Modding Question

[okami]

How do you change the default loadout on aircraft? Eg. B5N2 has an 18" Torpedoe and a default long range weapon of a 250kg AP bomb. How do you change the bomb loadout?
Andrew

[JeffroK]

Andrew,
 
You can change the default in the Aircraft data field, where it has the torpedo you can change the weapon. I believe at the extended range the bomb load is modified so it choses a weapon that fits. This is chosen by the computer.
This changes all squadrons with that aircraft. (The latest Edit program 6.0 has a button to "force" this change)
 
If you want to change only 1 squadron, you can go to the squadron page and change the load which will only change the aircraft in that squadron, if you upgrade then revert, it will restore back to the deafaul for that aircraft.

[okami]

Thanks Jeff. So I can't change the bomb without changing the torp. Well that sucks.

[Dili]

I think you need to put other kind of bomb in the slot of 250kg AP.

[okami]

Yes Dili I had thought of that but that would change the default of all Japanese planes to the new bomb when only the Kate used it. The game does not reflect that the Kate was the premier bomber on the carriers and not just for it torp. High Level bombing was a specialty of the Japanese navy. THe use of the 800kg bomb was much more prevalent than the game allows.

[el cid again]

ORIGINAL: JeffK

Andrew,

You can change the default in the Aircraft data field, where it has the torpedo you can change the weapon. I believe at the extended range the bomb load is modified so it choses a weapon that fits. This is chosen by the computer.
This changes all squadrons with that aircraft. (The latest Edit program 6.0 has a button to "force" this change)

If you want to change only 1 squadron, you can go to the squadron page and change the load which will only change the aircraft in that squadron, if you upgrade then revert, it will restore back to the deafaul for that aircraft.

This is the general way it is done - but not technically the only way to go.

You CAN change the loadout ONLY in specific air units (which theoretically should be the same as the aircraft).

Now if you do that there are some consequences:

a) Error checking software will list it as an error

b) Players won't know the default load is not in this unit UNLESS you somehow tell them (I tell them in the unit name - for example adding AP if the unit has AP bombs - as a suffex "FAA 811 Squadron (AP)"

c) It will not affect hard coded routines which are essentially undefined. Thus if the aircraft is assigned an ASW mission it will drop a depth charge - or maybe an ASW bomb (we don't know) - and "hits" will be scored on submarines occasionally - even if your loadout had NO weapons whatever! A more significant case is torpedo weapons: no matter the number of torpedoes in the loadout, you never will get more than one per plane. Now this is not a consequence of using different loadouts - it just is the way it is with ALL planes - and using different loadouts won't make any difference (except this: the TYPE of torpedo will change if you changed it).

[okami]

ORIGINAL: el cid again

ORIGINAL: JeffK

Andrew,

You can change the default in the Aircraft data field, where it has the torpedo you can change the weapon. I believe at the extended range the bomb load is modified so it choses a weapon that fits. This is chosen by the computer.
This changes all squadrons with that aircraft. (The latest Edit program 6.0 has a button to "force" this change)

If you want to change only 1 squadron, you can go to the squadron page and change the load which will only change the aircraft in that squadron, if you upgrade then revert, it will restore back to the deafaul for that aircraft.

This is the general way it is done - but not technically the only way to go.

You CAN change the loadout ONLY in specific air units (which theoretically should be the same as the aircraft).

Now if you do that there are some consequences:

a) Error checking software will list it as an error

b) Players won't know the default load is not in this unit UNLESS you somehow tell them (I tell them in the unit name - for example adding AP if the unit has AP bombs - as a suffex "FAA 811 Squadron (AP)"

c) It will not affect hard coded routines which are essentially undefined. Thus if the aircraft is assigned an ASW mission it will drop a depth charge - or maybe an ASW bomb (we don't know) - and "hits" will be scored on submarines occasionally - even if your loadout had NO weapons whatever! A more significant case is torpedo weapons: no matter the number of torpedoes in the loadout, you never will get more than one per plane. Now this is not a consequence of using different loadouts - it just is the way it is with ALL planes - and using different loadouts won't make any difference (except this: the TYPE of torpedo will change if you changed it).

Thank you el cid, but I need clarification so I will give a specific want. B5N2 Kate current 18" Torpedoe/250kgAP want B5N2 18" Torpedoe/800kg AP. How do I go about getting this in every Kate squadron and no where else?
Andrew

[el cid again]

Use the Matrix 6.0 editor. Change it in the AIRCRAFT database. Then use the update button. All units that have that plane will get it. So will units that upgrade to it.

This is a bad idea. Hard code takes the torpedo and turns it into an 800 kg bomb 1/6 of the time if you do a port attack.
That will NEVER change whatever you do. A real kate could carry EITHER a torpedo OR a bomb - but not both. So your plane is fictional. And the plane max load will be wrong for a dual load case. Your planes will be attacking twice in every attack - once with each weapon - unless it is a port attack - when 1/6 will attack with 2 800 kg bombs instead. ASW attacks will automatically convert to DC. Land attacks will convert the torpedo to 250 kg bombs and you will STILL drop an 800 kg bomb. Nothing about this makes any sense to me. But that is how.

[okami]

ORIGINAL: el cid again

Use the Matrix 6.0 editor. Change it in the AIRCRAFT database. Then use the update button. All units that have that plane will get it. So will units that upgrade to it.

This is a bad idea. Hard code takes the torpedo and turns it into an 800 kg bomb 1/6 of the time if you do a port attack.
That will NEVER change whatever you do. A real kate could carry EITHER a torpedo OR a bomb - but not both. So your plane is fictional. And the plane max load will be wrong for a dual load case. Your planes will be attacking twice in every attack - once with each weapon - unless it is a port attack - when 1/6 will attack with 2 800 kg bombs instead. ASW attacks will automatically convert to DC. Land attacks will convert the torpedo to 250 kg bombs and you will STILL drop an 800 kg bomb. Nothing about this makes any sense to me. But that is how.

