In an exchange of PM's with Dr. Rare, I submitted some ideas for a couple of minor naval mods for the latest (or any) version of TGW. He suggested that I post it here. So, what follows is some minor changes to the country.inc files with the associated naval units' database text files and models.csv spreadsheet. Those familier editing HOI files should have no problems but I've gone into tiresome detail for those who might be intimidated with the game editing process. Hopefully somebody out there still dabbles in TGW...
Although the naval AI in HOI is pretty weak, there is scope for the active player to conduct relevant strategic naval operations with some degree of historical accuracy. These missions include cruiser warfare, sea control, chokepoint control and blockade operations. The era before 1914 saw huge advances in naval technology whilst capital ships almost tripled in size in the decade following 1904. The original TGW team did an outstanding job of creating the warships that would be built as the war dragged on but the huge variety of pre war combat vessels was handled in a most general manner. The following changes constitute my corrections.
First thing to do is mod the units.txt files and create a new class of pre-war battleship and cruiser.
Semi-Dreadnaught Battleship:
A number of countries built hybred battleships that were not quite dreadnaughts but far more powerful than the "Standard Battleship" that evolved between 1890 and 1906. All had significant medium calibre batteries (7.5"+) in addition to the usual four-12" main guns. I have added this new type to reflect these ships.
Backup in a safe place the battleship.txt file found in the db\units folder in the main TGW directory. Copy and paste the text below the entry for #7 Improved Battleship preserving all { and } as shown.
# 8 - Semi Dreadnought
model = {
cost = 12
buildtime = 700
defaultorganisation = 30
manpower = 1
maxspeed = 20
surfacedetectioncapability = 1
airdetectioncapability = 1
subdetectioncapability = 1
visibility = 90
seadefence = 12
airdefence = 1
seaattack = 10
airattack = 1
subattack = 1
shorebombardment = 2
transportcapability = 0
aircraftcapacity = 0
range = 9000
supplyconsumption = 1
fuelconsumption = 1
}
We now need to introduce a new model of cruiser that were popular before the war.
Late Armoured Cruiser
During the warship building boom at the start of the 20th Century, the armoured cruiser became huge in size and powerfully armed with large numbers of medium calibre guns. The Battlecruiser rendered them all obsolete however, but they served on in those navies that could not afford or were doctrinally against building battlecruisers. These big, expensive ships had a tough time finding a suitable combat role and in the 1914-18 war and so they suffered considerable losses. After 1914 no more were completed and the game AI doesn't seem to build them either.
Open and backup the cruiser.txt file found in the db\units folder and copy and paste the following text below the entry for #4 Advanced Cruiser preserving all { and } as shown:
# 5 - Late Armoured Cruiser
model = {
cost = 10
buildtime = 550
defaultorganisation = 30
manpower = 1
maxspeed = 23
surfacedetectioncapability = 1
airdetectioncapability = 1
subdetectioncapability = 1
visibility = 70
seadefence = 8
airdefence = 3
seaattack = 8
subattack = 1
airattack = 1
shorebombardment = 1
transportcapability = 0
aircraftcapacity = 0
range = 10000
supplyconsumption = 0.8
fuelconsumption = 1.3
}
While we have the units.txt files open let's make a couple of minor changes to better reflect the capabilities of our fleets:
The original models speeds were somewhat understated, perhaps to reflect that warships fitted with coal-fired boilers and reciprocating engines were not capable of sustaining maximum speeds for more than a couple of hours. These changes are more in line with the speeds in action that one might expect to achieve. This is more for apperances than effect, judge for yourselves...
battleships.txt
Model #0 - change to maxspeed = 18
Model #1 - change to maxspeed = 21
Model #2 - change to maxspeed = 25
Model #3 - change to maxspeed = 22
Model #4 - change to maxspeed = 27
cruiser.txt
Model #0 - change to maxspeed = 20
Model #1 - change to maxspeed = 21
Model #2 - change to maxspeed = 25
Model #3 - change to maxspeed = 28
Model #4 - change to maxspeed = 32
destroyer.txt
Model #0 - change to maxspeed = 28
Model #1 - change to maxspeed = 30
Model #2 - change to maxspeed = 32
Model #3 and #4 change to maxspeed = 33
Note that the combat values are unchanged, tip of the hat to the original TGW team!
