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IMPORTANT Micro update 5.73

https://1drv.ms/f/s!Ap7XOIkiBuUwhZAU7bdtWbbscE_oLg

This update is almost confined to class and ship files.
It is also limited to Japanese submarines, including an
exhaustive review of all I-boats. There are a few changes
to air groups (related to submarines). If there are
any other eratta in SCEN files (aircraft, device, leader,
location/task forces) they were also included for safety,
but I don't remember any.

Japan had the most complicated and innovative submarine program
in the world. Japanese military culture also bred complexity.
This comprehensive review attempts to clarify submarines which
changed their pennant numbers without exception. It presents two
differing possible ways to organize the submarine production
program: strictly historical and what we call Japan Enhanced.
Strictly historical means players are stuck with historical policy,
wise or foolish (depending on the specific case and your opinion about
if it was a good idea or not).

The Japan Enhanced program is only used by Japan Enhanced Scenarios
125 (my version) and 129 (Mifune's version). Mine assumes consistent
planning starting at mobilization in July, 1941 and is modeled on the
Dora Nawa group led by Col. Tsuji for Gen. Yamashita's 25th Army, except
the idea is extended nationwide. Mifune's version assumes what the Allies
believed at the time was true: that Japan had planned for an offensive for
a long time - in this case - for ten years. [Not just because that is a
round number, but because it is when engine design and hull designs were
standardized]. Both JES scenarios assume what Japanese military leaders
believed was acted upon: that only a short war could be won; so
submarine production is optimized for earliest date of operational use.
Modifications that delay completion are avoided (or given to players in
the form of conversions which will cost time to implement). Transport
submarines are not built (although older subs can convert to transport
configurations) with the exception of very efficient large, new ships
which players may elect not to build if they prefer. Some of the scouting
submarines with aircraft are built slightly faster as pure attack boats.
The type AM aircraft carriers (with 2 bombers) are instead built faster
with just a scout plane. The I-400 aircraft carriers are built to the
first design, with only 2 bombers, resulting in somewhat faster and more
maneuverable vessels. These are built in larger numbers (10 of the planned
18) rather than 5 in historical scenarios (1 of which is recast as a tanker).
Only the 5 vessels actually laid down ever appear in strictly historical
scenarios. The program lost its priority when Yamamoto died, and the
reason for the larger number of planes (and two AM subs with two bombers
each) was an attempt to compensate for the smaller number of subs planned.
Note that historically some of the sub aircraft carriers carried high speed
scout planes rather than bombers. Players get to pick the aircraft in game,
but the air groups reflect actual assigned aircraft in each case.

Comprehensive Update 5.74

https://1drv.ms/f/s!Ap7XOIkiBuUwhZAU7bdtWbbscE_oLg

This update is comprehensive only insofar as it contains both
art and scenario files. The art is the Japanese Aircraft Top
file. This is the first art update by Mifune in a very long time.
He actually did the Allied top art as well, but at least one of
its images has a problem which crashes the game. I naturally tested
both files and only included the one which works at this time.

The Scenario files are mainly ship and class files. These are
the compliment to 5.73 which deals with large Japanese submarines,
but this time it is small submarines which were reviewed. For the
first time we have production information on late war guppy submarine
production sufficient to tell when they could have completed. There
is also a review of Japanese submarine chasers, but this isn't quite
completed - the Type C Escorts were not reviewed. A number of minor
landing craft, PT boats, etc were deleted from simplified (even numbered)
scenarios 122, 124 and 126. Either because they are on inland
waterways (which the AI oriented 122 and 126 cannot cope with) or because
they are part of what makes even numbered scenarios "simplified" - if
of no great value, they are removed to reduce player management demands.

We have some interest in 126, and apparently considerable work which means
it may be able to finish sooner than expected. Without knowing this, I have
been steadily putting effort into whipping it into shape - revising its records
for 1945 data every time I check any record.

