Matrix Games Forums

Hi badlandz, I would post here the upgrade path problem you are having so Sid can look at it....GP

Hello General,
Thanks, I mentioned some to him previously. He said there had been a misunderstanding with whom ever worked on the database. I believe he said he'd be working on it but it's going to take time. I was hoping to fix them as I found them and continue playing the mod. I seem to be able to mod aircraft stats but not the air groups themselves.
Thanks again.

Level II Update Link 2.72
https://1drv.ms/u/s!Ap7XOIkiBuUwhYgdhnbHRnhTAFX2OQ

This is a technical update with generally a number of minor improvements
and fixes for problems.

There are art, pwhexe.dat and scenario files, but no new documentation files.

Three map panels were updated - only WPEN01 in a significant sense. It got the main part of the Tea & Horse Caravan Road, it lost bridges over the Bhramaputra
River (built only in 1944), and had four major urban hexes (in art) turned into
rough or clear terrain (because they are minor urban hexes in the WW2 era, becoming major urban only much later in time).

The pwhexe.dat file now has the Indus River navigable near its mouth, upriver to just past Hydurabad.

The scenario files fix some command assignments, unit planning assignments, and similar minor issues. Scenario 129 has a unique fix for early games in that scenario for Dutch cruisers - the new Endracht cruiser which was wrongly pointing at a WWI CL type now will upgrade in one day to the Endracht type. This class does not exist in other scenarios and has long since been corrected so new games start with the right class assignment, but this fix is for at least two games that started before those fixes were issued.

I assume weather files refers to the seasonal pwhexe.dat files.

At this time the "weather files" are not very up to date.
I did make them work for Level II, but have not yet put into
them all the technical changes I have added to the start of game
file in the last three months. So if you use them, you will find
some places not working as they should.

If you are playing a game and the date moves into a new season, you
need to rename a file for that season to pwhexe.dat and put it in the top
level AE folder.

If you reach Winter, 1942 (or any later year) you ALSO need to rename and move
a pwzlink.dat file into the top level AE folder.

In both cases KEEP the file you rename in the source folder.

In theory you also move new map art at the same time. Some of that art exists.
If you need it, ask for it.

In theory, I am going to write - or have someone write - a 'switcher' program
- similar to what we had in WITP era RHS. This will move all the files needed
by date.

In RHS some things change with time.

1) Rivers become frozen, or unfrozen, etc.

2) Arctic ice recedes, or moves South.

3) Roads and railroads get built (or rarely, unbuilt).

4) Trails disappear in the jungle in Monsoon

5) Ice roads and ice trails that exist in Winter disappear
in other seasons.

6) Special cases exist for river navigation. The most strange,
perhaps, is that there is TOO MUCH water on the upper Irrawaddy
in Spring - so it isn't navigable then! Most rivers have more
navigable length in Monsoon and/or Fall seasons.

ORIGINAL: m10bob

Sid...Do the weather data files need to be manually moved anywhere as well?

UPDATED: Add Japan to the list. I detected the issue re a Japanese unit and fixed all of them
several updates back.

You are correct. This is a somewhat intermittent issue - if you never disband or withdraw
a unit or have it destroyed - it won't come back in this way and in such a case no one reports
it.

This issue dates to original stock scenarios and exists because whoever did the data entry didn't understand
how it would be implemented by code? Code does not care if the planes exist or not? It will form the
"return as" squadron in one day - at full strength - with 1945 (or whatever) planes!

I am policing this but it means every record needs to be checked - and I manage about 13 scenarios.
I did much of the US, the Chinese and a few other air forces already. I will check every record eventually
and work in data that will not have this problem. But it will ONLY be fixed in new games to the extent I have
already fixed the data. Old games will retain their start of game data and pretend that is correct. It does not
update. All mods (unless reworked for this issue), and certainly all stock games, have this problem.
One could gut the update links I guess - but mainly I take the time to try to make them work in one way or
another.

ORIGINAL: Badlandz

Hello
Question about air groups in the data base for RHS. I think there may be an issue with a few air squadrons.

When they split or disband/withdraw their parent unit shows up in the list of reinforcements with a 1 day delay. The new unit has the next upgrade of aircraft even if not yet available. By example: VMO-251, unit 2631. In December 1941 I upgrade the unit to F4F-7. Then split it. This produces 3 units VMO-251/A, B and C. Then next day VMO-251 arrives as reinforcement with 2 F4U-1D. So, you end up with 4 units of VMO-251, 3 fragments and one whole.

This seems to happen also when you withdraw some units. Squadrons of the 27th BG USAAF return immediately with B-24D.

Am I miss understanding something?

Thanks

ORIGINAL: el cid again

I assume weather files refers to the seasonal pwhexe.dat files.

