Strike Missions against Land Targets in SF2NA

[DARoot 6]

Greetings, All

I've come "late to the party," having got SF2 NA (on April 7, 2014, July 2013 build) and made a SF2 PTO install from that executable.
Haven't seen this info posted "all in one place" here or anywhere else yet, so I'm just gonna start --

 

I noted that choosing "Strike" missions in the Single Mission generator always gave missions against the Kiev Battle Group (in SF2 NA; or

against corresponding IJN or USN carrier battlegroups, in the PTO).
I missed "Strike" missions against Land-based targets, as in SFP1.
Had to choose "CAS" or "SEAD" or something, to get random missions generated against land targets. ("Armed_Recon" always seems to give me

"Attack something at (NULL)," and CTDs, so that's no good).

 

Well, I'm using two methods to work around this new "feature" --

 

a) Supgen, in May 2013, released a "Airstrikes on land targets in SF2NA" mod (available here on CombatAce) that uses JSGME Mod Enabler to

"swap" a number of files in SF2NA to enable "Land Strikes". Among other things, it adds "SovietNavy" to "Nations.ini," adds "SovietNavy" to

the IcelandNA terrain folder's terrain-specific Nations.ini, adds "Anti-Ship" to the IcelandNA.ini's [AllowedMissionTypes] (and broadens the

allowable timeframes on that map to 1940-2040), and provides new _Data.inis for the Russian Kiev, Krivak, and other "battlegroup" ships to

assign them to NationName=SovietNavy. [i confess I don't understand why some of the other files were included, since they appear to be

exactly the same as the default SF2 NA ones].
Using JSGME allows one to "swap" the modded files with the old, default SF2 NA ones, with a single click, and go back to the old "default"

SF2 NA "Strike" mission tasking against Naval battlegroups anytime you choose.

 

This could PROBABLY be adapted to SF2 PTO (and similar SF2 NA-based) installations, provided one knew exactly what one needed to change [and could sort out the IJN,IJA,USAF,USN,USMC,RAF,RAAF,etc. Nations order, especially if wanting to fly for the Japanese ..]. But, since SF2 PTO WW II installs are (inherently) usually full of non-standard "modded material" and 3rd-party add-ons, wouldn't using JSGME probably create a huge "Mods" folderfor swapping, possibly doubling the size of your current Hard Drive used space?

 

b) The Thirdwire Mission Editor [included in the July 2013 build, and in their separate Expansion Pack download] allows one to quickly and

easily set-up "Strike" missions against Land targets, anytime, without changing any existing SF2 NA files. Just start a Single Mission, let

the Game Engine generate everything, and then, before flying it, edit it in the Mission Builder to make it a "Strike" mission [by changing

either the target area, or Primary Target, or flight loadout, or all three -- PROVIDED your selected aircraft's _Data.ini is already

configured for "Strike" (won't work with the C-47, for example). Then just click "Accept" and fly [no need to "Save," unless you want to for

other reasons, such as noting that your mission now has entries for "MissionType=STRIKE" and "TargetArea=Ubili airfield" (or some such),

rather than "MissionType=STRIKE" and "MissionSubType=STRIKE_NAVAL," with a "NavalTargetID= " entry.]

 

Anyone more experienced who has more complete knowledge of this area, please post any additional information or thoughts here.

 

My question to you-all in the collective Knowledge Base out there -- Has anyone discovered a simple edit (or series of edits) that would

allow SF2 NA (and PTO-type mods that are based on its executable and features) to PERMANENTLY generate "Strike" missions against EITHER/BOTH Land and Sea targets, randomly, without any file-swapping or Mission Editor fiddling each time you want one?

 

DARoot

[Wrench 9,849]

move IJN to the SECOND position in the PTO terrains that support carriers. The side effect is, losing those missions against the Jap fleet. This very same problem is a MAJOR flaw in my Phillipines 44 WW2 terrain. Apparently, the coding is "one or the other, but not both". Kinda dumb, IMO.

 

as to IcelandNA there's no movements in for that terrain, so you won't get armed recon missions, or anti-ship either. It's virtually impossible to generate the movements ini on the STOCK Iceland terrain, because there's no way to "see" the terrain in any of our editors (Gerwin's for example), to find the X/Y coordinates to plot the routes, as it's LOD based.