Micro Update 5.741

https://1drv.ms/f/s!Ap7XOIkiBuUwhZAU7bdtWbbscE_oLg

This update is limited to scenario files. Almost all the
work was done on class, device and ship files. Mine devices
were reviewed, Japanese depth charge devises were reviewed,
and Japanese Minesweepers and Escort vessels continued the
review process.

Mifune redid Allied air art (both tops and alpha), but one
of these failed to pass validation testing. He is recompiling
the alpha. He "cheats" and works at very low resolution.
The conversion back up to game acceptable formats is sometimes
tricky.

It will be some time before I can issue the next update. Duty calls.
I have to update by 2018 databases on the Chinese air force.

Micro Update 5.742

https://1drv.ms/f/s!Ap7XOIkiBuUwhZAU7bdtWbbscE_oLg

This update only includes ship and class files. It mainly reviews Japanese
minesweepers (and conversions of them). A few other minor vessels like sub
chasers are included.

I discovered that there were errors in stock relative to the kind of 10cm
gun mounted. There are two listed 10 cm guns - but a few of the sub-classes
list the older, less capable one (particularly found on submarines) with less
range and a lower rate of fire. So I had to review every record.

I also discovered an error I made in calculating the number of mines carried
if the ship "converts" to its minelaying configuration. In RHS, most of these
ships may go to sea armed for ASW or for minelaying. The "conversion" takes
one day. It is basically landing the sweeping gear and adding an adapter to
the DC track - or vice versa. Only Type 4 Mini Mines can be carried.

Comprehensive Update 5.743

https://1drv.ms/f/s!Ap7XOIkiBuUwhZAU7bdtWbbscE_oLg

This update mainly involves class and ship files. There is one
new ship captain in the leader file. There are a few corrected
device files (cosmetic name changes, date changes). There is one
new task force and a few other changes in the location file.
Vast numbers of minor vessels have been reworked to insure they
have the correct maneuverability, durability, speed, weapons, sensors
and displacement. Also that they are in the correct scenario:
some ships were added to Full RHS scenarios (those with odd numbers),
some were removed from Simplified RHS scenarios (those with even
numbers). Hundreds of individual ships in numbers of classes were
reviewed in each of 7 RHS scenarios.

There is new ship art. Allied side and mask 741 now works (because
it is in the proper format. So now small schooners point at it -
and we have a version with a single mast. [Large schooners have
two masts].

There is one new ship and associated class: I-506 is a renamed
U-195 of the Type IXD1 type (after conversion to an SST).

Micro Update 5.744

https://1drv.ms/f/s!Ap7XOIkiBuUwhZAU7bdtWbbscE_oLg

This update only contains revised class and ship files.
Only Japanese production DEs are modified re speed, durability,
weapons and sensors. The data mainly comes from Japanese Naval
Vessels at the End of World War II compiled by Shizuo Fukui,
a naval architect of IJN who documented the fleet as it was
captured. This is the first time these ships have been classified
as DE rather than Escorts. [It appears there is a difference in
how DE's perform in game. They seem to have the best ASW performance
of any type.] The new classification is based on their sensors and
armament, which is somewhat different from standard reference books.

Micro Update 5.745

https://1drv.ms/f/s!Ap7XOIkiBuUwhZAU7bdtWbbscE_oLg

This update only contains revised class, device and ship files.
It builds on the last update by adding what might be called
"second class" DEs to strictly historical scenarios (121-124
and 126). These are basically scaled down first class DEs with
one fewer deck gun and slightly fewer light AA guns, but all the
ASW assets.

Generally, 5.744 and 5.745 revised Japanese series production escorts
from Escort type classification to DE type classification. This is
because of detail information indicating these are directly comparable
to Allied DE type vessels. Later editions even mounted two sonars
(Type 3). The nature of evolving DE patterns and improving "radio locators"
was also folded in. The date of completion (and sinking) was carefully
reviewed.

