Battlefield: Europe MOD v2.4

[bebro]

Here's a couple of UI pics. May be just nitpicking, but hey, just take what you need and leave the rest

- changed Brit QF 2pdr pic to be used for 2pdr portee (which it actually displays)
- new towed QF 2pdr
- corrected: Churchill Mk. VII, Matilda II, Panhard 178 (the French version, the captured German is right)

So overall not much, just tought I throw them in

Edit. had some alternative pics too in the 1st try, but including them makes the attachment too big.

[Cataphract88]

Thanks for the new pics, Bebro, I've added them into my version of the mod.

[Uhu]

First impressions about v1.5 (until turn 31):

I have to say, it brings a lot of new gameplay - after that, I already played several hundred hours with the earlier versions!
-The step-by-step entering of Italian troops works also well, makes the scenario more interesting, colourful and more historical.
- The in-family upgrade possibility for the Pz III's to Pz V's is also a great idea: already, early in the scenario I feel it's effect, because I take care of my Pz III's to not loose (much) xp, to be in good condition for the time of the upgrades. Earlier, my poor Pz III's were expendable things - because I made the upgrade from below the Pz III armor level. Hopefully, I will have also the prestige to afford Panthers...
- I misses really the +2xFighter and +2x 150mm arty! (what I changed on in the earlier games from the "factory default" core force)
- Because of the even fewer prestige (or the bigger need for it), I upgrade no more the German 105mm guns to 150mm. I just give them proper transport.
- On the other hand, to handle the "minus 2xFighter situation" I decided to upgrade all existing Bf 109F's (maxbe except the AK fighter) to Fw 190A's. The Italian CR.42 will be also not wasted, but also converted to MC.200 to make it useful after 1941 and let it alive.
- Malta is now a formidable bastion: the usual tactics (bombing it with the two SM.79's) don't works anymore, because sometimes the bomber cannot hit it - even on full strenght - while the more often appearing Allied aircrafts make huge losses. Only, when the Fw 190's and Rudel arrived, were going things to change, but the huge casualties already sustained, it was a high price for it.
- About the Bombing war, I cannot say much, because this time it should happen not much: from 1942, 3x Fw 190's (with heroes) guard the area, alongside the concentraded AA force. To sept 1943, I got penalty only one time and it was also in rainy weather. On the other hand, on Rommel, penalties are halfed, which is dull. I will correct that with cheat, when it happens again, but as I felt anyway unfair to get penalty in rain, I left the 25 prestige penalty untouched.
- S-Boats feature works really nice! Congratulation for this idea! Now, they have a purpose and have different tasks and are no more "destroyers with low ammo/fuel"

I encountered a problem: inf units with trucks cannot enter winter forest hexes. Not on foot, not on trucks. It is impassable to them. Why? Bug? I installed a pure copy, than v1.5, than my own flag/equipment/BW pictures collection on that. But no tile changer, strings or such file. McGuba, did you modified something on them? If yes, in which file?
UPDATE: maybe the sinner is a given file, with html extension in the UI folder?
UPDATE 2: well, nothing changed. Did somebody else encountered thid issue?

[hugh2711]

Do the 'security infantry' that appear in the balkans about turn twenty-something count towards your 200 unit slot limit in version 1.5? thanks

[Uhu]

I really do like all of the information/news screens of this mod!
Earlier I converted the pictures to BW to make it more WW2 atmospheric. But now I use them, as they are and save these screens as trophy . They makes the mod more living, colorful and fun! And the several "mini-quests" are also a nice feature to the whole gameplay. I really think, that together (but primary you, McGuba) we created an almost new game!
Nothing news, but I hade to share my thoughts and feelings.

[Ason]

I really do like all of the information/news screens of this mod!.. They makes the mod more living, colorful and fun! And the several "mini-quests" are also a nice feature to the whole gameplay. I really think, that together (but primary you, McGuba) we created an almost new game!

I agree, I love the news screens, I'm hoping for a new one every turn This is the kind of scenario I wanted ever since I first started playing PC! You did a really good job!

