Napoleonic command mod

[welk]

Napoleon command mod is now released
After tests, scale of mod has been a little bit modified, to simplify orders of battle (definitive orders of battle do not exactly match with announced oob in below posts (that are now obsolete)

The mod will be kept as private work because some graphs of other games (not abandonware) were used for terrains/grounds and/or units
Here is a link to discover PC wargames free demo of WDS products : some graphisms of these demo games were used (and will be used in future) https://wargameds.com/collections/game- ... MepBjQrnfw

If you are interested to use the mod, do not forget to consult regulary the first post of the thread : changes in versions of the mod (new link awailable in MP) and changes in readme will be displayed in this first post

Mod download link : No public download link => Users who are interested to play the mod may ask (mp) for the download link (link is now awailable and will be sent by mp if asked)

The mod pack is compressed with 7z, a similar zip tool like winrar or winzip
7z tool may be found as free tool here : https://www.7-zip.org/


At this time, one unic generic battle is provided but the mod does allow to create any historical battle users want to build with editor
Appropriated and needed modifications will be made, according to observations/critics of eventual users

Readme :
--------------------

README_NAPO_MOD.pdf

(2.28 MiB) Downloaded 11 times

(Readme updated 21/03/2026 to include image instructions to help installation of the mod)

HOW TO INSTALL => You must follow this process :

IMPORTANT PRECISIONS :

1°/ To create a new independant install of SC WIE on your hard drive (as indicated in following instructions), you have just to copy-past your actual vanilla install, and after that, to rename it under the name of your choice (NAPOLEON or other name). To create this complete copy of your vanilla install of SC is absolutly needed at first, and then you have to follow the install following instructions.

2°/ If you use shortcuts to lunch game and/or editor, do not use your "vanilla" shortcuts => Do not forget to create new appropriated shortcuts from the new independant install. If you do not, and if you use only "vanilla" shortcuts, you will just lunch vanilla game/vanilla editor and not the modded game/modded editor.

INSTALL__NSTRUCTIONS.png (70.99 KiB) Viewed 276 times

1/ Create a separated and independent install of SC War in Europe (different from your vanilla install) and rename it like you want (example : "Battlefield command", etc)

Then, in this separated/independant install, erase : (to economise space disk)
* All vanilla default campaign
* All campaigns of directory named "Community pack"
=> These 2 kind of campaign files have no any utility in this install

Note : If you don't want to create the required independent/separated install, do not use the mod, it will probably not work properly

2/ In this independent install (not in "User" mods directory !), copy-past in each concerned directory the files of the 5 directories named : bitmaps, interface, media, sound, music
IMPORTANT PRECISION => You will also find a isolated file named "localization" : this file must be copied in the main directory of the game, to replace the "vanilla" localization file of the game

3/ Then copy-past files and sub-directory of the directory named campaigns in the "user/document" directory (campaigns directory) exactly like you do with for vanilla game campaigns.
Note : In the Napoleon commander directory, you will find a second "localization" file, that is the same file like the "localization" file you have copied in main directory of your new install. Let this file in place, it is needed in the place where it is.

Why this special process ? The original process for installing campaigns and mods does conduct to have enormous campaigns files (size = approx. 180 Mo) when a user campaign does modify heavily vanilla game (in particular bmp files). This system may be usefull if you do only 1 or 2 user campaigns, but if you do a lot of campaigns, size of these campaign will be a problem. This is the case with the mod : lot of battles (one battle = one campaign) will probably be realized in future times.

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All posts below are now obsolete

[welk]

A n°3 collection would also be possible (if some prefer vote for) : integral view on top graphs (exactly like ancient battle graphs units). These graphs would come with shadows for relief (there are not yet shadows on the current image)
These graphs (some a little modified) come from a mod made by mkr8683, a player-modder of Winspww2 (shrapnel games)

The choice will be betwtween N°1,2 or 3

napo1010.jpg (224.25 KiB) Viewed 2139 times

[zakblood]

if you can't make your mind up on which set, add them all if you can, would make a good option as a choice?

[welk]

It's an excellent idea , and I plane that for the ancient battle mod (3D= graphs of Age of Empire ; Nato = actual graphs "view on top"

I will also probably follow your suggestion for Napo adaptation : 3D = sprites collection N° 1 or N° 2 ; Nato = sprites view on top (collection N°3)

But the problem stays for collection N°1 and N°2 : what would be the best ? I can't decide at this time, I need external advices. Concerning collection N°1, graphs are ready ; concerning collection N°2, I would have to re-work lot of things. But he angle of view of sprites is not exactly the same between N° 1 and N°2 and I can't decide me about that.

[welk]

After theAncient battles mod (that is in final work), what preference ? (priority)

- Napoleonic battle ?
- US Independance war ?
- US Civil war ? (this theater of war does not interest me at strategic scale, but it's interessant in battle scale)

In all cases, the mod will be a generic tool (2 armies, red/blue side with generic paramets, modifyable in editor) that allows players to build quickly and easely (with editor) their own historical battles if the subject interest them.

