Blitzkrieg Banzai? (SP1 Conversion)

[MarkSheppard]

I think I have completely reverse engineered the compression format used for SP2 and onwards savegame/scenario files.

Previously, I only had reverse engineered decompression; while recompression didn't work.

I think I have an acceptably working algorithm now for recompression; which may mean loading values into SPCAMO from CSV files may be sped up.

i.e. no having to open SPWW2/MBT and resave over and over and over....

We'll see.

[MarkSheppard]

Successfully programmed it, still chasing down a few minor bugs.

Since I can now make a compressed file; making a conversion automatically happen for SP2 version 1.0 maps to SP2 v1.1 maps is now possible, no need to have SP2 installed to do this anymore.

[MarkSheppard]

Latest version (3.0 -- some 118 MB)

LINK to v3.0

I'll add eventually, SP2 uncompressed to compressed conversion by version 4.0; but I need a break -- I can't spend all my free time on this thing.

[MarkSheppard]

Oh, if you have old CDROMs with Steel Panthers scenarios lying around, might want to dig through them to send to me for inclusion in this.

I was looking through internet archive and found these listed on an old polish SP website:

https://web.archive.org/web/20060208...index.php?go=8

Scenariusze cz.1 -3 scenariusze:

Task Force Smith ( autor Superxdude69 )
Tank regiment training ( autor Vadinhonz )
1978 USA vs. East Germany ( autor Blprice 61 )

Scenariusze cz.2 - 3 scenariusze:
Firstshots - hipotetyczny scenariusz przedstawiający początek III WŚ ( autor Wulfir )
Maikop - atak na Grozny ( autor Jamesrapkins )
Black Hawk Down ( autor Superxdude69 )

Scenariusze cz.3 ( 113-115)
Day of Red Storm ( autor Dinort )
Echo of change ( autor Echo )
Desperate Defence ( autor Wulfir )

Kampania Szwecja kontra Finlandia (autor Rami Sihvo)
Kampania Red Storm (w oparciu o książkę T. Clancy i L. Bond)
Kampania Europa 2008

ONZ w Somalii (A UN Campaign)

[MarkSheppard]

Something I need to add (I only just realized this) is a weapontype dump field; because this is crucial for proper conversion of infantry between versions; and also for custom user created "what ifs" that might have been lost in the 20 years between SP2 and now.

[MarkSheppard]

I coded a simple HTML5/Javascript OBAT name dumper and ran off these for all 5 OBATs that shipped with SP1. These are the weapons used for all nations in SP1:

[1]: Rifle
[2]: SMG
[3]: MG-34 LMG
[4]: MG-34 MMG
[5]: MG-42 MMG
[6]: MG-34 TMG
[7]: 20mm Quad
[8]: 20L55 Gun
[9]: 25L72 Gun
[10]: 28L61 Gun
[11]: 37mm Flak
[12]: 37L21 Gun
[13]: 37L33 Gun
[14]: 37L40 Gun
[15]: 37L46 Gun
[16]: 37L53 Gun
[17]: 40mm Flak
[18]: 45L46 Gun
[19]: 45L66 Gun
[20]: 2 Pounder
[21]: 47L32 Gun
[22]: 47L34 Gun
[23]: 47L40 Gun
[24]: 47L43 Gun
[25]: 50L42 Gun
[26]: 50L60 Gun
[27]: 57L52 Gun
[28]: 57L73 Gun
[29]: 6 Pounder
[30]: 60mm Mortar
[31]: 65L17 Gun
[32]: 75L12 Gun
[33]: 75mm FH
[34]: 76L16 Gun
[35]: 3 in Howitzer
[36]: 76mm FH
[37]: 3 in Mortar
[38]: 17 Pounder
[39]: 75L17 Gun
[40]: 50mm Mortar
[41]: 75L24 Gun
[42]: 75L31/m2 Gun
[43]: 290mm Spigot
[44]: 75L34 Gun
[45]: 75L38 Gun
[46]: 75L43 Gun
[47]: 75L48 Gun
[48]: 75L70 Gun
[49]: 76L26 Gun
[50]: 76L35 Gun
[51]: 76L41 Gun
[52]: 76L51 Gun
[53]: 76L54 Gun
[54]: 77L49 Gun
[55]: 75L36 Gun
[56]: 81mm Mortar
[57]: 82mm Mortar
[58]: 85L53 Gun
[59]: 88mm Flak-18
[60]: 88L56 Gun
[61]: 88L71/kwk Gun
[62]: 88L71/Pak Gun
[63]: 25 Pounder
[64]: 90L50 Gun
[65]: 90L53 Gun
[66]: 152L20 Gun
[67]: 95L22 Gun
[68]: 105L30 Gun
[69]: 100L60 Gun
[70]: 100mm FH
[71]: 105mm FH
[72]: 4.2 in Mortar
[73]: 120mm Mortar
[74]: 122mm FH
[75]: 122L43 Gun
[76]: 122L22 Gun
[77]: 128L58 Gun
[78]: 150L10 Gun
[79]: 150mm FH
[80]: 152mm FH
[81]: 152L32 Gun
[82]: 132mm Rocket
[83]: Flamethrower
[84]: Satchel Charge
[85]: Molotov
[86]: Anti-Tank Mine
[87]: Hand Grenade
[88]: PzB 39 AT-Rifle
[89]: Panzerfaust
[90]: Piat
[91]: Bazooka
[92]: Panzerschreck
[93]: Rifle-Grenade
[94]: Breda LMG
[95]: F.M. 24/29 LMG
[96]: Lahti LMG
[97]: Bren LMG
[98]: DP LMG
[99]: MG-42 LMG
[100]: Hotchkiss HMG
[101]: 15mm Besa TMG
[102]: 4.5 in FH
[103]: 8 in Howitzer
[104]: 155mm Gun
[105]: 75L52 Gun
[106]: 50 Cal HMG
[107]: 2 in Mortar
[108]: Flamethrower
[109]: 4.6 in Rocket
[110]: 155mm FH
[111]: 149mm FH
[112]: Semi Auto Rifle
[113]: BAR
[114]: Pistol
[115]: Maxim AAMG
[116]: 49mm Mortar
[117]: 150mm Rocket
[118]: Vickers HMG
[119]: Breda HMG
[120]: 30 Cal MMG
[121]: 30 Cal HMG
[122]: Maxim HMG
[123]: SGM MMG
[124]: DShK 12.7mm HMG
[125]: MG-15 TMG
[126]: MG-37(t) TMG
[127]: Breda TMG
[128]: F.M. 31 TMG
[129]: DT TMG
[130]: 7.9mm Besa TMG
[131]: 30 Cal TMG
[132]: MG-42 AAMG
[133]: Lahti AT-Rifle
[134]: Boys AT-Rifle
[135]: Wz 35 AT-Rifle
[136]: PTRD AT-Rifle
[137]: Vickers TMG
[138]: MG-34 AAMG
[139]: 30 Cal AAMG
[140]: 50 Cal AAMG
[141]: DShK 12.7 AAMG
[142]: Solothurn ATR
[143]: Hotchkiss ATR
[144]: Carbine
[145]: MG-42 TMG
[146]: Sniper Rifle
[147]: 20mm Flak
[148]: Bren AAMG
[149]: F.M. 24/29 AAMG
[150]: 88L71/Pak43 Gun
[151]: NbW92
[152]: DShK 12.7mm TMG
[153]: Assault Rifle
[154]:
[155]:
[156]:
[157]:
[158]:
[159]: 7.62mm MG
[160]: 7.7mm MG
[161]: 7.92mm MG
[162]: 30 Cal MG
[163]: 12.7mm MG
[164]: 50 Cal MG
[165]: 13mm MG
[166]: 20mm Cannon
[167]: 23mm Cannon
[168]: 30mm Cannon
[169]: 37mm Cannon
[170]: 75mm Cannon
[171]:
[172]:
[173]: 82mm Rocket
[174]: 3 inch Rocket
[175]: 5 inch Rocket
[176]:
[177]:
[178]:
[179]:
[180]: 110 lb Bomb
[181]: 250 lb Bomb
[182]: 500 lb Bomb
[183]: 1000 lb Bomb
[184]:
[185]:
[186]:
[187]: 4.7in Naval Gun
[188]: 5 in Naval Gun
[189]: 130mm Naval Gun
[190]: 5.5in Naval Gun
[191]: 6 in Naval Gun
[192]: 180mm Naval Gun
[193]: 8 in Naval Gun
[194]: 12 in Naval Gun
[195]: 305mm Naval Gun
[196]: 14 in Naval Gun
[197]: 15 in Naval Gun
[198]: 16 in Naval Gun
[199]: 18 in Naval Gun
[200]: 127mm Naval Gun
[201]: 150mm Naval Gun
[202]: 203mm Naval Gun
[203]: 280mm Naval Gun
[204]:
[205]: Rifle
[206]: Taisho 11 LMG
[207]: Type 96 LMG
[208]: Type 92 HMG
[209]: Type 97 TMG
[210]: 25mm Flak
[211]: 37L21 Gun
[212]: 37L33 Gun
[213]: 47L40 Gun
[214]: 57L17 Gun
[215]: 75mm FH
[216]: 75L17 Gun
[217]: Knee Mortar
[218]: 75L34 Gun
[219]: 70mm FH
[220]: 70mm Mortar
[221]: 90mm Mortar
[222]: 105mm FH
[223]: 150L10 Gun
[224]: 150mm FH
[225]: Flamethrower
[226]: Satchel Charge
[227]: Hand Grenade
[228]: Type 97 ATR
[229]: Pole Mine
[230]: Type 91 TMG
[231]: Type 99 LMG
[232]: Pistol
[233]: 13mm TMG
[234]: Type 92 AAMG
[235]: Sniper Rifle
[236]: 7.7mm MG
[237]: 12.7mm MG
[238]: 20mm Cannon
[239]: 50kg Bomb
[240]: 120kg Bomb
[241]: 250kg Bomb
[242]: 5 in Naval Gun
[243]: 8 in Naval Gun
[244]: 14 in Naval Gun
[245]: 18 in Naval Gun
[246]:
[247]:
[248]:
[249]:

