Army Lists

[rbodleyscott]

Here is a quick tutorial on army lists.

Here is an army list from the ArmyList.txt file. The army lists have to be defined in this way. Note that total number of points for the units ought to be at least 3000 approx to work well. The lists are effectively designed for choosing 2000 point armies and will be scaled for other sizes - generally rounding up fractions.

// 500 BC - 319 AD // this is a comment and does not actually do anything
[EC_INDIAN] // this is the "chunk name" and is the internal name of the army list. It is the name of the army list to use in CustomCampaign.txt files.
SIDEID 17 // this is the sideID - you can see who is who by looking at the IDS_SIDENAME strings in in /Data/Text/Text2.txt
NAME IDS_ARMY_EC_INDIAN // This is the string tag for the army list name. It is basically IDS_ARMY_ plus the chunk name. IIRC it must be to work everywhere.
YEARS 2500 3319 // Note start era from 3000 BC - start and end dates of the army, counting from 3000 BC. For date filter.
DEPLOYMENT Hellenistic // there are three types of deployment Roman, Hellenistic and Skythian. Roman deploy in chequerboard, Hellenistic with one main battle line, skythian in a formation suitable for cavalry armies.
LONGMIN 63 // minimum longitude for the nation at the dates of the army list - for geographical filter
LONGMAX 94 // maximum longitude
LATMIN 5 // minimum latitude
LATMAX 35 // maximum latitude
INTRO IDS_ARMY_INTRO_INDIAN // string tag for army list blurb
SORTNAME Indian // sort name for alphabetical army list sort
MAPSET Tropical // Mapset - this is either Medi, North, MidEast, Steppe, Desert or Tropical. It is currently used for sandbox campaigns only.

UNIT_0 Indian_Elephants // internal unit name - the first column in the squads file
MIN_0 2 // fixed quantity for 2000 point army
MAX_0 11 // total (fixed + selection) quantity for 2000 point army

UNIT_1 Indian_H_Chariots
MIN_1 0
MAX_1 3

UNIT_2 Indian_L_Chariots
MIN_2 2
MAX_2 5

UNIT_3 Indian_Cavalry
MIN_3 2
MAX_3 9

UNIT_4 Indian_Archers
MIN_4 7
MAX_4 30

UNIT_5 Indian_Javelinmen
MIN_5 2
MAX_5 10

UNIT_6 Nomad_LH
MIN_6 0
MAX_6 3

UNIT_7 Indian_Light_Archers
MIN_7 0
MAX_7 3

UNIT_8 Heavy_Artillery
MIN_8 0
MAX_8 1

UNIT_9 Light_Artillery
MIN_9 0
MAX_9 1

Note that the UNIT_ numbers for each unit type must be consecutive or the units below the gap will be ignored.

[rbodleyscott]

Oh another thing. If you do make your own army lists file, and then later add more army lists, always add them at the end, or previously saved battles and campaigns will not work correctly.

This is because the "chunk" number is stored and not the chunk name. So you need to make sure you don't change the existing chunk numbers by inserting lists above existing ones, or the saved games will be referring to the wrong list. Chunks are numbered from the top, starting with 0, but you don't really need to know this - just don't change the order.

[rbodleyscott]

VERY IMPORTANT

If you are planning for your army lists to be used in MP, make sure you have the word

REPLACE

above the [POTLUCK] line in your army list.

Otherwise the wrong army list names will be displayed in the challenge list, and possibly other strange things may occur.

[kronenblatt]

Do I need to bother with SIDEID? And specify it uniquely for each army list? 1,2, 3...,4, etc.?

[rbodleyscott]

Do I need to bother with SIDEID? And specify it uniquely for each army list? 1,2, 3...,4, etc.?

SIDEID determines which of the IDS_SIDENAME_nnn strings will be displayed in game as the army's nationality.

You will find the full list of those in /Data/Text/Text2.txt.

You just need to specify the index.

(Unless you are adding new nationalities to the game)

[kronenblatt]

Do I need to bother with SIDEID? And specify it uniquely for each army list? 1,2, 3...,4, etc.?

SIDEID determines which of the IDS_SIDENAME_nnn strings will be displayed in game as the army's nationality.

You will find the full list of those in /Data/Text/Text2.txt.

You just need to specify the index.

(Unless you are adding new nationalities to the game)

Thanks! And I also noticed the hard way that it determines the name of the generals? (My proud Kilikia general was Scottish... )

[Paul59]

Do I need to bother with SIDEID? And specify it uniquely for each army list? 1,2, 3...,4, etc.?

SIDEID determines which of the IDS_SIDENAME_nnn strings will be displayed in game as the army's nationality.

You will find the full list of those in /Data/Text/Text2.txt.

You just need to specify the index.

(Unless you are adding new nationalities to the game)

Thanks! And I also noticed the hard way that it determines the name of the generals? (My proud Kilikia general was Scottish... )

Random general names are allocated based upon their nationality by Data/Scripts/RandomGeneralName.BSF, the names themselves are in Data/Text/Text6.txt and Text7.txt.

I explain a bit more about it in these guides;

viewtopic.php?f=491&t=81328

viewtopic.php?f=491&t=80816

[kronenblatt]

Thanks, guys for your help and advice: highly useful! I've now created 24 new army lists with their own nationalities too, based on combinations of existing ones, one for each of the satrapies in my Dividing the Spoils tournament idea (thread HERE), if you want to have a look. Still missing allies but will come later, as tribal add-ons to these Hellenistic armies.

