Re: Locarnus Addon 2023-07, for Battlefield Europe and Afrika Korps
Posted: Wed Jul 12, 2023 1:42 pm
Thxs Locarnus for the continuous updates !
Forum
https://forum.slitherine.com/
You are welcome!

The rate of fire can really make or break a unit. For example some anti aircraft guns, or the difference between small and big caliber artillery.

Thank you!
I guess the main draw is centered around the "house rule of 1", made possible? by the now pretty large unit roster.
Only the very first scenario was adjusted for compatibility.
It would be absolutely great to see your take on this!
I fully understand, as I also went for more manageable projects than GC in the recent past (BE, AK).
Thank you!

Imho the Zveno project is really fascinating, especially since it actually progressed beyond the usual think tank and secret prototype stage! Also a throwback to the zeppelin concepts...bondjamesbond wrote: ↑Wed Sep 13, 2023 7:51 am HI!
Will such “aircraft carriers” be added (of course they are not as cool as the Captain America movie, but they were actually used)![]()
Well, the house is built.PeteMitchell wrote: ↑Wed Sep 13, 2023 6:24 pm I agree, this is a fantastic idea but really massive...










It will probably be possible to implement it if the functions of an aircraft carrier are hooked up to the uterus of a TB-3 bomber or marked on the map ( something similar exists in modern conflicts there with the help of a flying tanker, you can replenish fuel in special places )Locarnus wrote: ↑Wed Sep 13, 2023 1:36 pmImho the Zveno project is really fascinating, especially since it actually progressed beyond the usual think tank and secret prototype stage! Also a throwback to the zeppelin concepts...bondjamesbond wrote: ↑Wed Sep 13, 2023 7:51 am HI!
Will such “aircraft carriers” be added (of course they are not as cool as the Captain America movie, but they were actually used)![]()
Unfortunately I would not even know where to start from a game engine perspective.
Which is a pretty big issue for something with so little overall impact, even if it would be very cool to have.
https://www.slitherine.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=50342
Although obsolete by the mid-1930s, the TB-3 was actively used during the localized armed conflicts of the second half of the 1930s.
Around 1938, it made a daytime overflight over the Japanese islands, during which propaganda leaflets were dispersed[clarify].
During the fighting near Lake Hasan on August 6, 1938, 41 TB-3RN bombers participated in the bombing of Zaozyornaya and Bezymyannaya heights.
During the fighting on Khalkhin-Gol in the summer of 1939, TB-3s were used as night bombers (more than 500 combat sorties were flown in total), as well as a military transport aircraft.
The aircraft was officially withdrawn from service only in 1939, but was occasionally used during the Soviet-Finnish War of 1939-1940.
By the beginning of the Great Patriotic War on June 22, 1941, the USSR Air Force had 516 combat-ready aircraft, not counting the 25 under the command of the USSR Navy. On June 23, TB-3 began night bombing raids over enemy territory. The TB-3s were virtually unharmed during the first days of the war, as they were based far enough from the borders (by August 1941, the TB-3s accounted for 25% of all bomber air forces), and in general, losses were relatively low - less than 40 aircraft were lost in 1941 for all reasons, including non-combat losses and those abandoned in retreat. Forced attempts to use the TB-3 by day failed completely: despite its very high survivability, its low speed made it vulnerable to anti-aircraft guns, and its circular, but frankly weak, defensive armament left it virtually defenseless against modern fighters. The tragic episode with the destruction of a group of TB-3s, flown in the daytime and without cover, was described by Konstantin Simonov in the first part of the novel trilogy "The Living and the Dead", as well as embodied in the film adaptation of the novel. Nevertheless, as a night bomber, the TB-3 was a very successful option, as its low speed contributed to the accuracy of bombing. Importantly, the most experienced pilots were initially selected for the TB-3 crews, and in good weather one crew could make up to three combat sorties per night. Taking into account the total number of airplanes involved, this gave a significant contribution to night bombing in the first half of the war. The TB-3 took part in all important battles of 1941-1943, including the Battle of Smolensk, the Battle of Moscow, the Battle of Stalingrad, the breakthrough of the siege of Leningrad and the Battle of Kursk. By July 1, 1945, the 18th Air Division still had ten TB-3 aircraft on alert.
For a long time, the TB-3 was used as a cargo and troop transport aircraft, capable of carrying up to 35 soldiers. In the first five months of the war, the TB-3s carried 2,797 tons of cargo and 2,300 men.
The TB-3 was also used to transport tankers such as the T-27, T-37 and T-38 and as a carrier for fighter planes. On July 26 (according to other sources - August 1), 1941, two TB-3s, carriers of four I-16 fighters (Vakhmistrov's Platoon) bombed the oil refinery and dock of Constanta in Romania without losses. The fighters were transported by TB-3 bombers. A few kilometers before the target they separated and carried out bombing, after which they went to Odessa, where they landed for refueling with fuel, and then returned to Evpatoria. On August 11 and August 13, 1941 during two raids (the first - together with the DB-3F and Pe-2) launched from the TB-3 fighters I-16 250-kg bombs first damaged and then destroyed the strategically important Chernavodsky bridge over the Danube in Romania, at the same time was set on fire oil pipeline. Later, Zven planes attacked the Dnieper crossing and German columns in the battles at Perekop. Bombing in the group ceased in the fall of 1941 because of the high wear and tear of the engines of bombers "Zven" and the gradual increase in the number of Pe-2. The remaining TB-3s of the same modification, the production of which had been discontinued as early as 1937, were considered appropriate to use as transports.
There were unsuccessful attempts to use radio-controlled TB-3s in the variant of airplane-sniper planes.
On June 18, 1945, three TB-3s were included in the air column of the Victory Parade because of their important role in the war (the overflight of the column was canceled due to heavy rain and low clouds).
The whole drama of the combat application of TB-3 slow-moving bombers in the first months of the Great Patriotic War is reflected in an episode of the fiction novel: "The Living and the Dead" (part 1).
How the TB-3 was planned to be used can be imagined from the 1938 military fiction movie "Deep Raid" ("Proud Falcons"). In it, this airplane is the main character, occupying almost the entire screen time of the feature-length movie. There are scenes of flight, bombing, repulsion of enemy fighter attacks, night battle; shots inside the airplane.
The TB-3 was finally decommissioned in January 1946.
Locarnus wrote: ↑Wed Sep 13, 2023 8:11 pmWell, the house is built.PeteMitchell wrote: ↑Wed Sep 13, 2023 6:24 pm I agree, this is a fantastic idea but really massive...
Only extensions, additions and polish is on the todo list.
Feedback is needed for that.
This is a comparision of the GC 39 starting core, with and without Addon:
Most notably an aux Panzer II is replaced by two horse drawn arty. Recon Rudel is different as well.
The units available for purchase in the very first GC 39 scenario (Poznan):
Infantry - Kradschützen can switch between inf and recon class
Tanks - "Panzer I" has recon movement, but no increased spotting range, Panzer III and IV are initially understrength (s8)
Recon - At this time the "SdKfz 222" was used for escorting the true scouts like "SdKfz 221" -> different spotting range
Pak - "3.7 cm Pak" and "2 cm Flak 30" have 2 movement
Arty - They are all horse drawn, except for the "10.5 cm leFH 18+", the 21 cm heavy siege arty has movement 0
Flak - Nearly all AA can switch between AA and AT mode
Fighters - Those early Bf 109 are not very effective, but the E-3 becomes available during Poland campaign
Tac Bombers - The Bf 110 C is a fighter bomber, thus it can switch between fighter and tac bomber mode
Strat Bomber - Rudel did not fly a Ju 87 at this time, his recon unit used mostly "Do 17 E"
![]()

