Instinct AI Brain

INSTINCT — AI BRAIN

Vanilla AI repeats the one order it was given. Instinct leaves that order in place, reacts to the situation according to the group's role, then returns to the original task. Works with vanilla Conflict, CPR, Mike's Invade & Annex, Zeus-placed groups and mission addons — the scenario is detected automatically on server start. Server-side only, no dependencies.

HOW THEY FIGHT
- AI keeps its eyes on you while under fire. Vanilla AI in a firefight is six times slower to spot than one merely on alert; Instinct fixes that, and spotting at range is faster too.
- They fire from buildings and walls. Defending AI each find a window or wall with a view of you and take it. No two share a window.
- Suppression works both ways. Rounds passing close shake AI aim; AI put out more fire once in contact.
- Ambushes are real ambushes. They hold fire until you're within 70 m or you shoot first.
- Low on magazines, squadmates share; failing that, they take from the dead. Losing the squad leader shakes the squad for three minutes.

HOW THEY MOVE
- Base garrisons remember where attacks came from, lay ambushes on that approach, man static weapons and vehicle turrets, walk the perimeter, and fall back to cover when pressed. At half strength they consolidate.
- Foot patrols radio the nearest base when they spot you. Small patrols under pressure pull back toward the base to draw you into the garrison's guns.
- Counter-attack groups approach from different bearings, some by truck or APC, and split into fixing and flanking elements on contact. They never stand still while you're out of sight — they press in.
- Hide behind a rock or wall and they don't wait in front of it. They come around, and follow if you move.
- AI takes any empty vehicle it finds — including ones players left behind — to pursue, to patrol, or to get out. Park it out of sight or lose it.
- Vehicle patrols dismount to fight at close range (turret gunner stays), then re-board and continue.
- Mortar teams shift fire onto reported positions, avoid friendlies, and defend the tube if you get close.
- Civilians who witness a fight may pick up a weapon and take a side.
- Player-faction AI (purchased defenders) never leaves the base.
- AI spawned in water, rocks or under terrain is moved to clear ground.

PERFORMANCE
Groups with no player within 600 m think once every 4 s; groups the engine has put dormant sleep entirely. Raycasts and cover queries are budgeted per tick.

CONFIG
profile/INS/INS_Settings.json — created on first run. Every feature can be toggled; filter factions, exclude prefabs.
Groups named "INS_SKIP" are left alone (for mission makers and Zeus).

COMPATIBILITY
Do not run together with other AI overhauls (SilenceAI, DCO AI, Realism Overhaul AI, CRX) — they change the same AI behaviour twice.