Changelog

Per-Side Doctrine: NATO / Eastern Bloc / Guerrilla

AI Zeus now runs three distinct tactical playbooks depending on which side it commands, instead of using a single Western combined-arms doctrine for all sides. Doctrine is selected automatically from AIZEUS_controlledSide and is overridable via Eden Init module Combo, CBA Settings, or admin command.

Doctrines

• NATO — Combined-arms, AirLand Battle. Default for west. PINCER assaults, 3-round precision artillery, 200m dismount, upper-floor garrisons, 90° / 0.7 flank geometry. Values bit-for-bit identical to v1.7.9.
• EASTERN_BLOC — Soviet motor-rifle (FM 100-2.1, Grau & Bartles "Russian Way of War"). Default for east. ECHELON 2-wave assault with tanks forward, optional 30s artillery preparation barrage, infantry dismount 400m, wider frontages, reverse-slope / basement garrisons, sticky commitment, 70° / 0.9 deep envelopment, 6-round mass-fires artillery.
• GUERRILLA — Mao's axiom + Giap's protracted-harassment doctrine + modern insurgent practice. Default for independent. Never assaults — HARASS pattern only: brief suppress from 300m standoff for 10-15s then immediate fall-back. Ambushes break on first volley. No CAS / no organic arty / no idle helicopter patrols. Ground-floor garrisons for quick egress. 45° / 0.5 escape-preserving flank. Lower aim, higher courage, +10% spot distance.

Architecture

• Profile table — fn_initDoctrine builds AIZEUS_doctrineProfiles hashmap with 25 parameters per doctrine. NATO values = the constants the codebase previously hardcoded.
• Live transitions — fn_doctrineTransition re-applies skill biases to surviving controlled units when doctrine flips so a NATO → Guerrilla switch actually lowers their aim.
• HC-safe getter — fn_getDoctrineActive whitelisted in CfgRemoteExec (allowedTargets = 0) so client and headless decision code can fetch the active doctrine without inline code blocks across the network.
• Skill bias — fn_applyDoctrineSkillBias multiplies the EASY / MEDIUM / HARD / VETERAN preset before randomization. Existing difficulty preset still drives overall skill ceiling — doctrine just shifts the band.

Tactical Wiring

• State thresholds — fn_evaluateTacticalState pulls offensive / defensive / retreat ratios and casualty rates from doctrine. AIZEUS_baselineStance still composes cleanly on top.
• Assault dispatch — fn_coordinateAssault dispatches on assault_pattern: PINCER (NATO) / ECHELON (Soviet 2-echelon) / HARASS (Guerrilla shoot-and-scoot).
• Smoke discipline — fn_useGrenades reads smoke chance from doctrine. New smoke_onRetreat gate: Guerrilla never deploys retreat smoke (signature discipline trumps cover).
• Ambush behavior — fn_ambushBehavior break-casualty threshold and polling cadence from doctrine. New ambush_breakAfterFire flag for Guerrilla volley-and-fade.
• Garrison floor — fn_garrisonBuildings picks upper / lower / ground based on doctrine (overwatch / reverse-slope / quick egress).
• Transport dismount — fn_transportToPosition uses dismount_distance from doctrine (NATO 200m, Eastern Bloc 400m, Guerrilla 50m technicals-to-target).
• Idle heli patrol gate — fn_idleHelicopterPatrol skipped entirely under Guerrilla doctrine.
• Fire support gates — Guerrilla cannot request CAS or artillery. Eastern Bloc artillery defaults to 6 rounds (mass fires), NATO to 3 (precision).

UI & Configuration

• Eden Init module — New AIZEUS_doctrineStr Combo attribute (AUTO / NATO / EASTERN_BLOC / GUERRILLA).
• CBA Settings — AI Zeus › Sides › Doctrine list. onChange re-resolves doctrine without restart.
• Admin commands — #aizeus doctrine_nato, #aizeus doctrine_east (or doctrine_soviet / doctrine_eastern_bloc), #aizeus doctrine_guerrilla, #aizeus doctrine_auto. Existing side_* commands also re-resolve doctrine since AUTO mapping changes with side.

Backward Compatibility

• NATO doctrine values are bit-for-bit equal to v1.7.9's hardcoded constants. Any mission running on WEST keeps its v1.7.9 behavior.
• No existing CBA settings renamed or removed. Only AIZEUS_doctrineStr is added.
• Saved games and HC distribution work without explicit save/load hooks — doctrine state is recomputed at postInit from AIZEUS_controlledSide + AIZEUS_doctrineStr and publicVariable'd on every resolve.

Per-Side Baseline Stance

A new AIZEUS_baselineStance setting controls how AI Zeus behaves when no explicit objectives (markers or modules) exist. Three values: DEFENSIVE (hold ground, no auto-attack), PROBING (default — investigate contacts via escalation), OFFENSIVE (auto-generate ephemeral ATTACK directives at known threat clusters). Configurable via the AI Zeus Init module attribute or CBA Settings › AI Zeus › Sides.

• Stance evaluator bias — fn_evaluateTacticalState reads AIZEUS_baselineStance and shifts the OFFENSIVE / DEFENSIVE thresholds. OFFENSIVE missions go to OFFENSIVE state at force ratio 1.4 (vs default 2.0); DEFENSIVE missions need 3.5 to go OFFENSIVE and tilt to DEFENSIVE even at 1.2.
• Auto-attack loop — New fn_baselineStanceLoop runs every 30s. When stance is OFFENSIVE, walks AIZEUS_threatClusters and registers ephemeral AIZEUS_MOD_ATTACK_* directives at each cluster center, capped at 3 simultaneous (configurable). Skips clusters within 250m of an existing designer marker / module.
• Ephemeral lifecycle — Auto-attacks expire after 300s OR when their threat cluster vanishes. Designer-placed directives are never pruned — only those flagged ephemeral in metadata.
• Priority isolation — Ephemerals get priority 60; designer modules default to 50. Explicit objectives always win group-assignment priority.

Live Assignment Overlay

Toggleable in-game panel showing every group AI Zeus is managing — directive, state classification (ROUTED / TRANSPORT / ENGAGING / HOLDING / EN_ROUTE / IDLE), and strength. Bound to a CBA keybind so admins or Zeus curators can monitor the entire battlefield assignment at a glance.

• State classification — New fn_classifyGroupState resolves each group based on AIZEUS group flags + behavior + waypoint state.
• Server-rendered — fn_publishOverlayContent builds the structured-text content every 3s on the authoritative server and broadcasts AIZEUS_overlayContent. Clients just write the string into their RscStructuredText control.
• Color-coded — Engaging red, en-route blue, holding green, routed orange, transport purple, idle gray. Tally header + footer with tactical state, baseline stance, and total managed groups.
• CBA keybind — "AI Zeus: Toggle Status Panel" under CBA Settings › Addons (no default key). Admin or Zeus curator only.

First-Run Hint + Workshop FAQ

• In-mission hint — fn_firstRunHint shows 25-30s after init to admins / Zeus curators if no objectives are configured. Lists the three workflows (module / marker / OFFENSIVE stance). Mission-scoped — once per mission.
• Workshop description FAQ — "How Do I Tell My AI to Attack?" pinned at the top of the Steam Workshop description and the README.

Vanilla Zeus "Attack" Module Hook

A Zeus operator can now place the vanilla "Attack" / "Search and Destroy" module from the Zeus interface and have it transparently translated into an AI Zeus attack directive — no need to know about the bundled AIZEUS_ModuleZeusAttack.

• Curator EH hook — CuratorObjectPlaced event handler on every curator detects vanilla attack-type modules (matched by class list AIZEUS_zeusAttackHook_classes default ["ModuleSearchAndDestroy_F"], or by displayName containing "Attack" / "Search and Destroy").
• Server-side execute — Named, whitelisted AIZEUS_fnc_zeusAttackExecute deletes the vanilla module and registers an ATTACK directive at the same position. Whitelisted under CfgRemoteExec for default mode=0 — no inline anonymous code blocks crossing the network.
• AIZeus modules untouched — Hook explicitly skips any class whose name starts with AIZEUS_.
• Late-curator polling — 10s loop installs the hook on any curator added mid-mission.

Bug Fix — Water-Aware Retreat

• Retreating AI no longer gets stuck wading and smoke-spamming — Three retreat helpers (fn_orderRetreat, fn_leapfrogRetreat, fn_groupCasualtyRetreat) computed rally and bound positions via getPos [distance, dir] with zero water validation. When the threat direction put the rally point on a lake or beyond a river, AI marched in, failed each 15s bound timeout, and compounded with fn_useGrenades's 70% retreat-smoke chance (20s cooldown) became continuous smoke factories. Fix: new fn_findLandPosition helper snaps any desired position away from water using a directional ring-search; all three retreat helpers now route their targets through it; fn_leapfrogRetreat additionally redirects to nearest land when the leader is already wading; fn_useGrenades suppresses smoke deployment when the unit is over water.

Helicopters Always Moving

Helicopters used to hover or sit on the deck whenever they weren't actively transporting troops — the post-mission "RTB" waypoint was placed at the helicopter's current position with a 500m completion radius (already-complete the moment it was issued), and mission-start helis with no AI Zeus waypoints had nothing to do. Both cases are now fixed.

