Tunisia terrain upgrade WIP

[+Wrench]

Since NorthAfrica is finished and re-released, I've been redoing the Tunisia map. The usual upgrades; repositioning airfields so they're in a 'clear zone', some retiling and of course the targets upgrade, which is the MAJOR reworking.

 

But I've come across a small quandry....

 

Edward has given us 2 carrier convoys - Pedestal and Wasp.

I've taken the reaaaaaalllllly old "Carrier" object that came out with the ancient PAW terrain mod, tweeked it into a usalbe, more armed Yorktown class CV. Also doing some very small tweeks to Hinch "Irrestiable' -now renamed to Eagle.

 

My question is ... as the 2 target areas are already set as CarrierStation=TRUE in the targets ini, would it help or hinder campaign builders if I added Gepard's Invisible Airfield ™ for Naval use. The main side effect of THAT is, land based aircrft use it in game-generated single, random missions.

Or should I just leave the objects where they sit (with some additions, of course), and let the campaign gurus to their thing via the campaign ini in locating squadrons to various ships?

 

Also, is there another WW2 RN carrier around somewheres??? (i'm sure we could suspend disbelief and use Hinch's Bulwark for Indomitibale etc)

 

wrench

kevin stein

[+gregoryp]

We need the Ranger CV-4 too

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Ranger_(CV-4)

Edited July 7, 2009 by Sarge714

[+Baltika]

My question is ... as the 2 target areas are already set as CarrierStation=TRUE in the targets ini, would it help or hinder campaign builders if I added Gepard's Invisible Airfield for Naval use. The main side effect of THAT is, land based aircrft use it in game-generated single, random missions.

Or should I just leave the objects where they sit (with some additions, of course), and let the campaign gurus to their thing via the campaign ini in locating squadrons to various ships?

 

Well, speaking purely from the campaign building perspective, I suggest both adding Gepard's sea-level airfield at each of the existing fleet target areas, and add a separate carrierstation targetarea near to each of the existing ones, but with no ships etc positioned there.

 

For me, that is the best of both worlds - seaplanes and the like can be assigned in the campaign file to use the surface invisible airstrip, whilst Ican also use the nearby empty carrierstation to position carrier-based units and allow for the full range of carrier ops as currently supported by TW, i.e. take offs and landings from a moving carrier.

 

Looking forward to this upgrade, thanks for your hard work on these terrains

 

Cheers,

 

Baltika

[+Hinchinbrooke]

Also doing some very small tweeks to Hinch "Irrestiable' -now renamed to Eagle.

 

I've actually set up things to build a real Eagle............................ but she'll be a while.

[+gregoryp]

Also, is there another WW2 RN carrier around somewheres??? (i'm sure we could suspend disbelief and use Hinch's Bulwark for Indomitibale etc)

 

wrench

kevin stein

 

Got an email back from Greg Law who is willing to send his Ark Royal and Victorious. Just need a 3d Modeler to convert them to SF.

 

Volenteers to Convert them?

[+Wrench]

Now's the time with I REALLLY wish I could work in MAX, and give us some nice, new WW2 carriers...

 

Ok, another question....I've spent the last 36 hours literaly d/ling another 150-odd megs of books on the battles/vehicles/etc in the region that haven't really helped much (other than to increase the workload!!) - it turns out there should be an Axis airfield -forward base- at Maknassy, with is no problem to add; just have minimal 'stuff' there, as it only seemed to be used as a staging base.

 

the question -- I can't find ANY references to Melita AB on Djerba Island!! (and seemingly nothing west of Castel Benito in Tripoli in Libya -which has been added), unless it's in Tunisia proper, and Sicily, etc. So, should I add it??? Historically, it seems the Luftwaffe moved west in response to TORCH, and flew most of their missions either from Tunisia or Sicily (and Pantellera)

 

Also found a bunch of 'interesting' items that have been in the terrain folder since Day 1, that while listed in the targets ini, have NEVER been activated in the types ini.

