Advice on modifcations for attachments -Advice Wanted-

[lazarus.plus]

I got an idea that I wanted to be able to add brigades of different and new types to units, and the first one was transports. No problem, now they can be built with an improved hull and either mines or anti-air. Works great. (I figured, if I wanted to build expensive modded stuff what's stopping me other than the game and common sense, right? The AI doesn't have to waste resources on this stuff.)

Then I was like, why not add escorts as an option to all the aircraft? Silly perhaps, but I'm testing to make sure it isn't an overwhelming advantage. Also will see about adding different escort types as options.

But I ran into some problems...

My goal is to be able to add the ordinary attachments to carriers and escorts as well as their CAGs, but I haven't found a way to make it work yet. I've gone into the data files and there doesn't seem to be an easy way. Is it impossible or is there a way to finesse it?

And finally, is there any way at ALL to add more than one brigade to land units? Please say yes. I really really would like to be able to have an infantry unit with anti air and artillery and anti-tank, etc. (Even if that had to slow the unit even more than only one brigade would.) Or a tank unit with heavy and light armor and an engineer unit.

Anyways, thanks, and help that you guys could give would be appreciated.

 

[Ivan_W_S]

My goal is to be able to add the ordinary attachments to carriers and escorts as well as their CAGs, but I haven't found a way to make it work yet. I've gone into the data files and there doesn't seem to be an easy way. Is it impossible or is there a way to finesse it?

You can easily add brigades to carriers and escorts by editing the db/units/divisions files and editing each ship brigades list. Then to allow carriers to have more than just CAG, edit these lines in the db/misc file:

# _EV_CVL_MAX_ATTACH, Max number of attachments to escort carriers
1
# _EV_CV_MAX_ATTACH, Max number of attachments to fleet carriers
1

You cannot add a brigade to a brigade though (CAG is considered as a brigade). Did you manage to add escort brigade to all aircraft and successfully build them in the game?

And finally, is there any way at ALL to add more than one brigade to land units? Please say yes. I really really would like to be able to have an infantry unit with anti air and artillery and anti-tank, etc. (Even if that had to slow the unit even more than only one brigade would.) Or a tank unit with heavy and light armor and an engineer unit.

No you cannot have more than a brigade in land units, it is hardcoded to the game, not moddable yet.

 

[Commander666]

I hope your transports with improved hull have a higher maximum speed. I always felt that there should be a tech or two for building transports that can go faster than 12 km/hr. WWII Victory ships could do 15-17 knots (28-31 km/hr).

 

[Nadion]

not to mention which troop transports were generally faster / built to higher standards than the mass produced cargo ships designed to be built faster than the U-Baots could sink them.

 

[lazarus.plus]

Yeah I already figured the CV thing, thanks for the response though. More than five attachments cause a UNKNOWN STRING WANTED and a bug, but no crash to desktop. You lose the first three or four brigades permanently, and I think the stats return to normal. So, damn shame, if you had an idea of a super super battleship or carrier with all the options.

Actually I thought I had gotten the escorts to attach to fighters and transport aircraft but still no go. Need to find a way to make that work. Think there is a way, need to test. Just a simple addition to misc.txt should do it if I am right.

I've been trying different mods to the misc.txt for land units, damn shame it's hardcoded. Hope that will change in the future. After all, if a person wants to attach the equivalent of another division to a division in manpower points, why should he not be able to? Would need balance.

Can anyone tell me how to get the images in for the unused brigade models? Have ideas for new naval and land brigades and I think I know how to add them into the techs for enabling, but don't know how to do the brigade icon thing. Not even sure where those images are stored.

Thanks for the responses guys, keep that advice coming.

 

[Commander666]

not to mention that troop transports were generally faster / built to higher standards than the mass produced cargo ships designed to be built faster than the U-Baots could sink them.

Very true. Largely relatively fast ocean liners were used, and later very specialized troop transports, all capable of doing much, much more than 12 km per hour. !2 km/hr = only 6.48 knots/hour. Most sailboats can go faster. Seems we got all the old colliers, barges and tugs to transport our troops!

 

[Simon1397]

Can anyone tell me how to get the images in for the unused brigade models? Have ideas for new naval and land brigades and I think I know how to add them into the techs for enabling, but don't know how to do the brigade icon thing. Not even sure where those images are stored.

