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I was away form playing the game for a couple of years now I think. Also a different computer as...it doesn't matter.

A couple of quick questions. My memory doesn't always work as it should so...

I am installing the game (CD version) on this Windows 10 machine for the first time.

1. Which patch do I need? The game freshly installed shows me version v1.012-CD
Do I need just the latest v14?

2. After I install the necessary patch(es), I can still find all the keyboard commands that are not listed in the GUI, plus changes of the last few versions near the end of the in game manual, or do I remember it wrong?


3. Is there a way to have a random campaign with the player have for example 20K points and the AI more? So that the enemy AI can have actually more troops on the ground if for example is in real life a much larger military force.

That's it.

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Welcome back!
1. - I believe so
2. - Yes all in the game guide
3. - Yes, On the game launcher window ("Game Options"), go to the "Misc" tab near the bottom is "AI Advantage (% of points)" - making this any number higher than 100 will give AI force more points to spend. at 200%, for instance, the AI will have twice (x2) the number of points as normal (also modified by battle type etc.

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Just checked, from store/download page:

"winSPMBT V14 Upgrade (2020)
<table width="80%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0"><tbody><tr><td width="38%" valign="middle" height="22">
</td><td width="20%" valign="middle" height="22" align="right">
</td><td width="14%" valign="middle" height="22" align="center">
</td><td width="28%" valign="middle" height="22">
</td></tr></tbody></table>

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Hmm, wait, so v1.012 is higher than version 10?

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Oooops - I read it as 10.12, sorry. :o

Looks like you need to run at least the v6 and v10b patches before the latest one.

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Thank you for your replies.
I'm going to see if everything works ok and then perhaps do some videos on it, or streams. Interestingly enough the game does not appear in Twitch list of games, though other (less good) versions do.
Will see.

Thank you again.

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If you have v1.012-CD you need to install ALL the patches IN THE ORDER THEY WERE RELEASED

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You mean the three available on the game's page, or more?

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Also - if you have a version that is so old, then it will be set up to use the C:\program files\Shrapnel Games\The Camo Workshop\WinSPMBT folder.

You will need to point the older installers to C:\Shrapnel Games\The Camo Workshop\WinSPMBT (Or WinSPWW" for the other game) - the same as the newer patch and game installers use (with no mention of program files).

You can do that by copying the correct path above and pasting that instead of the suggested path in each installer - or by manually deleteing the \program files part of the suggested path in any older ones that have \program files baked into them.

Otherwise, if you install to program files, windows from version 7 onwards will try to "manage" the game by misdirecting files to the \user\local hirearchy which the game won't like that at all since it wants its save games, updates, PBEM files etc in the game's own folders, not redirected to the /user/local folders which it does not know about.

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Thank you. I never install games on \program files etc for decades now. It was always problematic with games. I have installed the game under C:\Games\WinSPMBT

So I guess I just need the 3 patches available on game's page, nothing more, right? Even though it is an old installer. (it's the installer that was/is on the CD) Not sure if there is an updated installer available for people who bought that ages ago or not, I assume not. :)

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There isnt one that does V1 ish-> V14.

For a complete install (on a new PC etc) you will need to download all the patches and install them in ascending order.

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OK, I used the three patches and 3 patches alone. Everything seems to be working fine.
I tried to record some footage to see how it looks, using software method, and it appears to be working fine, though the size of each recording will be huge.

I also tried to run it in fullscreen, though I wasn't expecting it to work. It didn't. I got two errors, first was
SAL Error
IpDD->SetDisplayMode() failed, code 80004001

Second was

SAL Error
DirectDraw could not be initialized! Error code 80004001

with crashing/quitting back to desktop.

No big deal as I was planning on using windowed mode anyway, JFYI.

Anyway, thank you all for your help. I will need some time to remember how to play and the new shortcuts/features.

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I have the version 1 CD, and I have run way more than three pitches, I think there is 3-4 just to get it to where you can run the 3 patches to get to the latest update. So most likely everything is not okay even though it may seem like it. I can provide a list of all the patches I run latter this morning.

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I used the following and in the following order.

winSPMBT: Main Battle Tank Consolidation Patch:
The Consolidation Patch updates winSPMBT to version 6.0.

winSPMBT V10b Consolidation Upgrade (2016)
The 2016 Patch updates winSPMBT Ver. 6, Ver. 7 , Ver. 8 and Ver 9.1 to Ver 10 (April 2016).

winSPMBT V14 Upgrade (2020)
The V14 Patch updates winSPMBT Version 10 and up to Version 14

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You should be good to go. Those three patches allow someone who bought the CD at the start to upgrade to the current version

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Thank you again for clearing it up.

One last question (I hope). Because I can't remember, The op fire filtering options (range, armor limits, type of target, etc) work only for a specific overwatch hex, or if you don't set up an overwatch hex also work for the hex the unit in question is in? I think I remember it works both ways with the set overwatch hex as the priority and the unit hex underneath it, but if I don't set up a specific hex, it still works.

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I believe you are correct but I almost never use op fire filtering so someone who does will need to confirm that

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Opfire filtering can work for an opfire hex and radius - otherwise it works like the Y key does, ie on all targets the firer can see.

I hardly ever use a hex - but it could be useful for a scenario designer to set up an ambush.

About the only thing I use filtering for is to set up ATGM units to only fire at MBT class units so as not to waste shots (Set up the front steel armour value > the APC types the enemy has).

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Thank you.

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Opfire filtering for a scenario in defence could be quite nasty - set it to ignore small stuff like APC and scout cars - human does recce, nothing fires so he moves his heavy armour and - Whammo! every ATGM and NBT in LOS blats his tanks....

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Welcome back.