[kronenblatt]

In which cases and situations in-game FoG2 is the INTRO ("string tag for army list blurb") applied and shown for an army list?

[Paul59]

In which cases and situations in-game FoG2 is the INTRO ("string tag for army list blurb") applied and shown for an army list?

It shows up when you select an army in the Custom Battle creation screen, at the bottom of the screen. Also in the Custom Campaign creation screen;



The intro text strings themselves can be found in Data/Text/Text2.txt, there is also a recently added one in Text8.txt.

If you want to create new ones, just add them to any Text.txt file in your new scenario or campaign folder.

[kronenblatt]

In which cases and situations in-game FoG2 is the INTRO ("string tag for army list blurb") applied and shown for an army list?

It shows up when you select an army in the Custom Battle creation screen, at the bottom of the screen. Also in the Custom Campaign creation screen;



The intro text strings themselves can be found in Data/Text/Text2.txt, there is also a recently added one in Text8.txt.

If you want to create new ones, just add them to any Text.txt file in your new scenario or campaign folder.

OK, got it: many thanks, Paul!

[Karvon]

If I wanted to create a roll your own army list mod with just one army list, with lots of options, would the game handle that ok?

Karvon

[rbodleyscott]

If I wanted to create a roll your own army list mod with just one army list, with lots of options, would the game handle that ok?

Karvon

It should do.

Not sure it would cope if you put every unit type in it - but not positive it wouldn't.

Try it and see.

[Karvon]

So if all I wanted to do was create a new army list, no change to individual units, what would I need to edit aside from the army list file?

[rbodleyscott]

So if all I wanted to do was create a new army list, no change to individual units, what would I need to edit aside from the army list file?

Nothing.

[Karvon]

OK, made up an army list following the template found in the default using 180 unit types. However, the UI only will display around 62 or so in the selection stage. Also, the name is apparently missing, as I got a Missing_Armylist_IDS_EC_Chosen as the name of the army displayed in the list or armies.

If there's a hard limit on the number of units a list can include, then this idea is moot, or would have to be drastically cut back, which kinda defeats the point.

Karvon

[rbodleyscott]

OK, made up an army list following the template found in the default using 180 unit types. However, the UI only will display around 62 or so in the selection stage. Also, the name is apparently missing, as I got a Missing_Armylist_IDS_EC_Chosen as the name of the army displayed in the list or armies.

If there's a hard limit on the number of units a list can include, then this idea is moot, or would have to be drastically cut back, which kinda defeats the point.

Karvon

You should be able to fix that by altering the value in

#define MAX_FORCE_SELECT_TYPES 64; // Maximum number of different troop types in force selection (and hence in a list).

in Data/scripts/Macros.bsf

Note: You should use the modding system and not alter your main build or it will break MP.

You need to add the IDS_EC_Chosen string in one of the text files.

[kronenblatt]

You should be able to fix that by altering the value in:

#define MAX_FORCE_SELECT_TYPES 64; // Maximum number of different troop types in force selection (and hence in a list).

in Data/scripts/Macros.bsf

There also seems to be a cap (256) to the total number of units that are loaded/shown for unit selection. All the unit types and their maximum numbers show fine in the army selection stage (see first picture below), but when having created the battle, at unit selection stage (see second picture) the interface only shows 256 units in total, cutting off in the order set in armylist.txt. (Please note the Nubian Archers cutoff: Nubian Archers is the 13th unit type in an army list of 21 unit types (each with a max of 20 units), so cuts them off at 16 units to sum up to 256 units in total, 12*20 + 16 = 256.)

Can this be altered or is it hardcoded?

[rbodleyscott]

There also seems to be a cap (256) to the total number of units that are loaded/shown for unit selection. All the unit types and their maximum numbers show fine in the army selection stage (see first picture below), but when having created the battle, at unit selection stage (see second picture) the interface only shows 256 units in total, cutting off in the order set in armylist.txt. (Please note the Nubian Archers cutoff: Nubian Archers is the 13th unit type in an army list of 21 unit types (each with a max of 20 units), so cuts them off at 16 units to sum up to 256 units in total, 12*20 + 16 = 256.)

Can this be altered or is it hardcoded?

Not exactly hardcoded, but the problem is that the game stores units prior to unit selection in the border of the map behind the player's table-edge. There simply aren't enough squares in the border to store unlimited number of units.

[kronenblatt]

There also seems to be a cap (256) to the total number of units that are loaded/shown for unit selection. All the unit types and their maximum numbers show fine in the army selection stage (see first picture below), but when having created the battle, at unit selection stage (see second picture) the interface only shows 256 units in total, cutting off in the order set in armylist.txt. (Please note the Nubian Archers cutoff: Nubian Archers is the 13th unit type in an army list of 21 unit types (each with a max of 20 units), so cuts them off at 16 units to sum up to 256 units in total, 12*20 + 16 = 256.)

Can this be altered or is it hardcoded?

Not exactly hardcoded, but the problem is that the game stores units prior to unit selection in the border of the map behind the player's table-edge. There simply aren't enough squares in the border to store unlimited number of units.

Aha, I see. So can't really be altered by me in any way? (I'd ideally like twice that amount, e.g., 512, or at least something around 400.)