Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

How?

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

Open explorer at the save game folder. Select an existing CMT file, right click and select copy. Then right click on explorer pane and select paste. You'll get a "SpsvNNN - copy.cmt " - click on it and edit the file name deleting the " - copy" and change NNN to the slot you want to use, like 003 if you are wanting it in slot 3.

It's basic Windows 101...

If windows is too much for you, then open the game and start a random battle, doesn't matter which. Save that to the slot you want to use (and if you want a special file name, use that) when you get the opportunity to save. Exit the battle generator and game and copy your dat file over the dat file of that scratch save you made to the slot you wanted.

But the original sender should have zipped up both files, in the first place.

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

Go to your save games folder ( if this is a save game not a PBEM ) and find the number of the DAT file that was sent then create a CMT using the same number so you have SpSv065.dat.....click on any other CMT in that file and SAVE AS SpSv065.cmt then open it with note pad and change the text to Frenchmen

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

Ah ok, so that file is basically generic? I guess it only determines where the scenario / save game shows up in the menu?

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

Basically that, and the name if you gave it one. dont edit a cmt file directly though unless you know exactly what you are doing as if you exceed the name length it'll blow up most likely.

If you want a specific name then its best to generate a throw-away game in the generator and save it with the file make you desire, then extract the dat file to the save game folder to overwrite the scratch game.

Better yet - in the future, make sure the PBEM sender always sends both files in a single zip or rar since the pair is a set.

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

CMT is needed only for save name, not what it contents.

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

Ok, then we don't need it in the future. I will get working on the next scenario, hopefully I can post it during the weekend. We are nearing the end of the war now, so the next one will probably be about Strasbourg.

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

Can't believe we made it to 1945... felt almost real time :D

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

Ever thought about compiling all this into a campaign for us others when you're done?

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

..I was thinking the same thing... this has been quite the project for you two

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

I have thought about it, but part of the appeal is the interactive aspect of it, which would be lost. Not to mention that none of the scenarios have proper win conditions and some have special limitations that are impossible to actually implement.

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

Yup, i was thinking the same thing for a while. I cannot see any effective way for it.

Its 1945... I wonder if you happened to find such dedicated player in the past to finish the campaign with ;)
I am still in awe for all that project. And I still wonder how long does it take you to design one map - there were at least like ~15 designed for this campaign, most of which being considerably big. I am saying this as a guy, who generally dislikes map design. When releasing a scenario, I focus much more on the ORBAT and detailing the background for particular engagements rather than maps.

Of course, if you will like to start a similar campaign after this one is finished - I am still thinking of options - we may experiment a bit. For instance, since I cannot reinforce my troops for longer periods, we may not cut battles to pieces and instead make several huge ones. But this causes a number of troubles, like AI pushing often relentlessly or AI artillery sniping problem.

And just to mention - I am not sure how it will work with my map making, but I may try making some other guy happy with taking designing role of similar project ;)
I am afraid though that I may be less stable than Ts4Ever.

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

well, perhaps the map set can be compiled and I can include them with the next upgrade?

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

Yup, I have just checked for the record of last message. Ts4EVER is right. We are playing this campaign since September 2013. This gives ~4 years of story.

Pure magic.

Well... let's bring those boys to the end of their journey! Once again going with Forgotten Hope soundtracks (or Blitzkrieg ones), I have deployed my entire tank force, recon force and 1 mech company in order to help besieged Frenchmen.
Sadly, push of the Germans was way too powerful to hold for that long. Probably if it was not winter I could make it on time, but since snow is slowing all movement down by half...
Still, I need to note the merit of last defenders. They managed to cover Bazooka teams for long enough so Bazookas eliminated Jagdpanzer and a Panther tank.

My recon was close to the town, going on full throttle, but Greyhounds literally evaporated, when suddenly a company of Panthers emerged. Under these circumstances I decided to stay in Gerstheim. I also hoped that deploying in ambush will do as Panthers clearly pushed without infantry support.

And I planned a good ambush. With 2 Wolverines. And 3 inch AT gun. And platoon of Shermans that recently got updated (1 Sherman per platoon now has 76mm gun).

Aaaand this could have been legendary, but my luck screwed everything up as usual. German tanks were hit - overally - about 24 times, mostly with tungsten munitions. JUST OVER HALF of the shots were failed non-penetrating ones. Another 3 failed to penetrate since they got bad angle (including rare ability of hitting a tank at 1 degree <or 89, depending how you count> at the front while it stands clearly to the side). It gave it Abrams level of protection at this bloody angle xD

Finally I succeeded only because Germans decided to push. I have lost 1 Wolverine to Panther fire and 1 Sherman eliminated while scoring 5 Panthers down. Still, this could have been bloodless on my side.

My troops are setting up at Gersheim. I am ready and eager to rape that German brigade. Let them come. I will make Kingdom come for them.

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

I think packing the maps all up would be possible.

And yeah, it has been quite a ride...

