Baltika

Result Nice work :yes:

WW2 Test Campaign for AvHistory beta FMs v1.1 View File September 1st, 1944 The Pact of Steel: Axis Ascendancy Egypt and India have fallen to the Axis powers, who now control the Suez Canal and with it, access to the Eastern Mediterranean. Japanese victory at Midway and in the Aleutians, and the Imperial occupation of Hawaii, has penned the US Pacific Fleet into its west coast continental American bases. A successful German offensive through the Caucasus has brought the Wermacht to the borders of Asia. Leningrad has fallen and Moscow is under heavy siege. There is one ray of light for the Allied cause: the Operation Torch landings have granted the Allies a foothold on the fringes of Occupied Europe. Imperial Japan resolves to lend Fast Attack Carrier Air Support to its German and Italian brethren and drive the Allies finally from Africa. . . // ------------------------------------------------ // WW2 Test Campaign // For AvHistory beta prop FMs // v1.1 // Campaign files by Baltika // ------------------------------------------------ Thanks to the AvHistory team for taking up the challenge of developing WW2 prop FMs for TK's series of sims. Cheers guys ;-) This is my little contribution to the process, a testbed campaign for the beta FMs as they are released. I will try to add more of the "Gang of 10" test aircraft as they become available. I am running this campaign in SFG patched up to Oct 08 level, but it should work fine in the SF2 series as well. There are a few requirements: AvHistory beta FM planes - P-51D-30, FW-190D-9, P-47M and A6M5c -currently available in 3rd party mod section at capun's Skunkworks EDIT: the P-51, P-47M and A6M5c are now available here at CA. Thanks to the AvHistory team for granting permission to post their FMs here, and to the original creators of these birds (WOLF257, ArmourDave and Russo). Edward's WW2 Tunisia terrain - http://forum.combatace.com/index.php?autoc...p;showfile=4228 Geo's WW2 Ground Objects Paks 1 & 2 - http://www.geos-aircraft.com/ The ships from Gepard's Midway terrain - http://forum.combatace.com/index.php?autoc...p;showfile=7658 - ships by the DAT team and Hinchinbrooke. I have also included a couple of modded terrain .ini files, based on Edward's originals. I have just changed the alignment of a couple of target areas in the targets.ini to get the front line to work properly. I have also included and updated terrain_DATA.INI so that the terrain will work with the Oct 08 and later versions of the game. Install the above items, drop the "WW2Test" folder into your campaign folder, and use the included terrain.ini files in the Tunisia terrain. You may meet a few old friends over the skies of Tunisia ;-) Post your feedback on the AvHistory FMs here: http://avhistory.org/communityserver/forums/39.aspx Any problems, give me a shout at CombatAce. Tally-Ho! Baltika 12 June 2009 // ------------------------------------------------- Changelog: v1.1 - Added additional P-51 and Zero squadrons - Added additional USAAF Aces - Added Zuiho and Shoho as IJN Carrier Units - Reworked Frontline to allow Malta based units to operate properly - Corrected bug that meant Axis air units could not be selected as flyable (sorry!) // ------------------------------------------------- Submitter Baltika Submitted 06/13/2009 Category User Made Campaigns

Welcome aboard, rwatson Much info about the BoB campaign pack available here at CA can be found in this thread. If you have any specific questions, fire away and I'll do my best to help. http://forum.combatace.com/index.php?showtopic=19928 Tally-Ho! Baltika

For those who haven't come across this, I thoroughly recommend it for a wealth of information on the history of the RAF - squadrons, deployments, aircraft types and service dates (WW1 to present day) , markings etc, etc etc. http://www.rafweb.org/Menu.htm

