Babes Guadalcanal Scenario

[JWE]

No, not really intentional. Just a kind of 'power on reset' of the original Scen04. Suspect DesDivs 29, 30, 32 were still in 12/41 configuration, since they were in the area from the beginning and didn't have much opportunity to go home for a refit. Same with DesDivs 11, 19, 20 and 22, they were operational in PI and DEI for the whole time; again little opportunity for refit. Some of DesRons 4 and 10 may have gotten updated in the pauses before and after Midway. Two DesDivs from DesRon 2 very likely did, one very likely didn't. So it's about 50/50. It will take some digging through the troms to see who got the requisite down time. Should be in the release version.

[Nikademus]

When scen 4 was in development I don't think the upgrade paths had been finalized yet so this was probably missed. (hard to recall....it was so long ago)

When i built the 42 GC scenario one of my "Action Items" was to ensure that all the ships in the database had their most current "upgrade" scheme.

[JWE]

Oh, poo, Puhis. Went and looked, and it's become apparent I have to do some major dental work on the Class TO&Es for the kazi's, take's and uki's. It's worthwhile doing it for this scenario, because I think we can get most of the Japanese in their actual configuration. Boy oh boy, the original Class layouts/upgrades needed some work, yeah?

[ed] btw, Nik did a great job. A lot of the older DDs were modified on an individual basis; almost an experimental basis. Got some great stuff from Senshi Sosho and from Allyn Nevitt over at CombinedFleet. Tons of green water and white paper coming over the bows [8D]

Oh well, I only complain because it means more stuff to do, but it's for a good cause. You are quite right, and it will make the scenario better. Thanks for bringing it up.

Hakka Palle !! John

[JWE]

Almost finished with the new AI files. Woof !! Out of the country for a bit so it will be a while before it gets posted. Going to add something to the extended map that should work well for this scenario. Going to split up Shortlands and Buin.

Shortlands is the IJN ‘roundhouse’ and staging area for transport missions from Rabaul to Guadalcanal. There is some air capacity, viz Ballalae, but it wasn’t developed (historically) till 11/42, and was only an advanced staging base, even then. Majority of Shortlands air was IJN seaplane stuff. So Shortlands gets Port 2(2) and AF1(0)

Buin gets most of the AF build, viz Kahili, “the primary airfield supporting fighter operations over the Southern Solomons, and defense of Bougainville, until additional airfield were constructed” and latterly (’43) Kara. Tonolei harbor was a sheltered anchorage, but heavily reef ridden and without shore facilities of any kind whatsoever. So Buin gets Port 1(0) and AF 0(2).

Think the relative slot locations are good for stock and only need minimal tweaks for Ext map mods.

[packerpete]

A little help for the computer illiterate pretty please? I need a step by step on how to download the Guadalcanal scenario. I cannot even figure out what option to click on the Babes site to get it.[:(] On a related note, do I need or should I download the extended map too? And is there anything else I need??

I did see the essential chrome thread but I am absolutely stymied by STEP#1[&:]

I do appreciate all the work that has gone into the mods and updates. Thank you to all that have helped in any capacity to improve this great game.

[JWE]

ORIGINAL: packerpete
A little help for the computer illiterate pretty please? I need a step by step on how to download the Guadalcanal scenario.

Go to the website: Go to Page 5 Small Scenarios: go to the sub-page, Guadalcanal: at the bottom right of the page (to the far right of the scenario line), click the large red "download" arrow: click yes to the "Do Ya Really Wanna" message. You now have a zip of the scenario somewhere on your hard drive.

Open the zip: extract the contents into your game's SCEN folder. You now have scenario 034 available for gameplay.

Start the game: go to Select Scenario: click on Scen034: play game: have lots of fun.

On a related note, do I need or should I download the extended map too? And is there anything else I need??

No, no and no.

I do appreciate all the work that has gone into the mods and updates. Thank you to all that have helped in any capacity to improve this great game.

Thank you. You are quite welcome. Ciao.

[packerpete]

Finally got it. Thank you sir. There is not a red arrow though.

Maybe I should rephrase my other question. Will the extended map work with this scenario??

[JWE]

ORIGINAL: packerpete
Finally got it. Thank you sir. There is not a red arrow though.

