ATGM Units

[FASTBOAT TOUGH]

I don't have much time as I have NLW Trng. in the morning, however I do concur that the AI needs some help here to prioritize it's targets, HP teams will do the same thing in shooting at trucks and utility type vehicles during the AI movement sequence. It "seems" the AI does learn that the opposing HP team is shooting a little more then would be expected and thus move those type vehicles first if used before the more high value units so as to draw that fire. Coincidence? I don't know I'm not a software guy, however if you haven't got there yet, the problem with the AI shooting low value targets is the fact that it can't resupply it's teams with ammo where the HP can do this for his teams all battle long. If I'm making the investment in ATGW teams you better believe I'll have a means of resupply close by. It's a game option I have and most people out here understand it's real life with most modern armies today as well. As ammo resupply is an issue for the AI then limits maybe should be placed on the AI to target MBT, IFV, APC/FORTS, SPAA/SPA, GRUNTS, then all the rest as the game progresses.
Just my "two cents" as I've watched this progress.
Good Night!

Regards,
Pat

[arkhangelsk]

To be fair, resupply is too easily abused in the game, making multiple rocket launchers for example seem much more effective than they are - one reload sure, infinite reloads no.

Besides, not being good at prioritizing targets is at least realistic. It is only because the human is given unrealistic powers that it is unfair. In real life, you are aiming at silhouettes, not things clearly marked "Truck" or "T-80BV" with their weapons listed.

But what I would like to see is fixing the Auto Deploy function. I notice that often one platoon of Company A (which is mostly in the South Side) is scattered all the way to the North, in Company B's area, and so on. Obviously, the computer cannot be as smart as human but I would like seeing at least two things:
1) Companies grouped together rather than scattered)
2) Better deployment for things like tanks and ATGM. Perfection is impossible but at least they can care about LOS. Infantry hiding in woods is more or less acceptable, ATGM units wasting their LOS in the woods is not.

[DRG]

Point one could be looked at. I'm not in a position to run test to evaluate this ATM but I will in the future

Point two is not possible because the game has no concept of LOS when it deploys but if it did you wouldn't find those nasty ambushes in places that normally an AT gun or ATGM would be. Random unpredictability is what keeps people on their toes in this game.

The simplest way to understand how the AI deploys is to set up a game and buy some units. Then, when the next screen appears press "Auto deploy" then, when the game loads, press ' = ' key and the units will be redeployed. Every time you press that they will be redeployed. That's what the AI side does once when you start the game.

Now go back to SP2 and do the same to see how far deployment has advanced in the game. The game DOES NOT ( and can not ) calculate every possible LOS combination for every unit for every hex on the map before deciding where is the "best" place for a unit to be. Sometimes the best place for a AT unit to be is the last place you'd expect an AT unit to be. If we could manage to only put units in the "best" place it wouldn't take players long to figure out where the best place to attack would be.

Don

[Mobhack]

As a matter of fact, a few years back I tried calculating the "best LOS" as a little test of deploying units, in the defence. It added about 5 minutes to the AI deploy time for a not too large force, and tended to put the stuff in "very obvious" places like all the AAA on the top of the only hill in the defended area etc..

So basically - not much advantage over the random placement the AI uses ATM, and less unpredictability for someone who did a little terrain analysis.

However - I have some ideas for experiments in generating a better AI defence using an LOS map. Will see if I get the time this year.

Andy