Let’s dig deeper into the new AI features and examine how the AI handles regions protected by SAMs and ABMs.
Remember: the original AI was tuned for all-out nuclear war, where aircraft were treated as expendable — you’d usually fly a one-way mission, drop a 10-megaton bomb, and that was it. In a conventional-war setting, however, the air force is a support arm: aircraft are expected to perform many sorties, delivering AGMs and GBUs against enemy formations. That raises the question: what happens when those units are operating under a SAM umbrella?
The new AI factors that in. When the AI loses aircraft to anti-air defenses it logs the area as hazardous — and, if possible, identifies the specific enemy anti-air asset. The AI then suspends further attacks that would intersect those danger zones until the threat is mitigated. To resolve the threat it tries several approaches:
Prioritize the threat. Anti-air units that block access to high-value targets are given much higher priority and are targeted by other means (artillery, ground forces, or CAS).
Change loadouts. Aircraft are reconfigured with longer-range weapons so strikes can be conducted from outside the danger zone.
Special operations. In selected cases, a Spec-Ops unit can be tasked to neutralize enemy SAMs.
Strategic options. In severe situations the AI may employ strategic assets to clear the area.
The same logic applies to high-value nuclear missiles threatened by enemy ABM systems. After several interceptions the AI marks the zone as a “no-go” and moves to neutralize ABM assets first. Responses include using MIRVed warheads where available, targeting the ABM batteries directly, or tasking other strategic platforms (for example, strategic bombers armed with ALCMs/ALBMs) to clear the ABM defenses. While those countermeasures are executed, strategic forces divert to alternate targets.
These changes make the AI far more cautious and context-aware in both conventional and strategic engagements — aircraft and strategic assets are no longer treated as one-use expendables, and the AI actively balances risk and reward when planning strikes.
In this video below, you can see the AI launching an attack on my army divisions. At this point, it doesn’t yet know that I’ve just deployed some additional SAM sites.
We’re in “god mode” right now, so we can see everything. All the AI units, their movements, and even their orders. You’ll notice several bombers are preparing to strike my armies.
But then, something interesting happens. As one of the AI bombers approaches, it gets intercepted by a SAM. The moment that happens, the AI reacts, all the other bombers immediately cancel their attack orders and head back to their airbases.
A bit later, once one of my SAM sites is destroyed, the AI’s tactical aircraft get the green light again and move in to resume the attack. But as they advance, one of them gets shot down, and the AI reassesses the situation — deciding to hold off until the SAM threat is fully eliminated.
Finally, after the remaining SAMs are destroyed, the AI feels confident enough to continue the attack on my armies.
While in this second video here below, the AI attacks Moscow not aware that it is defended by ABMs. When the attack fails, it selects St.Petersburg instead.
In the next diary, we’ll discuss one of the most crucial aspects of any war: logistics. Stay tuned!