Can't you dumb dogs heel?!?

[Yodaler]

Any tricks from keeping the pets from getting shot up?  For example, I'll make an optimum range line of sandbags and line up my smurfs along in when a drone ship lands. The pets during the firefight will cross the sandbag line and get chewed up by friendly and enemy fire and die or end up with four legs shot out.

I can't seem to restrict them to an animal zone.  Really wishing for a heel option that keeps the dogs behind their master.  Could not find a mod option for this, but am new to the world so if someone had any advice it'd be appreciated.

[Chibiabos]

Any tricks from keeping the pets from getting shot up?  For example, I'll make an optimum range line of sandbags and line up my smurfs along in when a drone ship lands. The pets during the firefight will cross the sandbag line and get chewed up by friendly and enemy fire and die or end up with four legs shot out.

I can't seem to restrict them to an animal zone.  Really wishing for a heel option that keeps the dogs behind their master.  Could not find a mod option for this, but am new to the world so if someone had any advice it'd be appreciated.

Yes, this is very frustrating   I wonder if putting them in an animal zone behind a door (only a single) would work before drafting your colonists, then forbidding that door so the animals won't be able to come out, then drafting your colonist to go fight would work.

[milon]

It might (and please test!), but it could also lag your game. The AI doesn't like having a can't-go-anywhere situation. We need a fix that only Tynan or Ison can provide.

[cultist]

If the master is drafted, animals will ignore everything (includes zones) in order to wander around and get shot.

Basically, the only "safe" way to use animals in combat is assign them to a melee colonist, make them part of an ambush squad. Bigger animals are very deadly when used like this, but it's tricky to pull off.

[Listen1]

I wish the animals had 3 "options" when drafted. Stay behind the colonist, in front off or around (like now) That might work, but I don't know how to program it.

Also, if my animals had the option to "right click, melee attack, select enemy" they would be way more efficient.

[RazorHed]

I think there should be a new animal training Flanking. So they don't stand between you and the target and get shot . I'd rather have them alive after the fight than to make a couple sandwiches

[Songleaves]

Right now the only technique I have to prevent animals from engaging in fights while still being able to fight with all my colonists involves getting the animals in a room and locking all the doors. It's a bit tedious.

[Vaporisor]

The only advice I have is to not give a master order to animals bonded to combatants.  Else, my main animal trainer I do not have be front line.  Result is my one main character holds back out of line of fire with their assigned animals and give them the release command if needed

[Goldenpotatoes]

My best guess for dealing with this issue is not binding them to anyone as a master when fighting to prevent them from running to their drafted master.

[Shurp]

The simplest way to deal with this issue is to not train animals.  Problem solved.

[Chibiabos]

The simplest way to deal with this issue is to not train animals.  Problem solved.

The biggest benefit to dogs, boars and elephants is their ability to get trained to haul.  Unfortunately before you can train them to haul, they must be given obedience training, and obedience training is what causes them to ignore restrictions and crowd around your colonist whenever they are drafted.

[Michael_3kk]

I am new to the game but what if you just dont choose a master for animal (none)? You can train them everything and when they dont have master then they cant go into fight.

[GarettZriwin]

I am new to the game but what if you just dont choose a master for animal (none)? You can train them everything and when they dont have master then they cant go into fight.

If you train animals you can expect that master will pretty soon make a bond causing debuff(-10 or something like that) if animal that is trained in obedience does not follow his bonded master.

[cultist]

If you train animals you can expect that master will pretty soon make a bond causing debuff(-10 or something like that) if animal that is trained in obedience does not follow his bonded master.

Not really. Your starter animal is automatically bonded to one of your starting pawns, but I've yet to see a pawn develop a bond with any other animal. So it doesn't happen that often.

Also it's only -5 and you can toggle the master on/off as needed. Annoying though.

[Chibiabos]

Not really. Your starter animal is automatically bonded to one of your starting pawns, but I've yet to see a pawn develop a bond with any other animal. So it doesn't happen that often.

Also it's only -5 and you can toggle the master on/off as needed. Annoying though.

Mine bond all the time, even with animals I don't train at all such as chickens, muffalo or alpaca. :/  Its particularly annoying with muffalo, as I tend to tame them just to sell them, but selling a bonded animal causes an even worse debuff. :/