Minefield shortcomings

[ww2_weasel]

Just some observations:

I've noticed if you create 4 rows of mines, most AI land units cannot navigate through them without being destroyed. The game engine has no handlers to allow units like artillery or armor to fire at them (mines) to eliminate the impedance restricting movement. Or for that matter - use Engineers to remove them. The mines don't seem to get destroyed due to attrition in combat.

So it would seem - infantry are thrown into the minefields as are armor initially. However at a critical moment - infantry are used as cannon fodder to a greater extent. Armor when in exploration mode - do not enter into the minefields as soon as AI gets wise to them.

Later on - due to the AI scripts -(enhanced)
[SAI_MISSION_REVIEW_FUDGE] the AI will seek new pathways to desired locations.

So in effect, you can create fire bases consisting of the 4 rows of mines and artillery or ranged weapons fire in whatever number or arrangement you wish. Even when stuck in the middle of the map with many different AI opponents. A human player can manipulate the outcome - leading AI to pool units near the "Firebase".

It's disheartening to know you can dupe the AI into inaction. Especially if you can neutralize any air threat.

So yet another issue to tackle.

[ww2_weasel]

Hmm, I wonder if you can enter "MN" as a unit and get the Enhanced AI shoot at it. Testing now.

[bailey.5050]

You can probably do that once you update the ROEs but getting the EN and SB for the AI to actually build them is impossible. The "base" section of the ROE script is totally useless as it is hard-coded, meaning the ONLY unit the AI will build for an airbase is AB, no matter what, if any, definition you place in the ROE file.

Again, I come to this revised game later than most of you so it is obviously the changes the developer wanted were simply all hard-coded.

[ww2_weasel]

AI will make sparse amount of mines - they are out there - you just don't bump into them all that often. But yes, no concentrated mine layers. I've seen the AI build forts & ports as well.

[bailey.5050]

I agree that the AI builds forts and ports and mines but only the initially defined. One can not make a custom element that the AI builds instead of the above mentioned. Forts are very rare and I did see two ports built next to one another so the city had ocean access but ports are also rare.

I make things a bit interesting by giving cities and OF defensive ranged fire. Little things like this help make the game enjoyable.

[backwardcadence]

In order for the AI to shoot at mines, it has to be able to “see” them.

I feel your pain. I made a Falkland’s War map once, with the mine fields in place. The AI would run units into it like a meat grinder until it lost everything. Literally two tiles to the east was a clear path.

[gryphin.rampant]

I tend to protect my coastal cities with mines when needed.
Today the [CREA] cleared 2 mines the hard way.
The mines appeared to still be there until I sent an EN over to check.

My monsters do not create forts and such because I hashtag them out. I don't want them spending time on that stuff.
Occasionally if un-interupted the 'Classic 3' AI will build an OF.

Side Notes:
I used to give all AI units 'Road Build' and 'Mine' ability. I ran into some kind of truble.

In EDEE my 'Ants' would build a OF or road on every vacant square if they had time. Mark considered that a 'bug' and fixed it.
In the early days of EDCE one of
my Armor units ran over one of
my mines that was in a clear space.
Mark fixed that too.