AI bridge

[d1973]

When attacking is the AI oponent able to build bridges if it wants to cross the river at a certain point?

[JeF]

Sure. Why not ?
But only at previously blown crossing points and if the scenario allows it : a bridging unit is needed.

JeF.

[d1973]

hmm but does that mean that it won't be possible to make a river crossing scenario with no bridge or other crossing point at the start of the scenario,or if there is a bridge to create the option for the AI forces to build a bridge elsewere in order to outmaneuver the human player???

[Arjuna]

Rivers can only be crossed at a crossing and only if the crossing has a valid bridge or ferry/ford. If this has been blown then you must reconstruct it.

[d1973]

Yes,but can the AI enemy build a bridge over a river that never had a crossing and the only valid crossing have to be built during the game?Or if there is one single crossing point,is the AI able to build a bridge elsewhere to avoid the strong defence it is supposed to meet at the only existing bridge?

[GoodGuy]

ORIGINAL: d1973

Yes,but can the AI enemy build a bridge over a river that never had a crossing and the only valid crossing have to be built during the game?

That's not possible. There has to be a valid crossing....Let's say an imaginary map would have a river in the middle, dividing the map into 2 river banks, but no bridge/crossing:

The Map Editor (or was it the Scenario Editor ?[8|]) [:)] would not let you save/use the file, as it detects that these river banks aren't connected, so the map would contain "unreachable locations", in fact. So, u need a connecting strip of land, or a crossing (bridge, ferry, etc) in order to get a working map.

Or if there is one single crossing point,is the AI able to build a bridge elsewhere to avoid the strong defence it is supposed to meet at the only existing bridge?

Again, the AI won't build an additional crossing during the game. If there's only one crossing, the AI will try to cross it, if the AI objectives have been set accordingly.

While it might attempt to cross it at daylight several times (with some heavy losses - if you defend it well - most likely), it might attempt to make it to the other side at night again, later on, trying to sneak in, slighty pouring in troops.
I've seen that kinda behaviour several times on a few test maps, which I created a while ago.

In these tests, I made 3 crossings (1 ferry, 1 plain crossing [simulating a blown bridge], and 1 primed light road bridge), and after the light road bridge had been blown up, there were ZERO attempts to re-construct any bridge on the AI side, although I made sure that there were plenty of bridge engineers (yes, with bridge building capacity [:)])....the AI just did not use 'em, and kept trying to cross the other crossings, since it met some heavy defenses at the light bridge I blew up.
Crossing a blown-up crossing, or even a ferry takes ages in HttR (unlike in COTA), I've seen tanks taking up to 24 hrs, other big units getting stuck for several days, IIRC.

But even with that disadvantage, means with the AI using a ferry only, for example, it would not try to rebuild any of the damaged crossing, although they would allow for a far more rapid deployment later on.

Maybe I've been missing a detail setup-wise in these custom scenarios wrong, but I have never seen any reconstruction-operations (not even on any community map/original map) conducted by the AI.

The Scenario Editor allows to set an additional option ("AI should reconstruct bridge"), and I made sure that it was checked on each crossing....then I did some changes, tinkered with AI objectives and their priorities, with amount of "reconstruct bridge" options etc to no avail, but the AI did not make ANY attempt to reconstruct a bridge. I have yet to see the AI building a bridge in COTA btw....it's just not happening there as well.....maybe it's just like that on my end, dunno....but no attempts to rebuild them in HttR, nor in COTA.

Thank you for your questions, since they just brought that AI behaviour to my attention again.

Maybe this could be reviewed and/or confirmed for COTA/BFTB, to see if it's a shortcoming, or if it's the user's fault (a possible mistake regarding AI objectives in the SM settings) [:)]

My 2 cents.

[Arjuna]

GoodGuy,
 
I'll check up on the Ai rebuilding bridges. AFAICR it should do if there are no valid alternatives. But I'll check on that in due course.

[d1973]

thanks very much for your usefull answers.It helped a lot!

[Arjuna]

re AI rebuilding bridges. I can confirm that it will only do this when ordered to by the player. This functionality was not added in HTTR or COTA for that matter. I have slotted it in for BFTB though.
 
TT3051 - AI - Bridge Rebuilding - Enable AI to rebuild bridges on own initiative

[MarkShot]

Dave,

Just to be clear ... you are saying the AI will not build a bridge simply to get to the other side? But it will build a bridge if it was given a secure crossing objective and does not exist or was destroyed, won't it?

Thanks.

[Deathtreader]

ORIGINAL: MarkShot

Dave,

Just to be clear ... you are saying the AI will not build a bridge simply to get to the other side? But it will build a bridge if it was given a secure crossing objective and does not exist or was destroyed, won't it?

Thanks.

***BUMP*** [:)]

[Arjuna]

Ok I just checked the code and as far as my tired ol' brain can discern, the AI will construct a bridge if the human player gives an order to do so, either directly or indirectly. By directly I mean he issues a Construct Bridge order. By indirectly I mean he flags the secure crossing checkbox and at some later point the bridge is blown the AI should then change the task type internally to Construct Bridge.  However, the AI controlled side will not order any of its units at present to construct a bridge.
 
Does that clarify it for you?

[Deathtreader]

ORIGINAL: Arjuna

Ok I just checked the code and as far as my tired ol' brain can discern, the AI will construct a bridge if the human player gives an order to do so, either directly or indirectly. By directly I mean he issues a Construct Bridge order. By indirectly I mean he flags the secure crossing checkbox and at some later point the bridge is blown the AI should then change the task type internally to Construct Bridge.  However, the AI controlled side will not order any of its units at present to construct a bridge.

Does that clarify it for you?

Yes indeedy.......... for me anyways.
Thanks! [:)]

Rob.