CPU Players & how they interact with In-Game Strategies
If you are frustrated with the CPU teammates, this post is for you! Hope it helps!
DISCLAIMER: This is not 100% fix to CPU players however for those of you that might find the "current state" of CPU players unplayable, hopefully this will make them serviceable until EA comes out with a better solution.
The intent of this post will be not to only inform the CHEL Community of "things learned" whether through playing the game or through answers with our favorite community manager Aljo but also the "why" behind it so that maybe we all can understand the game better and potentially use the games mechanics to our advantage. Understand that there will be some information that you may already know just from general knowledge but maybe someone else may not because they either just pick the game up and play or they don't have as much time in as you do. Feel free to comment and share anything you feel is relevant and as always be respectful. Thank you.
CPU Players
One of the biggest concerns I see on forums are about AI players, typically defenders because they get burned from the popular builds that use high speeds. From information that Aljo has passed on, including that both Leyman and Wagner Goalies are the default hybrid goalie loadouts you see, when you start a fresh hybrid goalie loadout. It would be fair to say that defenders are one of the default loadouts as well (which one, I am unsure). That being said however the fastest default loadout would be a Puck Moving Defensemen who has 87 speed. This is one of many reasons why I believe that it is so easy to blow past an AI defender should you catch them being too aggressive. The popular loadouts players are using have speeds in the mid to high 90s and the CPU just cant keep up.
Before I dive into in-game strategies and how the CPU interacts with them, a crucial piece of strategy that is hidden inside club strategies should be unveiled. The following tabs will get you into your club strategies and show you some additional sliders that will help control how the CPU plays:
CLUBS > CLUB OPTIONS > CLUB STRATEGIES
Hold L1/LB for EASHL CLUBS 6v6
On the right side you should see a list of options that include these sliders:
- Trap/Forecheck: This slider sets the bias of your team's decision to set up in a neutral zone on offensive zone forecheck.
- Hold Line / Pinch: Determines if your defensive AI will try to hold the blue line or take risks and pinch on plays.
- Cycle/Shoot: Tendency for your defensive AI to cycle the puck vs taking a shot on net.
- Carry/Dump: Determines whether your AI will try to carry the puck into the offensive zone or dump the puck and chase.
- (Another) Cycle/Shoot: Determines whether your team's AI will cycle the puck while looking for a good shot of focus on putting the puck on net.
- Efficiency/Energy: Determines whether your team's AI will conserve energy or hustle and play with higher intensity.
- Don't Block/Block: Determines whether your team's AI will allow your goalie to see the shot or attempt to block it.
__*NOTE: You must have admin control of the club to alter Club Strategies.*__
These largely go unchanged from the default positions and is a potentially huge handicap when it comes to CPU vs USER players.
IN-GAME STRATEGIES (and how the CPU interacts with them)
These are very important to learning how your AI teammates will act. I will go into small detail about each one of these for those who don't know but I encourage anyone who doesn't know about these to experiment with all of them to see the differences.
*The most important thing to know about these strategies is that if a user player is not in one of the positions needed for that specific strategy, the CPU will attempt to fill that specific zone. This is usually when CPU and user player collide and is due to the user not being in the correct zone or switching zones.*
BREAKOUT
Offensive Pressure
is the big one to know here in my opinion. Offensive Pressure is going to be how aggressive your AI teammates are in the offensive zone, will they crash the net or sit back for a 1 timer, will they pressure loose pucks or will they back off to play defense as not to give up an odd man rush, etc.
- Defend Lead: Players will not take any chances.
- Conservative: Players are cautious about getting caught up ice.
- Standard: A good mix of cautious and aggressive play.
- Aggressive: Defense will take some chances.
- Full Pressure: Players are only thinking about offense.
Quick Breakout
- Close Support: The weak side winger will stay close to support the puck carrier on the breakout.
- Stay Wide: The weak side winger will stay wide when breaking out.
- Leave Zone Early: The weak side winger will leave the zone early on the breakout.
Control Breakout
- Strong Side Slant: Defender waits behind the net for the Center to swing. The Center and Right Winger will generate speed through the neutral zone, and the Right Winger will cut to the strong side.
- Blue to Blue: Defender waits behind the net for the Center to swing. Both Wingers will be options at the near side and far side blue line.
- Three High: Defender waits behind the net for a few seconds. All three forwards stay out high in the neutral zone.
FORECHECK
Offensive Zone Bias
A more aggressive bias, like "Press" or "Full Forecheck," makes your team pressure the opponent more, but can leave defensive gaps, while a more passive bias, like "Sit Back" or "Neutral Zone Trap," prioritizes defensive positioning and coverage but may lead to less offensive pressure.
- Neutral Zone Trap:
- Sit Back:
- Balanced:
- Press:
- Full Forecheck:
Offensive Zone
This option here is going to be how the defense sets up once possession is established by the opposing team in their zone. (Don't confuse this with how much pressure is going to be applied, that is the option above. Instead this is where players will position themselves to apply said pressure, similar to a zone defense.)
- 1-2-2 Passive: Passive forecheck with all skaters looking to prevent breakout passes.
- 2-3: Two nearest forwards pressure the puck while the third forward drops back.
- Weak Side Lock: Forwards will pressure the play along the boards, where the strong side defensemen will pinch along the boards, while the weak side defensemen will drop back and cover the point.
- 1-2-2 Aggressive: One forward in deep, forcing play up the boards into teammates.
Neutral Zone
- 1-3-1: Neutral zone trap with one defender pressuring the puck carrier, three players defending the defensive blue line, and one deep in the defensive end defending the net.
- 1-4: Neutral zone trap with one defender pressuring the puck carrier and four players defending the defensive blue line.
- 1-2-2 Red: Defenders will hold the neutral zone and apply pressure to the breakout at the red line.
- 1-2-2 Blue: Defenders will hold the neutral zone and apply pressure to the breakout at the opposing blue line.
Defensive Strategy
- Collapse: Players collapse to the front of the net and slot.
- Staggard: A good mix of high and low coverage.
- Tight Point: Use against teams with high scoring D-men.
Defensive Pressure
- Protect Net: Players collapse in the defensive zone.
- Contain Puck: Players will stay between the puck and the net.
- Normal: A solid mix of one on one and zone defense.
- Puck Side Attack: Players on the strong side attack the puck.
- High Pressure: Your team is at their most aggressive.
Strategy (3s/6s)
- Passive/Overload: Set up in the corner with all offensive personnel on one side of the ice. Cycle the puck, use player movement, misdirection and quick puck movement along the outside of the ice to pull defensive players out of position to create scoring opportunities.
- Normal/Crash the Net: Crowd the front of the net. Use puck movement along the outside of the offensive zone to allow shots from the point. Great for taking away the goaltenders vision to open up shots through screens, deflection opportunities or to score off rebounds.
- Aggressive/Behind the Net: Control the puck down low behind the net. Cycle the puck down low and use quick puck movement to open up scoring opportunities in the slot.
Faceoff (Formations)
- Defensive:
- Normal:
- Aggressive:
