Frequently Asked Questions

Answers to the questions we hear most often on the Steam Workshop

📌 Start here if you have a single question

"Why are my AI just patrolling and not attacking?" — the most common question from new admins. AI Zeus does not use vanilla Eden waypoints or the vanilla Zeus "Attack" module the way you'd expect. You have to give it AI Zeus directives. See Telling AI Zeus What to Do below, or jump straight to the Mission Maker guide.

Getting Started

Installation, multiplayer setup, and "does this work for me?" questions

Does AI Zeus work in singleplayer?

Not officially. AI Zeus is built for multiplayer / dedicated-server environments and ships as a server-side mod. You can run it on a player-hosted (listen) server in the Eden Editor or a local multiplayer lobby and the engine will treat your machine as the server — that's the workflow we recommend for testing missions before publishing them. True singleplayer / SP campaign is not a supported target.

Can I host AI Zeus locally (LAN / listen server) instead of running a dedicated box?

Yes. Subscribe on the Steam Workshop, enable AI Zeus in the launcher, open the Eden Editor, and host the mission as multiplayer. Because the host machine is the server, AI Zeus initializes normally and takes command of its configured side. This is the quickest way to test mission setups.

Do players need to install AI Zeus too?

No — for the core combat features. AI Zeus runs entirely on the server, so players can connect with vanilla ArmA 3 and the AI will still behave intelligently against them. Exception: if you want mission designers to drag-and-drop the Eden / Zeus modules (Init, Attack, Defend, Defend Area, etc.), they need @AIZeus loaded with -mod=@AIZeus, not just -serverMod. Marker directives continue to work for vanilla clients.

Is there a demo / example mission I can look at?

Not bundled with the mod yet — this is on the roadmap. In the meantime, the Mission Maker guide walks through a complete setup and any Clan of Brothers server has AI Zeus running by default if you want to see it live.

Is CBA_A3 required?

No, but it's strongly recommended. Without CBA, AI Zeus runs with its hard-coded defaults — everything works, but you can't tune anything through an in-game UI. With CBA loaded, the full settings menu unlocks under CBA Settings › AI Zeus: per-side baseline stance, all the system toggles, range/cooldown knobs, and keybinds for the Live Assignment Overlay.

Telling AI Zeus What to Do

Markers, modules, baseline stance — the three ways to give orders

Why are my AI just patrolling / defending and not attacking?

This is the most common question we get and the answer is the same every time: AI Zeus has taken command of your side but has no attack objectives. Vanilla Eden waypoints and the standalone Zeus "Attack" module (pre-1.7.9) don't work — AI Zeus overrides both. You need to give it an AI Zeus directive. There are three ways:

  • Map markers — place markers in Eden named AIZEUS_ATTACK_villageA, AIZEUS_ATTACK_villageB, etc. Works with -serverMod only.
  • Eden / Zeus modules — drag the AI Zeus "Attack" module onto the map. Requires -mod=@AIZeus on whoever is editing the mission.
  • OFFENSIVE baseline stance (v1.7.9+) — set AIZEUS_baselineStance = "OFFENSIVE" and AI Zeus auto-generates ephemeral attack directives at known threat clusters. The "just go find them" mode.

How do I order an attack via map markers?

Place a System › Empty marker on each target location and name it with the AIZEUS_ATTACK_ prefix:

AIZEUS_ATTACK_village1
AIZEUS_ATTACK_outpost_east
AIZEUS_ATTACK_radar_site

For ordered/prioritized attacks, insert a number after the prefix — lower numbers run first:

AIZEUS_ATTACK_1_main_objective    // runs first
AIZEUS_ATTACK_2_outpost           // runs second
AIZEUS_ATTACK_2_radar             // also second tier

Each ATTACK marker assigns one group by default — place several to mount a multi-group assault. Default scan range is 500m. Add AIZEUS_debug = true; to init.sqf and watch the server console / RPT to confirm the marker is picked up.

How do I order a defense via map markers?

Three flavors depending on what you're defending:

  • AIZEUS_DEFEND_OBJ_* — defend a specific object reference (an ammo crate, a radar, a static structure).
  • AIZEUS_DEFEND_AREA_* — defend a town, village, or arbitrary zone. If you draw the marker as an ELLIPSE or RECTANGLE (v1.7.7+), AI Zeus reads the marker's geometry as the defend radius — no module required.
  • AIZEUS_DEFEND_* — generic defend point with the default radius.

Full reference: Mission Makers.

Why don't markers placed via the Zeus curator interface work?

