Strange Frontline Locations in Rolling Thunder

[+malibu43 142]

Hi guys. This is all post the Sept 2008 patch.

 

Previously, I was using this VietnamSEA_targets.ini created by TeTeT for his steel tiger campaign. I never noticed any problems with it before.

 

VIETNAMSEA_TARGETS.TXT

 

And as a result, I'm getting a frontline that looks like this:

 

 

I also have modified the Rolling Thunder Campaign data to have a ground war:

 

WOVCAMPRT_DATA.txt

 

Like I said, these targets or modified campaign data never caused any issues with the previous patch. It doesn't look this way every time I start a campaign, and I also don't get the issue in LBI or LBII, which are using the same targets.ini and have similar changes made in the campaign. However, I sometimes get tasked to strike friendly air bases.

 

I'm sure the problem is just an issue with the location and start/end date of an enemy target area or unit and it's screwing up the frontline, however, I'm not good at interpreting the targets.ini file at all and have no idea where to look for the issue.

 

Can anyone help me out?

 

Thanks!!!!

Edited September 29, 2008 by malibu43

[+Gocad 26]

I don't think that the targets.ini has anything to do with it, but I do assume that the unit you're flying for is activated some time after the campaign begins. In that case it's possible (especially when the North Vietnamese are on offensive) that they gain some ground by chance...but I don't think that this happens always.

 

I say this because I have written a similar campaign for WOE and was quite surprised to see the Soviets already being in Hamburg upon campaign begin (as mentioned earlier my unit had a later start date)

[+malibu43 142]

I don't think that the targets.ini has anything to do with it, but I do assume that the unit you're flying for is activated some time after the campaign begins. In that case it's possible (especially when the North Vietnamese are on offensive) that they gain some ground by chance...but I don't think that this happens always.

 

I say this because I have written a similar campaign for WOE and was quite surprised to see the Soviets already being in Hamburg upon campaign begin (as mentioned earlier my unit had a later start date)

 

Thanks. That makes sense. What's the best way to deal with this? Here's what I'm thinking:

 

1. Maybe change the start ground offensive time so that it's after all the flyable squadrons start their campaigns...?

2. Change the start date for all the enemy units so that it's after flyable squadrons start dates....?

 

The only thing about these is that some squadrons don't start until 1967, so some of the squadrons that start in 1965 will probably never get any CAS missions before the campaign ends...

 

What did you do to fix it in you campaign?

 

PS - Is the startgroundoffensive= value in days or offensive missions? In other words, if I want to the ground offensive to be delayed a year, would I put 360 (days) or 2 (mission rate = 180, x2 would be 360 days)...?

Edited September 29, 2008 by malibu43

[MigBuster 2,884]

The starting frontline was defined in the terrain movements.ini before the patch - you could also set it to show or hide parts of the line.

[+malibu43 142]

The starting frontline was defined in the terrain movements.ini before the patch - you could also set it to show or hide parts of the line.

 

I tired it with the new movement.ini and my old one, and got the same result both times. However, I also tried this again on my old install, and found the same thing! I guess I never noticed it before.

 

But anyway, now that I realize what's going on, I want to fix it. I think delaying the ground offensive might do the trick. We'll see, though.

[MigBuster 2,884]

You can just change the coordinates to whatever you want

 

[FrontLine]

Position[001]=0.0,724000.0

Position[002]=208375.0,592311.5

Position[003]=241062.5,568561.5

Position[004]=247812.5,553749.0

Position[005]=245062.5,550311.5

Position[006]=244937.5,516811.5

Position[007]=245062.5,491249.0

Position[008]=245000.0,468999.0

..........

 

 

 

Noticed that in WOI the frontline is now in the actual campaigns data.ini

[+malibu43 142]

You can just change the coordinates to whatever you want

 

[FrontLine]

Position[001]=0.0,724000.0

Position[002]=208375.0,592311.5

Position[003]=241062.5,568561.5

Position[004]=247812.5,553749.0

Position[005]=245062.5,550311.5

Position[006]=244937.5,516811.5

Position[007]=245062.5,491249.0

Position[008]=245000.0,468999.0

..........

 

 

 

Noticed that in WOI the frontline is now in the actual campaigns data.ini

 

Sorry, so would this go in the movement.ini or the campaign_data.ini file now with the new patch?

[MigBuster 2,884]

Sorry, so would this go in the movement.ini or the campaign_data.ini file now with the new patch?

 

 

 

Cant say without trying it out tbh - but it should work in the data.ini too (with the new patch, campaigns in WOV haven't been changed to include [frontline])

 

 

 

Pre patch in movements.ini - but this will affect the whole install

[+malibu43 142]

Adding the [frontline] entry to the campaign_data didn't help any.

 

Well, it's definitely a result of the ground offensive gaining ground before the particular squadron joins the campaign, since it only happens with squadrons that start in '66. The problem with pusing back the start date of the ground offensive is that earlier squadrons don't get any CAS missions...

 

hmm... I'm gonna keep playing around with this one. If anyone has any ideas, please let me know!

[+malibu43 142]

Tried messing with the offensive supply values for both sides to see if I could keep the campaign in a stalemate until the later units start, but I couldn't get consistent results.

 

But, I finally realized that there are only 3 player units that start in 1966. I just changed them to start in 1965 and now all works fine. Thanks for the help guys!!!

[Czech6 15]

Malibu,

 

Since you're using the Sept 08 patch, I noticed something different in the Rolling Thunder campaign.ini. A new command line: GroundOffensiveAllowed=FALSE has been added under both Friendly and Enemy. The campaign file you posted has the Enemy line set to TRUE, and the Friendly set to FALSE (which appears to be the default for both in the new patch). What happens if you set this back to FALSE for the Enemy data?

