Game Engine Rules (AI Training)

ubernaut

@kindwind interested to see your progress

Kindwind

Project: Training an AI to play Axis & Allies from scratch using AlphaZero-style self-play

Architecture:

Custom Rust game engine (PyO3 bindings to Python) running the full A&A ruleset — purchases, combat moves, naval transports, amphibious assaults, strategic bombing, tech research, the works
Graph Neural Network (GNN) treating the 143-territory board as a graph with attention-based message passing
MCTS (Monte Carlo Tree Search) for move selection during self-play
Factorized action space across 5 heads: action_type, from_territory, to_territory, unit_type, quantity
Training pipeline:

Phase 1 — Supervised learning: Trained on 5,000 games of ProAI (rule-based AI) replays (~18M samples) to bootstrap the network
Phase 2 — Self-play: 195 generations, 1,460 games, the model playing against itself and learning from its own experience
Key milestones:

The AI learned amphibious assaults on its own through self-play — averaging 12 per game across 17,500+ total amphibious attacks. This is a complex multi-step operation (load units onto transports, move fleet, unload in combat) that the network figured out through MCTS search
Supervised loss dropped from 3.80 → 0.99 during initial training
100% Axis win rate vs the rule-based ProAI with MCTS search
Current challenge — the Allied problem:

Axis play is strong, but Allied play is weak (only 89 Allied wins out of 1,460 self-play games)
This mirrors the real game's asymmetry — Allies need coordinated multi-front strategy across 3 nations
The GNN-small (574K params) doesn't have enough capacity to learn this
Currently running: Upgrading from GNN-small (574K params) to GNN-large (8.6M params) — supervised training is at chunk 90/100 on 5,000 ProAI games. Holdout accuracy: action_type 100%, unit_type 88.2%, quantity 96.8%. Should finish tonight, then we restart self-play with the bigger brain and see if 15x more parameters can crack the Allied strategy problem.

Small update of where the project stands. Keep in mind I am a vibe coder! So while I did my best to do this there still maybe problems I don't know. Also Anthropic got back to me: Hi Christopher,

Thanks for reaching out.

Training a narrow, task-specific CNN for game AI does not conflict with our Usage Policy, which is primarily aimed at preventing competitive model distillation.

This authorization covers the use case as described. Individuals and hobbyists are welcome to use the Claude API. However, please note that use of the API is subject to our Commercial Terms of Service, regardless of whether you are an individual or representing a company.

Best,

Anthropic Privacy Team

I will be having Opus 4.6 taking a crack at some games to get some better data! Here was some napkin math for the Opus games: Good question. Let me estimate based on what a game looks like through the API:

Per decision point:

Input: ~8-15K tokens (strategy prompt + board state + legal moves list)
Output: ~200-500 tokens (move selection + brief reasoning)
Per game (~150 strategic decisions per side after --auto-tactical):

Input: ~1.5M tokens
Output: ~50K tokens
Opus 4.6 API pricing ($15/M input, $75/M output):

Games Input Cost Output Cost Total
1 ~$22 ~$3.75 ~$26
10 ~$220 ~$37 ~$260
50 ~$1,100 ~$188 ~$1,300
But consider: If the llm_vs_llm.py accumulates conversation history (likely), later decisions get much more expensive as context grows. Resetting context each turn keeps costs down.

Cheaper alternatives that might still be valuable:

Sonnet 4.6 ($3/$15 per M): Same games for ~$50-60 for 10 games — 5x cheaper
Haiku 4.5 ($0.80/$4 per M): ~$15 for 10 games — but quality drops
Is it worth it? For this project specifically, even 10 high-quality LLM games as Allies could be extremely valuable — the model is starving for good Allied play examples. ProAI plays Allies poorly (10% win rate), so LLM games would be a completely different distribution of Allied strategy. You could mix those into the training buffer as "golden data."

My recommendation: start with 5-10 games on Sonnet (~$30-60) to test quality, then do a batch on Opus if the moves look smart. Would you want me to check on the llm_vs_llm.py setup to see how it's structured for cost?

beelee

@kindwind

hmm ...

I will ping @redrum even though he isn't here anymore. He probbaly created or helped create AI or whatever name it is going by.

Keep up the good work

ubernaut

@kindwind exciting stuff!

RogerCooper

@Kindwind Any further progress on this. I would like to see a report of an actual game. Even seeing the first turn would be enough to see whether you are getting somewhere.

Note that OOB Axis & Allies 1942 (2nd edition) strongly favors the Axis. It would be better to use the Larry Harris alternate setup.

Kindwind

@RogerCooper Some. I moved over to a local LLM using Fable. Here is a log file. I ditched my rust engine. Everything is in working order now I think.

========================================================================
TRIPLEA-LLM GAME STATEMENT (both sides where logged)
Account: ? side vs ? model ?
Game id: eval-56cb5c6b-3329-4682-8126-455bc6fc53da
Opened: 2026-07-22 18:14 Rounds: ? Duration: ?s
Result: winners = none (round cap)

ROUND 1 ------------------------------------- RUSSIANS (ALLIES / WeakAi)
BALANCE BROUGHT FORWARD ...................................... PU 24
PURCHASE 3 x infantry .......................................... - 9
PURCHASE 2 x artillery ......................................... - 8
PURCHASE 1 x armour ............................................ - 5
BALANCE AFTER PURCHASE ....................................... PU 2
COMBAT Karelia S.S.R. -> West Russia (1 x fighter, 3 x infantry) << ATTACK
COMBAT Archangel -> West Russia (3 x infantry, 1 x armour) << ATTACK
COMBAT Caucasus -> West Russia (3 x infantry, 1 x artillery, 1 x armour) << ATTACK
COMBAT Russia -> West Russia (1 x fighter, 3 x infantry, 1 x artillery, 2 x armour) << ATTACK
NONCOM West Russia -> Archangel (2 x fighter)
NONCOM Soviet Far East -> Yakut S.S.R. (2 x infantry)
NONCOM Novosibirsk -> Kazakh S.S.R. (2 x infantry)
NONCOM Yakut S.S.R. -> Novosibirsk (2 x infantry)
NONCOM Kazakh S.S.R. -> Caucasus (2 x infantry)
NONCOM Evenki National Okrug -> Russia (2 x infantry)
NONCOM Buryatia S.S.R. -> Yakut S.S.R. (2 x infantry)
PLACE Russia: 3 x infantry, 2 x artillery, 1 x armour

ROUND 1 ----------------------------------- GERMANS (AXIS / llm-triplea)
BALANCE BROUGHT FORWARD ...................................... PU 40
PURCHASE 7 x infantry .......................................... - 21
PURCHASE 3 x armour ............................................ - 15
BALANCE AFTER PURCHASE ....................................... PU 4
COMBAT Eastern Europe -> Belorussia (1 x fighter, 2 x infantry, 1 x armour)
COMBAT Germany -> Belorussia (1 x bomber, 1 x fighter, 1 x armour)
COMBAT Eastern Europe -> West Russia (1 x fighter, 1 x infantry, 1 x armour) << ATTACK
COMBAT Norway -> West Russia (1 x fighter) via Norway > Karelia S.S.R. > West Russia << ATTACK
COMBAT Germany -> West Russia (2 x infantry, 1 x armour) << ATTACK
COMBAT Southern Europe -> Ukraine S.S.R. (2 x infantry, 1 x artillery, 1 x armour)
NONCOM Germany -> Western Europe (1 x infantry)
NONCOM Southern Europe -> Western Europe (1 x infantry)
NONCOM 5 Sea Zone -> 7 Sea Zone (2 x submarine, 1 x transport, 1 x destroyer)
NONCOM Germany -> 7 Sea Zone (1 x infantry) << LOAD
NONCOM 7 Sea Zone -> Western Europe (1 x infantry) << UNLOAD
NONCOM Southern Europe -> 7 Sea Zone (1 x infantry) << LOAD
NONCOM 7 Sea Zone -> Western Europe (1 x infantry) << UNLOAD
NONCOM Germany -> Ukraine S.S.R. (1 x armour) via Germany > Eastern Europe > Ukraine S.S.R.
NONCOM Belorussia -> Ukraine S.S.R. (1 x infantry)
NONCOM Ukraine S.S.R. -> Belorussia (1 x fighter)
NONCOM Western Europe -> 7 Sea Zone (1 x fighter) << LOAD
NONCOM 7 Sea Zone -> 6 Sea Zone (1 x fighter)
NONCOM 6 Sea Zone -> 5 Sea Zone (1 x fighter)
NONCOM 5 Sea Zone -> Eastern Europe (1 x fighter) << UNLOAD
NONCOM Belorussia -> Eastern Europe (1 x bomber, 1 x infantry)
NONCOM Germany -> Eastern Europe (1 x infantry)
NONCOM Ukraine S.S.R. -> Eastern Europe (1 x fighter)
NONCOM Ukraine S.S.R. -> Belorussia (1 x fighter, 1 x infantry, 1 x artillery)
PLACE Germany: 1 x armour
PLACE Germany: 1 x armour
PLACE Germany: 1 x armour
PLACE Germany: 1 x armour
PLACE Southern Europe: 1 x armour
PLACE Southern Europe: 1 x armour
PLACE Southern Europe: 1 x armour
PLACE Southern Europe: 1 x infantry