Because Zeus-placed markers have auto-generated internal names (e.g., _USER_DEFINED #0/1/2). The Zeus player only sets the marker text (the label that shows on the map), not the internal name. AI Zeus's scanner matches the AIZEUS_* prefix against the marker name, not its label — so a Zeus-placed marker labeled "AIZEUS_ATTACK_foo" still has an internal name like _USER_DEFINED #3 and never triggers a directive.

Workaround: create the marker from the in-game admin console (createMarker ["AIZEUS_ATTACK_foo", pos]) which lets you set the name explicitly — or drop the AI Zeus Attack module from the Zeus interface instead, which doesn't have this problem. As of v1.7.9, the vanilla "Search and Destroy" module also works (see next question).

Does the vanilla Zeus "Attack" / "Search and Destroy" module work?

Yes, as of v1.7.9. A Zeus operator can place the vanilla "Search and Destroy" module from the standard Zeus interface and AI Zeus transparently translates it into an ATTACK directive at the same position — no need to know about the bundled AIZEUS_ModuleZeusAttack class. The vanilla module is then removed so the engine's own behavior doesn't fight with AI Zeus.

Before v1.7.9 the vanilla module did nothing (AI Zeus overrode it), which trapped a lot of admins. If you're on an older version, upgrade.

Can I just tell AI Zeus to "go find them" without placing markers or modules?

Yes, as of v1.7.9. Set the per-side baseline stance to OFFENSIVE:

AIZEUS_baselineStance = "OFFENSIVE";  // or set per-side via the Init module

AI Zeus will auto-generate ephemeral ATTACK directives at known threat clusters every 30 seconds, capped at 3 simultaneous attacks. Designer-placed markers and modules always take priority — the auto-attacks only fill the gap. Three stance options:

  • DEFENSIVE — hold ground, never auto-attack.
  • PROBING (default) — investigate contacts via the existing escalation system.
  • OFFENSIVE — auto-generate attack directives at threat clusters.

Do vanilla Eden waypoints work with AI Zeus?

No. When AI Zeus takes command of a group, it clears the group's existing waypoints and runs its own decision loop. If you want a group to do something specific, use an AI Zeus marker or module — don't try to chain vanilla waypoints. (If you need a group to not be controlled by AI Zeus, exclude its side from AIZEUS_controlledSide.)

How do I change the marker scan radius from 500m?

Override the value in initServer.sqf before calling AIZEUS_fnc_init:

// initServer.sqf — before AIZEUS_fnc_init
AIZEUS_markers_maxGroupsPerMarker = 5;     // allow 5 groups per marker
AIZEUS_counterAttack_range = 800;            // detect threats further out
AIZEUS_counterAttack_minDefenders = 2;       // keep at least 2 groups defending

Any AIZEUS_* setting can be overridden this way. See Documentation › Configuration Variables for the full list.

Will AI Zeus take command of units spawned after mission start?

Yes. AI Zeus polls for new groups on its controlled side every few seconds and adopts any new units automatically — whether they spawned from a Headless Client, a reinforcement script, a Zeus operator, or a curator module. No special script call is required on your end.

Eden & Zeus Modules

The drag-and-drop module workflow

I don't see any AI Zeus modules in Eden or Zeus — what's wrong?

The Eden / Zeus modules need the mod loaded on the client, not just the server. The default Workshop install path is -serverMod=@AIZeus, which is invisible to the Eden Editor and the Zeus curator tree. Either:

  • Mission designers — enable AI Zeus in the launcher (as a client mod) when editing missions, then disable it for play if you want a server-only install at runtime.
  • Servers — switch from -serverMod=@AIZeus to -mod=@AIZeus so all connected players see the modules. Marker-based workflows still work in either case.

Where are the AI Zeus modules located in Eden?

In the Eden Editor, switch to the Modules (F5) tab and find the AI Zeus category. You'll see modules for Init, Attack, Defend, Defend Object, Defend Area, and custom patrol / garrison waypoints. In Zeus, they appear under the Modules tree branch with the same names. If the category is missing, see the previous answer.

Should I use markers or modules?

Both are equally supported and they work together. Choose based on your install posture:

  • Markers — work with -serverMod only. No client install needed. Easier for runtime Zeus-driven sessions if you're OK with the limitations (see the Zeus-marker question above).
  • Modules — require -mod on clients. Cleaner attribute editing in Eden, more options per directive (priority, area radius, faction targeting), no naming-convention typos.

Sides & Players

PvE, AI vs AI, and Zeus operator workflows

Can AI Zeus control multiple sides at once (BLUFOR vs OPFOR)?

