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Will you add various peace options? Like lenient-moderate-harsh. For example an Entente aligned Romania would get lesser territories in lenient option as reward, historical Transylvania as moderate, and East Hungary as harsh. (Originally the Entente was willing to give parts of Hungary until the river Tisza to Romania.)
And a second thing is the various revolts and far left or far right movements. This mod will probably not go until ww2, so you would have a lot of free tags. Will you add civil war options based on dissent, or probably harsh victory options?
And a second thing is the various revolts and far left or far right movements. This mod will probably not go until ww2, so you would have a lot of free tags. Will you add civil war options based on dissent, or probably harsh victory options?
Stop teasing and release the damn mod!!!
Hehe, that's part of the job.
By the way, September is coming.Nothing has been decided about post-war. We aim at providing players with a great WW1 experience, so post-war is not considered a priority for now.
Well some part is actually mid ww1, like the defeat of Romania in 1916 and for example a possible defeat of Belgium.
Development Diary #7: units
Some more teasing ?
Military units are often subject to high expectations for a new mod, as they significantly contribute to gameplay and flavor.
The concept of a “division builder” was discussed extensively during Darkest Hour’s development, because much contributors considered it a desirable feature. For various reasons, it did not make it to the game so far. However, MartinBG’s extensive work to make DH an easily moddable game allows for something similar, to some extent: a “modular” system in which basic divisions can (and should) be attached with a wide range of brigades in order to attain their full potential.
Let’s have an example with a standard infantry division in 1912. In WiF3, the division figures only a core of twelve infantry battalions with divisional support (logistics, medical service, signals, one or two companies of engineers at most, etc…), reconnaissance units (typically a few cavalry squadrons) and staff. This does not, however, include machineguns or the usual light field guns of divisional artillery units. The basic division’s firepower is therefore limited roughly to its 12,000 rifles – which is not much, actually. It must be strengthened with attachments.
In the screenshot above I am about to build a small Russian army corps comprising two active infantry divisions. Each of them has a machinegun unit, a light field artillery attachment and additional infantry. Machineguns and light field artillery should be considered as standard issue without which your divisions would remain permanently underpowered, even after the integration of LMGs and trench artillery in later models.
Of course, there will be many other attachments available (22 in all), each with its own advantages and weaknesses. To allow our unit system to reach its full potential and give players as much freedom as possible, we set the number of available attachments per division to five, the maximum allowed by DH.
Example: a Russian army corps. Two active divisions organized as described above (Russian divisions by then had four infantry regiments of four battalions each, hence the infantry brigade attached), with their parent reserve divisions to be completed by mobilization. One of the two active divisions also has a heavy artillery group (historically attached at corps level).
We tried to do something similar for air units. At first, there is limited choice in types and models, but this expands as the corresponding tech tree grows. The basic idea is that division type is determined by the plane’s configuration. Thus, single-seaters, initially unarmed, evolve into fighters, and can be biplanes, monoplanes, etc. Two-seaters are used for observation or attack while larger aircraft will be used as bombers, and so on.
Beyond these general tasks, air brigades allow to further specialize air units: for example, naval armament turns ordinary bombers into (guess it?) naval bombers, of course. Small bombs will "beef up" reconnaissance two-seaters, or turn fighters into fighter-bombers. The underlying principle is a “trade” one: a bomber equipped with torpedoes will certainly be deadly for ships, but will also be nearly useless against land targets, while fighter-bombers will be somewhat penalized in air combat.
Too bad: in 1912 aviation technology is not advanced enough to build air brigades...
In the end we hope that, as for land divisions, variety will be as large as possible and offer players multiple options. Please note that the first air units are inexpensive and weak because aviation is still underexploited in 1912. During the war, as aviation becomes important they grow bigger and bigger (typically from 25 planes per unit initially, to 100 in later models). This gives the impression of an outstanding rise in efficiency and cost much different from the slow, regular rise from one model to another usually observed in vanilla, and may surprise some players at first.
Naval units are probably closer to what they are in vanilla DH. As for air units, brigades allow a certain degree of specialization and modernization, which will be especially crucial for anti-submarine warfare. However, the range of naval divisions was slightly revised and expanded to better figure the various ships of the World War One era. There have been some additions, such as coastal defense ships and torpedo boats.
Here, I am about to order a group of modern destroyers with additional torpedo tubes attached.
It should be noted here that, as in vanilla, submarines, destroyers and other small tonnage ships are shown (except for rare cases) in groups of five (or more), not individually. As a result, you will not be surprised to find out that a flotilla of five destroyers is more expensive and more powerful than a light cruiser.
Finally, here are a few comments regarding unit building in peacetime.
- The cost of a land division is generally quite high, especially in manpower (about 18,000 men are required for a basic division with machineguns and light field artillery). So you have to play tight on that resource. In addition, training is quite long, basically about 300 days (it then drops in wartime).
- Air units are inexpensive early in the game, so it might be interesting to devote some resources to build a few ones (even though it is a long term investment, as aviation doesn't show its full power immediately).
- Naval units have become very long to build, and the war will reduce their construction time only marginally. I would advise players to plan their shipbuilding well in advance (at the beginning of the game), as new capital ships are likely to miss the war altogether if their construction is started too late.
- I would like to draw attention to the fact that cancelling ships being built at scenario start is a bad idea, because these vessels most often benefit from a reduced cost (either because daily IC cost is actually reduced or because these ships will be completed earlier).
Generally speaking, unit cost has been calculated using the concept of IC x days, which sometimes may be a bit misleading to players. For a example, it seems at first that a battleship is cheaper than an infantry division, while you can actually build a two-division army corps for the price of a single superdreadnought (which daily cost is reduced simply because it takes longer to be built). Choosing which units to build is a matter of strategic choice, and we hope that our mod will allow you to better enjoy that part of the game.
Some more teasing ?
Military units are often subject to high expectations for a new mod, as they significantly contribute to gameplay and flavor.
The concept of a “division builder” was discussed extensively during Darkest Hour’s development, because much contributors considered it a desirable feature. For various reasons, it did not make it to the game so far. However, MartinBG’s extensive work to make DH an easily moddable game allows for something similar, to some extent: a “modular” system in which basic divisions can (and should) be attached with a wide range of brigades in order to attain their full potential.
Let’s have an example with a standard infantry division in 1912. In WiF3, the division figures only a core of twelve infantry battalions with divisional support (logistics, medical service, signals, one or two companies of engineers at most, etc…), reconnaissance units (typically a few cavalry squadrons) and staff. This does not, however, include machineguns or the usual light field guns of divisional artillery units. The basic division’s firepower is therefore limited roughly to its 12,000 rifles – which is not much, actually. It must be strengthened with attachments.
In the screenshot above I am about to build a small Russian army corps comprising two active infantry divisions. Each of them has a machinegun unit, a light field artillery attachment and additional infantry. Machineguns and light field artillery should be considered as standard issue without which your divisions would remain permanently underpowered, even after the integration of LMGs and trench artillery in later models.
Of course, there will be many other attachments available (22 in all), each with its own advantages and weaknesses. To allow our unit system to reach its full potential and give players as much freedom as possible, we set the number of available attachments per division to five, the maximum allowed by DH.
Example: a Russian army corps. Two active divisions organized as described above (Russian divisions by then had four infantry regiments of four battalions each, hence the infantry brigade attached), with their parent reserve divisions to be completed by mobilization. One of the two active divisions also has a heavy artillery group (historically attached at corps level).
We tried to do something similar for air units. At first, there is limited choice in types and models, but this expands as the corresponding tech tree grows. The basic idea is that division type is determined by the plane’s configuration. Thus, single-seaters, initially unarmed, evolve into fighters, and can be biplanes, monoplanes, etc. Two-seaters are used for observation or attack while larger aircraft will be used as bombers, and so on.
Beyond these general tasks, air brigades allow to further specialize air units: for example, naval armament turns ordinary bombers into (guess it?) naval bombers, of course. Small bombs will "beef up" reconnaissance two-seaters, or turn fighters into fighter-bombers. The underlying principle is a “trade” one: a bomber equipped with torpedoes will certainly be deadly for ships, but will also be nearly useless against land targets, while fighter-bombers will be somewhat penalized in air combat.
Too bad: in 1912 aviation technology is not advanced enough to build air brigades...
In the end we hope that, as for land divisions, variety will be as large as possible and offer players multiple options. Please note that the first air units are inexpensive and weak because aviation is still underexploited in 1912. During the war, as aviation becomes important they grow bigger and bigger (typically from 25 planes per unit initially, to 100 in later models). This gives the impression of an outstanding rise in efficiency and cost much different from the slow, regular rise from one model to another usually observed in vanilla, and may surprise some players at first.
Naval units are probably closer to what they are in vanilla DH. As for air units, brigades allow a certain degree of specialization and modernization, which will be especially crucial for anti-submarine warfare. However, the range of naval divisions was slightly revised and expanded to better figure the various ships of the World War One era. There have been some additions, such as coastal defense ships and torpedo boats.
Here, I am about to order a group of modern destroyers with additional torpedo tubes attached.
It should be noted here that, as in vanilla, submarines, destroyers and other small tonnage ships are shown (except for rare cases) in groups of five (or more), not individually. As a result, you will not be surprised to find out that a flotilla of five destroyers is more expensive and more powerful than a light cruiser.
Finally, here are a few comments regarding unit building in peacetime.
- The cost of a land division is generally quite high, especially in manpower (about 18,000 men are required for a basic division with machineguns and light field artillery). So you have to play tight on that resource. In addition, training is quite long, basically about 300 days (it then drops in wartime).
- Air units are inexpensive early in the game, so it might be interesting to devote some resources to build a few ones (even though it is a long term investment, as aviation doesn't show its full power immediately).
- Naval units have become very long to build, and the war will reduce their construction time only marginally. I would advise players to plan their shipbuilding well in advance (at the beginning of the game), as new capital ships are likely to miss the war altogether if their construction is started too late.
- I would like to draw attention to the fact that cancelling ships being built at scenario start is a bad idea, because these vessels most often benefit from a reduced cost (either because daily IC cost is actually reduced or because these ships will be completed earlier).
Generally speaking, unit cost has been calculated using the concept of IC x days, which sometimes may be a bit misleading to players. For a example, it seems at first that a battleship is cheaper than an infantry division, while you can actually build a two-division army corps for the price of a single superdreadnought (which daily cost is reduced simply because it takes longer to be built). Choosing which units to build is a matter of strategic choice, and we hope that our mod will allow you to better enjoy that part of the game.
- 2
Development Diary #8: list of units
Found the previous Dev’Diary a bit short? Told to yourself something like "Wait, is that all? No more details? The guy told nothing, yet he told too much." Well don't worry anymore, in complement to #7, here is the list of all units in World in Flames 3.