At this time the "weather files" are not very up to date.
I did make them work for Level II, but have not yet put into
them all the technical changes I have added to the start of game
file in the last three months. So if you use them, you will find
some places not working as they should.

If you are playing a game and the date moves into a new season, you
need to rename a file for that season to pwhexe.dat and put it in the top
level AE folder.

If you reach Winter, 1942 (or any later year) you ALSO need to rename and move
a pwzlink.dat file into the top level AE folder.

In both cases KEEP the file you rename in the source folder.

In theory you also move new map art at the same time. Some of that art exists.
If you need it, ask for it.

In theory, I am going to write - or have someone write - a 'switcher' program
- similar to what we had in WITP era RHS. This will move all the files needed
by date.

In RHS some things change with time.

1) Rivers become frozen, or unfrozen, etc.

2) Arctic ice recedes, or moves South.

3) Roads and railroads get built (or rarely, unbuilt).

4) Trails disappear in the jungle in Monsoon

5) Ice roads and ice trails that exist in Winter disappear
in other seasons.

6) Special cases exist for river navigation. The most strange,
perhaps, is that there is TOO MUCH water on the upper Irrawaddy
in Spring - so it isn't navigable then! Most rivers have more
navigable length in Monsoon and/or Fall seasons.

ORIGINAL: m10bob

Sid...Do the weather data files need to be manually moved anywhere as well?

Yes, you always understand my questions and always answer in detail.
Now, if I could get my local utilities and medical care/prescription people to do in kind......[;)]

Level II Update 2.47
https://1drv.ms/u/s!Ap7XOIkiBuUwg74A7TujZK_wdrKG1A


This update includes scenario, art, and pwhexe.dat files.

The pwhexe.dat file does not automatically install (it is unclear it
ever did). Due to changes in Microsoft policy, we do not duplicate
this and other files. COPY the pwhexe.dat file from the SOURCE
folder to your top level AE folder. Copy WPEN01 map panel
from the ART folder to your AE ART folder. Copy all the
scenario files to your AE SCEN folder.

Apart from a bit of eratta, the scenario work was on the Group file.
Apart from preventing units from returning, after one day, when they
disband, withdraw or are wiped out, with late war planes, I reworked
some Allied groups. I found USN carrier groups had other issues -
particularly size issues - which would make mid war and late war
play difficult. So I sized them properly.

The WPEN01 file is most of India. For the first time it has correct
Urban hex art to work in RHS. Dehli is now Dark - indicating Urban
Heavy. Around ten hexes were turned to light, Urban Light, art. There
are no more to go. Other panels will follow to this standard, starting
with two important ones in China that get used in every game.

Midwest USA IS a port if you have the correct location file.
You may sail from it to Gulf Coast, USA, using the Mississippi &
Ohio Rivers off map movement track. But ONLY in Monsoon and
Fall seasons! Seems there is ice in Winter and a mess during
spring "break up" season. The art should show this link. But the
port is not yet active - you need a 1942 Spring file set for that.
It will be called 42SPRINGpwhexe.dat and there is also a 42SPRING
location file necessary to make it work. I think I will issue
each season as a separate installer to avoid player confusion
over art, pwhexe.dat, pwzone.dat, pwzlink.dat and location files
all being in sync with each other. At least for the first pass.
Maybe, someday, I will do a super package with everything as well
as a switcher program. But someone has to write that! And we need
to get the base pwhexe.dat file perfect before I make corrected
copies of the other seasons. Going through the maps on a hex by
hex basis is causing me to catch all the issues (I hope).

ORIGINAL: m10bob

All is working fine..Really appreciate General Patton for telling me where those map files had to be placed!
Will Midwest USA get a port?

Level II Update 2.47
https://1drv.ms/u/s!Ap7XOIkiBuUwg74A7TujZK_wdrKG1A

This installer has several different updates in it:

The WPEN09 map panel finally gets the main map of China correct in re urban
hex art - with ALL the major and minor urban hexes visible in art. But it also
cleans up a number of things, including 'dirty' river entrances, adding missing
road or railroad segments, changes the color of water feature notes from green
to blue, adds a bit of border for Macao, and other things I forget. No other panel
needs as much work, but many will now be reworked a little to match up with this one.
Several other panels have minor updates in them.

That map work led to adding half a hex of major road (at Chefoo) once I decided to
check - no the road did not end just before it reached the city! Go figure. This, and what looks like barriers at river junctions and where rivers reach the sea, dates all the way back to stock.

There is extensive reworking of air groups with a view to preventing air units from reforming with aircraft not yet available. The entire database needed to be examined because the original data entry persons didn't understand how the engine works. It is possible the programmers didn't get quite what they intended and explained their intent instead of how things really work. This process is now complete for Japan and almost complete for the Allies.

