Question About Strategic Nodes

[Guest pfunkmusik]

Within what proximity should one node be from another?

 

Here's why I ask. When you're entering the values for a node, I presume the targets for that strategic node mean that should enemy forces take that target, it will then trigger a ground offensive in the direction of that target at the coordinates that you specify. Can you use any target area, or is it best to just use other major target areas?

 

pfunk

[+Baltika 85]

I'm not sure I'm understanding your question right, but I'll do my best to answer. Nodes are defined in your [campaign]_data.ini as follows:-

 

[strategicNode012]

Area=Rangoon

ConnectTo[001].Target=Pegu

ConnectTo[001].BasePoint=231324,439209

ConnectTo[002].Target=Prome

ConnectTo[002].BasePoint=165000,467000

 

"Area=" is the name of the particular Node. The entry must match precisely the name of a Target Area as defined in the [terrain]_targets.ini.

 

"ConnectTo[xxx].Target=" defines which other nodes that node is connected to. The entry must match the name of another Strategic Node in your [campaign]_data.ini. You can have multiple entries (up to four or five, I think) but you should at least define two so that the ground unit may both advance and retreat from that node.

 

"ConnectTo[xxx].BasePoint=" These are the absolute map co-ordinates (use KMD, TE or sfmap to get them) at which the battle will take place in respect of the Target Node defined in the previous line. In the above example, say you have an IJA infantry unit occupying Rangoon. From Rangoon, it can either retreat to Pegu, or advance to Prome. If it attacks Prome, then the defending British unit will stand at the co-ordinates 165000, 467000 (which is just south of Prome) and the IJA unit will advance in-game on that position, heading towards Prome from further south (in fact, from the direction of Rangoon, its point of origin). So, if your BasePoint co-ordinates match exactly the co-ordinates of the target area as defined in the terrain file, the battle will take place at the centre of the city. The BasePoint co-ordinates do not relate to a different target area completely, which I think is what you are asking.

 

Changing the values for BasePoints means you can advance on target areas (i.e. Strategic Nodes) from different directions, depending on where the attacking unit is based.

 

Take a look at the Nodes in my Operation Mountain Twilight campaign to see an example of nodes and Base Point co-ords worked up from scratch. I have found that there is a "comfort zone" of distance for nodes. If they are too close together, ground units tend to disappear when advancing. Likewise, if consecutive nodes are very far away from each other, or at an extreme angle relative to the general line of advance, units tend to disappear when retreating. It's all a bit fiddly, and defining nodes properly so units advance and retreat in good order throughout your network is far and away the most time-consuming part of campaign development, IMHO.

 

On a lighter node , apparantly the latest patch does away with the need to define BasePoint co-ordinates entirely, so it may be you don't have to worry about that part any more.

 

Hope that helps.

 

Cheers,

 

Baltika

Edited April 13, 2008 by Baltika

[Guest pfunkmusik]

I'm not sure I'm understanding your question right, but I'll do my best to answer. Nodes are defined in your [campaign]_data.ini as follows:-

 

[strategicNode012]

Area=Rangoon

ConnectTo[001].Target=Pegu

ConnectTo[001].BasePoint=231324,439209

ConnectTo[002].Target=Prome

ConnectTo[002].BasePoint=165000,467000

 

"Area=" is the name of the particular Node. The entry must match precisely the name of a Target Area as defined in the [terrain]_targets.ini.

 

"ConnectTo[xxx].Target=" defines which other nodes that node is connected to. The entry must match the name of another Strategic Node in your [campaign]_data.ini. You can have multiple entries (up to four or five, I think) but you should at least define two so that the ground unit may both advance and retreat from that node.

 

"ConnectTo[xxx].BasePoint=" These are the absolute map co-ordinates (use KMD, TE or sfmap to get them) at which the battle will take place in respect of the Target Node defined in the previous line. In the above example, say you have an IJA infantry unit occupying Rangoon. From Rangoon, it can either retreat to Pegu, or advance to Prome. If it attacks Prome, then the defending British unit will stand at the co-ordinates 165000, 467000 (which is just south of Prome) and the IJA unit will advance in-game on that position, heading towards Prome from further south (in fact, from the direction of Rangoon, its point of origin). So, if your BasePoint co-ordinates match exactly the co-ordinates of the target area as defined in the terrain file, the battle will take place at the centre of the city. The BasePoint co-ordinates do not relate to a different target area completely, which I think is what you are asking.

 

Changing the values for BasePoints means you can advance on target areas (i.e. Strategic Nodes) from different directions, depending on where the attacking unit is based.

 

Take a look at the Nodes in my Operation Mountain Twilight campaign to see an example of nodes and Base Point co-ords worked up from scratch. I have found that there is a "comfort zone" of distance for nodes. If they are too close together, ground units tend to disappear when advancing. Likewise, if consecutive nodes are very far away from each other, or at an extreme angle relative to the general line of advance, units tend to disappear when retreating. It's all a bit fiddly, and defining nodes properly so units advance and retreat in good order throughout your network is far and away the most time-consuming part of campaign development, IMHO.

 

On a lighter node , apparantly the latest patch does away with the need to define BasePoint co-ordinates entirely, so it may be you don't have to worry about that part any more.

 

Hope that helps.

 

Cheers,

 

Baltika

 

You and Dave's article on this have answered it perfectly. Thank you very much for the assistance.

 

pfunk