The E3 Map Project for Darkest Hour - 1000's of New Provinces

[T.j. Arnold]

The biggest issue anyone seems to have in Grand Strategy games is the "lack" of provinces.

Well, if you were one of those people, than your cries have been heard. A couple of modders (namely Mumia) have been developing a new map for Darkest Hour called the E3 map, which has it's roots in an old HoI II project.

These new provinces are meant to add a new level of strategy to DH that the Vanilla map is simply not able to bring about. The goal is to give players much more room to maneuver their armies and remove the the game of "your big stack against mine".

While this map was originally built specifically for use in the mod 1914 (which is now dead), the provinces are laid out in such a way as to allow any nation from the 19th century and beyond to be displayed. So, with some work, this map can be adapted for any mod.

Currently, there are over 7000 provinces.

Feel free to ask any questions you have about the map and it's development here.

Map suggestions are welcome and necessary.

Current Beta Version Download:

To install, simply unrar and paste into your DH Mods folder.

DH-E3Map v1.1.7 (uploaded 20 June 2015):
https://mega.co.nz/#!9MJgFJpA!cD84N5jRttxmFrNbqB-h-hqaG6mGcAOgIT7lIrGgO10

or

http://www.mediafire.com/download/cwp43pi5vcbh96j/DH-E3Map v1.1.7z

Map changes:
too many at this point to list ;)

Screenshots

If you have any areas you specifically want screenshots of, let me know and I'll add them in.

(right click on the images to zoom in, usually says "View Image" or "Open in New Tab")


Europe

The Balkans

Scandinavia and the Baltic

Africa

Arabia

North America

New England and Eastern Canada

Central China

Japan and Korea

South America

The Caribbean

South East Asia

India and South-Central Asia

Australia and Oceania

New Zealand and the Pacific Islands

 

[Easy1]

You really are Darkest Hour Lead Propaganda

 

[hjz]

wow , thats pretty great

 

[Easy1]

Note that North America is not yet finished and that the interface of DH looks a bit different from that.

 

[T.j. Arnold]

Note that North America is not yet finished and that the interface of DH looks a bit different from that.

This is the interface of DH, just different icon pictures in the top left (I'm guessing that's from a mod or will be part of the map, I'll ask). The buttons are all the same.

The entire interface for DH is getting a facelift when patch 1.3 is released, though. You'll be able to look at the build-que,research, espionage, etc., along with the map at the same time.

It'll look like something like this (taken off the Facebook page):

 

[1alexey]

will mods with more provinces have harsher stacking problems to ensure more tactical and less stacky gameplay?

 

[T.j. Arnold]

will mods with more provinces have harsher stacking problems to ensure more tactical and less stacky gameplay?

That will be addressed by each modder individually (it's a different culture than HoI III since there are many, many mods and teams working mostly independently, while here there are community projects and two main mods), as it's up to them to determine how manpower goes, but with this map it should naturally go that way.

I don't think the combat is that stacky, as there is still room for massive tactical maneuvers in the default map, but of course I am biased.

Stacking is pretty harsh as it stands, if you don't have an HQ and are attacking beyond your limit a smaller enemy can potentially defeat you.

 

[1alexey]

That will be addressed by each modder individually (it's a different culture than HoI III since there are many, many mods and teams working mostly independently, while here there are community projects and two main mods), as it's up to them to determine how manpower goes, but with this map it should naturally go that way.

I don't think the combat is that stacky, as there is still room for massive tactical maneuvers in the default map, but of course I am biased.

Stacking is pretty harsh as it stands, if you don't have an HQ and are attacking beyond your limit a smaller enemy can potentially defeat you.

It is not about how harsh it is, it is about how many divisions you can use to attack in the same province without penalty.

Yes, indeed you can have spectacular tactical manuvers on the French-German front 7 pronvince in widt, from swizerland to the channel(and i`m counting the actual border and belgium).and 1 province wide Nederlans, and 2 province wide Belgium.
:rofl:
(compared to 15-17 in HOI3, and 4-6 province wide Nederlands and Belgium).

 

[robw963]

very cool! I know there's a ton of effort in modding the map. I might even pick up a copy of DH just to try it out. Thanks for sharing T.j. Arnold

 

[T.j. Arnold]

It is not about how harsh it is, it is about how many divisions you can use to attack in the same province without penalty.

Yes, indeed you can have spectacular tactical manuvers on the French-German front 7 pronvince in widt, from swizerland to the channel(and i`m counting the actual border and belgium).and 1 province wide Nederlans, and 2 province wide Belgium.
:rofl:
(compared to 15-17 in HOI3, and 4-6 province wide Nederlands and Belgium).

Oh, the Western front! I was thinking of Barbarossa. It's still very tactical, you have to rely on your armored divisions to breakthrough with air support. It's just you're doing it on a slightly smaller scale. You can very well conquer France within the historic timespan. DH just doesn't rely on having more provinces to simulate the tactics, though that should change with the new map. So, we'll have a large map running on the fastest HoI engine out there, I can not wait.