Now the new types need to be included in the countries order of battle. Do this by individually editing the entry for each ship in the in the countries.inc file.
Open the specific country.inc file found in the scenairo folder with a text editor and back up the original somewhere safe. Use the search/find function to locate the following ship names and amend as listed below. The entry for each ship looks like this:
division = {
id = { type = 27111 id = 561 }
name = "HMS Lord Nelson"
type = battleship
model = 0
}
All that needs changing here is the model = X line. Disregard the (lead) notation for now, we'll need those names when we modifiy the .csv file later. There are bracketed notes following several entries and are included only to provide rationale for the changes and are not to be copied into the game files. When complete, the entry for HMS Lord Nelson should look like this:
division = {
id = { type = 27111 id = 561 }
name = "HMS Lord Nelson"
type = battleship
model = 8
}
austriahungary.inc
Change to model = 8
Radetzky (lead), E. Franz Ferdinand, Zrinyi
british.inc
Change to model =8
Lord Nelson (lead), Agamemnon, King Edward VII, Africa, Britannia, Commonwealth, Hindustan, Dominion, Hibernia, Zealandia
Change to model = 5
Defence (lead), Minotaur, Shannon, Achilles, Warrior, Cochrane, Natal, Duke of Edinbugh, Black Prince, Hampshire, Carnarvon, Antrim, Roxburgh, Argyll, Devonshire
france.inc
Change to model = 8
Danton (lead), Mirabeau, Diderot, Condorcet, Vergniaud, Voltaire, Democrate, Justice, Verte, Republique, Patrie
Change to model = 5
Edgar Quinet (lead), Waldeck Rousseau, Jules Michelet, Ernest Renan, Leon Gambetta, Jules Ferry, Victor Hugo, Admiral Aube, Conde, Marseillaise, Gloire
germany.inc
Change to model = 5
Blucher (lead), Scharnhorst, Gniesenau
Change to model = 3
SMS Friedrich der Grosse, SMS Kaiser, SMS Kaiserin, SMS Prinz Regent Luitpold and SMS Konig Albert
(Note: These ships are better modeled as Battleship Type 3 vice Battleship Type 1. Although only fitted with 12" main batteries they were a great improvement in protection, interior arrangements and firepower over the preceding Nassau and Oldenburg classes. The RN considered them fully comparable to their Orion class which in HOI terms are Type 3.)
greece.inc
Change to model = 5
Averof (lead)
(Note: Private citizen and Greek millionaire Giorgios Averof - the English spelling varies - bequeathed the Greek government some 300,000 pounds for improving the Navy and most of it went towards the cost of this ship. Built in Italy and fitted with British guns, she survived both World Wars and is now a floating museum, the last existing pre-WW1 armoured cruiser. I could not resist upgrading her to the model that she deserves to be!)
italy.inc
Change to model = 8
Napoli (lead), Roma, Regina Elena, Vittorio Emanual
Change to model = 5
Pisa (lead), Amalfi, San Giorgio, San Marco
japan.inc
Change to model = 8
Aki (lead), Satsuma, Kurama, Ibuki, Kashima, Katori
russia.inc
Change to model = 8
Imperator Paval (lead), Andrei Pervoswanni
Change to model = 5
Rurik (lead), Admiral Makaroff, Pallada, Bayan
usa.inc
Change to model = 8
USS Kansas (lead), USS Vermont, USS Minnesota, USS New Hampshire, USS Louisiana, USS Connecticut, USS Virginia, USS New Jersey, USS Georgia, USS Nebraska, USS Rhode Island
Change to model = 5
North Carolina (lead), Tennessee, Montana, Washington, West Virginia, Colorado, Pittsburg, Maryland, California, South Dakota
Change to model = 0
USS Chattanooga, USS Cleveland, USS Denver, USS Des Moines, USS Galveston and USS Tacoma
(Note: By 1914 these ships had been totally outclassed and were fit for only subsidiary duties and not as modern fleet scouts that cruiser model 2 represents. They were comparable to the Royal Navy's obsolete "Pelorus" class cruisers but built 10-years later.)
