Trying to get AI to use Artillery

[Cpl Steiner]

Hi all,

As one of THE biggest additions to the game is AI control of artillery during a game rather than just as a preplanned barrage, I thought I'd try to get the AI to use its spotters mid-game.

I set up a basic scenario in which the human player has to assault an AI-controlled Marine defensive position manned only with snipers and spotters, plus the odd HQ. I gave the Marines loads of artillery of all shapes and sizes so they had plenty to play with.

After several playings of the scenario as Red, I have yet to see AI-controlled Blue hit me with any artillery.

Has anyone managed to get this to work? Maybe there are some stringent conditions required to get the AI to start spotting and calling in rounds, like the imminent threat of being overrun or something, or some specific setup conditions such as Hide, Ambush or similar.

Any assistance would be much appreciated.

[Meach]

Mishga is designing a scenario I have played myself that requires AI artillery. So far no luck. All I can think of is the massive delay in delivery is putting it out of the scope of the game.

[SlowMotion]

I was testing a scenario that is not meant against the AI. The other side got some spotters and mortars as reinforcements. When I kept some LAVs on a hill long enough, the AI used those mortars quite nicely.

[Other Means]

Hi all,

As one of THE biggest additions to the game is AI control of artillery during a game rather than just as a preplanned barrage, I thought I'd try to get the AI to use its spotters mid-game.

I set up a basic scenario in which the human player has to assault an AI-controlled Marine defensive position manned only with snipers and spotters, plus the odd HQ. I gave the Marines loads of artillery of all shapes and sizes so they had plenty to play with.

After several playings of the scenario as Red, I have yet to see AI-controlled Blue hit me with any artillery.

Has anyone managed to get this to work? Maybe there are some stringent conditions required to get the AI to start spotting and calling in rounds, like the imminent threat of being overrun or something, or some specific setup conditions such as Hide, Ambush or similar.

Any assistance would be much appreciated.

Can you email me the game please Cpl?

My service provider is blueyonder, a company in the UK. My email is othermeans.

[BigJ62]

Made a test mission and the AI is in fact using unscripted artillery for red side, haven't tested blue yet.

[SgtMuhammed]

The AI only tends to target things that it can actually see. If you want a prep mission then you will probably have to put it in the AI plan.

One thing I have found is that the AI seems to be pretty slow to use arty, prefering instead to use direct fires. This means that any Human attack at even a moderate pace is going to outrun the AI's ability to call fire. Where I most often notice computer indirect is against support positions if I forget to move them.

If the human is the defender the AI suffers because it seems to need to have spotted something before it will call fire on it. Again, though, the computer will tend to try to handle those targets with direct fire, especially as Red since only FOs can call for fire.

To be honest I haven't played around with Blue calling fire too much. As soon as the AI arty was ready to be tested so was the campaign so most testing involved repeatedly running through the campaign, which can only be played as Blue.

[Cpl Steiner]

Can you email me the game please Cpl?

My service provider is blueyonder, a company in the UK. My email is othermeans.

Done! Thanks for having a look.

[Meach]

How about giving the Syrian senior commanders clearance to call down artillery again? It might ease up the lack of AI usage for red forces?

[MarkEzra]

It worked during play testing with and without AI arty placement orders.

From a scen design POV:

Use several red FO's (excellent)

FO's need a secure position with good LOS...If an FO is pinned he may not call the arty.

Scen need lots of time...55 min should be enough..The Syrians need target acquisition time as well as fire order time 7-10 min!

The map should be designed to allow distance so arty does not fall near friendly units (most likely the reason an FO won't call in arty)

Make sure they have a couple of arty assets

When using planned arty strike (AI editor) remember that the AI will open up the game with those areas. So you might consider using FO as reinforcement if you don't want those target ares used immediately. Those FO's should be able to see he target areas

[Field Marshal Blücher]

The map should be designed to allow distance so arty does not fall near friendly units (most likely the reason an FO won't call in arty)

People who don't use Red artillery themselves probably don't notice this, but Red airbursts have GIANT lethal radii. I have a Red vs Red campaign that I haven't released yet (I don't know if I ever will at this rate ) where I frequently have to be very careful with my artillery in order to not kill my own guys!

[-Pv-]

I thought I was getting calls to attack helos that I had not made myself in the "Day at the Beach" game playing as Blue.

-Pv-

[Other Means]

Bug rep made.

It worked during play testing with and without AI arty placement orders.

From a scen design POV:

Use several red FO's (excellent)

This is Blue Mark.