Panzer General Classic Mod (Help wanted) [0.15]

[rezaf]

I hope nobody minds me crossposting from a topic I created earlier today on the Matrix forums:

Well, I don't know if anyone else is interested in this in the first place, but after some messing around, I decided to remake the original PG campaign as my first modding attempt in Panzer Corps.

All the original maps, recreated as faithfully as possible will be the first version.

As PC changed a few mechanics and made some stuff immensely more expensive, a lot of balancing the prestige rewards will probably be in order. Which is, besides hunting for bugs, is the main thing I need help with.
Another thing I need assistance with is to create necessary new graphics for units/terrain/etc. (it turned out I'm pretty bad at creating those). Early on, you'll have to live with some mockups I threw together.

Anyway, wether you feel you can help or not, if you're at all interested, this is all probably blah-blah for you, and the important question is when you can start playing.
And the answer to that is: right now.

I already finished all scenarios (barring errors), and the campaign should be playable. Whether or not you run into an error that will prevent you from progressing properly is another matter, but if you do, you can help me after all by reporting the issue. [;)]

One such issue I'm already aware of: the scenario status report texts (pzloc files) haven't been created yet. So don't be surprised if you read something nonsensical there.

Here's the download (v0.15).
Please make sure to backup your original files somewhere!
As PC doesn't currently support mod-directories, I had to change/overwrite some original files.
With this mod installed, the PC classic campaign will replace the Poland 1939 campaign that comes with the game (I had no idea how to hook up a new campaign otherwise).
So please AT LEAST back up your campaign file (campaign.pzdat in PC's Data subdirectory).
Also, if you want to play any of the scenarios standalone, you'll have to copy all pzscn files that start with PG_ from your Panzer Corps\Data directory to [My Documents]\My Games\Panzer Corps\Scenario (You have to manually create the Scenario directory if you haven't played any standalone scenarios yet).

As a optional bonus download, here's the fully voiced briefings from the original Panzer General. Sadly, a bug in PC will prevent the debriefings from being played, but I hope it'll be fixed in time.
For now, a lot of these files are unused, but anyway...

Finally, here are some teaser images:
Full Size
Full Size
Full Size
Full Size

So, proceed with the bughunting everybody!
Dismissed.

Edit:
Some credits:
> Obviously SSI for creating the original Panzer General and with it the scenarios and briefings.
> Rudankort for not only creating Panzer Corps but also PGForever, from which I mostly copied campaign tree and briefing texts, plus it was immensely helpful while creating the scenarios.
> danrell from the Civ5 forum @ CivFanatics created the T-28 and M24 Chaffee models on which these models in this mod are based.
I'll likely use more of his units in the future.
> snafusmith, also from the CivFanatics forum, for creating the Civ4 unit the Fokker DXXI is based on.

Update:
Download link updated to v0.15.

v0.15 (16.10.2011)

New equipment file with the following units added:
Germany: He 219, Bf 110E, Me 210C, Me 323D, Panzer IID, Panzer IIF, Panzer 35(t), Panzer 38(t)F, Panzer 38(t)G, SdKfz 6/2, T-Destroyer
Poland: PZL P24g, PZL P37b, TK3
France: Curtiss H75-C1, Bloch 174, Amiot 143, Renault R40 AMX, AMC 35, Char D1 IG, 75mm Mle 1939 TAZ
Low Countries: Fokker D.XXIII, PZL P.24g, Fokker D.XXI
Great Britain: Hawker Fury MkII, Hurricane Mk.IV, Spitfire Mk.XVII, Blenheim Mk.IV, Cruiser Mk.III, Cromwell Mk.VI, Churchill Mk.III, 40mm SPAD, AEC Mk.I, AEC Mk.II, AEC Mk.III, Kangaroo, 20mm SPAA
Soviet Uniton: Yakovlev Yak-9M, Yakovlev Yak-9, Yakovlev Yak-1M, T-40, KV-85, SMG Infantry, 76mm M1938, Soviet Partisans
Italy: Re2000/F1, Re2005/S, Caproni CA.309, SM 82, M42, M42M, M15/42, 75mm SPAD, 90mm Breda Truck
Free France: French Resistance, FFR Mtn Inf, M5 Stuart, M4A1, 75mm M1A1, 105mm M2A1, 57mm M1, M2 Halftrack, Truck, M8 Greyhound, M20 LAC
Free Poland: M5 Stuart, Sherman Mk.I, M8 Greyhound, Bren Carrier, Truck, FPO Inf, FPO Para, QF 6 pounder, QF 25 pounder, BL 6 inch 26 cwt
US: B-32 Dominator, M2 Halftrack, 75mm M3 GMC ATY, US Rangers 43, 75mm M3 GMC
Other: Yugoslav Partisans

