Uploaded February 2018 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Pack Attack - Mongrel Dogs With Social Awareness
Nexus Link: nexusmods.com/fallout4/mods/29957
This mod attempts to mimic more realistic pack behavior in the mongrels of the Commonwealth, and does a heckuva job! Dont turn your back on these adorable pups!
Author's Description:
This mod substantially alters the attack/defend patterns of Mongrel Dogs (and their derivatives). It gives them a basic pack organization, where each dog will change mood and tactics based on how it perceives its immediate social and threat environment.
PACK ATTACK: Mongrels With Social Awareness
by Greslin
v1.2 - released 2/22/2018
I am now available for mod support over Discord. Visit me here about this or any other of my mods: discord.gg/jMUnXDV
DESCRIPTION
===================================
"Pack Attack" is my latest in a long series of attempts to make a substantial portion of the Fallout gaming community curse my name. :)
This mod attaches a script to all Mongrel Dogs (as well as any other dogs based on that template) that continually evaluates that dog's current immediate social environment and threat situation. When a dog senses other dogs nearby, it will be more likely to be aggressive and bold in its attacks. When it realizes that it's on the losing end of the battle (can't find others, has taken hard damage), it will be more likely to turn cowardly and run.
This essentially means that Mongrel dogs, especially when they hit in packs, are now a lot less predictable - and more dangerous.
HOW IT WORKS
===================================
IMPORTANT POINT: The Fallout 4 engine is designed to allow for the influence of combat behavior, but not the control of combat behavior. All this or any other mod can do is coax an actor into a certain level of aggression and combat behavior. So expect some strange behavior - once the combat starts, the dogs are making their own decisions.
In the vanilla game, an Actor (you, me, dogs, robots, etc.) has an Aggression stat (how likely it is to attack), a Confidence stat (cowardly/brave/foolhardy), and a general Combat Style (which specifies combat behavior in more detail). Normally these stats are hardwired into Actors, including dogs. If an Actor is a coward, they're usually - but not always - a coward forever.
Thing is, I've never been satisfied with how Fallout 4 handled Mongrel Dogs. I like dogs, and I've always felt that Mongrels needed a lot more social awareness and cohesion than simply being a go-kill-em melee torpedo on four legs. And, it turns out, the above stats can all be changed on the fly.
So. When a Mongrel is loaded into the game, it will immediately do a threat assessment (am I being attacked? is there an enemy nearby?) and an immediate area scan for other Mongrels. If it finds other dogs, it will act more confidently and aggressively as a pack attacker. On the other hand, if it realizes that it's the last dog standing, or it's been seriously hurt, it's a lot more likely to tuck tail and run. Combat styles also change appropriately.
This threat-social appraisal process happens every few seconds with each active dog. This means that a dog will often panic and run, catch its breath and calm down, and then loop back around for another attack once it's found its courage again.
So far in my tests, I've been very amused at the collective pack hunts. There have been quite a few "clever girl" moments, where dogs I thought were done from the fight actually flanked wide and came back around again hard. Don't count the battle over until the last one is off the field for good.
Pack Attack - Mongrel Dogs With Social Awareness
Nexus Link: nexusmods.com/fallout4/mods/29957
This mod attempts to mimic more realistic pack behavior in the mongrels of the Commonwealth, and does a heckuva job! Dont turn your back on these adorable pups!
Author's Description:
This mod substantially alters the attack/defend patterns of Mongrel Dogs (and their derivatives). It gives them a basic pack organization, where each dog will change mood and tactics based on how it perceives its immediate social and threat environment.
PACK ATTACK: Mongrels With Social Awareness
by Greslin
v1.2 - released 2/22/2018
I am now available for mod support over Discord. Visit me here about this or any other of my mods: discord.gg/jMUnXDV
DESCRIPTION
===================================
"Pack Attack" is my latest in a long series of attempts to make a substantial portion of the Fallout gaming community curse my name. :)
This mod attaches a script to all Mongrel Dogs (as well as any other dogs based on that template) that continually evaluates that dog's current immediate social environment and threat situation. When a dog senses other dogs nearby, it will be more likely to be aggressive and bold in its attacks. When it realizes that it's on the losing end of the battle (can't find others, has taken hard damage), it will be more likely to turn cowardly and run.
This essentially means that Mongrel dogs, especially when they hit in packs, are now a lot less predictable - and more dangerous.
HOW IT WORKS
===================================
IMPORTANT POINT: The Fallout 4 engine is designed to allow for the influence of combat behavior, but not the control of combat behavior. All this or any other mod can do is coax an actor into a certain level of aggression and combat behavior. So expect some strange behavior - once the combat starts, the dogs are making their own decisions.
In the vanilla game, an Actor (you, me, dogs, robots, etc.) has an Aggression stat (how likely it is to attack), a Confidence stat (cowardly/brave/foolhardy), and a general Combat Style (which specifies combat behavior in more detail). Normally these stats are hardwired into Actors, including dogs. If an Actor is a coward, they're usually - but not always - a coward forever.
Thing is, I've never been satisfied with how Fallout 4 handled Mongrel Dogs. I like dogs, and I've always felt that Mongrels needed a lot more social awareness and cohesion than simply being a go-kill-em melee torpedo on four legs. And, it turns out, the above stats can all be changed on the fly.
So. When a Mongrel is loaded into the game, it will immediately do a threat assessment (am I being attacked? is there an enemy nearby?) and an immediate area scan for other Mongrels. If it finds other dogs, it will act more confidently and aggressively as a pack attacker. On the other hand, if it realizes that it's the last dog standing, or it's been seriously hurt, it's a lot more likely to tuck tail and run. Combat styles also change appropriately.
This threat-social appraisal process happens every few seconds with each active dog. This means that a dog will often panic and run, catch its breath and calm down, and then loop back around for another attack once it's found its courage again.
So far in my tests, I've been very amused at the collective pack hunts. There have been quite a few "clever girl" moments, where dogs I thought were done from the fight actually flanked wide and came back around again hard. Don't count the battle over until the last one is off the field for good.