• RTB after dropoff goes home, not nowhere — fn_transportToPosition records AIZEUS_homePos (the heli's position before pickup) and routes the post-dropoff RTB through a new helper, AIZEUS_fnc_helicopterRTB. RTB radius dropped from 500m to 80m so the heli actually arrives. Both paradrop and landing-insertion branches use the same path.
• Patrol cycle around home — fn_helicopterRTB clears existing waypoints, adds a tight MOVE waypoint at home, then 3 ring waypoints 600-900m around home, then a CYCLE waypoint pointing back at home. Speed FULL, behavior AWARE. The heli loops indefinitely instead of hovering.
• Idle helicopter patrol loop — New fn_idleHelicopterPatrol runs every 30s, scans vehicles for controlled-side AI-piloted helicopters, and applies the same patrol cycle to any heli that doesn't already have one. Skips vehicles flagged AIZEUS_transportBusy, AIZEUS_CAS_active, AIZEUS_blacklisted, AIZEUS_vehPreserving, dead, or player-piloted. Mission-start helis record their spawn position as home automatically.
• Cycle re-establishment — fn_transportToPosition clears AIZEUS_idlePatrolActive when a transport mission starts; fn_helicopterRTB sets it true after building waypoints. The idle scanner won't fight the RTB helper but will rebuild the cycle within 30s if anything else clears the heli's waypoints.

First-Class Defend Markers

ELLIPSE and RECTANGLE markers named AIZEUS_DEFEND_AREA_* now have their own geometric size read as the defend radius. Mission designers can draw a zone on the map in Eden (or create one at runtime via Zeus) and the mod respects its extent directly — no editor module required, no nearestLocations guesswork. This makes the marker path a true first-class equivalent to the AIZEUS_ModuleDefendArea workflow, which is especially useful when running AI Zeus as -serverMod only (clients don't need the mod loaded to see the markers).

• Marker geometry → defend radius — fn_scanMarkerDirectives now reads getMarkerShape and getMarkerSize; when the marker is ELLIPSE or RECTANGLE, max(a,b) is stashed in a new server-side hashmap AIZEUS_markerAreaRadius. Oblong ellipses get a bounding radius large enough to cover their full extent.
• New radius precedence — fn_executeMarkerDirectives resolves the DEFEND_AREA radius as: (1) marker geometry, (2) AIZEUS_moduleDirectiveMeta["areaRadius"] module attribute, (3) nearestLocations auto-detect, (4) AIZEUS_defendArea_defaultRadius. The module path is unchanged for backward compatibility, just demoted to second priority.
• Stale-marker cleanup — The existing fn_init.sqf DEFEND_AREA cleanup loop now also prunes AIZEUS_markerAreaRadius entries for deleted markers, so Zeus-runtime-created ELLIPSE markers are cleaned up when the curator removes them.
• Debug log radius annotation — The [AI Zeus Markers] Found %1 marker diag_log entry now includes a trailing (radius: %1m) when marker geometry was read, so mission designers can confirm their ELLIPSE size is being respected.

Backward Compatibility

• Module-based missions (AIZEUS_ModuleDefendArea) keep working — the module metadata path is untouched.
• Plain icon-shape markers named AIZEUS_DEFEND_AREA_* continue to fall through to nearestLocations or the 200m default.
• Zeus-runtime-placed ELLIPSE markers with AIZEUS_DEFEND_AREA_* text labels now get geometric radius on the next 10s scan cycle.

Bug Fixes

• inRangeOfArtillery syntax error — Fixed runtime error "Type Object, expected Array" in fn_executeCounterBattery.sqf and fn_requestArty.sqf. The Arma command requires [vehicle, magazine] on the left-hand side, not just the vehicle object. Before the fix, the check threw on every candidate gun, silently disabling counter-battery and artillery range selection.

Self-Preservation Systems

Four configurable self-preservation systems controlled by AIZEUS_preservation_enabled master toggle with 12 CBA settings.

Vehicle Preservation

• Damage withdrawal — Vehicles with damage > 50% withdraw 300m from contact (skips loaded transports)
• Crew bailout — Vehicles with damage > 80% have cargo dismounted first, then crew bails and joins nearest infantry group
• Immobilized defense — Vehicles that can't move switch to static defense (turret active, combat mode RED)
• Low fuel RTB — Vehicles with fuel < 20% return to rear area

Per-Group Casualty Retreat

• Individual groups fall back when losing 50%+ of original members, independent of global tactical state
• Clears waypoints and marker assignments, falls back 200m from nearest enemy
• 60-second cooldown before accepting new orders
• Tracks original group strength via AIZEUS_origGroupStrength

Remnant Unit Regrouping

• Groups with 2 or fewer survivors merge into the nearest friendly group within 300m via joinSilent
• Prevents lone soldiers from continuing suicidal missions
• Skips garrisoned, transported, ambushing, counter-attacking, and player-led groups
• Receiving group capped at 12 members

Ambush Break-Contact

• Replaced fixed 30-second combat timer with a 3-second polling loop
• Breaks contact when own casualties reach 30% or enemy count doubles
• Pop smoke, bound back 100-200m opposite to approach direction, set AWARE

New Functions (3)