Added custom icon for the PGClassic campaign in the launch screen. (Big thanks to VPaulus)
Changed campaign description text for the PGClassic campaign. (Thanks to El_Condoro)

PG_Anvil
Replaced several FFR French Inf with FFR Inf 44.
Replaced FFR French Alpines with FFR Mtn Inf.
Replaced FFR US 105mm M2A1 with FFR M2A1.
Replaced US Eng with US Eng 43.
Replaced FFR US M1A1 with FFR M1A1.
Replaced FFR US M4A1 with FFR M4A1.
Replaced FFR US M5 Stuart with FFR M5 Stuart.

PG_Anzio
Replaced German SdKfz 7/2 with SdKfz 6/2.

PG_Ardennes
Slightly remodeled road near Dasburg.
Added additional air deployment tiles near Bitburg.
Replaced two German SdKfz 7/2 with SdKfz 6/2.

PG_Balkans
Added a missing yugoslavian flag to the city of Makarska. (Thanks to Fimconte)
Replaced several Italian MC.200s with Re2000s.
Replaced Italian P.108 with CA.309.
Replaced several Yugoslav Inf with Yugoslav Partisans.

PG_Barbarossa
Replaced two German Pz38(t)A with Pz38(t)Fs.
Replaced some Soviet Regulars with Soviet Conscripts.
Replaced several Soviet 85mm AA with 76mm AA.

PG_Berlin
Replaced FFR French Alpines with FFR Mtn Inf.
Replaced several FFR US M4A1s with FFR M4A1s.
Replaced several US Enginers with US Eng 43.

PG_Berlin West
Replaced several US Eng with US Eng 43.
Replaced several FFR French Inf with FFR Inf 44.
Replaced French Inf with French Resistance.
Replaced FFR French 105mm gun with FFR M2A1.
Replaced FFR French Alpines with FFR Mtn Inf.
Replaced several FFR US M4A1s with FFR M4A1s.

PG_Budapest
Replaced Soviet Yak-9U with Yak-9.
Replaced several Soviet 85mm AA with 76mm AA.

PG_Byelorussia
Replaced several Soviet T-34/85 with KV-85.
Replaced several Soviet Yak-9Ds with Yak-9s.

PG_Caucasus
Replaced German Bf110 with Me210.
Replaced German SdKfz 7/2 with SdKfz 7/1.
Replaced Soviet KV-1 with T-28.
Replaced several Soviet Inf with SMG Inf.
Replaced several Soviet 85mm AA with 76mm AA.
Replaced several Soviet Yak-1 with Yak-1M.

PG_Cobra
Replaced US Enginers with US Eng 43.
Replaced FFR French Alpines with FFR Mtn Inf.
Replaced two FFR US M5 Stuarts with FFR M5 Stuarts.
Replaced two FFR US M4A1s with FFR M4A1s.
Replaced FFR US M8 Greyhound with FFR M8 Greyhound.

PG_Crete
Added missing GB flag on airfield south of Maleme. (Thanks to Korgan)
Replaced German PzIIC with a PzIID and a PzIIF.

PG_D-Day
Replaced German SdKfz 7/2 with SdKfz 6/2.