Officially AI Zeus is designed to command one side against players — that's the PvE use case it's tuned for and tested against. Running two instances against each other for pure AI vs AI battles isn't a supported configuration today; the decision loops weren't built with mutual awareness in mind. Multi-side support with per-side doctrines is on the wish list but isn't on the immediate roadmap.

Can AI Zeus run alongside a human Zeus operator?

Yes. AI Zeus and a human Zeus coexist by design — the curator can spawn reinforcements, drop AI Zeus modules from the F5 tree, place vanilla "Search and Destroy" modules (v1.7.9+), or just observe the battle through the Live Assignment Overlay. AI Zeus picks up any new units the curator spawns automatically.

Does it work with a player Zeus team vs the AI Zeus team?

Yes — this is one of the most popular setups. A team of players plus a human Zeus on one side, AI Zeus on the other. The human curator can mark targets, drop reinforcements, and respond to player requests while AI Zeus handles the autonomous opposition.

Combat & Behavior

Artillery, helicopters, retreats — how AI Zeus actually fights

Where does the artillery / mortar fire come from? Does it spawn shells out of thin air?

Real assets first, virtual fallback only if needed. The fire support system scans the map for available artillery vehicles (tube, MLRS, mortar) on the controlled side and uses them if found — complete with realistic flight time, dispersion, and counter-battery exposure. If no real assets exist on the map and virtual fire support is enabled in your config, AI Zeus will fall back to scripted barrages. You can disable the virtual fallback entirely and force real-asset-only artillery if you want a strict ammo-economy mission.

Will AI Zeus call in helicopter CAS?

Yes — if attack helicopters or CAS-capable aircraft on the controlled side exist on the map, AI Zeus's fire support system will task them with strike runs against player positions when threats escalate. The same "real assets first" rule applies as for artillery.

Will helicopters paradrop / transport / reinsert troops?

Yes. The transport system has AI Zeus order infantry groups into APCs, trucks, and helicopters for tactical repositioning. Helicopters can paradrop troops over target positions or land at LZs for traditional insertions. This is especially useful for Vietnam-style missions and long-range objective-hopping campaigns.

Why do my helicopters just hover after dropoff and never move?

Fixed in v1.7.8. The old behavior placed a 500m-radius RTB waypoint at the helicopter's current position after dropoff — which the engine treated as already-complete the moment it was issued, so the heli sat in place. Mission-start helis with no AI Zeus orders had the same problem. Both are now fixed: a centralized RTB helper routes every post-dropoff heli back to its recorded home position, and a 30s idle-patrol scanner keeps every AI-piloted controlled-side heli on a 600-900m loop around home whenever it isn't actively transporting. Upgrade to v1.7.8 or later.

Can helicopters be made invulnerable / semi-bulletproof for SAR / extraction missions?

No — AI Zeus deliberately doesn't grant special armor or invulnerability to controlled assets. That goes against the simulation rules the mod is built around: every asset is exposed to the same ballistics, suppression, and casualty pressure as the opposing side. If you need a guaranteed-survive extraction heli for a scripted scene, set that up outside of AI Zeus's control list (or via vanilla scripting / a different mod) — AI Zeus won't override that group.

AI just retreated into a lake and won't move — what gives?

Fixed in v1.7.9. Earlier retreat helpers computed rally points using getPos [distance, dir] with no water validation, so a threat from the south of a unit standing near a lake would direct the retreat into the lake. Combined with the smoke-on-retreat rule, stuck waders turned into continuous smoke factories revealing their own position.

The fix: a new findLandPosition helper snaps any retreat target away from water via a directional ring-search; all three retreat helpers (regular, leapfrog, casualty) now route their rally / bound positions through it. The useGrenades helper also suppresses smoke for units currently over water. Upgrade to v1.7.9 or later.

How does AI Zeus decide when to retreat?

Four-tier self-preservation logic that runs continuously:

  • Casualty retreat — groups losing 50%+ of original strength independently fall back 200m, with a 60s cooldown before new orders.
  • Remnant regrouping — groups down to 2 or fewer survivors merge into the nearest friendly group within 300m instead of continuing.
  • Vehicle preservation — withdraw at >50% damage, crew bailout at >80%, static defense if immobilized, RTB at <20% fuel.
  • Ambush break-contact — ambushers break off at 30% own casualties or 2x enemy strength — pop smoke, bound back 100-200m.

