Glubokii Boy

That static defence custom QB-trick sounds like a nice idea 🙂...
But as for giving the AI greater freedom to act on its own...i'm  not so sure.
If BFC could make it work...yeah that would be great but i fear that features such as you describe might be a bit more complicated...
Simply having LOS/LOF to an action square might not help the AI enough...what kind of enemy unit is comming ? where are the other enemies/friendlies ? What are they doing ? Where should the AI units regroup to ? Why  ?
There are a lot of things the AI will need to considder...not only for each induvidual unit but also as a force as a whole.
I doubt it would be able to do it...
I would prefer that BFC moved in the opposit direction and gave the scenariodesigner MORE tools to 'help' the AI...providing for better scripting...
- more AI groups 
- more trigger options like AI group casualty level higher then, unit killed (friendly or enemy), unit spotted,  AI group ammo level below...etc,etc
- more options for when reinforcements arrive.
- more objective options
- a new AI artillery programing interface that would allow the designer to specify indirect firesupport for the AI mid game among other things.
 
 

Jepp 😎

I'm affraid i can't blame this on the coffe...or lack off it...🙃
I've had 3 coups already...
Not even old age is the problem...i'm still a 'youngster' ...god damn it 😁...(2 weeks away from 50 !!!...oouuchh).
I had it in my mind that TRPs worked in a simular fashion as regular units...
That is...
If a scenariodesigner places the TRP outside of any set-up zone when he designs the scenario then the player will not be able to move it during his set-up face when starting the scenario...
My bad...

The constant regrouping/organizing that happens at each waypoint makes this trick not aplicable in all situations though...unfortunatelly.
The troops doing this right infront of a door present good targeting oppertunity to any enemy observing this...
In many situations it would be better to move straith in without any delay 
 
 

I belive BFC have been struggeling with a number of pathfinding/tac  AI behavior issius for the last few years...
The fix does not seem to be all that simple though unfortunatelly...
If it was...it would have been fixed by now

I think we have had topics similar to this before reference OpFor ammo dumps invisible to the player.  Here is another.               
On Iron and Elite skill levels ammo dumps are enabled in the game.  However, in single player an OpFor ammo dump is both invisible and indestructible to the player.  Both flame and direct fire HE have no affect.  You can even drive through the middle of an OpFor ammo dump and never know it was there.  The exact location of the ammo dump can be area targeted and the invisible ammo is not affected.        
Ammo dumps are a very cool feature of the game.  They can even be placed inside buildings.  They have great potential to make scenarios more interesting.  Especially scenarios involving insurgents / partisans.  A player sends troops into a village searching for evidence of insurgents / partisans.  An OpFor ammo dump is discovered in a building.  Orders are issued to destroy the ammo cache.  The building is damaged and the ammo dump, inside the building, explodes and bursts into flames sending a column of smoke through the building roof.  Very cool to see in hotseat.  However it is not possible in a single player scenario.    
Destroying OpFor ammo dumps could also work in conventional scenarios.  One of the objectives is an OpFor supply point.  Breakthrough the enemy lines find the supply dumps and light them up.  You will be rewarded with explosions, fire, columns of smoke and Victory Points.  Cool.        
The below screenshots were taken in hotseat mode where ammo dumps are visible to the player and destructible.  The screenshots are an example of what is NOT currently possible when playing a scenario.  
 





Please make OpFor ammo dumps visible to the player in scenarios so we can hunt for them and blow them up.    

A feature request:
would it be possible to show some kind of anti tank icon as the floating icon for units that have PIAT weapon?
This way it would be much faster to find those anti tank teams from a big map with lots of infantry.
It would save lots of time when planning moves.
 

I agree With this completally 😎
In situations where the defensive possitions are likely to be well scouted/known  by the attacker...
'Ditch trenches' could/should be used.
I do it myself...

If you like tactical (realistic) war games...Buying one of these titles will be the best value for money you will ever spend...😎
The majority of players here have spend several 100 if not 1000 of hours playing these games...
They are addictive !
Choose the theatre wich intrests you the most...the WW2 titles might be a bit more forgiving when it comes to making mistakes compared to the modern titles...
ps...I guess the 100 dollar is a typo ? 