[McGuba]

- Italian 47/32 and 97/38 AT guns are not in the same family. That would make the upgrade absolute senseless, because you cannot upgrade it anyway further to Pak 40. In the time of the appearance of the Italian 97/38, the gun was not a rarity, so I would suggest to make it in one family with the 47/32.

Yeah, they should be. I will change it in the next version. I was hoping to finish the development of this mod, but I have a feeling that people with continue bombarding me with suggestions and bug reports, so it is likely that I just cannot stop until we reach v9.99 some time in 2045.

- I don't support the idea of the artifical restricton of buying, upgrading Bersaglieri, Alpini: it is fair, that they are not in the same family, so the player has to play the price for that. But preventing it, because historically there were elite and therefore rare units is illogical - with that thinking all possible should be stopped - Romanian for Mnt troops, Hungarian for Mnt, Motorised troops, Finns for Jäger troops... I think the price handles this situation enough, no need for artifical restrictions.

It is a bit different: in the African theatre the player can only purchase/upgrade Italian units as there is only a few German units initially. Therefore upgrading all the Italian units there to the much better Alpini or Bersag units would change the balance significantly and it would also be quite unhistorical. On the Eastern Front, though, there are lots of German units so players would unlikely upgrade the Minor Axis units to veteran ones as it is a better option to upgrade the German units. Still I will think over this system and it might change in the next version.

- the new sea tiles are for me too disctracting, I changed it back to vanilla

I am sorry to hear it, but I would be glad to learn what other players think about the new sea tiles.

- I experienced, that I could'nt transport a 20mm AA gun from southwest France with rail. I don't know, if it is an issue, or just my over-modified version of your mod is the sinner.

the 2 cm FlaK 38 has the rail transport in the origninal equipment file, so it should be because you are using your modified e-file.

One question: is the feauture implemented in v1.5, that the player gets only penalties, if the partisans stay on the rails in the END of the Axis turn? That would make a huge difference, because hunting partisans in the open (and not in the marshes) makes much fewer casualties.

Yeah, in v1.5 you have a chance to locate and destroy the partisans before getting the penalty. I think is more interesting and fair in this way.

Here's a couple of UI pics. May be just nitpicking, but hey, just take what you need and leave the rest

Thanks, I will add these to the next verison, too.

- The in-family upgrade possibility for the Pz III's to Pz V's is also a great idea: already, early in the scenario I feel it's effect, because I take care of my Pz III's to not loose (much) xp, to be in good condition for the time of the upgrades. Earlier, my poor Pz III's were expendable things - because I made the upgrade from below the Pz III armor level. Hopefully, I will have also the prestige to afford Panthers...

Yeah, my intention was to make the Pz.IIIs more meaningful instead of just turning them to cannonfood from 1942. It will cost you about 550 pp to upgrade to the first Panther version from a Pz.III and it will get cheaper with the newer Panthers.

- Because of the even fewer prestige (or the bigger need for it), I upgrade no more the German 105mm guns to 150mm. I just give them proper transport.

I did the same, but I do not always give them better transport, at least not until 1943 when there would be more movement. Arty units with slow horse transport are cheaper to maintain, and can be used for the long static sieges of Leningrad or Sevastopol and the cities around Moscow. Then they can be transported quickly by train to the next city to siege.

- Malta is now a formidable bastion: the usual tactics (bombing it with the two SM.79's) don't works anymore, because sometimes the bomber cannot hit it - even on full strenght - while the more often appearing Allied aircrafts make huge losses. Only, when the Fw 190's and Rudel arrived, were going things to change, but the huge casualties already sustained, it was a high price for it.

Good. It was exactly my aim. Historically the Axis could not take it as they did not assign enough forces to do so. In the mod it should be the same: if the player wants to take it he has to send the best air units there, at the cost of reducing the air power elswhere.

Do the 'security infantry' that appear in the balkans about turn twenty-something count towards your 200 unit slot limit in version 1.5? thanks

Yes, it does. All core units does count. Core units in the mod are tipically all air and ground units except fortifications, Auxiliary units are tipically sea units and fortifications.