Land divisions
- Infantry (twelve battalions of active infantry, made of young men around 20-25 years old, evolving into nine-battalion divisions in later models);
- Reserve infantry (twelve battalions of older reservists, 25-35 years old, a little less powerful than the previous one, similar evolution; cannot be built, but can be upgraded to Infantry);
- Territorial infantry (twelve battalions of territorial infantry, 35-45 years old, even less efficient, similar evolution; cannot be built either, but can be upgraded to Reserve infantry);
- Light division (actually a smaller active infantry unit with only eight or nine battalions; upgrades into standard active infantry division after 1915);
- Cavalry (four to six cavalry regiments);
- Headquarters (figures a field army headquarters);
- Mountain division (rather self-explanatory);
- Militia (small, cheap unit - typically 5.000 strong - available only after total mobilization);
- Garrison (small static units with three or four infantry battalions, good defensive stats);
- Mechanized division (that is, an armored division; actually “fictitious” as no armored division was fielded before the end of the Great War, available only after researching a 1919 doctrine);
- Marine division (self-explanatory; also "fictitious" as actual division-sized marine units were created much later, but as for mechanized division it was found plausible and thus made available through a 1919 doctrine);
- Irregular cavalry (a cavalry "division" used by “tribal” nations like Senussi Libya, but also by industrialized nations as it figures camel-mounted units and cossacks);
- Tribal militia (similar to the previous one, but dismounted; like irregular cavalry it cannot be built by industrialized nations, but some events will allow to get a few ones);
Land brigades
- Infantry brigade (additional infantry regiment with three or four battalions);
- Cavalry brigade (additional cavalry brigade with two or three regiments);
- Marine infantry (three or four battalions, amphibious landing bonus);
- Mountain infantry (two or three battalions, mountainous terrain bonus);
- Light infantry (two or three battalions, offensive bonus; since they can ride a bicycle, light infantrymen can be attached to cavalry divisions, significantly boosting them);
- Assault troops (two or three crack battalions, expensive and slow to train);
- Engineers (river crossing combat bonus and, from 1916, attack bonus);
- Machineguns (typical divisional complement of machineguns; its firepower increases twelve-fold between the first and the last model);
- Artillery (basic divisional artillery, light field guns from 70 to 90 mm caliber);
- Heavy artillery (field guns and howitzers from 100 to 160 mm caliber);
- Siege artillery (heavy guns, howitzers and mortars from 170 to 240 mm caliber);
- Horse artillery (lightweight field guns used by cavalry; the latest model has self-propelled guns which can be attached to mechanized divisions);
- Mountain artillery (mixture of pack guns and howitzers, less powerful than ordinary field artillery but gives a bonus in mountainous terrain);
- Anti-aircraft artillery (self-explanatory);
- Armored cars (in effect machineguns on wheels, and therefore useful in adding firepower to cavalry divisions);
- Light tanks (typical example: Renault FT; evolves to medium tanks like Medium Mark C);
- Heavy tanks (typical example: Mark IV);
- Super-heavy tanks (typical example: Char 2C);
- Fortress artillery (static siege artillery, can be attached to garrisons);
- Railway artillery (guns over 170 mm caliber, more expensive but faster than super-heavy artillery);
- Super-heavy artillery (giant, powerful guns over 250 mm caliber);
- Transport (truck units; they increase movement speed, but require lots of oil);
Air units
- Monoplane fighter (fast, but limited range, useful in offensive air superiority);
- Biplane fighter (best compromise among fighters; much versatile, can perform decently in a large array of missions);
- Triplane fighter (handy but slower, however it climbs quickly; good at defensive air superiority and escort, related techs give bonus in Air scramble mission efficiency);
- Pusher fighter (available early in the game as firing its weapons is not hampered by the propeller, but vulnerable because the engine is mounted in a rear position; good at offensive air superiority and escort missions in the early years of the war);
- Recon plane (two-seater, much versatile; mostly used for ground attack and artillery observation, but can also be turned into an escort fighter or even a naval bomber with the appropriate attachment);
- Attack plane (armored, and therefore less vulnerable to AA fire, which is useful in ground attack missions);
- Heavy bomber (twin-engined, useful for strategic bombing, interdiction, etc.);
- Super-heavy bomber (similar to the previous one but three- or four-engined, bigger, more powerful, longer range, more expensive);
- Transport plane (only used for Air supply, as you may have noticed the lack of paratroopers in the mod);
- Flying boat (actually can be based anywhere, as game engine would not allow to restrict its use to coastal provinces; useful in naval missions);
- Semi-rigid airship (vulnerable but rather inexpensive, specializes in ASW missions in later models);
- Rigid airship (very expensive, initially difficult to shoot down, unmatched range and payload; useful for strategic bombing);
Air brigades
- Defensive armament (gives bombers a better defense at the expense of their payload; can also turn two-seaters into escort fighters);
- Light bombs (improves ground attack values of two-seaters and turns fighters into fighter-bombers);
- Heavy payload (improves ground attack values for heavy and super-heavy bombers at the expense of their range);
- Extended range (evil twin of the previous one: reduces ground attack values, extends range, sports a goatee);
- Naval ordnance (increases naval attack but reduces ground attack values, turning bombers and reconnaissance planes into torpedo/naval bombers);
- Parasite fighter (coupled to airships in order to provide additional defense);
Naval units
- Battleship (the backbone of large fleets; becomes really badass starting with "Dreadnought" level);
- Battlecruiser (early models figure its ancestor, the armored cruiser; better speed and range than battleship, reduced attack, more vulnerable);
- Cruiser (inexpensive escort vessel, extended range; evolves from unprotected cruiser to light cruiser, and ultimately to heavy cruiser);
- Destroyers (a group of five escort ships, powerful thanks to their torpedoes, but with limited firing distance as a result);
- Torpedo boats (a group of ten ships akin to small destroyers, very limited range, useful for coastal operations);
- Coastal submarines (a group of five inexpensive submarines with limited range);
- Submarines (a group of five ocean-going submarines with extended range);
- Large submarines (a group of five submarines with very long range, evolving into a single submarine cruiser armed with heavy guns to attack convoys from a distance);
- Seaplane carrier (self-explanatory; not much powerful, but can serve as a scout ship thanks to its high combat distance value);
- Aircraft carrier (same as above; a bit more powerful, it becomes interesting with late carrier warfare doctrines);
- Coastal defense ship (small, reasonably protected and armed battleship for coastal operations; cheap, but limited range);
- Transport ship (no need to elaborate, I suppose);
Naval brigades
- Carrier seaplanes (attached to seaplane carriers, of course);
- Carrier aircraft (the same for aircraft carriers);
- Light naval AA (ships basically have no AA; you should therefore add this brigade if you want them to fight back against air attacks; this one is for escort ships);
- Heavy naval AA (the same as above, for capital ships);
- Torpedoes (additional torpedo tubes for cruisers and destroyers; increases their firepower);
- Anti-submarine weapons (absolutely necessary to sink enemy submarines, because basic ASW values are very low);
- Fire control (adds some firepower to capital ships thanks to optical instruments, then electromechanical rangekeepers);
Found the previous Dev’Diary a bit short? Told to yourself something like "Wait, is that all? No more details? The guy told nothing, yet he told too much." Well don't worry anymore, in complement to #7, here is the list of all units in World in Flames 3.
Land divisions
- Infantry (twelve battalions of active infantry, made of young men around 20-25 years old, evolving into nine-battalion divisions in later models);
- Reserve infantry (twelve battalions of older reservists, 25-35 years old, a little less powerful than the previous one, similar evolution; cannot be built, but can be upgraded to Infantry);
- Territorial infantry (twelve battalions of territorial infantry, 35-45 years old, even less efficient, similar evolution; cannot be built either, but can be upgraded to Reserve infantry);
- Light division (actually a smaller active infantry unit with only eight or nine battalions; upgrades into standard active infantry division after 1915);
- Cavalry (four to six cavalry regiments);
- Headquarters (figures a field army headquarters);
- Mountain division (rather self-explanatory);
- Militia (small, cheap unit - typically 5.000 strong - available only after total mobilization);
- Garrison (small static units with three or four infantry battalions, good defensive stats);
- Mechanized division (that is, an armored division; actually “fictitious” as no armored division was fielded before the end of the Great War, available only after researching a 1919 doctrine);
- Marine division (self-explanatory; also "fictitious" as actual division-sized marine units were created much later, but as for mechanized division it was found plausible and thus made available through a 1919 doctrine);
- Irregular cavalry (a cavalry "division" used by “tribal” nations like Senussi Libya, but also by industrialized nations as it figures camel-mounted units and cossacks);
- Tribal militia (similar to the previous one, but dismounted; like irregular cavalry it cannot be built by industrialized nations, but some events will allow to get a few ones);
Land brigades
- Infantry brigade (additional infantry regiment with three or four battalions);
- Cavalry brigade (additional cavalry brigade with two or three regiments);
- Marine infantry (three or four battalions, amphibious landing bonus);
- Mountain infantry (two or three battalions, mountainous terrain bonus);
- Light infantry (two or three battalions, offensive bonus; since they can ride a bicycle, light infantrymen can be attached to cavalry divisions, significantly boosting them);
- Assault troops (two or three crack battalions, expensive and slow to train);
- Engineers (river crossing combat bonus and, from 1916, attack bonus);
- Machineguns (typical divisional complement of machineguns; its firepower increases twelve-fold between the first and the last model);
- Artillery (basic divisional artillery, light field guns from 70 to 90 mm caliber);
- Heavy artillery (field guns and howitzers from 100 to 160 mm caliber);
- Siege artillery (heavy guns, howitzers and mortars from 170 to 240 mm caliber);
- Horse artillery (lightweight field guns used by cavalry; the latest model has self-propelled guns which can be attached to mechanized divisions);
- Mountain artillery (mixture of pack guns and howitzers, less powerful than ordinary field artillery but gives a bonus in mountainous terrain);
- Anti-aircraft artillery (self-explanatory);
- Armored cars (in effect machineguns on wheels, and therefore useful in adding firepower to cavalry divisions);
- Light tanks (typical example: Renault FT; evolves to medium tanks like Medium Mark C);
- Heavy tanks (typical example: Mark IV);
- Super-heavy tanks (typical example: Char 2C);
- Fortress artillery (static siege artillery, can be attached to garrisons);
- Railway artillery (guns over 170 mm caliber, more expensive but faster than super-heavy artillery);
- Super-heavy artillery (giant, powerful guns over 250 mm caliber);
- Transport (truck units; they increase movement speed, but require lots of oil);
Air units
- Monoplane fighter (fast, but limited range, useful in offensive air superiority);
- Biplane fighter (best compromise among fighters; much versatile, can perform decently in a large array of missions);
- Triplane fighter (handy but slower, however it climbs quickly; good at defensive air superiority and escort, related techs give bonus in Air scramble mission efficiency);
- Pusher fighter (available early in the game as firing its weapons is not hampered by the propeller, but vulnerable because the engine is mounted in a rear position; good at offensive air superiority and escort missions in the early years of the war);
- Recon plane (two-seater, much versatile; mostly used for ground attack and artillery observation, but can also be turned into an escort fighter or even a naval bomber with the appropriate attachment);
- Attack plane (armored, and therefore less vulnerable to AA fire, which is useful in ground attack missions);