Per-Side Doctrine (v1.8.1)

NATO / Eastern Bloc / Guerrilla — three tactical playbooks

⚠ OPFOR behavior changed in v1.8.1

A fresh install commanding OPFOR (east) now uses Eastern Bloc doctrine instead of the v1.7.9 NATO defaults. Echeloned 2-wave assaults, 30s artillery preparation, 400m dismount, reverse-slope garrisons. If your mission depends on the previous NATO-flavored behavior, set AIZEUS_doctrineStr = "NATO" in the Init module or CBA Settings.

What is doctrine?

A per-side tactical playbook. Doctrine controls how AI Zeus fights — assault patterns, dismount distances, garrison floor preference, artillery / CAS gates, smoke discipline, ambush break thresholds, flank geometry, skill biases. Three playbooks ship in 1.8.1:

  • NATO — default for west. Combined-arms, AirLand Battle. PINCER assaults, 3-round precision artillery, 200m dismount, upper-floor garrisons, 90° flanking envelopment. Values bit-for-bit identical to v1.7.9.
  • EASTERN_BLOC — default for east. Soviet motor-rifle (FM 100-2.1, Grau & Bartles). ECHELON 2-wave assault with tanks forward, 30s artillery preparation, dismount 400m, reverse-slope garrisons, 70° deep envelopment, 6-round mass-fires artillery.
  • GUERRILLA — default for independent. Mao + Giap insurgent practice. HARASS pattern only: brief suppress from 300m standoff for 10-15s then immediate fall-back. Never assaults. No CAS, no organic arty, no idle helicopter patrols. Ground-floor garrisons. Lower aim, higher courage, +10% spot distance.

How do I switch doctrine?

Four ways:

  • Eden Init module — "Doctrine" Combo attribute (AUTO / NATO / EASTERN_BLOC / GUERRILLA).
  • CBA Settings — AI Zeus › Sides › Doctrine. onChange re-resolves doctrine without restart.
  • Direct override — AIZEUS_doctrineStr = "NATO"; in initServer.sqf.
  • Admin commands — #aizeus doctrine_nato, #aizeus doctrine_east, #aizeus doctrine_guerrilla, #aizeus doctrine_auto.

My OPFOR mission feels different since updating — what changed?

Eastern Bloc doctrine is now the OPFOR default. The biggest behavioral differences from the v1.7.9 NATO playbook:

  • Assaults arrive in 2 waves with tanks forward instead of pincer maneuvers.
  • Artillery missions fire 6 rounds for mass fires and may include a 30-second preparation barrage before assaults.
  • Infantry dismount 400m from the objective and walk in instead of riding to within 200m.
  • Garrisoned defenders prefer lower floors (reverse-slope / basement) instead of upper-floor overwatch.

All of these are doctrinally accurate to Soviet motor-rifle practice. If you want the v1.7.9 behavior back on OPFOR, set AIZEUS_doctrineStr = "NATO".

Why does my Guerrilla AI never attack?

That's by design. Guerrilla doctrine never runs a full assault — it uses HARASS only: brief 10-15s suppress from 300m standoff then immediate fall-back. Insurgents historically can't win attrition battles against conventional forces, so they fight by gradient: harass-and-fade, ambush, fade again.

If you want Independent / FIA forces to launch coordinated assaults, override to NATO or Eastern Bloc doctrine via the Init module or CBA Settings. Guerrilla also disables CAS, organic artillery, and idle helicopter patrols — if you need any of those on Independent, override the doctrine.

Does doctrine compose with baseline stance?

Yes — cleanly. Doctrine controls how AI fights; baseline stance controls whether AI initiates contact without explicit objectives. An OFFENSIVE-stance Guerrilla side will still auto-generate ATTACK directives at threat clusters, but each "attack" will execute as a HARASS pattern (suppress-and-fade) instead of a full PINCER assault.

Can I change doctrine mid-mission?

Yes. The CBA setting's onChange and the #aizeus doctrine_* admin commands trigger fn_doctrineTransition, which re-applies the new skill biases to all surviving controlled units. A NATO → Guerrilla switch will actually lower their aim.

Mod Compatibility

What plays nice and what doesn't

Is AI Zeus compatible with LAMBS Danger / VCOM / other AI behavior mods?

No. Any mod that takes command of AI groups — LAMBS Danger, VCOM AI, ASR AI, etc. — will fight with AI Zeus over the same units. The two decision loops will issue conflicting waypoints and the AI ends up doing nothing coherently. Run AI Zeus on its own for behavior — you can still load detection / equipment / animation mods alongside it. (Mods like ACE3 that don't directly drive AI waypoints are fine.)

Does it work with Zeus Enhanced (ZEN) markers?