• AIZEUS_fnc_vehiclePreservation — 4-tier vehicle damage/fuel/mobility preservation
• AIZEUS_fnc_groupCasualtyRetreat — Per-group fallback on heavy casualties
• AIZEUS_fnc_remnantRegroup — Merge remnant groups into nearest friendly

Bug Fixes

• Eden modules not appearing — Rewrote module config to use CfgFactionClasses (side 7) instead of CfgEditorCategories. Attributes now inherit from base classes (:Combo, :Edit, :CheckboxNumber) instead of the old control = "string" format. Triple-quoted defaultValues.
• Unicode characters breaking config — Removed em-dashes and other non-ASCII from 23 source files that silently broke ArmA 3's config parser
• Module function type error — Module functions now handle string-type first argument from the engine's config compilation pass
• Missing module icon textures — Fixed icon paths to use \A3\Modules_F\data\iconModule_ca.paa
• CfgWaypoints Attributes error — Removed unsupported Attributes sub-classes from waypoint definitions

Eden Editor & Zeus Module System

AI Zeus now supports Eden Editor modules, Zeus curator modules, and custom waypoint types. Modules provide a visual drag-and-drop workflow for configuring AI Zeus — the standard UX for ArmA 3 mods. The existing marker directive system remains as a parallel option.

Eden Modules

• AI Zeus - Init Settings — Singleton configuration module. Sets controlled/enemy side, skill preset, and 12 subsystem toggles (CAS, artillery, reinforcements, escalation, medics, transport, garrison, patrol, suppression, vision limiter, night ops, debug). Place one per mission — AI Zeus auto-starts.
• AI Zeus - Attack — Place at position. Sync to groups for direct assignment, or leave unsynced for automatic range-based assignment. Priority attribute (1-99).
• AI Zeus - Defend — Place at position. Up to 3 groups assigned. Optional radius override. Supports counter-attack sorties.
• AI Zeus - Defend Object — Sync to an object (building, vehicle, crate). Adaptive defense: garrison+perimeter for buildings, close guard ring for vehicles/crates. Dynamic tracking if the object moves.
• AI Zeus - Defend Area — Distributes groups: ~40% garrison, ~30% perimeter (threat-oriented), ~30% patrol. Auto-detects town boundaries or uses a custom radius.

Zeus (Curator) Modules

• AI Zeus - Attack Position — Place during gameplay to create live attack directives
• AI Zeus - Defend Position — Place to create live defend directives with optional radius
• AI Zeus - Defend Object — Attach to an object for adaptive defense
• AI Zeus - Patrol Area — Assign patrol behavior to attached or nearby groups

Custom Waypoint Types

• AI Zeus: Patrol Area — Group patrols area around the waypoint with configurable radius
• AI Zeus: Garrison Buildings — Group garrisons nearby buildings, then continues to the next waypoint
• AI Zeus: Garrison & Hold — Garrison buildings permanently (PATH AI disabled)

Integration

• Module directives use a parallel array (AIZEUS_moduleDirectives) merged with marker directives in the scan loop — same priority sorting, multi-group assignment, and counter-attack logic
• Zeus modules include a Deleted event handler for automatic cleanup when the curator removes them
• All module functions are HC-compatible (server-only execution, groupOwner checks)

New Functions (15)

• AIZEUS_fnc_moduleInit — Init/Settings module
• AIZEUS_fnc_moduleAttack — Attack directive module
• AIZEUS_fnc_moduleDefend — Defend directive module
• AIZEUS_fnc_moduleDefendObject — Defend Object directive module
• AIZEUS_fnc_moduleDefendArea — Defend Area directive module
• AIZEUS_fnc_moduleZeusAttack — Zeus Attack module
• AIZEUS_fnc_moduleZeusDefend — Zeus Defend module
• AIZEUS_fnc_moduleZeusDefendObject — Zeus Defend Object module
• AIZEUS_fnc_moduleZeusPatrol — Zeus Patrol module
• AIZEUS_fnc_moduleRegisterDirective — Central directive registration
• AIZEUS_fnc_moduleCleanupDirective — Directive removal and group release
• AIZEUS_fnc_waypointPatrol — Patrol waypoint script
• AIZEUS_fnc_waypointGarrison — Garrison waypoint script
• AIZEUS_fnc_waypointGarrisonHold — Garrison & Hold waypoint script

Area Defense System

• Area Defense markers (AIZEUS_DEFEND_AREA_*) — Defend entire towns/villages by distributing groups across three roles:
  • Garrison (~40%): First groups occupy buildings via garrison system
  • Perimeter (~30%): Hold positions on area edge facing outward
  • Patrol (~30%): Patrol within area bounds
• Area auto-detection — Uses nearestLocations to find town/village boundaries. Falls back to configurable default radius.
• Fallback mechanism — When surviving groups drop below 40% of peak, remaining groups retreat to a linked AIZEUS_DEFEND_* marker (e.g., AIZEUS_DEFEND_AREA_Alpha falls back to AIZEUS_DEFEND_Alpha).
• Threat-oriented perimeter — Based on US Army defensive doctrine (FM 3-90), perimeter groups concentrate in a 120-degree arc facing the nearest threat cluster, creating an engagement area with massed fires and mutual support. Falls back to even 360-degree distribution when no threats detected.
• Counter-attack integration — Only PATROL-role groups are eligible for counter-attack sorties; garrison and perimeter groups stay put.