In Japan Enhanced Scenarios, the "second class DE's" were replaced by
sub-chasers. This is because, by 1944, Japan is likely to have problems
building so many full size ships. Also because it is inefficient to end
production of the Mikura class (only 8 units) in favor of the simplified
Ukuru class. Type C & D Escorts are essentially 2/3 scale Ukuru class,
with either steam (C) or diesel (D) power plants. Instead, JES scenarios
simply continue Mikura class ships, but these continue to improve their
electronics sensors and also convert to using late war 40 mm and 20 mm
guns for light AAA. The sub-chasers are intended to provide short range
ASW capability under land based air cover, to deliver these units sooner
than the more complex Mikura's would require and to burden the economy less
to get them. All the DE types are very similar, with the same full load
displacement and similar configurations and outfits. The Ukuru, C & D
classes are extremely simplified to reduce production time. But it is
debatable if this is worth interrupting series production (which does get
slightly more efficient over time) of the earlier almost identical Mikuras.
We elected to give the late war commander continuous production of Mikuras
and the option to make sub-chasers (or not spend PP to get them).

Micro Update 5.744


This update only contains revised class and ship files.
Only Japanese production DEs are modified re speed, durability,
weapons and sensors. The data mainly comes from Japanese Naval
Vessels at the End of World War II compiled by Shizuo Fukui,
a naval architect of IJN who documented the fleet as it was
captured. This is the first time these ships have been classified
as DE rather than Escorts. [It appears there is a difference in
how DE's perform in game. They seem to have the best ASW performance
of any type.] The new classification is based on their sensors and
armament, which is somewhat different from standard reference books.

Micro Update 5.746

https://1drv.ms/f/s!Ap7XOIkiBuUwhZAU7bdtWbbscE_oLg

This update relates to RHS documentation files and scenario files.

Later (just pre WW2) Japanese torpedo boats are reviewed. This
round of updates includes declassified US records compiled by a
Japanese naval architect named Fukui. It also reviews ships with
a view to using new devices (weapons and sensors) added by RHS.

Also, Allied landing craft in class slots 792-801 were reviewed.
These all date to stock and all had errors. As well, while there
is a definition of the LCI in stock (slot 792) not one of the
LCI defined in stock used it: all used the LCI (R) = Rocket slot
instead. These are in ship slots 6055 to 6082.

The RHS II Seasonal Construction (for RHS Level II with the expanded
map system) is updated with respect to the Rheinholt Road. This is
the renamed Bulldog Track which was improved by Aussie engineers in
1943.

A new MS Word document on the Rheinholt Road is added. It is a composite
of three documents. The first one describes the history of the Road.
The middle one is a map of the Bulldog Track just before it was turned
into a Road. The last one has some interesting photographs. These documents
are provided by an Aussie historical website.

Micro Update 5.80

https://1drv.ms/f/s!Ap7XOIkiBuUwhZAU7bdtWbbscE_oLg

This update is limited to scenario files. There are massive changes to ships, particularly
minor vessels, particularly Russian. Some related changes to classes, additional Russian ship
captains in numbers. Some eratta may be included in other files.

Review revealed that LST's in Soviet service are entirely fictional. So all were removed.
Numbers of LCI were added or modified. [US vessels sent to the USSR were renamed and also rearmed
with Soviet weapons]. A few more LCI's remain to be added. Probably Tacoma class frigates and possibly
old destroyers and DEs need to be added to the Soviet Navy (IF they served in PTO).

Many ships had their dates of arrival and/or starting date corrected to conform with history.

Many Soviet ships gained captains.

Many US and Canadian and Soviet vessels which cannot start in the Winter in the Arctic were set to arrive
at a different time and/or place, to prevent teleporting to default national locations.

Micro Update 5.81

https://1drv.ms/f/s!Ap7XOIkiBuUwhZAU7bdtWbbscE_oLg


This is an update of scenario files only. Mainly ship and leader (H) files. Also some changes to class and
device files, and probably eratta in the location file.

All ex USN LCI transferred to the Soviet Navy are now in RHS. So are all the Tacoma class frigates. All these
vessels have commanding officers.

We may add ex USN minesweepers and sub chasers if they were not in the stock database (which seems likely to
be the case). We may add maps for Alaska with mountains now Mifune is making art again. [He has cleaned up aircraft
filmstrips and fixed my improvised single masted schooner - included in previous updates].