Maybe I should rephrase my other question. Will the extended map work with this scenario??

Yes, it will work. This is a small scenario, with a small map window, so the nifty extended map extras for India, PI, and Malaysia, won't show up anyway. Either map (stock or extended) works just fine.

[packerpete]

My screen looks nothing like that. In place of the arrow, I have a Very large capitol A with two dots over it and a not filled in rectangle beside the capitol A.

[JWE]

Ah, crap. Would you post a screen shot, please. Thanks.

[packerpete]

How do you do that??

[JWE]

Never mind, Noel. Seems Euro Google displays things differently than US Google. We get a big red arrow, you all get a big red A.

[LoBaron]

Just chiming in to say thanks that you bring DBB in the world of small scenarios! That is the best way to get
accustomed to all the changes.
[&o]

Also, I got a small question or request: I have no idea if this is possible within the limitations of the mod:
Guadalcanal is my favorite Scenario for easy casual play. Since long I am a bit annoyed by the map
size which results in very erratic vertical scrolling when it collides with 1920x1080 resolution.

I assume this is because of the Map width being lesser than 1920 pixels. I have not played this scenario
for a very long time now, partly because of this issue. Has any attempt been made to correct it by simply
enlarging the map a bit, or is it still the same as before? If it is the same, is it possible to fix this problem?

Thanks in advance. [:)]

[JWE]

Yes, the map area is much larger.

Extends E to cover the Marshalls and most of the Gilberts; so you get the 24th NAG at Kwaj and Roi-Namur instead of Rabaul, and get to use up valuable transport resources moving it around [;)]; also get to take Ocean, Nauru, Tarawa (Gilberts) in the historical time frame, again using up valuable transport resources and SNLF units [:D]. Map also covers Fiji and Tonga, where lots of Allied units enter the game, again forcing use of scarce transport resources to move them where they need to go.

Extends S to include North Island, down to Hamilton. Auckland seemed a good place for the Marines to appear at, and stage from. Imagine the unions at Auckland were about the same as the unions at Wellington [8D]. Again, more use of scarce transport resources to move them where they need to go.

Btw, a kind of "hidden" little thing, for SpecOps folks: Carlson's raiders are at Suva, and Nautilus and Argonaut show up in a couple days. The scenario includes the 142 sacrificial lambs of the 2/19th Suijoki Chutai, working on the seaplane base and waiting to get munched. Shonan and Fumi Marus are sitting at Jaluit, waiting to sail into seppuku, and the 14th KU flying boats are sitting there, too. A nice little Makin Raid scenario-within-the-scenario.

[berto]

What Turn Cycle gives the best DaBabes Guadalcanal game experience? I suppose it would be 1-day turns, right?

Any other special recommendations as to Realism Options & Game Options?

Lastly, with the current (and future?) state of scenario AI, which gives the better scenario experience: human playing as Japanese, or as Allies?

[LoBaron]

ORIGINAL: JWE

Yes, the map area is much larger.

Extends E to cover the Marshalls and most of the Gilberts; so you get the 24th NAG at Kwaj and Roi-Namur instead of Rabaul, and get to use up valuable transport resources moving it around [;)]; also get to take Ocean, Nauru, Tarawa (Gilberts) in the historical time frame, again using up valuable transport resources and SNLF units [:D]. Map also covers Fiji and Tonga, where lots of Allied units enter the game, again forcing use of scarce transport resources to move them where they need to go.

Extends S to include North Island, down to Hamilton. Auckland seemed a good place for the Marines to appear at, and stage from. Imagine the unions at Auckland were about the same as the unions at Wellington [8D]. Again, more use of scarce transport resources to move them where they need to go.

Btw, a kind of "hidden" little thing, for SpecOps folks: Carlson's raiders are at Suva, and Nautilus and Argonaut show up in a couple days. The scenario includes the 142 sacrificial lambs of the 2/19th Suijoki Chutai, working on the seaplane base and waiting to get munched. Shonan and Fumi Marus are sitting at Jaluit, waiting to sail into seppuku, and the 14th KU flying boats are sitting there, too. A nice little Makin Raid scenario-within-the-scenario.

John, your response made my day! Thank you! [:)]

[JWE]

ORIGINAL: berto
What Turn Cycle gives the best DaBabes Guadalcanal game experience? I suppose it would be 1-day turns, right?

