When I talk about NPCs (non-player characters) I am refering to the AI soldiers that do not belong to any squad controlled by players. They came with the map. They usually perform a single task. Their role is to make battle more intense. We can also use them to balance a map by adjusting NPCs on each side.
There are 4 types of NPSs I can think of:
Their role is to guard some key points on the map, or forming a line of defense. Usually, players won’t be patient enough to hold on to a position, we can let NPCs do the job.
Example: German machine gunners at Normandy beach.
Spawn once in a while without using reinforcement points and charge the front line. They are the “cannon fodder”. Sometimes too much enemy fire will cause the players to stay behind and camping. When that happens, players can charge with the NPC can let the NPC attract firepower.
Field commander with some bodyguards in the rear. Players need to protect friendly commander and kill the enemy comander. (Killing commander doesn’t even have to be the final objective. Maybe killing enemy commander gives player some bonus points, or keeping the commander alive gives the team some extra NPC reinforcement)
Others. Civilians running around the map that could cause some randomness to the gameplay. Or police force/partisans/militias that help players to defend the city or resist players’ invasion.
They are just AI placeholder squads for replacing human players. They occur because there isn’t enough player. Esentially, they are still “players”. That is completely different from what I was talking about.
What I am talking about are more like creeps in DOTA, minions and monsters in League of Legend, ground targets and AI attackers in air battles of War thunder, hostage in Counter-Strike.
I think NPCs could be used well if secondary objectives were added to some of the game modes. The NPCs would be a reward for achieving some sort of non-essential objective, giving your team a small advantage. Similar to how it works in MOBAs.
Reevors the French farmer:
“Oh brave soldier, there’s 10 axis soldiers in my basement, please help me get rid of them for a bottle of brandy/vodka/coka cola.!”
As far as this goes, I think the better solution first and foremost is to be able AI soldiers to use emplaced weapons such as the MGs that come with the map, as well as the MG nests that you can build. Honestly even being able to operate AA guns with low- medium accuracy would be a good fit.
As far as snipers standing guard, that might be cool, but the game already moves too fast for that to make much of a difference. If they slowed down the game pace I could definitely see something like that coming in.
