It is rather easy to suggest nice things. But even as novice as I am to AI programming and navmeshing, i still kinda grasp how it works. And it helps a lot in suggesting, and i suggest we SPers should take a look at the system. Start by opening the AI files, download the BF2 editor and FH2 modding packs, and take a brief look.
Then we might have more workable suggestion, which might be the solution as well.
This way, djinn, you won't feel that your suggestion thrown away without any acceptable explanation regarding the problem implementing it (be it 'engine limits', which is the most common scapegoat and I suspect to be a 'bullet proof' argument against nagging players).
Suggestion
Bots should use AT guns and mgs by camping them and using all possible means against the enemy. Any and every mg and AT gun should be top priority to add to defensive lines and interesting hard points as well as trade bot logic and strategy for map design strategy, which will conceal their inherent stupidity. Loved vehicles should include deployable mgs and mortar (if ever they learn to fire them)
Now, i don't know about bots camping AT & MG stationary guns like in Thomas LinXin's Omaha map. Maybe there is a "use/man" radius (where the bots detect or see through threats, and start manning stationary weapons nearby). So map design placing is crucial in this too. Since maps like Fall of Tobruk placed stationary guns at ambush spots that involves things like speculation (which makes bots might not see the target before it really appears)... it is hard to make this kind of thing really effective.
But i guess, this worth trying. I have to learn more about this though, and hear words from our AI coder, Legion.
One thing i know for sure:
bots do use stationary guns (AT/MG/AAA) only when they see threats (enemy), and then abandon them when there is no more threat detected.
Kinda "instant Rambo heroic jump into big guns" to kill bigger bad guys, which PR tries to unrealistically remove in MP, gameplay-wise by prolonging their cooldown period (for the first 15-30 seconds, it won't fire). However, it doesn't affect bots.
Bots should consider the option of bailing stationary weapons if attacked by a force that they are not designed for, eg. An mg gunner and a tank by itself, an AT gunner and infantry (a chance should exist for bailing or staying on)
As one of the basic BF2 bot behavior i know, they only bail when they don't see enemy. So bailing whenever in danger, might be solved by making a condition for bot to
bail out whenever the health of the object they are manning has been decreased into certain level.
If a bot is attacked by an enemy, and they have options of vehicles around them, they should choose the one best suited for that enemy and try to take out the enemy instead of staying and fighting or trying to bypass it
Bots should not consider moving mobile AT guns often
Bots should be able to swivel all AT guns and lafette tripods as humans will do with the arrow keys
Related to points before, sometimes, it is one shot-one kill (like a tank gun shot to stationary guns), so you can't really make them runaway and judge condition like human players do. Bot's vision is likely impaired and they seem to cannot differentiate enemy (only infantry/stationary/tank/planes, but not specific, so they'll keep pushing on Stuart to kill Tiger II, nor realising it is totally useless).
AT mine bots should see a tank, deploy AT mine instantly where they are (May need variant of AT which can be deployed standing like the AT rifle that can be fired standing)
Bots can "fire" when prone. You know how they use MG34 and MG42 (before) pretty well. It is the same thing "fire when prone only".
The difference is, it is handled differently as AT-mines are not 'guns'. Even some of the seemingly fine hand weapons AI template are broken, no wonder Legion says it needs "a big work"!