Micro Update 5.82

https://1drv.ms/f/s!Ap7XOIkiBuUwhZAU7bdtWbbscE_oLg

This update contains pwhexe.dat files, documentation files and scenario files.

The map changes are for early war seasons, both for Strictly Historical RHS scenarios
(121 to 124 & 126) and Japan Enhanced Scenarios (125 & 129). They corrects mismatched
hexside pair on Flores, permitting ships to pass North of the island (but inside the
reef) instead of being blocked). Also, an Ocean Deep hex in the Malacca Strait is now
Ocean Shallow. And Dora Harbor, Alaska (due West of Cold Bay) has its terrain type
redefined from Rough Jungle to just Rough (there being no jungle in Alaska). The new
RR near Chita in Siberia, and in Northeastern Australia, were checked to insure they
have no flaws. [Both match relatively new map art I made adding them a few weeks ago].
I have not yet added the Alaska Range (including North American's highest mountain)
nor has Mifune made the matching map art for it. But that is a near term project. I have
to define which hexes are involved.

Most of the work was on the Tacoma class patrol frigates. I reviewed the missing vessels of
the class. I discovered the names of most of their captains, and the dates most departed for
operations, updating them. I decided JES scenarios would not cancel the four ships that were
cancelled in strictly historical scenarios. I added the peculiar case of one sent to RN and
converted to a fighter direction ship - as it may be useful off Japan. While the details of
the conversion are not in US records, I know how LST's were turned into FDS ships by UK. So
we know what radar and ECM sets are involved, and the armament scheme. . Several ships
which served in the Atlantic were sent to PTO after they paid off IF there is time for them
to reach the theater. [Full RHS scenarios run until the end of Monsoon, 1946]. And a few ships
wrongly omitted in stock were added. Most of the class is now classified as Coast Guard (with
a CG prefix in both ship name and commanding officer name). Two ships not turned over to the
Russians because Japan surrendered ARE turned over in JES scenarios.

There are nine possible changes to the map art (and the supporting pwhexe.dat files) in Alaska.

These affect all 26 pwhexe.dat files.

3 affect WPEN11 - of which there are three variations (Winter, Spring and Monsoon - Fall uses the Monsoon WPEN11)

6 affect WPEN41 - of which there are four variations (Winger, Spring, Monsoon and Fall).

They are

180/36 Tundra [One hex West of Anchorage]

182/36 Mountain [Whittier hex]

181/37 Mountain [One hex SW of Whittier]

182/37 Mountain [One hex SE of Whittier]

179/30 Wooded Rough [One hex East of Fairbanks]

179/29 Wooded Rough [Nenana]

174/48 Wooded Rough [Cold Bay]

177/45 Wooded Rough [One hex East of Port Haiden]

179/43 Wooded Rough [Western Kodiak Island]

Micro Update 5.83

https://1drv.ms/f/s!Ap7XOIkiBuUwhZAU7bdtWbbscE_oLg

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

It is a general cleanup of eratta. It tries in particular to integrate
the date of appearance of commanding officers and their commands. Also
to insure weapons, sensors, the and that ships are assigned to the proper
class for their date of appearance. Many new officers were added, including
a surprising number of cases where it was possible to replace a generic name
with the actual name of the officer (simply by overwriting the generic name).
This process indicates that a comprehensive review is justified - numbers of
officers appear at the wrong date. And the process also catches numbers of
other errata.

The pwhexe.dat files simply make later files (for Fall and Winter) consistent
with earlier files. They including adding the RR missing near the Soviet/Manchukuo
border (vital to servicing a Soviet airfield since 1938) and correcting a minor RR
in Northern Queensland. A hex in Alaska was changed from Jungle Rough to Rough.
A deep water hex in the Malacca Strait was changed to shallow to match art and reality.
These are all part of start of war files and we are just extending them to later ones.
More such updates for still later files will follow.

The documentation change is to the Japanese Carrier (and Capital Ship) Logic. This
had a number of errors and also had more detailed information added to aid the editing
process (making clear which scenarios each record applies to).