Year of the Rat Temple Addon


- works like regular "skin" mods, place it in your z folder and they will appear
- designed primarly for the Heaven & Earth Year of the Rat campaign, replaces the two monastery domes with temple roofs
- damaged versions included
- also works in regular CMSF2 and with other HE scenarios, however not all domes have been replaced, only the 17x17 roof and the 16x8 roof
- unique textures for intact and damaged included (currently copies from the H&E dome texture), they don´t interfere with the regular dome texture, can be modified by liking
Download:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/1tviryry89g6py7/AAAJpSvGH6u1iEx4WzwVLSnJa?dl=0
Creation & Custom Buildings Tutorial (works for all CM2 games):
https://youtu.be/vTnyRcb8NV0
- I by accident also did a 16x16 roof with the temple from the 2nd screenshot (not included) if one wants the files contact me on YT or Twitch.
Video Playlist for CM 3D Model Editing with Showcases, Workflows, and Tutorials (latter with commentary)
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLlUX4ALH7zTNgpWGBYSFUCnZK-Sf7SCcl

If you like tactical (realistic) war games...Buying one of these titles will be the best value for money you will ever spend...😎
The majority of players here have spend several 100 if not 1000 of hours playing these games...
They are addictive !
Choose the theatre wich intrests you the most...the WW2 titles might be a bit more forgiving when it comes to making mistakes compared to the modern titles...
ps...I guess the 100 dollar is a typo ? 

Okay the final conversion is now complete (or at least complete enough for beta testing). A 'Thunder Run' to relieve the besieged Imperial Garrison at 'Comique House'...






... just have to write a basic campaign script, update the manual & fix a few minor mod issues, then we should be good to go.

I saw the first words of the title of your thread and mistook it for my own initially! 
 
In addition to what others suggested above, I would recommend trying to find keyhole positions. In case you are not familiar here is one of @Bil Hardenberger’s excellent blog posts about that. 
 
https://battledrill.blogspot.com/2017/06/battle-technique-keyhole-firing-position.html
 
The idea here is that you as much as possible try to position units so that they can only be fired on from a narrow angle that required the shooter to expose themselves in order to do so. Your field of view may be narrow, but if it is well sited, it may reach some considerable distance across the map, which enemy must cross and have limited resources to engage you with.

I second this. I was formulating a post just like that as I was reading your request and then there it was the very advice I was about to give.
I have on so many occasions watched my guys deliver some hurt and then get lots of return fire and I have said to my self I'll leave them there just a couple of more minutes. Now I don't do that because it rarely ended well. The corollary is that when you setup your defence think about their avenues of withdrawal and what their secondary and tertiary positions will be.
Some basic advice is to setup so that your guys have some cover and concealment and their kill zone they are covering has some restrictions on the attacker. What you want is to maximize the number of times the attacker has to expose small percentage of their force without having support nearby friendlies. That may mean not using some positions because while look good the entire attacking force can bring fire on your position - don't use positions like that. Or use them only OPs that you abandon as soon as you have some intel on the enemy.
In a city or village that could mean having your guys in the second row of buildings not in the first. That way your enemy has to actually enter the town to engage you and when they do they loose the support of the entire rest of the attacking force. In a forest similarly stay back from the edge - other than some scouts to keep watch. Also look for elevation changes where you can position forces to hit the enemy coming over the hill without exposing your guys to the rest of his force.

One misstake i did when playing a Great AI attack scenario...festungplatz podolzk Or something simular it was called iirc by PanzerMike...
Was to get to 'gready'...not pulling back my troops from their defensive possitions until they got totally overwhelmed by the advancing enemy...
I wanted to kill'em all 😆
On my second  playthrough i had learnt to not remain stationary as long...
But rather to pull back my guYs to New possitions before then got annilated...
This allowed them to continue the fight  from  their New possition 😎
It worked much better !
This was a city fight...
 