ROUND 1 -------------------------------------- BRITISH (ALLIES / WeakAi)
BALANCE BROUGHT FORWARD ...................................... PU 30
PURCHASE 3 x infantry .......................................... - 9
PURCHASE 2 x artillery ......................................... - 8
PURCHASE 1 x armour ............................................ - 5
PURCHASE 1 x transport ......................................... - 8
BALANCE AFTER PURCHASE ....................................... PU 0
COMBAT United Kingdom -> 2 Sea Zone (2 x infantry) << LOAD
COMBAT 2 Sea Zone -> 6 Sea Zone (1 x battleship, 1 x transport, 2 x infantry) via 2 Sea Zone > 3 Sea Zone > 6 Sea Zone
COMBAT United Kingdom -> Germany (1 x bomber) via United Kingdom > 6 Sea Zone > 5 Sea Zone > Germany << ATTACK
COMBAT Anglo Egypt -> Libya (1 x fighter, 1 x infantry, 1 x armour) << ATTACK
NONCOM Germany -> Karelia S.S.R. (1 x bomber) via Germany > 5 Sea Zone > Karelia S.S.R.
NONCOM Libya -> Anglo Egypt (1 x fighter)
NONCOM Union of South Africa -> Kenya (1 x infantry)
NONCOM Persia -> Caucasus (1 x infantry)
NONCOM India -> Persia (3 x infantry)
NONCOM Trans-Jordan -> Persia (1 x infantry)
NONCOM 1 Sea Zone -> 3 Sea Zone (1 x transport) via 1 Sea Zone > 2 Sea Zone > 3 Sea Zone
NONCOM 15 Sea Zone -> 33 Sea Zone (1 x destroyer) via 15 Sea Zone > 34 Sea Zone > 33 Sea Zone
NONCOM 13 Sea Zone -> 9 Sea Zone (1 x battleship) via 13 Sea Zone > 12 Sea Zone > 9 Sea Zone
NONCOM 35 Sea Zone -> 33 Sea Zone (1 x carrier, 1 x fighter, 1 x transport, 1 x destroyer) via 35 Sea Zone > 32 Sea Zone > 33 Sea Zone
NONCOM 40 Sea Zone -> 42 Sea Zone (1 x submarine, 1 x transport) via 40 Sea Zone > 41 Sea Zone > 42 Sea Zone
NONCOM United Kingdom -> 3 Sea Zone (1 x artillery) << LOAD
PLACE 6 Sea Zone: 1 x transport
PLACE United Kingdom: 3 x infantry, 2 x artillery, 1 x armour

ROUND 1 ---------------------------------- JAPANESE (AXIS / llm-triplea)
BALANCE BROUGHT FORWARD ...................................... PU 30
PURCHASE 2 x infantry .......................................... - 6
PURCHASE 1 x armour ............................................ - 5
PURCHASE 1 x transport ......................................... - 8
BALANCE AFTER PURCHASE ....................................... PU 11
COMBAT Japan -> 60 Sea Zone (2 x infantry) << LOAD
COMBAT 60 Sea Zone -> 59 Sea Zone (1 x transport, 2 x infantry)
COMBAT 59 Sea Zone -> China (2 x infantry) << AMPHIBIOUS ASSAULT
NONCOM 50 Sea Zone -> 59 Sea Zone (1 x carrier, 1 x fighter)
NONCOM 59 Sea Zone -> 60 Sea Zone (1 x transport, 2 x infantry)
NONCOM 50 Sea Zone -> 60 Sea Zone (1 x destroyer)
NONCOM Japan -> 60 Sea Zone (1 x fighter) << LOAD
NONCOM 59 Sea Zone -> 60 Sea Zone (1 x transport)
NONCOM Japan -> 60 Sea Zone (2 x infantry) << LOAD
NONCOM 60 Sea Zone -> 59 Sea Zone (1 x transport, 2 x infantry)
NONCOM 59 Sea Zone -> 60 Sea Zone (1 x transport, 2 x infantry)
NONCOM 60 Sea Zone -> 59 Sea Zone (1 x transport)
NONCOM 59 Sea Zone -> 60 Sea Zone (1 x transport, 2 x infantry)
NONCOM 60 Sea Zone -> 59 Sea Zone (1 x transport, 2 x infantry)
NONCOM Japan -> 59 Sea Zone (1 x fighter) << LOAD
NONCOM 59 Sea Zone -> 60 Sea Zone (1 x transport, 2 x infantry)
NONCOM 60 Sea Zone -> 61 Sea Zone (1 x transport, 2 x infantry)
NONCOM 61 Sea Zone -> Manchuria (2 x infantry) << UNLOAD
NONCOM China -> Manchuria (2 x fighter)
NONCOM 50 Sea Zone -> 49 Sea Zone (1 x carrier, 1 x fighter, 1 x destroyer)
NONCOM 49 Sea Zone -> 60 Sea Zone (1 x carrier, 1 x fighter, 1 x destroyer)
PLACE French Indochina: 1 x infantry
PLACE China: 1 x transport
PLACE Manchuria: 1 x infantry

ROUND 1 ------------------------------------ AMERICANS (ALLIES / WeakAi)
BALANCE BROUGHT FORWARD ...................................... PU 42
PURCHASE 4 x infantry .......................................... - 12
PURCHASE 2 x armour ............................................ - 10
PURCHASE 2 x transport ......................................... - 16
PURCHASE 1 x artillery ......................................... - 4
BALANCE AFTER PURCHASE ....................................... PU 0
COMBAT Eastern United States -> 10 Sea Zone (2 x infantry, 1 x artillery, 1 x armour) << LOAD
COMBAT 10 Sea Zone -> 12 Sea Zone (2 x transport, 2 x infantry, 1 x destroyer, 1 x artillery, 1 x armour) via 10 Sea Zone > 11 Sea Zone > 12 Sea Zone
COMBAT 12 Sea Zone -> Algeria (2 x infantry, 1 x artillery, 1 x armour) << AMPHIBIOUS ASSAULT
NONCOM Sinkiang -> Kazakh S.S.R. (2 x infantry)
NONCOM Central United States -> Mexico (2 x infantry)
NONCOM 52 Sea Zone -> 54 Sea Zone (1 x carrier, 1 x submarine, 1 x fighter) via 52 Sea Zone > 55 Sea Zone > 54 Sea Zone
NONCOM 55 Sea Zone -> 20 Sea Zone (1 x battleship, 1 x transport) via 55 Sea Zone > 54 Sea Zone > 20 Sea Zone
NONCOM 20 Sea Zone -> 10 Sea Zone (1 x destroyer) via 20 Sea Zone > 19 Sea Zone > 10 Sea Zone
PLACE 10 Sea Zone: 2 x transport
PLACE Eastern United States: 4 x infantry, 1 x artillery, 2 x armour

ROUND 2 ------------------------------------- RUSSIANS (ALLIES / WeakAi)
BALANCE BROUGHT FORWARD ...................................... PU 28
PURCHASE 3 x infantry .......................................... - 9
PURCHASE 2 x artillery ......................................... - 8
PURCHASE 2 x armour ............................................ - 10
BALANCE AFTER PURCHASE ....................................... PU 1
COMBAT West Russia -> Ukraine S.S.R. (9 x infantry, 2 x artillery, 2 x armour) << ATTACK
COMBAT Caucasus -> Ukraine S.S.R. (2 x infantry) << ATTACK
NONCOM Novosibirsk -> Kazakh S.S.R. (2 x infantry)
NONCOM Yakut S.S.R. -> Novosibirsk (4 x infantry)
NONCOM Kazakh S.S.R. -> Caucasus (2 x infantry)
NONCOM Russia -> West Russia (5 x infantry, 2 x artillery, 1 x armour)
PLACE Russia: 3 x infantry, 2 x artillery, 2 x armour

ROUND 2 ----------------------------------- GERMANS (AXIS / llm-triplea)
BALANCE BROUGHT FORWARD ...................................... PU 37
PURCHASE 7 x infantry .......................................... - 21
PURCHASE 2 x armour ............................................ - 10
BALANCE AFTER PURCHASE ....................................... PU 6
COMBAT Belorussia -> West Russia (2 x infantry, 1 x armour) << ATTACK
COMBAT Germany -> West Russia (1 x armour) via Germany > Karelia S.S.R. > West Russia << ATTACK
COMBAT Eastern Europe -> West Russia (1 x bomber, 1 x fighter) via Eastern Europe > Belorussia > West Russia << ATTACK
COMBAT Balkans -> West Russia (1 x fighter) via Balkans > Ukraine S.S.R. > West Russia << ATTACK
COMBAT Belorussia -> Ukraine S.S.R. (1 x fighter, 1 x infantry, 1 x armour) << ATTACK
COMBAT Germany -> Ukraine S.S.R. (1 x armour) via Germany > Eastern Europe > Ukraine S.S.R. << ATTACK
COMBAT Southern Europe -> Ukraine S.S.R. (2 x infantry, 1 x artillery) << ATTACK
COMBAT Belorussia -> Karelia S.S.R. (2 x infantry) << ATTACK
COMBAT Eastern Europe -> Karelia S.S.R. (1 x infantry, 1 x artillery) << ATTACK
COMBAT Germany -> Karelia S.S.R. (1 x infantry) << ATTACK
COMBAT Balkans -> Karelia S.S.R. (2 x infantry) via Balkans > Eastern Europe > Karelia S.S.R. << ATTACK
COMBAT Southern Europe -> Germany (3 x infantry)
NONCOM Germany -> Eastern Europe (2 x infantry, 2 x armour)
NONCOM Southern Europe -> Balkans (2 x infantry, 1 x artillery)
NONCOM Western Europe -> Southern Europe (4 x infantry, 2 x armour)
NONCOM West Russia -> Belorussia (2 x fighter)
NONCOM Ukraine S.S.R. -> Belorussia (1 x fighter)
NONCOM 7 Sea Zone -> 8 Sea Zone (2 x submarine, 1 x transport, 1 x destroyer)
NONCOM 8 Sea Zone -> 7 Sea Zone (2 x submarine, 1 x transport, 1 x destroyer)
NONCOM 7 Sea Zone -> 6 Sea Zone (2 x submarine, 1 x transport, 1 x destroyer)
PLACE Germany: 1 x infantry
PLACE Southern Europe: 1 x armour
PLACE Germany: 1 x infantry
PLACE Southern Europe: 1 x infantry
PLACE Germany: 1 x infantry
PLACE Southern Europe: 1 x infantry
PLACE Southern Europe: 1 x infantry
PLACE Germany: 1 x infantry