Debug Logging Improvements

• AIZEUS_debug conditional logging — Added debug output to 15 functions that were previously silent:
  • Tactical Orders: fn_orderGroupAttack, fn_orderGroupDefend, fn_orderGroupFlank, fn_orderGroupSuppress
  • Suppression: fn_suppressionReturnFire, fn_suppressionBoundBack
  • Awareness: fn_clusterThreats, fn_detectCombatZones, fn_calculateForceRatio
  • Tactical: fn_clearFriendliesFromZone
  • Doctrine: fn_evaluateCombinedArms, fn_applyFriction, fn_checkOperationalReach, fn_assessLogistics, fn_getStrategicPosture

Bug Fixes

• AI seeing through smoke — Smoke detection logic in fn_visionLimiter.sqf was broken due to triangle inequality check failing when smoke was near target but AI was far away. Rewrote with 3 methods: smoke near target, smoke near AI, and smoke in line-of-sight using perpendicular distance. Added _smokeEffectRadius (20m) for realistic blocking.
• Vehicles seeing through smoke — Vehicle crews could still see through smoke because only the crew member forgot targets, not the vehicle itself. Now calls forgetTarget on vehicle object and all crew members.
• Reinforcement waypoints fail with HC — Waypoints in fn_spawnReinforcements.sqf were added after HC transfer, causing a race condition. Moved waypoint creation before HC transfer.
• CAS waypoints fail on HC-owned aircraft — fn_executeCAS.sqf didn't check group ownership for real aircraft. Added groupOwner check with remoteExec path and new fn_addCASWaypointsHC.sqf helper.
• HC locality check wrong pattern — 8 files used _owner == 0 instead of _owner <= 2 for server locality, missing listen server (owner 2). Fixed in: fn_orderGroupAttack, fn_orderGroupMove, fn_orderGroupDefend, fn_orderGroupFlank, fn_orderGroupSuppress, fn_deployATTeams, fn_protectInfantryFromArmor, fn_remoteCommand.
• Missing setVariable broadcasts — visionLimiter — 5 setVariable calls missing broadcast parameter for AIZEUS_visionLimiterActive, AIZEUS_vehTargetingDisabled, AIZEUS_targetingDisabled. HC-owned units had stale targeting state.
• Missing setVariable broadcasts — suppression — 3 setVariable calls missing broadcast in fn_suppressionSkillDegradation.sqf for AIZEUS_currentlyDegraded and AIZEUS_lastSuppressionTime.
• Missing setVariable broadcasts — patrol — 8 setVariable calls missing broadcast in fn_patrolSystem.sqf for AIZEUS_patrolling and AIZEUS_patrolType. Groups were stuck or re-assigned on HC.
• Blacklist check missing in HC load balancing — fn_balanceHCLoad.sqf included AIZEUS_blacklisted units in group selection.
• Invalid mission event handler types — addMissionEventHandler ["Fired"] and ["Explosion"] caused "Unknown enum value" errors on startup. Replaced with per-unit event handlers.

Transport System — NoEscape Pattern Improvements

• State machine boarding — Replaced waitUntil loops in fn_boardVehicle.sqf with explicit state machine: INIT → VEHICLE_APPROACH → BEGIN_MOUNT → MOUNTING → COMPLETE/FAILED with individual timeout tracking.
• allowGetIn control — Added AIZEUS_allowGetIn group variable, set false initially and true only when mounting begins to prevent premature boarding.
• NoEscape dismount pattern — Replaced leaveVehicle with unassignVehicle + orderGetIn false sequence in fn_transportToPosition.sqf for reliable dismount.
• Waypoint completion flags — Added setWaypointStatements to set flag when waypoint reached, replacing distance-only checks. Fallback to distance for HC compatibility.
• Enemy detection during transit — Ground transport uses findNearestEnemy on driver during transit, enemies revealed to all cargo.
• Graduated approach speed — Ground transport slows: FULL → NORMAL at 100m → LIMITED at 30m.
• Config-based capacity check — fn_findTransportVehicle.sqf uses transportSoldier config value with fallback to emptyPositions then minimum 4.
• Mount/dismount helpers — Added _fnc_isMounted (80% threshold) and _fnc_isUnMounted functions for reliable verification. Dismount waits for confirmation (30s timeout) instead of fixed sleep.

