DaBabes DEI Scenario

[JWE]

Well, here it is. It’s still sort of a beta since there’s some grits here and there, but it would take forever to go through everything so it’s up to you all note any issues. We’ll update the thing as you all wish.

This is a H2H or PBEM, ONLY, scenario. The OOBs are vastly different, on both sides, so the poor AI will get a coronary. Please advise if your ‘puter starts smoking and/or sizzling. That said, it is nevertheless possible to run a side under ‘puter control for a turn or three, if there’s not much happening except redeployments and such.

Things are set up to happen, basically, in the same phases that took place historically. Things are set for the Manado/Tarakan ops, and South Seas Force is at Guam ready to be schlepped to Truk from whence it can whack Rabaul. And then the forces are in place for the Borneo/Celebes follow-ups.

Other units come available at approximately the time needed for Timor/Amboina and Takahashi’s operations against Java. Gonna be up to the player to sufficiently spank Singapore in time to release the Guards Div units to Ozawa’s Sumatra operations.

Allied reinforcements are as historical as we could make them as to timing. But … although prepped for Singers, and scheduled to load onto a TF with destination Singers, the 18th Div (and other units) are not required to go there. Some 18th Div pieces are already at Singers, but a couple brigades and arty units are in a follow-on TF that can be diverted. However, only those AIF units that actually deployed to the DEI are available in-scen.

Lots of Dutchness in this one. KNIL Regulars have better experience and morale. The regular regulars are armed fairly well too. The not-quite-regular regulars have good experience and morale, but suffer from a shortage of firepower. Militia is, now, really militia; shortage of firepower, but mainly serves to drag down the experience and morale numbers. Also got (and I hope realistically) creative with the arty.

Tried to bifurcate infantry and artillery as much as possible, such that bombardment attacks can take place with appropriate units, and assaults (deliberate and otherwise) can be made with equally appropriate units and which don’t put assets (devices) at risk that had no business being there in the first place.

This will require some close attention to your various unit postures – who’s attacking, who’s resting, who’s in reserve, who’s digging trenches, who’s at the O-club? That means that the old style “stack” combat won’t work here very well and leaving construction units in ‘combat’ mode when an attack is happening just gets them killed off by counter fire, so it might make sense to turn them ‘off’ when a push is coming. That means they won’t construct, and it drags out the time for something to get constructed, but … hey! presto!

So, this is pretty grogish and it’s kinda developmental, too; lotta layers and levels. Expect to have a lot of savegames and to run a particular op again and again, with different tweaks and twonks. We’re exploring the off-road possibilities of the engine, and think that good players might give it a shot and let us know what they find.

So … check it out. And definitely let us have your comments.

[ed] be sure to grab the art stuff at post #4.

[Ambassador]

Just a basic question : do I need to create a new folder or can I install your scenario in my regular AE-DaBabes folder due to conflicting art ?

[berto]

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[JWE]

Whoops, you will need the accompanying map stuff as well. The file has a new pwhexe.dat (should be kept in a separate folder from the regular one). Also has some map art tweaks and instructions how to create a modified WPEH09.bmp, WPEN09.bmp, WPEH15.bmp, and WPEN15.bmp. Stick those in the separate forder too. When you want to run Scen 30, just swap out the pwhexe and the map art (be sure to save the originals somewhere for easy replacement).

[dwg]

I had a quick look at this last night and it's interesting to see the breakdown of the Dutch forces at this higher level of detail.

WRT the map changes, will they actually make much of a difference if they're left in for other scenarios? The differences are fairly subtle and the PWHex file will make the change essentially invisible to the AI.

[JWE]

ORIGINAL: dwg

I had a quick look at this last night and it's interesting to see the breakdown of the Dutch forces at this higher level of detail.

WRT the map changes, will they actually make much of a difference if they're left in for other scenarios? The differences are fairly subtle and the PWHex file will make the change essentially invisible to the AI.

The map changes make the scenario fundamentally different. The pwhexe file makes the AI fundamentally unuesable, above and beyond the thousand other things that make the AI fundamentally unuseable. Map is for this scenario and this scenario only. And it is necessary. But totally bad for stock.

[Mac Linehan]

JWE and Team -

Thanks for all the outstanding work!

Mac

[herwin]

Would an AI able to use knowledge of the joint distribution that describes a battle or engagement be a better AI?

[Mac Linehan]

JWE -

I am feeling less than bright - am not sure how to follow the directions to copy and paste -

Orig:

Art Edits:
– Copy Philippines H.bmp and paste into WPEH09.bmp.

> How is this done? I have opened the WPEH09 from inside the Art folder; then copied the Philippines H map, but not sure what to do next - how do I paste the Philippines H.bmp onto the orig WPEH09? I suspect that I am missing something basic, and once understood this and the following procedures will fall into place.


Copy Philippines N.bmp and paste into WPEN09.bmp. Take care to line up the pixels; The right edge of the “s” of “Philippines” and the bottom edge of “Altimonan” are set as alignment marks.
– Copy Malaya H.bmp and paste into WPEH15.bmp. Copy Malaya N.bmp and paste into WPEN15.bmp. Take care to line up the pixels; The bottom edge of “Singapore” and the right edge of “Mersing” are set as alignment marks.


