Steal Parameter Question

[Edwin P.]

Does the Steal Parameter steal from units assigned to an Offensive_Buildup plan or an Offensive plan or both?

I.e. Does it steal only from a plan during its buildup phase (Offensive_Buildup/Transport_Buildup,Amphibious_Build up) or does it steal from it during its activation phase (Offensive/Transport/Amphibious) too.

[Hubert Cater]

It would only steal from its activation phase and in this case only Offensive/Defensive plans.

[Hubert Cater]

I should add that the idea behind this is that if you were to allow stealing from Build Ups you would lose absolute control over AI behaviour as plans could cyclically steal from each other and therefore go nowhere.

If you only allow stealing from Offensive/Defensive plans then it is a safer instruction as these plans are already automatically assigned by the AI, and therefore not assigned anywhere else, or recently converted by a Build Up plan which at least has been able to transition to an activated plan.

The trick is to of course anticipate and allow for the formation of plans if needed and not steal from them if units are needed elsewhere. Sometimes it is one plan at a time, or prolonged build up periods (#LENGTH) to ensure they are not eventually stolen from (once activated) by another desired plan.

[Edwin P.]

Thanks for the trick - using prolonged build-up periods to ensure that units are not eventually stolen from one plane if needed by another.