Change to model = 1
USS Michigan and USS South Carolina
(Note: Fitted with eight 12" guns in superfiring turrets they are generally considered true dreadnaughts and were actually laid down before the British prototype HMS Dreadnaught.)
It is now necessary to modify the models.csv file, inserting the approprately edited line using the lead ship for each country. I'm not sure if the .csv files can be edited with a text editor but not doing so will result in error messages and problems with the new model entries. What follows assumes M$ EXCEL is used as an editor. Note that only those that have been changed to the lead ships of the new models are inserted into the models.csv file.
Open and backup into a safe place the models.csv file found in the config folder in the main TGW directory. An entry looks like that for Averof shown below and the exact format must be retained otherwise you will have problems when the game runs. Battleships are MODEL 18, Cruisers are MODEL 19. We want to edit Averof since she was a unique one-ship class in the Greek navy.
MODEL_GRE_19_1;Georgios Averof;;;;;;;;;;x
Change this to:
MODEL_GRE_19_5;Georgios Averof;;;;;;;;;;x
Averof will now show in the production and unit window as a Georgios Averof class cruiser.
To add the rest of the new models, insert a new line sequencially; copying and pasting an existing line works well to preserve the correct line format. Use the ship names designated as (lead) for each country in the newly inserted text, for example:
MODEL_ENG_18_8;Lord Nelson;;;;;;;;;;x
MODEL_ENG_19_5;Defence;;;;;;;;;;x
Applicable country codes are:
Austria-Hungary = U11
British = ENG
France = FRA
Germany = GER
Greece = GRE
Italy = ITA
Japan = JAP
Russia = RUS
United States = USA
Save, clicking "yes" through the M$ EXCEL produced error messages, EXCEL doesn't seem to like the .csv format but it works anyway. Test to ensure an error free load and enjoy. Be advised that the changes will not show up (for the most part) when you load a saved game but are fully implemented in a new game.
The mod is mostly for flavour and feel free to disregard as desired. Reading this post probably takes longer than executing the actual changes, they are pretty basic text editing for the most part. The models upgrade nicely and for the Central Powers they make cruiser warfare somewhat harder, as it should be. If you like the changes, that is great, if not, well that's alright too.
Cheers
Comac
Although the naval AI in HOI is pretty weak, there is scope for the active player to conduct relevant strategic naval operations with some degree of historical accuracy. These missions include cruiser warfare, sea control, chokepoint control and blockade operations. The era before 1914 saw huge advances in naval technology whilst capital ships almost tripled in size in the decade following 1904. The original TGW team did an outstanding job of creating the warships that would be built as the war dragged on but the huge variety of pre war combat vessels was handled in a most general manner. The following changes constitute my corrections.
First thing to do is mod the units.txt files and create a new class of pre-war battleship and cruiser.
Semi-Dreadnaught Battleship:
A number of countries built hybred battleships that were not quite dreadnaughts but far more powerful than the "Standard Battleship" that evolved between 1890 and 1906. All had significant medium calibre batteries (7.5"+) in addition to the usual four-12" main guns. I have added this new type to reflect these ships.
Backup in a safe place the battleship.txt file found in the db\units folder in the main TGW directory. Copy and paste the text below the entry for #7 Improved Battleship preserving all { and } as shown.
# 8 - Semi Dreadnought
model = {
cost = 12
buildtime = 700
defaultorganisation = 30
manpower = 1
maxspeed = 20
surfacedetectioncapability = 1
airdetectioncapability = 1
subdetectioncapability = 1
visibility = 90
seadefence = 12
airdefence = 1
seaattack = 10
airattack = 1
subattack = 1
shorebombardment = 2
transportcapability = 0
aircraftcapacity = 0
range = 9000
supplyconsumption = 1
fuelconsumption = 1
}
We now need to introduce a new model of cruiser that were popular before the war.
Late Armoured Cruiser
During the warship building boom at the start of the 20th Century, the armoured cruiser became huge in size and powerfully armed with large numbers of medium calibre guns. The Battlecruiser rendered them all obsolete however, but they served on in those navies that could not afford or were doctrinally against building battlecruisers. These big, expensive ships had a tough time finding a suitable combat role and in the 1914-18 war and so they suffered considerable losses. After 1914 no more were completed and the game AI doesn't seem to build them either.
