Only 2 speeds for AI Infantry?

[LongLeftFlank]

So it seems that AI infantry, even Veteran Marine squads move at only 2 speeds (unless you give them a DASH order) -- QUICK (running) and SLOW (crawling).

They pretty much always go in QUICK mode when you tell them to ADVANCE, although they will occasionally HUNT or SLOW (crawl) when inside buildings and moving from level to level.

But when you issue ASSAULT or MAX ASSAULT orders, the units mainly crawl everywhere, inside and outside buildings, remaining exposed for ridiculous periods and rapidly becoming Exhausted and losing their combat effectiveness. I just watched a single Uncon sniper systematically shoot to death point blank (no grenades) 5 members of an AI-controlled vet Marine squad team slithering one by one heedlessly into his building before the sixth Marine finally sat up and took him out. That team had painfully crawled all the way out of their first building, down the stairs, out the courtyard and along the street, single file, taking fire all the way. Took them at least 3 minutes to go 50 metres.

I expect that kind of thing from isolated Marines fighting Japanese infiltrators on Guadalcanal, but it's kind of silly when it happens all the time. My guess is that the focus when BFC designed these routines was on vehicles.

Occasionally a unit in ASSAULT mode will QUICK instead, but that's unusual.

Anyone out there have any tips? Changing the unit stance (ACTIVE / NORMAL / CAUTIOUS / AMBUSH) doesn't seem to do bupkus -- that seems to dictate how they behave once they get to where they're going.

I suppose if I could only select a single "default" command for AI-controlled ASSAULT infantry to use, that would be HUNT because (a) they'd tire less quickly, and ( have the sense to stop on contact. Ideally, they'd initially HUNT to contact, then PAUSE for a bit to return fire until unpinned, then set their next waypoint QUICK to the next patch of cover, then go HUNT and SLOW once they were in it. Don't know if that's too much for the AI routine to process.

I don't mind the running from place to place in ADVANCE mode quite so much, except that they do it in buildings as well and blunder into ambushes. Defaults should be QUICK when in the open and HUNT when in buildings. If I want them to run all the way, I'd set the AI to QUICK or DASH.

BFC, please fix or sumfink....

[LongLeftFlank]

In the manual he put together, George MC suggested that varying the time you give an AI unit to complete each order will influence how quickly or slowly it goes about it, but I haven't noticed a difference in the behaviours noted above for infantry. Any insights on these parameters? (i.e. leave 1 minute to cover 40 meters/5 squares)

[Paper Tiger]

I suggested quite a long time ago that the AI movement orders be the same as the ones the player issues...

FAST, QUICK, MOVE, ASSAULT, HUNT, SLOW etc...

It would make AI scripting much better in my opinion.

[Dietrich]

My experience with the editor is only limited thus far, so what I'm about to surmise should probably be taken with a grain or two of salt.

With the capability of having AI infantry Move/Hunt in addition to Quick and Dash (Fast), the degree of variety one could incorporate into AI plans would be increased exponentially, as would the variety of types of scenarios that could be designed.

I may be alone in this, but I wouldn't mind more recon-type scenarios. Since units are more easily spotted the faster they move, AI infantry are by default more likely to be spotted because they never Move or Hunt. If AI infantry could Move, that would make ambush and counter-recon scenarios markedly more realistic. If AI infantry could Hunt, that would markedly enhance the realism of scenarios in which the player is, for example, engaged in MOUT defense.

That said, I'm simply musing. I make no claims or assertions that the above would be easy, practical, or even possible to code in.

[meade95]

Is this anything that is going to be addressed. Why aren't all options avaliable for AI? Just seems odd...

[akd]

I would ask in the main forum.

[hoolaman]

Assault should cause the AI to use ASSAULT so that is one extra option. You might find that the Syrians actually can't do that though due to their programmed in unsplittable doctrine.

I think you are right that HUNT is not available to the AI.

[LongLeftFlank]

...Which is odd since HUNT is the most "flexible" command for units that can't ASSAULT -- i.e. advance cautiously until fired upon then return fire.

[LongLeftFlank]

Some additional observations on the AI ASSAULT command

AI units that reach Exhaustion should refuse to go on to the next order once they have reached their objective until they have recovered to Tired. Otherwise, they just continue to crawl along painfully, prolonging their exposure and looking silly.

I've also realized in my playtesting that you can't ASSAULT using an AI Group that consists of only one unit. The unit sits there and refuses to move. Split teams from the same squad count as multiple units for this purpose.

On the plus side, I am impressed with the behaviour of US squads in assault mode -- they divide into their fire teams and use bounding fire and movement, covering each other en route to their objective. I just wish they wouldn't run but HUNT instead when they enter buildings.

Unfortunately, Syrian AI units don't cover each other -- when in ASSAULT mode they just head for the objective at different times, mostly at a run (QUICK) but walking (MOVE) when Exhausted (which sometimes happens within seconds, I've noticed). This is annoying, as I will need to have 2 groups leapfrogging each other -- but the timing of when they move isn't precise enough to do this well.

I have yet to notice any difference between ASSAULT and MAX ASSAULT.

[Jonny(FGM)]

In one scenario i designed and tested the AI plans using scen author mode i'm sure i saw reserve Syrian inf squads using the assault command, they were certainly bounding over each other so the squads got spread out over 50-100m.

[LongLeftFlank]

I'm working with Uncon fighters (Reg - Vet), but I'll try it out, thanks. Too bad nobody's done an AI tactical manual. George Mc did a higher level manual on scenario design but the AI section didn't go much beyond showing you where the buttons were (much respect to George).

I will try to post my learnings so at least they're searchable.

[LongLeftFlank]

You're right, in a test scen, Uncon teams ordered to ASSAULT to a phase line will stop at various points of cover and "cover" each other.

[Jonny(FGM)]

Oh yes i'd noticed that individual uncon squads would "cover" each other, in fact this caused many problems when trying to get them to go down one specific covered route as the leapfrog motion would cause squads to cut corners and run across open fields instead of down the nice trenchlines i put in.

What i was referring to in my previous post however was that the AI seemed able to use the actual assault command. Reserve infantry squads were being split into 2 (not properly split, they still had a single icon) and one half would run ahead while the other would stay behind.

I will try and take screenshots later.