Slitherine

I posted this in another thread but it got lost there...

Will the ability to script the AI (Scenario parameters) by name or tag be added before release?

Just to illustrate what I mean:

I would like to be able to script a whole division (or other unit of an OOB) to Move To or Move Random according to a name (or tag) that has been assigned to each element of that unit. For example, all elements with "LSSAH" in their name (not changeable by the player) would act in concert.

Currently, this can only be done on a All (Ground, Air, Naval) basis in the Scenario Parameters. Zones can be employed but that does not account for units that might move out of those zones during play or for orders that follow other orders. e.g Take objective A, then B, then C.

I'll do my best to include this.

That would be good, thanks.

What would be great, is if the AI is scripted to not send its artillery in transport and park it adjacent to enemy units! This is still happening and has been one of the main criticisms of the AI for a long time. I was under the impression that these kinds of things would be corrected for AK (without creating a super AI). That and using artillery first in a combat round (I understand it's not always the best order) rather than later.

Example, German AI is attacking through the Kasserine Pass - a tough ask at the best of times. Instead of using the full-strength panzergrenadiers and softening with the artillery, it "attacks" with the artillery in trucks and the panzergrenadiers stand by smoking cigarettes!

I did some changes to AI evaluation function to fix the trucks problem, but apparently these were not enough. It is a tricky issue, because it is about unit coordination (artillery should not approach on its own, but together with other units it can and should), and the AI is poor at it (it moves units one by one). Changing this fundamental AI trait would require a major AI rewrite which is not feasible atm. But yeah, I've seen all the feedback on this issue during the AK beta, and this task remains on my todo list. If I can't do anything with it before release, it will move on to the next patch. The plan is to find some AI tweak which would give the desired result without rewriting the AI from scratch.

It's probably too simple but, even though it would be ideal to have the AI coordinate its artillery to soften targets, couldn't it be made to move (as distinct from fire) after other types have moved? In the example above, which may not be indicative of all instances, of course, the grenadiers (infantry type) would move ahead of the 10.5cm (artillery type). If firing occurs on a unit-by-unit basis the grenadiers would attack before the artillery but that is better than the artillery rolling up in trucks IMO.

as a quick fix and since towed arty has a minimum range of 2 it may worth a try to instruct towed arty to

0. Shoot first if valuable target in range (preferred fortified/city hex)
1. Never move first (before armor or infantry for example)(If shooting first>spare movement until others have moved)
2. Never move to hex with enemy unit in adjacent hex, neither mounted nor dismounted this way there may always a hex where another AI unit can fill the space and be backed by arty then...wherever Inf or Armor

While 1.10 is being finalised, would it be possible to add the very simple option for campaign scenarios to set a starting experience for new units, please? In that way units 'bought' in late war years don't have to start with zero experience and end up as cannon fodder!

oh..hey..while we are going postal with the last second wishlist and last moment add new features...
may I humbly ask what happend to the sent unit to specific hex ?