Feature Suggestion: Possibility to define format for names of newly created units

[Overlord123]

I'd like to suggest a feature for Hoi4: it should be possible to define the format for names of newly created units in the country file.
For example for Germany, instead of Corps having the default format of "Nth Corps" one could define it like that:

unit_names = {
	corps = {
		"$R$. Armeekorps"
	}
	army = {
		"$A$. Armee"
	}
	armygroup = {
		"Heeresgruppe $L$"
	}
	airfleet = {
		"Luftflotte $A$"
	}
	infantry_division = {
		"$A$. Infanterie-Division"
	}
	tank_division = {
		"$A$. Panzer-Division"
	}
etc..
}

where $R$ are replaced by the game with Roman numerals, $A$ with Arabic numerals and $L$ with letters.
Sounds good?

Previous thread:
http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum...efine-format-for-names-of-newly-created-units

 

[Duke Von Hannover]

I'd like to suggest a feature for Hoi4: it should be possible to define the format for names of newly created units in the country file.
For example for Germany, instead of Corps having the default format of "Nth Corps" one could define it like that:

unit_names = {
	corps = {
		"$R$. Armeekorps"
	}
	army = {
		"$A$. Armee"
	}
	armygroup = {
		"Heeresgruppe $L$"
	}
	airfleet = {
		"Luftflotte $A$"
	}
	infantry_division = {
		"$A$. Infanterie-Division"
	}
	tank_division = {
		"$A$. Panzer-Division"
	}
etc..
}

where $R$ are replaced by the game with Roman numerals, $A$ with Arabic numerals and $L$ with letters.
Sounds good?

Previous thread:
http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum...efine-format-for-names-of-newly-created-units

For the love of god yes.

 

[adski42]

Absolutely - a minor, but incredibly time saving addition.

 

[KingBaldwin]

Really good idea, but how about the asian countries, like china?

 

[Sgt.Exodus]

Really good idea, but how about the asian countries, like china?

This could be applied to major countries only and maybe modded in to minors later on?

 

[adski42]

I think the important thing is that its opened up to the modding community. If something's not in the original game, by making it moddable it at least means its possible one way or another.

 

[franc001sher]

Really good idea, but how about the asian countries, like china?

We like Arabic numbers better while Chinese numbers are used as Roman numbers in the Western world. The Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches are used as the letter series.
Btw, a unit (not only division) would often have a code which is related with its history besides its numeric designation, like the "Big Red One" for the 1st USA infantry division and "玉"(Tama?) for the 1st JAP infantry division.

 

[Overlord123]

Any opinion from devs?

 

[Vainglory]

It should be a simple thing to implement. Unit names are determined from the .csvs in the localization folder. Lots of countries had entries in localization files so that infantry divisions would be named 1st through 200th Infanterie-Division, then when those names were exhausted it would go to 1st Inf. Div. for every country and increment after that. That made sense if they included nicknames like Das Reich or Big Red One or Ariete, et cetera, but not for generic names like 31st Infantry Division. I don't know for sure but I believe the 1st Inf. Div. type names wasn't an extensive list, it just automatically generated the next-highest number and appended the extension. That would make sense, given that modders were capped by the .csv's maximum entries. If you added more than a few dozen new entries IIRC the .csv was too long, so if you wanted the 32nd Pridnestrovian Infantry Division you'd find yourself compelled to delete something. That being the case, if memory serves, it should be comparatively easy to allow players to specify within the game that all new divisions append the phrase like Bubing Di Shi or Australian Infantry Division, with the game auto-generating 1st, 2nd, 3rd, et cetera. The only serious hitch I see is that names like 1ère or 9ème are outside the western convention that is applied to countries not using Western script (eg Asia) whereas countries using Spanish, French, Italian et cetera use their own suffixes for numbers. Don't know how you'd avoid that short of including their counting suffixes in the game...

 

[GunslingerV]

This could be applied to major countries only and maybe modded in to minors later on?

China & Japan are minors? :wacko:

Just keep everything on Western alphabet for the first iteration of this feature.

 

[General Baker]

If they built this into the game's UI, I'd cream myself.

 

[Smiffus]

Lovely suggestion. I like it.

 

[Kesselschlacht]

The only serious hitch I see is that names like 1ère or 9ème are outside the western convention that is applied to countries not using Western script (eg Asia) whereas countries using Spanish, French, Italian et cetera use their own suffixes for numbers. Don't know how you'd avoid that short of including their counting suffixes in the game...

The suffixes would need their own variable set by country and number range but it's still very much doable (in the case of Germany that suffix would always be "."). I think it would be worth it and I'm guessing I'm not the only one who's spent countless hours renaming that new 1st Infantry Division again and again and again. This would release all that OCD energy for something else - like reassigning my generals within the OOB some more or perhaps even the strategy...

 

[Bullfrog]

I agree this would really help immersion. If regiments or battalions make an appearance in this game I'd hope they'd get included in a naming convention feature.

 

[daemonofdecay]

I would really love it if certain names were shared between similar unit types and thus would not be repeated.