Open and backup the cruiser.txt file found in the db\units folder and copy and paste the following text below the entry for #4 Advanced Cruiser preserving all { and } as shown:
# 5 - Late Armoured Cruiser
model = {
cost = 10
buildtime = 550
defaultorganisation = 30
manpower = 1
maxspeed = 23
surfacedetectioncapability = 1
airdetectioncapability = 1
subdetectioncapability = 1
visibility = 70
seadefence = 8
airdefence = 3
seaattack = 8
subattack = 1
airattack = 1
shorebombardment = 1
transportcapability = 0
aircraftcapacity = 0
range = 10000
supplyconsumption = 0.8
fuelconsumption = 1.3
}
While we have the units.txt files open let's make a couple of minor changes to better reflect the capabilities of our fleets:
The original models speeds were somewhat understated, perhaps to reflect that warships fitted with coal-fired boilers and reciprocating engines were not capable of sustaining maximum speeds for more than a couple of hours. These changes are more in line with the speeds in action that one might expect to achieve. This is more for apperances than effect, judge for yourselves...
battleships.txt
Model #0 - change to maxspeed = 18
Model #1 - change to maxspeed = 21
Model #2 - change to maxspeed = 25
Model #3 - change to maxspeed = 22
Model #4 - change to maxspeed = 27
cruiser.txt
Model #0 - change to maxspeed = 20
Model #1 - change to maxspeed = 21
Model #2 - change to maxspeed = 25
Model #3 - change to maxspeed = 28
Model #4 - change to maxspeed = 32
destroyer.txt
Model #0 - change to maxspeed = 28
Model #1 - change to maxspeed = 30
Model #2 - change to maxspeed = 32
Model #3 and #4 change to maxspeed = 33
Note that the combat values are unchanged, tip of the hat to the original TGW team!
Now the new types need to be included in the countries order of battle. Do this by individually editing the entry for each ship in the in the countries.inc file.
Open the specific country.inc file found in the scenairo folder with a text editor and back up the original somewhere safe. Use the search/find function to locate the following ship names and amend as listed below. The entry for each ship looks like this:
division = {
id = { type = 27111 id = 561 }
name = "HMS Lord Nelson"
type = battleship
model = 0
}
All that needs changing here is the model = X line. Disregard the (lead) notation for now, we'll need those names when we modifiy the .csv file later. There are bracketed notes following several entries and are included only to provide rationale for the changes and are not to be copied into the game files. When complete, the entry for HMS Lord Nelson should look like this:
division = {
id = { type = 27111 id = 561 }
name = "HMS Lord Nelson"
type = battleship
model = 8
}
austriahungary.inc
Change to model = 8
Radetzky (lead), E. Franz Ferdinand, Zrinyi
british.inc
Change to model =8
Lord Nelson (lead), Agamemnon, King Edward VII, Africa, Britannia, Commonwealth, Hindustan, Dominion, Hibernia, Zealandia
Change to model = 5
Defence (lead), Minotaur, Shannon, Achilles, Warrior, Cochrane, Natal, Duke of Edinbugh, Black Prince, Hampshire, Carnarvon, Antrim, Roxburgh, Argyll, Devonshire
france.inc
Change to model = 8
Danton (lead), Mirabeau, Diderot, Condorcet, Vergniaud, Voltaire, Democrate, Justice, Verte, Republique, Patrie
Change to model = 5
Edgar Quinet (lead), Waldeck Rousseau, Jules Michelet, Ernest Renan, Leon Gambetta, Jules Ferry, Victor Hugo, Admiral Aube, Conde, Marseillaise, Gloire
germany.inc
Change to model = 5
Blucher (lead), Scharnhorst, Gniesenau
Change to model = 3
SMS Friedrich der Grosse, SMS Kaiser, SMS Kaiserin, SMS Prinz Regent Luitpold and SMS Konig Albert
(Note: These ships are better modeled as Battleship Type 3 vice Battleship Type 1. Although only fitted with 12" main batteries they were a great improvement in protection, interior arrangements and firepower over the preceding Nassau and Oldenburg classes. The RN considered them fully comparable to their Orion class which in HOI terms are Type 3.)