I really do like all of the information/news screens of this mod!
Earlier I converted the pictures to BW to make it more WW2 atmospheric. But now I use them, as they are and save these screens as trophy . They makes the mod more living, colorful and fun! And the several "mini-quests" are also a nice feature to the whole gameplay. I really think, that together (but primary you, McGuba) we created an almost new game!
Nothing news, but I hade to share my thoughts and feelings.

I really do like all of the information/news screens of this mod!.. They makes the mod more living, colorful and fun! And the several "mini-quests" are also a nic feature to the whole gameplay. I really think, that together (but primary you, McGuba) we created an almost new game!

I agree, I love the news screens, I'm hoping for a new one every turn This is the kind of scenario I wanted ever since I first started playing PC! You did a really good job!

Thanks, I also like the immersion factor in a game. I grew up on old strategy games like Defender of the Crown for C64, which had very basic graphics with today's standards, but they did pay attention to small details, like short in-game cut scenes or messages with pictures. These really add to the immersion of any game, IMO.

[Uhu]

It is a bit different: in the African theatre the player can only purchase/upgrade Italian units as there is only a few German units initially. Therefore upgrading all the Italian units there to the much better Alpini or Bersag units would change the balance significantly and it would also be quite unhistorical. On the Eastern Front, though, there are lots of German units so players would unlikely upgrade the Minor Axis units to veteran ones as it is a better option to upgrade the German units. Still I will think over this system and it might change in the next version.

Yes, I understand the problem. Well, one thing is, that the player can bring up anyway German units in the region, so strong units can be there anyway. On the other hand - because of this fact! - I don't needed any Italian inf upgrade in the last times of playing. I would suggest the following: Italian inf, Alpini, Bersaglieri upgrade to 44 level would allowed in Jan. 1944. Therefore Italian Inf 44 should be created (if needed, I make the icon for that). That would/could also simulate the historical version, when RSI troops got better, German equipment. I would say: SA: 4, HA: 4 and some Ini, close combat boost (Alpini 44 and Bersaglieri 44 should have also HA: 4). And still no Alpini, Bersaglieri purchase would be allowed.
- By the way, Finn 44 inf, Jäger units should be also allowed. I will also create icons for them sometime...

Historical equipment availability should be corrected for StuG IIIF and Pz IVF/2:
- long-barelled StuG's were available (in significant numbers) from March 1942. Therefore availability: second half of Febr., 1942 - to let the upgrade possible before March.
- Pz IVF/2 production started in Apr. 1942, but was only in June 1942 with significant number on the battlefield. Therefore availability: second half of May, 1942 - to let the upgrade possible before June.

[hugh2711]

Having gone through a first time of most of 1.5 i have to say once again some of the changes are very interesting and engaging.

1) There seems to be a problem with the 30cm nebwerfer 43, I have tried using it in different versions of the mod and it is there visually but will not fire at anything.

2) If iceland becomes so important(; two large counterattacks!), then surely to make it more realistic the port should be open so your ships could dock as it is and was used in physical reality.

3)While i think some of the changes in the air war are a good modelling of history e.g. the frequency and size of the raids there are others that seem ridiculous

a) some of the allied fighters seem to have been buffed up too much to the point where they walk all over three star with hero top of the available range german fighters, seems absolutely ridiculous in the game and cant be realistic. (no this isnt a case of a series of bad dice results, i have it on dice chess).
b)New allied fighters coming in at two star, again ridiculous.
I think these two make the air war a less accurate model in practice and the ways of countering them from the german side will have to be even more unrealistic.

4) love the new sea.

5) buffing up the allied defenses in the black sea makes quite a bit of difference, means you cant get across until after you take sevastopol which delays getting the oil fields considerably, big loss of revenue and means now you can only get two that way not all four.

6) the lower unit limit has a big effect, i disbanded the 'security inf' immediately but still had to wait a long time to get new slots, usually too late for what i wanted .
just a few more............

7) there seems to be one less stuka at the beginning, sorely missed!.

italian changes are interesting, makes them a whole sub-game by them selves.

9) the partisans - what are they 'on' now

10) north africa changes, interesting, forces a difficult close run contest in N. africa and Maltaaaaaaggghhhhh

Once again awesome mod.