ROUND 2 -------------------------------------- BRITISH (ALLIES / WeakAi)
BALANCE BROUGHT FORWARD ...................................... PU 31
PURCHASE 3 x infantry .......................................... - 9
PURCHASE 1 x armour ............................................ - 5
PURCHASE 2 x transport ......................................... - 16
BALANCE AFTER PURCHASE ....................................... PU 1
COMBAT United Kingdom -> 6 Sea Zone (1 x infantry, 1 x armour) << LOAD
COMBAT United Kingdom -> 3 Sea Zone (1 x infantry) << LOAD
COMBAT 6 Sea Zone -> 2 Sea Zone (1 x transport, 2 x infantry) via 6 Sea Zone > 3 Sea Zone > 2 Sea Zone
COMBAT 6 Sea Zone -> Western Europe (1 x infantry, 1 x armour) << AMPHIBIOUS ASSAULT
COMBAT 9 Sea Zone -> 8 Sea Zone (1 x battleship)
NONCOM Kenya -> Belgian Congo (1 x infantry)
NONCOM Persia -> Caucasus (4 x infantry)
NONCOM Caucasus -> Ukraine S.S.R. (1 x infantry)
NONCOM Libya -> Anglo Egypt (1 x infantry, 1 x armour)
NONCOM 42 Sea Zone -> 22 Sea Zone (1 x submarine, 1 x transport) via 42 Sea Zone > 25 Sea Zone > 22 Sea Zone
NONCOM 3 Sea Zone -> 6 Sea Zone (1 x transport, 1 x infantry, 1 x artillery)
NONCOM 33 Sea Zone -> 27 Sea Zone (1 x carrier, 1 x fighter, 1 x transport, 2 x destroyer) via 33 Sea Zone > 28 Sea Zone > 27 Sea Zone
PLACE 6 Sea Zone: 2 x transport
PLACE United Kingdom: 3 x infantry, 1 x armour

ROUND 2 ---------------------------------- JAPANESE (AXIS / llm-triplea)
BALANCE BROUGHT FORWARD ...................................... PU 43
PURCHASE 1 x transport ......................................... - 8
PURCHASE 1 x infantry .......................................... - 3
PURCHASE 1 x armour ............................................ - 5
BALANCE AFTER PURCHASE ....................................... PU 27
COMBAT Japan -> 61 Sea Zone (2 x infantry, 1 x artillery, 2 x armour) << LOAD
COMBAT 61 Sea Zone -> 60 Sea Zone (1 x transport, 2 x infantry, 1 x artillery, 2 x armour)
COMBAT 60 Sea Zone -> Manchuria (2 x infantry, 1 x artillery, 2 x armour) << UNLOAD
NONCOM China -> French Indochina (2 x infantry)
NONCOM Manchuria -> French Indochina (2 x fighter) via Manchuria > China > French Indochina
NONCOM 59 Sea Zone -> 36 Sea Zone (1 x carrier, 2 x fighter, 2 x transport, 4 x infantry) via 59 Sea Zone > 60 Sea Zone > 36 Sea Zone
NONCOM 51 Sea Zone -> 36 Sea Zone (2 x infantry) via 51 Sea Zone > 50 Sea Zone > 49 Sea Zone > 36 Sea Zone
NONCOM Japan -> 51 Sea Zone (2 x armour) << LOAD
NONCOM 51 Sea Zone -> Wake Island (2 x armour) << UNLOAD
PLACE China: 1 x infantry
PLACE French Indochina: 1 x infantry
PLACE Kwantung: 1 x infantry
PLACE Manchuria: 1 x infantry
PLACE 60 Sea Zone: 1 x transport
PLACE 60 Sea Zone: 1 x transport

ROUND 2 ------------------------------------ AMERICANS (ALLIES / WeakAi)
BALANCE BROUGHT FORWARD ...................................... PU 41
PURCHASE 4 x infantry .......................................... - 12
PURCHASE 1 x armour ............................................ - 5
PURCHASE 2 x artillery ......................................... - 8
PURCHASE 2 x transport ......................................... - 16
BALANCE AFTER PURCHASE ....................................... PU 0
COMBAT Eastern United States -> 10 Sea Zone (3 x infantry, 1 x artillery) << LOAD
COMBAT 10 Sea Zone -> 12 Sea Zone (2 x transport, 3 x infantry, 1 x destroyer, 1 x artillery) via 10 Sea Zone > 11 Sea Zone > 12 Sea Zone
NONCOM Kazakh S.S.R. -> Caucasus (2 x infantry)
NONCOM Algeria -> Libya (2 x infantry, 1 x artillery, 1 x armour)
NONCOM 54 Sea Zone -> 19 Sea Zone (1 x carrier, 1 x submarine, 1 x fighter) via 54 Sea Zone > 20 Sea Zone > 19 Sea Zone
NONCOM 12 Sea Zone -> 10 Sea Zone (2 x transport, 1 x destroyer) via 12 Sea Zone > 11 Sea Zone > 10 Sea Zone
NONCOM 20 Sea Zone -> 10 Sea Zone (1 x battleship, 1 x transport) via 20 Sea Zone > 19 Sea Zone > 10 Sea Zone
NONCOM Eastern United States -> 10 Sea Zone (1 x infantry, 2 x armour) << LOAD
NONCOM 12 Sea Zone -> Algeria (3 x infantry, 1 x artillery) << UNLOAD
PLACE 10 Sea Zone: 2 x transport
PLACE Eastern United States: 4 x infantry, 2 x artillery, 1 x armour

ROUND 3 ------------------------------------- RUSSIANS (ALLIES / WeakAi)
BALANCE BROUGHT FORWARD ...................................... PU 30
PURCHASE 1 x infantry .......................................... - 3
PURCHASE 4 x artillery ......................................... - 16
PURCHASE 2 x armour ............................................ - 10
BALANCE AFTER PURCHASE ....................................... PU 1
COMBAT Ukraine S.S.R. -> Eastern Europe (9 x infantry, 2 x artillery, 2 x armour) << ATTACK
COMBAT West Russia -> Karelia S.S.R. (2 x infantry, 2 x artillery, 2 x armour) << ATTACK
NONCOM Novosibirsk -> Kazakh S.S.R. (4 x infantry)
NONCOM Kazakh S.S.R. -> Caucasus (2 x infantry)
NONCOM Caucasus -> Ukraine S.S.R. (2 x infantry)
NONCOM Russia -> West Russia (3 x infantry, 2 x artillery, 2 x armour)
PLACE Russia: 1 x infantry, 4 x artillery, 2 x armour

ROUND 3 ----------------------------------- GERMANS (AXIS / llm-triplea)
BALANCE BROUGHT FORWARD ...................................... PU 41
PURCHASE 11 x infantry ......................................... - 33
PURCHASE 2 x artillery ......................................... - 8
PURCHASE 2 x armour ............................................ - 10
BALANCE AFTER PURCHASE ....................................... PU -10
COMBAT (no attacks declared)
NONCOM 7 Sea Zone -> 6 Sea Zone (1 x submarine, 1 x transport, 1 x destroyer)
PLACE Germany: 1 x infantry, 1 x armour
PLACE Germany: 1 x infantry
PLACE Germany: 1 x infantry
PLACE Germany: 1 x infantry
PLACE Germany: 1 x infantry
PLACE Germany: 1 x infantry
PLACE Germany: 1 x infantry
PLACE Germany: 1 x armour
PLACE Germany: 1 x infantry
PLACE Southern Europe: 1 x infantry
PLACE Southern Europe: 1 x infantry
PLACE Southern Europe: 1 x infantry
PLACE Southern Europe: 1 x infantry
PLACE Southern Europe: 1 x infantry
PLACE Southern Europe: 1 x infantry