It's just compression, really. More provinces = more units doing the same tactics, I really don't see the amount or provinces as plus or minus.

very cool! I know there's a ton of effort in modding the map. I might even pick up a copy of DH just to try it out. Thanks for sharing T.j. Arnold

It should only be $6 during the Summer Sale, the game itself is only $10 normally, a steal considering that DDARMA costs more than that and DH includes it (referred to as DH Lite). Plus, every HoI II mod is compatible with DH, it just won't use the DH map.

 

[1alexey]

Oh, the Western front! I was thinking of Barbarossa. It's still very tactical, you have to rely on your armored divisions to breakthrough with air support. It's just you're doing it on a slightly smaller scale. You can very well conquer France within the historic timespan. DH just doesn't rely on having more provinces to simulate the tactics, though that should change with the new map. So, we'll have a large map running on the fastest HoI engine out there, I can not wait.

It's just compression, really. More provinces = more units doing the same tactics, I really don't see the amount or provinces as plus or minus.

Precicely, assemble your stack and attack.

As far as i heard, DH communitry regards armour as largely useless, and 1.3 is to fix that.

More provices means the manvering of smaller number of units, have greater impact on the frontline movement. That is more tactical manuvering.

Also, DH is not the fastest HOI engine. it simply has less to do.

But I`m not interested in debating about DH. I got the answers i was seeking.

 

[Easy1]

is DH using the same mini map as HOI3?

Think so.

 

[T.j. Arnold]

As far as i heard, DH community regards armour as largely useless, and 1.3 is to fix that.

They aren't super powerful until around 1943, meaning that you can't rely on a small battallion of tanks to overrun infantry. I don't think anybody has called them useless, they are the most important unit in that they cause breakthroughs. It's impossible to beat France or the Soviets without a few divisions of them.

They're different in DH in that only Germany starts the game with independent tank divisions, as they were the first nation to do so. For everybody else, tanks are Brigades until the proper doctrine is researched.

Though, yes, tanks are getting a big bump in 1.3.

Also, DH is not the fastest HOI engine. it simply has less to do.

DH is every bit as complicated as HoI III, it's just not in 3D. It runs on a completley revamped Europa engine (from what I've heard, it's not even distinguishable anymore), so naturally it will run faster since it's 2D.

Speed is speed, haha. "Rocketships are not the fastest vehicles, they don't have to worry about traffic".

But, again, I'm not here to defend DH, HoI III and DH are both amazing games, they are just different in their approach. Naturally there will be things people dislike about both games. DH, at it's core, is essentially HoI II pushed as far as it's physically able to go, and it should be taken as such.

This thread is just about showing off the future of the modding community, and to address the biggest issue you guys had with the game.

is DH using the same mini map as HOI3?

I wouldn't say it's the "same" one, but it's hard to alter a small picture of the globe, really don't see how any game could do a minimap of the earth differently. :rofl:

 

[Evilfisher]

im confused which forum im on

 

[T.j. Arnold]

well, if it just the mod it might be problematic because its copyrighted.

The minimap is from the main game.

 

[1alexey]

They aren't super powerful until around 1943, meaning that you can't rely on a small battallion of tanks to overrun infantry. I don't think anybody has called them useless, they are the most important unit in that they cause breakthroughs. It's impossible to beat France or the Soviets without a few divisions of them.

They're different in DH in that only Germany starts the game with independent tank divisions, as they were the first nation to do so. For everybody else, tanks are Brigades until the proper doctrine is researched.

Though, yes, tanks are getting a big bump in 1.3.

I heard they are too expencive, and you better go with Infantry.

DH is every bit as complicated as HoI III, it's just not in 3D. It runs on a completley revamped Europa engine (from what I've heard, it's not even distinguishable anymore), so naturally it will run faster since it's 2D.

Well, it kinda doesn`t have as many provinces as hOI3, about 3-5 times fewer in fact, and add the fact that Most algorithms of AI, pathfinding, supply system are a power function complexity of province numbers.

Speed is speed, haha. "Rocketships are not the fastest vehicles, they don't have to worry about traffic".

If you have one truch that carries 5*X times the load, at same speed, which one is better?

Granted, HOI3 vs DH is dependent on the hardware. On my notebook, HOI3 FTM runs faster, than DH.

 

[plasticpanzers]

Hey Alexy! when it only has 3-5 times fewer provinces you mean the supply system may work
better? :rofl:

Honestly tho both games are grand strategy. HOI3 is not a grand tactical game really at all.
The province size is far too big for that. Its still a strategy game but with more flexiblility in
movement of units and for combat. HOI2 is simpler in that regard but still quite fun.

 

[1alexey]

Hey Alexy! when it only has 3-5 times fewer provinces you mean the supply system may work
better? :rofl:

Honestly tho both games are grand strategy. HOI3 is not a grand tactical game really at all.
The province size is far too big for that. Its still a strategy game but with more flexiblility in
movement of units and for combat. HOI2 is simpler in that regard but still quite fun.

Well, HOI3 is like box and HOI2 and DH is like sumo.
I prefer the former, but do not deny that some people may prefer the later.

 

[Veldmaarschalk]

Moved to the correct forum

 

[pheonix02]

the new map DH-E3 MAP run in all mods of DH ?