[Uhu]

McGuba,
did you tweak something with the weather, especially in summer, 1942? When not, then it shall be tweaked:
I never encountered with this earlier in the 5-6 games, but now the following happened: in the anyway short summer months of 1942, 4 or 5 days rained (two times, with muddy) and also several cloudy day passed. That meant I could not use my airforce, and therefore nothing could be captured timely as historical. Even in Sept. 1942 I was only at Rostov and far from Stalingrad...
I would suggest to put a weather fix for this month to have the historical gameplay surely be possible to outplayed.

This was the first time, when I loaded an earlier save - because of this...

[Delta66]

Finally I found some times to dive in v1.5.

First impressions are very good.

1/ Less Italians and Vichy French, limit the number of units so it speed up play as well as preventing some sleeze tactics.

2/ The sea looks very nice on my 1920x 1080 17 inches screen, however on my older 1360 x 768 15 inches the waves textures is more apparent and, slightly, more obtrusive.

3/

turn 11, Moscow with little defense

BE_15 Moscow Empty.jpg (231.77 KiB) Viewed 5568 times

On turn 11, late November 1941. I'm closing on Moscow, to my surprise the city is very lightly defended. I killed an infantry in the westernmost trench where a German infantry is, and now my Pz II can move inside the city. Moscow was defended by 2 only Infantry, one gun and the 2 AA guns.
Seizing the city so easily on a coup seems too easy.

Maybe put the full complement of infantry in the trenches and artillery in the next row a little earlier.

4/ A minor point, I noticed that in Petrozavodsk (114,12) in the far north vs the Finns, there is a Soviet hero with +3 Defense. However the unit is set with an attacking stance. So just parking your Finns adjacent and letting him attack you is a good way to get rid of him. I think it would be more natural to set a hero with a defensive bonus as passive, or to give him some offensive bonus if you want to set him with attack.

5/ The air war seems better than in 1.4 so far (Dec 1941). In the first year the allies bombers mostly attack France, but I had the feeling that they stay above France more than before when damaged, instead of going back to England for repair. In the end I have destroyed significantly more bombers than in the previous iterations of the mod.

Great job, thanks again

[Delta66]

I think there may be an error with the Pz IIIJ 'bigunit' pictures.

Pz IIIJ is linked to Pz III J/1 picture although there is a bigunit picture for Pz III J
Pz III J-1 is linked to Pz III L picture although there is a bigunit picture for Pz III J/1

finally
the bigunit picture for the Pz III J/1, looks like a early Pz IV to me, I would say ausf E.

wrong Pz III J/1 pic

Panzer_IIIJ-1.png (49.4 KiB) Viewed 5557 times

[McGuba]

I would suggest the following: Italian inf, Alpini, Bersaglieri upgrade to 44 level would allowed in Jan. 1944. Therefore Italian Inf 44 should be created (if needed, I make the icon for that). That would/could also simulate the historical version, when RSI troops got better, German equipment. I would say: SA: 4, HA: 4 and some Ini, close combat boost (Alpini 44 and Bersaglieri 44 should have also HA: 4). And still no Alpini, Bersaglieri purchase would be allowed.
- By the way, Finn 44 inf, Jäger units should be also allowed. I will also create icons for them sometime...

OK. However, Bersaglieri 44 is already present. I would need icons for the other ones, though. And now I am taking a little break from modding.

Historical equipment availability should be corrected for StuG IIIF and Pz IVF/2:
- long-barelled StuG's were available (in significant numbers) from March 1942. Therefore availability: second half of Febr., 1942 - to let the upgrade possible before March.

I took the availability date from deducter's e-file. The Stug IIIF was produced from March 1942 to Sept that year. During this 6 month period 359 were produced, which means 60 per month on average. And in the mod a tank destroyer unit represents about 150-200 vehicles. So it should take a few months until it becomes available and that's why it is currently availble form July. I also wanted to make the Marders available earlier for game balance reasons. Still, I can possibly push its availbility a bit back, but not to March.

- Pz IVF/2 production started in Apr. 1942, but was only in June 1942 with significant number on the battlefield. Therefore availability: second half of May, 1942 - to let the upgrade possible before June.

I accept this change.

1) There seems to be a problem with the 30cm nebwerfer 43, I have tried using it in different versions of the mod and it is there visually but will not fire at anything.

