Help with map, please

Lars · Post by **Lars** » Sun Mar 09, 2003 4:20 pm

Dear Sirs,

Is there any possibility to your knowledge to get retreat/reinforcement flags to stick to their locations in a map? I know how to shift positions and all that but if I choose to use such a map for a battle in PBEM, they jump back to their default positions.

This is AFAIK a matter off the game engine always assuming the enemies arrive from fixed directions (i.e. German vs. Soviet – German left, Soviet right and German vs. USA – German right, USA left).
Is there any workaround this?

I have made a map for a PBEM battle Ger. vs. USA, but it demands the German to setup on the left side of the map. It’s essential to game-play that unit’s retreat in the right direction and also that reinforcement arrives at least on the right side of the map.

I’m very thankful for any help

Redleg · Post by **Redleg** » Mon Mar 10, 2003 12:21 am

This is tricky business! SPWAW is quite rigid in which side a nation is to appear on during a particular point in time.

Try this:

Go to the scenario editor. Set the German-Soviet and month/year.

Edit the map and check:
1. Start lines to be sure they are correct. Change them if needed.
2. Set the retreat/reforcement hexes as needed.
3. Do the v-hexes as needed.
4. Save the map.

Generate a sample battle purchasing only a company or so of units.

Open the battle and purchase a small force for player 2.

Go to player 2 deploy and use Autodeploy and see how and where the player 2 troops are deployed. Check the player 2 retreat/reinforcement hexes.

Go to player 1 deploy and use Auto deploy and look at retreat/reinforcement hexes and if troops are behind the proper startline.

Finally, go to player 1 first turn and take a last look.

With practice, this stuff can be done in 5 minutes. If everything is ok, generate the pbem battle and it will work. If things are not right after this test, it is back to the drawing board.

Sometimes it is necessary to switch Nations and use their AO unit in order to make SPWAW cooperate.

I have two pbem battles going right now that in order to get the Nations on the correct side of the map, it was necessary to change the Nation to make it work.

Good luck.

Redleg · Post by **Redleg** » Mon Mar 10, 2003 12:26 am

Forgot to mention:

2 things that really make it difficult are the presence of a river, even a single hex, that is created by expanding a stream to wide river. SPWAW expects it to be a river crossing assault and is even more rigid. Wide river hexes cannot be removed because SPWAW "knows" it was once a river assault.

Another is beach maps. If a beach was created using the beach tool, SPWAW knows this and expects a beach assault in the same way as wide rivers above.

I have never figured a way to delete the flag that marks river crossing maps or beach assault maps if those appear on a map.

Lars · Post by **Lars** » Mon Mar 10, 2003 4:42 am

Originally posted by Redleg
Forgot to mention:

2 things that really make it difficult are the presence of a river, even a single hex, that is created by expanding a stream to wide river. SPWAW expects it to be a river crossing assault and is even more rigid. Wide river hexes cannot be removed because SPWAW "knows" it was once a river assault.

Another is beach maps. If a beach was created using the beach tool, SPWAW knows this and expects a beach assault in the same way as wide rivers above.

I have never figured a way to delete the flag that marks river crossing maps or beach assault maps if those appear on a map.

Thanks for all your help Redlag. I did all checking and testing from the beginning to make sure things should work out in the right way. I also tested it as scenario in a later stage and it still worked quite well, but when I tested it for the first time as a battle I couldn't believe my eyes.

I was certain I had done something in the WaWMap edit program that caused this problem. The map was also very sensitive cause I made a lot of changes in Chlandas editor that didn't stay if I clicked on the map in SPWaW editor. (Changed elevations of bridges, houses, roads etc.)
Now it's clear to me that the river in the map made every effort from my side obsolete. Too bad I had put so many hours in this thing and it get wasted.

The good part is that most of it was made when I was at work.

Just so it won't be a complete waist I put it here for everyone to use. I'll just have to start another project instead...

Thanks!

tracer · Post by **tracer** » Mon Mar 10, 2003 9:13 am

Aren't maps handled differently if they're used for PBEM...some sort of security feature kicks in to prevent or limit certain editing? Just a thought...and a hazy one at that!

Redleg · Post by **Redleg** » Mon Mar 10, 2003 9:28 am

I don't know of any difference in how pbem maps are handled. Could be, don't know.

Maps and pbem are killers to understand since there are so many variables and it is so time-consuming.

Good luck, Lars.

It is weird that the wide river and beaches do not affect a scenario except that troops are liable to deploy in barges or with rubber rafts.

Much better to create your own wide rivers, lakes, oceans using the deep water hexes. Then your maps will be more flexible.

BTW, it seems to me that Germ - Soviet is about the most user friendly of all pbem as far as maps are concerned. Italy is a beast!

Redleg · Post by **Redleg** » Mon Mar 10, 2003 9:37 am

Lars,
Just thinking......

If you are comfortable with SPMAP, you *may* be able to cut and paste your map to a blank and make it work.

I'll download yours and try it myself.

Lars · Post by **Lars** » Mon Mar 10, 2003 3:27 pm

Originally posted by Redleg
Lars,
Just thinking......

If you are comfortable with SPMAP, you *may* be able to cut and paste your map to a blank and make it work.

I'll download yours and try it myself.

A very good idea, I have to try this.

Thanks for all your help Redleg
/Lars

Redleg · Post by **Redleg** » Mon Mar 10, 2003 10:14 pm

Lars,
Here's the map. It works for a meeting engagement with Germany on right; Soviet on left.

Note that when I pasted it, the railroad graphics were deleted so I put them back more or less as they were. Also the right-most column of hexes and the bottom row do not past so the roads needed to be extended and some touch-up done there.

Redleg

Lars · Post by **Lars** » Mon Mar 10, 2003 10:33 pm

Originally posted by Redleg
Lars,
Here's the map. It works for a meeting engagement with Germany on right; Soviet on left.

Note that when I pasted it, the railroad graphics were deleted so I put them back more or less as they were. Also the right-most column of hexes and the bottom row do not past so the roads needed to be extended and some touch-up done there.

Redleg

Thanks Redleg, you're th man...

Help with map, please

Help with map, please

Too bad

Good idea