Thank you for this magnificent mod.
The essential beauty of your work...
Wow, that is high praise. Thank you.
the historical inadequacy of the weapon that is given to the SS Das reich panzerdivision. To give Panthers mark II tanks in 1939 is annoying to the utmost in a game that is all about historical plausibility
Don't think of the SS Das Reich as being equipped with Panther II's, but rather think of the division as having good stats due to high morale, good leaderships, always receiving the newest and best equipment available, and being at the top of the list for getting replacements of men and equipment. I needed to work within the parameters of the game to create the "elite" SS divisions. I took the easiest approach of making the free German divisions a higher division model number than would be otherwise be available at the time they appear (like say the Das Reich is a 1945 tank division even though it arrives in 1940).
The other approach would have entailed creating an entirely new class of unit, including unit stats, graphics, counters, upgrade path, tech requirements, model names and numbers in all the appropriate files, etc. It was far, far faster and easier (albeit not historic) to make the "elite" German divisions a higher model. If somebody wants to create elite German divisions, similar to what the TRP Mod had for HOI2 DD Armeggedon, then I will gladly include them in the next patch.
In any event, keep in mind that the Soviets get 38 free guards divisions, 30 free locked garrison divisions, plus another 27 divisions placed directly into Stalingrad, Sverdlovsk, and Moscow if the Germans get too close, +10% IC output, +20% manpower output, and when the Great Patriotic War event fires they get +1,500 manpower. The USA and England get significant bonuses, also. Giving the Germans a high-value unit does not unbalance the game, but I agree it is kind of a shock to see "Panther II" in 1940. It was just that going any other way would have been a lot more work and taken time that I did not have. Besides, you can always delete the unit if you don't like it.
tell us the reference of the file that you edited so that we may mod it to our convenience. Thanks!
The events that create the elite German units are in the hoi2.txt file in the Arsenal of Democracy/db/event folder. Just edit the file and search for the name of the unit (Gross Deutschland, SS Wiking, SS Nordland, SS Prinz Eugen, SS Das Reich, and LSSAH). Feel free to change the unit to whatever type of division and model number or experience level you prefer. When you do so, if you could post here or send me an email about what you changed, I will consider that for the next patch.
Enjoy the game!