Editor Manual

[HOTEC]

The existing Editor Manual is very brief and does not explain the impact of a change of the data field to the game. For instance, some have their factory sites of zero and others have a number (1 or 2, etc). Does it mean that element requiring 2 factory points to produce or does it mean that element capped to be produced in 2 cities only.

The Manual should also include equations and formulae etc., to help the designer to make a balance on the change of the data for both side. For instance, what fields do have an impact on CV before any modification by other factors like fatigue.

Any advice on how to get a detailed Editor Manual.

[RedLancer]

Firstly which manual are you using? The original manual was replaced by a much better version created by bcgames (John Duquette)with 125 pages. If you have the latest updates it should be in the Manuals folder.

In terms of calculations IMO a good understanding of the game is required before playing with production. If you understand how the game works then the editor is just a further step in enjoyment. There are so many variables that answering your question on CV is more difficult than you might expect.

I appreciate it is complicated at first - I don't really understand the question as what points are you talking about - is this ground element or factory related. Post a screenshot and I promise to help if the Manual still doesn't help.

[HOTEC]

I update the WitE to a new version and get the 125 pages of manual by John Duquette. Studying is underway. Your help would be highly appreciated. Thanks.

[HOTEC]

Dear Red Lancer,

I loaded the 1944-45 Campaign in the Editor and clicked 'X' in the 'Administration' page. I reached the 'Main' page. I clicked the 'Scenario Check Utility' and clicked 'No' to the 'Ignore Delayed Units?'. Then I had a group of messages, such as '1st Hun Stug Brigade (OB 137) nationality mismatch (U5, OB1)', '2nd Shock Army Guards status mismatch', 'Group duplication', '3rd Hun Army has no valid leader assigned'. These messages had at least 2 pages.

Please advise how do I clear them. Furthermore, I tried other scenarios and had no clean message.

In addition, I tried to attach a dump screen to show the extent of these messages for a picture better than a thousand words. However, it cannot be copied and pasted.
Please show me how.

Thanks.

[RedLancer]

The scenario check utility is a tool for the designer to help identify possible errors in the scenario data. It is very useful but has no impact on the scenario itself. The list can only be cleared by fixing the data issues identified - but it isn't vital to do so. It may be the case that as a designer you are content with the setup.

Examples might be:
- Nationality Mismatch - Assigning a unit an OB belonging to another Country.
- No valid leader - No leader has been assigned because you don't want one.

To get screenshots I always use Window's inbuilt Snipping Tool as the crayon and highlight features are really helpful.
When you want to upload a screen shot you need to tick the embed picture in post at the bottom of the forum post window and upload the file which needs to be a jpg or a gif.

[Denniss]

The utility writes a text file into the scenario folder with all information displayed in-game.
You should ignore delayed units, delay means units disabled for this scenario. Should get rid of many false positives.

[HOTEC]

Dear John,

The following images show that start month of zero for Gerat 040 and some others highlighted in yellow. Do I need to edit from 0 to 1 (January) for instance if its production is wanted.

I have tick for "Post New Thread", "Reply to Message" and "Submit Vote" and do not have the embed picture at the bottom of the forum post window.
I try the format as shown in the example of help ("?") and click "OK".

Thanks.

[HOTEC]

Dear John,

It does not work.

Below is what I have typed in.
◦

Their IDs are 119, 121, 122, 131, 338 and 130 in _ground.csv.

Thanks.

[RedLancer]

To upload pictures you need to use post reply and not  fast reply.  At the moment I can't see the attachments in your post - I presume this is due to the firewall I have at work.
 
I'm sure we can solve this if we take it slowly.  Firstly what exactly do you want to achieve?  

[Denniss]

first month of 0 is treated as 1 if a valid first year is used, ground element(s) should be producable unless build cost is 9999, it's past it's end date or it's already upgraded to a more recent ground element (latter two shown production menu with a '#' in front of the element name.

[Great_Ajax]

Also note that the scenario check utility creates a lot of false positives. Just because the utility reports an error, does not mean it needs to be fixed.