ROUND 3 -------------------------------------- BRITISH (ALLIES / WeakAi)
BALANCE BROUGHT FORWARD ...................................... PU 38
PURCHASE 3 x infantry .......................................... - 9
PURCHASE 2 x artillery ......................................... - 8
PURCHASE 2 x transport ......................................... - 16
PURCHASE 1 x armour ............................................ - 5
BALANCE AFTER PURCHASE ....................................... PU 0
COMBAT United Kingdom -> 6 Sea Zone (3 x infantry, 2 x artillery, 1 x armour) << LOAD
COMBAT 2 Sea Zone -> 6 Sea Zone (1 x transport, 2 x infantry) via 2 Sea Zone > 3 Sea Zone > 6 Sea Zone
COMBAT 6 Sea Zone -> Norway (6 x infantry, 3 x artillery, 1 x armour) << AMPHIBIOUS ASSAULT
COMBAT 8 Sea Zone -> 7 Sea Zone (1 x battleship)
NONCOM Belgian Congo -> Anglo Egypt (1 x infantry)
NONCOM Caucasus -> Ukraine S.S.R. (4 x infantry)
NONCOM Ukraine S.S.R. -> Eastern Europe (1 x infantry)
NONCOM Anglo Egypt -> Trans-Jordan (1 x infantry, 1 x armour)
NONCOM 27 Sea Zone -> 17 Sea Zone (1 x carrier, 1 x fighter, 1 x transport, 2 x destroyer) via 27 Sea Zone > 23 Sea Zone > 17 Sea Zone
NONCOM 22 Sea Zone -> 12 Sea Zone (1 x submarine, 1 x transport) via 22 Sea Zone > 17 Sea Zone > 12 Sea Zone
PLACE 6 Sea Zone: 2 x transport
PLACE United Kingdom: 3 x infantry, 2 x artillery, 1 x armour

ROUND 3 ---------------------------------- JAPANESE (AXIS / llm-triplea)
BALANCE BROUGHT FORWARD ...................................... PU 59
PURCHASE 1 x carrier ........................................... - 16
PURCHASE 2 x transport ......................................... - 16
PURCHASE 1 x submarine ......................................... - 8
PURCHASE 1 x destroyer ......................................... - 12
PURCHASE 1 x infantry .......................................... - 3
PURCHASE 1 x armour ............................................ - 5
BALANCE AFTER PURCHASE ....................................... PU -1
COMBAT Japan -> 60 Sea Zone (1 x infantry, 1 x artillery, 1 x armour) << LOAD
COMBAT 60 Sea Zone -> 57 Sea Zone (1 x transport, 1 x infantry, 1 x artillery, 1 x armour)
COMBAT 57 Sea Zone -> 61 Sea Zone (1 x transport, 1 x infantry, 1 x artillery, 1 x armour)
COMBAT 61 Sea Zone -> Manchuria (1 x infantry, 1 x artillery, 1 x armour) << UNLOAD
NONCOM Wake Island -> 51 Sea Zone (3 x infantry) << LOAD
NONCOM 51 Sea Zone -> 52 Sea Zone (1 x battleship, 1 x submarine, 1 x transport, 1 x destroyer, 3 x infantry)
NONCOM 52 Sea Zone -> 57 Sea Zone (1 x transport, 3 x infantry)
NONCOM 57 Sea Zone -> Manchuria (3 x infantry) << UNLOAD
NONCOM China -> Manchuria (4 x infantry)
NONCOM 51 Sea Zone -> 52 Sea Zone (1 x carrier, 2 x fighter)
NONCOM 52 Sea Zone -> 57 Sea Zone (1 x carrier, 2 x fighter)
NONCOM 57 Sea Zone -> Manchuria (1 x carrier, 2 x fighter) << UNLOAD
NONCOM French Indochina -> Manchuria (2 x fighter, 2 x infantry) via French Indochina > China > Manchuria
NONCOM 51 Sea Zone -> 50 Sea Zone (1 x battleship, 1 x submarine, 1 x destroyer)

========================================================================
CLOSING SUMMARY: 3 rounds on statement, 58 decisions, 22 retries

RogerCooper

@Kindwind On round 3 the Germans spent more money on purchases than they had.

RogerCooper

There is some other questionable stuff going on in Germany's first turn.

NONCOM 5 Sea Zone -> 7 Sea Zone (2 x submarine, 1 x transport, 1 x destroyer)
NONCOM Germany -> 7 Sea Zone (1 x infantry) << LOAD
NONCOM 7 Sea Zone -> Western Europe (1 x infantry) << UNLOAD
NONCOM Southern Europe -> 7 Sea Zone (1 x infantry) << LOAD
NONCOM 7 Sea Zone -> Western Europe (1 x infantry) << UNLOAD

How did Germany make a non-combat move from 5 Sea Zone to 7 Sea Zone. Didn't the British object?

How did the Germans load a transport in 7 Sea Zone from Germany and Southern Europe. And then unload in Western Europe.

It would seem to be failure of basic rules and map implementation. I don't think a LLM can learn to play a game like Axis & Allies. A neural net like AlphaZero might fare better, but in either case you need to implement the rules separately from the decision-making.

Kindwind

@RogerCooper This one should be a little bit better. It's not an LLM yet. Neural net. 11 Round game.

Teaching a neural net to play WW2 Revised — progress report + a full game ledger

I've been building a machine-learning AI for TripleA and figured it was time to
show something rather than keep tinkering. Below is a real game: my agent
playing Axis vs WeakAi on World War II Revised, 11 rounds, ending at
victory-city parity 6-6 — rendered as a bank statement, both sides, in turn
order. Excerpt here, full 11-round ledger in the reply below.

Up front so nobody wastes their time: it does not beat WeakAi yet. 0 wins in
~145 evaluation games. What I want to share is the engineering, what I've
measured, and one finding about ProAi that I think this crowd will enjoy.

What it actually is

Not an LLM moving the pieces — I tried that first and it failed instructively
(three fine-tuning cycles, 0 wins in 33, and a model that would read an
engine-computed table saying "Caucasus win = 1.00, West Russia win = 0.00" and
then attack West Russia). The current agent is a graph neural network over the
143 territories, edges from the map's own adjacency, with an action decoder
that emits moves legal by construction: destinations come from the engine's
validated reach, unit counts are clamped to what's actually movable, transport
capacity is enforced from load_to. There's no retry loop and no fallback,
because an illegal move is structurally unrepresentable.

It learned by imitating ProAi via DAgger — ProAi shadows the positions my agent
actually reaches and says what it would have done there. The encoding is
player-relative, so one network plays all five nations depending on the seat.

Two numbers I'm happy with:

100% engine acceptance. Most recent evaluation batch: 3,039 moves
proposed, 3,039 executed, 0 rejected, 0 dropped. Getting there meant a lot of
reading MoveValidator — unloads must carry no transport map, cargo is
selected via getTransportedBy() plus the carrier's getUnloaded() ledger,
and a computed-empty reach has to ship as empty rather than as "unknown".
29 seconds for a full 11-round game headless, ~30 ms per decision. That's
what makes everything else affordable — 200 self-play games collected
unattended overnight on a desktop.

The game

Full ledger — all 11 rounds, both sides, turn order.

Rendered from the engine's own logs: purchases as debits, attacks flagged,
every battle with its result and losses, placements, and a POSITION line on
the agent's turns showing victory cities / income / territory held.

========================================================================
  TRIPLEA NEURAL AI  —  GAME STATEMENT
  Account: Axis (Germans + Japanese)   vs WeakAi
  Game: eval-93a3c8c5   Rounds: 11   Duration: 29s
  Result: round-cap draw (no side reached 9 victory cities)
========================================================================

ROUND 1 ------------------------------------- RUSSIANS (ALLIES / WeakAi)
  BALANCE BROUGHT FORWARD ...................................... PU   24
  PURCHASE  3 infantry, 2 armour, 1 artillery .................... -  23
  BALANCE AFTER PURCHASE ....................................... PU    1
  COMBAT    Karelia S.S.R. -> West Russia  (3 inf, 1 ftr)   << ATTACK
  COMBAT    Archangel -> West Russia  (3 inf, 1 arm)   << ATTACK
  COMBAT    Caucasus -> West Russia  (3 inf, 1 art, 1 arm)   << ATTACK
  COMBAT    Russia -> West Russia  (3 inf, 2 arm, 1 ftr, 1 art)   << ATTACK
  BATTLE    West Russia: 20 vs 5  ->  Russians win   [lost 1, killed 5]
  NONCOM    7 consolidation move(s)
  PLACE     Russia: 3 inf, 2 arm, 1 art

ROUND 1 -------------------------------------- GERMANS (AXIS / NeuralAI)
  BALANCE BROUGHT FORWARD ...................................... PU   40
  PURCHASE  5 armour, 5 infantry ................................. -  40
  BALANCE AFTER PURCHASE ....................................... PU    0
  COMBAT    Libya -> Anglo Egypt  (1 inf)   << ATTACK
  COMBAT    Libya -> Anglo Egypt  (1 arm)   << ATTACK
  COMBAT    Germany -> Anglo Egypt  (1 bmb)   << ATTACK
  BATTLE    Anglo Egypt: 3 vs 3  ->  British win   [lost 3, killed 2]
  BATTLE    Caucasus: 9 vs 3  ->  Germans win   [lost 1, killed 2]
  NONCOM    16 consolidation move(s)
  PLACE     Southern Europe: 5 inf, 1 arm | Germany: 4 arm
  POSITION .................. VC 7/5  |  income 74:92  |  24 terr, 74 PU

ROUND 1 -------------------------------------- BRITISH (ALLIES / WeakAi)
  BALANCE BROUGHT FORWARD ...................................... PU   30
  PURCHASE  6 infantry, 3 artillery .............................. -  30
  BALANCE AFTER PURCHASE ....................................... PU    0
  COMBAT    United Kingdom -> Germany  (1 bmb)   << ATTACK
  COMBAT    3 Sea Zone -> Norway  (2 inf)   << ATTACK
  BATTLE    Germany: 1 vs 3  ->  Bombing raid cost 5 PUs   [lost 0, killed 0]
  NONCOM    11 consolidation move(s)
  PLACE     United Kingdom: 6 inf, 2 art

