Some very impressive AI behaviour

[ZPB II]

I just finished playing a Marine module scenario, Hills & Highways or somesuch. Anyway, since I play RT the fog of war is ever so tangible, but I did keep a keen eye on the events that unfolded since they were blocking my advance completely.

First, there was a static T-54 that was the foremost enemy position, behind small woods, ready to shoot at my advancing units flank. My scouts spotted it, I couldn't really get a good vector on it, so I spent my time locating and eliminating all of it's overwatch so I can just move guys into the woods and blast it's side with a rocket. I spent the good part of 15-20 minutes inching my way forwards, only to find out that the crew had long gone, leaving their tank as an intact trophy. I haven't run into many cases of vehicles being abandoned intact, since nothing could get a shot at that thing. This was a case of a green crew watching their comrades on the ridges above them get slaughtered and deciding it wasn't a good day to die.

The second case, there was a T-55 in the village, behind a corner, ready to pop anything coming down the road. My scouts had spotted this one from a mile away, so I kept it under observation for a very long time. As long as it didn't see anything, it held it's position. Now, on the ridge I was taking a calculated risk to rush an FO team into position. The tank spotted the FO, the guys hit the ground behind a berm and started to radio for a mortar strike, unfortunately an HE round killed 2 of them, but after this brief exchange, the T-55 changed it's position across the road and tucked itself between some buildings while my armor mortar point strike hit it's former position that it had held for a very long time. I was going "WTF happened?" for a long time, I had come to think I knew the AI, but this was rather novel. :eek:

[Vinnart]

When it comes to the AI I think it is hit, or miss sometimes. Sometimes the troops can do some really stupid stuff that result casualties that could be avoided. Here are two recent examples that happened to me:

Squad has one AT4 which dosn't seem to do much to a T72 from a distance. They spot the tank and give their position away causing no damage to the tank. Tank opens up! bye, bye squad! I think in a real situation the men would keep down, and get closer to fire the only AT4 they have.

Here is another:

Enemy is on the west side. Squad is in C2, and ordered into a building that has a door on the west,and east side. Squad goes to the west door exposing itself, and gets casualties. Meanwhile sometimes they choose the better route avoiding exposure. Anyway to get them to go into a particular side enterance beyond giving an extra waypoint on the side you want them to enter?, This gets them to enter from the side you want, but creates the problem of a delay in entering which gives longer exposure.

[stikkypixie]

When it comes to the AI I think it is hit, or miss sometimes. Sometimes the troops can do some really stupid stuff that result casualties that could be avoided. Here are two recent examples that happened to me:

Squad has one AT4 which dosn't seem to do much to a T72 from a distance. They spot the tank and give their position away causing no damage to the tank. Tank opens up! bye, bye squad! I think in a real situation the men would keep down, and get closer to fire the only AT4 they have.

Here is another:

Enemy is on the west side. Squad is in C2, and ordered into a building that has a door on the west,and east side. Squad goes to the west door exposing itself, and gets casualties. Meanwhile sometimes they choose the better route avoiding exposure. Anyway to get them to go into a particular side enterance beyond giving an extra waypoint on the side you want them to enter?, This gets them to enter from the side you want, but creates the problem of a delay in entering which gives longer exposure.

I have the feeling they always take the shortest path, sometimes what I do is give a second waypoint in a safe location that would make the go in the right door. A bit tricky though.