PG_Early Moscow
Replaced several German SdKfz 7/2s with SdKfz 6/2s.
Replaced lots of Soviet Regulars with Soviet Conscripts.
Replaced several Soviet 85mm AA with 76mm AA.
Replaced two Soviet Yak-1 with Yak-1Ms.

PG_El Alamein
Corrected coastline near Tobruk.
Replaced British Blenheim Mk.Is with Blenheim Mk.IVs.
Replaced British Cruiser Mk.Is with Cruiser Mk.IIIs.
Replaced German Bf110 with Me210.
Replaced Italian M40 with M42.
Replaced Italian Mc202 with Re2000.

PG_France
Fixed a road connection.

PG_Husky
Replaced several Italian towed 75mm CA with 75mm SPAD.
Replaced Italian L40 with M42.
Replaced several German SdKfz 7/2s with SdKfz 6/2s.

PG_Kharkov
Replaced several German SdKfz 7/2s with SdKfz 6/2s.
Replaced several Soviet 85mm AA with 76mm AA.
Replaced several Soviet Regular with SMG Inf.

PG_Kiev
Added missing road connection from north of Gomel over Chernigov to south of Nezin. (Thanks to Produit)
Replaced German Pz38(t)A with Pz38(t)F.
Replaced one Soviet Regular with SMG Inf.
Replaced some Soviet Regulars with Soviet Conscripts.
Replaced several Soviet 85mm AA with 76mm AA.

PG_Kursk
Replaced several Soviet Regular with SMG Inf.
Replaced several Soviet 85mm AA with 76mm AA.

PG_Low Countries
Fixed a river mouth and a road connection.
Replaced a German Pz38(t) with a Pz35(t), replaced two PzIIC with a PzIID and a PzIIF, respectively.

PG_Market_Garden
Added missing flag to the city of St. Oedenrode. (Thanks to RobertCL)
Replaced several German SdKfz 7/2s with SdKfz 6/2s.
Replaced two British M14 MGMCs with 20mm SPAAs.
Replaced British M14 MGMC with 40mm SPAD.
Replaced four British Hurricane IICs with Hurricane IVs.

PG_Middle East
Replaced two German PzIICs with a PzIID and a PzIIF.
Replaced an Italian Ba.65 with a CA.309 bomber and two MC.200 with Re2000/F1 fighters.
Replaced a British Blenheim Mk.I with a Blenheim Mk.IV bomber.

PG_Moscow (41)
Replaced several German SdKfz 7/2s with SdKfz 6/2s.
Replaced lots of Soviet Regulars with Soviet Conscripts.
Replaced several Soviet 85mm AA with 76mm AA.
Replaced two Yak-1 with Yak-1Ms.

PG_Moscow (42)
Replaced two German SdKfz 7/2s with SdKfz 6/2s.
Replaced lots of Soviet Regulars with Soviet Conscripts.
Replaced several Soviet 85mm AA with 76mm AA.

PG_Moscow (43)
Replaced several Soviet T-34/85 with KV-85.
Replaced lots of Soviet Regulars with Soviet Conscripts.
Replaced several Soviet 85mm AA with 76mm AA.

PG_North Africa
As appearently the Italian artillery was still stuck in the swamp, a clear terrain corridor was created.
Replaced Italian MC.200 with Re2000 fighters.
Replaced German Pz38(t)A with Pz38(t)F.
Replaced British Blenheim Mk.I with Blenheim Mk.IV bomber.
Changed the Italian ships to auxilary status.

PG_Norway
Replaced British Whitley bombers with Blenheim Mk.IVs.

PG_Poland
Replaced German Pz38(t) with Pz35(t).
Replaced Polish TKS with TK3.

PG_Sealion(40)
Replaced Britsh Whitley and Blenheim Mk.I with Blenheim Mk.IV bombers.

PG_Sealion(43)
Replaced British Churchill Mk.II with Churchill Mk.III.
Replaced British Cruiser Mk.I with Cruiser Mk.III.

PG_Sealion Plus
Replaced Britsh Whitley and Blenheim Mk.I with Blenheim Mk.IV bombers.