To wit, the censored photo below of a French Foreign Legion post, "somwhere in the desert". I left the name up, so you can test your knowledge. Based on Edwards original layout for Mareth (also now fully showing). It's a little large, so I doubt I can use it to guard Valletta Harbor (the crusader castle).

 

 

wrench

kevin stein

 

ps: having spent SOOOOOOOOOOOOO much time on the versions of the Libya map, it almost feels like I really know the places!! And yes, Carthage is there, although I may have to retile Tunis to create the inland bay kinda thing. or not???

[+LloydNB]

Wrench

 

I've got some maps showing the location of all the Italian airfields in the theatre. I've only just arrived at work so it wil be a few hours before I can send them through.

 

Fort Zinderneauf - Beau Geste (1926 starring Ronald Coleman) (1939 - Gary Cooper)

 

Lloyd

Edited July 9, 2009 by LloydNB

[+LloydNB]

As promised.

 

LloydNB

Edited July 9, 2009 by LloydNB

[+Wrench]

Now THAT's what I'm talking about!!! Do you have one for Southern Italy, from Rome down to Taranto??? (there's some there, but the map REALLY needs tweeking....) BTW, Rome is juuuuuusssst inside the wall, so it won't get an airfield. Just a catherdal (standing in for Vatican City)

 

Of course, my work load just trippled!! Since some are kinda close together (Trapani & Tripoli), I think they'll one have one each.

I KNEW there was one a Catania!!! (all this geographical knowledge left over from the 3 Libya mods...oi!!!)

 

Thanks man! Saved the day!

 

wrench

kevin stein

[+LloydNB]

I've got one for every front the Italians fought on - Channel, East Africa etc. I'll split Italy in two so the resolution is good enough to read.

 

LloydNB

Edited July 9, 2009 by LloydNB

[+PureBlue]

Now's the time with I REALLLY wish I could work in MAX, and give us some nice, new WW2 carriers...

 

I hear you Wrench, but how to spare time from adding targets and doing all kinds of terrain work

 

That fort looks sweet btw, i'll do some scrounging through the types/targets ini of this beautfiul project.

There's one thing I have to ask, kind off Offtopic sorry. Do you think we can get a hold of the 3ds max files for some of the objects Gepard, edward, did, like the bridges, forts. I'm not sure if it's just on my install but there's clipping issues, ships and buildings clip through the bridge model for example. I had this happen in the Naval Base I did, and it was an UVW tiling setting issue, a few changes in the material editor cured it. (Any insight our modellers can give us to why this happens?)

 

Also if we had the max files, we could basically resize and get different objects to play with. I guess I'll contact the respective creators and see if they got the files saved somewhere.

 

Again great work here, all

[+Wrench]

Thanks PB!!

 

I'm pretty sure Gepard did the LOD for that 'suspension' bridge, I'd shoot him a PM and see if it WAS him. Don't forget, there's 3 different types of 'lower' bridges in WoV that are easily imported into any other game (rail, foot, vehicle, and a 'bamboo pontoon type'. Gepard also did the pontoon bridges across the Suez Canal in the Isreal2 map.

 

I have a 'idea' for a (terribly incorrect) stand in for RANGER; I'll be re-looking at my CVL stand in as a substitute. CVEs we've got as my repaint of Kukilono repaint of the MAC

 

Lloyd:

 

great stuff!!! More work for me, but it's damn sure needed to improve the look of the map (btw, Etna and Veseuvius have DEEEEP craters in them. how cool!!!

 

Also, expect some updated skins for the VS-41 Dauntless and VF-41 Wildcat -- I'm redoing the skins and ALL the decals to correct my earlier crappy efforts!

 

wrench

kevin stein

[+LloydNB]

Wrench

 

It's from a great book called Courage Alone: The Italian Air Force 1940-1943. If you need any detail on deployment of Italian squadrons (which base, when) just let me know.

 

Lloyd

[+Wrench]

A little update....

 

From our very one Grand Mariner, Fubar, comes this new little ship. Still have to dial in the smoke a bit.

 

And, as best I could, recreating a famed fleet anchorage.

