ATF: AI IF Targeting

[kbluck]

I've never seen dismounts targeted by AI artillery fire, even by mortars and such. Nor isolated scout elements, even though I'm sure they've been spotted because they attracted other fire.

How does the AI select targets? What can I do in the database to affect that process? For example, if I arbitrarily inflated Target Value or something like that, would it be more likely to fire missions at targets in general?

Is playing with the database the only way to adjust the AI's priorities?

--- Kevin

[Pat Proctor]

Yes to everything.

Raising the target value of a target will raise its priority for destruction by AI artillery. It is a little more complicated than this (AI prefers stationary, positively ID'd targets, and also prefers softer, easier to hit targets) but this is the best way, in the database, to effect that priority.

If artillery is not firing at dismounts, it is because the enemy sees and can engage a more lucrative target.

[CPangracs]

If I may add to this, Pat is right on the money! I have my SOF and COLT teams with a target value of 85, and artillery jumps all over them if they are spotted! That is, of course, unless I have some M1's out in the open!
This forces you to use these assets as they were intended - unseen observers (or as unseen as possible!).

Another way to ensure they are actually harder to see, replicating their stealth and camouflage abilities, is to reduce their size to 1/2 normal. This makes it VERY difficult, but not impossible, to find, target, and engage!

Some may think this is db "tweaking", but it is just using the database to accurately model aspects of a unit type impossible to model without rewriting the program almost to the last line of code.:cheeky:

[kbluck]

If artillery is not firing at dismounts, it is because the enemy sees and can engage a more lucrative target.

I'm not so sure.

It seems to me that, as a practical matter, there might be a minimum threshold of Target Value below which targets will not be engaged. That threshold seems to be somewhere between 50% and 60%. For example, a Scout HMMWV has a Target Value of 45% in Database1. I can roll them right up to an enemy unit and stop them in clear view, and leave them sitting there as long as I like, within range of enemy arty, and they'll never be targeted. I'm sure they've spotted me, because I've red-spotted them and my unit is much easier to see. Nor is there anything else they're looking at, because everything else is shoved out of sight.

This is easy to test in Death Valley Attack. Attached is a savegame with 4 friendly units right next to an enemy spotter. When you run the game, the M9, M1A2, and M2A2 will be attacked with artillery. The HMMWV scout sitting right next to them will not, no matter how long the clock runs.

Any insights into what is going on?

Thanks,

--- Kevin

[kbluck]

Another curious situation.

Attached savegame has a US battery in clear view of an enemy spotter. The battery is out of range of DPICM ammo but in range of HE, HERAP and DPICMBB. They are not targeted, even though this seems like a perfect target.

Any idea what the AI is thinking here?

Here's my usual wild guess: The AI prefers to fire "standard" ammo over extended-range. It also prefers to fire DPICM over HE. Since it is in range of standard HE, it refuses to fire the ER ammo. Since it still has DPICM ammo available, it refuses to fire HE. Since it is not in range for DPICM, it refuses to fire that too. Net result: no fire.

--- Kevin