New Systems

• Building Assault with Heavy Weapons — AI uses heavy weapons against buildings with confirmed enemies:
  • Armor within 400m engages fortified positions with main guns
  • AT infantry within 300m fires rockets at occupied buildings
  • AT teams prioritize armor threats over buildings
  • Infantry clearing follows after assault completes
  • Configurable via AIZEUS_buildingAssault_enabled and AIZEUS_buildingAssault_cooldown

Performance Optimizations

• O(n²) loop elimination — Replaced forEach allUnits with nearEntities spatial query in contact reports
• Hashmap command validation — O(1) command lookup instead of switch cases in remote commands
• Hashmap threat clustering — Replaced array in operator (O(n)) with hashmap (O(1))
• Consolidated iterations — Merged 3 separate loops into single pass in HC monitor
• Event-driven smoke tracking — Replaced 1-second polling with Fired mission event
• Bounded array limits — Added 500-entry cap on pendingContacts, intelDatabase, incomingImpacts

Bug Fixes (30+)

• Vehicle doMove errors — Changed from [_vehicle, "doMove"] to [driver _vehicle, "doMove"] (9 occurrences)
• Garrisoned units stuck — PATH AI was never re-enabled after garrison; added fn_releaseGarrisonedUnits.sqf
• AI not hearing gunfire — Sleep was at top of loop; new enemies in first 30s had no Fired handler
• Artillery rounds ignored — Round count parameter passed but unused; now properly applied
• Transport fails on HC — Waypoint clearing didn't check HC ownership
• setVariable broadcast missing — Variables not synced to HC-owned units (20+ instances fixed)
• Null dereference crashes — Fixed in CAS execution, resupply, suppression response
• applySkill type error — Function expected array but received single unit
• Skill preset variable mismatch — Vision limiter used wrong variable name
• Medic healing double effect — Removed duplicate healing application
• Dead groups leak — Destroyed squads not removed from escalation tracking

New Helper Functions

• fn_clearGroupWaypoints.sqf — Centralized waypoint deletion with HC support
• fn_getSafeKnownEnemies.sqf — Safe wrapper with nil/type validation
• fn_releaseGarrisonedUnits.sqf — Re-enables PATH AI when leaving DEFENSIVE
• fn_assaultBuilding.sqf — Heavy weapons building assault coordination

Bug Fixes

• Vehicle support crash — Fixed crash with empty enemy array (added validation checks)
• Cascading undefined param error — Fixed in remoteCommand function

New Features

• Terrain-aware smoke grenades — OPEN/HILLS terrain uses smoke; FOREST/URBAN skips smoke (already has concealment)

Bug Fixes

• Debug markers not showing (Part 1) — Debug loop wasn't spawning if debug started as false; extracted to separate function with guard variable
• Debug markers not showing (Part 2) — Marker functions only existed on server; moved to XEH_postInit so clients can use them
• Removed ineffective admin detection check

Bug Fixes

• Skill preset admin commands — Fixed variable name mismatch
• remoteExec syntax error — Fixed for orderGetIn command
• Missing function registration — Added addEnemyAudioHandlers to config
• HC ownership edge case — Fixed in artillery system
• remoteExec inline code block error — Fixed in static weapon manning

New Helper Functions

• AIZEUS_fnc_assignGunnerHC — Helper function for HC-compatible gunner assignment

New Systems

• Transport System — AI commander can order units into APCs, trucks, and helicopters for tactical repositioning
• Paradrop Support — Helicopters can paradrop troops over target positions with automatic parachute deployment

Commander Logic Integration

• Doctrine Layer — Strategic posture now overrides tactical state when appropriate
• Logistics Assessment — Commander checks ammo levels before committing to major operations
• Operational Reach — Prevents overextension by checking distance limits
• Terrain Analysis — Defensive perimeters adapt to available cover
• Movement Prediction — Artillery now leads moving targets based on velocity
• Intel Quality — Stale intel triggers cautious approach (STEALTH behavior)
• Fog of War — System properly initialized at startup

Fixes

• CAS helicopters now orbit with MOVE waypoints instead of hovering (LOITER issue)
• Aircraft type detection for appropriate post-attack behavior (fixed-wing vs rotary)

Documentation

• Blacklist Variable — Added Mission Makers guide section for AIZEUS_blacklisted variable to exclude specific units/vehicles from AI Zeus management

New Systems

• Marker Directives System — Mission makers can place map markers to direct AI Zeus:
  • Attack Markers: Name markers AIZEUS_ATTACK_* to assign nearby groups to attack that position
  • Defend Markers: Name markers AIZEUS_DEFEND_* to assign groups to hold positions
  • Priority System: Add priority number (1-99) like AIZEUS_ATTACK_1_hillside for order of execution
  • Groups automatically released when markers are deleted
• Environment-Aware Tactics — AI automatically detects terrain and adapts behavior:
  • FOREST: FILE formation, LIMITED speed, shorter engagement ranges
  • URBAN: COLUMN formation, quick reactions, building-aware movement
  • OPEN: WEDGE formation, spread out, long range engagement
  • HILLS: STAG COLUMN formation, seeks high ground advantage
  • Detection based on trees, buildings, and elevation variance
  • Results cached for performance (100m grid, 60 second cache)
• Counter-Battery Fire — AI detects and responds to enemy artillery:
  • Monitors incoming explosions for artillery patterns
  • Clusters 3+ impacts within 150m in 30 seconds = detected barrage
  • Calculates estimated artillery origin position
  • Returns fire on detected artillery positions
  • Adds artillery contacts to intel database

