Deployment in scen. via a user campaign.......
 

My question is this...How would one go about creating scenarios, for a user campaign, where the AI buys his troops from scenario to scenario? I understand that for the player, theres no need, as the units will be removed anyway. Basically, i want to make it so its like a generated campaign, except with the maps i have made(without having to load a map every battle, using the default generator)

Re: Deployment in scen. via a user campaign.......
 

The AI does not buy troops in a UC - it is a linked list of scenarios with the AI troops placed by a human.

To get the AI to buy - then as you say, play a generated campaign, not a UC. To use your own maps - use the "load a custom map" function in the view map screen as usual, and then spin the V-hexes to get what you desire, as usual. The AI will deploy by itself on these maps as for a normal game.

Cheers
Andy

Re: Deployment in scen. via a user campaign.......
 

Andy,

Ok, i was afraid of this. I suppose its no problem then, as the AI tends to buy crap it doesnt necessarily need anyway. Now if i insert the AI's troops for it, and say, put them at the back of the map(right or left) like it does for human when u start a battle. WIll it still deploy them like it does in a generated campaign? Or do i have to also place them where i think they should go?(hence theres no suprise for me, knowing where the AI is going to be)

Re: Deployment in scen. via a user campaign.......
 

King Tiger,

You can purchase units for the AI while in the scenario editor, and then hit the 'auto' button benieth 'purchase' and 'deploy'. The computer will then automatically deploy those forces for you. You then save the scenario, and then load the saved scenario into a 'user camapaign'.

You can actually build the campaign as you go - you do not need to build all the battles first.

This is how i play campaigns, although i usually have a real person deploy the AI forces for me. If it is a simple, straight forward scenario (like a massive assault by the Russians), i can have my 15 year old son deploy against me. He just hits 'auto' until he gets a set up he likes. He'll also often purchase a few extra enemy units, so i don't know exactly what i'm up against (he does unrealistic things with this sometime, as his concept of wargaming is more command&conquor).

If it is a more complex setup, or the AI is delaying/defending, i usually look for someone to set up for me. The computer AI is so much better than it used to be, but it still does things like placing ATGM in the middle of woods, with no LOS. I'd be happy to do a few setups for you if you like, i enjoy that almost as much as playing.

AB

Re: Deployment in scen. via a user campaign.......
 

AB,

Yeah, the problem with auto deploying while in scenario editor mode is, i will still roughly know where there gonna be at turn 1. I tried this, and each time i auto deployed, it literally showed me where they were being placed. So, i guess what im trying to accomplish is, setting them up in the back of the map, and the AI auto deploying them(like in a generated campaign) before turn 1 begins. Is this possible? (ANYONE)??

KingTiger

Re: Deployment in scen. via a user campaign.......
 

Well, you can hit auto deploy, but have the monitor covered except for the exit button (with a sheet of paper), so you don't see the deploy.

As i said, it works quite well if the computer is moving - because the AI is quite good in arranging its units for an assault - at least if it is army with poor tactics (like Iraq or or soviets in early WWII). I definately prefer to have a person set the AI up in defense or delay situations.

Re: Deployment in scen. via a user campaign.......
 

Ok that seems to be my only option(no problemo)

My next question is off that topic, but is still relevant to this Campaign. I have made my first map, and have set up my Campaign(text and first battle points,etc.)for first battle. However I have run into a dilemma upon testing it out. When i buy my Core, then buy support troops. I look at map, and check the mission. The problem is, there nothing listed for the mission(its a Defend) I saved the Scenario as an Assault/Defend(Player 2-AI, Assauling Player 1-Human)What could be causing this??? Shouldnt the mission list the - sides involved(which it does)- battle location(which it does)- date(which it does)- and mission(WHICH IT DOESNT)

Any suggestions??

KingTiger

Re: Deployment in scen. via a user campaign.......
 

You are given the "mission" button on the support troops purchase screen. You can also tell the player up front in the mission briefing text. When you get to deployment screen you are assumed to know what mission you are playing and have bought appropriate support for, plus perhaps mine points, if you were defending.

purchase->deploy is seen as one operation.

About the only time I could see that as any sort of problem is if you purchased and saved at the deploy point then left the game for a few weeks perhaps ?. However - there are still clues if you open up such a game (V-hex positions, ability to dig in or deploy mines etc, the fact you bought engineers and so on).

But basically - what you want is on the [/b]Mission[/b]button of the purchase screen.

