HETMAN - Artificial Commander

[orcinus 121]

One thing about that: in fact I do not set "column" formations to anybody. Just set "safe" behavior, then always column is chosen and any other formation is overrided. So, if reserve should use other formation, there must be changed behavior to "aware". I'm not sure yet, if this will be fine.

File & delta are the only 2 formations that will get troops following a human commander really fast in aware or even danger mode (well, before 1.60 for the latter, not reliably now - sometimes get 'stuck' & refuse to move if under fire even in an open space near cover). File is also very useful in "stealth" mode. Set them to prone, crawl as fast as you can & they're right behind you.

As far as 'aware' is concerned, either seem to be OK for AI (though casual observations rather than test).

BR

Orcinus

[taro8 806]

This quickly gone from some Arma Chess Master type mod to babysitting every unit mod

It is still chessmaster. The only babysitting is for cargo system, otherwise almost everything else is done via assigning waypoints to units letting AI take care of the rest. IMHO its the best part as AI with enhancing mods is pretty good and whole thing is really unpredictable. Of course AI can be mighty retarded at times, but its not like soldiers IRL are always follow the reason ;).

[katipo66 94]

Yeah i know bro, just tongue and cheek :)

[gunterlund21 10]

@CB

This is in my cargo demo on in other mission? And there are another unused trucks, that do nothing when attack missions appear (not later, if on foot move waypoint is given, then will be not changed even, if there will be available truck after this order)? If you prepare vanilla demo with this problem (there are available, currently not in use trucks, there are attack mission farer than 1000 meters and groups designated to this mission when trucks are unused and available, still walk on foot without cargo assigned, and some cargo do nothing in this time, in moment, when attack orders are issued) then maybe I'll be able to say more. Until then - I saw cargo used as should be, sorry... :( I'm ran out of ideas about what this problem causes. Of course, if there are only two trucks, and at same moment eight attack ("inf" or "Cap") missions designated, then two groups will receive truck, and rest will walk towards its targets.

One thing Ive also found is the truck will take one group up to a certain size. I think the max is around 8 in the group. So if you have 2 groups of 4 it will only load 1 group and not fill the truck.

[Rydygier 1302]

One thing Ive also found is the truck will take one group up to a certain size. I think the max is around 8 in the group. So if you have 2 groups of 4 it will only load 1 group and not fill the truck.

That is true and there will be that way (but max size should be limited by available space, this I can check). Implementation into HAC taking more than one group at once, while each group has own and different target point or even different kind of mission, if not impossible, then for sure is nightmare.

[CaptainBravo 0]

One thing Ive also found is the truck will take one group up to a certain size. I think the max is around 8 in the group. So if you have 2 groups of 4 it will only load 1 group and not fill the truck.

I think this is the issue. I nnoticed too that groups given a ride were a team of 6 or smaller. Only 1 team at a time rode in truck. But squads of 9 had no ride.

So perhaps size of group is the issue.

[gammadust 12]

I really don't mean to distract from your current focus Rydigier, but since you mentioned something about topography, terrain features detection and stuff like that. This and this may come really useful to you too later on (I never used those scripts and can't help by experience, but they are well quoted).

[taro8 806]

Ok, I checked cargo demo and trucks and support vehicles are used. I have GL4, Zeus, ASR AI. I had no problems like squads being stuck or anything like that, they fought pretty good.

Note: Its rather hard to disable debug mode, I had to edit RydHQInit and change those "if" conditions to disable it.

I was able to see 2 waypoints on map like in cadet mode: "move to" and "search and destroy".

Chopper gave me very good support but after some time, it just flew around without firing. It is possible that it run out of ammo. After some more time it just hovered a bit off the battlefield. Maybe if helo is without ammo and there are no ammo trucks (mine was blown up by Hind, I think) it should get order to return to base.

