Brave New World (total conversion) -v3.5 + No Counters

[Vano2004]

Is it possible to remove these squares in your mod and return the units visually , or does this chip replace units that are not in 2 & 3 D ?

something similar already , but only in the Panzer Corps
https://www.slitherine.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=67259

[StuccoFresco]

No.

[ColonelY]

I've played through the campaign (difficulty lvl III): Very nice job. Very interesting. Thanks

As you've written:

[...] 1st scenario is fairly hard, 2nd and 4th scenario are easy, 3rd is hard-ish, 5th is relatively easy, 6th is a bit hard. [...] but if playtesting see the player walking through the campaign I may rise the challenge in future versions.

Few comments, if I may:
1. Especially to defend the (enemy) supply outputs, I suggest that you add enemy garrison units (either a brand new unit or some "regular" infantry model?). On all maps, but especially for the first and fourth scenarios, where it's rather "easy" to take control of them and to outsupply massive amounts of enemy units.
(In the 4th, the enemy troops just barely reached the defensive line with our secondary objectives to be held at scenario end, before being all entirely outsupplied! Scen04, T38: the last British unit on the map has been whiped out. And air superiority gained by taking all British AFs and destroying most of their planes on the ground - long before that! Some British garrisons units would definitely be useful there... at least to slow down the player from achieving such a move!)

2. "1st fairly hard" => what about granting more RPs to the player? Either from start or perhaps later, as "gift", but not before mid-scenario (turnwise).
(No income at all for the player? Fine, you're pick.)

3. Dates coherences between scens 1&2: If I'm not mistaken, the first scenario starts the 1.1.1940 and lasts 20 turns (so about 20 days). And the next scenario starts the 5.1.1940... Due to this, perhaps setting a 5 turns per day (for the first scenario) would be more coherent on overall?

4. Scen2:
-> First, two details: the Strongpost at Linisti doesn't start at full entrenchement (well, it will be entrenched over time, but...) & there is no need to define an AI Team for the units we're about to control (the "AI Team 2", that is - you've a "!" because it mixes there air and land units - but here those from the player!?) - but that's still a detail, I think, as it doesn't bother the player who won't know this...
-> Then, what if the player lose exactly 27 units? The triggers about "50% losses" check wether it's the case "<27" or ">27". What if the case "=27" just happen? Then, this obj would stay considered as "open" (no completed nor failed, that is".
Suggestions for the "Yugo 50% losses" (so failed for the player) => put "<28" instead of "<27" (to consider the possible case "=27") and put the "Link to obj" (top down) back to "None" to avoid possible issues with the counter to be displayed, the one seen by the player.

5. Scen3:
-> 1 support unit in the E of our pocket start without entrenchement
-> the enemy support unit from the NW should move from AI Team 1 to AI Team 2, otherwise it's very likely to just stay put

-> With my settings at least, titles of event are too long to be properly displayed... perhaps a "Battle Survivors" and "Armored Div Incoming!" shall do nicely the trick?

-> Perhaps clarify pri obj descr: 10 units must survive AND exit the battlefield... but only units FROM our original pocket will count.
-> 'Could be nice to have a counter that upgrades each turn, in order to know if we're rather good so far or rather not

-> Perhaps add something in the briefing, like the 3rd part of it, something as "For that, we're a bit in a hurry!" Because we are.

6. Scen4: A little detail, brief 3/5: 'adding a little reminder about the meaning of MLRs, to be/stay crystalclear.

7. Scen05:
-> As Strongpoint can remove mines (! and while rotating!), as an easy fix, I suggest to replace the 2 minefields that are adjacents to the Strongpoint just East of Tiraspol (in the N of the map), so to replace them by Yugo minefields (why not, both armies having entrenched anyway and we've our own minefields elsewhere on this map as well).

-> Why is the obj "Baile" undefended? There at least a tiny (perhaps new model of) garrison unit would be welcome.

-> As conditon you check wether the campaign variable "tre" (from 3rd scenario) is ">1" or not. Actually, isn't it not only either 0 or 1? So, a ">0" wouldn't it be better?
-> In the Campaign Editor, under Settings, Variables... well, have you double-checked whether all campaign variables are added there and selected for each of them in which scenarios they should be taken into account?

As you've written "5th is relatively easy"... Indeed, too easy I fact, I think (and despite having had to beat again the motorized division what should have already vanished!):
At turn 15, only 5 British units survivors (all fully disorganized or almost) and only one 1-strenght point British stronghold surviving the turn 16... out of 20...
=> Perhaps you should put more units as reinforcements, including some British tanks and mobile artillery as well! And more British artillery here and there from start.

8. Scen06:
-> Only 1 red arrow associated with all these locations?
-> Strange that obj descr "2/3" of our forces, but counter displays "7/3" from start...


Et voilà!

Thanks. Cheer up, keep up the good work!

[StuccoFresco]

Et voilà!