 

OTH -- and I don't know this for certain -- Gerwin's "rebuld" of NA's Iceland into the "old style" TFD/HFD should be. If so, you can use the TFD tool to plot the various routes, including CAS.

But that would be an undertaking, and only if the 2 terrains "match" so to speak in the general physical similarities (land contours, etc)

 

As to the JGSME thingy, I can't say. Don't have it, don't know it; but a 1 terabyte HD (or larger!) takes care of having the separate mods folders. They're relatively inexpensive nowadays

[+eburger68 201]

Wrench:

 

There's a working Movement.INI for the Iceland terrain in the SF2NA Expansion Pack.

 

Eric Howes

[Wrench 9,849]

that's good to know! Thanks Eric!

[DARoot 6]

Thanks for the replies!

To Wrench -- Bummer! So, the "one or the other, but not both" behavior is hard-coded in the SF2 NA .dlls and/or executable?
And nobody has found a "workaround" yet? [if they had, you could/would then update your Philippines 44 WW2 terrain to take advantage.

And since you are "plugged-in" to the latest developments, I'll be watching to see if/when you do].

 

Just postulating -- Suppose one created TWO "whateverterrain.ini" files [using the good ol' "xWhatever.ini" backup method, but naming

them "L_whatever.ini" and "S_whatever.ini" -- one with "NavalMap=TRUE" and one "FALSE," or something, and AllowedMissionTypes=

everything, and two "Nations.ini" (with different nations in the #1 position]?
(And maybe a few more .ini edits -- I've never understood why Thirdwire chose to use different terminology for AircraftRoles,

MissionTypes, and what goes into the Loadout.ini files).  Would there be a way to make the Game Engine switch between them, depending

on End-User choices/input?
Or what about Duplicating the entire terrain folder [Yeah, I know -- bigger HD footprint]. Both exactly the same, but with one set up

for carrier vs carrier, and the other for Land strikes, and let the End-User choose one or the other in the Mission Generator? [Merged

installs allow all "stock" Terrains to be accessable in each SF2xx install.]
And I suspect - maybe I'm wrong - but I think Campaign missions can be set up either way, without switching, since the Modder writes

those missions specifically, rather than relying on the Game Engine to create them. Guess it depends on the Campaign ???

 

Supgen states in his ReadMe for the "Airstrikes on land targets in SF2NA" mod referenced earlier that "..If you have Gerwin's Iceland

installed this will also modify that IF it's named IcelandNA2. I've included a modified Terrain.ini that will alow you to select Anti-

Shipping missions; however until such time as one of our terrain gurus gets around to adding Shipping Routes to Icelands Movement.ini,

it really can't be used. (You get "Perform anti-shipping mission at (null).).."
So, simply editing the various _ini files gives only partial results.
[e.g., you can get "Strike" missions against land targets, but you must use the Mission Editor to set them up. The SF2 NA Game Engine

won't generate them randomly].

 

Two asides (maybe three) --
(1) Both you and Supgen have mentioned Gerwin's Iceland terrain rebuild ("old style" TFD/HFD), but I haven't found it available

anywhere. [There's the tileset available here on CombatAce, but not the full terrain];
Baltika has released a revised Iceland terrain (now in v2.0) which IS available here, but apparently is not based on Gerwin's.
[it sounded promising - "..All mission types are flyable for Red and Blue force.."; "..Added Iceland02_Water.bmp and revised

ICELAND02.INI file to enable full water functionality for SF2 EP2 Mission Editor users.."]
However, it is based on the GermanyCE.CAT, calls for certain objects (e.g., CVN75, Gorchkov, Orjol, Koni, etc.) that are either from

the SFP1 first gens or must be downloaded separately; has a "Iceland02_Water.bmp" that does not include the opposing carrier

battlegroup "operating zones" [but, perhaps, Baltika intended the End-User to add their own?]; and although updated in August 2013, was

apparently constructed in 2010-2011, before SF2 NA came out.
So, IT'S included "_movement.ini" would likely be of limited use for modifying the stock terrain's one.

