AI programming

[Euri]

To all scenario designers:

Let's say there is a mechanised platoon and I wish to assign the vehicles of the platoon as a separate  AI group (separate from the infantry squads). Is it, nevertheless,  possible to start with the squads mounted on the AFVs, order the latter to dismount at some point, and only then assign separate orders to the infantry AI group? Or do I have to start everything dismounted the setup phase? 

Thank you 

Edited October 20, 2015 by Euri

[ASL Veteran]

Yes.  You don't need to assign a setup command for the passengers when you create their AI plan though.  Just begin by marking out the location of 'Order 1' from somewhere near the dismount location and go from there.  As long as they are still mounted they will go wherever the vehicles go, but once they dismount they will move to the location of 'Order 1' wherever that location might be.

[Imperial Grunt]

Hi Euri, they way I do it is to assign all the vehicles of a unit to one AI group and the troops to another AI group. Like AKD said, the troops orders will not start until they dismount (even if forced to do so if their ride becomes disabled).

So in a company sized force, it might look like this:

Co HQ and FO: A1

Co HQ and FO Vehicles :A2

1st platoon Vehicles: A3

1st platoon Troops :A4

Etc, etc...

When I mark movement points on the map for AI planning, I paint small multiple points, sometimes even more than there are units. For example, say a platoon of 3 BMPS is AI group 2. I would make at least 3 movement objectives per order and let the tac AI decide who goes where specially. It's purely random, but it helps keep AI plan execution somewhat unique. 

I use triggers a lot but I avoid using orders as triggers. Those seem to rarely survive contact!

[Euri]

Thank you both

[Euri]

Hi Euri,

Yes.  

I will abuse my luck of having two expert scenario designers on this thread and pose a second question: Do we know what triggers an AI surrender? Is it a specific percentage of condition, of casualties or other? 

I am asking because in most scenarios the AI surrenders to me when I am about to enter into that phase where I need to clear buildings and compounds from the last surviving enemies. And although one might have already won tactically, this is a phase in which one has still to be careful to avoid infantry casualties; more to that, it is the only phase where it make sense to me to really deploy infantry.

[Imperial Grunt]

I don't have the exact numbers but the AI will surrender once the % of casualties and % of units with poor morale (broken or rattled) reaches a certain point. I don't know the exact formula.

 

If you don't want the AI to surrender after it has taken a beating, just add more forces as renforcements that never arrive. That way their #'s and morale bolster the units actually on the map, making their threshold to surrender higher.

[ASL Veteran]

Incidentally the threshold for the AI surrendering and for an automatic player surrender is the same.  When your side takes enough of a beating the end screen will simply appear after you hit the go button and you get to see how badly you were mauled.