The equipment file is vastly expanded, not just for 1939.faos333 wrote: ↑Wed Sep 13, 2023 9:55 pm The thing that worries me about the house rule of 1, is 1944 and 1945 scenarios.
GC 44 and 45 throws a mass of the latest type of soviet units to the player.
So, I am not convinced, that this rule will play alright for a player.
Personally, I doubt even the house rule of two, which also sounds great for a more historical core, BUT the game designers of maps for the whole of GCs, created a massive amount of the latest soviet units - tanks & fighters in particular, against the human player.
In my opinion, the rule of 1, needs some testing, it sounds nice till 1943, but after that, I have doubts about it.
So, the question is, can the mod player omit this rule?
Even when implemented as a tanker, I'm not sure how to restrict the refuel function to the right parasite fighter models, instead of eg other bombers.bondjamesbond wrote: ↑Wed Sep 13, 2023 10:06 pm It will probably be possible to implement it if the functions of an aircraft carrier are hooked up to the uterus of a TB-3 bomber or marked on the map ( something similar exists in modern conflicts there with the help of a flying tanker, you can replenish fuel in special places )
Yeah, recon implementation is something I struggle with, also due to AI limitations with this class.bondjamesbond wrote: ↑Wed Sep 13, 2023 10:06 pm
Do not hesitate to horse reconnaissance )
http://www.mourningtheancient.com/truth-animalsx7.htm
http://www.mourningtheancient.com/ww2-x112.htm
Even when implemented as a tanker, I'm not sure how to restrict the refuel function to the right parasite fighter models, instead of eg other bombers.bondjamesbond wrote: ↑Wed Sep 13, 2023 10:06 pm It will probably be possible to implement it if the functions of an aircraft carrier are hooked up to the uterus of a TB-3 bomber or marked on the map ( something similar exists in modern conflicts there with the help of a flying tanker, you can replenish fuel in special places )
bondjamesbond wrote: ↑Wed Sep 13, 2023 10:06 pm
Do not hesitate to horse reconnaissance )
http://www.mourningtheancient.com/truth-animalsx7.htm
http://www.mourningtheancient.com/ww2-x112.htm
Yeah, recon implementation is something I struggle with, also due to AI limitations with this class.
Interestingly the german army increased its cavalry force during WW2, despite those anecdotes about polish cavalry against german tanks...
Nope, not possible to even check for specific unit IDs as far as I know.PeteMitchell wrote: ↑Thu Sep 14, 2023 5:01 pm Does the game check if I already have a specific unit so I can't buy another one of the same type?