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Modifying Scenarios in JTCS,East Front --problems with A/I

Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2017 9:17 pm
by DougRagan
I have now started to modify some of the scenarios through the EF Scenario editor. And since I play solo most of the time, I heavily rely on the A/I to make the scenarios challenging and unpredictable. But I believe that there must be a software BUG that controls reinforcements. Here is just one example:
I modify the scenario "Red Steel at Fedorovka". I set ALL the PERCENTAGE CHANCEs of receiving reinforcements at 20% and save the scenario in a new .SCN file (using the same map and org as the original scn). When I repeatedly play the modified game in MANUAL vs. MANUAL mode, I see that all the reinforcements enter the map according to what you would expect from 20% chance each turn. Sometimes they enter, sometimes not, but by the end of the scenario most, if not all, have entered. And the order in which they entered varies from game to game, as one would expect. All is good so far.

But as soon as I ask the A/I to take over one side (let's say the Russians), ALL the remaining Russian reinforcements arrive in that turn. The same is true if I let the A/I take over the Germans. If I play the game in COMPUTER vs. COMPUTER mode, ALL reinforcements from both sides arrive on the stated turn. In other words the percentage chance becomes 100% as soon as the A/I takes over. This problem exists with version 2.02 and 1.04. And it exists in many of the other Scenarios that I have modified. I have read the manual over and over and methodically worked through it word for word. Maybe I am not modifying it correctly?

1. Has anyone else discovered this problem?
2. If so, is there a fix for it?

Cheers,
Doug Ragan

RE: Modifying Scenarios in JTCS,East Front --problems with A/I

Posted: Tue Feb 21, 2017 5:41 pm
by DougRagan
A further observation:
If I take a stock scenario (without modification) such as RED STEEL AT FEDOROVKA, and start with Manual vs. Manual mode, all reinforcements come in according to the stated chance, but as soon as I turn one side on to Computer control, all percents appear to default to 100%, and hence no more unpredictability.

One fix is to make all Reinforcements into FIXED units with the Release Percentages as stated. That is, RELEASE percents are followed by the A/I. But this leaves you with FIXED units all over the map waiting to be released, and therefore being able to FIRE at any enemy that comes close. So a FIX on the FIX is to then hide them behind trees, fields, hills close to where they should have entered but essentially invisible to the enemy.

It would be better if the original Reinforcement PERCENT worked with the A/I as originally hoped for.

Comments?

RE: Modifying Scenarios in JTCS,East Front --problems with A/I

Posted: Tue Feb 21, 2017 9:44 pm
by Jason Petho
Good to know, Doug.

That appears to be a bug and will be noted for the next versions of the game.