Any other special recommendations as to Realism Options & Game Options?

Lastly, with the current (and future?) state of scenario AI, which gives the better scenario experience: human playing as Japanese, or as Allies?

Yes, I would think 1-day turns. Haven't tried 2-day, but it might be worth folding some of those into the mix, during the 'middle' period, when both sides are catching their breath and building-up/organizing for phase-2. But yes, operationally, 1-day turns are good.

A lot of the Options aren't important in a scenario like this. I would have realistic torps, though, so let's just say everything 'off'. For Game Options, it's whatever you want. I would put the AI at 'Hard' level, because the scenario purposely limits supply and transport (for both sides) and a 'Hard" AI will get around some of that, making it reasonably challenging to play; or, play a few turns on "Hard" and a few turns on "Historical", mix it up a bit.

Current AI is just what was done for stock, but ported to the new units. Pretty much same 'ol, same 'ol. Future AI is being set up in terms of 3 Operational Problems, with an Offensive and a Defensive solution for each, for both sides.

There's New Guinea, Solomons, and Marshalls/Gilberts.

New Guinea: is rather straight forward for the Allies. SWAPOA/Oz was a unique and separate theater. They got what they got, and went where they went. Nothing much out of school for this area. Japan might get wise a bit earlier and, rather than having battalions banzai brigades, put units into a more compact defensive posture, i.e., effectively defend Buna, Lae, Salamaua, Nadzab, etc.. as opposed to continually smashing against the rocks of PM and MB. War of Attrition in New Guinea. Some differences as to which reinforcements go where.

Solomons: is straight forward for "most" of the Guadalcanal campaign. Allies get their 3 reinforcing divisions, but must withdraw the 1st MarDiv to compensate. Japan gets 2nd and 38th Divs, but not much more. Perhaps Japan uses its assets to establish a backstop LoD on the mid-Solomons line, perhaps not. Perhaps some of those assets go to New Guinea, perhaps not. Perhaps some go to the Marshalls.

Marshalls: Japan has to take the Gilberts so must use resources. An entire NAG is available, but might not go to Rabaul for use in the Solomons. Might be used in SoPac Island Ops instead. Never know. Japan might use some of her reinforcement assets to threaten Fiji/Tonga. Allies might use some of their reinforcement assets to threaten the Gilberts/Marshalls corridor.

Each of these is an Operational Problem. Great fun if one side goes one way and the other side chooses a different direction.

[JWE]

Okey dokey, then. We've been off private chattering and AndyMac has come up with some interesting observations about AI scripts that he's codifying as McVie's Rules (yes, I know his name is McPhie, but I have been in serious love with Christine McVie since Bare Trees, so Andy is just going to have to forgive my Freudian mispronunciation). Rewriting the Guad AI in accord therewith.

Ran one part of the scenario AI vAI for a while, and Woof !! if it ain't just as evil as expected. I'm finding that suitable defensive scripts, used in conjunction with limited attack scripts (limited in both scope and timing) causes a lot of wrong-footing to the other side. Have found some wicked cool Nav stuff, too. Some scripts have a SurfCom TF or Bombardment TF (or both) as inherent Naval support. Others have concurrent, but operationally seperate, Ops by Abe/Kondo/Nagumo. Have found it is good to do things in pulses. Having a SCTF script run from August to November just runs ships into a buzz saw to precious little effect. You need time to catch your breath, and the Nav TF stuff has to run within the same time frames as the reinforcement convoys they were supposed to be protecting irl.

So much for historical timeframes. IJN will show when, and where, it's appropriate for the IJN to show. This is looking good.

[henry1611]

Just wanted to stop by and say that I have been following this thread with interest and am looking forward to the new AI scripts for Babes Guadalcanal. I didn't want you to think no one was interested.

I am currently enjoying the Babe's update to The Thousand-Mile War.

[JWE]

ORIGINAL: henry1611
Just wanted to stop by and say that I have been following this thread with interest and am looking forward to the new AI scripts for Babes Guadalcanal. I didn't want you to think no one was interested.

I am currently enjoying the Babe's update to The Thousand-Mile War.

It's folks like you that make it happen. Thanks for the touch.

Ciao John