Trey

ORIGINAL: HOTEC

Dear Red Lancer,

I loaded the 1944-45 Campaign in the Editor and clicked 'X' in the 'Administration' page. I reached the 'Main' page. I clicked the 'Scenario Check Utility' and clicked 'No' to the 'Ignore Delayed Units?'. Then I had a group of messages, such as '1st Hun Stug Brigade (OB 137) nationality mismatch (U5, OB1)', '2nd Shock Army Guards status mismatch', 'Group duplication', '3rd Hun Army has no valid leader assigned'. These messages had at least 2 pages.

Please advise how do I clear them. Furthermore, I tried other scenarios and had no clean message.

In addition, I tried to attach a dump screen to show the extent of these messages for a picture better than a thousand words. However, it cannot be copied and pasted.
Please show me how.

Thanks.

[HOTEC]

Dear John,

The outcome of WWII is well known. Tons of books have been written to analysis the causes of victory and defeat of each campaign. They provide a lot of "What if" scenarios. I attempt to achieve as follows:

a) It was a general policy of German for "Gun and butter" before the war until the winter offensive by Soviet in 1941. Under this policy, the German armament industry did not have the adequate allocation of resources for development in board and depth and it was too late to engage Albert Speer to iron out the inefficiency of the production (Ref.1). I attempt to multipy the Armament Production of Germany in _city.csv by 2.2 (the figure of 1943/1941 of 21.1.3) to cater for wartime production and the engagement of Albert Speer by 1941.

b) Luffwaffe lost 890 planes in the Battle of Britain (Ref.2). What if the Sealion is cancelled. The lost planes are therefore available in the setup for Barbarossa.

c) Guderian complained in his book of Panzer Leader that it was unreasonable to station 38 divisions in the West and 12 divisions in Norway against for the Allied invasion in 1941. What if Hilter is not too over-reacting. Let say 25 infantry divisions are made available in the setup for Barbarossa. These additional forces are to be allocated to Army Group Centre so as to make the outer ring of Smolensk more solid at the right time.

d) Invasion of Yugoslavia was carried out by Ger 2nd Army in order to secure the oil/fuel supply from Ploesti to Germany. When the German moved deep in Russia, the oil/fuel supply line was no longer necessary to pass through Yugoslavia. What if the invasion of Yugoslovia is cancelled. At present, I am checking out the corps and divisions in the Reinforcement List for the setup of Barbarossa. The corps and divisions are found in Ref.3.

e) In the early stage of planning of Barbarossa, it would be the double pincer movements of Army Group South (Ref.4). One started from the south of Priper Marshes and the other at Moldavia. They planned to close in Kiev. What if the forces of item c) and d) are available for double instead of the single. They would be deployed at Moldavia under Army Group South.

f) The Finnish policy was to take back what they lost in the Winter War. Provoking the Soviet in the siege of Leningrad was not their wish. What if they are more aggressive. The frozen line at Campaign 1941-45 is, somehow, to remove.

g) Ref.5 shows a lot of KStNs from 1939 to 1943. As the author noted, there are no record from 1944 to the end of the war for they were destroyed by Allied air raids on Potsdam where the main German military archives were located. I am driven to use the paper strength instead of the actual strength of the German Army to stimulate its effects on the Barbarossa.

After turn one, it is not possible to have the moves in the game exact the same as the history. Leningrad to be taken with or without Finnish not encirclement. The operation of Typhoon to be cancelled. Stop offensive and start to built-up fortress line after November 1941. Inflicting heavy loss on Soviet side during the subsequent winter offensive in 1941. Completion of stage I (i.e. the capture of Voronezh) of the summer offensive in 1942, then the stage II (i.e. the capture of Stalingrad) completion in sequence prior to the move towards the Caucassus. Reinforcing the Italian and Hungary Army with strong German forces along Don. I do not see that the diaster of Stalingrad, the last victory of Manstein at Kharkov and the operation Citadel would develop. The whole history would change.