Whew, it's back

You can also place a specific type of SAM on the map provided you have defined it in the terrain_TYPES.INI, e.g: Put this type of entry in your terrain_TYPES.INI: [TargetType142] Name=ZSU-57 <---- this defines the callout in the terrain_TARGETS.INI FullName=ZSU-57-2 AAA <---- This defines the name that appears in-game TargetType=MOBILE_AAA UseGroundObject=TRUE <----- setting this to true tells the game you want to call an object from the groundobject folder GroundObjectType=ZSU-57 <--- This specifies the type of object you want to call out ActiveYear=0 TargetValue=30 RepairRate=0.555 StartDetectChance=20 StartIdentifiedChance=0 IncreaseDetectChanceKey=0 MaxVisibleDist=8000.0 DestroyedEffect=SmallRocketGroundExplosion SecondaryEffect=VehicleFireEffect SecondaryChance=100 Then, to place it on your map, add an entry like this in the terrain_TARGETS.INI: [TargetArea032] Name=Coyote Advance Supply Dump Position=215081,313664 Radius=2000.000 ActiveYear=0 Location=1 Alignment=ENEMY Target[001].Type=ZSU-57 Target[001].Offset=-415,-530 Target[001].Heading=270 The above will place a ZSU-57 at Coyote Advance Supply Dump, at the offset point taken from the absolute map co-ords defined at the Position= entry. Wrench has done a stack of work in defining all sorts of groundobjects in various terrain_types.inis, including the one above taken from his ANW 4 seasons upgrade. That way, you can call out a specific type of sam, radar, tank, ship, flag, gin-joint or whatever you want onto your map. Just define the object in your types.ini first and you are good to go.

Hmmm. . . Getting a service unavailable screen when I try to log on. Anybody know if this is a little local difficulty or something more serious? This was a great resource for all sorts of useful info and I have my fingers crossed this is just some downtime or something. . .

Great news I must say I am very excited by the prospect of the AvHistory WW2 bird FMs. For too long my WW2 installs have been stuck in the land of v083006. Getting the WW2 birds up to current standards would be magnificent :yes:

Thanks

Sorry, I can't help with that as I have not yet taken the plunge into SF2, although I don't see why not. A major problem is that all the WW2 prop FMs need a thorough overhaul to work in the Oct 08 (or later) build of TK's engine. That's why I specify that this campaign is for SFP1/WoV/WoE patched up to v 083006 level only. There is a bit of a resurgence of interest in the WW2 stuff, so hopefully we will see some updated FMs before long. Toodle-pip for now (North Africa is next on the hit-list ) Baltika

Hi STORM, I just downloaded and unzipped and everything seems fine on my end. Maybe try to d/l again and see how you get on? ERRATA: In the Read Me I have wrongly credited the Type 95 IJN Light Tank to the DAT. It is of course by Geo, and can be found in his WW2 Objects Pak 2. Sorry about that

Something for the merry band of WW2 propheads - happily growing in number, it would appear :yes: I am hauling this thread up from the vaults to announce that Burma Air War is a WIP no longer. Coming soon to a combatace near you:- Uploaded and awaiting approval in the CA campaign section :yes: EDIT: Now available right here at CA http://forum.combatace.com/index.php?autoc...p;showfile=9133 What you get: Campaign covering the air war in Burma from Dec '41 to May '42. Flyable squadrons for RAF, AVG, IJAAF and a lonely USAAF bomber squadron who made it to Burma in time to start ferrying the wounded back into India. New ETO and PTO Hurricane and Blenheim skins, and a stack of RAF decals to cover the squadrons in the theatre. With many thanks to Wrench for his superlative new Hurri templates, cheers mate Re-decalling of Gramps' Buffalo skin to create 67 Squadron RAF, complete with authentic serial numbers for the squadron. Nation-specific WW2 Chinese Infantry, modded from Kesselbrut's WW2 infantry. A major upgrade of Edward's WW2 Burma terrain, building on the work done already by Wrench in that regard. Stacks of new historical airbases, many completely new target areas, new rivers, new planning maps, new terrain .HFD and .TFD files to accomodate all the new stuff. Revised movement, nations, targets and types .ini terrain files to achieve, so far as possible, a historical campaign progression. In other words, the Allies are going to get their butts kicked in this one. Try flying a 67 Sqdn Buffalo campaign and see what I mean Any comments, feedback, suggestions and gripes are most welcome. Tally-ho chaps! Slainthe! Baltika

