Slitherine

...didn´t like it. After some scenarios in SCW i just couldn´t keep playing. I missed all the changes from the mod too much to keep going.

Luckily i´m in the position to change that and started reworking the AO series to my liking.

Here´s what i´ve done so far to SCW:
General:

• added Planecapture script
  On the first capture of an enemy airfield there is a 50% chance to find some abondaned enemy planes.

• added Reserve script to most scenarios
  on most maps u will notice this hex.
  
  if u move any unit onto it, the unit will be moved to ur reserve freeing its core-slots. u can do anything with the unit u could normaly do during deployment phase, like upgrading, assigning heros, etc.
  To move the unit, or another unit back on the map, move them from reserve to undeployed and then u can put them back on the map near a supply hex.
  
  (Known issue: u can move a split unit to reserve, but if u finish the scenario without putting the split back on the map game will crash. just make sure to put the plit part back on the map and all is fine.)

• added Random hero script
  at the start of a scenario, where u don´t get to buy a special hero with commendation points or get a hero from some other event, u get to choose a random officer out of 3 categories. A weak one for 1.000 prestige, a mediocre one for 3.000 prestige or an outstanding one for 5.000 prestige. This replaces the random hero generated at the start of a scenario.
  here are the hero-traits sorted by categorie:
  weak:
  AggressiveCounterattack,Avenger,CounterBattery,CombatLuck,Distraction,DoubleMassAttack,EntKiller3,ExpertSupport,Exterminator,FastLearner,FastRetreat,FearsomeReputation,FlagKiller,
  FerociousDefense,FierceFighter,FirstAid,LearnsFromMistakes,NoRetreat,NoSurrender, Resilient,RiverAssault,SixthSense,SkilledRecon,SkilledSupport,SuperiorManeuver,ThoroughPreparation,Unyielding,TenaciousDefender
  mediocre:
  AimingAssistance,Butcher,CityFighter,CripplingBlow,DoubleSupport,DoubleMove,EntKiller4, Evasive,ExpertRecon,Famous,FieldRepairs,FastRebase,IgnoresZOC,Liberator,Leadership, LowProfile,PhasedMovement,Readiness,TankKiller,ReducedSlots,Survivor
  strong:
  ArtySupport,ATSupport,DoubleAttack,Envelopment,FastDeployment,HitAndRun, IgnoresEntrenchment,LethalAttack,LightningAttack,MachineGun,OverwhelmingAttack,Overrun,
  Provocator,Legendary,Scavenger,ShockTactics,StrikesFirst,PreciseOptics
  
  Each trait has a limit per campaign to reduce unwanted hero clustering due to unlucky randomness. Currently this limit is set to roughly 1 per year of the war.
  This should result in a wider spread hero variety.
  
  Some heros have further restrictions:
  ZeroSlots,Camouflage,IncMaxOverstrength,NoRetaliation and Vigilant are currently restricted to 1 per 2 years. This can be bypassed with the General trait "Killer-Team".
  
  FieldRepairs,SkilledRecon, FastDeployment, FastRebase, ExpertRecon, CounterBattery and FirstAid are restricted to the appropriate unit-types to reduce player puzzlement.

• removed AI-Allied infantry and replaced by AUX-units

• added headlines for messageboxes

• removed italy-inf-restrictions

Seville
no more diplomatic incident by capturing gibraltar rock
new event on capturing Carmona

Antequera
moved spawnpoint of JU52 Bombers
max core slots adjusted with ju 52
changed Campillo airfield to dirt
added dirt airfield
added Mohammed ben Mizzian event at start of battle, prerequisit is Seville objective during prev scenario

Merida
moved com event to round 2

Toledo
added no-split-hero to Governor to prevent objective from failing
added event to rescue son of governor

Early Madrid
added son of governor gratitude event, if rescued during prev scenario
moved com event to round 2
max core slots adjusted with verdeja

Corunna Road
added no-split-hero to rescued POW
rescued POW is now named

Gijon
prestige sink moved to turn 2

Brunette
comm event moved to turn 2

Zaragoza
prestige sink moved to turn 2
added no-split/no-surrender-hero to commander vasquez to prevent objective from failing

Teruel
moved com event to turn 2 and 3
added no-split-hero to MedTruck to prevent objective from failing

i am currently finishing my final playthrough before handing it over to our testers for further polishing.

if u have more suggestions or ideas for the following years, let me know.

sers,
Thomas

what's a no-split hero? does that mean if you split a unit both sides still have the Heros attached?

scorehouse wrote: ↑Wed Aug 30, 2023 10:29 pm what's a no-split hero? does that mean if you split a unit both sides still have the Heros attached?