- Heavy bomber (twin-engined, useful for strategic bombing, interdiction, etc.);
- Super-heavy bomber (similar to the previous one but three- or four-engined, bigger, more powerful, longer range, more expensive);
- Transport plane (only used for Air supply, as you may have noticed the lack of paratroopers in the mod);
- Flying boat (actually can be based anywhere, as game engine would not allow to restrict its use to coastal provinces; useful in naval missions);
- Semi-rigid airship (vulnerable but rather inexpensive, specializes in ASW missions in later models);
- Rigid airship (very expensive, initially difficult to shoot down, unmatched range and payload; useful for strategic bombing);
Air brigades
- Defensive armament (gives bombers a better defense at the expense of their payload; can also turn two-seaters into escort fighters);
- Light bombs (improves ground attack values of two-seaters and turns fighters into fighter-bombers);
- Heavy payload (improves ground attack values for heavy and super-heavy bombers at the expense of their range);
- Extended range (evil twin of the previous one: reduces ground attack values, extends range, sports a goatee);
- Naval ordnance (increases naval attack but reduces ground attack values, turning bombers and reconnaissance planes into torpedo/naval bombers);
- Parasite fighter (coupled to airships in order to provide additional defense);
Naval units
- Battleship (the backbone of large fleets; becomes really badass starting with "Dreadnought" level);
- Battlecruiser (early models figure its ancestor, the armored cruiser; better speed and range than battleship, reduced attack, more vulnerable);
- Cruiser (inexpensive escort vessel, extended range; evolves from unprotected cruiser to light cruiser, and ultimately to heavy cruiser);
- Destroyers (a group of five escort ships, powerful thanks to their torpedoes, but with limited firing distance as a result);
- Torpedo boats (a group of ten ships akin to small destroyers, very limited range, useful for coastal operations);
- Coastal submarines (a group of five inexpensive submarines with limited range);
- Submarines (a group of five ocean-going submarines with extended range);
- Large submarines (a group of five submarines with very long range, evolving into a single submarine cruiser armed with heavy guns to attack convoys from a distance);
- Seaplane carrier (self-explanatory; not much powerful, but can serve as a scout ship thanks to its high combat distance value);
- Aircraft carrier (same as above; a bit more powerful, it becomes interesting with late carrier warfare doctrines);
- Coastal defense ship (small, reasonably protected and armed battleship for coastal operations; cheap, but limited range);
- Transport ship (no need to elaborate, I suppose);
Naval brigades
- Carrier seaplanes (attached to seaplane carriers, of course);
- Carrier aircraft (the same for aircraft carriers);
- Light naval AA (ships basically have no AA; you should therefore add this brigade if you want them to fight back against air attacks; this one is for escort ships);
- Heavy naval AA (the same as above, for capital ships);
- Torpedoes (additional torpedo tubes for cruisers and destroyers; increases their firepower);
- Anti-submarine weapons (absolutely necessary to sink enemy submarines, because basic ASW values are very low);
- Fire control (adds some firepower to capital ships thanks to optical instruments, then electromechanical rangekeepers);
- 4
There are colonial division? These divisions are very important for colonial powers (and in African scenario of war)
Colonial manpower and divisions will be available through events and decisions. Otherwise, they will appear as normal divisions.
@Eginhard 38
Just wanted to say that I have not played world in flames yet but I am waiting for this mod now. My top waited for mods for darkest hour are currently this one and Kaisseriech 1.8.
I have to say the idea with the land and air units looks really fun and exciting and I can't wait to start making my own divisions
Just wanted to say that I have not played world in flames yet but I am waiting for this mod now. My top waited for mods for darkest hour are currently this one and Kaisseriech 1.8.
I have to say the idea with the land and air units looks really fun and exciting and I can't wait to start making my own divisions
So I noticed this mod puts a lot into economy. How will places like Mexico, China, and Russia during the revolution, work? Where their economies either collapsed or in the case of Russia, switched to a government controlled system.
Develoment Diary #9: research
As much of the work about research is now completed, it is time to have a peek at this part of the mod.
Our very first ideas about research was to limit the number of techs, to make them longer to research, and to limit the maximum number of available research slots to three. However, preliminary work showed that such a radical move would not be appropriate to figure research in the World War One era. It was a time of great progress in technology and doctrine, induced by the need to solve the static warfare problem, never encountered before at such a wide scale.
In the end, our tech trees sport a total of nearly 400 techs: less than a half of DH Full’s 800+ techs, but over a much shorter era. While it is desirable to prevent players to research every single tech in the mod (they must make choices), a three-slot maximum was deemed too harsh. At the same time, DH Full’s seven research slots would clearly be too much, so we settled to five – the good old HoI2 limit.
Besides this change of mind, we decided early in the mod’s development to start from scratch in nearly everything, so we let our creativity loose about tech trees and teams. What I personally did not like much with research in HoI2/DH was a perceived lack of internal coherence in the techs, their components, as well as in the teams’ choice and their specialties. This is probably because several different people worked on tech trees over the years in Hearts of Iron II, Doomsday, Armageddon and finally Darkest Hour, each one adding his own vision. Being free to do so, we used a more systematic approach.
Research folders remain basically the same, although Artillery & Armor is now only named Artillery since Armor techs have been moved to the Secret Weapons folder. There are a few changes in tech specialties, some being anachronistic (like the nuclear related ones) and renamed for another use, and a few more being added to the already existing ones.
The basic idea is that any country should be able to devote all of its research slots to a single research area at the same time if it wishes so. As you know it, there are nine research folders (Infantry, Artillery, Aircraft, Naval, Industrial, Secret Weapons, Land Doctrines, Air Doctrines and Naval Doctrines), so we linked any given tech team to one of them. Then, countries have been given (whenever possible) enough teams in each research area to fill all of its research slots with teams related to a same research folder.
For example, Germany has five research slots, and therefore has been given five tech teams specialized in Naval research: Blohm & Voss, Germaniawerft, Kaiserliche Marinewerft, Schichau and Vulkan. These teams have been given specialties like Naval engineering, Naval machinery or Metallurgy, according to the most needed specialties in the Naval research folder. In all, this means that the overall number of German tech teams will be around 9 (research folders) x 5 (research slots) = 45. With the addition of a few more very specialized teams, the actual number is 55.
This systematic and statistical approach has been used as often as possible, because I wanted to reduce the influence of arbitrary (and possibly unfair) choices that would affect game balance negatively. The same has been used, for example, with tech teams skills, with each country being given an average skill based mainly on the number of Nobel prizes they got between their inception and 1920. Extensive research has been made to choose the teams, and most often they are representative of the industrial and military elite of the Great War era. I hope this, as well as the work on techs and components, will add flavor to the mod.
Research in itself did not change much, yet there are some ideas specific to the mod. The most significant is that unlike in DH vanilla, new land divisions and brigades are generally not made available by researching a corresponding tech, but by researching a land doctrine. This doctrine itself has some prerequisites: not only the preceding doctrine, but also some infantry weapons and artillery guns.
Let’s have an example with the “Infantry 1915” model. To make it available, the “Trench system” land doctrine must be researched. Required techs include “Early light machineguns”, “Simplified uniforms”, “Steel helmets”, “Rifle grenade” (all part of the Infantry tech folder) as well as “Trench artillery 1915”. This way is closer to reality, where new equipment is gradually incorporated in units until they become part of a coherent doctrine regarding their use on the battlefield. It also ensures that research in the mod will not become a “no-brainer” in which players would just have to research techs one after the other without paying much attention to what they are doing. Rushing for a given tech or model will now require some planning beforehand.
Naval and air units are made available in a more classical way, with new models unlocked directly once the corresponding tech has been researched. However, some naval and air doctrines will require specific unit models before being available for research. This logic has been expanded a bit further in air doctrines, where some aircraft techs will require a specific doctrine beforehand. During the Great War, aircraft technology evolved quickly, and combat experience, summarized in air doctrines, was required to determine what the future aircraft’s capabilities should be.
There is one more thing specific to World in Flames 3 regarding research. Most of the new technologies developed during World War One were attempts to solve the trench problem. As a result, many techs have been locked from the onset of the game: no trench warfare, no problem to solve, and therefore, no need to research trench artillery, flamethrowers, tanks, or to further develop aviation, this funny little toy. It’s only after a few months into the conflict that an event will allow armies to dig in, unlocking the previously unavailable, trench warfare related techs. Aviation will have its own subplot here, as a technical choice will have to be made. Each option will have consequences on when specific air unit models will become available.
While most tech folders are included in this system, we let the Naval and Naval doctrines tech trees free to be researched from the start. This is intended to figure the naval arms race atmosphere which prevailed in the years immediately leading to WW1, and to incite players to plan their own naval programs very early in the game, while they are still at peace.
To close this Dev’Diary, we added two decisions allowing you to invest additional funding in research in order to boost it. The first, classical one is persistent and has a temporary effect: it basically increases research efficiency for three months in exchange for money. The second one is a long-term orientation for your research that can be used only once, and which effects cannot be reverted afterwards. If you choose to use it, it will allow you to give priority to one research area among (up to, depending on your country’s situation) five: infantry, artillery, aircraft, ships and armored vehicles. Teams related to the chosen research area will be removed and replaced by a beefed up, more specialized version of themselves, with better skills and possibly deprived of their unrelated specialties. Conversely, overall research efficiency is permanently reduced, as the other research areas are neglected.
All that remains between us and an alpha release is a little work to implement a crude AI for the Balkan Wars. It may take some time as I am not familiar with AI modding, but I still aim for a September release.
As much of the work about research is now completed, it is time to have a peek at this part of the mod.
Our very first ideas about research was to limit the number of techs, to make them longer to research, and to limit the maximum number of available research slots to three. However, preliminary work showed that such a radical move would not be appropriate to figure research in the World War One era. It was a time of great progress in technology and doctrine, induced by the need to solve the static warfare problem, never encountered before at such a wide scale.
In the end, our tech trees sport a total of nearly 400 techs: less than a half of DH Full’s 800+ techs, but over a much shorter era. While it is desirable to prevent players to research every single tech in the mod (they must make choices), a three-slot maximum was deemed too harsh. At the same time, DH Full’s seven research slots would clearly be too much, so we settled to five – the good old HoI2 limit.