I have never used it before. Deducter set its range at 1 and probably that's why you could not fire at anything. I will increase it back to 2. However, historically it had a very short range, indeed, so I might not.

2) If iceland becomes so important(; two large counterattacks!), then surely to make it more realistic the port should be open so your ships could dock as it is and was used in physical reality.

I will think about it and its possible consequencies. It would make the U-boat war a lot easier having an Axis port close to the convoy routes, though.

a) some of the allied fighters seem to have been buffed up too much to the point where they walk all over three star with hero top of the available range german fighters, seems absolutely ridiculous in the game and cant be realistic.

Historically the Luftwaffe was virtually wiped out during the first half of 1944, so it should be simulated somehow. Some Geschwaders suffered 200% loss in just one month. To beat the mod the player should defeat at least one of the main adverseries by 1944 and it should reduce this threat greatly. If England is captured by then there should be no more Western Allied fighters spawning there.

b)New allied fighters coming in at two star, again ridiculous.

Again, in 1944 Allied fighter pilots had much better training than new German pilots as the German pilot training was shortened partly to speed it up and partly due to the lack of available fuel that could be used for training. Also, while the Allies could train their pilots in the safety of Canada, the Germans had no such safe haven for training as all of Germany became a playground for the Mustangs.

7) there seems to be one less stuka at the beginning, sorely missed!.

I revised the OOBs of 1941 and it seems that there were far more medium bombers than Stukas. Stukas suffered heavy losses in the Battle of Britain and they could not fully recover from it by 1941. I think the Stuka in general was more of a propaganda weapon, it did not have a decisive effect on the war, it was just too slow and vulnerable and there were always more medium bombers in service.

did you tweak something with the weather, especially in summer, 1942? When not, then it shall be tweaked:
I never encountered with this earlier in the 5-6 games, but now the following happened: in the anyway short summer months of 1942, 4 or 5 days rained

No. It had to be bad luck. There is a small random percentage for rain, and would not touch it to have some randomness in the weather. The other opion would be to add certain rain for certain turns, but it would reduce the randomness even further.

On turn 11, late November 1941. I'm closing on Moscow, to my surprise the city is very lightly defended.

It is an integral part of the mod since v1.0. Historically Moscow was lightly defended until the reinforcements from the far east had arrived. But, as we know, the Germans decided to stop at Smolensk to finish the encirlement of Kiev and thus wasted their chance for an early capture of the Soviet capital. However, if the player can move fast and take the city by Novemeber, it supposedly causes some disruption and chaos and as a result some of those reinforcements never arrive. It can be seen as a hidden quest in the mod.

4/ A minor point, I noticed that in Petrozavodsk (114,12) in the far north vs the Finns, there is a Soviet hero with +3 Defense. However the unit is set with an attacking stance. So just parking your Finns adjacent and letting him attack you is a good way to get rid of him. I think it would be more natural to set a hero with a defensive bonus as passive, or to give him some offensive bonus if you want to set him with attack.

I will think about it. The AI is not very good in using its heroes effectively, unfortunately.

I think there may be an error with the Pz IIIJ 'bigunit' pictures.

I think there might be even more errors with some of the bigunit pictures, as I wrote I took about half of the bigunit pictures from another modder and I fixed lots of errors, but there are still some in. We are talking about nearly 800 bigunit pictures in the mod, after all... Anyway, any bigunit picure error reports are welcome and I will fix them with time.

[Delta66]

Hello,
Overall the Barbarossa scenario works very well so far, currently on turn 38.

A few map issues:

- Hex (119,22) has a wood image, but is in effect a clear hex.

- There are two cities named Stavropol in Russia (this may be intentional though), one in the Caucasus (143,56) this one seems correct, and one on the mid Volga river (149,28) this one may be Tolyatti instead.

- Not an error, just a suggestion, the town of Abbeville (52,43) in France is a rather small town for the size of the mod, today population is 20 000, and probably less than 10 000 in 1940.
I suggest adding the much larger city of 'Le Havre' (49,44) which has today a population close to 200 000, and which was, and still is, a major port.

