I think I remember them saying a while ago that vehicle AI, specifically the machine gunners, would be able to fire at will or something like that, but in the end, it never happened.
But wouldn’t it be great if, for example, when you get out as the commander to repair the tank, the rest of the AI squad would at least defend the vehicle? Even if the AI’s engagement range is short, wouldn’t that be cool? Plus, it would bring a certain level of improvement and temporary independence to the AI… It sounds like a lot of work, but the AI on premium vehicles like the APCs already does this; they fire at will as soon as an enemy is within range.
1 Like
AI tanks do use main gun and coax on their own.
would be great if players AI would do the same.
… but much that’s not going to happen because some people find the AI to be lethal even in it’s current ( toddler ) state 
6 Likes
If people think the AI is too lethal, they should just drop down to BR1 and stay there… On another note, there are tanks with crew members who sit in the machine gunner seat doing absolutely nothing. If they had some degree of independence to act, it would be genuinely useful. Many times you are looking one way and you can’t pay attention to everything, especially with the new guerrilla units and matches that have no gray zone. Arguing against this is ridiculous; it’s not like in real life the crew would just sit still watching someone approach them with TNT or an AT weapon just because the main gunner happens to be looking the other way.
As for my main proposal, when your tank gets hit but your crew is intact and you manage to retreat, you aren’t always safe. Even if you are in the gray zone, you are in constant danger. If the commander gets out and the AI takes control of the vehicle—not to move it, but solely to defend it—it would be a massive help. It would also open up new strategies, like getting out of the tank to act as a spotter, marking enemy tanks you can’t see from inside without having to risk your position or expose your vehicle, which usually gets you destroyed before you can even aim… It opens up a whole new world of strategy for the game.
Now, keeping in mind that AI is a completely fundamental and massive part of this game, crying because the AI kills you or because it’s better than you is just ridiculous. (It reminds me of when CoD players cried for a whole week after Activision introduced a new type of AI that learned from players, which led them to camp and kill people from a long distance. They were complaining that the AI had better gunskills than them, lol). Either way, I think any improvement to the AI is welcome, and what I’m proposing doesn’t just open doors for strategy, but also for a complete AI overhaul, so it stops being just a scarecrow with RNG action.
Our bots have trouble defending themselves in a building 200 meters from the combat zone, so, I don’t know how helpful they would be providing protection while you fix a tank. 
I jumped in a Jeep the other day and had all six of my AI bots remaining, but when ONE enemy bot started shooting at me in the Jeep from around 20 meters away, NOT ONE of my AI bots returned fire, or got in the Jeep, they just stood their with that deer in the headlights look, while the ONE enemy bot gunned all six of them down before I could get out of the Jeep to dispose of him. So, unless there is MASSIVE improvement by the Dev’s to our squad AI bots, there is no hope of them protecting someone while they repair their tank. I say this ofter, but our AI squad bots have the collective IQ of a bag of wet potato’s, and over the years I haven’t seen any attempt by the Dev’s to fix them. 