Request for Optional Rule

[Old_Warrior]

Ok - seems I am not the only one that is against the current long move for routers/pursuers so to stop the amount of discussion on this topic I simply ask for Richard to consider adding in an option that would shorten the distance both of these units move.

For cavalry - make it 3 tiles. For infantry - 1 tile. The pursuing unit would follow up right along with that at the same rate.

Thus if cavalry breaks then sure, the infantry cant catch it. It would move 3 tiles, the infantry only 1.

And no attacking in follow up movement. If pursuing for THAT melee phase it is locked onto its target.

Again, this would be an OPTION.

Note: In John Tiller's Napoleonic Battle series I was able to get some 8-10 additional options added in that the guys liked. Two of the rules had dissent. The rest were "spot on." I know what I am saying here - when you give the guys an option on something like this you KEEP customers.

By enabling one rule I stopped the nonsense of entire BRIGADES disappearing from the map in ONE 15 min. turn. (game is battalions for infantry/regiments for cavalry)

You can still have collapses.

Btw - collapses like that at Waterloo - the Scots Greys charge from forward movement to rearward withdraw from what I have heard took 40 mins. to accomplish. In our series that would translate to 3 turns.

So in one turn you rout a key unit in the P&S series games then there is the morale test as the routed/broken unit rushes by, some units Disrupt. Fine! But then in the next phase you have a follow up charge by more units and away goes the Disrupted units.

I am just saying that to constrain the series to one view is limiting what others see as a fun game.

I would be happy to mod scenarios or play other versions of the Swedish/Imperialist cavalry to solve that dilemma.

Or let me put it this way: can you script the distance that units move during pursuit and override the default setting? I remember when building the Metz module for Battle Academy that most anything was possible as long you knew C script programming.

[rbodleyscott]

We are looking to adding gameplay options such as these to the next game in the series, and these may find their way into P&S in due course.

[rbodleyscott]

Or let me put it this way: can you script the distance that units move during pursuit and override the default setting? I remember when building the Metz module for Battle Academy that most anything was possible as long you knew C script programming.

Certainly you can.

We don't recommend that you alter the files in your main installation. Instead, the Editor will allow you to create a clone of each campaign, which will be saved in

/My Documents/My Games/PSCAMP/CAMPAIGNS if SP

and

/My Documents/My Games/PSCAMP/MULTIPLAYER if MP

If your campaign folder was called

MyCampaign

you would need to put copies of

$Default.BSF (from \Data\Battle\Scripts in the main installation)
AITools.BSF (from \Data\scripts in the main installation)

in \My Documents\My Games\PSCAMP\CAMPAIGNS\MyCampaign\Data\Battle\Scripts

(Both files go there. The file tree is different for custom campaigns - see diagram at end of http://www.slitherinebravo.net/GameWiki ... tub_engine )

then edit the copy of AITools.BSF as below.

----------------------------------

In AITools.BSF change line 1906 from

ap = GetBaseAttrib(id,"AP") + vmd;

to

ap = (GetBaseAttrib(id,"AP") + vmd) - 4;

to simply reduce the move by 1 square, or

ap = GetBaseAttrib(id,"AP") - 4;

if you would also like to remove the random (plus or minus one square) adjustment.

To reduce pursuers move by 1 square, add

ap = Max(0, ap - 4);

in line 1934.

If you don't want the pursuers to have a random move adjustment, comment out

ap += vmd;

on line 1935, by changing it to

// ap += vmd;

Note that these changes will affect evades as well as routs. The change could be scripted to only affect routs, but that would be slightly more complex.

------------------------------------------------------------

You can also prevent pursuit charges.

You would just need to add

return -1;

on line 3175 of AITools.BSF

(Just after the local variable definitions in CheckPursuersSwitchTarget())

[Old_Warrior]

Right - never alter the files that came with the game. Can lead to allegations of cheating, etc. Official P&S updates would overwrite the optional code anyway. Always use a copy of the default files. That way you can "spinoff" more than one variant.

I will look into doing this. I have Notepad++ and have done this with BA before.

I just need to know how to "clone" a campaign (which I assume means "copy"). How do you edit a campaign? I have seen how to edit a battle scenario.

[rbodleyscott]

I just need to know how to "clone" a campaign (which I assume means "copy").

1) Go into the Editor.
2) Hit the "+" button. (Tooltip says "Create a brand new campaign").
3) Fill in the details in the New Campaign dialogue.
4) Select "Copy of" and pick whichever campaign you want to clone from the list.

The cloned campaign will be saved in \My Documents\My Games\PSCAMP\CAMPAIGNS (if you did not check the Create in Multiplayer Folder box)

It will appear in the list of campaigns under the Historical button. Note, however, that in that list it will not have the name you gave it because it will use the name from the cloned campaign. You can edit this by editing the text1.txt file - the string after IDS_CAMPAIGN_NAME

How do you edit a campaign?

By adding files to the cloned campaign folder and then editing them.

You can add Script (.BSF) files from the main build - as detailed above - and these will automatically be used instead of the vanilla versions. You can add in modded Squads.csv files, ArmyList.txt files, text files, textures, tiles, pretty much anything and they will be used for that campaign instead of the vanilla versions.

See the diagram at the end of

http://www.slitherinebravo.net/GameWiki ... tub_engine

for where to put the modified files. Note that the file structure isn't exactly the same as in the main installation - you need to put files in the places shown in the diagram for everything to work correctly.

The link below may also prove useful:

http://www.slitherine.com/forum/viewtop ... 22&t=53873

[Old_Warrior]

Thanks! I will look into making the changes eventually and trying it out. Will playtest it with interested parties to see how they like it too. I want to get as much feedback as possible.

Also want to change the attributes for the units and I am sure that that is in the Squads file, right?

For instance: Swords (Impact) for Swedish cavalry. Is that something that is changed in the Editor or in the Squads file?

When I built the Metz module I used the same kind of files but I didnt mess around with the Squads file much. There was a master file that overrode the one in the campaign file anyway. They had to be in sync in some way and it all got too confusing for me.

[rbodleyscott]

For instance: Swords (Impact) for Swedish cavalry. Is that something that is changed in the Editor or in the Squads file?

You don't need to do this in the Squads file, the units already exist in it (they are used for later 17th century Swedish and French armies), and are accessible in the Editor.

They are called:

Veteran Armoured Horse (Shock)
Armoured Horse (Shock)

there are also

Veteran Unarmoured Horse (Shock)
Unarmoured Horse (Shock)

These all have "Impact Horse" capability, which is intended to represent cavalry who charge fiercely with drawn swords (and also Polish winged hussars with their special lance). It trumps Pistol (Impact) in open terrain unless the Pistols are Superior Determined Horse. (Imperial Cuirassiers are not Determined Horse, so will be trumped).

You can change them to Swedish uniforms using the Unit Textures button in the Editor.

[Old_Warrior]

Nice. Looks like you have armed me (pun) with all I need ... thanks, Richard!