PG_Sevastopol
Replaced two German SdKfz 7/2s with SdKfz 6/2s.
Replaced two Soviet Yak-1 with Yak-1Ms.

PG_Stalingrad
Added missing flags to two airports. (Thanks to MartyWard)
Replaced several of Soviet Regulars with Soviet Conscripts.
Replaced several of Soviet Regulars with Soviet SMG Inf.
Replaced several Soviet 85mm AA with 76mm AA.
Replaced three Yak-1 with Yak-1Ms.

PG_Torch
Replaced British Churchill Mk.II with Churchill Mk.III.
Replaced several US M8 HMCs with M3 GMCs.
Replaced German SdKfz 7/2 with SdKfz 6/2.

PG_Warsaw
Replaced German Pz38(t)s with Pz35(t)s.

PG_Washington
Replaced British Daimler AC with AEC Mk.III.
Replaced British Spitfire Mk.XIV with Spitfire Mk.XVII.
Replaced US B-29SF with B-32 Dominator.
Replaced several US Eng with US Eng 43.

v0.14 (28.08.2011)

PG_Caucasus
Added missing soviet flag to Tblisi.
Added missing soviet flag to airfield near Voronezh.
Added missing soviet flag to airfield near Rostov.
Added missing soviet flag to airfield near Armavir.
Fixed unit defending Stalingrad which had it's entrenchment set to 100.
Inreased Russian prestige per turn.
Reduced German prestige per turn.

PG_Kharkov
Added missing road tile near Krasnograd.

PG_Middle East
Added four missing english flags at non-objective locations.
Replaced Opel Blitz transport for an italian infantry with an italian truck.
Removed excess german flag in the middle of the desert.
Corrected victory conditions.
Greatly increased prestige rewards for finishing the scenario.

PG_North Africa
Displaced Italian artillery with infantry to avoid it being stuck in the swamp.

PG_Poland
Corrected text in pzloc file (DV is at least 3 turns left, not 5) (Thanks to Xerkis)

PG_Sealion40
Nerfed the 200 Str Bf109 back to an acceptable level (Str 12) (Thanks to AgentX)

PG_Stalingrad
Added missing deployment hexes (Thanks to Sleezly)

v0.13 (19.08.2011)

Finally added missing pzloc files (responsible for displaying objectives on turn start).

PG_Berlin East; PG_Berlin West; PG_Berlin
Placed missing string and graphics for the city of Arnhem

PG_Budapest
Fixed the facing direction of the Allied (Soviet) units

PG_Caucasus
Fixed broken victory conditions. (Thanks to Hammer4000)

PG_France
Adjusted AI settings of a few allied units.
Reduced allied prestige-per-turn, slightly increased axis prestige-per-turn.
Increased turn limit to 30.

PG_Low_Countries
Removed excess (neutral) flag south of Dunkirk.
Fixed a (visually) broken road junction near Sedan.
Fixed road tiles not fitting the actual road near Liege.

v0.12 (17.08.2011)

campaign.pzdat
Fixed spelling mistakes referencing the Sealion (40) and Sealion (43) scenarios. (Thanks to rivvendarke)

PG_Norway
Changed one of the Bf109 fighters to auxilary.
Adjusted AI settings of various allied units.
Added a forward deployment zone for airborne units.

PG_France
Replaced a 'bridge too far' near Tours with two shorter bridges, slightly repositioned an airfield that was in the way. (Thanks to fraserkm)

PG_North_Africa
Removed misplaced swamp tile on the northeastern edge of the map (in the middle of the ocean) (Thanks to rivvendarke)

PG_Middle_East
Added missing deployment hexes (Thanks to Hetmann)

PG_Husky
Added missing deployment hexes (Thanks to Hetmann)

v0.11 (16.08.2011)

PG_Poland
Prolonged mission to 12 Turns (from 10), DV before Turn 9.
Fixed missing bridge connection.

PG_Norway
Fixed road junction between Gol and Lillehammer.