Mostly. ZEN's curator marker tool sets the marker label, not the internal name — same constraint as vanilla Zeus markers (see the markers section above). Editor markers and console-created markers work without issue. For runtime Zeus operations we recommend dropping the AI Zeus module from the F5 tree (or the vanilla "Search and Destroy" module on v1.7.9+) instead of relying on marker placement through ZEN.

Will AI Zeus conflict with my other server mods?

Generally no. AI Zeus is a server-side decision layer — it doesn't touch ballistics, animations, medical, or equipment. The one collision point is other AI command mods (see above). If you encounter an unexpected conflict, load AI Zeus last in your -serverMod chain and check the RPT for any function-override warnings.

Does AI Zeus work with ACE3?

Yes — ACE3 is purely a feature-and-realism layer and AI Zeus doesn't override anything ACE owns. Players get full ACE medical, advanced ballistics, and equipment handling; AI Zeus drives the autonomous opposition on top of it. Many CoB community servers run both together as their default loadout.

Troubleshooting

When something's not working

How do I see what AI Zeus is actually doing?

Three complementary tools:

  • Status banner — press Y in-game to see the AI Zeus status (controlled side, group count, current tactical state). Available to admins and Zeus curators.
  • Live Assignment Overlay (v1.7.9+) — toggleable panel listing every managed group with directive and state (Engaging / En Route / Holding / Routed / Transport / Idle). Bound to a CBA keybind — assign one under CBA Settings › Addons › "AI Zeus: Toggle Status Panel".
  • RPT log — full diagnostic output. On dedicated servers find the latest .rpt in %LocalAppData%\Arma 3\ (Windows) or ~/.local/share/Arma 3 - Other Profiles/<profile>/ (Linux). Search for [AI Zeus] entries to see directive scans, group assignments, and tactical state transitions.

Why aren't debug markers showing on the map?

Two requirements:

  • AIZEUS_debug = true; must be set in init.sqf before AIZEUS_fnc_init is called.
  • If AIZEUS_debug_adminOnly = true; (the default), you must be logged in as admin on the server. Otherwise the markers are hidden from regular players.

If you're running the mod locally (listen server / Eden preview), debug markers should appear without further setup. On dedicated servers, all server-side debug data still goes to the RPT log even when map markers are restricted.

My RPT log shows Unknown enum value: "Explosion" — is this a problem?

This was a script error in an older release. Fixed and superseded — update to the current Workshop version and the error will be gone. If you see something similar on the latest build, it's likely from a different mod or a stale init script — check the RPT line preceding the enum error to see which file emitted it.

AI Zeus reports zero controlled units even though I have OPFOR / BLUFOR placed

Most common causes:

  • AIZEUS_controlledSide in init.sqf doesn't match the side of your placed units (east / west / independent are case-sensitive script keywords, not strings).
  • Units are placed as civilian or with a 0 probability of presence — the engine never spawns them.
  • Init runs before units finish spawning. Wrap the init in a spawn { sleep 5; [] call AIZEUS_fnc_init; } — see Installation for the canonical pattern.

Performance is dropping with large unit counts

Two levers:

  • Increase AIZEUS_updateInterval and AIZEUS_decisionInterval to reduce decision-loop frequency.
  • Run a Headless Client — AI Zeus is HC-aware and balances unit ownership automatically. The Live Assignment Overlay is server-rendered specifically to stay cheap on HC setups.

Reporting Bugs & Feature Requests

Where to send issues, ideas, and crash reports

How do I report a bug?

The Steam Workshop comments section is the fastest channel — the maintainers actively respond. Please include:

  • AI Zeus version (visible in the in-game status banner and your server RPT)
  • What you did (mission, mod loadout, marker / module setup)
  • What you expected vs what happened
  • Relevant snippets from the server RPT — especially any [AI Zeus] diagnostic lines

Reproductions in a single-objective test mission are gold — they cut diagnostic turnaround from days to minutes.

How do I request a feature?

Same place — Steam Workshop comments. The maintainers are an active modding community (Clan of Brothers) who use this mod on their own servers, so practical mission-design feedback gets prioritized. Several of the v1.7.9 features (vanilla Zeus module hook, OFFENSIVE baseline stance, the "How Do I Tell My AI to Attack?" workshop FAQ) came directly from Workshop comment threads.

Is the source available?

The mod ships through the Steam Workshop as a signed PBO. If you're a mission maker or scripter looking to understand a specific behavior, the in-game RPT diagnostic output is the canonical reference and the Documentation page covers the public function API and configuration surface.

Still Stuck?

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Documentation

Full configuration reference and architecture notes.

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Mission Maker Guide

Markers, modules, and the complete directive reference.

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Workshop Comments

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