Small icons are here: Aod/gfx/interface/auxiliary BUT before modding with Paint make sure that you save a vanilla copy, i.e. Auxiliary (2), as if it goes wrong it's graphically horrible.

 

[lazarus.plus]

I have not figured out yet (haven't tried everything yet) how to build escort fighters to fighters, interceptors and transport planes, but by adding the brigade option to the division file you can attach them manually. Will keep testing.

Thanks again for the help guys. The idea of faster transports with improved hulls is a good one, I will see if I can do a separate improved hull with speed boost for TPs. Also, perhaps a fuel tank brigade for vessels as well, or something along those lines, since this game does not allow for oilers like in the war.

 

[Commander666]

Sometimes I simply fail to see the logic in other's ideas. Why would you want to add fighter escorts to your fighters? To get super fighters? :wacko:

Maybe I have been lucky, but I never yet had a transport plane intercepted while doing a paradrop. Of course, if you must use your transport planes to send meagre supplies to a cut-off region (meaning you alredy screwed up) then escorts attached to transports planes is probably good for you as they most certainly will get targeted flying repeatedly. But since they will get totally mauled anyway even with escorts attached, perhaps studying safer para options is better than trying to mod "A bridge too far" scenario.

EDIT: I must be right Lazarus cause I just made Second Lieutenant with this post. Where is the officer's bar?

 

[lazarus.plus]

Yeah well I have altogether more seniority. So get back in line and get the men on those trenches.

Besides, I'm modding the values and when I am done I intend to have a different brigade (s) entirely to add to different air units. For instance, an escort of "fuel tanks" that would unfortunately be non-droppable but would be something to simulate, giving increased range for reduced fighting power.

I cannot for the life of me see the logic in NOT wanting escorts attached to transports, however, since one bad bit of luck means the entire operation is screwed. I have had way too many para drops intercepted right over the drop zone, screwing everything.

You don't have to only use transports for cut-off areas. If you have dropped out infrastructure in a zone you have to hold against strenuous counter-attack, that edge from the transport planes could reduce casualties and even save the situation. And who is to say that there cannot be strategy in such a move? Stalingrad was bullshit because of Hitler but there are other times when you might be fully planning to cut it to the razor's edge of safety and then save the men in the vice grip.

No offense intended but you post in a "I know better than you" fashion I find irksome. Please be respectful of others and they will want to be respectful to you.

 

[Ivan_W_S]

You don't have to only use transports for cut-off areas. If you have dropped out infrastructure in a zone you have to hold against strenuous counter-attack, that edge from the transport planes could reduce casualties and even save the situation. And who is to say that there cannot be strategy in such a move? Stalingrad was bullshit because of Hitler but there are other times when you might be fully planning to cut it to the razor's edge of safety and then save the men in the vice grip.

How much of ESE increase do you get from doing this? I always have a transport plane to paradrop a fallschirmjaeger to add another direction of attack. While defending the transport planes are usually in the hangars, so it seems to be a good idea to use them to drop supplies to your troops.

 

[Mjarr]

I cannot for the life of me see the logic in NOT wanting escorts attached to transports, however, since one bad bit of luck means the entire operation is screwed. I have had way too many para drops intercepted right over the drop zone, screwing everything.

It's quite handy idea to start attacks involving paradrop somewhere during the night as the odds for interception are quite nonexistant, especially around 2200 - 0200 hours. Once the paradrop is done the transports pretty much return to base while the division keeps fighting on so you don't need constant cover during the attack as funny as it sounds. That is unless you're planning suicidal attacks like 400-600km behind the enemy lines.

Also, perhaps a fuel tank brigade for vessels as well, or something along those lines, since this game does not allow for oilers like in the war.

If you mean increasing ship naval ranges in general it does present one issue: the pacific. Since the ranges in pacific are halved compared to rough real life distances increasing ranges any further presents the problem that for individual ships long ranges are fine, but since you're 99.99999999999999% of time using your navy as fleets rather than just 2-3 ships cruising around you'll either somewhat unrealistically 'short' ranges or unrealistically long ranges on almost everywhere.