Adding Ships

[+Dave]

You can't have battle groups in campaigns. Even with making every ship a carrier type, they will not stay together, they will just mill about on there own. I did try datalinking them and that didn't work either. Single missions seem to be where you can do it though. TK will need to expand the code more to make it easier to have battle groups as this work around is way too tedious.

[+SidDogg]

Yeah, that's true

 

I already attempted to get at him on the Thirdwire Forum way back last year, but he never answered.....guess he's just a busy man

[jtin]

This is what he said to ezlead:

 

"ezlead,

 

Support ship isn't "supported", in the sense that we don't have AI for support/escort ships in carrier group.

 

TK"

 

http://bbs.thirdwire.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=4205

 

Fubar, was that a single mission?

[+Gocad]

Alright, carrier groups seem not to be possible. Which sucks, especially when you're jumped by a bunch of Flankers circling over your carrier...just waiting for you to take off.

 

But what about anti-shipping missions?

 

How do get the program to use 3rd party ships instead of the stock merchant ships as targets?

[+Baltika]

Alright, carrier groups seem not to be possible. Which sucks, especially when you're jumped by a bunch of Flankers circling over your carrier...just waiting for you to take off.

 

But what about anti-shipping missions?

 

How do get the program to use 3rd party ships instead of the stock merchant ships as targets?

 

 

In the ship's _data.ini, make sure this flag is set as follows:-

 

GroundObjectRole=CARGO_SHIP

 

The game engine only picks Cargo ships for anti-shipping missions. Setting the Ground Object Role as above will mean that sometimes those ships will be picked. I don't think it's possible for more than one type to be picked at a time, though.

Edited July 5, 2007 by Baltika

[+Gocad]

Thanks for the tip.

[+Typhoid]

In the ship's _data.ini, make sure this flag is set as follows:-

 

GroundObjectRole=CARGO_SHIP

 

The game engine only picks Cargo ships for anti-shipping missions. Setting the Ground Object Role as above will mean that sometimes those ships will be picked. I don't think it's possible for more than one type to be picked at a time, though.

 

I did that and had the game crash. By undoing them the game ran again. There seems to be a limit.

[+Baltika]

I did that and had the game crash. By undoing them the game ran again. There seems to be a limit.

 

Hi Typhoid,

 

I have checked my install and I see that I have only 4 ships set to CARGO_SHIP:-

 

The stock Cargo Ship

My Allied Cargo Ship (same as stock but packing 4x .50 cal MGs for added bite)

Destroyer

KriegDestroyer

 

I get each of these types from time to time on anti-ship missions. I have other ships installed, but they are set to WARSHIP. Did you change all of yours to CARGO_SHIP?

[+Typhoid]

Hi Typhoid,

 

I have checked my install and I see that I have only 4 ships set to CARGO_SHIP:-

 

The stock Cargo Ship

My Allied Cargo Ship (same as stock but packing 4x .50 cal MGs for added bite)

Destroyer

KriegDestroyer

 

I get each of these types from time to time on anti-ship missions. I have other ships installed, but they are set to WARSHIP. Did you change all of yours to CARGO_SHIP?

 

I'm seeing a trend of 4 here.

 

I've got the standard cargo ship, the Japanese Barge set, the OSA and Sampans. when I started adding some more (same as yours by the way) is when it would start to crash.

 

with those four set, I get them on occasion.

[Jarhead1]

Huh, that would be cool

[+Wrench]

Or,you could just create a fixed station in the ocean (see the WW2 maps by Edward and myself, and my 2 recently released Lybia's) via targets ini edits.

 

You just pick a spot on the sea, noting its coordinates (cameraposition= -- they're added just like any other ground object), and create a 'CV Station'. Now, mind you , they won't move, but you'll have a fixed spot in the ocean where a carrier can be 'parked'.

 

this can be done for anti-shopping missions ("Convoy Station" full of merchant ships and escorts) - may also show up in strike as well, as they are now a fixed target.

 

You could even go so far as to tweek one of the CVs data ini thereby creating a new object, removeing the invulernabilty by removin the runway (flightdeck), classing them as a MISC object, and have them in port.

 

Needless to say, you'll have to add each of the ships to the terrain's types ini.

One of the interesting side-effects of this, even as a 'parked vessal', warships with guns and SAMs WILL engage you!

 

Wrench

kevin stein

[+Typhoid]

Or,you could just create a fixed station in the ocean (see the WW2 maps by Edward and myself, and my 2 recently released Lybia's) via targets ini edits.

 

You just pick a spot on the sea, noting its coordinates (cameraposition= -- they're added just like any other ground object), and create a 'CV Station'. Now, mind you , they won't move, but you'll have a fixed spot in the ocean where a carrier can be 'parked'.

 

this can be done for anti-shopping missions ("Convoy Station" full of merchant ships and escorts) - may also show up in strike as well, as they are now a fixed target.

 

You could even go so far as to tweek one of the CVs data ini thereby creating a new object, removeing the invulernabilty by removin the runway (flightdeck), classing them as a MISC object, and have them in port.