My squad acted a bit scatterbrained, possible because of mods. We got order to move into town, fighting was going on, but my squad wasnt under fire, yet they kept advancing in combat mode, then a bit of column/safe then again combat mode.

Edited January 26, 2012 by Taro8

[Rydygier 1302]

Thanks guys for that info, but now, before sleep only about this:

I think this is the issue. I nnoticed too that groups given a ride were a team of 6 or smaller. Only 1 team at a time rode in truck. But squads of 9 had no ride.

Test1: MTVR and full squad (13 troops): they not get in, cargo is not assigned. Reason: MTVR has space for only 12 + driver.

Test2: MTVR and 12-men group: cargo assigned, whole group boarded.

Test3: AAV and 13-men squad: as above.

Conclusion: empty space counter is good. So system works, at least for me...

[taro8 806]

Oh and about UAV's crashing into stuff. I had same problem. That tendency can be very limited by giving UAV "flyinheight" command. I think that default is about 100m. I think that at 200-400 is enough. Also giving it limited speed might help. Another thing is behavior: UAV will try to employ maneuvers when it spots enemy, if it has careless behavior it may still spot (I think), but will not try to make evasive maneuvers .

[Rydygier 1302]

Setting hight for UAV is not a problem, limited speed also, but I affraid, that on higher level its spotting ability may be worse due to greater distance to targets. It is also very easy to set individually by init field (this flyinheight 200;this limitspeed something) so perhaps this I leave to mission maker. Careless will be added however by HAC.

About choppers without ammo: teoretically such choppers should stay on ground except recon missions, but maybe I manage to add some additional filter that will check every cycle, if there is such chopper in the air and to make it land at its initial position if so.

About topography: some time ago I saw this clever Ruebe's code, but still had no time to test it also it maybe quite heavy perhaps. Maybe in some future version... For information purpose: currently HAC utylizes four different methods for finding suitable position:

1. "Field of view" scanner - code, that looks for places with not blocked (but only by terrain) FOV in given direction at given area for given distance (is set to 320 meters not blocked by terrain field of view). It is based on stepping comparison of differences in height on distance between the point of being checked, and point which is to be visible. It is rather heavy (many iterations) - used often in defend mode. This are those black dots in defend mode.

2. "SelectBestPlaces" + "surfaceisWater" scanners for finding given kind of terrain (forest or city for infantry, on the contrary for vehicles, and of course not sea...);

3. FOs choose their positions on recon mission by randomization of 50 points around target area and choosing most elevated amongst them;

4. For idle guard and defend hold position missions there are sometimes chosen positions at nearby roads (unfortunatelly regardless of some safe-system, sometimes also on roads).

Also I'm aware about fifth method: by finding nearest location of "Hill" type or other types, but this one is not implemented and not tested by me.

About file formation and aware for idle groups: Decided, that file formation will be given only, when infantry actually is in aware (there is one kind of mission, when long movement and aware are togheter - main flanking maneuver). Why not for idle and safe movements? Because in aware mode groups starts to look for terrain covers, rarely use of roads and often moving with rised weapon. EDIT: added also for movement from "halfway" point to target point, if halfway was assigned for cargo.

Edited January 26, 2012 by Rydygier

[Rydygier 1302]

Note: Its rather hard to disable debug mode, I had to edit RydHQInit and change those "if" conditions to disable it.

Yeah. My mistake. To play without debug there must be not defined RydHQ(B)_Debug at all (nil) or changed to false during play/after HAC init. Repaired that.

