Modifing platoon OOBs

[LoneWulf63]

I am sure that you have seen a similar post by me elsewhere in the JTCS forums, but I feel it should have been here instead. So once again, let me explain what it is that I wish to do. Please bear with me, I am a long-winded old geezer.

Years ago when West Front and East Front II were published by TalonSoft I found a tutorial that showed me how to modify the platoon oobs using MS Word Pad. My main complaint at that time was how it seemed that large caliber HE rounds (80mm and up) seemed to be range attenuated. In all the years that I have been playing war games (from traditional board games to miniature to computer) I have never encountered a game, especially a platoon level game, when HE lost its effectiveness due to range. I went on to say that I have known veterans from World War II, Korea, Viet-Nam, and the first Gulf War that they respected indirect fire barrages conducted against them. I got several responses saying that as artillery shells get further from their targets the less effective because the rounds disperse or if the target was not sighted by a friendly unit that the rounds might not accurately hit their target.

One particular example that has stuck with me all these years is when I was playing a WF scenario with US vs. German units (I was the US player). I plotted a very well planned indirect fire mission using a battery of 105mm howitzers vs. a three high stack of German SS Panzergrenadier units (yes, they were spotted by friendly units) at a respectable range. Results "No Effect, No Effect, No Effect." They stayed put and I plotted the fire mission again and the results were "No Effect, No Effect, Disruption". At that point I said to myself that I should have at least got all Disruption results, if not severe step reduction or even elimination results on at least one unit in the hex. Okay, it can be argued that 150+ men in a wooded 250 meter area wouldn't be affected by such a barrage but that argument holds little water with me. If this had been a real-life situation in World War II, the tree bursts alone would have caused severe casualties to the units in the area or at least have made them vacate the area.

This is when I found the tutorial, so I started a mod project to correct this glaring inaccuracy with WF and EF II (btw, this problem was even worse in EF II). That mod turned into a monster because I started adding a lot of units to the games that had been left out. However, I had to use the unit graphics as I am not a graphics guy and didn't know of any that would help me. I actually finished the Germans, Great Britain, USSR, and a couple other countries. I wasn't able to do any Japanese units because I did not have Rising Sun. The results of my work did work to some degree. The HE was still being attenuated but I think that is part of the game engine but it definitely had a more realistic effect vs soft targets. I tested it by using the same scenario and those SS guys suffered some step reductions, were disrupted, and left the hex.

So, does anyone want to help me once I get JTCS next month and if this problem still exists? If so, please leave a message here or get in contact with me at greywulf58@gmail.com. Thanks guys.

[LoneWulf63]

By help, I should have said is there anyone that knows how to do this and is willing to refresh this old geezer's memory.

[Legionaer]

Chris,

interesting views. I think i could help you a little bit to modifying the platoons.

R
Stefan

[Crossroads]

One of the things I've sort of decided to do but have not yet come around to have started are leaders on AFVs. For Germans, one with sdfkz 250 and mk III, US a Sherman, and so forth. It is really annoying to have an armored formation with a leader trying to keep up on jeep or a kubelwagen.

[LoneWulf63]

That would indeed be a very good idea and I agree with you completely. I will look into doing such a mod once I have the game installed next month. First I have to find the PG games so I can start designing the scenarios and maps I want to do for JTCS. There may be some units in that game system that I could convert for use in JTCS. I will keep everyone as up-to-date on what I am doing as time permits. Chris.

[marcbarker]

Up to 1.02b you can use the CS coder that was freely given away some time ago. I may have a copy of with the instructions originally was used for divided ground but it was updated to use with EF, WF and RS I believe

[Jason Petho]

You can also send the files to me for coding so you can use the 1.04 UPDATE without having to have two installs.

Jason Petho

[LoneWulf63]

ORIGINAL: Jason Petho

You can also send the files to me for coding so you can use the 1.04 UPDATE without having to have two installs.

Jason Petho

Exactly what I plan to do Jason. Right now though, I have to get these FOF maps finished (I have two to go) and then start working on the orgs for the scenarios and then the scenarios themselves. Chris.