 

(2) Using Supgen's "file swapper" mod [actually, IMHO, JSGME is a handy program. It's "snapshot" of your existing install is apparently

done in machine-type language, that stores the data in some "hidden/system" files that take up practically no HD space at all, and whan

it "swaps," it ONLY swaps in and out whatever files are changed by whatever mod. Since Supgen's "Soviet Navy" mod only included a few

.ini files, in my case, both the "backup" and the "mod" were very small [about 475 kb each]. AND the the backups get physically deleted

when one "swaps back" to the default. The "snapshot" of what needs to be swapped is apparently stored separately somewhere else]. So,

the size it takes up depends on the size of the mod being installed.
Anyway, merely adding "Anti_Ship" and "CAS" and "Armed_Recon" to the terrain's "AllowedMissionTypes= " lines generally results in the

Mission Generator giving you a "Attack (Null)" briefing (with waypoints all over the map -- needless to say, the missions don't work)

-- or decides to give you a CAP mission instead.

 

(3) Oddly, [and, you'll probably appreciate this, Wrench], when using Supgen's mod I discovered by accident that ENEMY planes CAN get

"anti-ship" missions in SF2 NA. I was randomly testing various "attack-type" aircraft, using the "stock" Thirdwire flyables, [i currently only have a "stock" Tu-16K Soviet aircraft flyable, and it's Random Missions always start/end in the air someplace over water], and decided to try some British models [any that would give an "Anti-Ship" choice in the Mission Generator picklist]. I chose one of the Hunters (the last one on the flyable picklist), and was surprised to find myself starting from a runway on the East side of Iceland, and tasked with attacking shipping in Keflavik Harbor.
Turns out that particular Hunter model was the one exclusively exported to Jordan (added with the Expansion Pack 2).
So, despite the "LimitedNations" statements in the IcelandNA terrain, apparently the Game Engine read "Jordan" as "Enemy" [which it

probably was in SF2 Israel], and what those desert-dwellers were doing in Iceland in 1984, furthering Soviet interests, I have no clue.

Besides which, I managed to get shot down by a U.S. Navy F-4, long before I got close enough to even see if there actually were any

ships to attack, so that mission was a complete bust. Did teach me that it might be time to "clean out" any inappropriate aircraft/
ground objects from my SF2 NA "mod" folder... And definitely "CAT-extract" all the stock xx_data.ini and Userlist.ini files for

possible editing...

 

To Eburger68 --
There's a SF2NA Expansion Pack?
Where might one find that?
Couldn't find it here at CombatAce, or on the Thirdwire website.

 

Or are you, perhaps, referring to the (alleged) next update from Thirdwire?
Which is referenced in the July 2013 SF2 NA "Version.ini" [e.g., "StrikeFighters2 Exp3=FALSE"], and was announced some time ago on the

Thirdwire Forums?
Unfortunately, nothing much has been said about it for the last 6 months to a year.
[And, there's been more than one post recently on the Thirdwire Forums from impatient End-Users about "..vaporware.." and "..Thirdwire

is abandoning PCs in favor of mobile apps.."  But, that may be neither here nor there].

 

Anyway, if THAT has been released to the Public, please let us know where.
It probably currently exists, but in an unfinished state, and only on the Hard Drives of certain restricted select Beta-Testers, and

Thirdwire employees.
If YOU happen to be one of those select few, is there anything more you can tell us about it, without violating any Non-Disclosure

agreements you may have with Thirdwire?

 

But as Wrench says, if we need to wait for Thirdwire to address this particular anomaly, your info is "Good to know..."
-------------------------

Incidentally, for you Casual Readers out there, what we're talking about here is --

 

There's not much to the (currently available, stock) "IcelandNA_Movement.ini" at the moment --

 

[FrontLine]
FriendlyBase=Keflavík
EnemyBase=Egilsstaðir
Position[001]=378906.2,1000000.0
Position[002]=378906.2,726562.5
Position[003]=378906.2,693359.3
Position[004]=398437.5,650390.6
Position[005]=416015.6,603515.6
Position[006]=423828.1,535156.2
Position[007]=462890.6,484375.0
Position[008]=501953.1,460937.5
Position[009]=531250.0,445312.5
Position[010]=595703.1,414062.5
Position[011]=595703.1,0.0
StartShow=3
EndShow=9

 

 

Compare this to, say, the (stock) GermanyCE_Movement.ini --

 

