The 'Switch' button is a novel and useful function - how does the user know what units are 'switcheable', except by chance when you notice it on the battlefield?
A unit's flexibility in this regard makes it significantly more valuable. To examine all the statistics for such a unit at the point of purchase I would consider essential.
Thanks
What Switches?
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What Switches?
Favourite Games Before Panzer Corps: Pacific General, People's General, Panzer General II... pure magic!
Re: What Switches?
You can open the 'equipment.pzeqp' file (with Excel or Notepad) in the 'Data' subdirectory of where you installed Panzer Corps.
If you look at the 'Multipurpose' column then every unit that can switch has a number which is the ID of the unit it can switch too.
For example the german AT unit '8.8 cm Pak 36' with ID 72 can switch to the AA '8.8 cm FlaK 36' unit with unit ID 99.
The AT unit has 99 in the multipurpose column and the AA unit has 72 in the multipurpose column.
If you look at the 'Multipurpose' column then every unit that can switch has a number which is the ID of the unit it can switch too.
For example the german AT unit '8.8 cm Pak 36' with ID 72 can switch to the AA '8.8 cm FlaK 36' unit with unit ID 99.
The AT unit has 99 in the multipurpose column and the AA unit has 72 in the multipurpose column.
Re: What Switches?
I tried to make a list of the current (1.20) equipment file, hopefully I didn't forget anything. I put the category the unit switches into in [brackets]:
German units:
Anti-aircraft: 8.8cm FlaK 36 [anti-tank]
Anti-tank: StuG IV [artillery]
Artillery: StuH 42 [anti-tank], SU-122(r) [anti-tank]
Italian units:
Recon: Sahariana [infantry]
Anti-aircraft: 75/46 C.A. m34 [anti-tank], 90/53 m41C [anti-tank]
Soviet units:
Anti-aircraft: 85mm M1939 [anti-tank]
Anti-tank: SU-152 [artillery], ISU-122 [artillery]
Artillery: SU-76 [anti-tank], SU-122 [anti-tank], ISU-152 [anti-tank]
British:
Recon: Chevy-WB [infantry]
Artillery: QF 25 pounder [anti-tank]
American:
Anti-tank: M3 75 GMC [artillery]
Artillery: M4A3(105) [anti-tank]
German units:
Anti-aircraft: 8.8cm FlaK 36 [anti-tank]
Anti-tank: StuG IV [artillery]
Artillery: StuH 42 [anti-tank], SU-122(r) [anti-tank]
Italian units:
Recon: Sahariana [infantry]
Anti-aircraft: 75/46 C.A. m34 [anti-tank], 90/53 m41C [anti-tank]
Soviet units:
Anti-aircraft: 85mm M1939 [anti-tank]
Anti-tank: SU-152 [artillery], ISU-122 [artillery]
Artillery: SU-76 [anti-tank], SU-122 [anti-tank], ISU-152 [anti-tank]
British:
Recon: Chevy-WB [infantry]
Artillery: QF 25 pounder [anti-tank]
American:
Anti-tank: M3 75 GMC [artillery]
Artillery: M4A3(105) [anti-tank]
Re: What Switches?
Thank you for your useful responses! I'll try and surprise the AI with my cunning use of the switch button...
Favourite Games Before Panzer Corps: Pacific General, People's General, Panzer General II... pure magic!
Re: What Switches?
It might be useful to add that you can't buy Long Range Desert Group (LRDG British Infantry) and Saharian (Italian) Infantry directly. But if you're buying a unit of Chevy-WB or Sahariana recon, that's what you're getting!
Personally, I feel the "nopurchase" trait is used a wee bit too often. Why would you deny the player the option to buy LRDG Infantry directly, for instance? Such a unit could be deployed directly into a close terrain hex and be much less vulnerable than in recon form, but quickly switch for superior movement when time comes to change position.
Was it considered too confusing to have the "same" unit offered twice on the purchase screens?
Personally, I feel the "nopurchase" trait is used a wee bit too often. Why would you deny the player the option to buy LRDG Infantry directly, for instance? Such a unit could be deployed directly into a close terrain hex and be much less vulnerable than in recon form, but quickly switch for superior movement when time comes to change position.
Was it considered too confusing to have the "same" unit offered twice on the purchase screens?
Re: What Switches?
Maybe this list is not complete anymore 'cause I've seen a soviet 76.2 mm filed artillery turn into AT mode.
Re: What Switches?
There are two units called 76.2mm M1942, one AT and one ART. But they are completely separate and cannot switch into each other.BloodCat wrote:Maybe this list is not complete anymore 'cause I've seen a soviet 76.2 mm filed artillery turn into AT mode.
Urelated to this:
Let's add two items to ThvN's excellent list, just for completeness: The V1 and V2 rockets are implemented as switchable from artillery into tac bombers (but not back again).
Re: What Switches?
Ah, yes, those are switchable as well, thank for mentioning. I forgot about them as they cannot be purchased normally. And you are right, the 76.2mm Soviet gun can't switch but there is a separate AT version which might give that impression.
