Pathing Error?

[Mahatma]

I'm not sure if this is my fault as the end time for the order is 13:12. Middle Coy has decided to detour as you can see.


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[Mahatma]

One more thing. Is it possible to stop the units reorganizing in column formation? Because many times my units are securing an objective in column formation with enemy units within 200m. Why don't they use arrowhead or all round defense for example, as their security would be much better. And using their minimum footprint.


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[Mahatma]

Someone tell me I'm not the only person this happens to.

[Werewolf13]

ORIGINAL: Mahatma

Someone tell me I'm not the only person this happens to.

Happens to me all the time. I figured it was the AI just trying to be human and screwing the pooch as humans so often do.

Then again - maybe not.

[Mahatma]

What I'm trying to understand is how this would be done in real life. Presumably, the units are concerned with securing the objective while not being killed. My best effort at doing such a thing would involve.

a. Reaching the objective.
b. Checking for threats.
c. Changing to a formation that maximized security against any threats. This would probably be an arrowhead formation as it provides decent firepower and security to the front and sides. And the footprint would be minimized so that the unit can't be fired upon by more enemy units.
d. Defending against threats by defending in place until another order is given.

Have I forgotten something?

[Arjuna]

Send me a saved game taken before the behaviour starts and I'll step through and see what happening. Send it to support[at]panthergames[dot]com.

[davidx]

Here is another example of a pathing issue, in the scenario elsenborn ridge. The figure highlites the issue and I have a game save of the moment the figure was taken.

[davidx]

and the zip file of the cog at the moment of the figure.

davidx

[skarp]

Mahatma - it's annoying when a perfectly executed attack gets ballsed up by daft moves in column to take up defensive positions. I haven't seen it too often - most recently it was done by German naval "infantry" so may just have a been a reflection on how crap their training was.[;)]

[Mahatma]

Sorry I don't have the saves anymore.

Skarp, it's worse than bad training, it's suicidal. Column formation is by far the worst formation to fight with afaik. Switching to it with the enemy within 500m is madness.

[BletchleyGeek]

David,

could you produce a save taken right after you issue the order? In your Save, the AI has already worked out the plan(if you select the Move waypoint to the West of the objective location, you'll see that the AI is sending the attacking force along an Avoidance route to the FUP it has automatically selected).

I have a quite clear idea of two possible moments where the AI decision making might have gone awry, but in order to see exactly what's happening I need a save before the AI has done the deed, so to speak.

[dazkaz15]

Yes it is very annoying that the units decide to move in line formation when re-orging on the objective, especially when enemy units are still near.

Even more annoying is the fact that they try to go into a dispersed all round defence formation on that objective, once they have reached the assigned attack marker.
In my opinion they should stay in the formation they where ordered to attack in, and defend in situ, once they have achieved the objective.

As soon as the hub unit reaches its assigned assault marker, the whole formation then tries to go into all round defence cantered on the point you set as your attack marker.
They do this in road column formation that has the same problems as I have pointed out in this thread,

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Where they pick up LOS of the enemy units that have just been pushed of the objective. Sometimes they will even wander of a long way to find an alternate route to get into this dispersed all round defence formation, more often than not, wandering blindly into enemy location.
Another problem with it is that they often stack up on top of each other making a lovely target for massed enemy artillery, during this re-org phase.

Then of course is the issue where the HQ unit often goes via a different route that the line units have just cleared, also in road column.

It would be much better if they would just defend, and re-org in situ, and await further orders.