The "Gabe-Mod" (v8.4.4)

[Horst]

The KV-2 was only called "artillery tank" because of its adoption of an artillery howitzer system. Otherwise, I'd still like to read some historical evidence when it was used in indirect-fire role. Whatever, it's a silly game after all so do what you like.

About Guadalcanal: I still vote against creating a proper early-victory trigger according to completed secondaries, as there is an infinite "Bonus: Kill a BB" trigger which rewards very valuable 150 RP/kill. There are actual three Japanese BB spawning so you don't want to miss that third BB kill either. BBs are most likely the last AI naval ships floating around during that exciting battle and it should take some time to bring all three down next to the large amount of DDs and handful CAs.

[terminator]

The KV-2 was only called "artillery tank" because of its adoption of an artillery howitzer system. Otherwise, I'd still like to read some historical evidence when it was used in indirect-fire role. Whatever, it's a silly game after all so do what you like.

Sorry, I couldn’t take part in the fight with the KV-2 during World War II

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=897U6oEJxkc

[Horst]

It's still awesome to watch a video today of an actual running KV-2 (even if I don't understand a single word of the guy)!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BE0vRkOaebw
I wonder how many engine parts got replaced by modern ones to make it actual run. Too bad the gun firing is just a fluffy smoke-fake.
I read the gun could rather only be fired forward or maybe backward. Sideward most likely damaged that thing what qualifies for the correct weakFlanks trait in OoB.

[prattaa]

3) I did not rebalance the unit stats! Yeah, okay, I did some changes, but tried to stick to vanilla stats basically. Also I've balanced my new units around the existing unit roster - not the other way around. And the 2cm FlaK AT is an unchanged stock unit, BTW.

Hi Gabe, please do not get the wrong impression. I really enjoy the mod and have tweaked some things to my personal preference. Regarding unit stats I meant to point out some flaws in base game that could be tweaked in future updates.

KV-2.JPG

Knocked out KV-2 alongside T-26. Not used in an indirect role if it's fighting with a T-26.

[Horst]

Another early-victory change:
- U.S. Pacific, PhilippineSea: changed early-victory trigger "Victory: Carriers Gone" from no more carriers deployed to no more category naval and removed the trigger timer there; removed the idle recon unit in transport ship

Your objective is to repel the enemy fleet and not only the carriers, therefore you should defeat everything there until it retreats off the map or sinks earlier, right?

I don't like this scenario at all, as it has way too many air-cp for the player. It's particular bad as you are forced to purchase even more carrier-based planes while your (gifted) land-based ones are useless. Off-map supply with redeployment zone could be handy there to make land-based aircraft more useful most of the time.

[GabeKnight]

Hi Gabe, please do not get the wrong impression. I really enjoy the mod and have tweaked some things to my personal preference. Regarding unit stats I meant to point out some flaws in base game that could be tweaked in future updates.

Don't worry, I'm always good for some arguing and discussion.
But I'm also a stubborn person, so although you may be right, it doesn't necessarily mean that I'll listen to you...

Another early-victory change: [...]

Horst, I'm still at the issues with the "Coral" scen, and working my way up.
I may be a bit slow these days, but I'm going through all of your suggestions.

[Horst]

I had no luck with the Remove Unit effect with planes stored inside carriers (no idea if this works with hangars). So, to finally fix this annoying air-cp issue and getting rid of three additional planes before the Lexington arrives with these three (deployed) planes again, you have to undeploy these from the carrier in the editor first. Only then you can safely remove planes+carrier by the campaign-variable trigger altogether.

[GabeKnight]

For your information:

Since there are only minor unit changes in the current update, with only a few new (Soviet) unit additions that the player can't buy anyways, I don't plan to update my mod to v7.1.8, yet. Also, many of the reported unit issues and errors have been fixed in my mod already.

However, there should be no problems whatsoever continuing playing with my mod with the current OoB v7.1.8 update.

[Horst]

One day I need you to test my mod again with my new, harsh supply-route system. I figured out how to make some terrain types revert back to neutral territory as long as no unit is on top or within zone-of-control adjacent to them.
This is heavily screeching on vanilla-compatibility, so possibly requires a map tweak here and there. As the AI isn't that shabby in establishing and cutting supply routes, this maybe could offer some different entertainment. Too bad I'm unable to recode some things like road- and rail-support.
I've also done some other changes meanwhile like giving elite-inf, structures, recon units, etc. +10 efficiency per turn to recover even on the move or after combat.
I know, OOB is sadly not in the best shape to play it right now, but I still need to waste more time waiting for other game patches.