Besides this change of mind, we decided early in the mod’s development to start from scratch in nearly everything, so we let our creativity loose about tech trees and teams. What I personally did not like much with research in HoI2/DH was a perceived lack of internal coherence in the techs, their components, as well as in the teams’ choice and their specialties. This is probably because several different people worked on tech trees over the years in Hearts of Iron II, Doomsday, Armageddon and finally Darkest Hour, each one adding his own vision. Being free to do so, we used a more systematic approach.
Research folders remain basically the same, although Artillery & Armor is now only named Artillery since Armor techs have been moved to the Secret Weapons folder. There are a few changes in tech specialties, some being anachronistic (like the nuclear related ones) and renamed for another use, and a few more being added to the already existing ones.
The basic idea is that any country should be able to devote all of its research slots to a single research area at the same time if it wishes so. As you know it, there are nine research folders (Infantry, Artillery, Aircraft, Naval, Industrial, Secret Weapons, Land Doctrines, Air Doctrines and Naval Doctrines), so we linked any given tech team to one of them. Then, countries have been given (whenever possible) enough teams in each research area to fill all of its research slots with teams related to a same research folder.
For example, Germany has five research slots, and therefore has been given five tech teams specialized in Naval research: Blohm & Voss, Germaniawerft, Kaiserliche Marinewerft, Schichau and Vulkan. These teams have been given specialties like Naval engineering, Naval machinery or Metallurgy, according to the most needed specialties in the Naval research folder. In all, this means that the overall number of German tech teams will be around 9 (research folders) x 5 (research slots) = 45. With the addition of a few more very specialized teams, the actual number is 55.
This systematic and statistical approach has been used as often as possible, because I wanted to reduce the influence of arbitrary (and possibly unfair) choices that would affect game balance negatively. The same has been used, for example, with tech teams skills, with each country being given an average skill based mainly on the number of Nobel prizes they got between their inception and 1920. Extensive research has been made to choose the teams, and most often they are representative of the industrial and military elite of the Great War era. I hope this, as well as the work on techs and components, will add flavor to the mod.
Research in itself did not change much, yet there are some ideas specific to the mod. The most significant is that unlike in DH vanilla, new land divisions and brigades are generally not made available by researching a corresponding tech, but by researching a land doctrine. This doctrine itself has some prerequisites: not only the preceding doctrine, but also some infantry weapons and artillery guns.
Let’s have an example with the “Infantry 1915” model. To make it available, the “Trench system” land doctrine must be researched. Required techs include “Early light machineguns”, “Simplified uniforms”, “Steel helmets”, “Rifle grenade” (all part of the Infantry tech folder) as well as “Trench artillery 1915”. This way is closer to reality, where new equipment is gradually incorporated in units until they become part of a coherent doctrine regarding their use on the battlefield. It also ensures that research in the mod will not become a “no-brainer” in which players would just have to research techs one after the other without paying much attention to what they are doing. Rushing for a given tech or model will now require some planning beforehand.
Naval and air units are made available in a more classical way, with new models unlocked directly once the corresponding tech has been researched. However, some naval and air doctrines will require specific unit models before being available for research. This logic has been expanded a bit further in air doctrines, where some aircraft techs will require a specific doctrine beforehand. During the Great War, aircraft technology evolved quickly, and combat experience, summarized in air doctrines, was required to determine what the future aircraft’s capabilities should be.
There is one more thing specific to World in Flames 3 regarding research. Most of the new technologies developed during World War One were attempts to solve the trench problem. As a result, many techs have been locked from the onset of the game: no trench warfare, no problem to solve, and therefore, no need to research trench artillery, flamethrowers, tanks, or to further develop aviation, this funny little toy. It’s only after a few months into the conflict that an event will allow armies to dig in, unlocking the previously unavailable, trench warfare related techs. Aviation will have its own subplot here, as a technical choice will have to be made. Each option will have consequences on when specific air unit models will become available.
While most tech folders are included in this system, we let the Naval and Naval doctrines tech trees free to be researched from the start. This is intended to figure the naval arms race atmosphere which prevailed in the years immediately leading to WW1, and to incite players to plan their own naval programs very early in the game, while they are still at peace.
To close this Dev’Diary, we added two decisions allowing you to invest additional funding in research in order to boost it. The first, classical one is persistent and has a temporary effect: it basically increases research efficiency for three months in exchange for money. The second one is a long-term orientation for your research that can be used only once, and which effects cannot be reverted afterwards. If you choose to use it, it will allow you to give priority to one research area among (up to, depending on your country’s situation) five: infantry, artillery, aircraft, ships and armored vehicles. Teams related to the chosen research area will be removed and replaced by a beefed up, more specialized version of themselves, with better skills and possibly deprived of their unrelated specialties. Conversely, overall research efficiency is permanently reduced, as the other research areas are neglected.
All that remains between us and an alpha release is a little work to implement a crude AI for the Balkan Wars. It may take some time as I am not familiar with AI modding, but I still aim for a September release.
- 9
This is my ultimate wish. But please do not expect AI to be a tough opponent in alpha versions. I'm still learning how to make it work and the first AI files will be very crude.
- 3
Development Diary #10: Tech trees
In truth I tell you: release of (open) alpha 0.05 is at hand. The planned garrison AI for the Balkan Wars has been implemented and produced quite satisfying results. There are a few tweaks I’d like to do here and there before release, but it won’t take long.
In the meantime, to allow you to get some familiarity with our tech trees, this Dev’Diary will show them in detail.
Infantry
The major research area for infantry is firearms, but as you can see there are relatively few techs. Militaries of the era did not invent new rifles every year, and in many cases the main infantry weapon used during the whole Great War was a repeating rifle designed decades ago. However, as explained in Dev’Diary #9, developing new small arms will allow you to research more advanced land doctrines, which will in turn unlock new land division (and brigade: think about the machineguns) models.
Other research areas in this tech folder are some miscellaneous infantry equipment like uniforms, helmets or grenades, and these often overlooked but important domains that are medicine (which will increase your trickleback rate, something useful to get precious manpower), logistics (supply efficiency is a crucial factor in combat) and signals (with effects on unit organization).
Artillery
As for the previous one, it should be noted that there are relatively few techs to research: designing a new gun is a lengthy process, even in times of war. Generally speaking, three generations of artillery have been figured (aside from vintage steel guns): the non-quick firing guns with rigid carriage of the late 19th century, the quick firing artillery developed (mainly) in the early 20th century, and the guns developed during the war itself.
Various artillery types are covered: light (field) artillery, heavy (field) artillery, mountain artillery, trench artillery, siege artillery, anti-air artillery and infantry guns. Like infantry weapons, these techs do not unlock new brigade models directly but allow to research new doctrines. Artillery, with its increasing firepower, is an important research area in order to break the deadlock of the trenches.
You may have noticed that there is also a tech chain for repairs, and one for armored cars. Contrary to other armored vehicles (i.e. tanks), which are deemed secret weapons, armored cars were known well before World War One, and even field tested, for example by the Italian Army in Libya. Therefore, they can be researched freely (at least for the first two models).
Naval
A very classical tree, since researching techs unlocks new naval unit models. Research areas thus correspond to units, that is: battleships, armored cruisers/battlecruisers, cruisers, destroyers, torpedo boats, submarines (including coastal subs) and seaplane carriers (which were being developed antebellum), along with coastal defense ships.
We used, like elsewhere in the mod, a systematic approach to better figure the variety of ships in use during the Great War era: all ship classes were put, with their major characteristics, in a database and sorted out. Hence some atypical models such as “Light battleship” (BBs with lighter guns than the average, typically 10’ instead of the usual 12’ of the contemporary predreadnoughts), “2nd-class cruiser” (large armored or protected cruisers armed with a dozen of light 6’ guns) or “Coastal cruiser” (er, well, actually any cruiser-sized ship which could not fit in the other categories).
Aircraft
Here techs also unlock new models as previously explained, so there is no need to elaborate, except that there are a few experimental techs not linked to a new model. Same for how the various branches are unlocked: this has been detailed in Dev’Diary #9. This tree covers most air units, as well as the attachments for aircraft and seaplane carriers.
Industry
Again, relatively few techs in this one. Obviously, radar and nuclear research has been kicked off, but it’s not the only reason. A highly unrealistic feature of many industrial tech trees was the ability to significantly boost important things (such as your IC output) through easily researchable techs. Now it is still possible, but the techs are much more difficult to research (difficulty level 50). This is meant to figure a long term investment to modernize your economy in three critical sectors: industry (IC output), agriculture (supply production) and transport (supply and unit redeployment efficiency). These techs are valuable, but researching them means blocking a slot for a very long time.
Two series of additional techs rise from the industry branch, provided the corresponding techs are researched. They are of the “production line” type and allow to produce military units faster. There also branches for tabulating machines (boosting research efficiency) and construction (especially useful for forts and airfields). Finally, there is a specific tech for the automotive industry. It is a prerequisite for armored vehicle techs: you cannot hope to produce tanks and armored cars without being able to build cars and tractors in the first place.
Secret weapons
With nuclear weaponry removed as a research area, the two major technology groups of this folder are tanks (in the upper part of the screen) and chemistry (in the center). Around these, various secret weapons techs are scattered, including naval techs (aircraft carriers and super-heavy capital ships), super-heavy bombers, super-heavy artillery, and so on. Cryptography, due to its secretive nature, has been included here.
As usual, secret weapons techs will require events to be researched, either through scripted or semi-random discoveries, or the previously mentioned context events (trench and air warfare).
Land doctrines
This tech folder departs significantly from what you are used to in DH vanilla. Contrary to the latter, the four main land doctrines’ paths are not mutually exclusive. Players remain free to make their own choices and to change course at some point. For example, will you favor the Offensive path and develop assault tactics, as Germany but also Italy historically did, or will you prefer Mobility and tanks?
These four branches are Offensive, which focus on infantry tactics and, as said above, leads to assault troops and shock tactics; Defensive, which allow you to improve your trench networks and to better withstand enemy assaults; Firepower, which is essential in regularly unlocking new artillery attachment models to boost your units in the field; and Mobility, which first improves you cavalry and later allow you to make better use of the newly invented tanks.
Each of these branches has its own effect on combat events and bonuses, as well as on the available land division and brigade models available. I recommend you to inspect these techs thoroughly before planning your doctrine development, depending on your country’s strengths, weaknesses, and your own fighting style.
Besides these, two additional branches are available about mountain and amphibious warfare. The former unlocks new mountain division models, while the latter gradually removes the harsh penalties imposed on amphibious assaults, ultimately leading to a marine division model.