There is one location in China which 'lost population' - because it is Japanese and Japanese occupied cities do not fully integrate with the Japanese economy. I think this location 'changed sides' without the required adjustment to its population. ALL the population counts for purposes of urban status (a million plus = major urban hex;
400,000 to 900,000 = minor urban hex). But the population is divided by 10 if it is owned by Japan (that is, if it is under 500,000, it shows up as 0). In RHS population is defined as 100,000 per point.

There are probably a few tweeks for aircraft data. Generally these will be production dates, upgrade types, or any errors in the data. There is also a bit of LCU eratta and location eratta (e.g. the population change mentioned above).

If any ship data changed (I don't remember any) since 2.442, the new data is included here for safety.

There is at least one documentation update. The Urban Areas Defined spreadsheet has a bit of eratta worked into it. If other documentation changed, it is also updated here.

In my ongoing game(solo scenario 22), I have indeed had new units arrive with planes not really available for years...(B29's arrived in one unit in 1941), but since it is a solo game, I just swapped them out with planes which were available IRL..
Glad this is an issue you have addressed.

QUESTION: If I have an Australian air unit which is hard coded to remain in Australia, and I choose to disband it, I am offered the chance to have it return in 60 or 120 days..If I do so, will it still be hard-coded to remain in Australia, or will I have the option to change its' command?

RHS maximizes players options in the extreme. If at all possible, a unit has a command you
can change using political points. As well, the political point allocation is very generous.
However, there are political and sometimes other reasons some units must be restricted.
These units often will not return at all (see the Philippine Army, the KNIL Army, the Malay
Army, etc). Those that will - such as you mention - will still be restricted when they return.
Australia is a mixed bag. SOME militia units can deploy overseas (although most of those didn't do
so early on). Many can never leave. It was part of the deal when you signed up - especially early
on: you knew the AIF was going overseas - but the AMF was not going to do that. Clearly Australia
needs to have some defense forces. Left free to move, most players would strip the sub-continent
and leave it with nothing but minimum garrison units. So while we have mitigated the original
design in favor of more units able to deploy, we never intended to make them all able to do so.

ORIGINAL: el cid again

RHS maximizes players options in the extreme. If at all possible, a unit has a command you
can change using political points. As well, the political point allocation is very generous.
However, there are political and sometimes other reasons some units must be restricted.
These units often will not return at all (see the Philippine Army, the KNIL Army, the Malay
Army, etc). Those that will - such as you mention - will still be restricted when they return.
Australia is a mixed bag. SOME militia units can deploy overseas (although most of those didn't do
so early on). Many can never leave. It was part of the deal when you signed up - especially early
on: you knew the AIF was going overseas - but the AMF was not going to do that. Clearly Australia
needs to have some defense forces. Left free to move, most players would strip the sub-continent
and leave it with nothing but minimum garrison units. So while we have mitigated the original
design in favor of more units able to deploy, we never intended to make them all able to do so.

Excellent logic to force players to leave assets in Australia as IRL..Websites such as Australia at War show the threats to Australia by the Japanese was very real, with at least one landing, and several sub and bombing missions carried out.

It is alleged there was never a landing by critics of the movie Australia. What is the site and date of the landing?

ORIGINAL: el cid again

It is alleged there was never a landing by critics of the movie Australia. What is the site and date of the landing?

http://www.ozatwar.com/japsland/japsland.htm

and here is the site for a German U Boat south of Australia.

http://www.ozatwar.com/subsoz.htm

Level II Update 2.47
https://1drv.ms/u/s!Ap7XOIkiBuUwg74A7TujZK_wdrKG1A


This installer is comprehensive: it contains map art for the ART folder,
revised documentation for the RHS Documentation folder, a slightly
revised pwhexe.dat file for the top level AE folder as well as for the
RHS PWHEXE & PWLINK folder. There also are new aircraft,
group, device and location files.

There is a new device - the Type 95 Improved (Shinhoto Chi Ha) medium tank.
This is essentially a Type 1 turret on a Type 95 chassis. It was put into production INSTEAD of the Type 1 in 1942. The Type 1, ready for production, was delayed (similar to the Type 98 Light Tank). This was due to the naval building program need for steel. [The Type 1 chassis weighs a ton more than the Type 95 does).

More Allied air groups were reworked so they to not return with late war aircraft early in the game. Mainly USAAF bombers, and a few USN carrier air groups were reworked. This is very tedious work.

Even more difficult was a review of the Japanese tank production program. Apart from adding a new device, Japanese tanks generally were reviewed. There is now a major difference between strictly historical scenarios and Japan Enhanced Scenarios (125 & 129): the Type 98 and Type 1 enter production sooner in the JES scenarios.
Tanks picked up production pools and rebuild (repair) rates. This is done to mitigate the engine problems producing historical numbers of vehicles. These measures should matter in both ongoing and new games.

