Captured units as a bonus
Posted: Sat Dec 27, 2025 5:23 am
I don't know if anyone else has tried this but it's something that I've been playing with recently and some might find it interesting.
One of the things I enjoy about playing campaigns is when the scenario designer puts in a captured unit as a bonus, like a Matilda or one of the big French tanks. Probably because my guys are driving around in little Panzer Is & IIs.
I thought it would be fun if I could add trophy units as a bonus and it turns out it's very simple to do. It works like this:
In the equipment file, find the line for a captured unit (let's use Matilda II). In the traits section, change the "nopurchase" to "bonus". Then whenever you start a scenario, you will now have a random chance to get a Matilda II, similar to your chance of an SE unit.
Note that this would count towards your campaign limit for max elite units. If you didn't want that, then you would modify it a little differently like this:
1. Copy the unit line in your equipment file so that you have 2 identical lines, with the 2nd line having a unique ID#. (You're creating a new unit.)
2. No changes are needed in the original unit line. Do not add a switch pointing to the copied unit.
3. In the copied unit line, change the name somehow to differentiate between the two (ex. Matilda II - bonus) so you can see the difference.
4. Then change the trait "nopurchase" to "bonus". Then add a 1-way switch pointing to the ID# of the original unit.
5. The "primary" trait is not needed in either line.
If the units are modded this way, when you start a campaign scenario, you could receive a "bonus" captured unit (Matilda II - bonus). Once deployed, you can use the one-way switch and you now have the original unit (Matilda II) that cannot be switched back.
Units done this way will not count towards your campaign limit of "max elite units" after you use the one-time switch. Also the unit can be upgraded normally once the one-way switch is used. But as you now have a chance for a captured unit or an SE unit, it will slow down how fast you max out your SE units.
There is really no benefit to it other than adding flavor to your campaign but I find it immersive and a lot of fun. If anyone has questions or wants to expand this idea, feel free. Thanks for taking the time to read this rambling.
One of the things I enjoy about playing campaigns is when the scenario designer puts in a captured unit as a bonus, like a Matilda or one of the big French tanks. Probably because my guys are driving around in little Panzer Is & IIs.
I thought it would be fun if I could add trophy units as a bonus and it turns out it's very simple to do. It works like this:
In the equipment file, find the line for a captured unit (let's use Matilda II). In the traits section, change the "nopurchase" to "bonus". Then whenever you start a scenario, you will now have a random chance to get a Matilda II, similar to your chance of an SE unit.
Note that this would count towards your campaign limit for max elite units. If you didn't want that, then you would modify it a little differently like this:
1. Copy the unit line in your equipment file so that you have 2 identical lines, with the 2nd line having a unique ID#. (You're creating a new unit.)
2. No changes are needed in the original unit line. Do not add a switch pointing to the copied unit.
3. In the copied unit line, change the name somehow to differentiate between the two (ex. Matilda II - bonus) so you can see the difference.
4. Then change the trait "nopurchase" to "bonus". Then add a 1-way switch pointing to the ID# of the original unit.
5. The "primary" trait is not needed in either line.
If the units are modded this way, when you start a campaign scenario, you could receive a "bonus" captured unit (Matilda II - bonus). Once deployed, you can use the one-way switch and you now have the original unit (Matilda II) that cannot be switched back.
Units done this way will not count towards your campaign limit of "max elite units" after you use the one-time switch. Also the unit can be upgraded normally once the one-way switch is used. But as you now have a chance for a captured unit or an SE unit, it will slow down how fast you max out your SE units.
There is really no benefit to it other than adding flavor to your campaign but I find it immersive and a lot of fun. If anyone has questions or wants to expand this idea, feel free. Thanks for taking the time to read this rambling.