ROUND 1 ------------------------------------- JAPANESE (AXIS / NeuralAI)
  BALANCE BROUGHT FORWARD ...................................... PU   30
  PURCHASE  1 armour, 1 factory, 1 transport ..................... -  28
  BALANCE AFTER PURCHASE ....................................... PU    2
  COMBAT    Kwantung -> China  (2 inf)   << ATTACK
  COMBAT    Japan -> China  (1 ftr)   << ATTACK
  COMBAT    Manchuria -> China  (1 inf)   << ATTACK
  COMBAT    Kwantung -> China  (1 inf)   << ATTACK
  BATTLE    China: 5 vs 3  ->  Japanese win   [lost 4, killed 3]
  BATTLE    52 Sea Zone: 3 vs 3  ->  Japanese win   [lost 2, killed 3]
  BATTLE    42 Sea Zone: 1 vs 2  ->  Japanese win   [lost 0, killed 2]
  NONCOM    6 consolidation move(s)
  PLACE     61 Sea Zone: 1 trn | Manchuria: 1 fac | Japan: 1 arm
  POSITION .................. VC 8/4  |  income 75:91  |  25 terr, 75 PU

ROUND 1 ------------------------------------ AMERICANS (ALLIES / WeakAi)
  BALANCE BROUGHT FORWARD ...................................... PU   42
  PURCHASE  3 transport, 3 infantry, 2 artillery ................. -  41
  BALANCE AFTER PURCHASE ....................................... PU    1
  COMBAT    12 Sea Zone -> Algeria  (2 inf, 1 art, 1 arm)   << ATTACK
  BATTLE    Algeria: 4 vs 2  ->  Americans win   [lost 2, killed 2]
  NONCOM    4 consolidation move(s)
  PLACE     10 Sea Zone: 3 trn | Eastern United States: 3 inf, 2 art

ROUND 2 ------------------------------------- RUSSIANS (ALLIES / WeakAi)
  BALANCE BROUGHT FORWARD ...................................... PU   27
  PURCHASE  5 infantry, 3 artillery .............................. -  27
  BALANCE AFTER PURCHASE ....................................... PU    0
  COMBAT    West Russia -> Belorussia  (1 inf)   << ATTACK
  COMBAT    West Russia -> Caucasus  (9 inf, 4 arm, 2 art)   << ATTACK
  COMBAT    Kazakh S.S.R. -> Caucasus  (2 inf)   << ATTACK
  COMBAT    Russia -> Caucasus  (5 inf, 2 arm, 1 art)   << ATTACK
  COMBAT    Yakut S.S.R. -> Buryatia S.S.R.  (4 inf)   << ATTACK
  BATTLE    Buryatia S.S.R.: 4 vs 1  ->  Russians win   [lost 0, killed 1]
  BATTLE    Caucasus: 25 vs 6  ->  Russians win   [lost 2, killed 5]
  NONCOM    2 consolidation move(s)
  PLACE     Russia: 5 inf, 3 art

ROUND 2 -------------------------------------- GERMANS (AXIS / NeuralAI)
  BALANCE BROUGHT FORWARD ...................................... PU   39
  PURCHASE  5 armour, 4 infantry ................................. -  37
  BALANCE AFTER PURCHASE ....................................... PU    2
  COMBAT    Ukraine S.S.R. -> Archangel  (1 arm)   << ATTACK
  BATTLE    Belorussia: 9 vs 2  ->  Germans win   [lost 1, killed 2]
  BATTLE    Norway: 13 vs 3  ->  Germans win   [lost 1, killed 3]
  BATTLE    Archangel: 1 vs 3  ->  Russians win   [lost 1, killed 0]
  NONCOM    5 consolidation move(s)
  PLACE     Southern Europe: 4 inf, 2 arm | Germany: 3 arm
  POSITION .................. VC 8/4  |  income 74:92  |  24 terr, 74 PU

ROUND 2 -------------------------------------- BRITISH (ALLIES / WeakAi)
  BALANCE BROUGHT FORWARD ...................................... PU   33
  PURCHASE  3 transport, 1 infantry, 1 artillery ................. -  31
  BALANCE AFTER PURCHASE ....................................... PU    2
  COMBAT    Archangel -> Germany  (1 bmb)   << ATTACK
  COMBAT    Persia -> India  (5 inf)   << ATTACK
  BATTLE    Germany: 1 vs 3  ->  Bombing raid cost 4 PUs   [lost 0, killed 0]
  BATTLE    14 Sea Zone: 5 vs 1  ->  British win   [lost 1, killed 1]
  BATTLE    India: 5 vs 3  ->  British win   [lost 1, killed 2]
  NONCOM    3 consolidation move(s)
  PLACE     6 Sea Zone: 3 trn | United Kingdom: 1 inf, 1 art

ROUND 2 ------------------------------------- JAPANESE (AXIS / NeuralAI)
  BALANCE BROUGHT FORWARD ...................................... PU   36
  PURCHASE  2 transport, 1 factory, 1 infantry ................... -  34
  BALANCE AFTER PURCHASE ....................................... PU    2
  COMBAT    Manchuria -> China  (1 ftr)   << ATTACK
  COMBAT    French Indochina -> China  (2 ftr)   << ATTACK
  COMBAT    French Indochina -> China  (1 bmb)   << ATTACK
  COMBAT    French Indochina -> China  (2 ftr)   << ATTACK
  COMBAT    French Indochina -> China  (1 ftr)   << ATTACK
  NONCOM    5 consolidation move(s)
  PLACE     60 Sea Zone: 1 trn | 61 Sea Zone: 1 trn | Manchuria: 1 inf | French Indochina: 1 fac
  POSITION .................. VC 7/5  |  income 71:95  |  23 terr, 71 PU

ROUND 2 ------------------------------------ AMERICANS (ALLIES / WeakAi)
  BALANCE BROUGHT FORWARD ...................................... PU   44
  PURCHASE  4 armour, 4 infantry, 3 artillery .................... -  44
  BALANCE AFTER PURCHASE ....................................... PU    0
  COMBAT    Algeria -> Libya  (1 art)   << ATTACK
  NONCOM    6 consolidation move(s)
  PLACE     Eastern United States: 4 inf, 4 arm, 3 art

ROUND 3 ------------------------------------- RUSSIANS (ALLIES / WeakAi)
  BALANCE BROUGHT FORWARD ...................................... PU   26
  PURCHASE  2 artillery, 2 armour, 2 infantry .................... -  24
  BALANCE AFTER PURCHASE ....................................... PU    2
  COMBAT    Caucasus -> Ukraine S.S.R.  (1 inf)   << ATTACK
  COMBAT    Caucasus -> West Russia  (13 inf, 6 arm, 3 art)   << ATTACK
  COMBAT    Russia -> West Russia  (5 inf, 3 art)   << ATTACK
  BATTLE    West Russia: 30 vs 3  ->  Russians win   [lost 2, killed 3]
  NONCOM    2 consolidation move(s)
  PLACE     Russia: 2 inf, 2 art, 2 arm

ROUND 3 -------------------------------------- GERMANS (AXIS / NeuralAI)
  BALANCE BROUGHT FORWARD ...................................... PU   39
  PURCHASE  5 armour, 4 infantry ................................. -  37
  BALANCE AFTER PURCHASE ....................................... PU    2
  COMBAT    Norway -> Archangel  (1 arm)   << ATTACK
  BATTLE    6 Sea Zone: 2 vs 7  ->  British win   [lost 2, killed 0]
  BATTLE    14 Sea Zone: 1 vs 4  ->  British win   [lost 1, killed 0]
  BATTLE    Ukraine S.S.R.: 22 vs 1  ->  Germans win   [lost 0, killed 1]
  BATTLE    Archangel: 1 vs 3  ->  Russians win   [lost 1, killed 1]
  NONCOM    6 consolidation move(s)
  PLACE     Southern Europe: 2 arm, 1 inf | Germany: 3 arm, 3 inf
  POSITION .................. VC 7/5  |  income 68:98  |  21 terr, 68 PU

ROUND 3 -------------------------------------- BRITISH (ALLIES / WeakAi)
  BALANCE BROUGHT FORWARD ...................................... PU   32
  PURCHASE  2 infantry, 2 transport, 1 artillery, 1 armour ....... -  31
  BALANCE AFTER PURCHASE ....................................... PU    1
  COMBAT    India -> French Indochina  (1 inf)   << ATTACK
  COMBAT    6 Sea Zone -> Western Europe  (7 inf, 2 art, 1 arm)   << ATTACK
  NONCOM    3 consolidation move(s)
  PLACE     6 Sea Zone: 2 trn | United Kingdom: 2 inf, 1 art, 1 arm

ROUND 3 ------------------------------------- JAPANESE (AXIS / NeuralAI)
  BALANCE BROUGHT FORWARD ...................................... PU   32
  PURCHASE  2 armour, 2 infantry, 1 factory ...................... -  31
  BALANCE AFTER PURCHASE ....................................... PU    1
  COMBAT    Manchuria -> French Indochina  (1 bmb)   << ATTACK
  BATTLE    French Indochina: 1 vs 1  ->  British win   [lost 1, killed 1]
  NONCOM    6 consolidation move(s)
  PLACE     Manchuria: 2 inf, 1 arm | Wake Island: 1 fac | Japan: 1 arm
  POSITION ................. VC 6/6  |  income 61:105  |  20 terr, 61 PU