Improvements

• Debug visualization now shows environment type markers for each group
• Startup banner displays environment and counter-battery status
• Improved group tracking for marker-assigned units

New Systems

• Vision Limiter — AI can't see through grass/smoke, difficulty-scaled
• Escalation System — Proportional response ladder (4 levels), prevents overreaction
• Drone Reconnaissance — UAV scouting before committing ground troops
• Hearing System — Weapon-based detection ranges, terrain occlusion, explosion deafness

Bug Fixes

• Fixed _lastUpdate undefined error in contact reports
• Fixed targetsQuery type check error in vision limiter
• Fixed AIZEUS_skillPreset undefined error in vision limiter

Improvements

• Drone integrated into escalation response (levels 1-2)
• Fire support requires escalation level 4 AND 6+ clustered enemies
• Comprehensive nil/type checks added to Headless Client system
• HC detection now validates owner IDs before transfer
• HC monitor properly handles disconnection and reconnection
• HC load balancer validates all objects before processing

New Systems

• Vision Limiter System — Prevents AI from seeing through grass and smoke, creating realistic concealment:
  • Grass Concealment: AI detection reduced when targets are prone or crouched in grass
  • Distance-based reduction: 90% at 150m+, 60% at 75m+, 30% at 30m+
  • Stationary bonus: 50% harder to spot if not moving
  • Grass surface types provide additional 40% reduction
  • Smoke Concealment: AI properly blinded by smoke grenades
  • Multiple smoke grenades stack for better concealment
  • Distance to smoke affects effectiveness (90% at 15m, 60% at 30m, 30% at 50m)
  • AI gets suppressed when trying to see through smoke
• Difficulty-Based Vision Settings — Vision limiter scales with difficulty:
  • EASY: Longer update intervals, larger smoke radius, AI sees less through grass
  • MEDIUM: Balanced settings (default)
  • HARD: Faster updates, smaller smoke radius, AI sees better
  • VETERAN: Most responsive, smallest smoke radius

Improvements

• Optimized package size (compiled PBO only, 237KB vs 587KB)
• Included server key (.bisign) for signature verification
• Performance optimizations - only processes targets within 1000m
• Dead units automatically removed from vision processing

New Systems

• Escalation System — Proportional response to contacts that escalates gradually based on threat persistence and casualties:
  • Level 1: Drone recon (if available) + nearest squad investigates cautiously
  • Level 2: QRF (Quick Reaction Force) dispatched with flanking approach
  • Level 3: Reinforcement squad spawned + reserve squads committed
  • Level 4: Fire support authorized (artillery/CAS) + all forces committed
• Dynamic Escalation Triggers — System escalates based on:
  • Contact persistence (enemy still present after time threshold)
  • Enemy count thresholds (3+ contacts, 5+ contacts, 8+ contacts)
  • Friendly casualties during engagement
  • Loss of responding squads
• De-escalation — AI returns to normal posture after 2 minutes of no contact, freeing committed squads.
• Drone-Infantry Coordination — At Level 1, if drone recon is deployed, the investigating squad holds briefly while drone scouts ahead before advancing.

Improvements

• Better squad commitment tracking prevents over-committing forces
• QRF selection prioritizes squads at ideal distance (200-500m)
• Fire support now requires minimum 3 contacts to authorize
• Escalation cooldown prevents rapid level jumping (45 seconds between levels)

New Systems

• Audio Detection / Hearing System — AI can now detect enemies by sound. Gunshots generate audio contacts that are added to the intel database:
  • Realistic range based on weapon caliber (pistols 350m, rifles 700-900m, launchers 1500m, vehicle weapons 2000m+)
  • Suppressor detection with 80% range reduction
  • Environmental modifiers (rain, wind, forest, indoor, night)
  • Terrain and building occlusion affects both range and accuracy
  • Vehicle engine noise masks incoming sounds
  • Urban echo causes direction errors in cities
  • Quality degrades with distance (precise → general direction → vague → just heard shots)
• Explosion Deafness — Nearby explosions temporarily deafen AI units, preventing them from hearing gunshots for several seconds. Creates tactical opportunities.
• Drone Reconnaissance — AI operators with UAV backpacks and terminals can deploy reconnaissance drones:
  • Automatic deployment based on tactical need (stale contacts, defensive posture, no intel, pre-assault)
  • Autonomous flight to target area at configurable altitude
  • Circling observation pattern with enemy detection
  • High-quality visual intel reported to database
  • Return-to-base behavior after observation complete
  • Configurable max active drones and cooldown