---------- Post added at 14:32 ---------- Previous post was at 13:23 ----------

Just implemented (not tested yet, I wonder, if this work) optional "fronts" mode. Concept is based on "locations", because this gives me possibility to very easy & quick test, if given position is in front area. Mission maker will have to set particullary named, empty trigger with shape, size and direction corresponding to planned front sector and should remember, to set objectives inside front and, if there are also other leaders for that side, to set limited control for leaderHQ to avoid strange situations. HAC will automatically set configured identical to this trigger location. How front works? Simply. Given leader will pay attention and take into acount only enemies currently located inside given front area. This is all. Its forces will be send only against such enemies, also flanking routes will be based and calculated only on enemy groups inside front area. However controlled by leaderHQ forces may be localized outside front, also leaderHQ may to set waypoints outside front when issuing orders agains enemy inside front. Given area may be covered by more than one front area, also chosen area may stay not covered at all. Controlled by given leaderHQ forces may to attack also enemies from outside, but only if they "by the way" completing they mission come across such enemy group and decide to engage, beacuse this behavior is not controlled by HAC. I'm not sure, but I think, that in similar (trigger&location) way may works zone setting in DAC.

Edited January 26, 2012 by Rydygier

[CaptainBravo 0]

Will multiple commanders work together? For example commander 1 needs help repeling an attack, will other commanders send help to areas outside theirs? Will they work together to attack enemy HQ? Right now AI is pretty impressive with one commander and I hope adding more commanders will not slow AI response time or add limitations to its dynamic response. What is the advantage of 1 commander vs having 4 on one side?

[Rydygier 1302]

More leaders means more cycles in one turn, and cycles aren't executed simultanously unless "fast" mode is on, so yes, each round will last longer beacuse of longer queue, but maybe "fast" will work without choking CPU. Of course additional commanders are optional.

They will work together only (but not exactly in this way, there will be no "borrowing" units or support), if I manage to implement bigboss level, and currently I'm thinking just about that. Also considering, if do it in version 1.1 or maybe in some later version, because there is all strategy to invent and implement, there is still many questions without answer, this take some time, so in later version this will be better refined. Without boss level, if you want cooperating forces, just give them one leader, and voila... :) You may also to give same front area to each leader, then they will fight with same enemy, but without coordination.

Edited January 26, 2012 by Rydygier

[CaptainBravo 0]

Another use for multi commanders is having each commander command a platoon instead of an area. That commander can assign different squads within his platoon different objectives. So you have one platoon size (3 squads) attacking "together" a target while another commander with his platoon position his squads to flank the enemy position. The "BIG BOSS" will issue orders to each commander with different objectives.

This mimick real life situation and allow for greater coordination. (platoon level instead of squad).

Just my thoughts on multi commander.

[Rydygier 1302]

Yes, it is all to consider yet. BB should at his own discretion to manage with fronts (this may prove hardest to implement), objectives, and leader's positions, depending on the overall situation on the map. Not easy, as I said, so implementation such strategist's view will last long.

---------- Post added at 19:15 ---------- Previous post was at 18:57 ----------

For now implementing "moveable objectives". There will be four main objectives for each leader. On start current will be always first of them. If certain conditions will be met, this objective will be considered as "captured", then next objective (Obj2) will become current one, and so on. But if enemy retakes area near of one of already captured objectives, this one would be current again. This may prove usefull for mission makers and for bigboss.

Edited January 26, 2012 by Rydygier

[taro8 806]

I just wish to make it clear: there will be 4 additional objectives, but will it be possible to move them during mission? I came up with the idea of "asymmetric warfare" mission: one commander has conventional forces operating from military bases and another has infantry only, but operates from small camps scattered all over the map and camps produce new squads until destroyed. I want to make conventional commander to get goal to get to one place, and if there are no enemy camp there, then objective is moved.

I think that, this kind of mission would fit perfectly to Unsung jungle maps.

[Rydygier 1302]

This is not hard to move object by script/trigger. Currently used also is moveable. Objectives are and will be moveable as any placed in editor object, and HAC will notice this movement, but HAC itself will not to move them, because principles of this movement will be very different depending on mission maker's concept. To move objective object in chosen moment, may be used eg. "setpos" command. The trick is, to determine appropriate conditions under which movement should occur and to where should be moved. In yours warfare concept it may be "not presence" of OPFOR in given radius around camp. If main camp building/tent will be named eg "Camp1", "Camp2" and so on, then movement code may looks like : RydHQ_Obj1 setpos (getpos Camp2); or maybe even: RydHQ_Obj1 = Camp2; (not tested), without need of movement, just given tent-object itself becomes a current objective (caution, this should be indestructible object, otherwise, if destroyed, therefore objective disappear from the map), but HAC in this case will always clear camps in the same order, so there may be added some randomization of first and next target, and so on...

