Eastern Front: Soviet Storm v1.96b (Link Fixed)

[guille1434]

Akkula: Sorry, I diddn't want to be rude or to dismiss your recon idea out of hand... But if you want to add a recon halftrack to the Soviet Army, why don't use a variation of the regular troop carrier halftrack making a special icon derived from said unit, for the recon variant... maybe adding one or two small soldier figures in it using binoculars or another observation device... I think it would be more adequate to the role than using an Anti-Air vehicle.

I am glad you liked my suggestions about KV-8, yours was a very nice idea, to turn that unit into a switchable one... I feel that the inspiration is coming for making the "switchable" icon for it...

By the way, take my comments/suggestions as just that... Of course, you can do what you think is better for your mod...

Thanks for sharing your nice work and ideas here with all of us!

[Akkula]

Nothing rude about your comments Guille, I really appreciate them, so no sorry´s needed .
Regarding the recon unit I think I will go for the "clean" M16 as you suggested, that would the fifth recon toy for the Red Army.... I am working in the BA-6 too, wish me luck.

Today I hope to finish the terrain placement for the last Moscow battle of my campaign, a HUGE winter counteroffensive scenario, expect a long battle here folks :p. After this I can move forward to 1942.

[guille1434]

Or... Look what I found... Soviet mounted recon troops (Rota Razvedki), from the "Flames of War" web site, may be it is useful to you. I can help with the unit icon...

[Akkula]

Of course I would love you make that unit!, it could be another fantastic addition.

Speaking of new units, here, an improvised cannon from the turret of the rare T-46 (possibly I will include it in early scenarios). These "bunkers" were used during the winter defence:

[Akkula]

Hi folks!. And here we got another pair of new units: the recon BA-6 and the strategic bomber Yermolayev Yer-2


I made a winter version too for the Yer-2, maybe later I will post it.

[Rockety]

Groovy Keep up the good work, looking forward to the release!

[Akkula]

Thanks Rockety!, I want it released too !.
I am happy to announce that almost 30% of the scenarios are complete, can´t say the same for the units as I always find new additions from the community or myself
The final UI is progressing too, but slower than I expected or wanted and the sounds are done (mostly).

[Akkula]

News from the last moment!: Transports are crossing the frozen Ladoga lake to relief Leningrad!

[guille1434]

Hi Akkula! Very nice map!!
Do you know that there was a little mod I downloaded a lot of time ago which included special hexes for frozen lakes, so including them will make look frozen lakes different from the liquid ones... In that way, the vehicles will not look like they are driving on the water surface... Are you interested to include it? I think it will improve the look of things...

[Akkula]

Hi Akkula! Very nice map!!
Do you know that there was a little mod I downloaded a lot of time ago which included special hexes for frozen lakes, so including them will make look frozen lakes different from the liquid ones... In that way, the vehicles will not look like they are driving on the water surface... Are you interested to include it? I think it will improve the look of things...

Yes sure!, I didn´t know about that mod, of course it could be an amazing improvement to my campaign. But I am a little bit worried about its compatibility with the Massi terrain mod I am using.

[guille1434]

Yes, that would be an issue... I think you will have to cut the "frozen" lake hexes from this mod, and paste them on the files you are currently using... May be I can help you with that, and you can test the new file. If you like, send it by PM.

Here is the link to that mod files: https://www.sendspace.com/file/ew4b9c

[Akkula]

Thanks a lot Guille!, I really appreciate it.
I tested it, but sadly it only has frozen lakes for little patches, not for entire hexes. And for what I saw (I started to look into the rest of the tiles files), the game uses the same image for sea or lakes, so in order to make the "frozen lake" effect I should create a new frozen tile and replace the original one (only in the frozen tile file). Maybe I will try that latter and I will let you know if I was successful.

[guille1434]

Or, I can have a look at the small frozen lake hex, and make a similar one for the all-water hexes in the same color... I am really interested in improving this aspect of the game... I remember playing Nikivdd's Winter War scenarios included in the LoV campaign and seing the Soviet units rolling over the water...

[bebro]

Dunno if this helps you guys, but there's a simple solution for frozen lakes. First, set the editor view to "frozen tileset".

Then go to "edit > tiles - background", and place frozen tiles on lake hexes manually. Of course it looks more like snow than ice, but who says there wouldn't be a snow layer on top of a frozen lake when it's been snowing? Here's how it looks:



There's only one limit - the scn should have 100% frozen/snow ground (not sure if the manually put snow tiles change when the weather changes back to normal again.

[nikivdd]

As i noticed in the screenshot; it is not the perfect solution but the hexes marked with A to use terrain clear and then use background sea. Whatever the weather, the corridor is always open for the transports.

[Akkula]

Dunno if this helps you guys, but there's a simple solution for frozen lakes. First, set the editor view to "frozen tileset".

Then go to "edit > tiles - background", and place frozen tiles on lake hexes manually. Of course it looks more like snow than ice, but who says there wouldn't be a snow layer on top of a frozen lake when it's been snowing? Here's how it looks:



There's only one limit - the scn should have 100% frozen/snow ground (not sure if the manually put snow tiles change when the weather changes back to normal again.

I tried and it looks pretty decent, its a very good option if things don´t get better. Thanks a million bebro!.

As i noticed in the screenshot; it is not the perfect solution but the hexes marked with A to use terrain clear and then use background sea. Whatever the weather, the corridor is always open for the transports.

Yeah, it gets close to Bebro´s solution. I think both are valid:
1) All lake hexes with snow background BUT only "A" hexes walkable, the rest just too weak for vehicles.
2) Just "A" hexes with snow tiles, the rest water ones. But in this case it´s more difficult to have a nice viewing of the textures.

Or, I can have a look at the small frozen lake hex, and make a similar one for the all-water hexes in the same color... I am really interested in improving this aspect of the game... I remember playing Nikivdd's Winter War scenarios included in the LoV campaign and seing the Soviet units rolling over the water...

That would be lovely, but remember that the coastal tiles will need "frozen color" too.

Thanks a million people for the ideas and solutions, I am getting even more excited about this mod!.

And here we have a new early toy for the Red Army, the forgotten T-46 (in Moscow you will have some bunkers too with its turrent, I posted that some posts ago):

Standard camo:


And winter camo here, a Yer-2 (winter too) is protecting him

[guille1434]

I think I will be able to send you test files pretty soon for the "New Frozen Lakes and Seas Mod"...

[Akkula]

Yeah! . I can´t wait!, you are a genius Guille!.

And now, departing from Staraya Russa, a brand new Ju-90 ready to fly to Demyansk

[guille1434]

Akkula: Thanks for your nice words!

As promised, here are the files for my new "mini-mod": The Frozen Tiles Mod! It includes only two files: The LayerBase file (with the all-water hexes replaced by the "frozen" ones, which I think will be visible in large lake surfaces and seas) and the LayerCoasts, with the transparent areas filled with ice (in the same way as the frozen small lakes in the old mod). Please, test them and see if the looks of the winter, frozen maps improves, or at least look different from the non-frozen ones.

Anyone please feel fre to test, and if its works correctly include the modded files to any campaign or scenario with a winter or arctic setting!

The link to the files: https://www.sendspace.com/file/27ri5a

By the way: Congratulations for the images your are uploading taken from you latest work on this project, they look very good!

[Akkula]

Wowwww Guille!, thanks a lot!. I tested and it works PERFECT



Now we have a really Ladoga Lake

I would say to all modders that this is a MUST