I used to control every rider in every race, but lately I've experimented with setting every rider on Auto and rely on the strategy instead, sort of taking the role as Sports Director and letting my riders decide when to attack, form a train etc. Was just wondering what people usually do, do you control every rider, a few riders or set everyone to auto? And why? Also, are there any bugs or weaknesses in the game that makes the auto or manual control flawed?
This was my thinking behind starting a career on full automatic - I was never happy with the higher difficulty levels, I usually stuck to normal, it seemed "right" to me. However, of course that makes the game very easy because you learn the weaknesses of the AI.
So I thought - hey, how about sticking with normal difficulty and using the automatic setting, now I'll get the same limited AI controlling my team, everything's level. And that pretty much works out. I started in the Conti division yet again, this time with a 2-star-team (OFM). It's not totally boring, if you tell your riders to attack on the strategy screen they will, sometimes even two who'll then work together. Of course, often this goes nowhere, no good attacking if the peloton is already at full speed.
So, compared to manual control there is a lot of "waste". A good rider on +5 form in his best terrain and he'll use up all his attack energy at the totally wrong time and end somewhere back in the peloton. No wonder it's so easy to beat the AI with manual control. But I did my best on the transfer market, improved my team - and the results improved accordingly, even without my help in-race.
However, I allow myself a few exceptions. For a start, manually sending a rider (with a free role) into the early breakaway (and then setting him back to auto), because the AI won't do that. There are some stages, especially late in stage racing, where it is known the break has a chance (just like in real life) and I don't want to waste that opportunity.
It can be hard to watch your riders doing stupid things. The really good riders win despite such AI mistakes so for the first time in a long time I actually feel the need to play until I can afford a couple of these demi-gods instead of settling for much cheaper, weaker riders which will still win anything and everything with good micro-management.
Theoretically, you could also simulate the new "be a pro"-mode by just controlling one rider and having everybody else on auto. That should work fine.
So for someone who plays on extreme with a 1-star continental team I should manually control my riders? I don't think I'm good enough to take advantage of poor AI yet. The AI usually dominates me! I definitely see what you mean by riders using all their energy at the wrong time and that's what's making me think I should be in control..
I set all riders except the one I aim to win the stage with to domestique work for the designated leader in the pre-race strategy so they will not auto-attack and waste energy.
Once in-game, I auto control all riders except the leader and his 2 henchmen (protecting the 2nd best climber/puncher with the 3rd and protecting the captain with the 2nd best) until the breakaway is reeled in. I then put the leader on 85 effort as the favourites attack (hills) or 77-84 effort (mountains).
The only exception is that I manually fetch water bottles occasionally because the AI is bad at planning this and will wait until riders are almost dry and then send a <65 climber to replenish the team 10 km before the penultimate mountain top.
As long as it is only domestique work like fetching bottles early into the stage, or riding in front of the pack, the AI does a good job.