Cheers
Andy

Re: Deployment in scen. via a user campaign.......
 

Andy,

I think you misunderstood me. I know where the mission button is located(at purchase screen). My point was, when i go into this certain scenario to test it out, it says NOTHING for TYPE of mission. All the other stats are there(date,location,sides,etc...jus no TYPE of mission/battle)
However after a lil more extensive testing, i have noticed for the Human side(the side im talking about)it does this, BUT, for the Computer side, it says River Crossing. Now this makes NOOO sense, seeing as the scenario is set up as a defend scenario with the AI assaulting. I do have a stream in the map, but its NOT a wide river. Also, another probelm i see is, after the AI takes most of the VP's and, at the end of the game(view map)80% of his Army is all jammed up in the top-left hand corner(odd to me). One more thing, i find strange... First turn of the AI's move, 1 of his helicopters takes evasive action, and exits map. Now you may think, "well what units do u have on the map, to cause him to do this?" The ONLY unit on the map for Player 1(human) is the Headqtrs, and he's waaay outta range. I only have the Hdqtrs. on the map, just to keep ending turns, to make sure AI is actually assaulting.

Any thoughts???

KingTiger

Re: Deployment in scen. via a user campaign.......
 

I would highly suggest you toss out everything you've done so far, write it off as a test and start over becasue from your discription of the problems you are having there seems to be a cascade effect on the whole scearnio. The ONLY way I have ever seen a map report as being a "River Crossing" is if it's told to be a river crossing. Did you save this as an autogenerated map in the battle generator then open it up and edit it in the sceanrio editor?

Attach this scenario with your next post and I'll look at it when we get some time. Maybe I can spot what you've done

Don

Re: Deployment in scen. via a user campaign.......
 

Ok, i just did some more testing. This time i bought 2 platoons of tanks and 1 platoon of artillery(nothing more) Against the AI's 5000 point Army and won WTF!! This is same scenario(me defend--AI assault) I noticed at end of game, the AI moved better this time, but still had plenty of units(armor and apcs) stuck, or appeared stuck in certain points of map. this map IS a fairly Urban(city) Map, which normally Infantry do better, but theres plenty of room for the AI's Armor to go around bldgs. etc.

So as of now, my only major issues are....

1.) The wrong mission statement in mission screen(River Assault listed on AI's side,nothing on Humans side- and its a Defend scenario for Human, and Assault for AI)
2.)AI getting units stuck at certain points of map(no this isnt caused by immoblisation...Like 5 AFV's just sitting in corner of Map, or in front of a Building).
3.)Helo taking evasive action, with no units on map that can hit it(range wise) on first turn. However when testing last game, my AFV's shot at first Helo, and never saw him again. The second Helo, just sat back and did nothing.

Re: Deployment in scen. via a user campaign.......
 

if it thinks it is a river crossing assault - you have the "wide river" flag set. See the help on clearing that flag. (you may have inadvertently set it by pressing the wrong keys?).

What battle type is shown when you have the scenario loaded in the editor?.

The AI can mass in the top, middle or bottom of the map sometimes - the old SP2-3 "greek phalanx" predictable deployment in rows in the middle of the map is long gone.

Did the helo land something? - they retire "evasively" automatically after dropping troops. Armed transport helos with a decent weapon (rock pods say) may well then return and "sniff around" - unarmed or mg-only ones will retire off map after dropping troops as usual. (It may well decide to get lost if it was empty at the start, for some reason - that would usually only be because of lack of enough passenger canditates which is rare ). But it seems to me (you did not differentiate between transport or attack helos) - that you are describing norml unload and run off the map AI transport helo behaviour.


Cheers
Andy

Re: Deployment in scen. via a user campaign.......
 

Andy,

No, i saved the Map, in maps, and the scenario, in scenario files. How do i attatch, and what files do you need exactlly? Just the 2 scen. files? cmt. and dat. file?

Kingtiger

Re: Deployment in scen. via a user campaign.......
 

Ahhh, ok your explanation of the Helo clears that up. Yeah i have 2 Helo's that have only mg's, carrying troops. As far as the winde river deal, you were correct. I did have the hotkey enabled http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...ies/stupid.gif Im still confused to the AI massing troops in corners and in front of Buildings. Are you saying this tends to happen, and there nothing that can be done? Thnx for your assistance, its making this game all the much more enjoyable. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/smile.gif

KingTiger