- The north hexside of the Brest harbor in west France seems wrong:

BE_1.5, Brest hexside bug.jpg (229.03 KiB) Viewed 5337 times

- I didn't get any message for Stalingrad capture (even when I take the adjacent airfield), and I don't think I get pp either. Is this intentional?
- On turn 37, I get a free SE Tiger in Germany, but no message warning, idem?

[hugh2711]

I just finished 1.5 and i definately got points and a message for taking lenningrad , malta and when getting the first (free) tiger.

The air war is definately tougher in 1.5, the fighters are very aggressive.
Its doable but it means that the lions share of resources goes into air units and they are nurtured all the game, no room for the weak ones - upgrade all the time, they all end up as 3 star with heroes and ridiculous numbers of AA in north germany.

I finished with all of north africa except the nile, 3 out of 5 oil hexes (romania and the two middle east) ones all of europe (minus uk),. large chunks of russia, some hexes in siberia and iceland with control of the north atlantic.

[Uhu]

McGuba,
I just noticed, that all minor nations get their upgrades of air units for a cheaper in-family price! Well, it's a real nice surprise, I just wonder, where did you balance this reduced prices? Or do you think, that the hardcore-bombing war balance it enough?
UPDATE: well, with the AI, now trying to recapture several key towns, the scarce resources has to be splitted anyway, so, I didn't felt that "easiness". The other thing, that ALL (6) Fw 190'a are in the West and in the South means, that without the minor nations, the air war in Russia would be lost...and the 4x Italian fighter is a great help too (they were brought to Russia, because they have more chance against the Soviet aviation)!

The new reward for capturing the Caucasus was also a nice surprise! I just wonder now, where these prestige have been taken.

[JimmyC]

How long does this mod take to play through?

I've got a couple of days free this holiday season, so was considering giving it a whirl, but it depends on how much time it will take...

[Uhu]

Welcome!
These couple of days will be enough to start entering in this wonderful mod! Calculate about with 30 minutes/turn, or with even more.

How long does this mod take to play through?

I've got a couple of days free this holiday season, so was considering giving it a whirl, but it depends on how much time it will take...

[Delta66]

The first scenarios, Poland, France and Mediterranean are more or less as long as those from the vanilla game. Then there is a big one Barbarossa.
It is really huge,and a bit daunting at first, there are so many things to take care off.
Each turn playing time varies quite a lot over the course of the scenario, I think the early turns are amongst the longer. Then, when you have a clear frontline in the Soviet Union, there are a little less maneuvering. Afterward some turns show less actions when you are in between two major operations, or when the weather prevent flying. And when a major allied country is conquered the playing time is much quicker.

Overall I would say that the campaign is around 30-50 hours, but probably more for the first play through. Anyway there is a strong possibilities that the Barbarossa scenario will be over, one way or the other before the last 99th turn. Even if you haven't time to complete it on first attempt, you will learn a lot from your first play and want to try a different approach.
Highly recommended.

[McGuba]

A few map issues:
...

OK, thanks, I will check those.

- I didn't get any message for Stalingrad capture (even when I take the adjacent airfield), and I don't think I get pp either. Is this intentional?

Currently Stalingrad has no AI zone due to the lack of AI zones and that's why there is nothing to trigger a message.

- On turn 37, I get a free SE Tiger in Germany, but no message warning, idem?

Dunno, it happened to Uhu as well earlier, I will double check. For some reason sometimes you do not get the message if you get other messages in the same turn.

McGuba,
I just noticed, that all minor nations get their upgrades of air units for a cheaper in-family price! Well, it's a real nice surprise, I just wonder, where did you balance this reduced prices? Or do you think, that the hardcore-bombing war balance it enough?

Yeah, I think it makes the rebalanced air-war a bit easier. Also, historically, the Minor Axis air forces were re-equipped with German produced aircraft in 1943-44 and I would like the player to do the same to reflect it and that's why they are in the same family.

How long does this mod take to play through?

Yeah, I would also say around 50 hours, which can change depending to your playing style and skill. The AI in this campaign is much less forgiving though, than in the vanilla campaigns. So you might want to play it on one less difficulty level than you usually play or prepare for some punishment...