Also if you for example want only one objective (as currently) and to move it across the map, there will be some ways do do that: First: to place all four objectives in same place and to move them together. Second, better, because simplier: to place only first objective (RydHQ_Obj1) and to add in init config following:

RydHQ_Obj2 = RydHQ_Obj1;

RydHQ_Obj3 = RydHQ_Obj1;

RydHQ_Obj4 = RydHQ_Obj1;

Should work, although it is not tested.

Still, there be also, as is, two optional secondary objectives per leader, but leader will pay only little attention on them - some idle groups may be temporarily directed there and this is all. This is usefull, if mission maker want to relocate some forces towards given areas in not invasive way during mission or to simulate capturing of village, strategic point or whatever. It is not guaranteed although, because it is randomized, and idle groups may be any time redirected to attack.

Edited January 27, 2012 by Rydygier

[taro8 806]

Ill try to make something. Anyway, I noticed a CBA_fnc_searchNearby function. It makes AI search nearby buildings if possible. It could be included to reserve patrols, they would check buildings as a part of patrols.

[Rydygier 1302]

Functions may be added in some later versions (must "familiarize" with them first). Also this will make HAC dependant on CBA even in script version, which I tried to avoid. Well, will see, maybe as an option...

[taro8 806]

Just pointing out. Anyway, I managed to get random group script working along with camp that spawns them continuously until it is destroyed. So here are the questions:

If I set insurgents and guerrilla to work together, then will HAC order both factions?

If HAC has an order to capture an objectives how close units will be placed? I want to know as AI dosnt have enough brains to destroy tent so I used "seized by" and I want to know how big radius has to be.

You say that HAC wil delegate reserve forces to secondary objectives. I think that will suit my idea pretty well. My guerrilla faction would get secondary objective that moves along with conventional forces main objective. I would mean that there would be high chance that guerrillas would always have someone guarding their camps in case enemy comes.

[Rydygier 1302]

Added + 20 morale gain if objective captured, and - 5 loss, if lost...

---------- Post added at 13:41 ---------- Previous post was at 13:28 ----------

If I set insurgents and guerrilla to work together, then will HAC order both factions?

If not civs, needed only this value high enough: GetFriend. Plus additional conditions, if some limited control mode is on.

If HAC has an order to capture an objectives how close units will be placed? I want to know as AI dosnt have enough brains to destroy tent so I used "seized by" and I want to know how big radius has to be.

After tactical flanking positioning (100m from target spot) capturing group will receive "SAD" wayypoint exactly on spot, but SAD means, that they will move here and there. From Biki about SAD waypoint:

"A leader on foot will rarely search more than 50m from the waypoint, while a leader in a helicopter will search up to 300m from the waypoint."

You say that HAC wil delegate reserve forces to secondary objectives. I think that will suit my idea pretty well. My guerrilla faction would get secondary objective that moves along with conventional forces main objective. I would mean that there would be high chance that guerrillas would always have someone guarding their camps in case enemy comes.

You also always may exclude some group as camp guard, or, better, make them garrisoned (there is such array in HAC, but lately found some bug in this code, will be reapaired)

PS. WOOOW just heard some noise behind window, so look at white, winter world and what I see? Five Hind (?) helicopters above my house flying somewhere towards east... Excersises? Routine relocation? War? Did I miss something when coding HAC? :)

[dcal 16]

Wow, it looks like HETMAN Artificial Commander is shaping up to be a legendary, must have script for the Arma series. Thanks Rydygier and everyone contributing. I have been watching this unfold and ideas put back and forth. This is why I love the Arma series!