Ok I guess I wasn't clear enough. I don't want a Kate that drops a torp and bomb in the same attack. I want a Kate which when it is not carrying a torp to be carrying a 800kg bomb and not the 250kg bomb that the game seems to always give it. Does that clear up what I am trying to say? Any help greatly appritiated.
Andrew

[el cid again]

OK - I understand. Well - you can't get there from here exactly. But you CAN give DIFFERENT units a DIFFERENT loadout. RHS has ASW armed Kates, and RHSEOS has ARMY Kates armed with IJA bombs (100 kg bombs), and it has torpedo armed Kates which SOMETIMES will carry 800 kg bombs vs ships in port and other wise 250 kg bombs.

Now you can create a UNIT that ALWAYS has one 800 kg bomb - period. It will never carry a torpedo, however.

[Nikademus]

ORIGINAL: okami

Ok I guess I wasn't clear enough. I don't want a Kate that drops a torp and bomb in the same attack. I want a Kate which when it is not carrying a torp to be carrying a 800kg bomb and not the 250kg bomb that the game seems to always give it. Does that clear up what I am trying to say? Any help greatly appritiated.
Andrew

You can't. Aircraft that carry a torpedo as the primary armament default to a hard-coded device when attacking land based targets which for the Japan side is the 250kg bomb device. The 800kg bomb device is located in a slot that the routine taps when triggered to "switch" to a 800kg when attacking port targets so should not be used. (Kate...Betty and Nell, Francis and Peggy all tap it) I am not sure if the 250kg device is tapped in the same way. That might be one way to circumvent it by changing the location of the Stock 250kg Japanese bomb device to 800kg but then your introducing a problem as if it works, then all the other aircraft that carry torps will also tap that same device slot.

[okami]

Thanks Nik and El Cid so I guess I juat have to wish that the next version of this game will allow me to loadout my planes manually. Currently the 250kg AP bomb is a joke compared to historical fact. IE: The Val carrying the bomb sank more total tonnage than any other plane in the war. This has not happened in any of my games to date.
Andrew

[el cid again]

ORIGINAL: Nikademus

ORIGINAL: okami

Ok I guess I wasn't clear enough. I don't want a Kate that drops a torp and bomb in the same attack. I want a Kate which when it is not carrying a torp to be carrying a 800kg bomb and not the 250kg bomb that the game seems to always give it. Does that clear up what I am trying to say? Any help greatly appritiated.
Andrew

You can't. Aircraft that carry a torpedo as the primary armament default to a hard-coded device when attacking land based targets which for the Japan side is the 250kg bomb device. The 800kg bomb device is located in a slot that the routine taps when triggered to "switch" to a 800kg when attacking port targets so should not be used. (Kate...Betty and Nell, Francis and Peggy all tap it) I am not sure if the 250kg device is tapped in the same way. That might be one way to circumvent it by changing the location of the Stock 250kg Japanese bomb device to 800kg but then your introducing a problem as if it works, then all the other aircraft that carry torps will also tap that same device slot.

Well - it won't do what he wants - but it would work. You would drop 2 x 800 kg bombs on land targets - and 1 at extended range on naval targets. And the torpedo in naval attacks - except in ports - 1/6 of the time it will change to 800 kg (or whatever is in the former 800 kg bomb slot).

[el cid again]

ORIGINAL: okami

Thanks Nik and El Cid so I guess I juat have to wish that the next version of this game will allow me to loadout my planes manually. Currently the 250kg AP bomb is a joke compared to historical fact. IE: The Val carrying the bomb sank more total tonnage than any other plane in the war. This has not happened in any of my games to date.
Andrew

In fairness I must admit the Val usually sinks more than other planes do. It certainly is effective early in the war. Are you letting them go in high enough to get large strings?

[okami]

ORIGINAL: el cid again



In fairness I must admit the Val usually sinks more than other planes do. It certainly is effective early in the war. Are you letting them go in high enough to get large strings?

Ok here is a tactic I may not be using. Currently I drop from 10000ft should I start at a higher altitude?
Andrew

[el cid again]

Yep. If you go to 13,000 or 14,000 or 15,000 feet - you will get nice big strings - typically 8 or 9 - and they all penetrate the AAA together. Now the AAA remains just the same - if it scores "3 killed and 3 damaged/broken off" THEN there are STILL 3 left - and one or two of those will deliver bombs. Much better than coming in lower and getting only 4 or 5 in a string - and NONE deliver! I myself prefer 13,000 feet - it is just high enough to get a big enough string to work - but not so high you get maximum strings - which means you get MORE strings of the effective size. Also, enemy fighters default to 10,000 feet - and I love to be 3,000 feet above them - the chance of being hurt by them is less. I tend to put fighters in layers - one layer with the dive bombers, one layer ("top cover") 2000 feet above it, and something tricky to deal with torpedo bombers or low fliers down below. If seaplane fighters are available, I give them that job. I set the CAP % according both to what I want over my forces AND what I want on escort - because the complimentary % is available for escort duty. All in all - one can be most sophisticated about how one designs an air strike. And one should not be totally predictable about it - nor ignore special conditions on either side that day. Use what you have, consider what he might have, and agonize about the health of your planes. Play as if you were really in a CIC - easy for me because I just remember being in a CIC - and have a reason for whatever you do. In general, do not use default settings - AI and other players will expect that to be the norm.

Although you must pay attention - and try things - to figure it out (it should be in the manual, but because that isn't affordable, lots of things are not) - you will come to understand this is a VERY sophisticated air model.