Communication research

One idea i had while playing the Quick battle.

When i saw the two soldiers standing near the destroyed tank in the middle of the map, i ended my turn. One Alien shot one shot at one of my soldiers and he was nearly dead, but then one of the two AI Soldiers shot at the alien and killed it, saving my own soldier.

The Moment was very athmospheric and i though that you could make the AI soldiers take a little bigger part in the game.

My idea was, that you could research alien communication systems and figure out a really quick way of two peole communicating with one another, with some special device, that only one of the two people needed.

Then you could use that device by a soldier.

When he uses the device he has the option to check on the AI Soldiers and you would be able to see what they see, for that one turn.

Another option would be that he could even give them some orders, like "Go north/South/East/West and Attack/Avoid any aliens you see"

They would just be send in one direction and would either shoot at aliens or shoot not at aliens.

with some special device, that only one of the two people needed.

A megaphone?

Lol. Subtle.

Yeah, yeah, but they didn't had a handy in the 70's and it's supposed to work on every friendly soldier and it would be not very realistic, if they just invented the stuff, and suddenly all soldiers in every millitary on earth have it.

Just get the explanation out of your head and try to think about the basic idea, which hasn't been discussed at all.

What if, you could get a technology, to order friendly AI around, with some basic command system.

Yeah, yeah, but they didn't had a handy in the 70's and it's supposed to work on every friendly soldier and it would be not very realistic, if they just invented the stuff, and suddenly all soldiers in every millitary on earth have it.

Just get the explanation out of your head and try to think about the basic idea, which hasn't been discussed at all.

What if, you could get a technology, to order friendly AI around, with some basic command system.

I think that would take away from the atmosphere of the game. I'm not sure I would enjoy it.

What if the local forces turn on your Xenonauts, either through mind control or becuase their nations support is so weak. Now that I'd like.

That is potentially interesting.

Three scenarios:-

1) The nation has signed a pact with the aliens already, so you know the local forces will be hostile.

2) The locals are mind controlled by the aliens to fight you. Either individually or through a local force command structure.

3) The battle is going badly for the Xenonauts. Support from the country is low enough that it triggers a switch in the local forces. Some link between nation support and local force morale?

But why would the locals turn on the guys supposedly backing them up?

Did they all decide to become Commissars (not me) and punish the Xenonauts for not fighting harder?

Either alien infiltration - not all of the locals are really locals or they have been visited by MIBs

Or mind control - those pesky alien psionics

But mainly following orders that the Xenonauts are also an alien controlled hostile force, even it they aren;t shooting civilians. That's what happens when your own government throws it's lot in wiht the aliens under the promise that they will receive sspecial treamtment form the invasion force. Or history has shown that some nations are willing to put up with a lot, if it means they will be either kept out of it or be granted special status. Oh look, toberlone... yummy.

I dunno.. a regular grunt doesn't necessarily know the Xenonauts exist, and the only thing that convinces him to not shoot the bastards is that they seem to be shooting the aliens too. Unless it's a mind control device, I see no reason that these soldiers would follow your orders, and I'm not sure how fun it will be.