 

One misstake i did when playing a Great AI attack scenario...festungplatz podolzk Or something simular it was called iirc by PanzerMike...
Was to get to 'gready'...not pulling back my troops from their defensive possitions until they got totally overwhelmed by the advancing enemy...
I wanted to kill'em all 😆
On my second  playthrough i had learnt to not remain stationary as long...
But rather to pull back my guYs to New possitions before then got annilated...
This allowed them to continue the fight  from  their New possition 😎
It worked much better !
This was a city fight...
 
 

More options With regards to objektives and reinforcements would indeed be welcome...😎
Things like:
Reinforcements by trigger
Timed objektives
Unit specific objectives
Minimum Unit value in objektives
Would add a lot of flexebility to scenariodesign...
And would not require anything else then a number of changes to the editor UI i belive...They Will have no impact on game performance Or AI behavior...
 
 
With features like these...higher HQ Will be able to give the player some more specific instructions...😎
- Hold this possition in company strenth until...
- After capture of the village 2nd platoon are to deploy in defensive possitions on the Western edge of the village...supported by first tank platoon...
- the bridge should be secured no later then 1600
- The reminder of the force Will be released ones hill 154 have been secured..
Stuff like this..😆
 

More options With regards to objektives and reinforcements would indeed be welcome...😎
Things like:
Reinforcements by trigger
Timed objektives
Unit specific objectives
Minimum Unit value in objektives
Would add a lot of flexebility to scenariodesign...
And would not require anything else then a number of changes to the editor UI i belive...They Will have no impact on game performance Or AI behavior...
 
 
With features like these...higher HQ Will be able to give the player some more specific instructions...😎
- Hold this possition in company strenth until...
- After capture of the village 2nd platoon are to deploy in defensive possitions on the Western edge of the village...supported by first tank platoon...
- the bridge should be secured no later then 1600
- The reminder of the force Will be released ones hill 154 have been secured..
Stuff like this..😆
 

I mainly agree with this...but when placed in good possitions i have found that they have decent survivability atleast against  direct fire weapons like guns and HMGs...
Also...when designing a scenario...elevating the terrain infront of the gun-possition using ditch lock 1 level will make a pretty notable differnce imo...This terrain elevation might be a bit tricky to 'hide' though because of having no FOW...In the right terrain, circumstances it can be useful though..😎

Nothing NEW in this document really...but maybe other posts will follow
until then this is the place to go for newbies imo...
http://battledrill.blogspot.com/
 

One more question...
This is the first BBC product released I belive with the new V.4 features in mind...
Do things like area fire, face and revers/ withdraw make a significant impact on the way the AI plays ?
 

I have actually been thinking quite a bit about this the last couple of weeks and have come up with a 'concept' that I think would work really neat..😆...
Going by memory...I have not messed in the editor for a long time...due to not having had a gaming computer for a while....soon, soon I will have one ! 😎
As far as I remember though this concept should be doable and will be the first thing I will try ones I get my new machine.
What this concept will allow is a campaign with...
- player adjustable difficulty level on the fly..
- partially player selectable forces for each scenario..
- equipment upgrades through the campaign.
- experience loss (due to cassualties) and experience gain.
I belive I have found a way to do this without it being to much of a hassle for the player 😉..
I will obviously do some more research before getting cracking but what i'my thinking is to try and do a sort of semi historical campaign involving a kampgruppe from the 6th panzer division...
The basic kampgruppe will be the remains of a panzergrenadierbattalion from the 114th regiment supported by a few tanks from 11th panzer regiment as well as some artillery...
To complement this force the player will have a wide variety of other equipment from the divisions other formations to 'request' to be included in the kampfgruppe for the various scenarios.
This might be things like the odd Tiger tank from the 503 heavy tank battalion or a pair of 88mm AA-guns, some engineers or maybe an additional HMG platoon...some more infantry...
The player will be free to choose what he feels suites the situation best...there will be limits to these extra equipment though...
This will bring some variaty/ flexibility to the scenarios and also be part of the system to allow the player to 'tweak' the difficulty level...
For example for a particular scenario should you pick what might be the safest card...a pair of Tigers to complement your kampfgruppe or do you want to give yourself a bit more of a challenge and go with two StuG IIIS and a few AT-guns instead ?
The player will choose 😎
Both the kampgruppe as well as all other formations comprising the 6th panzer division will upgrade their equipment as the campaign moves forward...
What i'm thinking is something like a 15 scenario campaign devided into a number of chapters..each being 3 scenarios or there about...
As of now i'm considering to start the campaign with the battle for Karkow in 1943...3 scenarios...and then move on to things like Korsun, Bagation, Hungary...
3 battleso for each chapter...
Between each chapter there will be equipment upgrade as well as some experience gain/loss amongst the troops...
As said...I will do more research about the division before getting started to get somewhat correct locations, equipment and enemies...etc
And about the enemies..your troops will not be the only ones upgrading their equipment.. so will the enemy   😲
This is the plan 😎...it may well turn into nothing ones I start to put this concept of mine into test...it may not work..but I do belive it will. I will indeed give it a try...
It will no doubt be a long time project even if it works...A year at least I'm guessing...
I'm really eager to try this out though...if it works it would be... kind of cool 😊
 