[FrontLine]
FriendlyBase=Bonn
EnemyBase=East Berlin
Position[001]=1000000.0,1000000.0
Position[002]=768000.0,846000.0
Position[003]=622000.0,848000.0
Position[004]=506000.0,776000.0
Position[005]=492000.0,718000.0
Position[006]=542000.0,682000.0
Position[007]=508000.0,660000.0
Position[008]=514000.0,594000.0
Position[009]=488000.0,586000.0
Position[010]=488000.0,544000.0
Position[011]=446000.0,522000.0
Position[012]=460000.0,504000.0
Position[013]=448000.0,484000.0
Position[014]=444000.0,454000.0
Position[015]=488000.0,414000.0
Position[016]=538000.0,434000.0
Position[017]=568000.0,434000.0
Position[018]=580000.0,404000.0
Position[019]=596000.0,372000.0
Position[020]=620000.0,334000.0
Position[021]=688000.0,282000.0
Position[022]=1000000.0,250000.0
StartShow=4
EndShow=20

 

[Route001]
RouteType=GROUND_ATTACK
StartArea=Eisenach
EndArea=Fulda
RoutePosition[001]=439000.0,457000.0
RoutePosition[002]=447000.0,473000.0

 

[Route002]
RouteType=GROUND_ATTACK
StartArea=Eisenach
EndArea=Bad Hersfeld
RoutePosition[001]=443000.0,477000.0
RoutePosition[002]=457000.0,479000.0

 

[Route003]
RouteType=GROUND_ATTACK
StartArea=Plauen
EndArea=Hof
RoutePosition[001]=567000.0,429000.0
RoutePosition[002]=575000.0,435000.0

 

[Route004]
RouteType=GROUND_ATTACK
StartArea=Schwerin
EndArea=Lübeck
RoutePosition[001]=497000.0,753000.0
RoutePosition[002]=525000.0,739000.0

 

[Route005]
RouteType=GROUND_ATTACK
StartArea=Schwerin
EndArea=Hamburg
RoutePosition[001]=469000.0,731000.0
RoutePosition[002]=511000.0,725000.0

 

[Route006]
RouteType=TRUCK
StartArea=Frankfurt an der Oder
EndArea=East Berlin
RoutePosition[001]=711000.0,615000.0
RoutePosition[002]=689000.0,615000.0

 

[Route007]
RouteType=TRUCK
StartArea=Brandenburg
EndArea=Magdeburg
RoutePosition[001]=559000.0,607000.0
RoutePosition[002]=589000.0,607000.0

 

[Route008]
RouteType=TRUCK
StartArea=Dresden
EndArea=Leipzig
RoutePosition[001]=659000.0,499000.0
RoutePosition[002]=647000.0,499000.0
RoutePosition[003]=643000.0,501000.0
RoutePosition[004]=635000.0,507000.0

 

[Route009]
RouteType=TRUCK
StartArea=Hannover
EndArea=Braunschweig
RoutePosition[001]=446000.0,628000.0
RoutePosition[002]=456000.0,622000.0
RoutePosition[003]=464000.0,618000.0
RoutePosition[004]=486000.0,616000.0

 

[Route010]
RouteType=SHIPPING
StartArea=Wismar
EndArea=Rostock
RoutePosition[001]=526000.0,772000.0
RoutePosition[002]=528000.0,784000.0
RoutePosition[003]=540000.0,802000.0
RoutePosition[004]=564000.0,802000.0
RoutePosition[005]=574000.0,798000.0
RoutePosition[006]=574000.0,794000.0

 

[Route011]
RouteType=SHIPPING
StartArea=Rostock
EndArea=Greifswald
RoutePosition[001]=574000.0,794000.0
RoutePosition[002]=574000.0,798000.0
RoutePosition[003]=580000.0,812000.0
RoutePosition[004]=596000.0,832000.0
RoutePosition[005]=628000.0,842000.0
RoutePosition[006]=658000.0,842000.0
RoutePosition[007]=678000.0,832000.0
RoutePosition[008]=686000.0,808000.0
RoutePosition[009]=680000.0,794000.0
RoutePosition[010]=666000.0,794000.0
RoutePosition[011]=660000.0,790000.0

 

