Mixed Organisational Penalty.

I never enjoyed many of them [I only had TS Gettysburg and then JTS Shenandoah before joining the Club] after I had played them because the AI was so weak. Since joining here I enjoy playing all the titles I own, sometimes replay good scenarios, and hope to complete the set this year. Lately, during downtime between Club games I have been replaying Wesnoth which is complete fantasy and nothing to do with the Civil War at all but the AI is good to strong depending on your settings.

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Paul Swanson
Lieutenant-General
First Division
First Corps
Army of Northern Virginia

Our recent Club survey found that 10 / 184 Members responded that they play the A/I more than any other type of game (MP, one on one, etc.).

After playing a human opponent the challenge of the A/I just doesn't really exist for me so I never play the A/I. About the best A/I experience I had was using the old Talonsoft Antietam game. The Yanks just came at you in waves and it took skill to beat them in that bad boy. I remember playing it for the first time (long ago) and losing my mind when I just saw fresh brigade after fresh brigade materialize in our front. Gettysburg was also fun with the A/I until you realized they followed the same script each time. If you did something unexpected it was over for them.

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Gen. Blake Strickler
Confederate General-in-Chief
El Presidente 2010 - 2012

I have not played against the AI in 25 years. If I play solitaire (which I do very rarely) I play both sides hot seat.

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MG Mike Mihalik
Forrest's Cavalry Corps
AoWest/CSA

Only play PBEM, usually against human opponents.

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General Ernie Sands
President ACWGC -Sept 2015- Dec 2020
7th Brigade, 1st Division, XVI Corps, AoT
ACWGC Records Site Admin

"If you do not know where you are going, any road will take you there."

Thanks for the responses I have received so far. I completely understand and I too much prefer PBEM. But to continue....

As mentioned, never use the artillery captured rule vs the AI. The AI will simply spike them and move off. Also make sure the Artillery Defensive Fire dialog is set to min.

And I was wondering if anyone has tried the AI challenge scenarios I've included in many, but perhaps not all my titles.

As an example, they look like this:

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Brigadier General Richard Walker
4th Brigade,3rd Division
Hardee's Corps
Army of Tennessee
(JTS/WDS Scenario Designer)

Hi Rich.
I never play the AI.

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Walter A. Dortch
Commanding -/4/V AotP
UA Cabinet Secretary
UA Operations Officer
UA Wolverine Team Leader

I just finished AI Matthew's Hill. Options all but MDF, art capture, ExFW.

I played the Rebs, pulled my units back toward the Confederate victory hex. My infantry hung back some on the hill top, then saw some Yankee artillery, so withdrew behind the crest of the hill,
hoping the AI would come running. To its credit, it didn't. By turn 7 I felt I better get the action
going to avoid a draw. I ran into limbered arty, and some infantry. The AI was slowly moving along the road along the hill. Actually a good fight for a while. AI was a bit aggressive on poor odds melees, and it lost a lot of points doing them.

By the last turn I had 398 points, and against my better judgement went for one dicey melee, and lost
it so my total was only 340. A lot of my successes were in surprising the Yankee artillery, eliminated quite a few.

Not too bad an effort for AI. I let most of the game go by waiting for it to make its attack. A bit too slow developing
unless it was designed to be very careful.

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Major General Todd Hively
4th DIV / I Corps / ANV

General Todd,
Thanks for trying it, and for the AAR.

Also, I noticed that the AI scenarios are not all named AI Challenge for all titles. In hindsight, I wish I had been consistent. C'est la vie!

Examples from Petersburg and Shenandoah.

As seen below, the Shenandoah AI scenarios will say AI_Play and are not lumped together, but rather listed with each battle (if available). And usually, and if applicable, the scenario description will boldly say which side YOU should play against the AI.
And the Petersburg AI scenarios are lumped together with either a USA, or CSA (which indicates the side YOU should play)

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Brigadier General Richard Walker
4th Brigade,3rd Division
Hardee's Corps
Army of Tennessee
(JTS/WDS Scenario Designer)

I've given the AI a go in pretty much every title I've got (all except Franklin, Petersburg, and Antietam).

Since joining the ACWGC I've barely played the AI but from memory, I think the AI does best on the offensive, and at Chickamauga especially because the wooded terrain is a great leveller. I had the Talonsoft games back in the day & I think the AI has improved in that it will now pull units back if a certain number get disordered etc. However, the AI still struggles with defence - seeing it try to form a defensive line in the middle of a open field (albeit with a few breastworks) with a commanding hill behind & a low wooded ridge in front is unfortunate.

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Major General TW Marshall

ACWGC President 2022 - 2025

Commanding Officer, 2nd (Gator Alley) Division, Stewart's Corps, Army of Tennessee

For the past 20+ years, I have played the various John Tiller American Civil War games H2H solitaire exclusively. I gave up on playing vs. the AI long, loooong ago.

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Civil War Battles Lead Programmer, https://wargameds.com
Panzer Battles & Panzer Campaigns Lead Programmer, https://wargameds.com
Campaign Series Lead Programmer, https://cslegion.com

I completely understand if you don't play the AI, after all, this club is about H2H play. But overall, about 80% of all JTS customers play against the AI. So I was wondering have you tried the scenarios that are specifically designed for AI play. These have been named as previously described, and I think only exist in the titles I have designed.

Franklin, Shiloh, Chickamauga, Atlanta
Antietam, Chancellorsville, Petersburg, Shenandoah

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Brigadier General Richard Walker
4th Brigade,3rd Division
Hardee's Corps
Army of Tennessee
(JTS/WDS Scenario Designer)

I will be sure to give it one or more tries sometime soon.

You are correct about the 80%. It's a verified fact.

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Civil War Battles Lead Programmer, https://wargameds.com
Panzer Battles & Panzer Campaigns Lead Programmer, https://wargameds.com
Campaign Series Lead Programmer, https://cslegion.com

Wow, that's an exceptionally high figure. It would mean that there are a lot of people who would benefit from joining the ACWGC as they should get far more enjoyment from gaming against others rather than against [what seems to be a general opinion] an AI that is not especially challenging.

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Paul Swanson
Lieutenant-General
First Division
First Corps
Army of Northern Virginia