Naval doctrines
Here are various doctrines with no less than ten paths, none of them being mutually exclusive. These are battleship tactics, cruiser tactics, torpedo tactics, submarine tactics, naval logistics, carrier tactics, coastal tactics, amphibious operations (this one is about the “Naval bombardment” mission), anti-submarine warfare and naval air defense. Naval doctrines are mostly about mission efficiency and positioning, so I suggest you to research them depending on the ships you have, the ships you build, and how you plan to defeat your opponents’ navies.
Please note that specific models are prerequisites for naval doctrines. It would indeed make little sense to be allowed to research “Battlecruiser squadron” without first knowing what a battlecruiser is and how it works.
Air doctrines
Again, air doctrines are all about mission efficiency and unit bonuses. As mentioned in the previous Dev’Diary, air doctrines must be developed in relation to the aircraft tech tree: new air models, with their better performance, will allow new tactics, while new air doctrines will help shaping how the future planes will have to be to become more efficient in combat.
Bombing is a major doctrine path, with minor subpaths like Interdiction and Naval bombing spawning from it. Wanna launch a Zeppelin/Gotha blitz on Britain? Then research rigid airships, heavy bombers and bombing doctrines.
Reconnaissance is equally important, since it boosts the “Artillery spotting” mission which affects primarily the enemy units’ organization. Its derivative, Ground attack, is about the eponymous mission. Please remember that it will be your main form of available air support. It is no surprise that at least half of the aircraft fielded by Great War air forces were reconnaissance planes.
Air superiority is related to fighters, of course, and divides in two branches, defensive and offensive fighter tactics. Each one boosts various missions and one or several of the available fighter unit types. Air defense is primarily an “anti-bombing” branch which develops the anti-air building, while Air supply is a late doctrine allowing for the eponymous mission (which was historically used in the last weeks of the war to supply isolated units in the flooded Flanders plains).
This Dev’Diary is now over and as September came but did not pass yet, it will be the last one before the alpha release. See you soon!
In truth I tell you: release of (open) alpha 0.05 is at hand. The planned garrison AI for the Balkan Wars has been implemented and produced quite satisfying results. There are a few tweaks I’d like to do here and there before release, but it won’t take long.
In the meantime, to allow you to get some familiarity with our tech trees, this Dev’Diary will show them in detail.
Infantry
The major research area for infantry is firearms, but as you can see there are relatively few techs. Militaries of the era did not invent new rifles every year, and in many cases the main infantry weapon used during the whole Great War was a repeating rifle designed decades ago. However, as explained in Dev’Diary #9, developing new small arms will allow you to research more advanced land doctrines, which will in turn unlock new land division (and brigade: think about the machineguns) models.
Other research areas in this tech folder are some miscellaneous infantry equipment like uniforms, helmets or grenades, and these often overlooked but important domains that are medicine (which will increase your trickleback rate, something useful to get precious manpower), logistics (supply efficiency is a crucial factor in combat) and signals (with effects on unit organization).
Artillery
As for the previous one, it should be noted that there are relatively few techs to research: designing a new gun is a lengthy process, even in times of war. Generally speaking, three generations of artillery have been figured (aside from vintage steel guns): the non-quick firing guns with rigid carriage of the late 19th century, the quick firing artillery developed (mainly) in the early 20th century, and the guns developed during the war itself.
Various artillery types are covered: light (field) artillery, heavy (field) artillery, mountain artillery, trench artillery, siege artillery, anti-air artillery and infantry guns. Like infantry weapons, these techs do not unlock new brigade models directly but allow to research new doctrines. Artillery, with its increasing firepower, is an important research area in order to break the deadlock of the trenches.
You may have noticed that there is also a tech chain for repairs, and one for armored cars. Contrary to other armored vehicles (i.e. tanks), which are deemed secret weapons, armored cars were known well before World War One, and even field tested, for example by the Italian Army in Libya. Therefore, they can be researched freely (at least for the first two models).
Naval
A very classical tree, since researching techs unlocks new naval unit models. Research areas thus correspond to units, that is: battleships, armored cruisers/battlecruisers, cruisers, destroyers, torpedo boats, submarines (including coastal subs) and seaplane carriers (which were being developed antebellum), along with coastal defense ships.
We used, like elsewhere in the mod, a systematic approach to better figure the variety of ships in use during the Great War era: all ship classes were put, with their major characteristics, in a database and sorted out. Hence some atypical models such as “Light battleship” (BBs with lighter guns than the average, typically 10’ instead of the usual 12’ of the contemporary predreadnoughts), “2nd-class cruiser” (large armored or protected cruisers armed with a dozen of light 6’ guns) or “Coastal cruiser” (er, well, actually any cruiser-sized ship which could not fit in the other categories).
Aircraft
Here techs also unlock new models as previously explained, so there is no need to elaborate, except that there are a few experimental techs not linked to a new model. Same for how the various branches are unlocked: this has been detailed in Dev’Diary #9. This tree covers most air units, as well as the attachments for aircraft and seaplane carriers.
Industry
Again, relatively few techs in this one. Obviously, radar and nuclear research has been kicked off, but it’s not the only reason. A highly unrealistic feature of many industrial tech trees was the ability to significantly boost important things (such as your IC output) through easily researchable techs. Now it is still possible, but the techs are much more difficult to research (difficulty level 50). This is meant to figure a long term investment to modernize your economy in three critical sectors: industry (IC output), agriculture (supply production) and transport (supply and unit redeployment efficiency). These techs are valuable, but researching them means blocking a slot for a very long time.
Two series of additional techs rise from the industry branch, provided the corresponding techs are researched. They are of the “production line” type and allow to produce military units faster. There also branches for tabulating machines (boosting research efficiency) and construction (especially useful for forts and airfields). Finally, there is a specific tech for the automotive industry. It is a prerequisite for armored vehicle techs: you cannot hope to produce tanks and armored cars without being able to build cars and tractors in the first place.
Secret weapons
With nuclear weaponry removed as a research area, the two major technology groups of this folder are tanks (in the upper part of the screen) and chemistry (in the center). Around these, various secret weapons techs are scattered, including naval techs (aircraft carriers and super-heavy capital ships), super-heavy bombers, super-heavy artillery, and so on. Cryptography, due to its secretive nature, has been included here.
As usual, secret weapons techs will require events to be researched, either through scripted or semi-random discoveries, or the previously mentioned context events (trench and air warfare).
Land doctrines
This tech folder departs significantly from what you are used to in DH vanilla. Contrary to the latter, the four main land doctrines’ paths are not mutually exclusive. Players remain free to make their own choices and to change course at some point. For example, will you favor the Offensive path and develop assault tactics, as Germany but also Italy historically did, or will you prefer Mobility and tanks?
These four branches are Offensive, which focus on infantry tactics and, as said above, leads to assault troops and shock tactics; Defensive, which allow you to improve your trench networks and to better withstand enemy assaults; Firepower, which is essential in regularly unlocking new artillery attachment models to boost your units in the field; and Mobility, which first improves you cavalry and later allow you to make better use of the newly invented tanks.
Each of these branches has its own effect on combat events and bonuses, as well as on the available land division and brigade models available. I recommend you to inspect these techs thoroughly before planning your doctrine development, depending on your country’s strengths, weaknesses, and your own fighting style.
Besides these, two additional branches are available about mountain and amphibious warfare. The former unlocks new mountain division models, while the latter gradually removes the harsh penalties imposed on amphibious assaults, ultimately leading to a marine division model.
Naval doctrines
Here are various doctrines with no less than ten paths, none of them being mutually exclusive. These are battleship tactics, cruiser tactics, torpedo tactics, submarine tactics, naval logistics, carrier tactics, coastal tactics, amphibious operations (this one is about the “Naval bombardment” mission), anti-submarine warfare and naval air defense. Naval doctrines are mostly about mission efficiency and positioning, so I suggest you to research them depending on the ships you have, the ships you build, and how you plan to defeat your opponents’ navies.
Please note that specific models are prerequisites for naval doctrines. It would indeed make little sense to be allowed to research “Battlecruiser squadron” without first knowing what a battlecruiser is and how it works.
Air doctrines
Again, air doctrines are all about mission efficiency and unit bonuses. As mentioned in the previous Dev’Diary, air doctrines must be developed in relation to the aircraft tech tree: new air models, with their better performance, will allow new tactics, while new air doctrines will help shaping how the future planes will have to be to become more efficient in combat.
Bombing is a major doctrine path, with minor subpaths like Interdiction and Naval bombing spawning from it. Wanna launch a Zeppelin/Gotha blitz on Britain? Then research rigid airships, heavy bombers and bombing doctrines.
Reconnaissance is equally important, since it boosts the “Artillery spotting” mission which affects primarily the enemy units’ organization. Its derivative, Ground attack, is about the eponymous mission. Please remember that it will be your main form of available air support. It is no surprise that at least half of the aircraft fielded by Great War air forces were reconnaissance planes.
Air superiority is related to fighters, of course, and divides in two branches, defensive and offensive fighter tactics. Each one boosts various missions and one or several of the available fighter unit types. Air defense is primarily an “anti-bombing” branch which develops the anti-air building, while Air supply is a late doctrine allowing for the eponymous mission (which was historically used in the last weeks of the war to supply isolated units in the flooded Flanders plains).
This Dev’Diary is now over and as September came but did not pass yet, it will be the last one before the alpha release. See you soon!
- 2
This looks really promising
Quick question: would it be possible to add the "historical" year to each tech, so you can see at a glance when the techs should/could be due? You have done so for many techs, but a few remain without this date.
Thanks and keep up your excellent work!
Quick question: would it be possible to add the "historical" year to each tech, so you can see at a glance when the techs should/could be due? You have done so for many techs, but a few remain without this date.
Thanks and keep up your excellent work!
Thank you for your interest and support. Wait for a few days more and you will be able to check for tech dates directly in game.
- 1
Development Diary #11: open alpha 0.05 released (September 29, 2016)
As promised, it’s time to play a little bit, and every comment about your game experience will be precious. So don’t refrain to report here about crashes, bugs, perceived inconsistencies, and so on.
Please remember this is an ALPHA version, which means that major intended features are not implemented yet. As of now, these missing features include (but are not restricted to):
- The national morale system (major goal for the upcoming alpha 0.06)
- The diplomatic system
- The trade and colonial warfare system
- War goals
The AI is also nearly nonexistent, so don’t expect a tough challenge (or even a coherent behavior) against it for now.
Main scenario events are written only up to the start of the Great War, so the game will be kind of a sandbox after that. Feel free to try multiplayer if you can.
Alternate history events and consequences of ahistorical choices or outcome are neither implemented nor supported as of now. They will be one day, but for the moment, please be aware that you can expect some kind of dead ends if you deliberately choose ahistorical options anyway.
Thanks to Melkor89’s kind help, data from Project Italy and Ministers and Leaders Mod are to be implemented in a future version.