I have actually been thinking quite a bit about this the last couple of weeks and have come up with a 'concept' that I think would work really neat..😆...
Going by memory...I have not messed in the editor for a long time...due to not having had a gaming computer for a while....soon, soon I will have one ! 😎
As far as I remember though this concept should be doable and will be the first thing I will try ones I get my new machine.
What this concept will allow is a campaign with...
- player adjustable difficulty level on the fly..
- partially player selectable forces for each scenario..
- equipment upgrades through the campaign.
- experience loss (due to cassualties) and experience gain.
I belive I have found a way to do this without it being to much of a hassle for the player 😉..
I will obviously do some more research before getting cracking but what i'my thinking is to try and do a sort of semi historical campaign involving a kampgruppe from the 6th panzer division...
The basic kampgruppe will be the remains of a panzergrenadierbattalion from the 114th regiment supported by a few tanks from 11th panzer regiment as well as some artillery...
To complement this force the player will have a wide variety of other equipment from the divisions other formations to 'request' to be included in the kampfgruppe for the various scenarios.
This might be things like the odd Tiger tank from the 503 heavy tank battalion or a pair of 88mm AA-guns, some engineers or maybe an additional HMG platoon...some more infantry...
The player will be free to choose what he feels suites the situation best...there will be limits to these extra equipment though...
This will bring some variaty/ flexibility to the scenarios and also be part of the system to allow the player to 'tweak' the difficulty level...
For example for a particular scenario should you pick what might be the safest card...a pair of Tigers to complement your kampfgruppe or do you want to give yourself a bit more of a challenge and go with two StuG IIIS and a few AT-guns instead ?
The player will choose 😎
Both the kampgruppe as well as all other formations comprising the 6th panzer division will upgrade their equipment as the campaign moves forward...
What i'm thinking is something like a 15 scenario campaign devided into a number of chapters..each being 3 scenarios or there about...
As of now i'm considering to start the campaign with the battle for Karkow in 1943...3 scenarios...and then move on to things like Korsun, Bagation, Hungary...
3 battleso for each chapter...
Between each chapter there will be equipment upgrade as well as some experience gain/loss amongst the troops...
As said...I will do more research about the division before getting started to get somewhat correct locations, equipment and enemies...etc
And about the enemies..your troops will not be the only ones upgrading their equipment.. so will the enemy   😲
This is the plan 😎...it may well turn into nothing ones I start to put this concept of mine into test...it may not work..but I do belive it will. I will indeed give it a try...
It will no doubt be a long time project even if it works...A year at least I'm guessing...
I'm really eager to try this out though...if it works it would be... kind of cool 😊
 

If charging a small fee for the upgrades in any way helps BFC to continue making these updates i have no problems what so ever to spend my money on this...
I just wish they could produce more of them...faster ! 😁
But unfortunatelly that would cost even more money i guess..
 

If charging a small fee for the upgrades in any way helps BFC to continue making these updates i have no problems what so ever to spend my money on this...
I just wish they could produce more of them...faster ! 😁
But unfortunatelly that would cost even more money i guess..