As an example, as Germany you have your infantry divisions (2. Infanterie-Division) and your motorized infantry divisions (24. Infanterie-Division (mot.) with slightly different naming conventions. I would love if the calculations for names were shared between infantry and motorized infantry so that, if I upgrade and rename the normal 10. Infanterie-Division to a motorized 10. Infanterie-Division (mot.) I don't then end up also building another normal infantry 10. Infanterie-Division later on and end up with two divisions with the same name.

Or so as an Americans you don't end up with a mechanized 1st Infantry Division and a motorized 1st Infantry Division along-side the original 1st Infantry Division still on foot.

This would also remove that issue of having only historic numbers for such divisions. So as Germany if I disbanded my entire army and started from scratch and only built motorized infantry divisions, the numbering for these divisions would begin with 1., 2., 3., etc.

 

[Bullfrog]

I would really love it if certain names were shared between similar unit types and thus would not be repeated.

As an example, as Germany you have your infantry divisions (2. Infanterie-Division) and your motorized infantry divisions (24. Infanterie-Division (mot.) with slightly different naming conventions. I would love if the calculations for names were shared between infantry and motorized infantry so that, if I upgrade and rename the normal 10. Infanterie-Division to a motorized 10. Infanterie-Division (mot.) I don't then end up also building another normal infantry 10. Infanterie-Division later on and end up with two divisions with the same name.

Or so as an Americans you don't end up with a mechanized 1st Infantry Division and a motorized 1st Infantry Division along-side the original 1st Infantry Division still on foot.

This would also remove that issue of having only historic numbers for such divisions. So as Germany if I disbanded my entire army and started from scratch and only built motorized infantry divisions, the numbering for these divisions would begin with 1., 2., 3., etc.

Yes sir. The system would check and see if a number was in use and then skip said number, regardless of type, when considering names for new divisions.

 

[daemonofdecay]

Yes sir. The system would check and see if a number was in use and then skip said number, regardless of type, when considering names for new divisions.

Well, the problem comes in for different names I guess, since 1. Infanterie-Division and 1. Infanterie-Division (mot.), or 1. Pz.Gren.-Division don't have exactly the same name.

But I think as long as it keeps the infantry (Inf, Mot, Mech) along one line of shared names with slight differences, then there wouldn't be a problem.

I just wonder how it would handle custom or historic names? How would it include Fallschirm-Panzer-Division 1. Hermann Göring, for instance, when building armored divisions?

 

[Bullfrog]

Well, the problem comes in for different names I guess, since 1. Infanterie-Division and 1. Infanterie-Division (mot.), or 1. Pz.Gren.-Division don't have exactly the same name.

But I think as long as it keeps the infantry (Inf, Mot, Mech) along one line of shared names with slight differences, then there wouldn't be a problem.

I just wonder how it would handle custom or historic names? How would it include Fallschirm-Panzer-Division 1. Hermann Göring, for instance, when building armored divisions?

Well for the German example you've given, no infantry division regardless of type (Inf, mot, pzGren) had the same number. Armored would be it's own category. So would other major types like MTN or PAR.

So I guess the number check could apply to the 3 regular infantry based division types.

As for special names, the number could be omitted as it doesn't really matter, since it has a "special" name. This would go for the SS and der SS units too.

The other majors didn't use different numbers for infantry if they had a "mot" classification at all.

 

[Vainglory]

The suffixes would need their own variable set by country and number range but it's still very much doable (in the case of Germany that suffix would always be ".").

My only caveat with that is if you know the suffixes for Spanish and French you're fine, whereas if, like me, you've no idea when ere becomes eme, then you need to look it up and paste it in, unless the game already knows them for you. Mind you that's no big issue, just a small one I thought to point out.

I think it would be worth it and I'm guessing I'm not the only one who's spent countless hours renaming that new 1st Infantry Division again and again and again. This would release all that OCD energy for something else - like reassigning my generals within the OOB some more or perhaps even the strategy...

yeah I was a bit embarrassed to admit I used to obsessively name my German divisions 1. through whatever and sort them into I. Armeekorps through whatever. Good to know others find it just as annoying if what should be XX. Schlachtgeschwader suddenly becomes 1st CAS Wing instead.

I would really love it if certain names were shared between similar unit types and thus would not be repeated.

HoI was annoying when it decided your Mot and Inf divisions are numbered in separate sequences, since few if any countries did that, but there are national differences in other areas. The Americans called their only mountain unit 10th Mountain Division which was in the same sequence as infantry, whereas the Germans started with 1 Gebirgs Division and had a separate sequence for them. I believe Italy used the same sequence for armored divisions as infantry. Waffen SS were numbered separately, and I believe Fallschirmjaeger were as well - granted both were separate from the Heer but that's neither here nor there since we're talking about how the game handles numbering for certain units. The US went out of order but in the same sequence for their Airborne, but the UK started a new sequence for Airborne I believe. It should be something the player can change on the fly if they wish, and probably needs a tickbox for "main sequence" or something like that so the game increments in the same series.

That's adding complexity to a straightforward proposal though.

 

[Enzo]

I like this, every single feature that can save time in micro-management is warmly welcome