Now that we are over with what is not in the mod yet, here is the changelog:
And the mod itself:
WORLD IN FLAMES III – ORIGINS: ALPHA 0.05
Checksum: THKM
For Darkest Hour 1.04
https://www.mediafire.com/?vpbwancfhc23p7b
This is a stand-alone mod. Just unzip the file in the “Mods” folder of your DH directory.
I hope you will enjoy it despite its still unfinished state!
As promised, it’s time to play a little bit, and every comment about your game experience will be precious. So don’t refrain to report here about crashes, bugs, perceived inconsistencies, and so on.
Please remember this is an ALPHA version, which means that major intended features are not implemented yet. As of now, these missing features include (but are not restricted to):
- The national morale system (major goal for the upcoming alpha 0.06)
- The diplomatic system
- The trade and colonial warfare system
- War goals
The AI is also nearly nonexistent, so don’t expect a tough challenge (or even a coherent behavior) against it for now.
Main scenario events are written only up to the start of the Great War, so the game will be kind of a sandbox after that. Feel free to try multiplayer if you can.
Alternate history events and consequences of ahistorical choices or outcome are neither implemented nor supported as of now. They will be one day, but for the moment, please be aware that you can expect some kind of dead ends if you deliberately choose ahistorical options anyway.
Thanks to Melkor89’s kind help, data from Project Italy and Ministers and Leaders Mod are to be implemented in a future version.
Now that we are over with what is not in the mod yet, here is the changelog:
### PRE-ALPHA ###
#################
1. Cleaned leader files (ww2-era leaders removed) for the starting countries (32 files).
2. Added 142 leaders to 21 countries.
3. Added 90 pictures for these leaders.
4. Changed tech speciality names (English & French) in tech_names.csv.
5. Implemented new tech teams (32 files) and cleaned the files (ww2-era teams removed) for the starting countries (now 607 teams including 375 new ones).
6. Changed rank names for naval and air leaders (English & French) in text.csv.
7. Added 26 leaders from AST to ENG leader file (with distinctive "A" letter).
8. Added 32 leaders from CAN to ENG leader file (with distinctive "C" letter).
9. Added 6 leaders from NZL to ENG leader file (with distinctive "NZ" letters).
10. Added 14 leaders from SAF to ENG leader file (with distinctive "SA" letters).
11. Added 25 leaders from U02 (British Raj) to ENG leader file (with distinctive "I" letter).
12. Added 1 leader from U60 (Newfoundland) to ENG leader file (with distinctive "NFL" letters).
13. Modified tc_icons.bmp in order to implement the research speciality changes.
14. Added 401 pictures for tech teams (375 for the new ones and 26 ww1-themed pics for existing teams).
15. Changed text.csv and darkest_hour.csv files to accomodate the future changes regarding ministers.
16. Changed text labels for the various research paths, as well as tech folder titles and descriptions in tech_names.csv.
17. Implemented all new tech trees in db/tech.
18. Changed the tech_screen pictures in gfx/interface.
19. Cleaned tech_names.csv file (removed unused elements).
20. Edited minister_personalities with modified minister traits.
21. Edited minister files for the starting countries (32 files). Added 254 new ministers and 151 duplicate ones.
22. Edited minister_personalities to add 10 neutral personalities (one for each department) and replace the "Undistinguished Suit" trait (which made ministers available for every post). Edited darkest_hour.csv accordingly.
23. Added 123 pics for ministers and edited the minister files accordingly.
24. Edited the division types file : reworked the EYR in anticipation for the upcoming user-defined types, regarding the army/navy/air force comparison statistics pages.
25. Activated 4 user-defined division types (d_01 through d_04) in the division types file and created the corresponding files in the divisions folder.
26. Edited the text.csv file : added strings for the army/navy/air force comparison statistics pages.
27. Edited the unit_names.csv file : added strings for the user-defined division types.
28. Edited the brigade types file.
29. Edited all division and brigade files (37 and 35 files, respectively).
30. Edited division and brigade modifiers files.
31. Edited text.csv regarding upcoming slider changes (Peace economy/War economy and Sacred union/Defeatism replacing Free market/Planned economy and Hawk lobby/Dove lobby, respectively).
32. Edited text.csv for combat events.
33. Changed the ground support mission to artillery spotting, and updated some mission descriptions in text.csv.
34. Edited equipment names in text.csv.
35. Edited unit descriptions and names, as well as unit names in unit_names.csv.
36. Edited unit counter stripe to fit the mod's units.
37. Edited brigade icon stripes (both normal and big) accordingly.
38. Added generic model pictures for divisions (138 files) and brigades (110 files).
39. Changed attachment limits for naval units : 5 for BB and BC, 4 for CoBB, 3 for CL, 2 for DD and 1 for TB.
40. Edited armynames.csv for starting countries.
41. Edited navynames.csv for starting countries.
42. Edited airnames.csv for starting countries.
43. Changed the building_costs and convoy_costs files to be consistent with the rest of the costs.
44. Edited the transport unit file in relation to changes committed in #43.
45. Edited unitnames.csv for starting countries.
46. Edited policy_effects.csv according to planned slider changes.
47. Edited mission_eff.csv with tentative values (to be refined through testing).
48. Edited skins set by default and for starting countries (20 full sets and 13 generic sets with specific topbars).
49. Added French translation to unit_names.csv (omitted in #35).
50. Added 25 leader files for additional countries (first batch). NOTE : U06 omitted for lack of existing DB. Not worrying as Free City of Danzig was not supposed to have armed forces.
51. Converted czech.csv leaders file from Arturius' data base, as well as the 10 relevant pictures.
52. Added 27 minister files for additional countries (first batch).
53. Added 25 pictures for Czech and Estonian ministers.
54. Added 25 tech teams files for additional countries (first batch). NOTE : U06 and U61 omitted for lack of existing DB. Not much problematic for U06, but something has to be done for U61 (Don Republic).
55. Created database files (leaders and ministers, no tech teams intended) for U97 (German East Africa).
56. Adding one minister pic for U97.
57. Edited world_names.csv in accordance to the updated tag list and the WW1 context.
58. Edited minister, leader and team .txt files for the upcoming scenario.
59. Edited revolt.txt accordingly (61 tags used).
60. Edited difficulty.csv to make Normal difficulty mode fully neutral (dissent previously set at 20).
61. Edited the 1914 scenario file to change :
- starting date
- available countries
- available provinces
- treaties
- dormant leaders, ministers and tech teams
- scenario files (including file name standardization)
62. Edited the bases.inc file to implement the new base/fort distribution.
63. Implemented starting cabinets in scenario files.
64. Implemented starting manpower pools in scenario files.
65. Implemented starting resources pools in scenario files.
66. Implemented starting convoy pools in scenario files.
67. Implemented diplomatic relations in scenario files.
68. Implemented starting techs and blueprints in scenario files.
69. Implemented starting policy sliders in scenario files.
70. Further edited the starting provinces & diplomatic relations in scenario files.
71. General cleaning of the scenario files.
72. Implemented OOBs in scenario files.
73. Implemented new depots in depots.csv.
74. Database cleaning in leaders, ministers, and tech teams, with the related directory files implemented.
75. Edited province.csv to correct errors related to ports and beaches previously not allowed.
76. Changed terrain for some (mostly urban) provinces in province.csv.
77. Implemented new MP distribution in province.csv.
78. Implemented new IC distribution in province.csv.
79. Implemented new resource distribution in province.csv.
80. Terrain reviewed and implemented in province.csv.
81. Coastline review, new beaches distribution implemented in province.csv.
82. Implemented new infra values in province.csv.
83. Reviewed connections in adj-defs.csv.
84. Added end date in scenario file (29 December 1921).
85. Implemented new area and region distribution (both land and sea) in province.csv.
86. Edited area and region names (in both province_names.csv and world_names.csv as conflicting stricts caused incorrect display).
87. Edited provinces_names.csv to implement WW1 era names.
88. Scenario files : minor modifications in regard to Mobilization slider (now more historical), and MP starting pools.
89. Grouped all country counters (66 files) in gfx/palette and edited 23 of them (mostly for WW1 era air force roundels).
90. Grouped all country flags and icons (132 files) in gfx/map/flags and replaced U97 (Tanzania) with a dupilcate of U08 to stand for German East Africa.
91. Grouped all country shields (66 files) in gfx/map/shields (same remark as above for U97).
92. Cleaned skins folder and added 29 sets for additional countries.
93. Added generic model icons for land units (40 files).
94. Edited division_types file under Martin advice to solve a freezing bug and avoid others, and edited all realted files according to changes.
95. Implemented default air and naval unit model icons (98 files).
96. Removed AI and event files in anticipation of future work.
97. Edited default AI files in order to suppress error reports caused by obsolete tech IDs. # TO BE REWORKED
98. Implemented complete air unit icons sets for "majors" (ENG, FRA, ITA, OTT, RUS, U08, U09, USA), 272 files added.
99. Implemented air unit icons for "1st-class minors" (BEL, BUL, GRE, JAP, POR, ROM, SER), 134 files added.
100. Converted unit illustration pictures to full black and white for graphic consistency.
101. Implemented air unit icons for "2nd-class minors" (DEN, HOL, NOR, SCH, SPA, SWE), 68 files added.
102. Implemented air unit icons for "3rd-class countries" (ALB, CZE, EST, FIN, IRE, LAT, LIT, POL, SOV, UKR), 133 files added.
103. Implemented land unit icons for majors (315 files).
104. Implemented land unit icons for 1st-class minors (243 files).
105. Implemented land unit icons for 2nd-class minors (192 files). Includes MTN (which had no air units).
106. Implemented land unit icons for 3rd-class countries (144 files). Includes BRA and the "tribal" states (MOR, LBY, U50, U91).
107. Added 12 air unit icons for BRA.
108. Added 459 naval unit icons for 27 countries (total 2.070 unit icon files).
109. Implemented tech pictures (392 files).
110. Added alliance between OTT and LBY in the scenario starting settings.
111. Major revision of (mostly land) OOBs, with units now locked in peacetime.
112. Added 3 land provinces in Libya (774, 776, 777) and one sea province (2558) to the scenario for gameplay reasons.
113. Added MTN to the starting alliance between SER and BUL.
114. Edited config/models.csv as well as db/countries.csv for model names.
115. Implemented 714 illustrations for air units and air brigades.
116. Implemented 386 illustrations for naval units.
117. Implemented 1.492 illustrations for land units (901 brigades and 591 divisions)
118. Edited adj-defs file to change river connections into sea ones for the following rivers :
- Rhine (from Basel to the sea) #NB: possibility to reduce it to the lower course.
- Danube (from Hungary to the sea)
- Volga (from Nizhny Novgorod to Kazan, and around Astrakhan)
- Kama (between Kazan and Perm)
on account of those rivers' big discharge, being a greater military obstacle than "ordinary" rivers, as shown by operations in WW1.