greece.inc
Change to model = 5
Averof (lead)
(Note: Private citizen and Greek millionaire Giorgios Averof - the English spelling varies - bequeathed the Greek government some 300,000 pounds for improving the Navy and most of it went towards the cost of this ship. Built in Italy and fitted with British guns, she survived both World Wars and is now a floating museum, the last existing pre-WW1 armoured cruiser. I could not resist upgrading her to the model that she deserves to be!)
italy.inc
Change to model = 8
Napoli (lead), Roma, Regina Elena, Vittorio Emanual
Change to model = 5
Pisa (lead), Amalfi, San Giorgio, San Marco
japan.inc
Change to model = 8
Aki (lead), Satsuma, Kurama, Ibuki, Kashima, Katori
russia.inc
Change to model = 8
Imperator Paval (lead), Andrei Pervoswanni
Change to model = 5
Rurik (lead), Admiral Makaroff, Pallada, Bayan
usa.inc
Change to model = 8
USS Kansas (lead), USS Vermont, USS Minnesota, USS New Hampshire, USS Louisiana, USS Connecticut, USS Virginia, USS New Jersey, USS Georgia, USS Nebraska, USS Rhode Island
Change to model = 5
North Carolina (lead), Tennessee, Montana, Washington, West Virginia, Colorado, Pittsburg, Maryland, California, South Dakota
Change to model = 0
USS Chattanooga, USS Cleveland, USS Denver, USS Des Moines, USS Galveston and USS Tacoma
(Note: By 1914 these ships had been totally outclassed and were fit for only subsidiary duties and not as modern fleet scouts that cruiser model 2 represents. They were comparable to the Royal Navy's obsolete "Pelorus" class cruisers but built 10-years later.)
Change to model = 1
USS Michigan and USS South Carolina
(Note: Fitted with eight 12" guns in superfiring turrets they are generally considered true dreadnaughts and were actually laid down before the British prototype HMS Dreadnaught.)
It is now necessary to modify the models.csv file, inserting the approprately edited line using the lead ship for each country. I'm not sure if the .csv files can be edited with a text editor but not doing so will result in error messages and problems with the new model entries. What follows assumes M$ EXCEL is used as an editor. Note that only those that have been changed to the lead ships of the new models are inserted into the models.csv file.
Open and backup into a safe place the models.csv file found in the config folder in the main TGW directory. An entry looks like that for Averof shown below and the exact format must be retained otherwise you will have problems when the game runs. Battleships are MODEL 18, Cruisers are MODEL 19. We want to edit Averof since she was a unique one-ship class in the Greek navy.
MODEL_GRE_19_1;Georgios Averof;;;;;;;;;;x
Change this to:
MODEL_GRE_19_5;Georgios Averof;;;;;;;;;;x
Averof will now show in the production and unit window as a Georgios Averof class cruiser.
To add the rest of the new models, insert a new line sequencially; copying and pasting an existing line works well to preserve the correct line format. Use the ship names designated as (lead) for each country in the newly inserted text, for example:
MODEL_ENG_18_8;Lord Nelson;;;;;;;;;;x
MODEL_ENG_19_5;Defence;;;;;;;;;;x
Applicable country codes are:
Austria-Hungary = U11
British = ENG
France = FRA
Germany = GER
Greece = GRE
Italy = ITA
Japan = JAP
Russia = RUS
United States = USA
Save, clicking "yes" through the M$ EXCEL produced error messages, EXCEL doesn't seem to like the .csv format but it works anyway. Test to ensure an error free load and enjoy. Be advised that the changes will not show up (for the most part) when you load a saved game but are fully implemented in a new game.
The mod is mostly for flavour and feel free to disregard as desired. Reading this post probably takes longer than executing the actual changes, they are pretty basic text editing for the most part. The models upgrade nicely and for the Central Powers they make cruiser warfare somewhat harder, as it should be. If you like the changes, that is great, if not, well that's alright too.
Cheers
Comac
,great research and very well explained..I think your work adds some great additions to the mod.I cant wait to try them out myself and add them to my game i will keep you posted.