OoB-Supply+.jpg (504.58 KiB) Viewed 3844 times

[Erik2]

Long ago I asked for harsh terrain like jungle and mountain not to allow supply flowing though them.
Your mod solution reverting ownership to neutral is a nice work-around.
Have you tested if the AI can take advantage of this, maybe make it easier for it to cut supply?

[Horst]

A combination of jungle and mountain dead-zones can make supply routes slightly more difficult to maintain. I’ve also added the inhospitable trait to swamp, rough_desert, pine_forest, and the (Chinese) wall. Adding this even to forests would certainly destroy many scenarios like Huertgenwald and Ardennenoffensive, so I think my choice of the most disrupting terrain types is the tolerable limit.
In Blissful & Goodtime and Operation Cannibal you can see how this creates pretty mazes. The usual supply-bummers are the combinations of roads on jungle terrain, although many original maps I checked still offered a clear path to the important objectives and supplies.

Blissful&Goodtime.jpg (393.92 KiB) Viewed 3794 times

OperationCannibal.jpg (337.4 KiB) Viewed 3794 times

It’s slightly risky to generally use such feature for vanilla maps if you don’t know for sure what silly things the AI will do during a particular scenario.
In the example below, I have set three defensive positions with Defend Hex on the flag with distance 0. Sadly, most other inf units still danced around the flag stupidity, but at least one unit was ordered to occupy each defined position, especially the one to keep the supply route open. Without defensive positions, the AI would utterly fail in keeping the supply route to the left flag open.

Supply-Test.jpg (621.88 KiB) Viewed 3794 times

[Erik2]

Do you know if it is possible let supply flow trough difficult terrain by adding roads/rails?
That should minimize the risk of breaking earlier scenarios.

[Horst]

Road/Rail-support was unfortuntely not in the mind of the game designer/coder when he created the hospitable terrain trait.
I guess he just kicked it out of the game due prevent unnecessary AI accidents and possibly for the reason of easier unit-detection if the player is usually in the offensive. I mean, it's always easy for an defender to see invasive units in own territory anyway with or without that terrain trait. I personally don't mind and will keep that trait for a while until I notice too many reasons to kick it out again too.
I've already modified a couple of vanilla campaign scenarios and removing jungle/dense_forest+road was already among my ban-list before I discovered this trait.

[GabeKnight]

"First, one brief announcement.
I just wanted to mention, for those who have asked that absolutely nothing whatsoever happened today in Sector 83 by 9 by 12.
I repeat, nothing happened. Please remain calm."

[GabeKnight]

Updated to game version v8.1.0. Link as always in the first post.

It's actually a "work in progress" build; expect an updated version soon.
It's fully playable, but I did not check/fix some reported issues since the release of the update, yet:

- unlocked the Soviet "GAZ-AAA_Maxim" AA/AT switch unit
- added Soviet Snipers and Calvalry. Some commando units are planned
- reverted the Katyusha unit's range back to 2
- FlaK-train switch added
- the Ger. Flammpanzer I and II units are not finished and are missing stats
- many small corrections/fixes since the last update of the mod.

There should be no problems with savegames after the update of the mod.

[SirAllan]

Hi Gabe
Are you planing to make some american and british units as well?
What about some paras in gliders (Hamilcar, Horsa and Waco) with support fire, light tanks and special jeeps ?

[GabeKnight]

Are you planing to make some american and british units as well?
What about some paras in gliders (Hamilcar, Horsa and Waco) with support fire, light tanks and special jeeps ?

I'm no modeller, so please don't expect any completely new models. I can "mildly" change existing stock ones (like AT/AA switch models) and/or reuse existing models (like creating commando/cavalry units), that's about it, sorry.
All new models in my mod were created by someone else (the Admiral , to be exact)

And I don't plan for any new American and British units at the moment. But if you have some more ideas - given the above conditions - I'm all ears.

[NautiLaus]

This is real good work!!! I like this Mod, thank you Gabe...

[GabeKnight]

Sorry all, but "expect an updated version soon" will have to wait until the next OoB update - that's going to be with the Red Steel DLC, I presume.

But the mod's stable so far, just don't use/buy the German "Flammpanzer" units.

[Igor1941]

Sorry all, but "expect an updated version soon" will have to wait until the next OoB update - that's going to be with the Red Steel DLC, I presume.

But the mod's stable so far, just don't use/buy the German "Flammpanzer" units.

+1 ...