 

Needless to say, you'll have to add each of the ships to the terrain's types ini.

One of the interesting side-effects of this, even as a 'parked vessal', warships with guns and SAMs WILL engage you!

 

Wrench

kevin stein

 

that sounds very interesting. Is that an addition to the targets.ini file in the terrain folder?

[+Wrench]

Yes, the types ini defines WHAT objects are allowed to be placed in the targets ini.

 

Like in the original targets, you'll see "AAA". That allows the game engine to place any AA unit that is on the same side as the target area.

You can further define that by editing the types ini, and listing specific objects (like Nick Bell did with the HAWK launchers). Adding a say, ZSU-24 and specificly pointing that to replace AA at an airbase or where ever

 

I'm a work now, but when I get home I'll post some specific examples (ships/destroyers/Patrolbaots, etc)

Look at the Lybia ver.3 types ini, and you'll see specifics

 

Wrench

kevin stein

[+Fubar512]

If Killerbee were reading this, he'd be laughing. I have a hint for you: Formations

[+Fubar512]

Here's what Killerbee and I were playing with in January/February of 2006:

 

 

[TaskForceEscort]

Position[01].Offset= 0, 0, 0

Position[02].Offset= 3000, 3800, 0

Position[03].Offset= -2100, -7600, 0

Position[04].Offset= 4100,-8400, 0

Position[05].Offset= 3000,-9200, 0

Position[06].Offset= 3900,-10000, 0

Position[07].Offset= -3200,-10800, 0

Position[08].Offset= 4200,-11600, 0

Position[09].Offset= 3200,-12400, 0

Position[10].Offset= 3800,-13200, 0

Position[11].Offset= -3300,-14000, 0

Position[12].Offset= 4300,-14800, 0

 

[TaskForceBattleLine]

Position[01].Offset=0, 0, 0

Position[02].Offset=0, -3000, 0

Position[03].Offset=0, -6000, 0

Position[04].Offset=0, -9000, 0

Position[05].Offset=0, -12000, 0

Position[06].Offset=0, -15000, 0

Position[07].Offset=0, -18000, 0

Position[08].Offset=0, -21000, 0

Position[09].Offset=0, -24000, 0

Position[10].Offset=0, -27000, 0

Position[11].Offset=0, -30000, 0

Position[12].Offset=0, -33000, 0

[+Baltika]

Hi Wrench,

 

I think what you are describing is what I am playing about with for Destroyer-escorted Cargo Ship Channel convoys for the BoB campaign (I have posted some screenies at Post #62 in the BoB Campaign Feedback thread for some examples). And yes, the armed ships attack incoming bandits, which is great, but of course, the ships don't move.

 

I am having difficulty forcing the campaign engine to pick the ships as targets - I understand about the terrain_types.ini, but it appears some types are not implemented. I note that you say define the ships as "MISC" objects - does it have to be that?

 

I see in the excellent WW2 Euro terrain that there is a degree of "creativity" in the target types, eg AIRCRAFT_FACTORY, NAVAL_BASE. Are these implemented, in the sense that if I put them in the Airoffensive flag in my campaign.ini, they will be selected as objectives in strike missions? Or is it a degree of wishful thinking?

 

I have been testing this, and, for example, I can't get the campaign to select EW_RADAR as a strike mission target, despite that being a "stock" TargetType. Obviously a pain when you are trying to get Erpr.Gr.210 to take out radar stations.

 

Fubar - thanks for the tip, I see where you are going with that, but does it really address the question of mixed types i.e. Carriers with Destroyer escorts?

 

Cheers,

 

baltika

Edited July 13, 2007 by Baltika

[+Wrench]

Actually, it seems to work both ways; either as WARSHIP or MISC; as least for having them show up on the map.

 

 

[TargetType146]

Name=OsaII

FullName=Osa II FAB

ModelName=OSAII-mod-R3a.LOD

TargetType=WARSHIP

 

[TargetType147]

Name=GunBoat

FullName=Patrol Gunboat

ModelName=PBoat-mod18.LOD

TargetType=WARSHIP

 

[TargetType137]

Name=CargoShip

FullName=Cargo Ship

TargetType=WAREHOUSE

ActiveYear=0

 

You can see I listed the cargoship as a WAREHOUSE; this will tasked to a strike mission. So far, I haven't see any of the docked ships, when listed as WARSHIP being tasked. I haven't experimented with this too much, but I know in the Lybia mods, I typed the docked patrolboats as MISC, and you would get them as targets for strike. (which means I'll probably be changing all the docked warships here back)

 

Since they don't move at a Convoy Station, the KreigFlakDestroyer can stay typed as "Static_AAA". Docked warships, wither set as such or MISC, will still shoot at you!!! (don't go too near those Gunboats -- they is NASTY mean)

 

EDIT: Ok, in a quick test, I switched them BACK to MISC, and you DO get tasked with them for a strike mission. But, apparently, NOT when they're classed as WARSHIP. So, is looking like docked ships should be MISC in the terrain types ini, but their own, individual data ini should still be left as WARSHIP. And they DO shoot at you either way!!!

 

Wrench

kevin stein