JWE - can't wait to look at the scenario; long anticipated and worth waiting for. Thanks for the scenario and your guidance on installing it.

Mac

[JWE]

Hi Mac,
Open Malaya N.bmp in Paint. Open WPEN15.bmp in Paint. You can put them side by side to make it easier.

Click somewhere on the left panel (make it the active one) then:
<ctrl><a> (select all, there should be a dotted line around the whole small image) then;
<ctrl><c> (copy the selected thing to the clipboard) then;
click somewhere on the right panel (make it the active one) then;
<ctrl><v> (paste clipboard contents) then;
grab it with the cursor and move it around till the pixels line up right. Then “save”.

Rinse and repeat with the other three. Easy as cake. Ciao.

[Mac Linehan]

ORIGINAL: JWE

Hi Mac,
Open Malaya N.bmp in Paint. Open WPEN15.bmp in Paint. You can put them side by side to make it easier.

Click somewhere on the left panel (make it the active one) then:
<ctrl><a> (select all, there should be a dotted line around the whole small image) then;
<ctrl><c> (copy the selected thing to the clipboard) then;
click somewhere on the right panel (make it the active one) then;
<ctrl><v> (paste clipboard contents) then;
grab it with the cursor and move it around till the pixels line up right. Then “save”.

Rinse and repeat with the other three. Easy as cake. Ciao.

JWE -

Thank You, thank you for the step by step instructions that enabled even a computer challenged guy (such as my self) to accomplish the task. While I am familiar with Paint on a very basic level, and eventually suspected that Paint was involved in the process, I will not further embarrass myself by telling you the results of my first attempt to follow the original modification instructions. Needless to say there were numerous lines and symbols on the map.... without any sign of success <sigh>.

Am about to open up the scenario and dive in; once again a thanks to the Babes Team (AND the very patient support department!) for all that has been done.

Mac

[berto]

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[JWE]

ORIGINAL: berto
What are some good recommended references describing the DEI campaign in detail?

More than general Pacific War histories mentioning this campaign in passing, I'm looking for books and other works devoting whole chapters if not their full length to a thorough treatment of the subject.

Bonus points if they're not in Dutch. [;)]

Very good place to start is at:
http://www.dutcheastindies.webs.com/
Lots of books on the book page; and check out the credits, you'll be pleased to see who contributed to making this site.

[berto]

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[dwg]

One thing that can help make the map adjustments slightly easier is to zoom-in a couple of steps in your art programme of choice (I can't actually remember if I used Paint or not). It makes positioning the new overlay in precisely the right place that much easier.

One minor OOB issue that leapt out at me in looking through the database, the Aussie coast defence unit at Timor with Sparrow Force is shown as 2/1 Medium Battery with 4 155mm GPFs, I believe that should be 2/1 Heavy Battery, with 2 6" Mk XI (and a number of searchlights), the Aussie 'Letter' CD batteries did use 155mm GPFs, but AIUI they only came into existence after MacArthur arrived in Australia and arranged for the guns to be made available from US stock. There should also be a weak company of Portuguese infantry at Dili who seem to have gotten caught up in the fighting rather than remaining neutral.

If I have my timeline right then Sparrow Force was actually boarding ship in Australia when the balloon went up, rather than already deployed, but it won't make any functional difference to the scenario implemented this way.

[stuman]

ORIGINAL: JWE

ORIGINAL: berto
What are some good recommended references describing the DEI campaign in detail?

More than general Pacific War histories mentioning this campaign in passing, I'm looking for books and other works devoting whole chapters if not their full length to a thorough treatment of the subject.

Bonus points if they're not in Dutch. [;)]

Very good place to start is at:
http://www.dutcheastindies.webs.com/
Lots of books on the book page; and check out the credits, you'll be pleased to see who contributed to making this site.

I found that site a couple of years ago, it is very interesting imo.

[Mac Linehan]

JWE -

It's Friday Nite, just had my first real at length look (haven't played yet); but: WOW!.

From a Japanese Perspective:

> Really like the Divisional HQ's and component breakdowns (more flexibility!)

> I have no doubt that endless hours of sweat have gone into the unit / force OOB's, will enjoy the historical flavor and accuracy

> Smaller scenario and lower unit count; thus a faster moving game. Fighters in particular (read Zero's) and air in general seem fewer and farther between; I will have to take care and prioritize as to who is used where - this will make it very interesting.

OK - just a first look;

A "Well Done" to the Team, Gents.

DEI Conqueror wannabe Mac

P.S. -

MO, I am sure that on the Allied side that the Dutch are well and accurately represented; will admire your work shortly...

[berto]

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[JWE]

As a quick fyi, Japanese base forces were primarily a mix of PBs, DMSs, AMc, AM, AG types, and not necessarily ground units (except for base/harbor support). So when you read, in OOBs, about the 2nd, 9th or 22nd Special base forces being part of an invasion TF, what's really going on is that the base force "ships" were escorting the TF, and the 2nd, 9th or 22nd Nav Def Units (or Port Units, or Nav Gsn Units) were probably in the second wave to get the port running and the gas pumps going after a port/base was captured.

So all them 'dinky' ships had a purpose.[;)]

[berto]

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