[MarkSheppard]

Some banging around results in this for SP1:



Some more trial and error for SP2:



EDIT:

I also realize, belatedly, that it is also kind of important for aircraft units -- to select the type of weapon they bomb/strafe/rocket you with.

[MarkSheppard]

Version 3.1 with Unit Weapon Type Dumping.

LINK - 110 MB ZIP

It may interest you to know that the python file that I created to handle all the transliteration tasks for the weapon types is 786 kb and 13,500~ lines of IF codebreaks that are like this:

if MOB_NUMBER == 12:
if WEAPON_NUMBER == 1: WeaponName = "Sniper Rifle"
if WEAPON_NUMBER == 2: WeaponName = "Pistol"
if WEAPON_NUMBER == 3: WeaponName = "M2 Carbine"
if WEAPON_NUMBER == 4: WeaponName = "M1 Rifle"
if WEAPON_NUMBER == 5: WeaponName = "M3A1 SMG"
if WEAPON_NUMBER == 6: WeaponName = "Colt SMG"
if WEAPON_NUMBER == 7: WeaponName = "M14 Rifle"
if WEAPON_NUMBER == 8: WeaponName = "M16A1 Rifle"
if WEAPON_NUMBER == 9: WeaponName = "M16A2 Rifle"
if WEAPON_NUMBER == 10: WeaponName = "M4 Carbine"
if WEAPON_NUMBER == 11: WeaponName = "BAR"
if WEAPON_NUMBER == 12: WeaponName = "M14 SAW"
if WEAPON_NUMBER == 13: WeaponName = "M249 SAW"
if WEAPON_NUMBER == 14: WeaponName = "7.62mm M60 LMG"
if WEAPON_NUMBER == 15: WeaponName = "Bazooka"
if WEAPON_NUMBER == 16: WeaponName = "Super Bazooka"
if WEAPON_NUMBER == 17: WeaponName = "Rifle-Grenade"
if WEAPON_NUMBER == 18: WeaponName = "RPG-7"
if WEAPON_NUMBER == 19: WeaponName = "Blindicide"
if WEAPON_NUMBER == 20: WeaponName = "M72 LAW"
if WEAPON_NUMBER == 21: WeaponName = "PZF-44"

[MarkSheppard]

Some things from looking at SP2 stuff.

1.) A lot of OOBs were simply cut and pasted over as "base" starter OOBs during development; there's a lot of "residue" left over, like non US weapons in the US Army OOB, etc.

2.) I can see where Andy and Don came from with their practices; in the Stock SP2 West German OOB, I count like four or five "105mm L7 Gun" weapon entries, with the text ID all identical for each of them.

You can see why the practice of

"100mm D10T 45"
"100mm D10TG 55"
"100mm D10TG 60"

started; to differentiate the improving munitions for each year; and also for scenario designers.

[MarkSheppard]

I know this is the SPWW2 forum, but I figured I'd drop this here since it's a converted scenario.

This is a crude version 0.5 beta.

