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Ground Unit Objectives to increase AI autonomy and intelligence


Exorcet

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Improvements to DCS ground AI have been wanted for a long time, but one challenge to implementing this is getting the AI to understand what is supposed to be happening in the wider battlefield. I don't think it's realistic for them to figure things out on their own without guidance.

In order to provide the AI some guidance I've come up with the idea of Objectives that can be passed to ground groups. The objectives would have a position and radius. When a group is assigned an objective, probably by triggers or waypoint actions, the group will advance to the objective automatically and seek out enemies within the specified radius. The groups will probably want to use roads by default as much as possible but there should also be an option for exclusive off road driving (perhaps the roads are mined or heavily defended) if the AI can path find around/through forests and terrain. When all enemies in the objective radius are destroyed, ideally the group should form some kind of defensive formation around the objective area.

Example image:

AI Objectives.png

Note: In the image the objective belongs to blue side, but it may make more sense to have objectives be accessible by both coalitions.

Expanding on the image above, the blue group on the left would be assigned the objective over the city. This would cause them to automatically advance to the objective and destroy all enemies in the objective radius (1 red group on the map). When finished, the blue group would then take up a defensive position around the objective to prevent red forces from entering.

Objectives wouldn't just be offensive in nature either. Let's say in the example pictured above there was a second objective to the west away from the city. It could serve as a safe area that is either far away from the front lines or defended by additional friendly forces. This objective could be activated if the attacking blue force takes too many casualties, which would result in them retreating and abandoning "Blue Objective 1".

Another use for defensive objectives might be as hiding spots for convoys. Currently the AI will stop and spread out when attacked. We could have the option to set objectives along their route that are located in forests or cities. When attacked, instead of stopping immediately, the convoys would head for the nearest objective (probably needs new trigger AI Task Push Nearest Objective for example) and hide or fortify there.

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Awaiting: DCS F-15C

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