SOP for Default behaviour when spotting unit

[DIVM]

There are SOP settings and stand-off hexes to have units react to fire and keep a distance from enemies; but none to what to do when spotting a unit while
Moving (unless it violates the stand-off range).

I think it would help immensely to implement small tweaks in their SOP and behaviors to allow simple and very rational reactions to units when spotting enemy units while moving:
-Keep current action (as it is currently)
-Move to closer concealed position (but not towards spotted enemy).
-Stop inmediately and wait for new orders.
-Move towards enemy.

[SgtZdog]

Unfortunately this is not a simple thing that can be set via SOP. Move to concealed position is essentially stand-off behavior (it will prefer a concealed position near blue units within your standoff radius, preferring the max distance of that standoff). Stop immediately is nearly always going to be a bad idea as it will generally mean stopping in the open or will be similar to standoff with a delay of movement (whether standoff results in the above or this behavior is contextual). Move Toward Enemy would be something like a Sweep & Clear order that would have some value to add to the game, but is a clearly different commander's intent from Assault and Move Delib, so it needs to be an order, not a SOP setting.

[PeterStep]

So to clarify something here based on observed behaviour, if stand off is set to 6 a unit will withdraw to a chosen location a further 6 hexes away? Meaning it could be 12 hexes from the triggering enemy unit. I want to find away of keeping unit out of range of enemy fire (say 2000m) but within range of own weapons (say 4000m) but units seem to scoot far further than necessary. Any offers?

[SgtZdog]

Not quite. Standoff range gets used for the search radius for how far to look to find a safe place to withdraw to (when standoff is violated while stationary). The search algorithm will prefer a location that is further away. That is if we have have a standoff of 6 and 2 equally good positions to withdraw to in all other respects, one at 3 and the other at 6, it will prefer the equal position at 6 because it is closer to our standoff range. But, a better position 7 hexes away won't get evaluated. (I'm simplifying here because the details are beyond the scope of the discussion and because we don't publish these exact algorithms because we may change them if we come up with something better.)

[PeterStep]

Ok then perhaps it is the terminology that is confusing the issue. To me stand off should remain constant between two combatants where possible. So let me ask this as a hypothetical- on a flat plain with no cover is my unit set to engage at maximum range of 3000m and advancing towards it is an enemy unit in full view with weapons capable of reaching 2000m. I want my unit to 'stand off' when the enemy is closer than 6 hexes so it cannot get close enough to fire at me. If I set stand off to 6 I understand you to say my unit could move up to 6 hexes (and then be out of range). If I set it to 2 hexes then the enemy get close enough to fire.

The behaviour here is more withdrawal range than stand off distance with a rolling fall back. Is that something the game engine is capable of implementing?

Cheers

Peter