PG_Low Countries
Added missing flags for Calais and Dunkirk. (Sorry Fritz)

PG_France
Changed countryside tiles to bocage tiles. (thanks Rivvendarke)
Added missing road connection near Rouen.

v0.1 Initial release (15.08.2011)
_____
rezaf

[VPaulus]

I hope nobody minds me crossposting from a topic I created earlier today on the Matrix forums

Not at all.
We appreciate you post here too. Some people here don't go to the Matrix forums and vice-versa.
Thanks.

[HBalck]

Very nice ! And a good idea with the desert as water variant !!

H.Balck

[Fritz]

Since I finished Mannock's custom campaign today, I will play now your campaign.

The screenshots look promising. To the battle!

I found a bug when starting the campaign. The mission briefing text is not right:
http://www.bilder-space.de/show_img.php ... e=original

On the first scenario there is no airfield, which makes it difficult to attack entreched troops. I hope you can add one.

On the second scenario Warsaw the same briefing error occurs again.
Also with this error all scenarios are 5 rounds decisive and 10 rounds marginal.

I hardly could win the first scenario in 10 rounds.

[rivvendarke]

@Fritz
Thats exactly the map in PG1 - there were no planes in the first mission - not historically correct but quite challenging

@rezaf
Thanks very much for your hard work - feeling almost 20 years junger now

I finished the first two missions and the feeling is the same as in the original game. Mission one gave me a hard time, needed three trys for a decisive (highest diff) but its okay. Also prestige is low, I like it very much. Cant wait to play along.

A little issue in the first map - 8;5 looks like a brigde but is none

thx again

[rezaf]

I found a bug when starting the campaign. The mission briefing text is not right.
(...)
On the second scenario Warsaw the same briefing error occurs again.
Also with this error all scenarios are 5 rounds decisive and 10 rounds marginal.

That's the pzloc issue I mentioned in the initial post. It's just flavour text, though, and doesn't affect the real turn-limit or objectives.

On the first scenario there is no airfield, which makes it difficult to attack entreched troops. I hope you can add one.

As rivvendark already wrote, that's how mission 1 was in the original PG...

Thanks very much for your hard work - feeling almost 20 years junger now

You're welcome - thanks for playing.

I finished the first two missions and the feeling is the same as in the original game. Mission one gave me a hard time, needed three trys for a decisive (highest diff) but its okay. Also prestige is low, I like it very much. Cant wait to play along.

Yeah, mission one is really tough.
Big part of the difficulty comes from having no airforce and no customized troop that fits your playstyle.
Eventually, I think some unit balancing is in order - Polish Cavalry is a bit too strong, imo, and Polish Infantry, while having miserable stats, performs very good. Maybe I'll make the mission one or two turns longer to reduce the "brick wall effect".

Mission 2 is actually quite easy with a customized force. I finished a DV in 10 turns on my best attempt.

About prestige in general, like I wrote in the op, you can provide valuable feedback there.
PG was actually quite different, units were MUCH cheaper in many cases, and you got experience as you played by just fighting battles.
In PC, all you have is the prestige from capturing cities and the rewards for victories.
I greatly raised the prestige allotments across the board for all campaign missions, mostly just making numbers up referencing the PC campaign tree. Also, all losses now give prestige, too. Since replacements are no longer free, that alone would kill you...
Anyway, feel free to suggest better values when you run across a number you think too high or low.
(the same applies to everyone else playing too, of course)

A little issue in the first map - 8;5 looks like a brigde but is none

I actually noticed that earlier but forgot to fix it. Thanks, exactly the kind of issue that needs to be pointed out.
Fixed for the next release.
_____
rezaf

[VPaulus]

Please, could you also announce this mod is the Mods sticky thread?
viewtopic.php?t=27036
Thanks.

[rivvendarke]

finished Norway now, what a fight!! managed a marginal after 23 turns but took quite a beating. Strangely enough the AI build around 30!!! infantry units in Hamar (27,33) and tried to cross the river....never had units with 250 experience in map three before. I guess you should make an experience cap here, lets say 150 or so, otherwise I will have all my army on 599 before I go to russia...
19,31 is missing a river tile
I keep you posted what I find - thx again for the fun

[naturesheva]

Good job~!

