AI deployment in generated battles

[Mobhack]

If we made things 100% predictable everyone would figure the game out in a week and that would be the end of it so when you fight you way through a forest and find a bunker and a AT gun that you think shouldn't be there that's keeps you on your toes.

Yes, one of the things I did first was to fix the original SPII deployment for an advance or attack, which was successive straight rows by platoon in the centre of the map, then a line of the same 2-3 hexes back, and repeat till out of troops. A bit like a Napoleonic battle really. (Don found some nice variant code the game already used for some reinforcement/flankers and we massaged that as well).

In SP3, it was even simpler - whatever the "wavy" deployment line was, just go back one hex and the AI troops were all in a bunched line there conforming to the front line, maybe 2 hexes deep like a greek phalanx. So simply pound 1 hex back from the front deployment zone on turn 0 and you were guaranteed to damage the AI - and as SP3 considered a track hit a "kill", it was the best way to deal with uber-tanks (an 81mm barrage killed King Tigers or M1A2 equally fine in SP3 )

Cheers
Andy