[Route012]
RouteType=SHIPPING
StartArea=Greifswald
EndArea=Swinoujscie
RoutePosition[001]=660000.0,790000.0
RoutePosition[002]=666000.0,794000.0
RoutePosition[003]=702000.0,788000.0
RoutePosition[004]=708000.0,776000.0
RoutePosition[005]=708000.0,770000.0

 

[Route013]
RouteType=SHIPPING
StartArea=Swinoujscie
EndArea=Kolobrzeg
RoutePosition[001]=708000.0,770000.0
RoutePosition[002]=714000.0,776000.0
RoutePosition[003]=736000.0,788000.0
RoutePosition[004]=758000.0,796000.0
RoutePosition[005]=774000.0,794000.0
RoutePosition[006]=778000.0,794000.0

 

[Route014]
RouteType=SHIPPING
StartArea=Wilhelmshaven
EndArea=Cuxhaven
RoutePosition[001]=342000.0,738000.0
RoutePosition[002]=342000.0,742000.0
RoutePosition[003]=348000.0,754000.0
RoutePosition[004]=356000.0,762000.0
RoutePosition[005]=364000.0,766000.0

 

You can see what Wrench is referring to. No Iceland shipping or ground object "routes" for the Game Engine to generate missions against

at the moment.  And for Modders, no easy way to "plan out" how to add them, on the Iceland "lod-based" terrain.

 

Please forgive me.
For the last year or so, since "SF2 NA" was released, most Modders have been concentrating on how to transfer and utilize the new SF2

NA "Carrier Ops" functions for use in other mods/terrains.
This thread is about "going retro," and finding out what people know/have done about re-implementing some of the Mission functions that

were available before, but got "removed" in SF2 NA, while retaining the "new and improved" SF2 NA carrier-vs-carrier functions.

 

Blame me. I guess I'm sorta a maverick ...
[And, one of these days, I gotta invest in a Laser Designator, so's I can see where I'm going ...]

 

I'm also from Virginia (USA), and we always want all the "new" stuff, but are reluctant to part with the "old" stuff that we've become

used to and comfortable with.

 

Q: How many Virginians does it take to change a light bulb?
A: Nine. One to change the bulb, and the other eight to stand around reminiscing about how lovely the old one was...
 

 
DARoot

[Wrench 9,849]

you can find eric's SF2NA expansion in the SF2 Downloads, Mission and Campaigns. It's in 3 parts, and requires the creation of a separate NA mods folder.

 

I don't have it installed 'as such', but its VERY well put together (as is all his stuff), and includes all the items needed, excepting of course, SF2:NA.

 

and you want to talk about "inapporpriately' marked aircraft, when building KAW, I kept getting Soviet Meteor F.8!!! (unti I extracted it's data in, and removed the ExportedToEnemy=TRUE line)

 

as to the PI 44, all that's keeping a 'with carriers' and 'without carriers' install is HD space. And a few ini edits and file renaming (most likely the TFD and HFD)

[DARoot 6]

Aha! Found it!

Thank you, Wrench.

 

Well now, Eburger68 is just a treasure trove of information. The writeups/ReadMes for his SF2NA expansion, Sf2Vietnam expansion, and

 

Falklands mod in themselves contain a lot of observations and explanations that are very pertinent to this discussion (including

 

setting up cruise missiles for use by the AI). Much that is useful can be learned by analyzing and trying out what he has done.

 

Thanks, Eburger68!

 

DARoot

 

[Err ... Wrench, how many terabytes did you say those inexpensive HDs you mentioned held?]

[Wrench 9,849]

iirc, when the original 750 gig drive died 1 1/2 year ago, I got a 1 T for about 100 bucks. Don't remember if it was from Newegg or Best Buy. I do remember its a Caviar Black, with 5 year warranty

 

my external 1T, that I use for backing up, is older, and ran about 120 buck from best bey. it's a western digital

[DARoot 6]

Thanks, Wrench!

 

I have a feeling I'm gonna need those extra terebytes pretty soon.

 

And incidentally, I found Gerwin's Iceland terrain. It's linked on one of his posts in the "Modding" section of this Forum.

 

Well, while we're still kinda "off-topic," since it will take me a few days before I can download Eberger68's mods and evaluate how he addressed "Land/Sea Strike" missions in SF2:NA and it's derivatives [i don't like to download more than 1 "big" file per day, so as not to monopolize other people's access), I've been amusing myself with this little project:

 

DARoot