View File Burma Air War - The Longest Retreat v1.0 ************************************************** Burma Air War The Longest Retreat December 1941 - May 1942 Campaign Mod by Baltika v1.0 ************************************************** For SFP1/SFG/WoV/WoE Patched to v. 083006 ************************************************** Sept 1931: Japan occupies the Chinese state of Manchuria. July 1937: The ultra-nationalist Japanese Kwantung Army engineers open war with China. By 1938, Japan controls the majority of the Chinese coast. Chinese forces, led by Nationalist Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek, continue to resist the Japanese invader. 16 July 1940: General Hideki Tojo, Commander of the Kwantung Army, deposes the government in Tokyo and, as Minister of War, becomes the de facto leader of Japan. 22 Sept 1940: In Berlin, Japanese Foreign Minister Yosuke Matsuoka signs the Tripartite "Pact of Steel" Treaty with Germany and Italy. On the same day, Japan invades French Indo-China (Vietnam). July 1941: Japan removes the puppet French regime and forcibly occupies Saigon. Dec 1941: The stage is set for the Japanese invasion of the Dutch East Indies, the Philippines, the Malay Peninsula and Burma. The hammer falls on Pearl Harbor. . . The Burma Road, running from Rangoon, through Mandalay to Kunwing in China, is Chiang Kai-shek's last supply route. General Tojo resolves to stop the flow of American military aid to his Chinese enemy. . . Sign up with the Royal Air Force, the Flying Tigers or the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force and fly for your life in a bitter struggle to the death over the skies of Burma! *************************************************** Submitter Baltika Submitted 06/05/2009 Category User Made Campaigns

This is looking really good, great work to all concerned Just wondering about terrain for this? I have a great source for air OOB for Poland Blitzktrieg Campaign, I'm happy to produce a campaign file, a pointer to info on the ground units involved would be very helpful. Cheers all, Baltika

Hi keith, I have taken a look at this on my own install and I can't re-create your issue re carrier take-offs. Mind you, I am running SFP1 v083006 on XP SP3, so it may be a Windows 7 issue. The only thing I can think of to suggest is that you back up your CV-5 folder, download the CV-5 pack from capun's site and use that one, as I know gepard included some edited ships with his terrain in order to get them to burn properly as ground targets. Perhaps the edited ones don't work properly as carriers? I don't think things will be any different on WoV, as I said I am running SFP1 for my PTO install. As to the rufe, that rings a bell with me - I think it's an issue with the loadout.ini. Check that your loadout.ini entry (in the A6M2-N folder) matches the weapondata.ini entry for the floats. My loadout.ini entry reads Zeke_Float_White for station 3 in all configurations, I can't remember if it came like that stock now or not. From memory, I think that capun and Wrench have slightly different versions of this bird on their respective sites, so try the "other" one from the one you have installed and see if that makes a difference. But, Wrench is the loadout master, so you may want to wait & see what he says about that :yes: Hope you get it sorted. If you do, feedback on campaign difficulty/win-lose parameters would be most welcome. Cheers, Baltika

Hi keith, Like Wrench says, in single mission mode, the runways are on the ocean. TK does not yet support carrier starts in single missions. CTD issue, again, just like The Wrench says. As to the campaign issue, first of all, are you playing the 1.1 version? The main d/l pack was updated to this standard shortly after release, so if you have only recently installed it, chances are, you are. If not, there is a quick hotfix update in the campaign d/l section. try that and see how you go. If you are running v1.1, could you tell me which squadron you are flying and I will see if I can re-create your issue. As to the disappearing escorts, again, that is a limitation of the game engine. Gepard has set up his terrain so that the carriers and escort group appear on the terrain as stationary target areas. Nice populated, heavily defended fleets for your bombing attack runs. However, those carrier groups do not operate as flyable from the deck carriers. I have set up separate carrier stations for deck ops. There is no AI code for carrier escorts in the game engine (yet. . . hopefully!) so when you fly a mission from the deck, your carrier is out on its own. When I placed the carriers in the battle groups at mission start, either they plowed through their escorts with catastrophic results, or the headings were all screwed up. So, what you have is a best-available-for-the-moment set up. However, I have not seen AI planes take off through my own plane. Hmmm - I have not seen an invisible carrier either for that matter. In your Objects\GroundObject folder, do you have a folder called CV-5 ? Cheers, Baltika

You're welcome Any problems with set up, just give me a shout. There are quite a few WW2 campaigns available here, covering ETO, MTO and PTO, with several more in the pipeline. Enjoy!

