Tac AI Config Screen

[KiwiJoe]

I've been thinking about this for while. And it's come to ahead in a recent game where I ordered 2 mortors to shell an infantry platoon closing in on the main VL After firing 1 shell the TAC AI took over and switched targets to a HMG42 team 800 metres back that posed little threat to any of my troops. They wasted 20 odd shells doing it and didnt effect the mg nest.

Here is my idea. You have a screen where you can adjust the TC AI settings. Things like... what units are high and low priorty targets. Maybe I think mg's are not much threat and wont my troops to ignore them... so I set mg's to low priorty. Also I could change things like tanks fire main gun always at infantry groups... something they seem reluctant to do in the middle of a turn at the moment. Anyway it would mean players could change settings to what they personally would like. Instead of trying to patch the TAC AI which will never work because evrybody has different tastes/ideas on things.

[Guest Michael emrys]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by KiwiJoe:

Also I could change things like tanks fire main gun always at infantry groups... something they seem reluctant to do in the middle of a turn at the moment.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I've noticed this too. On their own, they engage readily enough with MGs, but seem strangely reluctant to fire HE even when plentifully supplied with it. But I did have a recent counterexample in a game I am currently playing. In it, one of my tanks began firing HE in the middle of a turn on his own initiative. Neat! Wish they would do that more often.

Michael

[KiwiJoe]

Yeah I dont know why they dont fire HE hardly at all unless told to at the start of a turn. I thought HE was DESIGNED for use agianst infantry. Even if the infantry is fast moving across the front of the tank, HE will do a better job than mg's most times, particularly at 300m or more.

[mikeadams]

This seems to be part of a much larger (and ongoing) debate: namelt 'how much micro-control should the player have?' My reading of the BTS position is that the units should be allowed to do what the AI feels is best for that unit at that moment in time, the player's desires are secondary. I agree with this, otherwise we end up with a board game where units only do exactly what we determine. For me, much of the enjoyment of CM is that I DON'T know whether a unit will do what I want, and to still be able to come up with the winning tactics.

[Vanir]

You know, it's odd. Last night I had an M10 immobilized and out of HE that insisted on shooting at all infantry in sight with AP shells. I eventually had to give it an ambush target to get it to stop.

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So maybe you should listen to this Vanir guy instead of ignoring him -- he has the best take on the whole thing. - Combatboy

[Oompa-Loompa]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by mikeadams:

My reading of the BTS position is that the units should be allowed to do what the AI feels is best for that unit at that moment in time, the player's desires are secondary. I agree with this, otherwise we end up with a board game where units only do exactly what we determine. For me, much of the enjoyment of CM is that I DON'T know whether a unit will do what I want, and to still be able to come up with the winning tactics.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I agree, IMHO half the fun of CM is seeing whether or not the troops are actually able to carry out the orders. For me it adds to the realism of being a "commander" (i.e. What's with Robinson, why is g--dammed holding back?!). I think the "frustration" factor in target/movement selection ADDS to the game by building tension when viewing the playback mode.

But, of course, that's only my $0.02

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"Do not needlessly endanger your lives until I give you the signal"

Dwight D. Eisenhower

[KiwiJoe]

My idea would be that it would be controlled with a seperate .exe file in the game folder so advanaced players could "tweak" thier TAC AI settings to their liking. Standard players could never even bother with it and accept BTS's TAC AI default settings.

[Silver Fox]

Its the old question- how much control do we want over the troops.IMO that little bit of frustration or doubt as to why the troops dont exactly follow orders spices up CM quite a bit.