ROUND 3 ------------------------------------ AMERICANS (ALLIES / WeakAi)
  BALANCE BROUGHT FORWARD ...................................... PU   44
  PURCHASE  5 infantry, 3 transport, 1 armour .................... -  44
  BALANCE AFTER PURCHASE ....................................... PU    0
  NONCOM    5 consolidation move(s)
  PLACE     10 Sea Zone: 3 trn | Eastern United States: 5 inf, 1 arm

ROUND 4 ------------------------------------- RUSSIANS (ALLIES / WeakAi)
  BALANCE BROUGHT FORWARD ...................................... PU   29
  PURCHASE  4 infantry, 3 artillery, 1 armour .................... -  29
  BALANCE AFTER PURCHASE ....................................... PU    0
  COMBAT    West Russia -> Karelia S.S.R.  (10 inf, 4 arm, 3 art)   << ATTACK
  COMBAT    West Russia -> Belorussia  (6 inf, 3 art, 2 arm)   << ATTACK
  BATTLE    Belorussia: 11 vs 4  ->  Russians win   [lost 3, killed 4]
  BATTLE    Karelia S.S.R.: 17 vs 6  ->  Russians win   [lost 3, killed 6]
  NONCOM    2 consolidation move(s)
  PLACE     Russia: 4 inf, 3 art, 1 arm

ROUND 4 -------------------------------------- GERMANS (AXIS / NeuralAI)
  BALANCE BROUGHT FORWARD ...................................... PU   40
  PURCHASE  7 infantry, 3 armour, 1 artillery .................... -  40
  BALANCE AFTER PURCHASE ....................................... PU    0
  COMBAT    Eastern Europe -> Karelia S.S.R.  (1 art)   << ATTACK
  COMBAT    Ukraine S.S.R. -> Belorussia  (1 arm)   << ATTACK
  BATTLE    Belorussia: 1 vs 8  ->  Russians win   [lost 1, killed 1]
  BATTLE    West Russia: 6 vs 6  ->  Germans win   [lost 5, killed 6]
  BATTLE    Karelia S.S.R.: 1 vs 14  ->  Russians win   [lost 1, killed 0]
  BATTLE    Caucasus: 13 vs 5  ->  Germans win   [lost 2, killed 4]
  BATTLE    Western Europe: 16 vs 10  ->  Germans win   [lost 7, killed 10]
  NONCOM    1 consolidation move(s)
  PLACE     Southern Europe: 4 inf | Germany: 3 arm, 3 inf, 1 art
  POSITION .................. VC 6/6  |  income 69:97  |  21 terr, 69 PU

ROUND 4 -------------------------------------- BRITISH (ALLIES / WeakAi)
  BALANCE BROUGHT FORWARD ...................................... PU   40
  PURCHASE  4 infantry, 3 artillery, 3 armour .................... -  39
  BALANCE AFTER PURCHASE ....................................... PU    1
  COMBAT    6 Sea Zone -> Norway  (2 inf, 2 art, 1 arm)   << ATTACK
  NONCOM    2 consolidation move(s)
  PLACE     United Kingdom: 4 inf, 2 art, 2 arm | French Indochina: 1 art, 1 arm

ROUND 4 ------------------------------------- JAPANESE (AXIS / NeuralAI)
  BALANCE BROUGHT FORWARD ...................................... PU   30
  PURCHASE  2 armour, 1 factory, 1 infantry ...................... -  28
  BALANCE AFTER PURCHASE ....................................... PU    2
  COMBAT    Manchuria -> French Indochina  (2 ftr)   << ATTACK
  COMBAT    Manchuria -> French Indochina  (2 ftr)   << ATTACK
  COMBAT    Manchuria -> French Indochina  (1 ftr)   << ATTACK
  COMBAT    Manchuria -> French Indochina  (1 ftr)   << ATTACK
  BATTLE    French Indochina: 6 vs 2  ->  Japanese win   [lost 1, killed 2]
  NONCOM    5 consolidation move(s)
  PLACE     China: 1 fac | Manchuria: 2 arm, 1 inf
  POSITION .................. VC 6/6  |  income 70:96  |  23 terr, 70 PU

ROUND 4 ------------------------------------ AMERICANS (ALLIES / WeakAi)
  BALANCE BROUGHT FORWARD ...................................... PU   42
  PURCHASE  7 infantry, 3 artillery, 1 transport ................. -  41
  BALANCE AFTER PURCHASE ....................................... PU    1
  NONCOM    5 consolidation move(s)
  PLACE     10 Sea Zone: 1 trn | Eastern United States: 7 inf, 3 art

ROUND 5 ------------------------------------- RUSSIANS (ALLIES / WeakAi)
  BALANCE BROUGHT FORWARD ...................................... PU   28
  PURCHASE  3 infantry, 3 artillery, 1 armour .................... -  26
  BALANCE AFTER PURCHASE ....................................... PU    2
  COMBAT    Belorussia -> Ukraine S.S.R.  (1 inf)   << ATTACK
  COMBAT    Belorussia -> Eastern Europe  (3 art, 1 arm)   << ATTACK
  COMBAT    Karelia S.S.R. -> Eastern Europe  (1 art)   << ATTACK
  COMBAT    Novosibirsk -> Sinkiang  (4 inf)   << ATTACK
  COMBAT    Belorussia -> West Russia  (1 inf, 1 arm)   << ATTACK
  COMBAT    Karelia S.S.R. -> West Russia  (1 inf, 1 arm)   << ATTACK
  BATTLE    Eastern Europe: 5 vs 1  ->  Russians win   [lost 1, killed 1]
  BATTLE    West Russia: 4 vs 1  ->  Russians win   [lost 1, killed 1]
  BATTLE    Sinkiang: 4 vs 1  ->  Russians win   [lost 0, killed 1]
  NONCOM    1 consolidation move(s)
  PLACE     Russia: 3 inf, 3 art, 1 arm

ROUND 5 -------------------------------------- GERMANS (AXIS / NeuralAI)
  BALANCE BROUGHT FORWARD ...................................... PU   40
  PURCHASE  5 infantry, 4 armour, 1 artillery .................... -  39
  BALANCE AFTER PURCHASE ....................................... PU    1
  COMBAT    Germany -> Eastern Europe  (1 arm)   << ATTACK
  COMBAT    Germany -> Eastern Europe  (4 inf)   << ATTACK
  COMBAT    Germany -> Eastern Europe  (1 art)   << ATTACK
  COMBAT    Germany -> Eastern Europe  (1 inf)   << ATTACK
  COMBAT    Germany -> Eastern Europe  (2 arm)   << ATTACK
  BATTLE    Eastern Europe: 9 vs 15  ->  Russians win   [lost 9, killed 4]
  BATTLE    Ukraine S.S.R.: 2 vs 1  ->  Germans win   [lost 0, killed 1]
  NONCOM    1 consolidation move(s)
  PLACE     Southern Europe: 3 inf, 1 art | Germany: 4 arm, 2 inf
  POSITION .................. VC 6/6  |  income 67:99  |  22 terr, 67 PU

ROUND 5 -------------------------------------- BRITISH (ALLIES / WeakAi)
  BALANCE BROUGHT FORWARD ...................................... PU   37
  PURCHASE  3 artillery, 2 armour, 2 infantry, 1 transport ....... -  36
  BALANCE AFTER PURCHASE ....................................... PU    1
  COMBAT    Persia -> Caucasus  (1 inf)   << ATTACK
  COMBAT    6 Sea Zone -> Western Europe  (3 inf, 2 arm, 1 ftr, 1 art)   << ATTACK
  BATTLE    Western Europe: 7 vs 2  ->  British win   [lost 1, killed 2]
  NONCOM    4 consolidation move(s)
  PLACE     6 Sea Zone: 1 trn | United Kingdom: 3 art, 2 inf, 2 arm

ROUND 5 ------------------------------------- JAPANESE (AXIS / NeuralAI)
  BALANCE BROUGHT FORWARD ...................................... PU   35
  PURCHASE  4 armour, 2 infantry, 1 transport .................... -  34
  BALANCE AFTER PURCHASE ....................................... PU    1
  COMBAT    China -> India  (1 ftr)   << ATTACK
  COMBAT    China -> India  (1 ftr)   << ATTACK
  NONCOM    3 consolidation move(s)
  PLACE     60 Sea Zone: 1 trn | China: 2 inf | Manchuria: 3 arm | Japan: 1 arm
  POSITION ................. VC 5/7  |  income 62:104  |  23 terr, 62 PU

ROUND 5 ------------------------------------ AMERICANS (ALLIES / WeakAi)
  BALANCE BROUGHT FORWARD ...................................... PU   41
  PURCHASE  3 infantry, 2 armour, 2 transport, 1 artillery ....... -  39
  BALANCE AFTER PURCHASE ....................................... PU    2
  NONCOM    7 consolidation move(s)
  PLACE     10 Sea Zone: 2 trn | Eastern United States: 3 inf, 2 arm, 1 art

