AI Plan - refreshing memory

[Marwek77 aka Red Reporter]

Hello,

 

please help me to refresh my memory. How to create AI plan where vehicles just move from one painted area to another and so on without stopping? Has to do with correct timing, but so far unlucky.

Thanx for help.

[A Canadian Cat]

Just paint the area for each step and don't set the time at all. What should happen is the AI group moves to the first area and once everyone has arrived they should move off to the next without additional waiting.

[Marwek77 aka Red Reporter]

That's it. Thank you.

[Combatintman]

1 hour ago, IanL said:

Just paint the area for each step and don't set the time at all. What should happen is the AI group moves to the first area and once everyone has arrived they should move off to the next without additional waiting.

Or put another way - like 90% of my AI plans - I love not urinating around with the exit before/exit after timings if I can avoid it.

[Marwek77 aka Red Reporter]

I just lost 3 hours trying to do simple task: 2 tanks with raiders on it (CMRT) running through forest road and stopping at crossroad and then unloading infantry. 1st problem: 1st tank path always shorter then the 2nd one, so huge traffic jam, because terrain around road hard to cross. I changed their starting position didn't help too long. 2nd problem: infantry even under heavy fire unloaded only when 2nd tank finished its path... Point me to some tutorial please.

I am doing something wrong or I am getting old - same like this game engine...

[MOS:96B2P]

37 minutes ago, Marwek77 aka Red Reporter said:

1st tank path always shorter then the 2nd one, so huge traffic jam, because terrain around road hard to cross. I changed their starting position didn't help too long.

I give each vehicle a single order action spot.  So for two vehicles each order would have 2 action spots.  It is easier to control the route they take and to keep them from getting to close and in each others way.  The tanks should move at the same speed if they both have riders.  A tank with riders will only go at MOVE speed.  So a tank with no riders can overtake a tank with riders if both are ordered to move QUICK.  

If you use the movement commands ASSAULT or MAX ASSAULT or ADVANCE the vehicles will bound pass each other.  To keep everybody moving I tell the AI QUICK.  Of course, with riders, the tanks will not exceed MOVE speed but they will not try to do alternating bounds if given QUICK.

If necessary I modify the terrain (within reason) to help the AI. 

 

37 minutes ago, Marwek77 aka Red Reporter said:

2nd problem: infantry even under heavy fire unloaded only when 2nd tank finished its path...   

If you do the above, in number one, hopefully the tanks will finish within a few seconds of each other.  

I also give riders their own AI group separate from the tank AI group.  

The below may help.  I think I got most of the below from @George MC. 

If an AI Group consists of only a single team (whether created that way or owing to casualties), it will not execute an Assault or Max Assault order. Moreover, it will ignore all further orders in the chain (i.e. become static for the rest of the game). Single teams will always obey Advance, Quick or Fast orders.

Max Assault – Quick with alternating team/vehicle bounds, one team pass the other team. Should only be given to AI groups that contain multi-team infantry sections.  At Pause locations the AI will fire on painted area targets if in LOS. The AI prioritizes shooting over moving.   

Assault – Quick with alternating team/vehicle bounds, one team pass the other team in a crisscross pattern. Should only be given to AI groups that contain multi-team infantry squads. At pause locations in-between order locations the AI will fire on painted area targets if in LOS. The AI prioritizes shooting over moving.

Advance – Quick with alternating team/vehicle bounds, one team pass the other team.  Teams moving in overwatch. At pause locations in-between order locations the AI will fire on painted area targets if in LOS.

Quick – Quick with the teams/vehicles moving together (no bounds) and stopping together for short Pauses. Covers ground quicker that the above commands. At pause locations in-between order locations the AI will fire on painted area targets if in LOS but will fire for a shorter length of time.    

Dash – Similar to the in game Fast with all teams/vehicles moving together at the same time with no Pauses. Troops tire and become strung out on long moves. Will not fire at a painted target until at the orders destination.    

Edited November 13, 2020 by MOS:96B2P

[ncc1701e]

8 hours ago, MOS:96B2P said:

I give each vehicle a single order action spot.  So for two vehicles each order would have 2 action spots.  It is easier to control the route they take and to keep them from getting to close and in each others way.

Absolutely, the number of action spot is important.

 

As per your tutorial request, please check also this one, it can give you an insight of how the AI works:

Cheers

[MOS:96B2P]

7 hours ago, ncc1701e said:

As per your tutorial request, please check also this one, it can give you an insight of how the AI works:

+1.  I remember that AI tutorial thread.  Very helpful. 

[nik mond]

There are interesting characteristics to observe in scenario author mode. For example experiment with a single AI group of 4 tanks with just a normal advance move. Have this tank platoon go to the first location and wait for an exit time condition to be reached.  And set all the subsequent locations to some time past, or zero. The vehicles will still advance as alternating bounding teams, at first. But with the time condition already met, the tanks will proceed to the next location, the last tank will lag further behind as more moves are added. Eventually they get strung out due to normal terrain effects one vehicle may experience over another.  Once the lead tank is two locations ahead of the trailing tank (typically the HQ trails behind) the tardy tank in the group will skip its next destination, and head directly to the same destination the rest of the AI group is going. 

You would expect that to happen, its just nice to see it does.