I attempt to remove the list of withdrawn except July/August 1943 to cater for the invasion of Sicily and June/July 1944 for Overload. I wish that there are a check box available. It would be convenience for the selective removal of units from the list.

Unlike the others, GGWitE is the game exact of what I am looking for with the basic in-depth data structure so built-up. It has a great potential of its adaptability on "What if". What deeply worry me is how AI would behave. Solitaire is still a fun afterall.

On top of which, your advice would be the most precious gift.

Thanks.

Regards,
Paul

Ref.1 - The Wages of Destruction - The Making and Breaking of the Nazi Economy, by Adam Tooze, Penguin Books.
Ref.2 - World War II Data Book, The Luftwaffe 1933-1945, by S. Mike Pavelec, Amber Books.
Ref.3 - The World War II Databook, The Essential Facts and Figures for All the Combatants, by John Ellis, Aurum Press.
Ref.4 - Atlas of the Second World War, by Brigadier Peter Young and Richard Natkiel, The Cassell.
Ref.5 - German World War II, Organization Series Vol. 1/I, 2/I and II, 3/I and II, 4/I and II, 5/I to III, by Leo W.G. Niehorster, Military Press.

[RedLancer]

This all sounds great. You can't set options, a lot of things are hardcoded and further game changes will be very limited.

However you can adjust the arrivals and withdrawals to what you want, equipment types including what is produced how many and when and finally the unit TOEs. Have a look at my Nemesis scenario as an example as to what is possible.

[HOTEC]

Dear John,

The deployment makes sense.
I load the Nemesis scenario but change the Attack Stance from 0 to 4 and AI Usage from 0 to 1 on Soviet side only. Save the scenario. Export to CSVs.

Thanks.

Regards,
Paul

[HOTEC]

Dear John,

Most of Panzer Divisions (eg. 1st Panzer Division, Support (83%) 559 /682) in Nemesis have their Support less than Need. So, I attempt to bring them in full support. As shown, the Unit of 1st Pz Div. is 363 and its TOE(OB) is 34. In the TOE(OB) tab, I change the QTY of Support from 559 to 750. Then I click GO TO MAP and click the Commander's Report from INFO SCREENS. Locate any Pz Div. under the Unit Name and left click it to select Set OB Filter. After the click of EDITOR FUNCTIONS, input Build Exp: 80, Build Size: 100, Build Ready: 100 and Build Variation: 0. Click REBUILD UNITS.

As shown in the attachment, EXP is 80, no damage and the Ready of Support is now 750. However, to the right, Support/Need is still 559 /682.

Please kindly advise me of what I am missing.

Thanks.

Regards,
Paul

[RedLancer]

Paul
 
Support is set in the Resupply Units function - set the Ammo, Fuel, Supply and Trucks at a higher level.  For the first turn of Nemesis I set Ammo, Fuel and Supplies at 150%+  but Trucks at 100%.  That will create the difference as you need more Trucks to carry more Stuff.

[Denniss]

Support ned is not immediately updated if you rebuild the unit, also not always if you use the resupply function.
Please choose a random element of this division and re-enter this elements ready element number and supply need should be recalc'ed.

[HOTEC]

Dear John,

I accidentally click on the unit icon of Luftflotte 1 asking for the input of MP. So, I follow the rule of 50 for motorized or 16 for non-motorized unit. After enter 50, it asks for the strategic movement point (SMP). I do not find the rule of thumb on setting the SMP for each type of unit in the manual. Please advise whether this is one.

I input 999. Then GO TO THE MAP, locate the Luftflotte 1 and see nothing as 999. Go back to the Unit tab and click the TOE(OB). Find nothing either. Exit without saving. Where does the SMP show?

Regards,
Paul

[RedLancer]

100 is the usual setting.
 
SMP can be seen in the Unit Box on the Left Hand Side in the Map view - under the symbol there is a wiggly arrow and a number.

[HOTEC]

Dear John,

Is any particular merit to set it to zero?

Regards,
Paul