119. Implemented 35 interface pictures for WW1 context and standardization.
120. Implemented misc.txt with the planned values for the mod (changes signalled in the file by the mention "#x[former value of the parameter] in DH"
121. Implemented new VP distribution.
122. Implemented 1912-themed scenario information for all countries (English only).
123. Added or edited propaganda posters for all countries.
124. Changed scenario name to "Wooden crosses (1912)".
### ALPHA ###
#############
### Alpha 0.02 (target: mobilization system)
125. Added basic generic decisions and events for mobilization (25).
126. Edited manpower pool values in scenario files (on account of the use of decimals in the event command "strength").
127. Revised resource pools in scenario files.
128. Edited stockpile-related modifiers in misc.txt.
129. Edited research years for industrial techs in order to make them a bit more difficult to research (especially for backward countries).
130. Edited unit values in unit definition files for AI calculations.
131. Modified Moroccan and Libyan starting setups.
132. Tweaked several scenario files over manpower and OOBs issues.
133. Added VPs in Libya and one VP in Aden.
134. Reduced on-map MP for OTT and RUS.
135. Added two ministers (chiefs of staff) for BEL.
136. Added events for volunteers and new conscripts in mobilization file and refined existing decisions/events.
137. Added AI mobilization events (8).
138. Added IC and resources to Dobrich (307) to prevent a human Bulgarian player to give up the province too easily (in order to satisfy Romanian claims and avoid Romania being involved in the Second Balkan War).
139. Corrected typo in DEN scenario text.
140. Dominions leaders activation included in mobilization events.
141. Added dormant divisions to scenario files.
142. Reduced all soft and hard attack unit stats by 50%.
143. Implemented customized mobilization events and decisions (tested, safe for some international or flag dependent events). 538 events and decisions added.
### Alpha 0.03 (target: economic system)
144. Added CG needs to the 2 first steps of the Mobilization slider.
145. Refurbished the Diplomacy slider, which now serves as a scale between Central Powers (left) and Entente (right), with the two central steps corresponding to neutrality.
146. Reduced basic attrition.
147. Added an event for FRA in case RUS refuses to send the special brigades.
148. Added Urmia and Tabriz as owned provinces to RUS (previously only controlled, but were inexplicably returned to PER even with a human player).
149. Cleaned event_text file of WW2-era strings.
150. Implemented basic decisions and events related to the Economy slider (36).
151. Implemented decisions and events related to taxes (21).
152. Implemented decisions and events related to supplies (48).
153. Implemented decisions and events related to industry (97).
154. Implemented decisions and events related to loans (205).
155. Implemented events related to inflation (4) and edited events and decisions related to price control accordingly.
156. Added resources to LBY to prevent OTT (its master) from uselessly sending resources there.
157. Edited tooltip texts for combat events (previously omitted).
158. Revised build time bonus given by workshop and assembly line techs.
159. Raised DEN military expenditure (aka war economy slider) to 2 in order to prevent its economy to asphyxiate (DEN was previously unable to produce the required amount of CGs and enough supply to buy the resources it needed to make its ICs run).
160. Edited rank names for air leaders (now RAF style).
161. Solved a loophole in the mobilization system, through which the reserves event related to partial mobilization would not fire if a human player would enact general mobilization directly.
### Alpha 0.04 (target: main scenario until the start of WW1)
162. Solved a loophole in the economic system, which prevented specific decisions for Germany to fire.
163. Implemented 'Greece joins the Balkan League' event chain (10 events).
164. Implemented 'Albanian revolt' event chain (8 events).
165. Implemented 'Italo-Turkish War' event chain (12 events).
166. Implemented 'First Balkan War' event chain (32 events).
167. Implemented 'Second Balkan War' event chain (39 events).
168. Deactivated techs to prevent irrealistic tech rushes. To be reactivated through events.
169. Implemented 'The Sarajevo assassination' event chain (14 events).
170. Implemented 'The July Crisis' event chain (48 events).
171. Changed pre-war formal alliances from mutual guarantee to NAPs to prevent unwanted or premature DoWs.
172. Improved RUS general mobilization for AI.
173. Removed incorrect picture for BEL leader de Saint-Marcq (was actually a portrait of Jungbluth).
174. Changed strategic redeployment values in misc.txt. Added value is now 2.0 and max redeployment duration for AI is set to 21 days.
175. Reviewed fighter aces air leaders start date (for consistency, now start date is the year where they became fighter aces) and added 22 leaders and 13 pics.
176. Added 6 garrisons with fort artillery to OTT in the Turkish Straits and the key cities of Edirne, Ioannina and Scutari to allow better OTT resistance in the Balkan Wars.
177. Reworked dissent cost in wartime events to balance the upcoming national morale system.
178. Edited economic events file to compensate for a DH bug (command which gives relative amounts of money also gives absolute amounts of supplies) # TO BE REMOVED UNDER DH 1.05.
### Alpha 0.05 (target: tech events and limited garrison AI for Balkan Wars towards open alpha)
179. Implemented secret tech events (18 events, including the necessary workaround for those triggering at historical dates).
180. Implemented air warfare tech events (7 events).
181. Implemented tech events related to trench warfare (2 events).
182. Implemented chemical warfare events and decisions (12 events).
183. Added 270 'doppelganger' tech teams for 26 countries in anticipation of the 'Set research priorities' decision.
184. Implemented research decisions (30 events).
185. Implemented crude garrison AI for Balkan Wars countries only, as well as their relevant switches.
186. Modified events about German military help to OTT. They now wake and sleep correct ministers, leaders and teams in both countries. NB: FURTHER EVENTS ARE TO BE WRITTEN.
187. Minor tweaks to prevent the "Sacred Union" event to fire for MOR and LBY (as they have specific slider positions from the start and the said event would prevent the few decisions available to fire).
188. Tweaked Italian starting OOB with data from "Project Italy" mod and edited unitnames and mobilization_events accordingly (1 event added).
#################
1. Cleaned leader files (ww2-era leaders removed) for the starting countries (32 files).
2. Added 142 leaders to 21 countries.
3. Added 90 pictures for these leaders.
4. Changed tech speciality names (English & French) in tech_names.csv.
5. Implemented new tech teams (32 files) and cleaned the files (ww2-era teams removed) for the starting countries (now 607 teams including 375 new ones).
6. Changed rank names for naval and air leaders (English & French) in text.csv.
7. Added 26 leaders from AST to ENG leader file (with distinctive "A" letter).
8. Added 32 leaders from CAN to ENG leader file (with distinctive "C" letter).
9. Added 6 leaders from NZL to ENG leader file (with distinctive "NZ" letters).
10. Added 14 leaders from SAF to ENG leader file (with distinctive "SA" letters).
11. Added 25 leaders from U02 (British Raj) to ENG leader file (with distinctive "I" letter).
12. Added 1 leader from U60 (Newfoundland) to ENG leader file (with distinctive "NFL" letters).
13. Modified tc_icons.bmp in order to implement the research speciality changes.
14. Added 401 pictures for tech teams (375 for the new ones and 26 ww1-themed pics for existing teams).
15. Changed text.csv and darkest_hour.csv files to accomodate the future changes regarding ministers.
16. Changed text labels for the various research paths, as well as tech folder titles and descriptions in tech_names.csv.
17. Implemented all new tech trees in db/tech.
18. Changed the tech_screen pictures in gfx/interface.
19. Cleaned tech_names.csv file (removed unused elements).
20. Edited minister_personalities with modified minister traits.
21. Edited minister files for the starting countries (32 files). Added 254 new ministers and 151 duplicate ones.
22. Edited minister_personalities to add 10 neutral personalities (one for each department) and replace the "Undistinguished Suit" trait (which made ministers available for every post). Edited darkest_hour.csv accordingly.
23. Added 123 pics for ministers and edited the minister files accordingly.
24. Edited the division types file : reworked the EYR in anticipation for the upcoming user-defined types, regarding the army/navy/air force comparison statistics pages.
25. Activated 4 user-defined division types (d_01 through d_04) in the division types file and created the corresponding files in the divisions folder.
26. Edited the text.csv file : added strings for the army/navy/air force comparison statistics pages.
27. Edited the unit_names.csv file : added strings for the user-defined division types.
28. Edited the brigade types file.
29. Edited all division and brigade files (37 and 35 files, respectively).
30. Edited division and brigade modifiers files.
31. Edited text.csv regarding upcoming slider changes (Peace economy/War economy and Sacred union/Defeatism replacing Free market/Planned economy and Hawk lobby/Dove lobby, respectively).
32. Edited text.csv for combat events.
33. Changed the ground support mission to artillery spotting, and updated some mission descriptions in text.csv.
34. Edited equipment names in text.csv.
35. Edited unit descriptions and names, as well as unit names in unit_names.csv.
36. Edited unit counter stripe to fit the mod's units.
37. Edited brigade icon stripes (both normal and big) accordingly.
38. Added generic model pictures for divisions (138 files) and brigades (110 files).
39. Changed attachment limits for naval units : 5 for BB and BC, 4 for CoBB, 3 for CL, 2 for DD and 1 for TB.
40. Edited armynames.csv for starting countries.
41. Edited navynames.csv for starting countries.
42. Edited airnames.csv for starting countries.
43. Changed the building_costs and convoy_costs files to be consistent with the rest of the costs.
44. Edited the transport unit file in relation to changes committed in #43.
45. Edited unitnames.csv for starting countries.
46. Edited policy_effects.csv according to planned slider changes.
47. Edited mission_eff.csv with tentative values (to be refined through testing).
48. Edited skins set by default and for starting countries (20 full sets and 13 generic sets with specific topbars).
49. Added French translation to unit_names.csv (omitted in #35).
50. Added 25 leader files for additional countries (first batch). NOTE : U06 omitted for lack of existing DB. Not worrying as Free City of Danzig was not supposed to have armed forces.
51. Converted czech.csv leaders file from Arturius' data base, as well as the 10 relevant pictures.
52. Added 27 minister files for additional countries (first batch).
53. Added 25 pictures for Czech and Estonian ministers.
54. Added 25 tech teams files for additional countries (first batch). NOTE : U06 and U61 omitted for lack of existing DB. Not much problematic for U06, but something has to be done for U61 (Don Republic).