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

Are the maps all the same size or do they vary ? I can set them up all together and ( maybe---possibly ) if someone else might be inspired to build a campaign for them they would all be available......as stated by SAS....not everyone likes building maps....one reason we made the map generator and the advanced cut and paste editor..... so these might be of help to someone else

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

OK, here is what happened:

I decided to deploy 1 & 2 Cie in Gersheim for a powerful stand. They got in fact all AT assets and great most of tank company both in and around the town.

And they held out well, though Raks hit very hard in the beginning, killing about 20 men alone (!) from that one fire mission.

Germans advanced with reinforced armour company of various vehicles and with force of at least 2 companies, one of which being gepanzert. But that was not enough. Tanks were drawn close and engaged from 76mm of all kinds. 8x M2 MGs were ready to welcome infantry that was mercilessly cut in the open. Sniper wasted all the ammo taking out targets and - after a long break - my FO was directly on front, seeing combat entire.

The push was powerful, but stopped just outside the town. All Panthers went down and a couple of other vehicles with relatively low casualties on my side. There are 3 painful losses: second Wolverine is down, as well as 1 76mm AT gun and 1 57mm AT gun. All those diminish my AT capabilities badly. But I believe Germans will rethink what they do next.

My orders: immediately fix that immobilized tank in the southern part of the town (I want to fix it - it got slightly damaged from aerial fire) and I am calling in divisional HQ for some additional trucks as enemy artillery is causing me casualties among those. Would be nice to get some new cheap 2 1/2 tons should I eventually make a step back (what I do not plan at the moment).

I want my mean to clean stragglers and remount previous positions with an option to slightly extend defences (put deployment line about 200 metres further from the town if possible).

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

The maps have different formats. We actually had a big variety of mapstyles: Western European rural areas, both in summer and snow, mediterranean rough terrain, desert, muddy fields, even jungle at one point... only thing that was missing really was a major urban operation.

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

I decided to deploy Cne. Corneauds' platoon (1/1 Cie) for that patrol job. This is one of the most experienced units of mine, with Corneaud having mighty 102 experience and 95 morale (1940 veteran) with other squads not going under 90 exp.

But I expected some trouble, so I decided to attack one section of my recon platoon (2x eclaireurs who were in reserve) and my battalion sniper. That was a good move, as Germans apparently did the same with scouts and MGs.

Panthers seemed to be abandoned. I ran into German reinforced platoon patrol and eliminated it with 7 casualties on my side and 28 on the German one. At the end of patrol, I help the plain.

That was a good job in there.

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

Ok, next.

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

This... did not go as planned. In fact, the defence of Obenheim is waaay over****ed.

I deployed heavily supported mechanized companmy with all the tanks and ample artillery support, only to get half of the town with massive casualties.

Not sure what to do now. I want to regroup and take the rest should Germans not retreat. In fact, I was so mad this is the very first time I was killking everyone to the last, including tank and gun crews fleeing.

I will take no prisoners in Obenheim, not after loosing nearly entire company in sick snow attack on fortified position in just 24 turns...
Luckily I am drunk and in rather good mood today so I will refrain from yersterday's details.

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

Well, don't drink and command... ;)

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

Just outta curiosity. How long does it take for you to make such as this?

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

I'm curious how many others are playing these as well..........

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

@Ts4Ever - actually I meant map :P How long does it take you to make one.

@DRG - even so, they do not have continuity...

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

Not sure, maybe a couple of hours? Compared to FH2 no time at all...

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

The map generator speeds the process considerably once you get a "feel" for what it does on the size map you want.....and the advanced editor lets you cut and paste from one map to another which saves a huge amount of time

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

Actually DRG, any good tutorials or suggestions on using random generator? Also, Ts4Ever, do you use it as well? Because I do paint all my maps, eventually I will sometimes copy paste... but never really used random generator and then edited anything. Well, generated maps ofthen look just ugly :v

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

No, I make the maps by hand.

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

I'm surprised. I thought most maps were now mods from the random generator. I've had a few early experimentations that looked odd......never "ugly" so I'm a BIT baffled by that statement

Just so I understand we are referring to the same thing.. Are you referring to THIS
http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/attac...1&d=1512672190

or just a map that pops up when you generate a battle ?

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

I refer to "this" within your screenshot. I sometimes use it for PBEM when game generates strange maps.

As of ugly, do not take it to yourself :P
There is clear difference of what was generated, and what was "painted". Jus to give an example: those lines of trees, general shape of forests, how villages are made (always on 1 road), hills are dotted with roads the specific way. I believe I would have to repaint everything really. Which maps you refer to as partly generated? I for sure painted all for WW3 series, all for Husky series, all for singular scenarios.

Out of other things, I say map making takes much more time for me than for Ts4Ever, what makes me wonder what tecniques he has.

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

If you don't like the way it places villages ( I generally use a 2 or 3 urbanization setting for maps ...higher than that does indeed get into "ugly"..we've never had the time to work on the city generation code) then make it with urbanization set to 0 then put in your own road grid and towns. You can use the other controls to get you basically what you want but.... OF COURSE ..that only works with non historical maps

in MBT map 360 was generated then touched up. I have had others tell me they do the same

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

Aaaand map 360 does not look particularly amazing. Compared to similar in landscape, let's say, 241.

