Editing out Aux Units in GC Scenarios?

[Spaznetz]

First, let me say that I've never done anything with the scenario editor before, so please word any answers like you're talking to a five-year-old.

I hate auxiliary units, I think of them as XP/Kill thieves. I generally just send them to put their noses in a corner somewhere and then use the "core#" cheat code to allow deployment of replacement units. But I've discovered that cheat codes kill any progress towards achievements. DUH, right?

What I'd like to do is edit all of the scenarios in the Grand Campaign (and probably all the other campaigns eventually) so that any aux units are deleted and the core is increased by the same number of units. Of course, I am making the assumption that editing the scenario won't kill achievement progress. If editing the scenarios stops progress on achievements, it's a waste of time for me. At least it is at the moment.

Does any information exist on editing the GC scenarios? Or could anyone offer some advice for an absolute newb on where/how to start?

[dalfrede]

Or could anyone offer some advice for an absolute newb on where/how to start?

First there is a pdf manual for the editor, it is limited, but useful. It is included with the game.

What you are asking to to do is very easy.
Open the editor.
Open the scenario you wish to edit.
In the top menu Edit -> units.
Click on a unit and it goes away. It's so easy I do all the time, even if I don't want to.

Edit -> Scenario Params -> Sides; adjust Core slots to whatever you want.

You should make a copy of GC folder before editing any of the contents. This allows recovery from mistakes.
You will make them.

Note you may find holes in your line as Aux units are placed where you can not deploy core units.
You may need to expand deployment zones.
Some aux units are cannon fodder and die quickly, you do not want core unit in their place.

[Spaznetz]

Or could anyone offer some advice for an absolute newb on where/how to start?

First there is a pdf manual for the editor, it is limited, but useful. It is included with the game.

What you are asking to to do is very easy.
Open the editor.
Open the scenario you wish to edit.
In the top menu Edit -> units.
Click on a unit and it goes away. It's so easy I do all the time, even if I don't want to.

Edit -> Scenario Params -> Sides; adjust Core slots to whatever you want.

You should make a copy of GC folder before editing any of the contents. This allows recovery from mistakes.
You will make them.

Note you may find holes in your line as Aux units are placed where you can not deploy core units.
You may need to expand deployment zones.
Some aux units are cannon fodder and die quickly, you do not want core unit in their place.

Thanks for the quick answer and the advice, dalfrede.

I made a backup of the entire PzC directory and I am stumbling through the manual while fiddling about in the Poland scenario of the vanilla campaign. It does seem to be pretty straightforward. I am sure that there are some advanced items that get left out of the manual, but I'm far from needing that info

[captainjack]

Changing units is relatively straightforward so this is a good place to start. Good luck with that.

When you are ready for the next (time consuming and highly addictive) step, there are some very good guides and discussions and helpful people that I've learned heaps from.

[Spaznetz]

Changing units is relatively straightforward so this is a good place to start. Good luck with that.

When you are ready for the next (time consuming and highly addictive) step, there are some very good guides and discussions and helpful people that I've learned heaps from.

Thanks for the kind words, captainjack. The edit I made of the Vanilla Poland scenario seems to work fine, but only time will tell. I've started a new playthrough on FM difficulty to see if it will unlock the 3 named difficulty settings upon completion. I figure that will be a good indication of whether modifying the scenarios screws things up or not.

More time consuming than the game itself?

No need to answer that, I've got way too many hours in way too many games already and I'm all too familiar with the rabbit hole of mods that my days fall into.

If you care to drop a few links to the guides/discussions, I'd love to have a direction to start off with.

(As long as I don't have to learn any more LUA )