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Anyone know if there is a way to set a research tech's availablity to X or Y tech? I though I heard this was a new thing in ATG but I might have been dreaming.

Also, I'd like to give horses back land cap without it using oil. This there a way to do this without changing landcap over all?

Good Questions actually. Looking forwards to the answers.

I would think, but this is only what i think, that landcap without fuel use is going to be tough. As far as i have seen landcap uses fuel because general landcap does. Rail cap does not, because its not landcap, but a cap of it´s own...

ORIGINAL: Iron Knight
Also, I'd like to give horses back land cap without it using oil. This there a way to do this without changing landcap over all?

+1

Come on, some one has got to deliver the bad news (or really just confirm it). [;)] Any chance of getting this in the future? And while I'm dream could I get a supply use on attack like oil has, or a unit stat that detirmines how much EP a unit can store rather than a rulevar. [:)] Pleeeease... [:)]

I might have found a work around. I haven't had time to test it out yet but will hopefully get to soon.

If I want Armored Cargoship I to be available with Logistics Theory I or Sea Theory I I think I can do the following:

Make the Armored Cargoship I as I want requiring Logistics Theory I.
Copy the SFT and keep everything the same but change the tech to Sea Theory I.
In the Items section make one block the other, and set the blockee to upgrade to the blocker for free.
Set higher leveled blockees to block the lower level blocker, and set the lower level blocker to upgrade to the higher level blockee at the appropriate supply amount.
Now a Armored Cargoship should be available with either tech, and when both are available only one should be seen on the production menu.

Now there is a problem. If Armored Cargoship II has the same requirement, it will be possible to end up with having Armored Cargoship I & II buildable at the same time, due to an item only being able to block one other item. So if you have Logistics Theory I & II and their Armored Cargoships, you will see them both, because they block lower leveled Sea Theory Armored Cargoships.

So, now I have a partial work around for this too, but it hinders your options. Higher leveled Armored Cargoship must require one level less of the other tech. This way the Sea Theory Armored Cargoship will have to be present to block the same level Logistic Theory Armored Cargoship that the new higher level Armored Cargoship will clash with. This still won't work with the blocker SFT.

Still I'd like to not do this because I'd like to stick with 'X or Y' but I don't think I have any other option. Vic (or any other inner circle member [;)]), if you see this and have some time I'd love to know if I'm missing something. Could it be possible to make items block two items instead of one? Or to get a 'or' option for unit requirements? Is there a better work around?

Here is a chart of my dilemma. Black lines are the technology requirements, Blue the flow of item blocking and upgrading (is blocked by and upgrades to), Purple is the partial workaround tech requirement, Red is the missing blocking path.

Edit; Curses, I just realized I'd need a second upgrade option too... (Duh [>:])

Does my shinny graph not inspire anyone? [:(]

Personally, I hate spaghetti techs in games. And "theory techs" too.

Well as much as I like the idea of improved cargoships, I don't know if that would improve the game actually. The way it works now is you give your cargoships some cruisers/destroyers as support. The question is how many bells and whistles can you add to a game (with the purpose of improving it) without destroying gamefun. So yeah, maybe it is time to completely overhaul the tech system, make it more graphic, more spaghetti tech as Madlok says, but I really can't tell if that would improve the game... [&:] I do know that I really don't like all the sliders Hearts of Iron has.
Matter of fact I've been thinking of giving seacombat more detail, so you can have an U-boat with a damaged motorcompartment... it's damaged, not sunk. Furthermore you could improve U-boats with all the techlevels they had back then (better engine, snorkel, Flak onboard, etc.) This would be displayed in a graphical chart such as yours, or maybe a chart as in the Civ series. But the question remains the same, would it make the game more fun?

ORIGINAL: Madlok

Personally, I hate spaghetti techs in games. And "theory techs" too.

I love them !

Keep in mind that isn't a tech tree, its paths to get an 'or' function in tech (which doesn't really work). The unit type is irrelevant; it’s just something I pulled out of my hat. I have many uses for it in both the 20th century period (specially I’d like to have a group tech for all infantry but also a single tech for rifles, both could give the same unit), but even more if I wanted a medieval or fantasy/sci-fi scenario.

Having this ability would be a great asset to modders.

ORIGINAL: Jeffrey H.

I love them !

Me too, and if Advanced Tactics is to become a campaign manager for other games, then they are very useful.

Since it doesn't look possible to get an 'or' function, I think I will do a simple linear tree like in the generic file first, but then also make another with a branching tech tree. Still really crossing my fingers for a 'or' function to be added in the future.