New options for Group Action Under Fire

[Dangerzone]

At present we have an option for ground units "Disperse under fire". 

I'd like to raise for consideration some additional options when groups are under fire. Some ideas I have include:

 

Move towards attacker

An example would be T-90 tanks. An Apache at present can target a group and sit there picking them off. If the group was setup to move towards their attacker at full speed (if they were capable of firing at said attacker - no point having tanks move towards a FA18 ) this could give a more dynamic feel when encountering units.  Parameters for this could include things such as deploy smoke screen to help mask as they move towards the attacker, etc.  

Likewise it'd be pretty scary to know that a SA-19 is not going to stay where you first spotted it, but is actively trying to find a way to get closer or flank and then engage you.

 

Retreat away from attacker

More than just 'Disperse under fire' - this would actively have the units flee (potentially another option to support in different directions such as panicking) and keep going until they haven't been engaged within a set period of time - at which point they could then regroup and go either back to their original positions, a new nearby random position, or keep going to next waypoint - depending on what parameters are set by the user. Like the disperse under fire - but move more than just a few meters - keep fleeing. 

 

Goto nearest Cover

Probably especially handy for infantry - but could be used for vehicles as well - to go to nearest lot of trees, buildings, etc. Would be even better to have an option where infantry could actually enter a building, (but the building could be destroyed which would destroy infantry)  Other options would be similar to 'Retreat away from attacker' as per above but fleeing towards cover instead of just random directions away from player/attacker.

 

Call Reinforcements

This option could call in any assets within a certain range that are capable of taking on the target that is posing a threat to the unit(s). This could include fast already in the area (or on the ground), or other ground assets. Variables for this could include unit types, distance away, etc. 

This is probably the only option that I can see that we could practically do at present with MOOSE or some scripting if we wanted to, but given the request here, it would be nice to have included as part of the options. 

 

Random

Simply an option that allows you to select multiple of the above so you don't know how the group is necessarily going to behave. 

 

Thanks for your consideration.

 

Edit: To save pages of back and forth on whether people think this is a good idea or not - I thought it easier to just create a poll instead to have your say.

Edited May 15, 2023 by Dangerzone

[bies]

Yes. And some of them should be used by ground units by default, depending on their equipement.

E.g. 2000s Abrams, being observed by enemy helicopter, should detect laser beam, rotate frontal armor in that direction, depending on range fire back, immediately release smoke screen, full reverse seeking cover using terrain, trees, infrastructure to break line of sight etc. Destroying even one such tank with helicopter should be significant achievement, not routine shooting range exercise when enemy SAM is the only obstacle.

This would allow to appreciate different aircraft equipement, weapon systems, sensors, tactics.

[Hairdo1-1]

just as an FYI MOOSE framework for scripting has a class for suppression which accomplishes some of what you’re looking for 

 

https://flightcontrol-master.github.io/MOOSE_DOCS/Documentation/Functional.Suppression.html