THE 82nd IN SINAI, OCTOBER 1973*
*
Egypt Advance*
_____vs.*
US. Army Delay*
*
Date: October 18, 1973*
Location: Thamad, Sinai*
*
===========================*
NOTE: This is converted from the SP2 scenario "THE 101st IN SINAI, OCTOBER 1973" originally done by Samy El Semman (samy@semman.com). Changes done during the conversion process was a totally redesigned US force OBAT, more in line with an airborne division's TO&E of the time.*
===========================*
*
The Egyptian assault across the Suez Canal proceeded like clockwork, with all Israeli counterattacks being successfully repulsed while the Egyptian bridgeheads were being consolidated.*
*
On October 14, 1973 the Egyptian 2nd and 3rd Armies launched a successful armored and mechanized offensive into the Sinai and succeeded in capturing the Mitla and Giddi passes. With their armored and mechanized formations severely blunted following several failed attempts to destroy the Egyptian Bridgeheads, Israel had no fresh forces available to stop any potential future Egyptian offensive.*
*
Facing severe strain, the Israelis had no choice but to ask for American intervention. Following a high-speed SR-71 reconnaissance sortie that revealed the catastrophe unfolding in the Sinai, President Nixon had no other choice but to begin a major air and sea lift to replace the IDF's losses.*
*
Due to the spotting of advance elements of the Soviet 103rd Airborne Division in Cairo by the aforementioned SR-71 sortie, Nixon had no other choice but to order direct American intervention to forestall any potential Soviet intervention in the Middle East. Accordingly, the 82nd Airborne Division was moved to the Sinai in a massive airlift, while elements of the US Army in Europe were alerted to begin preparations for moving heavy equipment to Egypt.*
*
On the 18th of October, the Egyptian advance finally met the American forces in the Sinai as elements of the Egyptian 23d Mechanized Division crashed into the 82nd's defensive positions.

This is something I wrote up while researching the TOE of a 1970s US Airborne Division:

I've been digging through old US Army Field Manuals, and the interesting thing is......the Airborne Divisions didn't really HAVE armor formally on their TOEs:

https://www.bits.de/NRANEU/others/amd-us-army.htm

Go to FM 101 – Staff Officers’ Field Manuals section and dig through them.

For example the 1971 Airborne Division (TOE 57G) in FM 101-10-1 (1971) had:

(9x) Airborne Infantry Battalions
Combat Aviation Battalion
Engineer Battalion
Signals Battalion
MP Company
Armored Cavalry Squadron
ADA Battalion (3 x Vulcan Platoons of 4 x Vulcan Squads each)
Div Arty (3 x Field Artillery Battalions, 105mm Towed)

And digging into the Authorized Tables:

54 x 105mm Howitzers
24 x Towed Vulcan 20mm in the ADA Battalion
34 x OH-6A (9 x in DIVARTY, 4 x in Cmbt Aviation Bn, 9 in Arm Cav Squadron)
19 x UH-1B (11 in Arm Cav Squadron, 6 in Combat Aviation Battalion)
35 x UH-1D (6 in Arm Cav Squadron, 27 in Combat Aviation Battalion)

Hundreds of trucks (including 818 x Truck, Utility 1/4 Ton), but no armored vehicles at all.

Heaviest direct fire weapon is the 106mm RCL, of which 120 are in the division, with 12 of them in the Armored Cav Squadron.

The Armored Cav Squadron is:

1 x Air Cavalry Troop (17-78G)
---1 x Aeroscout Platoon
---1x Aero Rifle Platoon
---1x Air Cav AT/Rocket Platoon

2 x Armored Cavalry Troops (17-77G) with each Troop having:

26 x 1/4 Ton Jeeps
6 x 1/4 Ton Jeeps with 106mm RCL
4 x 3/4 Ton Trucks with Winch
2 x 3/4 Ton Trucks

Officially

The troops were organized into

3 x Armored Cav Platoons, with each platoon having a:

Scout Section
Tank Section
Support Section
Rifle Section

This is interesting, because according to NOT JUST AN INFANTRYMAN’S WAR: UNITED STATES ARMORED CAVALRY OF THE VIETNAM WAR by BRIAN D. KERNS:

1965 Armored Cav Platoon before Vietnam:

1 x Jeep for Platoon Leader and a Scout Driver
4 x M114 in Scout Section
3 x M48A3 in Tank Section
1 x M113 in Rifle Section with a Rifle Squad
1 x M106 Mortar Carrier in Support Squad

Vietnam Era ACAV Armored Cav Platoon:

1 x M113 ACAV for Platoon HQ
4 x M113 ACAV in Scout Section
3 x M48A3 in Tank Section
1 x M113 in Rifle Section with a Rifle Squad
1 x M106 Mortar Carrier in Support Squad

Vietnam Era Armored Cav Platoon with Sheridan

1 x M113 ACAV for Platoon HQ
4 x M113 ACAV in Scout Section
3 x M551 Sheridan in Tank Section
1 x M113 in Rifle Section with a Rifle Squad
1 x M125/M106 Mortar Carrier in Support Squad

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

I think the US Army was treating the Armored Cav Squadron of the Airborne Division as a "plug as you go" unit; to be customized according to the specific needs of whatever operation required the 82nd; thus making a potentially "fully augmented" Armored Cav Squadron have:

18 x M551 Sheridan
36 x M113 ACAV
6 x M113 Mortar Carrier