Help on controlling the AI please

[Imp]

Forget the idea of following with APCs managed to do once somehow they just pick them up only way would be to modify load capacity or have passengers onboard.

[Suhiir]

Originally Posted by Imp

Right now I am a happy bunny a couple of things first 2 I am pretty sure are a no but i might have missed something.

1) Is there anyway to just delete the last waypoint not the whole string

2) Can you force vehicles to unload would be usefull if they actually dropped off passengers in cover rather than waiting till in a fire fight.
Dropping off ATGMs MANPADS at a sensible distance would be handy to going for a play.

1) Not that I'm aware of, believe me I've tried everything I could think of. You have to clear all the waypoints for the unit and start over.

2) Another thing I'd love to be able to do but can't. Best I've managed is to have the AI move vehicles to a given point then add the passengers to the game as a reinforcement. This of course has several problems A) No passenger losses if vehicles are destroyed in-route B) If the AI decides to path oddly the passengers may not appear where the vehicles are.

[Imp]

I am not sure here at all but if you slow the APCs to a crawl i think the infantry might get out if walkings as fast.

Dont think the game was really designed for this I still get very hit & miss & having a couple of logic toggles you could place would have helped no end.
Plot path with waypoints putting logic markers where you like.
A) Load unload passengers
B) Drive at speed rather than trying to control with waypoints.
C) If enemy visible stop use path 2 etc.
Couple of global ones to handy for raids & ambushes like once enemy is seen start routines from that turn saving you trying to guess where the player will be.
This really is where the program shows its age/limitations considering lack of options AI does surprisingly well sometimes.

[Double_Deuce]

Setting the waypoints, and getting them to work the way I want them to is, IMHO, the hardest part of scenario design. The OOB's, maps and storyline come to mind fairly easy, its getting the units to move and defend how I want them to that is the challenge, at least for me.

[hoplitis]

DD,
I've done alot of experiments with waypoints after Pyros's analysis was included in the official manual, reading some of his posts in this forum and lurking in the backround during the making of the ANZAC campaign. There are a lot of things you can do with waypoints, Pyros insisted on that and he was probably right. I need some time to gather the material and formulate it in a readable manner. I think scenario designers would find it interesting, at least and hopefully useful.
...actually I was a bit disappointed because I thought that people were not interestd on the subject any more!

[Suhiir]

I've read, and reread, Pyros's analysis several times trying to get the mini campaign I'm putting together to showcase my USMC OOB revision to do what I want.
The "new" ability to use aircraft loading to split crews from vehicles mean I have to totally remake one scenario. But I'm fine with that, the lack of ability to de-crew vehicles meant I had to add vehicles as reinforcements to approximate the crews getting to them. This is FAR batter.
And the post the other day about how to make some of the AI troops defend during a meeting engagement was a godsend.

So yes, there's still interest, if quiet interest, in the subject.

[Double_Deuce]

Originally Posted by Suhiir

And the post the other day about how to make some of the AI troops defend during a meeting engagement was a godsend.

Which thread was that? I must have missed that one.

Originally Posted by Suhiir

So yes, there's still interest, if quiet interest, in the subject.

I have thought about creating a more indepth scenario design but there never seems to be large amount of designer interest out there, at least not for campaigns. It mostly seems to be just a handfull of people.

[Suhiir]

WAYPOINTS

http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/showt...ight=waypoints

Also check the "WinSPMBT Game Guide" section on waypoints. In it you'll find a pointer to Pyros' comments on the subject.

Originally Posted by Double_Deuce

Which thread was that? I must have missed that one.

This one :
http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/showt...highlight=crew

[Imp]

Hoplitis
...actually I was a bit disappointed because I thought that people were not interestd on the subject any more!

DD
I have thought about creating a more indepth scenario design but there never seems to be large amount of designer interest out there, at least not for campaigns. It mostly seems to be just a handfull of people.

Any rough guides observations would be usefful I think there is intrest out there its just that most people get fed up after a few days of it not doing what they want & give up.

Things like workarounds for the scout vehicles (& tanks?) showing a total disregard for waypoints for first 3 turns. Delaying the whole force by making reinforcements till turn 2 is time consuming then they charge ahead for a turn before hunting waypoints one hopes.
From anybodys experience if you set 3 waypoints a hex in adjacent hexes for several goes do they unload troops

Defending during a meeting if you set reaction to 20 will they not stay put till then?
Barring losing to many flags ofcourse.

The hardest part I find is getting vehicles to move slowly (2 hexes in combat mode)
or stop for 2 or 3 turns in a tree line.
Getting the fine control to actually stop at the tree line & not in the woods or open is a might tricky to helped if just use a section rather than a platoon.

Labour intensive but if buy say a Mech Company & 4 tanks so ignoring Co leader have 3 mech platoons & tank platoon swap vehicles so mech platoon is 3 APCs & a tank if similar speed. That way they all use the same waypoints the tank should be the first or more likely last vehicle depending on effect wanted.

[Suhiir]

Yeah, I've pulled a few "tricks" by taking advantage of the AI always moving units is purchase order.
Like buying all the scout units first then assigning them to companies further down the purchase order so all the scouts will move before any combat unit does.
Or making sure support weapons (MG's, AT weapons) are last in a formation so they'll be available if some unit that moves earlier triggers an op fire.
As to having units stay put during meeting engagements - I'm working with a heavily reinforced infantry battalion (a "standard" Marine Expeditionary Unit). So the scenarios tend to be long (40 to 90 turns) because I allow time for reconnaissance, movement to contact, then infantry speed assault. Since most WinSPMBT scenarios are either armor assaults or smaller then this they're much shorter then mine (side note, one of my pet peeves with many scenarios is the tight time restrictions that require you to do banzai charges).
All that said I often "need" them to stay pit for 60 or more turns and 50 is the limit using using reaction. I found out that manually setting unit speed to zero to get them to stay put means they won't op fire or often even fire back when fired on. If anyone knows of a way to get units to stay in place for 60+ turns I'd be more then happy to hear it.