ROUND 6 ------------------------------------- RUSSIANS (ALLIES / WeakAi)
  BALANCE BROUGHT FORWARD ...................................... PU   30
  PURCHASE  4 infantry, 2 artillery, 2 armour .................... -  30
  BALANCE AFTER PURCHASE ....................................... PU    0
  COMBAT    Eastern Europe -> Balkans  (1 inf)   << ATTACK
  COMBAT    Eastern Europe -> Ukraine S.S.R.  (3 art, 1 arm)   << ATTACK
  COMBAT    West Russia -> Ukraine S.S.R.  (2 arm, 1 inf)   << ATTACK
  COMBAT    Sinkiang -> Kazakh S.S.R.  (4 inf)   << ATTACK
  COMBAT    Russia -> Kazakh S.S.R.  (6 inf, 5 art, 1 arm)   << ATTACK
  COMBAT    Russia -> Evenki National Okrug  (1 inf, 1 art, 1 arm)   << ATTACK
  BATTLE    Ukraine S.S.R.: 7 vs 1  ->  Russians win   [lost 1, killed 1]
  BATTLE    Kazakh S.S.R.: 16 vs 5  ->  Russians win   [lost 2, killed 5]
  BATTLE    Evenki National Okrug: 3 vs 1  ->  Russians win   [lost 1, killed 1]
  PLACE     Russia: 4 inf, 2 art, 2 arm

ROUND 6 -------------------------------------- GERMANS (AXIS / NeuralAI)
  BALANCE BROUGHT FORWARD ...................................... PU   37
  PURCHASE  6 infantry, 3 armour, 1 artillery .................... -  37
  BALANCE AFTER PURCHASE ....................................... PU    0
  BATTLE    6 Sea Zone: 3 vs 12  ->  British win   [lost 3, killed 0]
  BATTLE    Balkans: 3 vs 1  ->  Germans win   [lost 0, killed 1]
  BATTLE    Western Europe: 18 vs 5  ->  Germans win   [lost 2, killed 5]
  NONCOM    1 consolidation move(s)
  PLACE     Southern Europe: 3 inf | Germany: 3 arm, 3 inf, 1 art
  POSITION ................. VC 6/6  |  income 64:102  |  22 terr, 64 PU

ROUND 6 -------------------------------------- BRITISH (ALLIES / WeakAi)
  BALANCE BROUGHT FORWARD ...................................... PU   43
  PURCHASE  3 artillery, 3 infantry, 2 transport, 1 armour ....... -  42
  BALANCE AFTER PURCHASE ....................................... PU    1
  NONCOM    4 consolidation move(s)
  PLACE     6 Sea Zone: 2 trn | United Kingdom: 3 art, 2 inf, 1 arm

ROUND 6 ------------------------------------- JAPANESE (AXIS / NeuralAI)
  BALANCE BROUGHT FORWARD ...................................... PU   37
  PURCHASE  4 armour, 3 infantry, 1 transport .................... -  37
  BALANCE AFTER PURCHASE ....................................... PU    0
  COMBAT    Yakut S.S.R. -> Evenki National Okrug  (1 inf)   << ATTACK
  COMBAT    Yakut S.S.R. -> Evenki National Okrug  (1 inf)   << ATTACK
  BATTLE    Evenki National Okrug: 2 vs 2  ->  Russians win   [lost 2, killed 1]
  NONCOM    3 consolidation move(s)
  PLACE     36 Sea Zone: 1 trn | French Indochina: 2 inf | Manchuria: 2 arm, 1 inf | China: 2 arm
  POSITION .................. VC 7/5  |  income 67:99  |  23 terr, 67 PU

ROUND 6 ------------------------------------ AMERICANS (ALLIES / WeakAi)
  BALANCE BROUGHT FORWARD ...................................... PU   44
  PURCHASE  3 infantry, 2 artillery, 2 armour, 2 transport ....... -  43
  BALANCE AFTER PURCHASE ....................................... PU    1
  NONCOM    7 consolidation move(s)
  PLACE     10 Sea Zone: 2 trn | Eastern United States: 3 inf, 2 art, 2 arm

ROUND 7 ------------------------------------- RUSSIANS (ALLIES / WeakAi)
  BALANCE BROUGHT FORWARD ...................................... PU   32
  PURCHASE  3 infantry, 3 artillery, 2 armour .................... -  31
  BALANCE AFTER PURCHASE ....................................... PU    1
  COMBAT    Eastern Europe -> Balkans  (3 arm, 2 art, 1 inf)   << ATTACK
  COMBAT    Ukraine S.S.R. -> Balkans  (3 art, 3 arm)   << ATTACK
  COMBAT    Kazakh S.S.R. -> Novosibirsk  (4 inf, 1 art)   << ATTACK
  COMBAT    Evenki National Okrug -> Novosibirsk  (1 arm)   << ATTACK
  COMBAT    Russia -> Novosibirsk  (4 inf, 2 art, 2 arm)   << ATTACK
  COMBAT    Kazakh S.S.R. -> Sinkiang  (4 inf, 4 art, 1 arm)   << ATTACK
  BATTLE    Novosibirsk: 14 vs 1  ->  Russians win   [lost 1, killed 1]
  BATTLE    Balkans: 12 vs 3  ->  Russians win   [lost 1, killed 3]
  BATTLE    Sinkiang: 9 vs 4  ->  Russians win   [lost 2, killed 4]
  PLACE     Russia: 3 inf, 3 art, 2 arm

ROUND 7 -------------------------------------- GERMANS (AXIS / NeuralAI)
  BALANCE BROUGHT FORWARD ...................................... PU   29
  PURCHASE  4 infantry, 3 armour ................................. -  27
  BALANCE AFTER PURCHASE ....................................... PU    2
  COMBAT    Germany -> Eastern Europe  (1 ftr)   << ATTACK
  BATTLE    Eastern Europe: 1 vs 6  ->  Russians win   [lost 1, killed 1]
  BATTLE    Balkans: 17 vs 11  ->  Germans win   [lost 8, killed 11]
  PLACE     Southern Europe: 1 inf | Germany: 3 arm, 3 inf
  POSITION ................. VC 7/5  |  income 63:103  |  21 terr, 63 PU

ROUND 7 -------------------------------------- BRITISH (ALLIES / WeakAi)
  BALANCE BROUGHT FORWARD ...................................... PU   34
  PURCHASE  5 infantry, 3 artillery, 1 armour .................... -  32
  BALANCE AFTER PURCHASE ....................................... PU    2
  COMBAT    6 Sea Zone -> Western Europe  (3 art, 2 inf, 1 arm)   << ATTACK
  BATTLE    Western Europe: 6 vs 3  ->  British win   [lost 0, killed 3]
  NONCOM    3 consolidation move(s)
  PLACE     United Kingdom: 5 inf, 2 art, 1 arm

ROUND 7 ------------------------------------- JAPANESE (AXIS / NeuralAI)
  BALANCE BROUGHT FORWARD ...................................... PU   38
  PURCHASE  5 armour, 4 infantry ................................. -  37
  BALANCE AFTER PURCHASE ....................................... PU    1
  BATTLE    Sinkiang: 8 vs 7  ->  Japanese win   [lost 3, killed 7]
  NONCOM    8 consolidation move(s)
  PLACE     Manchuria: 3 inf | China: 1 arm, 1 inf | French Indochina: 3 arm | Japan: 1 arm
  POSITION ................. VC 6/6  |  income 60:106  |  22 terr, 60 PU

ROUND 7 ------------------------------------ AMERICANS (ALLIES / WeakAi)
  BALANCE BROUGHT FORWARD ...................................... PU   41
  PURCHASE  6 infantry, 3 artillery, 2 armour .................... -  40
  BALANCE AFTER PURCHASE ....................................... PU    1
  COMBAT    Persia -> India  (3 inf, 2 art)   << ATTACK
  BATTLE    India: 5 vs 3  ->  Americans win   [lost 2, killed 3]
  NONCOM    7 consolidation move(s)
  PLACE     Eastern United States: 6 inf, 3 art, 2 arm

ROUND 8 ------------------------------------- RUSSIANS (ALLIES / WeakAi)
  BALANCE BROUGHT FORWARD ...................................... PU   35
  PURCHASE  4 infantry, 3 artillery, 2 armour .................... -  34
  BALANCE AFTER PURCHASE ....................................... PU    1
  COMBAT    Novosibirsk -> Yakut S.S.R.  (1 inf)   << ATTACK
  COMBAT    Novosibirsk -> Sinkiang  (4 inf, 2 art, 1 arm)   << ATTACK
  COMBAT    Novosibirsk -> Evenki National Okrug  (2 inf, 1 art, 1 arm)   << ATTACK
  COMBAT    Russia -> Evenki National Okrug  (3 inf, 3 art, 2 arm)   << ATTACK
  BATTLE    Evenki National Okrug: 12 vs 1  ->  Russians win   [lost 0, killed 1]
  BATTLE    Sinkiang: 7 vs 2  ->  Russians win   [lost 1, killed 2]
  NONCOM    1 consolidation move(s)
  PLACE     Russia: 3 inf, 3 art, 2 arm | Caucasus: 1 inf

ROUND 8 -------------------------------------- GERMANS (AXIS / NeuralAI)
  BALANCE BROUGHT FORWARD ...................................... PU   27
  PURCHASE  4 infantry, 2 armour, 1 artillery .................... -  26
  BALANCE AFTER PURCHASE ....................................... PU    1
  BATTLE    Western Europe: 19 vs 6  ->  Germans win   [lost 2, killed 6]
  PLACE     Southern Europe: 2 inf | Germany: 2 arm, 2 inf, 1 art
  POSITION ................. VC 6/6  |  income 59:107  |  19 terr, 59 PU

