3-Part Radar Detector Overhaul

[Raptor959]

Here are 3 changes alongside advice from kjeff on how to accomplish them, Which would radically expand the strategic depth regarding sensors and artillery.

1: Rework the Radar Detector's effect range from:
distance_between_radar_and_object < radar_detector_range * 10
To something like:
distance_between_radar_and_object < radar_detector_range + “enemy sensor range”

-The game looks at distance_between_radar_and_object < radar_detector_range * 10. Someone can search for objRadarDetector in visibility.cpp and change the necessary spots to whatever formula they want.

2: Enable assignment of Artillery and VTOL to Radar Detectors so that they automatically counter-attack enemy Sensors/Radars on detection.

Hardest one. First, they will have to allow assignment to radars (the underlying code exists already), and then maybe have radars use CB code paths in the micro-AI to track stuff. aiBestNearestTarget, aiSearchSensorTargets, structStandardSensor, objRadarDetector, and similar should help point towards areas of interest to look at.

3: Make Command Centers invisible to Radar Detectors like how Commanders and Radar Detectors already are.

In visibility.cpp, they can search for objActiveRadar and add a check against the object being an HQ.

It takes 3 howitzers to 1HKO 1 howitzer emplacement but 4 howitzers to 1HKO 1 sensor tower, However it (in theory) takes 12 howitzers to 1HKO the 4 howitzer emplacements required to 1HKO 1 sensor tower. Things get even worse when you factor units rather than structures.

What this shows is that without giving players an ability to target their opponent's sensors, The best way to keep your opponent from silencing your artillery is to simply make sure you have more artillery than them. VTOL makes things a little more complicated but the fact remains that artillery-V-artillery easily snowballs into an all-or-nothing affair without much strategic depth.

By allowing players to use Radar Detectors to counterstrike enemy sensors it becomes possible for the player who is behind on artillery to catch up, As it takes less artillery to destroy the few sensors directing their artillery than it takes to destroy their more numerous artillery. This would then make Commanders as important as Sensors and CB-Radars for directing artillery despite their standard vision range, As Commanders are able to direct artillery like a sensor against Radar Detectors without being out-ranged and targeted by them as a sensor would.

What this ends up making is an intransitive (rock-paper-scissors) relationship between the 3 "types" of sensors.