If you need, i can help you fine tuning the map.

Here's an example. A quick work on the Poland map
http://www.sendspace.com/file/oab0mc

Thanks for your effort.


Nature

[rezaf]

Please, could you also announce this mod is the Mods sticky thread?
viewtopic.php?t=27036
Thanks.

Done.
_____
rezaf

[rezaf]

finished Norway now, what a fight!! managed a marginal after 23 turns but took quite a beating. Strangely enough the AI build around 30!!! infantry units in Hamar (27,33) and tried to cross the river....never had units with 250 experience in map three before. I guess you should make an experience cap here, lets say 150 or so, otherwise I will have all my army on 599 before I go to russia...
19,31 is missing a river tile
I keep you posted what I find - thx again for the fun

That's odd, I double checked and 30 is the maximum number of units the AI is supposed to have IN TOTAL in this scenario.
Had you destroyed everything else prior to this?

In general, I think that's an issue with Rudankorts AI rather than with the specific scenario. It's too focused on purchasing cheap "meatshield" units after surrounding every objective with arty, AT and AA. There was an issue in PGForever that basically prevented the AI from buying expensive stuff like tanks and planes, iirc - I'm not sure this was fixed in PC...

I'm thinking about working around the issue by juggling with core/auxilary unit designations and limits, but I'm not sure if this will suffice.
I'll also keep in mind your suggestion about limiting unit XP. But maybe you play along a little longer - who knows, maybe you will actually need some elite units in the russia scenarios...
(Everyone 599 would be horribly wrong, though, I agree with that).

@Nature: Thanks, I'll take a look once I get home this evening. However, keep in mind, for starters, the goal is to replicate the original PG missions and rebalancing should mostly occur through prestige. But let me take a look at your suggestions before writing more.
_____
rezaf

[Fritz]

Hm. I am at Low Countries now. It seems the prestige is general a bit low. Maybe you can raise it a bit.

[rivvendarke]

Aye, I could have 4-5 more core units but can't afford it. Low countries seems too easy compared to Norway, only needed 18 turns. Dunkirk and Calais have missing flags.

[rezaf]

@Fritz: Like I wrote, I already vastly raised prestige allotments across the board and by increasing amounts as time progresses, but this is the area where the most adjustments are in order, no doubt about it. So what shall it be? More prestige before going to Low Countries?

@rivvendarke: Iirc, Norway was harder than Low Countries in PG as well. What changes would you suggest?
Also, sorry about the missing flags. I really tried to double-check every map, but 38 scenarios obviously involve a lot of checking.
I'll fix this as soon as I get to my gaming PC.
_____
rezaf

[rivvendarke]

Wouldn't change much in Norway, you are right, it was quite hard in original PG. Maybe decreading the prestige per round for the AI a bit but thats not a must have. On the other hand you might give the allies in Low Countries a bit more planes or a bit more prestige - not much. But thats all finetuning, I'm more than happy with your work. Did create my first campaign last week which didn't work half as good.

10,10 and 19,13 is something wrong with the roads and the scenario can't be finished because of the missing flag in a primary target (Calais 6,4). Changed it in my version but now I have to conquer the Low Countries a second time. 6,17 is missing a bridge.

[Fritz]

France is not winnable. You forgot the right flag in Calais.

[rezaf]

I definately finished France before ... but I think I had missed some objective hexes and must've forgotten to add a flag at the proper place.
Gimme a few hours, I'll fix this immediately when I get home from work.
_____
rezaf

[Fritz]

Hey its no big deal. So relax!

[rivvendarke]

ok, Paris is mine, found no bugs in this map except that the fields in the southwest used to be bocage not countryside what makes momement more difficult.
Nice idea with the italian navy and gibraltar but I guess I leave England alone for now for I would miss africa completely

[Fritz]

Well it was actually the Low Countries scenario. Since Calais is in France I thought it was the France map.