ROUND 8 -------------------------------------- BRITISH (ALLIES / WeakAi)
  BALANCE BROUGHT FORWARD ...................................... PU   38
  PURCHASE  4 artillery, 3 armour, 2 infantry .................... -  37
  BALANCE AFTER PURCHASE ....................................... PU    1
  COMBAT    Eastern Europe -> Balkans  (1 inf)   << ATTACK
  NONCOM    3 consolidation move(s)
  PLACE     United Kingdom: 4 art, 2 inf, 2 arm

ROUND 8 ------------------------------------- JAPANESE (AXIS / NeuralAI)
  BALANCE BROUGHT FORWARD ...................................... PU   42
  PURCHASE  4 armour, 4 infantry, 1 transport .................... -  40
  BALANCE AFTER PURCHASE ....................................... PU    2
  COMBAT    China -> Sinkiang  (2 inf)   << ATTACK
  COMBAT    French Indochina -> Sinkiang  (1 arm)   << ATTACK
  BATTLE    Sinkiang: 3 vs 6  ->  Americans win   [lost 3, killed 1]
  BATTLE    India: 10 vs 3  ->  Japanese win   [lost 1, killed 3]
  NONCOM    4 consolidation move(s)
  PLACE     61 Sea Zone: 1 trn | China: 2 inf | Manchuria: 2 inf, 1 arm | French Indochina: 3 arm
  POSITION ................. VC 7/5  |  income 59:107  |  19 terr, 59 PU

ROUND 8 ------------------------------------ AMERICANS (ALLIES / WeakAi)
  BALANCE BROUGHT FORWARD ...................................... PU   41
  PURCHASE  3 transport, 2 armour, 1 infantry, 1 artillery ....... -  41
  BALANCE AFTER PURCHASE ....................................... PU    0
  NONCOM    8 consolidation move(s)
  PLACE     10 Sea Zone: 3 trn | Eastern United States: 2 arm, 1 inf, 1 art

ROUND 9 ------------------------------------- RUSSIANS (ALLIES / WeakAi)
  BALANCE BROUGHT FORWARD ...................................... PU   33
  PURCHASE  4 artillery, 4 infantry, 1 armour .................... -  33
  BALANCE AFTER PURCHASE ....................................... PU    0
  COMBAT    Yakut S.S.R. -> Soviet Far East  (1 inf)   << ATTACK
  NONCOM    5 consolidation move(s)
  PLACE     Russia: 4 inf, 3 art, 1 arm | Caucasus: 1 art

ROUND 9 -------------------------------------- GERMANS (AXIS / NeuralAI)
  BALANCE BROUGHT FORWARD ...................................... PU   26
  PURCHASE  4 infantry, 2 armour, 1 artillery .................... -  26
  BALANCE AFTER PURCHASE ....................................... PU    0
  COMBAT    Germany -> Eastern Europe  (2 arm)   << ATTACK
  BATTLE    Eastern Europe: 2 vs 17  ->  Russians win   [lost 2, killed 1]
  BATTLE    Balkans: 14 vs 1  ->  Germans win   [lost 1, killed 1]
  PLACE     Germany: 4 inf, 2 arm, 1 art
  POSITION ................. VC 7/5  |  income 61:105  |  19 terr, 61 PU

ROUND 9 -------------------------------------- BRITISH (ALLIES / WeakAi)
  BALANCE BROUGHT FORWARD ...................................... PU   37
  PURCHASE  5 infantry, 2 armour, 1 artillery, 1 transport ....... -  37
  BALANCE AFTER PURCHASE ....................................... PU    0
  COMBAT    6 Sea Zone -> Western Europe  (4 art, 3 inf, 1 arm)   << ATTACK
  BATTLE    Western Europe: 8 vs 5  ->  British win   [lost 3, killed 5]
  NONCOM    1 consolidation move(s)
  PLACE     6 Sea Zone: 1 trn | United Kingdom: 4 inf, 2 arm, 1 art

ROUND 9 ------------------------------------- JAPANESE (AXIS / NeuralAI)
  BALANCE BROUGHT FORWARD ...................................... PU   39
  PURCHASE  5 armour, 4 infantry ................................. -  37
  BALANCE AFTER PURCHASE ....................................... PU    2
  COMBAT    India -> Persia  (4 arm)   << ATTACK
  COMBAT    India -> Persia  (2 arm)   << ATTACK
  BATTLE    Soviet Far East: 1 vs 1  ->  Japanese win   [lost 0, killed 1]
  BATTLE    Persia: 6 vs 11  ->  British win   [lost 6, killed 4]
  NONCOM    2 consolidation move(s)
  PLACE     Manchuria: 3 inf | French Indochina: 3 arm | China: 1 inf, 1 arm | Japan: 1 arm
  POSITION ................. VC 6/6  |  income 58:108  |  20 terr, 58 PU

ROUND 9 ------------------------------------ AMERICANS (ALLIES / WeakAi)
  BALANCE BROUGHT FORWARD ...................................... PU   42
  PURCHASE  6 infantry, 3 armour, 2 artillery .................... -  41
  BALANCE AFTER PURCHASE ....................................... PU    1
  COMBAT    Persia -> India  (1 inf)   << ATTACK
  NONCOM    8 consolidation move(s)
  PLACE     Eastern United States: 6 inf, 3 arm, 2 art

ROUND 10 ------------------------------------ RUSSIANS (ALLIES / WeakAi)
  BALANCE BROUGHT FORWARD ...................................... PU   33
  PURCHASE  4 infantry, 4 artillery, 1 armour .................... -  33
  BALANCE AFTER PURCHASE ....................................... PU    0
  NONCOM    5 consolidation move(s)
  PLACE     Russia: 4 inf, 3 art, 1 arm | Caucasus: 1 art

ROUND 10 ------------------------------------- GERMANS (AXIS / NeuralAI)
  BALANCE BROUGHT FORWARD ...................................... PU   25
  PURCHASE  3 infantry, 2 armour, 1 artillery .................... -  23
  BALANCE AFTER PURCHASE ....................................... PU    2
  COMBAT    Balkans -> Ukraine S.S.R.  (3 inf)   << ATTACK
  COMBAT    Balkans -> Ukraine S.S.R.  (1 art)   << ATTACK
  BATTLE    Ukraine S.S.R.: 4 vs 8  ->  Russians win   [lost 4, killed 2]
  BATTLE    Western Europe: 19 vs 5  ->  Germans win   [lost 2, killed 5]
  PLACE     Southern Europe: 1 inf | Germany: 2 arm, 2 inf, 1 art
  POSITION ................. VC 6/6  |  income 61:105  |  20 terr, 61 PU

ROUND 10 ------------------------------------- BRITISH (ALLIES / WeakAi)
  BALANCE BROUGHT FORWARD ...................................... PU   36
  PURCHASE  3 infantry, 2 artillery, 2 armour, 1 transport ....... -  35
  BALANCE AFTER PURCHASE ....................................... PU    1
  COMBAT    Eastern Europe -> Balkans  (1 inf)   << ATTACK
  COMBAT    Eastern Europe -> Germany  (5 art, 4 inf, 3 arm, 1 ftr)   << ATTACK
  BATTLE    Germany: 13 vs 9  ->  British win   [lost 4, killed 7]
  NONCOM    2 consolidation move(s)
  PLACE     7 Sea Zone: 1 trn | United Kingdom: 3 inf, 2 art, 2 arm

ROUND 10 ------------------------------------ JAPANESE (AXIS / NeuralAI)
  BALANCE BROUGHT FORWARD ...................................... PU   41
  PURCHASE  5 armour, 5 infantry ................................. -  40
  BALANCE AFTER PURCHASE ....................................... PU    1
  BATTLE    India: 7 vs 1  ->  Japanese win   [lost 0, killed 1]
  NONCOM    3 consolidation move(s)
  PLACE     Manchuria: 3 inf | China: 2 inf | French Indochina: 3 arm | Japan: 2 arm
  POSITION ................. VC 6/6  |  income 57:109  |  23 terr, 57 PU

ROUND 10 ----------------------------------- AMERICANS (ALLIES / WeakAi)
  BALANCE BROUGHT FORWARD ...................................... PU   41
  PURCHASE  2 armour, 2 artillery, 2 transport, 2 infantry ....... -  40
  BALANCE AFTER PURCHASE ....................................... PU    1
  COMBAT    Persia -> India  (7 inf, 1 art)   << ATTACK
  COMBAT    Caucasus -> Kazakh S.S.R.  (4 arm, 1 inf, 1 art)   << ATTACK
  BATTLE    Kazakh S.S.R.: 6 vs 1  ->  Americans win   [lost 0, killed 1]
  BATTLE    India: 8 vs 4  ->  Americans win   [lost 3, killed 4]
  NONCOM    6 consolidation move(s)
  PLACE     10 Sea Zone: 2 trn | Eastern United States: 2 inf, 2 art, 2 arm

========================================================================
  CLOSING POSITION: victory cities held to the round cap.
========================================================================

RogerCooper

@Kindwind A neural net certainly makes more sense than a LLM. I didn't see anything obviously illegal in the play, but you didn't document the non-combat moves which caused a problem with your previous model

As you noted, your neural net is inferior to your algorithmic WeakAI, which is itself comparable to TripleA's Easy AI. However it does attack and would beat TripleA's Do Nothing AI, which is something. (I have seen a GGP (Ludii) that plays Chess so poorly that it has trouble against random play).

However, that it can't beat the training AI seems to point to a fundamental weakness with this sort of neural net. Note that AlphaZero played 44,000,000 games of Chess in its training process (600 years on your computer), and Chess is much simpler game computationally.