Micro Update 5.84

https://1drv.ms/f/s!Ap7XOIkiBuUwhZAU7bdtWbbscE_oLg

This update only includes scenario files and documentation files. It is part of
a systematic cleanup of class, leader and ship files, but may include location or
device file eratta. It also includes an updated RHS & Stock Ship Bind List and
a revised Level II Japanese Carrier (and Capital Ship) Logic document.

Micro Update 5.85

https://1drv.ms/f/s!Ap7XOIkiBuUwhZAU7bdtWbbscE_oLg

This update only includes scenario and documentation files.
Only class, device, leader (H), Location and Ship files were updated
in the SCEN folder.
Only the Stock & RHS Ship Bind List was updated in the documentation files.

Location files concentrated on minor ports unable to use barges, because RHS
revisions to reflect full load made them too "large" to dock. Important barge
ports now can handle normal barges (although not ocean going barges).

Otherwise, ship and related class and leader files were updated. This mainly to
insure ships appear with commanding officers. Often, a date mismatch prevented this
from happening. It also appears that officers assigned to a ship may not be available
even if that ship is not used in the scenario. Such ships had their CO removed in scenarios
not using them. This review process reveals if ships are in the wrong scenario, or have
other errors. So it helps insure ships have the proper weapons, sensors, etc.

Micro Update 5.86

https://1drv.ms/f/s!Ap7XOIkiBuUwhZAU7bdtWbbscE_oLg

This microupdate only contains scenario files.

The primary file changes are the addition of hundreds of commanding officers,
changes to many ship files, changes to some class files, some location files,
and possibly cam, group and device files.

The focus was to give captains to ships without them. Otherwise to fix eratta,
or to remove truly minor vessels from simplified (even numbered) RHS scenarios
altogether. A few minor land units were also removed from simplified scenarios
(e.g. tiny Portugese garrisons at two points in India smaller than Goa). The
focus was on truly minor vessels generally ignored since their creation which
were never assigned captains. In some cases, duplicated captains (made by copying
a ship file and not changing the assigned CO) had the duplicated captain replaced
In some cases generic CO's or even AE assigned CO's were replaced with the actual
CO on the date the ship appears in the game.

As usual, more records were changed in the (future) Downfall Scenario, because it
needs wholesale changes. Vast numbers of vessels lost by 1945 were removed. Some
locations changed commands and/or sides. A few vessels get different captains in
1945 Scenario 126 than in other 1941 scenarios. [Scenario 126 serves only as a test
bed for 1945 devices, ships and aircraft: they won't generally work in any other
scenario without playing to game dates late in the war. It will take a long time
to complete this full map scenario.]

Comprehensive Update 5.87

https://1drv.ms/f/s!Ap7XOIkiBuUwhZAU7bdtWbbscE_oLg

This update includes art, documentation and scenario files.

There are new Axis Aircraft filmstrips. These need to be put in the top level ART folder to work.
They, and associated Scenario files, add the Heinkel 111F aircraft to Japan Enhanced Scenarios 125
& 129. The art was modified from existing real world art by Mifune. This aircraft as added at his
request.

I did the research and also the calculation of values for the type. I was surprised to learn that
Ernst Heinkel did ink a contract to delivery 43 of these machines to Japan - the same model as was
supplied to Turkey. The contract was cancelled, probably due to the difficulty of delivery after the
European War had begun or because Germany needed all the bombers it could build. But Ernst Heinkel was
living in Japan, promoting his designs, and supervising the construction of an aircraft factory and an
engine factory at Hitachi. He could have supervised the building of jigs - although it would have taken
time. I allow this type to be introduced only in 1942 and only in non strictly historical scenarios.
The loadout selected is one in which the external bombs are not carried. The loss of half the load still
involves removal of four bomb modules and replacing them with a 735 liter internal tank. External loads
dramatically reduce range, a problem in PTO. The peculiar engine selected (the 111 could use a wide variety
of engines) is the 1175 hp Db 601 model with provision for a 20 mm cannon mounted in the inverted V, such
it fires through the propeller hub. Intended for the He-100 (which Japan bought 3 evaluation aircraft for, but
rejected in favor of using the same engine on the Ki-51 much later in time), we use it in this form for the
bomber.