And, whilst I'm shamelesly plugging away here, make sure and get my WW2 RAF speechpack whilst you're at it: http://forum.combatace.com/index.php?autoc...p;showfile=5533

Hi aisling, Welcome aboard. This will give you a baseline WW2 ETO install without too much hassle: http://forum.combatace.com/index.php?autoc...p;showfile=5246 The installation instructions will set you up, although where it says "install latest weapons pack," now all you need is Wrench's WW2 wep pack, available here at CA. http://forum.combatace.com/index.php?autoc...p;showfile=8495 Tally-ho! Baltika

Great 109 skins, Thanks ndicki

Hi there, Glad you like the terrain. As to the issue you describe, this is a known problem if you are running this terrain on SFP1/SFG. The UK terrain is set up to use airfield_data.ini files which are found in the Germany_CE.CAT and do not appear in the desert.CAT. As I set this up to run on WoE, and did not test this terrain on other platforms, I was not aware of it until after release. There will be updates to this terrain which will fix this issue, but there is no ETA as yet. Meantime, select start "in air" as a workaround. To fix it yourself, look in the UK_targets.ini and compare the airfield_data.ini= entry with entries for each type of runway with the corresponding entries in your desert_targets.ini, and swap the entries over. To explain: In UK_targets.ini you will see this: [TargetArea118] Name=RAF Waddington Position=1100000.000000,486000.000000 Radius=11313.708984 ActiveYear=0 Location=12 Alignment=ENEMY AirfieldDataFile=german_airbase3.ini <----- This line causes the problem in SFP1/SFG NumSquadrons=12 Target[001].Type=Runway4 Target[001].Offset=0.00,0.00 Target[001].Heading=20.0 etc, etc, for each runway. Look in desert_targets.ini and find an entry for Runway4, eg: [TargetArea053] Name=D2 Airfield Position=251000.00,761000.00 Radius=6000 ActiveYear=0 Location=1 Alignment=FRIENDLY AirfieldDataFile=desert_airfield4.ini <---- See the difference? NumSquadrons=6 Target[001].Type=Runway4 Target[001].Offset=0.00,0.00 Target[001].Heading=30 So, when Runway4 is called out in the UK_targets.ini, replace AirfieldDataFile=german_airbase3.ini with this: AirfieldDataFile=desert_airfield4.ini Each runway type has a different airfield data file, so you will need to check each one individually. Any questions, fire away. Cheers, Baltika

OK, I have dug into the .ini files a bit more and sussed out what is going on. Scouserlad13, the reason you are getting planes blowing up on the runway is because UK beta .04 calls out airfield data files which only exist in the WoE Germany_CE.cat file, not in SFP1/SFG. I know I said in the readme the terrain would work in those other games (which it will) but I also said it wasn't tested there, which it wasn't. Sorry about that, to everyone running SFP1/SFG (and I d/k about WoV or WoI) who has d/led the beat and had this trouble. The reason is, the UK_TARGETS.INI file calls out runways as follows: [TargetArea041] Name=RAF Leuchars Position=869000.000000,772000.000000 Radius=8485.281250 ActiveYear=0 Location=1 Alignment=FRIENDLY AirfieldDataFile=german_airbase3.ini NumSquadrons=12 Target[001].Type=Runway4 Target[001].Offset=0.00,0.00 Target[001].Heading=90.0 etc etc, and various variations on that theme. The problematic entry is the AirFieldDataFile= line. The various German and Soviet airbases called out do not exist in the stock desert.CAT file you get with SFP1/SFG. So, all the a/c in your flight end up siiting on top of one another on the end of the runway, and blow up. This can be fixed by changing the AirfieldDataFile= entry to match one which exists in SFP1, and corresponds to the type of runway you are sitting on. Now that I am aware of the issue, I can fix it for the next version update. Unfortunately, that is a fair bit of work given the number and different types of runways featured in this terrain. But it will get fixed. Meantime, the beta will work fine in SFP1/SFG so long as you do not select runway takeoffs. Cpt.Cosmos, no need to buy WoE to run this terrain (allowing for the above problem) but don't let me put you off the purchase. It's well worth it. Cheers all, Baltika

Hi scouserlad13, From your PM it sounds like there is a mismatch with one of these terrain_Target.ini entries: AirfieldDataFile=german_airbase3.ini which call out how things like taxiing and parking are controlled on each runway, or one of the airfield entries in the terrain_Targets.ini is missing such an entry. I am running this terrain on WoE patched to Oct '08, with my collisions set to hard, and I have been unable to re-create the planes exploding on the runway. Can you tell me which version of the game you are running UK beta on, which airbase(s) you get the problem on, and what planes you see it with. Sorry if I have asked you this already, I have over-enthusiastically cleared out my CA mailbox Ndicki reported a similar problem but he has fixed it by checking he copied over all the terrain files properly. Cheers, Baltika