 

Now, if we could just get SkippyBing to finsh his Stringbag.....(baltike: yes, CV Station Judgement exists, more or less in a semi-correct place)

 

wrench

kevin stein

[+Baltika]

Great work Wrench - really looking forward to this one

 

Stringbag Did I hear you say Stringbag

 

Oh, yes please :yes:

[thebeast0449]

Hmm... I feel an imminent attack of the italian fleet at Taranto comin on...most excellent

-go get em stringbags!

[+Wrench]

if you think THAT's cool...

 

wait until you see Version 3 of the Solomons .... took edwards terrain, ran it through the WoV/WoE/WoI TE, COMPLETLY retiled with WoV tiles --just about ALL laid by hand-- (unfortunately, due to size differences between the BN series and Vietnam*** tiles, 80% of my 90% completed targets ini will need rebuilding, but mostly for the 'little' target areas.

 

Makes full use of GH, has rivers, correct terrain and ground objects -now that we have Grinch's Fletcher....2 operational IJN seaplane bases (Shortland Island and Raketa Bay)

 

hope to have some screenies up tommorrow

 

wrench

kevin stein

[+Wrench]

In further examination of the map, the terrain features (or featurless areas in the east) in releation to "The Wall", I've discovered that it's very possible to add El Agehila, Masra Berga and Benghazi for use by RAF/8th Army basing.

 

The question is, do you all -expecially our campaign builders- want or need them added. Be a great place to base RAF bombers and fighters for the push west. I've already added Homs, Sirte and Misurata (and the runis at Leptus Magna!)

 

I may add them anyway, just cause I HATE wasting space on maps!!!

 

let me know your thoughts, please!

 

wrench

kevin stein

[+Baltika]

Yes please

[+Wrench]

That good, cause I already added them!!! And a Royal Army camp at Benghazi. Oddly enough, it's allllmmmmooosttt in the exact same spot as the DAK base on the North Afirca map!!

 

Of course, these will all need custom targets layouts....as expected!

 

Homs is gonna be really interesting, as I stumbled across a hand drawn map of the city from 1943!! How often can one find an almost perfect layout, in a historical context. Unfortunatly, I can' read/translate it --I swear this is Hebrew!

 

But I looks like I'll be importing some lighthouses, too....

 

wrench

kevin stein

[+PureBlue]

I knew you'd be adding them anyway

 

Nice tourist map, weird alphabet!

Yeah those lighthouses are nice, and you ought to build a new pier too! Get into some basic 3dsMax modelling man!!

[+allenjb42]

Confirmed. That is Hebrew. The Hebrew words don't agree with the Italian(?) one for the same numbers though. Have you tried speaking to Mannie or Nesher or one of the other Israelis to help translate it?

[+Wrench]

Maybe I should! Ain't it terrible I Nice Jewish Boy ™ like me can't read Hebrew!!!??!!! The stuff on the right kinda looks like 'cursive' Hebrew, but I still can't read it!!

 

Here's a shot of a couple new items, modded from others, at the Royal Army Camp, Benghazi. There's a DAK version of the vehicle too, but the Red Cross isn't showing for some reason...still working on that issue.

btw, the hospital at Homs got moved north a bit, as there's an "issue" with terrain height (ie: the vehicles were sunk into the ground, due to the HFD seeing that bit as water. Not totally accurate, but close enough for gubberment work ™ :)

 

wrench

kevin stein

[+Spectre_USA]

What?

 

No Hot-lips Hoolihan shaking her assets down by the Swamp?

 

 

Looking mighty fine, as per usual, Wrench-man!

[+Wrench]

Spectre: them be on the unfinished Korea map. I have the WHOLE 4077th laid out, including a sign with the Menu for hte Mess Hall. Yes, your only choices are.....

 

 

 

 

 

wait for it......

 

 

 

 

liver or fish

 

 

 

They may still be up, do a search for "new korea terrain' with my name in it.

 

The M-43 ambulances aren't correct (as the body I'm using is the Zil Command), real ones are 4x4 not 4x6. But, hey, it's a minus value target anyway, just like the Field Hospital Tent and the hospital building (-1000 point). Geneva convention and all that kinda stuff

 

wrench

kevin stein