Main Engine Improvement Request

James Ward · 12-04-2008, 02:46 AM,

Glenn Saunders Wrote:
U124IXB Wrote:I'm just dreaming of the day when the ai deploys its troops in a line rather than insist's on stacking them three battalions deep in a hex and invites me to leisurely surround them and annihilate with ease.

And I can't say I've seen the AI do this. SO if your dreaming of a solution, I'd suggest you send your btl file to HPS where the units start not stacked and then ask tech support to end the turn and watch Hex X,Y for the AI behavior you don't like - and we can have it looked at in the programming.

Also confirm with Tech Support that you are using the most recent ver of the game.

Last time we had a good review of the AI - prior to the Minsk release - we cleaned up a number of issues like this and I never saw this behavior. Not that it isn't possible - just that perhaps I was looking at a situation that was different than yours.

Anyway - you are free of course to dream about fixes if you like, but if your a little more proactive you may indeed make your wish come true.

Glenn

I haven't seen the AI do what U124IBX describes but I often have wondered why the AI will move out of bunkers/pillboxes/trenches when they are defending. Sometimes it does it on the first turn of a game.
Is it because you can't give an order to an individual unit of a formation?

Glenn Saunders · 12-04-2008, 03:40 AM,

James Ward Wrote:... I often have wondered why the AI will move out of bunkers/pillboxes/trenches when they are defending. Sometimes it does it on the first turn of a game.
Is it because you can't give an order to an individual unit of a formation?

Well - you can now give an AI Order to an individual unit but we haven't gome back over old scn looking for places to apply this.

Also - the AI as you know does not cheat - it acts on the info it sees just like you do. However it doesn't act with the knowledge of the overall situation. Furthermore on the first turn many of your units are not visable so the AI doesn't precieve a threat. We often try to Fix such units but again the Fix unit is released when they are spotted so FIXING doesn't have the desired effect.

And another thing - the AI can over ride the AI order at any time.

IN any case, if you have a Scn where the AI moves out of the bunker on the first turn, send me the BTL file and I will see what I can do about it. I can't promise it will be fixed - but I will look at it.

Anyway -I sure hope I get the file from the previous poster where the AI moves three Btlns and sets up a full regiment in a hex, then this is a problem we should look at if we can understand it and replicate it.

Glenn

James Ward · 12-04-2008, 07:16 AM,

Glenn Saunders Wrote:Well - you can now give an AI Order to an individual unit but we haven't gome back over old scn looking for places to apply this.

Cool.

Is how to do this detailed in the manuals? It's actually been a while since I read them. All I am familiar with is the formation move or moving adjacent units at once.

Glenn Saunders · (This post was last modified: 12-04-2008, 08:15 AM by Glenn Saunders.)

I think it is in there James.

Basically - put your cursor on the hex and highlight the unit.
The there is a MENU ITEM for SELECT UNIT - you find it under VIEW \ HIGHLIGHT => Selected Unit.

Then issue you Active AI order - it will apply only to that one unit.

NOTE - take baby steps - that is if you put the order to move 50 hexes away then it might work - but if you do add three AI orders with around 18 hexes each over turn 1, 3 and 5 if will likely work better.

Glenn

U124IXB · 12-04-2008, 11:41 AM,

I was well am still playing 1st alamein scenario.with latest patch.It has been stacking armour and inf the armor i could understand the inf got me scratching my head a little then again it was a thrust from the south east to the north west retried the start of this scenario a few times now always seem to get the same result,

James Ward · 12-06-2008, 02:50 AM,

Glenn Saunders Wrote:I think it is in there James.

Basically - put your cursor on the hex and highlight the unit.
The there is a MENU ITEM for SELECT UNIT - you find it under VIEW \ HIGHLIGHT => Selected Unit.

Then issue you Active AI order - it will apply only to that one unit.

NOTE - take baby steps - that is if you put the order to move 50 hexes away then it might work - but if you do add three AI orders with around 18 hexes each over turn 1, 3 and 5 if will likely work better.

Glenn

Ok I got this part. Is there a way to order a unit to HOLD, that is not move even if the rest of the formation gets AI orders?

Glenn Saunders · 12-06-2008, 03:00 AM,

James Ward Wrote:Ok I got this part. Is there a way to order a unit to HOLD, that is not move even if the rest of the formation gets AI orders?

You can order the single unit to HOLD just like you do the active AI Order. And you can FIX the unit too. But in all cases, you can't force the AI to obey any order and it reserves the right to look at and evaluate the situation. Furthermore, if you order a single unit to hold and the Parent parent formation to move, without a FIXED status, then there is no telling what will happen really.

Glenn

James Ward · 12-06-2008, 03:52 AM,

Glenn Saunders Wrote:
James Ward Wrote:Ok I got this part. Is there a way to order a unit to HOLD, that is not move even if the rest of the formation gets AI orders?

You can order the single unit to HOLD just like you do the active AI Order. And you can FIX the unit too. But in all cases, you can't force the AI to obey any order and it reserves the right to look at and evaluate the situation. Furthermore, if you order a single unit to hold and the Parent parent formation to move, without a FIXED status, then there is no telling what will happen really.

Glenn

Thanks.

James Ward · 12-06-2008, 05:23 AM,

Glen,
I have some files that show the AI abandoning bunkers. While not the first turn of the game it is early in the game and none are threatened. I didn't do any moves just advanced turns. Would you like me to send them to you? They are from Kursk.

Liquid_Sky · 12-08-2008, 02:12 PM,

You know, I hate to break this to you, but a human will always beat the computer at this sort of game. Sooner or later you will learn how the computer acts/reacts, and you will adapt. The computer will not do the same to you.

While the computer does a credible job at shooting/assaulting, when it comes to movement, it will never figure out the overall situation. If you desire that sort of competance in your games, you really should be playing another human...at least he will learn from your mistakes/successes...