Custom Main Forces & Support

[ineffable]

By assigning a German Main Force value (26 in this case) to the US, and using the B_Unit_US tag, you can specify Main Force units. The Scenario file also allows you to specify Support units (78 79 ... 87) Oddly, at Recruit setting I get a 16/14 Main force and have had as much as 19/14. However if you send units in excess of 14 back to the inactive force you lose those extra slots (15 - 19).

The same Scenario editing can be done to the Axis to create massive armor battles, pure infantry engagements or any combination of units.

Merry Xmas, enjoy.

[Rosseau]

Can you tell us which file to edit and where it is, please? Also, is there any way you can attach your modified file for us to use?

Thanks

[ineffable]

These are the Battle and Custom scenario files found in \Close Combat The Bloody First\Campaigns\MAIN\DATA\BATTLES and \My Games\CloseCombatTheBloodyFirst\Scenarios respectively. Ive been bashing on the same scenario file as a testbed but can design one as a template and upload it. I'll also upload v.2 of my preliminary workbook as I've identified a few more pertinent game values that can be edited.

One caveat Ive discovered is that lack of an assigned main force causes that side to have very low morale and supply. But if both sides are operating under those conditions its a wash resulting with the net effect of assigning a custom, fragile Force Morale to the scenario. Or you could play it with the FM battle end condition off.

[ineffable]

Attached are two zipped files, a scenario and a save, using the method discussed above.

Backup the original \Close Combat The Bloody First\Campaigns\MAIN\DATA\BATTLES\Troina.txt file.

Unzip the new Troina.txt to \Close Combat The Bloody First\Campaigns\MAIN\DATA\BATTLES.

Unzip the saved game file for this scenario, Troina high ground, to C:\Users\'username'\Documents\My Games\CloseCombatTheBloodyFirst\SAVES

The save starts in the Troina Axis deployment phase. The game settings for both sides are Recruit, Cautious, High initiative. Feel free to reposition the Axis or play as either side using the new Troina battle scenario.

Compare the original Troina file to the new one to see the editing tricks used. The stock battle scenarios have very helpful and fairly self-explanatory line comments (#"line comment") at top of each file. Use the preliminary workbook to identify the various values used in the scenario files (and elsewhere).

[ineffable]

Troina high ground -

[ineffable]

Im still working out the kinks in this kind of edit for custom scenarios in \My Games\CloseCombatTheBloodyFirst\Scenarios .

[Rosseau]

Okay, really appreciate the help here. Modding has always made this game better.

"Too great or extreme to be expressed or described in words."

Let 'em figure it out. [;)]

[ineffable]

ORIGINAL: Rosseau
Modding has always made this game better.

I strive always to live by the immortal words of Keith Zabalouie, "Bad mods can blow up your box".

[Rosseau]

You definitely go back. Atomic Games from the 1980s I think.

[ineffable]

40 units including sub-units and I still dont think Ive hit the max. Turns out its much simpler than I first assumed. Use multiple BG index # on the main force line, and other BG #s on the support units line. I think it causes something like a buffer overrun condition, otherwise the game handles those numbers of units just fine. Cant spoof the Axis into allowing large main force rosters. It seems to stick with 14/14, 5/5 and some sub-units. Can mix and match infantry and armor though.

[ineffable]

Main forces can be built on a team-by-team basis independent of nationality. The edits to \Close Combat The Bloody First\Data\Base\Units\scnunits.txt are shown below. One of the empty slots (#13) was used. The 22 team #s (431 - 182) used are found in \Close Combat The Bloody First\Data\Text\Text1.txt or v.4 of the preliminary workbook.



Its interesting that when teams are specified to a force in this manner they're shown on the Selection screen with the commander's name and rank (except for the lowly Fucilieri). Unfortunately, this naming distinction disappears on the Deploy and Battle screens.