possible AI improvements

[Wengart]

Any chance that we will see any Strat AI improvements for QBs in CM:N? As it stands now the user designed scenario strat AI is decent because the scenario designer can fine tune it, however in QBs it often falls flat on its face.

The A.I. is incapable of laying down supporting fires during the attack as crew served weapons are often rushed forward with the infantry, infantry refuse to dismount from their personnel carriers turning them into metal coffins for entire platoons, nor can it keep a decent interval between squads, platoons or companies, on the defense infantry is often laying prone in the open when there are perfectly serviceable buildings nearby

These are just a few of the problems with QB AI, and IMO they are the most detrimental to enjoyment. Expanding upon the current AI groups to allow designations by unit type, I believe, would be beneficial. This way instead of marking a plan for AI group 1 you could mark a plan for crew served weapons and another for infantry, and so on. This would prevent DSHK crews from running forward with the lead platoons and in many cases not ever setting up their weapons.

Furthermore, a basic AI routine that would keep units advancing at squad, platoon, and company level with a decent interval would also be a significant improvement.

Below are to examples of this I did in MS paint in a few minutes.

http://s1115.photobucket.com/albums/k541/wengart/

[Alan8325]

I think AI improvement is one of those things that we will see small increments in over time. I like the idea of suppressive fire and the code for where to do it is kind of already there in the form of the "?" markers. It would be cool if there was an AI aggressive assault plan or something in the editor that made some units do an area target on "?" markers in the area.

[Wengart]

Intelligent suppressive fire (or recon by fire) of unconfirmed targets is a long ways off, and I doubt we will see it in a CM game. However, suppression known targets can be done *if* the weapons (DSHK,AGS30,SPG-9,ATGMs, and their NATO variants) are already in place. The problem is the QB AI has a habit of running these crew served weapons up with the advancing squads because they are all part of group 1. As far as I know the scenario designer cannot specifically allocate all crew served weapons to a single AI group, so the ability to plot Strat AI orders by unit type rather than AI group would be beneficial.