gold spot = priority target. The AI has no knowledge of these, and does not use them, even if playing a scenario where the designer has set them (unless it randomly chose an impact hex which correlated with a priority target, of course!).
It plots all artillery fire missions from scratch - it does not know about 'repeat' missions or shifting fire (there is code in there that
should - I added it meself guvnor! - do it - but something else in the spaghetti seems to take priority over that).
Planes, if targeted on some hex will search around for a target. The search zone is quite large. The AI may have plotted that plane 3 turns back, on something else you did (tanks moving on a road nearby say that were in LOS to it), or just simply on a random hex in your deployment area, or as 'road rage' on your road network, or near an objective cluster.
Our AI code, unlike the SP original has no 'magic spotting' abilities, and it has no ability to 'switch' the impact zone right across the map onto a useful spotted target like the original code.
Assuming it has no more valid located targets to unload on:
- It will sometimes fire into a random hex in your deployment zone, since players usually leave their artillery park there
- It will fire on hexes you fired indirect from (smoke puffs), since a human player can do that too, I gave it that ability
- It will beat around enemy or neutral objectives
- It will beat up the road network - either in your rear zone, or on the approach roads on your half of the map
- it will target hexes you fired direct from, or even Z fired from (if you do the 'hill dance' of popping up to fire and retreating back behind the crest - expect some arty presents, if it has some unassigned batteries. Popping smoke grenades is also an 'AI interest' item now - since you did that it must have ben important - so I'll send presents.
- Like a human player, it now knows about dust trails raised by movement in deserts etc
So - do not park arty by roads in your rear zone, or near objective hexes, And if you fire, relocate after a move or 3 of fire as it is healthier. If you pop smoke, clear the zone.
I have plenty of times seen AI air strikes on parts of the map where there was absolutely nobody around - but I usually don't 'shotgun' formations all over the map and concentrate my troops into the deep South/North as a lump, or half a lump North and half south with a few scouts observing the middle etc. (Which can be a pain in MBT if he suddenly unleashes MLRS or several CBU air strikes, or in WW2 when the nasty Nazi unloads 18 odds Nebelwerfers and
killed an entire leg company of veteran/elite leg grunts - AARGH! but life is a terminal STD
)
Cheers
Andy
Re: PZIVB AP Use
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