Map panels in China and India are included. A new standard is set here - water comments are in blue for example. Missing RR and road segments were added.
Many minor urban hexes were added. A few major urban hexes were added.

Kukong got a new population rating (3 with no expansion to 4).

The rest of the Allied air groups will be reworked to insure no return of groups with aircraft not yet available. All Japanese groups are done. Most Allied groups are done.

The non tank AFVs of Japan will be reworked similar to tanks.

The pwhexe.fat file fixed two hexside eratta.

It appears that an invasion was considered, but rejected on the basis that it needed too many troops
and shipping. It appears that no raids were considered or conducted. Reconnaissance is another matter.
Clearly there was air recon on several occasions - particularly related to the raid on Darwin. I would
not be surprised if there were other instances of submarine parties - as happened often in the North Atlantic.
A tale about German planting of automated weather stations (I heard from the son of one of the landing party
in the 1960s) was substantiated after the century turned. The Japanese would probably not be interested in that,
even if they had the technology, because weather stations must be West of the area you intend to operate in - and
Guadalcanal nixed the plans to operate and control places like New Caledonia and Fiji. [There is evidence of
interest in New Caledonia, and it is logical, and there was Japanese investment on the island giving them good
intelligence pre war.] I believe raids might be worthwhile, but not an invasion - a 'proper landing to stay'
as it were. On logistical grounds. I have seen invasions of Australia in RHS, but every one failed - even
when they started out looking good. By summer 1942 the Allied air power situation forces Japan into a contest
of attrition it cannot afford.

ORIGINAL: m10bob

ORIGINAL: el cid again

It is alleged there was never a landing by critics of the movie Australia. What is the site and date of the landing?

http://www.ozatwar.com/japsland/japsland.htm

and here is the site for a German U Boat south of Australia.

http://www.ozatwar.com/subsoz.htm

ORIGINAL: el cid again


It appears that an invasion was considered, but rejected on the basis that it needed too many troops
and shipping. It appears that no raids were considered or conducted. Reconnaissance is another matter.
Clearly there was air recon on several occasions - particularly related to the raid on Darwin. I would
not be surprised if there were other instances of submarine parties - as happened often in the North Atlantic.
A tale about German planting of automated weather stations (I heard from the son of one of the landing party
in the 1960s) was substantiated after the century turned. The Japanese would probably not be interested in that,
even if they had the technology, because weather stations must be West of the area you intend to operate in - and
Guadalcanal nixed the plans to operate and control places like New Caledonia and Fiji. [There is evidence of
interest in New Caledonia, and it is logical, and there was Japanese investment on the island giving them good
intelligence pre war.] I believe raids might be worthwhile, but not an invasion - a 'proper landing to stay'
as it were. On logistical grounds. I have seen invasions of Australia in RHS, but every one failed - even
when they started out looking good. By summer 1942 the Allied air power situation forces Japan into a contest
of attrition it cannot afford.

ORIGINAL: m10bob

ORIGINAL: el cid again

It is alleged there was never a landing by critics of the movie Australia. What is the site and date of the landing?

http://www.ozatwar.com/japsland/japsland.htm

and here is the site for a German U Boat south of Australia.

http://www.ozatwar.com/subsoz.htm

From that website I hope you noticed the historical confirmation which lends credence to your inclusion of German "raiders" to RHS, to include the Orion, for example.
They operated west and south of Australia...which I found interesting. Likely they used "milch cows" for refueling.

Level II Update 2.47
https://1drv.ms/u/s!Ap7XOIkiBuUwg74A7TujZK_wdrKG1A

This installer is comprehensive: it contains map art for the ART folder,
revised documentation for the RHS Documentation folder, a slightly
revised pwhexe.dat file for the top level AE folder as well as for the
RHS PWHEXE & PWLINK folder. There also are new
group, device and location files. For safety there are new aircraft and ship files although I don't remember any changes.
There are slightly reworked AFV files, and a new formation for IJN landing parties. Kukong is redefined with a population of 3 (300,000) vice 4 (400,000). There are two final and one partially revised map art panels.

Ever grateful for the corrections and additions being received on my personal e mail.

Very glad our old friend Mifune is able to assist as well!..Thank you much.

(All looks good on my end).

ORIGINAL: m10bob
From that website I hope you noticed the historical confirmation which lends credence to your inclusion of German "raiders" to RHS, to include the Orion, for example.
They operated west and south of Australia...which I found interesting. Likely they used "milch cows" for refueling.

The Orion did operate in the Pacific, but returned to France in August 1941. Most of the other German surface raiders operating in the Pacific and Indian Ocean had left the area or got sunk before Pearl Harbor. The only German surface raiders to see action in the PTO after Dec 7th were Thor and Michel.