Thanks. Cheer up, keep up the good work!

Thank you immensely, feedback is the most important thing for a modder.

1- yeah, spawning some Infantry Regiments would do the trick. Strongpoints, maybe? Even better.

2- nah, i like first scenario being hard. Unless more players complain about it, of course.

3- the Second scenario starts as the first is still ongoing: the British launched the southern pincer attack just a few days after the first, it's working as intended. Of course the player shouldn't be able to command both, but that's why I leave the player's identity vague so wethere we are impersonating the same person or not is left to the player's will.

4- the >27 <27 is a mistake, will correct. The function of the link to objective isn't really clear to me, but I remember having problems when not setting it so imho it's safer if it stays.

5- Yup, lots of small mistakes, will correct. The counter working during the battle is a must, you are right, but I don't know how do to it, I have to think about it in the Editor. It shouldn't be hard. More clarifications in the objectives are needed, I agree.

6- True.

7- Strongpoints can do WHAT? Oh dear. Replacing it with Yugo mines will do, for now.

Baile... is it the town in the northeast? Perhaps it is a falling back point for some British force or reinforcement? I vaguely remember this, I have to check it. It needs something to protect it, yeah, I also remember rolling into it unbothered and I thought I "fixed" it. I'll look at the 0/1 variable, but I haven't understood what you mean about checking all variables. IIRC the intended variable worked when testing (I killed off a lot of British Motorized in Scen 3 so Scen 5 removed one of them from the reinforcements pool). But I may misremember.

8- Red Arrow? The 2/3 of our forces means 2/3 of the armored ones iirc, so the counter takes into account Tenkovske and Huszar units, but as it's written it's really unclear, yes.

[ColonelY]

Et voilà!

Thanks. Cheer up, keep up the good work!

Thank you immensely, feedback is the most important thing for a modder.

You're welcome. 'Glad to be able to help a little.

1- yeah, spawning some Infantry Regiments would do the trick. Strongpoints, maybe? Even better.
At least something, yes. Strongpoints may be perhaps too much, I don't know.

[...]
4- the >27 <27 is a mistake, will correct. The function of the link to objective isn't really clear to me, but I remember having problems when not setting it so imho it's safer if it stays. It has to stay, indeed, but perhaps only in ONE of these two "triggers". My little concern about this is the following: because you'll have two different numbers (27 and 28), that may mess up which one will be displayed... Thus, leaving one "link" only may do the trick. To be checked.

5- [...] The counter working during the battle is a must, you are right, but I don't know how do to it, I have to think about it in the Editor. It shouldn't be hard. [...] 'Finding a custom scenario that contains this mechanism can save you time...

[...]
7- Strongpoints can do WHAT? Oh dear. Replacing it with Yugo mines will do, for now. Yes, indeed. This happens only once in the campaign, because it requires the immediate proximity between one of our Strongpoints and British minefields.

Baile... is it the town in the northeast? Yes. Perhaps it is a falling back point for some British force or reinforcement? Possibly, but they didn't have time to get there, anyway... I vaguely remember this, I have to check it. It needs something to protect it, yeah, I also remember rolling into it unbothered and I thought I "fixed" it. I'll look at the 0/1 variable, but I haven't understood what you mean about checking all variables. IIRC the intended variable worked when testing (I killed off a lot of British Motorized in Scen 3 so Scen 5 removed one of them from the reinforcements pool). But I may misremember. => Why are the campaign variables "due" and "tre", for example, not defined in the Campaign Editor itself?

8- Red Arrow? Yes, I mean when the player checks the objectives: By clicking on each blue "?", the player may see some red arrows appearing on the map over particular locations - these are helpful, for immersion and to clarify the objectives. In this scenario, you've started to put some, that's perfect, but there is only one right now... for much more towns, objectives... [...]

[StuccoFresco]

7- I never understood how to define campaign variables in the campaign map. I found that they worked and called it a day... I may revisit it.

8- Ah understood, that's easy work.

About difficulty and variety of the battles and objectives, what do you think about the mod?

[ColonelY]

I like it very much.

You know, after playing the first scenario, in which the Huszàr played an important role I was "disappointed" not to find any in the second one. Fortunately, as expected, they reappeared later.

I also find interesting the concept of support units that are active both in anti-aircraft and anti-tank.

[ColonelY]

Well, there is no income at all, which is a factor that can be interesting to exploit. And, as far as objectives are concerned, there are still other options to explore: validate some of them before the end of the scenario, unlock others (with events) during the scenario (either at a given moment or if certain conditions are met)...

[ColonelY]

Et voilà!

Thanks. Cheer up, keep up the good work!

Thank you immensely, feedback is the most important thing for a modder.

You're welcome. 'Glad to be able to help a little.


