How should CPU choose Governor Actions?

[MrPotatoTed]

Hi all!  Thought I'd open something up for group discussion, especially now that we have multiple players who are experienced not just with playing the game but also in running the CPU factions for their games.

One area I think is lacking for the CPU is how they make decisions on which Gov Actions to pursue.  Right now, it's something like 25% chance they do something that helps with their faction's ideology card, 25% they help a crisis, 50% they do something that helps their party overall.

For starters, there are many situations/eras in which there are no options that help an ideology card, and "helps their party overall" is too poorly defined to be a CPU action.  I'd also like traits to play a bigger part.  For example, governors with integrity have a 50% chance of trying to institute firmer term limits.  Governors with controversial/manipulative have a 50% chance of trying to remove term limits.  Things like that.

Okay, opening the floor for discussion.  I'll take whatever strikes me as the best idea(s) and draft them into the rules for Vcczar's consideration.

[OrangeP47]

I've been interpreting "help" as sometimes triggering an industry expansion move, because technically those can give points to cards I think, IE agriculture expansion can give points to big-ag, finance can give points to wall street, etc.  It really helps when the AI "doesn't know what to do".

[MrPotatoTed]

13 hours ago, OrangeP47 said:

I've been interpreting "help" as sometimes triggering an industry expansion move, because technically those can give points to cards I think, IE agriculture expansion can give points to big-ag, finance can give points to wall street, etc.  It really helps when the AI "doesn't know what to do".

Yep, agreed, I've been including that as help too.  But I'm planning to create a more detailed guide.  Maybe.  Possibly.  Ha.

[OrangeP47]

8 hours ago, MrPotatoTed said:

Yep, agreed, I've been including that as help too.  But I'm planning to create a more detailed guide.  Maybe.  Possibly.  Ha.

In a similar train of thought, it was very useful as dems in the 1840s when like 3 factions of the same party had big-ag, made deciding what "helps the party as a whole" meant pretty easy, though it's definitely unique circumstances haha.

[Vols21]

%  Use their personal expertise as a guide.   1)   under "type" it lists most of these. - example could be Judicial might focus on police and prisons, etc.   2)  if Business/Econ expert, they might be more inclined to improve a state industry (especially if the industry is one of their other expertise like Ag)

question:  is there a benefit to improving industry even though there's no chance of ever being the top state?  (say you have 3 industries at 4.   other states are 8-10).

question:  should lowering taxes or repealing a state income tax offer a chance for improving certain industries (Manufacturors and possibly finance for example might be encouraged to come to a state with favorable tax structures

% improve state industry (second roll to see which one if they have more than 1)

%  ideology card, lobby cards, crisis benefits as we have now
 

% to tinker with election laws (Gerrymander, term limits, etc with qualifications are met (1 same party Senator, etc) - could be subset of one above.

%  special passion - like Civil Rights or Theocrat - roll for chance they would use that to guide their Gov action