Bug Bug...AI hijacks artillery and targets own units.

Arnie L. · #1 February 12th, 2018, 03:01 AM

There was a bug that started quite a while back where the AI hijacks some of my artillery and targets my own units with it after one of the patches. I was hoping it would be fixed by now but it's still happening.

Mobhack · #2 February 12th, 2018, 03:15 AM

It should be properly fixed in the next patch, It did not always seem to clear down the programmed fire variables between succeeding games in the same session. (The AI uses programmes if attacking).

The quick fix is to clear down the programme with the appropriate bombardment screen button on entry to the game.

Arnie L. · #3 February 12th, 2018, 07:41 AM

On entry to the game? I don't exactly know what you mean by "appropriate bombardment screen button". I'm on turn 12 and I just clicked the clear button under programme and it seems fixed now.

Mobhack · #4 February 12th, 2018, 11:17 AM

If you are playing a game after loading it, go to the bombardment screen when given the opportunity (turn 1 or so, unless attacking). Press the button marked "clear" under the programme heading to clear all programmes.

The bug is intermittent, and only seems to happen when playing on to a new game after completing one where programmed fire was used. This would typically be in an ongoing campaign, where the AI was attacking you and used a programmed artillery plan (I think it only does this in the full game, not the free demo).

I couldn't get it to happen in umpteen tests when debugging a report of it, but put in extra clear-down code for the variable in a couple of places and have not seen the behaviour happen in ongoing testing.

Arnie L. · #5 February 12th, 2018, 04:59 PM

Oh, I see. Yes it happens when I play campaigns and I do use the CD version of the game. Thanks for clearing that up.

Steves308 · #6 February 14th, 2018, 02:04 PM

As long as we're talking arty bugs, something I have noticed the AI doing something similar to this. But it is usually in the upper left corner of the map, and It may be happening because I have unused victory flags that I have put in the 0,0 location (the uppermost gray hex). It may be that I did not reduce the point value of the victory flag to the minimum value, I never went back to the pre-game and confirmed. If it happens, it will happen in the first couple of turns, and sometimes the AI will kill it's troops if they are starting on that side of the map. If you are really interested in looking at it I can try and save a game when it happens and upload it. Not a big deal to me personally, just sucks to be those poor AI troops ;^)

Steve

DRG · #7 February 14th, 2018, 03:13 PM

Your supposition is correct. The AI will target V hexes and if you have one off map you confuse it.

We do tell people to ensure all V hexes are ON MAP, not off the edges

Mobhack · #8 February 15th, 2018, 10:55 AM

leaving unused V-hexes is never a good idea in scenario design as the AI path finding will direct troops towards these. It will also target them for bombardment, as you have yourself noted. It may also decide to "defend" them when deploying troops. None of which is good.

All V-hexes must be on the map. If you "dont need" some, then set them to 0 value and stack them on top of valid V-hexes that do have a value. This is mentioned in the game guide somewhere in the scenario design section.

Steves308 · #9 February 15th, 2018, 03:41 PM

Thanks for the info. I don't know where I read to put the unused victory flags on the 0,0 hex, but I've been doing it for probably 5+ years. I remember reading something about reducing the point value to below 25 points so the AI would ignore them, and then I somehow got in my head to put them in the 0,0 hex.

Guess I put 2 and 2 together and got 5

Steve