Numbers of aircraft types were eliminated from Scenario 124, making it identical to 122. Even more were removed
from Scenario 126, a 1945 scenario, because many types no longer existed by then. All three are "simplified"
RHS scenarios, and many minor types do not appear in them.

Some work was done on aircraft, class, device, leader (H), location and ship files for both sides. Both eliminating
eratta, and reviewing them for potential better options. The scenario Comment files were updated to use current
RHS version numbers. I found destroyers need the kind of review we did for carriers, battleships and cruisers -
to insure the correct devices from those now available. So more of this will follow.

Mifune is working on two map panels so we can add mountains or other rough terrain missing in Alaska. He is working
on art for the Allied square rigged sailing ships. The map art will require I modify 26 pwhexe.dat files used in
various RHS scenarios.

Micro Update 5.88

https://1drv.ms/f/s!Ap7XOIkiBuUwhZAU7bdtWbbscE_oLg

This update only contains scenario files and documentation files.

Apart from eratta, this update revises class, device and ship files. It
may contain leader (H) file record updates. It revises all the Special
Type destroyer classes for Japan in light of changes made since the
last review. In particular, this concerns a better understanding of
electronics and the availability dates for weapons. It seems to have
been some time, so most sub-classes were revised.

It is clear a similar review (with fewer changes) needs to be done for
other escorts. And there appear to be merchant ships not yet converted to
full load displacement, with the impact on durability that has. Presumably
those same merchant classes may get more sensors. This no doubt applies
to both sides - these classes are mixed up - not all together in one
area. But we may be winding down this phase of development.

New map art is in development by Mifune, who has been able to work this fall.
So we may improve that, and other art. Next up may be a square rigged sailing
ship (only used by the Allies, and possibly only by the US Army).

Stock has no captain for ship slot 145 IJN Destroyer Yugumo.
He was Cdr. Cemba, Shigeo (and was added to RHS in leader slot 24201)

Similarly, ship slot 037 IJN Chitose (a seaplane carrier and later light
aircraft carrier) has no CO. He was Captain Seigo, Sasaki (and was
assed to RHS as leader slot 23788)

If you want to find similar captains, look up the ship name followed by
"Tabular Record of Movement." This often reveals commanders at various dates.

Micro Update 5.89

https://1drv.ms/f/s!Ap7XOIkiBuUwhZAU7bdtWbbscE_oLg

This update only contains scenario and documentation files.

An attempt to make a square rigged sailing ship (for US Army vessels)
failed. I suggested Mifune seek Clipper ship art - which is widespread -
to find a source. Using USCG Eagle failed to produce good looking art.
We also need to clear up a pink "aura" around the single masted schooner
and make a cleaner mask for the Ki-90 (which is, deliberately in history,
a number match for its German counterpart - the Ju-90). This latter is only
used in non-strictly historical scenarios, because the project was not finally
completed.

The most important work was on location files. We replaced a duplicate HQ with
Payap Army. This is a Thai HQ, and the only important Axis Allied field HQ, the
only one to truly cooperate with Southern Expeditionary Army, and the only one
to conquer in its own right a significant amount of Allied territory.

Significant work was done assigning and/or adding ship captains. It turns out that
the Allies need a lot of this. The game randomly assigns captains if it can, but important
historical ships should enter the game with their historical captains. I can spend years
on this, but at least I intend to get the important ships done. Otherwise, I did surprisingly
difficult work on older Japanese destroyer clases. Some classes were almost uniformly done.
But the older ones were done to many different standards, and it takes effort to decide how
to model this without creating many new sub-classes of ships? Some eratta was also worked in.
The most significant is a reworking of the 15cm ASW Rocket Projector entering service when the
war ended in Japan. I didn't know it had 9 rockets rather than a single one - being fooled by its
single arm in photographs.

We will finish the oldest of the Japanese destroyers and hopefully add the improved art next time.