[freeciv-ai] Re: Exploring madness

["Per I. Mathisen" <per@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Sat, 15 Feb 2003, Gregory Berkolaiko wrote:
> Quoting Ross Wetmore <rwetmore@xxxxxxxxxxxx>:
> > A more radical technique might be to introduce a strategic concept
> > such as "warcamp". A warcamp is something that can be placed
> > anywhere and moved at any time, maybe like a pseudo-unit. It has a
> > "capacity" in that a fixed number of units can signup to bodyguard
> > the warcamp. Military exploration (in force) can be handled by
> > exploring warcamps. They could also be used to manoeuvre armies
> > about the map and position them for attacks. The warcamp would
> > "disband" when everyone was collected near the target to free
> > them for military attack.

I have the opposite idea. Pulling together a bunch of units and moving
them in tandem around the map is a bad idea.

Instead, we can check how many units can get to a certain weak point
inside the enemy's defences within a certain time limit, and when we have
enough units available to go on full scale invasion, we declare this point
to be a "ground zero" on a certain designated turn.

All units that are available and can reach this destination in time are
reserved for this task. But - they only start moving towards the target at
such a late time that they will arrive exactly on time. This means close
units will wait for further away units. The victim will not be forwarned,
and attackers may converge upon the target area from multiple directions,
and it should not be easy to see exactly what is happening or how many
units are coming, since they travel independently.

This countdown can be used to good effect in AI diplomacy to declare war
at the final moment for maximum surprise attack. It also makes it possible
to move subs with nukes into position to provide a first volley of
annihilation against enemy strongholds. Or cruise missiles.

  - Per