The Ultimate U1 / "Link" discussion

[Darkstar387]

To those of us familiar with Tiberian Dawn modding and mission editing ,  the U1 value is a wild and mysterious value used in AI team building that has been the bane of C&C map makers since the dawn of mission making. Nyerguds and MattAttack have devoted a great deal of time exploring this function, but I still find myself lost when it comes to this thing and its relationship with the "link" command. I end up just using a U1 of 15 for all my teams and it always works well enough. I suggest a superthread for content creators to share there findings while we try to master this ominous and mysterious function.

Heres what we know so far:

• Common values used in Westwood's missions are 7, 15, 20, and 30. 
• The higher the number, the more responsive the team is to attacks from other units.
• Teams with a U1 of 7 don't attack targets along the way to their waypoints. a team with a U1 of 15 does.
• Link appears to force units to stay close together, often moving as a group to waypoints.  
• All teams are linked in the campaign.

Here is a link to a video MattAttack made explaining everything he knows about the U1 button: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRpWrM17NpU

Let the discussion begin. I will update this page as information pours in.

 

Edited May 5, 2017 by Darkstar387

[nariac]

I use a U1 of 20 for teamtypes when there's a 3rd house present on the map which might be attacked, usually civilians. Teamtypes with a U1 of 15, or patrols with the same U1 number, will stop at their next waypoint when the 3rd house is attacked. Using a U1 of 20 will ensure those teamtypes continue to move towards the player's base to attack it, or continue on their patrol route. Matt showcased this in one of his videos which is where I picked it up from.

I also used the U1 system to create a patrol which would incrementally move across the map, each subsequent patrol teamtype "stealing" from the previous one. I used U1 numbers of 7, 10, 15, 20 and 30 for this. I made a shitty Paint picture to showcase it. Essentially it allowed me to make a deploying MCV move across the map after a delay, while also ensuring the MCV wouldn't deploy on the spot if it got attacked.

Regarding the "Link" feature, I don't know what that does or how to use it. I first tried using Link in my most recent map to see if it would make infantry group up and stick together when attacking the player base ... but teamtypes always link up anyway so I was never sure what made the Link modifier special.

I also use CCW Map, so Link and Force Move are "X key" and "Alt key" in that editor, which doesn't make their meaning any less opaque.

Edited May 5, 2017 by nariac

[Darkstar387]

I typically use a U1 of 15 for teams unless there's another house in play, then  i Use 30 so the team won;t stop dead in their tracks in another house is attacked. I remember people speculating that the U1 has something to do with build priority too so I always assign autocreate teams the same U1 so they get built equally. I typically don't link them, I didn't really recognize any significant difference in the behavior of linked and unlinked teams. I caught that Westwood links theirs though, so I migh try it again with autocreate teams only.