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

The maps generated by the tool do not look like real places and are way too "busy" for my taste.

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

I guess it comes down to a matter of taste and how you set the generator up.

The generator takes it's cue from the two opponents and the size of the map and what it produces is different depending on if you have it set to 40x40 for example or 120x120 and every number imputed can have a different effect depending on the two opponents AND the map size and therefore requires experimentation to find the proper balance.

ALSO.....the month and season have a major effect and also the combination and values entered interact, grass and fields values, for example, adjusting those up and down changes their effect on the map and every month changes things a bit

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

Personally, I like them both

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

Then use lower numbers and it won't be so "busy"

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

Never mentioned as messing with probably means adjusting bat locs but trees could do with a slight tweak in random generator.
Diffrence between the numbers is quite large, be nice if it increased in smaller steps on what it populates though we can edit as required.

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

I honestly do not like my life recently with all that **** to do :v

Nevertheless, I played this one. I spent half of the time chasing ghosts as I advanced first village on foot only to find it was abandoned. Then mines killed some troops and then there was a contact with Volksgrenadiere. I was rather disorganized, but after a prolonged fight, in which 3rd Coy took considerable losses, I got the position.

It is time to rest and regroup. Advance will be continued.

Also, important thing: I spent a lot of time hunting those bloody Nashorns. I took out 4 of them and also additional PaK and some artillery units. I will need that advantage for the next stages, so please try not to forget about it.

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

Happy New Year! :D

I decided to have a little mapping fun and got rid of the snow. :)

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

Perfect. Perfect for mechanized charge I plan to conduct. That was the reason to silence AT weapons. Gonna report how it went.

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

Aaaaaand its done.
I am rather satisfied with casualties, though could have been better. The charge was a success even though one single Nashorn caused deaths of many veterans...

Both town feel after short combat, I was pretty much done by turn 15. Used rest of the time to indiscriminately rape artillery park with my aircraft.

Unfortunately, my total casualties from both battles combined are rather high. Pretty well as for 2 VG companies...

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

Well can you believe it? We finished the campaign... after all these years. All that is left is the epilogue.

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

Proceeding there this week. Just one request: if it is the last one, please think of something epic for an ending :)

And if you of course do not mind, we may soon start another one ;)

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

TBH the true "Finale", as in, the big final battle, was Operation Nordwind. This is an epilogue.

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

I was opting for sort of epic defensive battle, where I would deploy my entire force at once, for that one final time, and that battle would put a test to all my poor men suffered for last 5 years.

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

Didn't you already do that during Operation Nordwind?

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

So... this is how it ends, right?

My troops advanced on the very southern flank of the defences. Chasseours Alpins supported with two platoons of tanks and my entire battalion level reconneissance advanced for the village.

They took with quickly (first 10 turns) and with little losses. Gebirgsjeager did not put up much effective fight and my 105s were pinning them constantly. I was damn lucky tho with Italian 90mm AT guns on the flank. They only managed to immobilize one vehicle and damage the other before they were silenced.

To the south, two companies of my core force deployed and assaulted in pincer movement. Alpini were holding really tight, but again, mortar support and my numerological superiority did the job. I was not using any vehicles on "white" terrain as I considered it impassable. My tanks were supporting from very long ranges and also saved my *** with smoke shots several times. Southern sector fell with considerable casualties on my side. It was around turn 26 when I decided that I will try to assault the final, central position in this scenario.

I was out of 105mm ammunition shortly after, and so most of my mortars were empty. With the last rounds Alpins managed to break through the first ring of Italian defence. Also my recon did very good job, but was decimated in the process. My reserve company deployed from central position to open third line of advance - I was waiting with the deployment too long though, if I deployed liek 5 turns earlier everything would go much quicker. Southern sector shifted and dashed under sniper and MG fire to the main fort. Both companies took about ~30-40% casualties, but managed to fix the southern ring and overcome it with numbers and superior training (few of my units are under 90 experience). Central advance also engaged the remnants of both circes what allowed to advance quicker. Soon, my last mortar deployed and it managed to suppress the final Italian sector (on the flags). With its help, both my core force and Alpins advanced simultainiously.

On turn 40, out of 44 - only after 14 turn relentless assault I would never think I make in time - Lieutnant Du Pontet of Third platoon, third Company, supported with Lieutnant Le Claire of Chasseurs Alpins, hoisted the flag on Authion massif... ending my unit's participation in the war, if I understood you correctly.

Am I right? Is is really over? After all those years?

Save and screenshots attached.

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

Yes, the war is really over. Quite a ride.

Re: Campaign Scenario Setup Help - France
 

Congrats Gentlemen (and those gallant Frenchmen)! I have really enjoyed reading the action from this "Campaign"! Thanks for allowing us a peek!