Edited October 13, 2008 by Czech6

[+malibu43 142]

Malibu,

 

Since you're using the Sept 08 patch, I noticed something different in the Rolling Thunder campaign.ini. A new command line: GroundOffensiveAllowed=FALSE has been added under both Friendly and Enemy. The campaign file you posted has the Enemy line set to TRUE, and the Friendly set to FALSE (which appears to be the default for both in the new patch). What happens if you set this back to FALSE for the Enemy data?

 

There won't be any ground war at all, which is essentially the same as the stock campaign.

 

I'm working right now on reworking the nodes and ground units so a ground offensive from either side will stall out on either side of the DMZ. It seems to be working so far. What this will do is result in both sides battling back and forth along the DMZ, but not enough ground being gained to cause the frontlines to get all crazy or any squadrons to be re-located.

 

Here's what I have. This also results in battles in two different locations along the front, to keep things exciting. It works at least throught the first offensive. I haven't seen what the losing side does yet after they've had time to re-supply and mount a counter-offensive. Both sides need to have groundoffensiveallowed set to true for this work.

 

 

 

 

[GroundUnit001]

GroundObjectType=US_Squad

UnitName=1/13 Marine Regiment

ForceID=1

Nation=USMC

BaseArea=DMZ South

RandomChance=100

StartObjects=100

MaxObjects=100

Experience=80

Morale=70

Supply=100

Intelligence=100

UpgradeType=NEVER

StartDate=

StartDateDeviation=

 

[GroundUnit002]

GroundObjectType=VC_Squad

UnitName=2nd VC Infantry Division

ForceID=2

Nation=NVietnam

BaseArea=DMZ North

RandomChance=100

StartObjects=60

MaxObjects=100

Experience=50

Morale=40

Supply=40

Intelligence=20

UpgradeType=NEVER

StartDate=

StartDateDeviation=

 

[GroundUnit003]

GroundObjectType=M113

UnitName=1/9 Marine Regiment

ForceID=1

Nation=USMC

BaseArea=HUE

RandomChance=100

StartObjects=100

MaxObjects=100

Experience=80

Morale=70

Supply=100

Intelligence=100

UpgradeType=NEVER

StartDate=

StartDateDeviation=

 

[GroundUnit004]

GroundObjectType=NVA_Squad

UnitName=1st NVA Infantry Division

ForceID=2

Nation=NVietnam

BaseArea=Dong Hoi

RandomChance=100

StartObjects=60

MaxObjects=100

Experience=50

Morale=40

Supply=40

Intelligence=20

UpgradeType=NEVER

StartDate=

StartDateDeviation=

 

[GroundUnit005]

GroundObjectType=US_Squad

UnitName=1/7 Marine Regiment

ForceID=1

Nation=USMC

BaseArea=DMZ South West

RandomChance=100

StartObjects=100

MaxObjects=100

Experience=80

Morale=70

Supply=100

Intelligence=100

UpgradeType=NEVER

StartDate=

StartDateDeviation=

 

[GroundUnit006]

GroundObjectType=VC_Squad

UnitName=3nd VC Infantry Division

ForceID=2

Nation=NVietnam

BaseArea=DMZ North West

RandomChance=100

StartObjects=60

MaxObjects=100

Experience=50

Morale=40

Supply=40

Intelligence=20

UpgradeType=NEVER

StartDate=

StartDateDeviation=

 

[GroundUnit007]

GroundObjectType=US_Squad

UnitName=1/5 Marine Regiment

ForceID=1

Nation=USMC

BaseArea=FSB Athena

RandomChance=100

StartObjects=100

MaxObjects=100

Experience=80

Morale=70

Supply=100

Intelligence=100

UpgradeType=NEVER

StartDate=

StartDateDeviation=

 

[GroundUnit008]

GroundObjectType=NVA_Squad

UnitName=4th NVA Infantry Division

ForceID=2

Nation=NVietnam

BaseArea=Khe Phat

RandomChance=100

StartObjects=60

MaxObjects=100

Experience=50

Morale=40

Supply=40

Intelligence=20

UpgradeType=NEVER

StartDate=

StartDateDeviation=

 

 

 

 

//----- Nodes

 

 

[strategicNode001]

Area=DMZ North West

ConnectTo[001].Target=DMZ South West

ConnectTo[001].BasePoint=537600,558000

 

[strategicNode002]

Area=FSB Athena

ConnectTo[001].Target=DMZ South West

ConnectTo[001].BasePoint=537600,558000

ConnectTo[002].Target=DMZ North West

ConnectTo[002].BasePoint=529300,567800

 

[strategicNode003]

Area=Khe Phat

ConnectTo[001].Target=DMZ North West

ConnectTo[001].BasePoint529300,567800

ConnectTo[002].Target=DMZ South West

ConnectTo[002].BasePoint=537600,558000

 

[strategicNode004]

Area=DMZ South West

ConnectTo[001].Target=DMZ North West

ConnectTo[001].BasePoint=529300,567800

 

[strategicNode005]

Area=DMZ North

ConnectTo[001].Target=DMZ South

ConnectTo[001].BasePoint=559600,558100

 

[strategicNode006]

Area=Hue

ConnectTo[001].Target=DMZ South

ConnectTo[001].BasePoint=559600,558100

ConnectTo[002].Target=DMZ North

ConnectTo[002].BasePoint=550300,567900

 

[strategicNode007]

Area=Dong Hoi

ConnectTo[001].Target=DMZ North

ConnectTo[001].BasePoint=550300,567900

ConnectTo[002].Target=DMZ South

ConnectTo[002].BasePoint=559600,558100

 

[strategicNode008]

Area=DMZ South

ConnectTo[001].Target=DMZ North

ConnectTo[001].BasePoint=550300,567900