Improvements

• Intel database now supports multiple contact types (VISUAL, SOUND, DRONE)
• Better integration between fog of war systems
• Improved contact report quality tracking

New Systems

• Suppression Skill Degradation — AI accuracy dynamically decreases when under suppressive fire. Units recover accuracy over time when no longer suppressed. Creates more realistic firefights where suppression actually works.
• Vehicle Support System — Complete vehicle coordination framework:
  • Armor provides overwatch at 300-500m, seeks hull-down positions
  • APCs/IFVs dismount infantry at safe distance, provide fire support
  • Technicals use hit-and-run tactics with frequent repositioning
• Convoy Operations — Multi-vehicle movement with lead scout, 50m spacing, rear security, and automatic ambush reaction drills.
• Enhanced Patrol System — Four patrol types when no enemies detected:
  • AREA — Random movement within zone
  • PERIMETER — Circles around center position
  • RANDOM — Unpredictable movement pattern
  • SECTOR — Methodical grid-based search
• Ambush Behavior — AI sets L-shaped ambushes with coordinated trigger. Units hold fire until optimal moment, then spring trap simultaneously.
• Night Operations — Specialized behavior in darkness including flare deployment, tighter formations, slower movement, and reduced detection ranges.
• Leapfrog Retreat — Organized bounding withdrawal under fire. One element provides cover while another falls back, then alternates.
• Resupply System — AI tracks ammunition levels, shares ammo between squad members, and spawns resupply crates when critically low.

Improvements

• CQB Building Clearing — Room-by-room tactics with proper grenade usage, stack-and-clear procedures, and corner checking.
• Suppression Response — Enhanced reaction to incoming fire including smoke deployment, bounding back to cover, and calling fire support.
• Fire Support Priority — Artillery and CAS now prioritize real in-mission assets before falling back to virtual spawning.

New Systems

• Building Garrison — AI occupies buildings during defensive posture, positioning units at windows and doors for optimal fields of fire.
• Static Weapon Emplacements — AI identifies and mans HMGs, GMGs, mortars, and AT positions within their area.
• Medic System — Wounded AI call for help, nearby medics respond with proper healing animations. Medics prioritize casualties and manage multiple wounded.
• Tactical Grenades — Context-aware grenade usage:
  • Smoke for cover when advancing, retreating, or suppressed
  • Frag grenades against enemies in cover or buildings
  • 30-second cooldown and inventory checking

Improvements

• Improved suppression detection and response
• Better coordination between garrison and patrol behaviors
• Enhanced debug visualization for garrison positions

New Systems

• Headless Client Support — Automatic detection and load balancing across multiple headless clients. Units transferred seamlessly for better server performance.
• AI Skill Presets — Configurable skill levels (EASY, MEDIUM, HARD, EXTREME) with randomized values within ranges. Accuracy capped at 0.5 for fair gameplay.
• Admin Debug Visualization — Map markers showing AI Zeus's knowledge state, combat zones, and tactical decisions. Only visible to server admins.

Improvements

• Performance optimizations for large unit counts
• Better handling of unit death and group reorganization
• Improved logging for troubleshooting

New Systems

• Fog of War Intelligence — AI only knows what units can actually see. No more omniscient AI awareness.
• Contact Reports — Information gathered through line-of-sight, rated as CONFIRMED, PROBABLE, or POSSIBLE. Intel degrades over time.
• Military Doctrine — Clausewitz friction implemented (15% chance orders fail or delay). Combined arms coordination principles.
• CBA Settings Integration — Full settings menu when CBA_A3 is loaded. Configure all options in-game.

Improvements

• Tactical decision engine now considers intel quality
• Better force ratio calculations
• Improved terrain analysis for positioning

New Systems

• Close Air Support — AI commander calls in CAS strikes on high-value or concentrated targets. Side-appropriate aircraft with proper attack runs.
• Artillery Support — Coordinated artillery barrages on groups of 5+ enemies. 120-second cooldown, realistic dispersion.
• Reinforcement Spawning — When casualties exceed 30%, infantry reinforcements spawn and move to reinforce the main force.
• Coordinated Assault — Multi-group attacks with suppression element, left flank, right flank, and smoke cover.

Improvements

• Better group coordination during attacks
• Improved retreat behavior
• More responsive tactical state changes

Initial Release

• Situational Awareness — Continuous battlefield monitoring tracking friendly positions, health, ammo, and combat status.
• Tactical State Machine — Dynamic switching between OFFENSIVE, DEFENSIVE, BALANCED, and RETREAT states based on force ratios.
• Group Movement Orders — Coordinated group commands: Move, Attack, Defend, Flank, Suppress.
• Threat Clustering — Groups nearby enemies for targeting decisions and force concentration.
• Combat Zone Detection — Identifies areas where fighting is occurring for tactical decisions.