[taro8 806]

I decided to only go with guerrillas, makes easier for conditions for triggers.

You also always may exclude some group as camp guard, or, better, make them garrisoned (there is such array in HAC, but lately found some bug in this code, will be reapaired)

I have camps script fire up if there no guerrilla around for 5 minutes. This way it will be possible for player to come across some abandoned camps that may become active if left alone. However thanks for reminding me of garrisons, I will use them for conventional forces base guards.

Im not exactly sure about conditions for triggers that spawn random enemy groups, should it be guerrillas not present or something else?

Also about side objectives. On S.E.A. map, from unsung, there is one big airbase (HQ is there) and 2 special forces camps. If I give conventional forces commander side objectives place in those camps will he try to reinforce the garrison there in case of troubles? Also HQ tries to protect its position, right?

Also about main objective: how long does HAC keeps it occupied when it captures it? I need it for timeout duration.

PS. WOOOW just heard some noise behind window, so look at white, winter world and what I see? Five Hind (?) helicopters above my house flying somewhere towards east... Excersises? Routine relocation? War? Did I miss something when coding HAC?

Heh, they may have been called to pacify those rowdy teenagers that keep protesting about that ACTA thingy. I dunno for certain, as I rarely come out of my cave :p.

Edited January 27, 2012 by Taro8

[Rydygier 1302]

Im not exactly sure about conditions for triggers that spawn random enemy groups, should it be guerrillas not present or something else?

You may want to keep certain number of groups on map, so maybe some quantitative threshold? And some interval between spawns? And, important in my opinion, there should be not units of second side in certain radius, especially player controlled, so spawns shouldn't occurs in close proximity to enemy units.

Also about main objective: how long does HAC keeps it occupied when it captures it? I need it for timeout duration.

Hard to tell actually... It is fluid. When capturing mission is over, group will stay there until it receives a new mission elsewhere. Although when capturing missions are issued often there is not much more to do at this time, but still there are idle missions. However given objective will be considered as "captured" as long there are no enemies in give radius or if there is more allies than enemies around. Exact conditions checked every reset (10 minuts by default):

to "capture" - no enemy units in 500 meters radius (or very few of them - depends on leader's recklessness) and more than 30 allied units in 250 meters radius (or other number of units chosen by misson maker);

to "lost" - there is more enemy units in 250 meters radius than allied units in 500 meters radius.

Pending some testing, if this works, but it is not easy to test.

Heh, they may have been called to pacify those rowdy teenagers that keep protesting about that ACTA thingy.

Possibly... :)

If I give conventional forces commander side objectives place in those camps will he try to reinforce the garrison there in case of troubles? Also HQ tries to protect its position, right?

Affraid not. :) Not directly. Only thing, that leaderHQ will do about secondary objectives directly is sending sometimes idle groups towards such objective with guarding or patrolling mission. This mission may be interrupted any time when given idle group is needed for some primary tasks. There is good chance, especially, when sec objectives are far away, that no one will get there at all... But if someone will be there (eg garrison) and will be attacked, then HAC become aware about new enemy and will send primary attack missions at this position to engage hostile units.

---------- Post added at 14:56 ---------- Previous post was at 14:45 ----------

Wow, it looks like HETMAN Artificial Commander is shaping up to be a legendary, must have script for the Arma series. Thanks Rydygier and everyone contributing. I have been watching this unfold and ideas put back and forth. This is why I love the Arma series!

Yep, HAC has grown so monstrously that merely I embrace it already. Often surprises me and I do not know why he does what he does. Now I wait only until HAC will work out E = mc2 formula with markers or will start oppose to me vulgar words. Maybe that was him, who sended these Hinds at my house... Still, bugtracking gets more difficult...

Edited January 27, 2012 by Rydygier