About purchasing 'switched' units, I think this can cause trouble with some game mechanics. A switchable unit must have a 'primary' class, so I'm guessing buying a switched unit (which can be done with the 'all eqp' cheat) is pointless, as it will revert to its primary class between scenarios. And if you change the 'primary' unit to the other version you will end up with the same problem, and on top you will have the problem that heroes will be assigned according with the primary class. So if you mod the 88mm FlaK so that you can buy a 'mirror' unit that switches from AT to AA, it will never gain range heroes (these don't exist for the AT class).
The only solution would be the ability to switch a unit during deployment, like you can change how paratroopers deploy. But Rudankort isn't fond of that idea, it seems to be a lot of work for very little gain.
About purchasing 'switched' units, I think this can cause trouble with some game mechanics. A switchable unit must have a 'primary' class, so I'm guessing buying a switched unit (which can be done with the 'all eqp' cheat) is pointless, as it will revert to its primary class between scenarios. And if you change the 'primary' unit to the other version you will end up with the same problem, and on top you will have the problem that heroes will be assigned according with the primary class. So if you mod the 88mm FlaK so that you can buy a 'mirror' unit that switches from AT to AA, it will never gain range heroes (these don't exist for the AT class).
The only solution would be the ability to switch a unit during deployment, like you can change how paratroopers deploy. But Rudankort isn't fond of that idea, it seems to be a lot of work for very little gain.
Re: What Switches?
Thank you for your reply. Yes, I've been wondering about that "primary" trait in the pzeqp file. Okay, so its purpose (one of its purposes) is to tell the game which of the two switchable units is the "real" one, the "base" one, that the player originally purchased and expects to find in his unit list. (And whose unit class decides heroes - got it)
About your troubles with game mechanics, my immediate (but possibly naïve) proposal doesn't involve mucking about with the existing units at all.
How about simply adding a new unit (a new set of two units) that replicates all the traits of the previous unit (set of two units), with the sole difference being which unit is designed as primary.
For the 88, the pzeqp file would contain four entries, in (very) simplified form something like:
#1 Regular 88 - AD - Primary - Multipurpose: 2
#2 Regular 88(AT) - AT - Multipurpose: 1
#3 Reconfigured 88 - AT - Primary - Multipurpose: 4
#4 Reconfigured 88(FlaK) - AD - Multipurpose: 3
Wouldn't this work, and allow the unit I've called "Reconfigured 88" to work exactly like any other anti tank unit, including getting AT heroes?
(At least tell me where my very quick and straight-forward solution falls apart
) /M
About your troubles with game mechanics, my immediate (but possibly naïve) proposal doesn't involve mucking about with the existing units at all.
How about simply adding a new unit (a new set of two units) that replicates all the traits of the previous unit (set of two units), with the sole difference being which unit is designed as primary.
For the 88, the pzeqp file would contain four entries, in (very) simplified form something like:
#1 Regular 88 - AD - Primary - Multipurpose: 2
#2 Regular 88(AT) - AT - Multipurpose: 1
#3 Reconfigured 88 - AT - Primary - Multipurpose: 4
#4 Reconfigured 88(FlaK) - AD - Multipurpose: 3
Wouldn't this work, and allow the unit I've called "Reconfigured 88" to work exactly like any other anti tank unit, including getting AT heroes?
(At least tell me where my very quick and straight-forward solution falls apart
) /MRe: What Switches?
Yes, this should work. But you will also face the 'mirror' problem of the one you are trying to solve.
Your Reconfigured88 can only be deployed as an AT gun. You cannot deploy it as an AD gun, so it can't defend against attacking aircraft if the AI has the first turn. Which is the 'mirrored' problem of not being able to deploy the normal FlaK88 as an AT gun.
If you only want to deploy it as an AT gun, and don't mind you will have to wait until it's your turn to switch it to AD, then this is a good solution. But if there are scenarios where you really want to deploy it as an AD gun, because you are going to be hit by a swarm of bombers before your first turn, you will have the same frustration of the gun being in the 'wrong' switch mode.
I have similar problems with switchable artillery/AT units, like the StuGIV or SU-76. Sometimes I want to deploy it as an anti-tank unit, sometimes I would like to put it behind some other unit (for example, infantry in close terrain) in artillery mode to provide support against the AI's first wave. Fortunately, such moments are not very common, but it can complicate some deployment phases where I have to juggle units and then switch and re-arrange them during my first turn. Which is doable with mobile units but the towed, 1-move FlaK often cannot be moved in a good AT position anymore.
Your Reconfigured88 can only be deployed as an AT gun. You cannot deploy it as an AD gun, so it can't defend against attacking aircraft if the AI has the first turn. Which is the 'mirrored' problem of not being able to deploy the normal FlaK88 as an AT gun.
If you only want to deploy it as an AT gun, and don't mind you will have to wait until it's your turn to switch it to AD, then this is a good solution. But if there are scenarios where you really want to deploy it as an AD gun, because you are going to be hit by a swarm of bombers before your first turn, you will have the same frustration of the gun being in the 'wrong' switch mode.
I have similar problems with switchable artillery/AT units, like the StuGIV or SU-76. Sometimes I want to deploy it as an anti-tank unit, sometimes I would like to put it behind some other unit (for example, infantry in close terrain) in artillery mode to provide support against the AI's first wave. Fortunately, such moments are not very common, but it can complicate some deployment phases where I have to juggle units and then switch and re-arrange them during my first turn. Which is doable with mobile units but the towed, 1-move FlaK often cannot be moved in a good AT position anymore.