Alexey K

And World of Tanks would be training simulator for unmanned AFV operators

What is your definition of "brought to knees"? And speaking of achievability. Ukranian position is irrelevant in achieveing both of that goals. Ukraine can not join NATO unilaterally without alliance's approval and NATO is not eager to accept Ukraine anymore. And Ukraine can not get Crimea from Russia on it's own without "big guys" commiting themselves to that cause. Just remember that Japan is hoplessly trying to get Kurials from Russia with zero progress. So, I would say both goals are already achieved. They only thing in question is was it worth it. Uh, you seem to have quite vauge understanding of Russians 1. Russian involvement in Ukranian civil war as widely known "secret" in Russia. And that is not a problem in the eyes of majority of Russians. Non-involvement would be an issue. Needless to say, taking Crimea back from Ukraine is widely supported. Even anti-Putin opposition is splitted over the matter. 2. Ukraine is not getting to be "stable improving democracy" any time soon due to same reasons Iraq hasn't become real democracy even after you've bombed it into rubble. And why Russia hasn't become democracy when western-backed politicians got to power. Democracy is not some sort of software you can install into coutry. It should be part of it's culture which is developed over centuries. People that got into power due to Ukranian coup a not better than those has been before simply because they are products of the same system, same culture. 3. Events of Euromaidan has actually solidified popular support of goverment. Before it's bloody and violent culmination many people in Russia supported both Ukranian and domestic opposition. After Euromaidan support has sharply decreased, that is not kind of change they want. Hmm... do you really think, that Ukraine was disfunctional and corrupt just because of Russian influence? If it's not realistic, then why do you think Putin would bother doing that? Either he is stupid or that is not his goal

Speaking of that Fencer. In film about Crimea Putin himself called this to be a hooliganism.

Hmm... Did you read Russian nuclear doctrine and condition which permit use of nukes?

Best and most honest answer I can produce: "I don't know" My "best guess" offers two goals: 1. Finlandization of Ukraine, ensuring it's non-alignment to keep NATO off Russian border. 2. Securing Crimea and Sevastopol status as Russian territories. Both of goals are meaingful from Russian perspective and achievable. Speaking of your explanation. As for me, you paint Putin as some sort of cartoon villain who does evil things just for the sake of doing evil things. Why "stable, economically improving, Russian speaking democracy on his border" should bother him? And how exactly "destroying Ukraine as nation shold look like? What is expected result of this goal? Is it realistic? How? Russian tanks rush to Kiev?

Hm... funny. How did you infer Russian goals and from what?

That was another part. He said that ground based ASM launchers"Bastion" was deployed to Crimea. It was also added that they were placed in a such way they could be seen from orbit. They also turned on search radar "loud on" to indicate weapon's presence to US ships.

As direct as I can K(ondrashow), P(utin): K: While takling to Western leaders was it clear that they will not intervene with military means? P: Of course not. That could not be clear from the beginning. That's why I had to order armed forces to be ready to any course of events. K: Does that mean that we've put our nuclear forces into higher level of readiness? P: We were ready to do that...

Links?

I think you didn't miss one, Grad did it.

Thay guy is really BIG

You've missed my point. Idea is that AI is supplied with array of ready solutions provided by players and/or extracted from replays. By using machine learning algorithms it infers new solution to specific situation and puts it into action.

Development of good AI would be very risky and expensive investment. If I were Battlefront busines guy I would probably turn down such feature request But here we can dream a littte, can't we?

Yep, that was exactly my plan!

Real trick is to formalize METT-TC and actions plan into quantitive variables. After that engine can perform analysis on arrays of known rules (METT-TC -> Action Plan) and interpolate action plan for known situation. Another approach is to write AI with hardcoded knowlege of tactics, unit properties, etc. Both ways offer great challenge EDIT: BTW, creating good AI can be fruitful in another way. It might remove need for micromanagement. Player could give platoons orders like "assault that village, defend this one"

Kickstart whole thing?

Red Guards Bear Cavalry is vigilant and protecting secrets of Motherland Russia!

In Ukraine Russia wouldn't have to cross Dnieper, it better use it as natural defence. A lot of bridging equipment could possible be used for offensive through nothern Europe. Unless Armata is actually a hovertank

Why specific? Their span should be limited. For example "taking small village" or "advance through open terrain". These could be building blocks for higher level of strategy

It can be crowdsourced to some extent. Consider having crowdsourced database of formalized METT-TC descriptions of tactical situations with local action plans. Players can design and contribute their own plans. Alternatively, plans could be (semi)automaticly extracted from battle replays. Depending on success of applications of that templates they are automaticly valued from worst to best. Worst are dropped over time to purge DB from rubbish plans. P.S. Hey, I've just designed SkyNet!

I'am ready to pay $60 for skirmish AI in QB. EDIT: Ready to pay even more for custom AI plugin API.

Scenario-hardcoded decision tree approach is too limited to develop really flexible and adaptable AI behavior. It would be very hard to create and maintain for scenario designer as well. Scenario designer should give goals and constraints but not script every step and branch of plan, but that approach required dynamic AI coded into game engine.

Actually, there is no AI per se above TacAI level. Everything written in AI plan is linear actions sequence and have zero adaptability. Real AI woud be generatin it's own AI plans during the game as situation changes.\ It would be difficult to deliver good AI for this game though.

I wanted to comment on this, but then decided not to, as right point of view is fixed in forum rules

ACFE was stillborn treaty anyway.