the hero removes the ability to split from the unit.
In this case it´s to prevent the guard-objective from failing. Game mechanics consider a unit killed when re-merged after splitting, causing the objective to fail.

sers,
Thomas

never new that! cheat NewHero No-Split or other? is there a combo no-split-survivor or use have 2 separate Heroes?

scorehouse wrote: ↑Wed Aug 30, 2023 11:03 pm never new that! cheat NewHero No-Split or other? is there a combo no-split-survivor or use have 2 separate Heroes?

the no-split hero has no value to a player. it´s a tool u can use when creating scenarios to prevent abuse or errors.
cheat NewHero NoSplit should be the code, but again. won´t do u no good.

i estimate roughly 4 weeks till the mod has been tested and will be in the mod-section in this forum and the workshop on steam.

sers,
Thomas

I would consider moving Fast Rebase to the Strong category. If it were just one rebase per turn it would be fine, but you can go from one end of a large map to another by hopping through multiple airfields in a single turn in its current implementation.

Panzer73 wrote: ↑Thu Aug 31, 2023 12:33 am I would consider moving Fast Rebase to the Strong category. If it were just one rebase per turn it would be fine, but you can go from one end of a large map to another by hopping through multiple airfields in a single turn in its current implementation.

u are late for the discussion on this one

we had a thread for roughly 6 month in this forum discussing which hero to put where.
if i would change something now i have to change it in roughly 60 scenarios by hand, not gonne happen.

sers,
Thomas

I would never pay 5k for fast rebase. It is nice to have but nothing game changing.

I agree with Defiant with regards to Fast Rebase.

I have long missed having an "exit/move unit from the map to reserves" hex since it was introduced in one of the PC1 DLCs or mods. It makes sense, especially if campaigns were designed with a tighter prestige allotment. To be able to replace an expensive, but perhaps beaten up, unit for a full strength one from your reserve...long overdue. It also helps for replacing units that you no longer need in the mission, like fighters or bridging units.

I just finished my new playthrough of AO-SCW with all the changes. A much better experience imo.
although i played excessive kleptokrieg i started the last map with only 2k prestige and wasn´t able to buy a strong hero on evry map. so happy with the balance atm.
i´ll hand it over to our testers and see if any issues come up.

if u want to help testing let me know and u´ll get an invite to our discord server.

I will upload the mod to the steamworkshop and make a thread in the modding area at the end of September2023.

sers,
Thomas

Tbh I dont like the "move to reserve" hexes. This is war, not football. You cant simply move all your fighters to reserve and get bombers on the field when you realize the AI wasted all planes. And normally you dont have enough time/turns to get some ground units back to the start and bring new units to the frontlines.
Imo you should play the map with the units you select in the deployment turn, as long as you dont lose units.

DefiantXYX wrote: ↑Sat Sep 02, 2023 11:09 am Tbh I dont like the "move to reserve" hexes. This is war, not football. You cant simply move all your fighters to reserve and get bombers on the field when you realize the AI wasted all planes. And normally you dont have enough time/turns to get some ground units back to the start and bring new units to the frontlines.
Imo you should play the map with the units you select in the deployment turn, as long as you dont lose units.

ur welcome to do that. no one forces u to use the hex.

ways i use it:
1. replace fighter planes with bombers if air superiority has been achieved.
2. replace AA-guns with AT/artillerie if not 8.8
3. move heavily beaten up units to reserve for later repair during deployment and replace with fresh unit

all those things won´t matter much on lower diff seting. on max diff seetings with added in diff like DvG that stuff makes life a lot easier and in some cases the map "playable". especially maps with heavy enemy air superiority on max. diff with DvG can be a pain and very annoying without.
And with the hero cost added in, prestige has value again. u won´t amass gazillion prestige during early war even when u play kleptokrieg.

sers,
Thomas

DefiantXYX wrote: ↑Sat Sep 02, 2023 11:09 am Imo you should play the map with the units you select in the deployment turn, as long as you dont lose units.

I can understand your reasoning, and in a game there is certainly a good argument for it. It is part of the challenge or fun figuring out what to bring to the battle, and what to leave in reserve.

But in real war, units that are mauled are pulled out of the front lines if possible. Germany did this all the time by sending them to France for "rest and refitting."

adiekmann wrote: ↑Sat Sep 02, 2023 5:55 pm
But in real war, units that are mauled are pulled out of the front lines if possible. Germany did this all the time by sending them to France for "rest and refitting."

Indeed, but in real war you dont use only 10 tanks if you have 15 because there is something like a core slot limit. And during the fight you cant just simply move your damaged units out and bring in some fresh units.
And you never have air superiority for a whole battle. You never know if the enemy has some reserves, moving out all your fighters and AA guns feels like cheating.
I dont mind this feature, just saying I am not a big fan of it.