55. Created database files (leaders and ministers, no tech teams intended) for U97 (German East Africa).
56. Adding one minister pic for U97.
57. Edited world_names.csv in accordance to the updated tag list and the WW1 context.
58. Edited minister, leader and team .txt files for the upcoming scenario.
59. Edited revolt.txt accordingly (61 tags used).
60. Edited difficulty.csv to make Normal difficulty mode fully neutral (dissent previously set at 20).
61. Edited the 1914 scenario file to change :
- starting date
- available countries
- available provinces
- treaties
- dormant leaders, ministers and tech teams
- scenario files (including file name standardization)
62. Edited the bases.inc file to implement the new base/fort distribution.
63. Implemented starting cabinets in scenario files.
64. Implemented starting manpower pools in scenario files.
65. Implemented starting resources pools in scenario files.
66. Implemented starting convoy pools in scenario files.
67. Implemented diplomatic relations in scenario files.
68. Implemented starting techs and blueprints in scenario files.
69. Implemented starting policy sliders in scenario files.
70. Further edited the starting provinces & diplomatic relations in scenario files.
71. General cleaning of the scenario files.
72. Implemented OOBs in scenario files.
73. Implemented new depots in depots.csv.
74. Database cleaning in leaders, ministers, and tech teams, with the related directory files implemented.
75. Edited province.csv to correct errors related to ports and beaches previously not allowed.
76. Changed terrain for some (mostly urban) provinces in province.csv.
77. Implemented new MP distribution in province.csv.
78. Implemented new IC distribution in province.csv.
79. Implemented new resource distribution in province.csv.
80. Terrain reviewed and implemented in province.csv.
81. Coastline review, new beaches distribution implemented in province.csv.
82. Implemented new infra values in province.csv.
83. Reviewed connections in adj-defs.csv.
84. Added end date in scenario file (29 December 1921).
85. Implemented new area and region distribution (both land and sea) in province.csv.
86. Edited area and region names (in both province_names.csv and world_names.csv as conflicting stricts caused incorrect display).
87. Edited provinces_names.csv to implement WW1 era names.
88. Scenario files : minor modifications in regard to Mobilization slider (now more historical), and MP starting pools.
89. Grouped all country counters (66 files) in gfx/palette and edited 23 of them (mostly for WW1 era air force roundels).
90. Grouped all country flags and icons (132 files) in gfx/map/flags and replaced U97 (Tanzania) with a dupilcate of U08 to stand for German East Africa.
91. Grouped all country shields (66 files) in gfx/map/shields (same remark as above for U97).
92. Cleaned skins folder and added 29 sets for additional countries.
93. Added generic model icons for land units (40 files).
94. Edited division_types file under Martin advice to solve a freezing bug and avoid others, and edited all realted files according to changes.
95. Implemented default air and naval unit model icons (98 files).
96. Removed AI and event files in anticipation of future work.
97. Edited default AI files in order to suppress error reports caused by obsolete tech IDs. # TO BE REWORKED
98. Implemented complete air unit icons sets for "majors" (ENG, FRA, ITA, OTT, RUS, U08, U09, USA), 272 files added.
99. Implemented air unit icons for "1st-class minors" (BEL, BUL, GRE, JAP, POR, ROM, SER), 134 files added.
100. Converted unit illustration pictures to full black and white for graphic consistency.
101. Implemented air unit icons for "2nd-class minors" (DEN, HOL, NOR, SCH, SPA, SWE), 68 files added.
102. Implemented air unit icons for "3rd-class countries" (ALB, CZE, EST, FIN, IRE, LAT, LIT, POL, SOV, UKR), 133 files added.
103. Implemented land unit icons for majors (315 files).
104. Implemented land unit icons for 1st-class minors (243 files).
105. Implemented land unit icons for 2nd-class minors (192 files). Includes MTN (which had no air units).
106. Implemented land unit icons for 3rd-class countries (144 files). Includes BRA and the "tribal" states (MOR, LBY, U50, U91).
107. Added 12 air unit icons for BRA.
108. Added 459 naval unit icons for 27 countries (total 2.070 unit icon files).
109. Implemented tech pictures (392 files).
110. Added alliance between OTT and LBY in the scenario starting settings.
111. Major revision of (mostly land) OOBs, with units now locked in peacetime.
112. Added 3 land provinces in Libya (774, 776, 777) and one sea province (2558) to the scenario for gameplay reasons.
113. Added MTN to the starting alliance between SER and BUL.
114. Edited config/models.csv as well as db/countries.csv for model names.
115. Implemented 714 illustrations for air units and air brigades.
116. Implemented 386 illustrations for naval units.
117. Implemented 1.492 illustrations for land units (901 brigades and 591 divisions)
118. Edited adj-defs file to change river connections into sea ones for the following rivers :
- Rhine (from Basel to the sea) #NB: possibility to reduce it to the lower course.
- Danube (from Hungary to the sea)
- Volga (from Nizhny Novgorod to Kazan, and around Astrakhan)
- Kama (between Kazan and Perm)
on account of those rivers' big discharge, being a greater military obstacle than "ordinary" rivers, as shown by operations in WW1.
119. Implemented 35 interface pictures for WW1 context and standardization.
120. Implemented misc.txt with the planned values for the mod (changes signalled in the file by the mention "#x[former value of the parameter] in DH"
121. Implemented new VP distribution.
122. Implemented 1912-themed scenario information for all countries (English only).
123. Added or edited propaganda posters for all countries.
124. Changed scenario name to "Wooden crosses (1912)".
### ALPHA ###
#############
### Alpha 0.02 (target: mobilization system)
125. Added basic generic decisions and events for mobilization (25).
126. Edited manpower pool values in scenario files (on account of the use of decimals in the event command "strength").
127. Revised resource pools in scenario files.
128. Edited stockpile-related modifiers in misc.txt.
129. Edited research years for industrial techs in order to make them a bit more difficult to research (especially for backward countries).
130. Edited unit values in unit definition files for AI calculations.
131. Modified Moroccan and Libyan starting setups.
132. Tweaked several scenario files over manpower and OOBs issues.
133. Added VPs in Libya and one VP in Aden.
134. Reduced on-map MP for OTT and RUS.
135. Added two ministers (chiefs of staff) for BEL.
136. Added events for volunteers and new conscripts in mobilization file and refined existing decisions/events.
137. Added AI mobilization events (8).
138. Added IC and resources to Dobrich (307) to prevent a human Bulgarian player to give up the province too easily (in order to satisfy Romanian claims and avoid Romania being involved in the Second Balkan War).
139. Corrected typo in DEN scenario text.
140. Dominions leaders activation included in mobilization events.
141. Added dormant divisions to scenario files.
142. Reduced all soft and hard attack unit stats by 50%.
143. Implemented customized mobilization events and decisions (tested, safe for some international or flag dependent events). 538 events and decisions added.
### Alpha 0.03 (target: economic system)
144. Added CG needs to the 2 first steps of the Mobilization slider.
145. Refurbished the Diplomacy slider, which now serves as a scale between Central Powers (left) and Entente (right), with the two central steps corresponding to neutrality.
146. Reduced basic attrition.
147. Added an event for FRA in case RUS refuses to send the special brigades.
148. Added Urmia and Tabriz as owned provinces to RUS (previously only controlled, but were inexplicably returned to PER even with a human player).
149. Cleaned event_text file of WW2-era strings.
150. Implemented basic decisions and events related to the Economy slider (36).
151. Implemented decisions and events related to taxes (21).
152. Implemented decisions and events related to supplies (48).
153. Implemented decisions and events related to industry (97).
154. Implemented decisions and events related to loans (205).
155. Implemented events related to inflation (4) and edited events and decisions related to price control accordingly.
156. Added resources to LBY to prevent OTT (its master) from uselessly sending resources there.
157. Edited tooltip texts for combat events (previously omitted).
158. Revised build time bonus given by workshop and assembly line techs.
159. Raised DEN military expenditure (aka war economy slider) to 2 in order to prevent its economy to asphyxiate (DEN was previously unable to produce the required amount of CGs and enough supply to buy the resources it needed to make its ICs run).
160. Edited rank names for air leaders (now RAF style).
161. Solved a loophole in the mobilization system, through which the reserves event related to partial mobilization would not fire if a human player would enact general mobilization directly.
### Alpha 0.04 (target: main scenario until the start of WW1)
162. Solved a loophole in the economic system, which prevented specific decisions for Germany to fire.
163. Implemented 'Greece joins the Balkan League' event chain (10 events).
164. Implemented 'Albanian revolt' event chain (8 events).
165. Implemented 'Italo-Turkish War' event chain (12 events).
166. Implemented 'First Balkan War' event chain (32 events).
167. Implemented 'Second Balkan War' event chain (39 events).
168. Deactivated techs to prevent irrealistic tech rushes. To be reactivated through events.
169. Implemented 'The Sarajevo assassination' event chain (14 events).
170. Implemented 'The July Crisis' event chain (48 events).
171. Changed pre-war formal alliances from mutual guarantee to NAPs to prevent unwanted or premature DoWs.
172. Improved RUS general mobilization for AI.
173. Removed incorrect picture for BEL leader de Saint-Marcq (was actually a portrait of Jungbluth).
174. Changed strategic redeployment values in misc.txt. Added value is now 2.0 and max redeployment duration for AI is set to 21 days.
175. Reviewed fighter aces air leaders start date (for consistency, now start date is the year where they became fighter aces) and added 22 leaders and 13 pics.
176. Added 6 garrisons with fort artillery to OTT in the Turkish Straits and the key cities of Edirne, Ioannina and Scutari to allow better OTT resistance in the Balkan Wars.
177. Reworked dissent cost in wartime events to balance the upcoming national morale system.
178. Edited economic events file to compensate for a DH bug (command which gives relative amounts of money also gives absolute amounts of supplies) # TO BE REMOVED UNDER DH 1.05.
### Alpha 0.05 (target: tech events and limited garrison AI for Balkan Wars towards open alpha)
179. Implemented secret tech events (18 events, including the necessary workaround for those triggering at historical dates).
180. Implemented air warfare tech events (7 events).
181. Implemented tech events related to trench warfare (2 events).
182. Implemented chemical warfare events and decisions (12 events).
183. Added 270 'doppelganger' tech teams for 26 countries in anticipation of the 'Set research priorities' decision.
184. Implemented research decisions (30 events).
185. Implemented crude garrison AI for Balkan Wars countries only, as well as their relevant switches.
186. Modified events about German military help to OTT. They now wake and sleep correct ministers, leaders and teams in both countries. NB: FURTHER EVENTS ARE TO BE WRITTEN.
187. Minor tweaks to prevent the "Sacred Union" event to fire for MOR and LBY (as they have specific slider positions from the start and the said event would prevent the few decisions available to fire).
188. Tweaked Italian starting OOB with data from "Project Italy" mod and edited unitnames and mobilization_events accordingly (1 event added).
And the mod itself:
WORLD IN FLAMES III – ORIGINS: ALPHA 0.05
Checksum: THKM
For Darkest Hour 1.04
https://www.mediafire.com/?vpbwancfhc23p7b
This is a stand-alone mod. Just unzip the file in the “Mods” folder of your DH directory.
I hope you will enjoy it despite its still unfinished state!
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