[...]
5- [...] The counter working during the battle is a must, you are right, but I don't know how do to it, I have to think about it in the Editor. It shouldn't be hard. [...] 'Finding a custom scenario that contains this mechanism can save you time...
[...] Hem, I can do better than that... let's see...

Well, let me help you a little - procedure:

Scen03, in your folder "controllo uscite", start by cloning the trigger "yugo controlla uscite" twice.

Then uncheck the box left of the (original) trigger "yugo controlla uscite" to make it inactive (to keep a safety copy enabling you to reverse the operation just in case; this could be activated later using trigger effects, by the way, but that’s not what we want here).

Rename a little the two clones, as you wish, for clarity.
Here, I’ll go with “yugo controlla uscite – END CHECK” and “yugo controlla uscite – COUNTER”, ok?

1. Let’s start with the “– END CHECK”, shall we?
Very easy: just change the “Link to Objective” back to “None” (in the check unit count condition), and you’re done.
(Basically, you don’t want THIS trigger to be linked with the counter, because it will only be validated at scenario end – it’s one of the two conditions – meaning that “only” then this counter will be displayed/updated.)

2. Next the “– COUNTER”:
Rather easy as well: First, remove the “Effect” (this is ONLY a counter now, thus it has NOT to change any objective state from open to achieved, or something ). Second (and that will be all), leave the “turn start” but for EACH turn, thus: under the condition “Check Turn”, uncheck the “Scenario Turn Limit” and select a “> 0” (or perhaps ">1") for the turn. That shall do it.
And there, of course, do NOT remove or change the “Link to Objective”, because that’s where it will be displayed… and now updated EACH turn, but validated (or not) only at scenario end!

After that, all you have to do is test for verification.

Et voilà!

[StuccoFresco]

You are amazing, man! Gonna test it asap.

[StuccoFresco]

After that, all you have to do is test for verification.

Et voilà!

It works! Later I'll upload the new version with all your suggestions and changes regarding AI units defending supply points, some difficulty tweak, and errors in briefings and such things. I only tested Scen3, however: I'm impatient to start working at the 1942 campaign and the naval system. :3

Thanks again for the precious feedback. I still hope someone else adds to it, though.

[ColonelY]

You're welcome.

[StuccoFresco]

New version is up!

[StuccoFresco]

Oh man, aggressive, torpedo-armed Destroyers and Submarines are going to be a massive pain in the ass for the player in the next campaign.

[StuccoFresco]

Testing the 1942 Campaign, working decently so far with minimum fixes needed.

Question for whoever interested: should Carriers have only AA attack? Or should they stick to only surface fire? I'd say that historically their armament was almost exclusively anti-aircraft, so it makes sense to make them AA only.

[StuccoFresco]

Good news for no-one interested: I'm running the final test playthrough. I expect the new version of the mod to be released in June.

Featuring:
- new naval system
- new commander/operations system
- new campaign with 8 scenarios and maaany events/triggers
- slightly reworked old campaign to include the new "commanders"

[StuccoFresco]

Version 2.2 is out!

- new 1942 campaign: you'll play as the British Commonwealth trying to avenge the 1940's failure, this time. 8 scenarios, one of which unlocked during the campaign itself. Two scenarios exist in two versions, depending on your results on the previous scenarios.

- new "Operations" system

- new naval system

- plenty of small changes around

As usual I'll post an AAR of my playtest.Feedback is sorely needed!

[GabeKnight]

As usual I'll post an AAR of my playtest.Feedback is sorely needed!

I would like to try it, but the whole "counter" thing kind of kills it for me. Sorry to say.
I don't suppose you have some version without them?

But I've seen that you did not mod the naval units. Is that right?

[StuccoFresco]

No, I haven't, although it wouldn't be terribly difficult to mod since it's a single column in the "units" file: I'd have to gather the names of the original files corresponding to the unit graphics... It wouldn't be difficult to make a "non-counter version".

No, I would need to also fix all the graphic effects of the units' firing in two .txt files. Some units also have dual fire modes that wouldn't be able to be fixed that way (Support Regiments especially). This would be significantly harder to fix and/or would require the player to ignore such dual-units' graphic glitches.

The naval units haven't been modified except for their icon size (i though they were too small). Air units haven't been modified as well.

[StuccoFresco]

Is it possible to remove these squares in your mod and return the units visually , or does this chip replace units that are not in 2 & 3 D ?

something similar already , but only in the Panzer Corps
https://www.slitherine.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=67259

I would like to try it, but the whole "counter" thing kind of kills it for me. Sorry to say.
I don't suppose you have some version without them?

But I've seen that you did not mod the naval units. Is that right?

I've given it a try for the sake of it, and making a "conventional graphics" version SEEMS much less complicated than I thought. The only real issue is dual purpose units like Support Regiments: I'll represent them with AT units, so their AA attack will be a bit silly to watch.

I'd say IF you are really going to give the mod a try, I could release such a version. Shouldnt' take long unless I run into some unexpected problems.