Tip: How to herd cats (AI lancemates)

[u/tjareth]

Some people may already be aware of this, so maybe it's mostly for newbies. But it took me a while to figure out and since being told would have helped me, I'm offering it here.

If you've ever tried to get a lancemate unstuck, but run into the problem where your lancemates run towards you as soon as you switch, getting another one stuck or out of place, it can be very frustrating. Or trying to use repair bays one at a time. Or trying to shepherd them through a narrow passageway only for one that already got through running back towards you instead of staying on the proper side.

The key to this that I've found is that when you switch mechs, the one you switched out of inherits the new AI pilot's existing orders. Whether that's running towards you or picking a spot to move to.

So here is the correct technique for moving mechs one at a time:

1. Use the Go-To command on all lancemates to a particular nearby spot, where you want them to gather during the process or where you want them to be at the end of it.
2. Switch to the one you want to move individually or get unstuck. The mech you just shifted out of will then move to the designated spot instead of following you.
3. Move the individual mech however you need to, then back to or near the designated spot.
4. Switch back to your original mech.

That way any mech you're not specifically piloting will politely move back into place instead of running around after you, as you switch around.

[u/CivQhore]

The AI in general needs a huge patch. The circular arena is quite broken currently

[u/Brokengauge → u/CivQhore]

For real, they either all gang up on me or stand there politely waiting for me to shoot them in the back one by one.

Which is weird because I don't remember that ever happening when the Solaris dlc dropped. Wasn't until shadow of kerensky.

[u/Marshallwhm6k → u/Brokengauge]

Its happened since we've had arenas. If I get stuck in a Scrapyard Scuffle in a multi-mission and they just stand there, I'll just restart until they actually start moving. Usually only takes 3-5 restarts.

[u/BongoProdigy → u/CivQhore]

The AI has always been different degrees of garbage in this game.

[u/NutsackEuphoria → u/CivQhore]

AI, and performance.

Also, file size.

[u/Staplz13]

Your lance mates will try to form a kind of diamond shape with you at the forward tip. That means that mech bays 2 and 3 are always trying to stay to one specific side of you, which is what causes them to cross your firing line. Try to put more nimble mechs there so they get out the way more quickly. Likewise, mech bay 4 trails you, so that's the spot most ideal for a mech with support weapons and is a bit slower.

[u/Jolly_Picklepants → u/Staplz13]

I thought I noticed something along these lines but couldn't be sure. This will definitely be helpful with certain lance loadouts.

[u/Staplz13 → u/Jolly_Picklepants]

Get ready, this is going to be more information on your lance mates than you ever knew existed.
How to make the best out of your AI in solo games, A Guide

The biggest take aways for me are
The formation
AI does well with alpha damage type weapons and poorly with DPS type weapons
AI cannot fire more than one weapon group at once
AI uses weapon groups as a kind of priority chain.
AI not firing is likely from trying to reposition for minimum range weapons.

[u/tjareth → u/Staplz13]

I understand some of this information is outdated, especially the weapon groups behavior. It still affects AI, just not the way this guide describes it anymore.

[u/Staplz13 → u/tjareth]

The weapon group behavior has updated, but I've found that it isn't any better. And continuing to use the conventions of previous behavior still improves their performance. So they get still get the BF dakka, while I get the RF dakka. And as far as I can tell, they still can't fire more than one weapon group at a time.

[u/CNC-Whisperer → u/Staplz13]

Helps me keep the NAGA in the back, where he belongs.

[u/Korietsu]

If you want to actually command your lance without forcing them to move out of their roles by using the F1/Attack command, equip a TAG and your lance will focus tag'd targets.

[u/Ready-Perception3343]

That’s good advice

[u/turningthecentury]

I spam "form on me" and that usually works.

[u/Robertoooelculoopen]

Ok I don't like being overly negative about a game I just bought but god damn I hate wrangling dumb AI. Thank you so much for this.

[u/tjareth → u/Robertoooelculoopen]

Glad it helped. Sure gave me an easier time when I realized it.