Oh no!

My GF and I are starting to consistently win 2 on 2 games against AMAI (Normal). The dream is over!

I'm going to have to compile a big list of replays so I can figure out WHY we're always winning. I mean, it was less than a month ago that we were being destroyed by two Easy Blizzard AIs (I think those Battle.net Championship replays were a BIG help).

One think I have noticed is that assault an AMAI base is pretty easy. If I'm being driven back, my Ziggasomethings become turrets and I then get the home turf advantage when under attack. All too often AMAI will either fight outside its base (when it should withdraw and fight there), or if it does fight in its base, doesn't seem to enjoy much of an advantage there. Maybe I'm talking out my ass, maybe my GF and I simply had a bigger army in our base, or maybe it's becaue we're better at complimenting one anothers forces (I go DK, ghouls, hit and run with a max group of 12 while teching up quickly and getting all the upgrades, switching to abominations if needs be, while she goes mass crypt fiends protected by a Crypt Lord with beetles, but goes for numbers rather than tech).

The AIs on the other hand are in their own little world, but more importantly, seem to spend more time reacting to what we're doing, than forcing us to do anything. We might creep a camp before moving, but then we strike the nearest base (having scouted them out with the first ghoul/beetle) and proceed to do hit and run, creeping now and then if it can get us an easy level. Thing is, AMAI never really seems to have put together a coordinated attack in time to give us trouble, we're always, without exception, the first to strike. Maybe I haven't played enough profiles, but when they do attack it's always after driving us off, and then we simply run into a base, and win the game about this point by letting AMAI throw itself against our walls, while losing very few troops ourselves.

Most importantly, AMAI keeps losing heroes, while we don't. I've read before that people felt it was targetting heroes too much, where as it seems too little to me. An army is nothing without a hero, and from what I can see, you either surround a straggler or two and kill them, or else your army exists solely to surround and pound the enemy hero. If they TP out, then they're badly hurt and you can finish them off at their base (especially with something like Death Coil). Once the hero is gone, the rest of the army falls pretty easy as your entire army is coated in auras, while their's isn't.

BTW, if it doesn't already, you should have the AI favour auras in team games. Keeping your armies together and combining auras is, as I'm sure you know, a powerful combo, and one of the best reasons for putting another hero into the field (more auras). If your normal troops won't die, you can shield your hero.

Maybe this is just how WC3 works and I'm playing well, but there are my thoughts, random and jumbled as they are :)

Why dont you try play against Amai on insane mode, its more challenging, cuz since they have double income (amai players dont play good with few units), playing one on one insane mode is so damn hard, but i can beat em on 2 on 2 or more either teamed up with amai or folks.

AMAI is not really aiming heroes, that's good because they are more concentrating to wipe out entire troop then risking their own army to kill one hero.
Army without hero is nothing heh!, hero without army is ??? freaking suicide!
I think its better to fight in balance, kill nearest enemy or focus firing on weak units or lower hp units.

Well, I'd argue that it's easier to take down the hero then the army, rather than visa versa, but it may just be a play style thing.

I don't have any interest in Insane I'm afraid. Once an AI starts cheating, I don't play anymore, I'd just make it 2v3 if it gets too easy. For now, I'm going to try larger maps.

Hmmm, maybe I spoke too soon. While my GF and brother can't take Blizzard yet, under my might command :) in a 3v3 and 2v2 we took Blizzard with ease. So, maybe it's just more experience in spanking AMAI in team games/being surprised by the level of Blizzard's hero targetting?

However, at best AMAI ranks as "no better" than Blizzard in a team game, and at worst "not quite as good". That stinks of room for improvement :).

Anyway, I upload the four latest games for your analysis.