[Lynx57]

Nice Project,

I like the third option, counters with uniforms

[welk]

The Ancient battle mod will be soon completed.
At the same time, first work for the Napolenic version has began

Here are future graphs for french imperial army
I choiced them for some technical reasons : their scale is full adapted to the scale of SC (no any reduction needed), and they have a high level of color variation. In addition, their look is more immersive" than others (in my opinion). Old gamers who have loved the Napoleonic Battlegroud series (Talonsoft) will recognize them immediatly

Square defensive formations will be modelized by "defensive formation"
Column march will be modelized by "forced march"

Vive l'Empereur !

NAPO.png (110.67 KiB) Viewed 1607 times

[welk]

I would need some views of what is the aspect of game in :

Main screen 4x3
background 4x3
Splash 4x3

and same for :
21x9
32x9



Would be usefull to have these view captures, to place images on files
If some players use these formats, please : post your view.

15-x9 is not needed, I use it

If nobody does post asked images, I will consider that there are no any users of these formats and I will let the concerned files "full black" (no any interest to work for nothing, I did not use these specific formats)

NAPO SCREEN.png (3.96 MiB) Viewed 1465 times

[welk]

Units of imperial french army (Units of Imperial Guard - inf, cav & arty - are not on this image => work in progress, they will include Mameluks, etc)

Some units types have more than one graph (this will allow to configure army in all contexts)

In SC2, units have no any "formations" (line, columns, square), and it's a limitation for napoleonic modding.
But :
1/ Square formations will be modelized by "defense formation capacity" (setting in editor)
2/ Columns formation will be modelized by "forced march", renamed "Column march" (that will decrease power capacities of units : "moral" of units will become "fight power")

Units with high defensive formation factor will be considered as in "square formation" (of course, Cavalry and arty will have no any defensive formation hability)

Units in forced march will be considered as moving in columns = vulnerables

french units.jpg (870.69 KiB) Viewed 1413 times

Ground relief will have 3 levels (in addition of forests, marsh, etc)
Villages on the image are those from Ancient battle mod, not the graphs that will be used in Napo mod, I have found napoleonic and towns villages (work in progress)

GROUND.png (2.02 MiB) Viewed 1411 times

[welk]

In zoom view : Unit sprites will use graphs of old Battleground games (PTW, NIR, etc), but unit sprites nato will use counters like the original Kriegspiel's von Reisswitz

Outzoomview : it will in all cases use Kriegspiel counters

https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kriegsspiel_(Planspiel)

Kriegspiel.jpg (812.37 KiB) Viewed 1311 times

[Magpius]

Amazing work. Opens up a new world of possibilities.

[welk]

Yes, very interesting new possibilities.
My goal is twice : on the one hand, to build for my own usage a Napoleonic wargame and share it if other users are interested ; and on the other hand, to show Hubert and Bill the enormous possibilities that the SC system has to offer, if they wanted to make a series of SC games dedicated to great battles from all eras (from antiquity to the end of the 19th century). A game like FOG II could not easily be adapted to the Napoleonic era because there would be problems with the scale of the map, but the SC system is perfectly suited (it would be enough to provide for the management of formations = lines, columns, squares, and also to add the possibility of reorienting the counters. Nothing else would be necessary to be added, as all the essential other useful parameters are already in the editor).

SC system is really a perfect system for wargaming, with high potentialities : Hubert should take the decision and should try to conduct this historical adventure => Make SC great again

[welk]

Ressources (cities, villages, fortifications, etc):

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Graphs come from the old Age of Empire (Microsoft), from Fairline Civ II graphs (Failine is a modder of civilization II) and from Final Struggle, a PC napoleonic wargame (WDS)

"The final struggle" may be bought here :
https://wargameds.com/collections/napoleonic-battles

There is a free demo to try the game (and lot others interessant PC wargames demos)
https://wargameds.com/collections/game-demos-wds

[welk]

View of a test battlefield (British army graphs are in work and french imperial Guard also in work). British commanders are at this time invisibles because their graphs are not yet implemeted
Working on this, I founded some little tips that will be used to improve the Ancient battle mod in few time

Concerning ground : green "moutains" are hills level 1, light braun mountains = hills level 2 and dark braun mountains = hills level 3

I work also on graphs tests : french army on the second image is "vanilla" (graphs of Battleground seris -Talonsoft), but British army on the second image received a special filter that does reinforce contrast and shadows (British army of first image is "vanilla"). I am in indecision to choice : vanilla look of special filter ?

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GRAPHS.png (1.54 MiB) Viewed 1198 times

[welk]

Game has now 6 altitude levels : Plain, low hills, hills, high hills, mountains, high mountains

These 6 levels will be used in napoleonic mod, but also in some operationnel/tactical WW2 mods I plane for the futur at Regimental/Batalion/Company scale : working on napoleonic mod, I discovered that the game may be perfectly adapted to a ww2 tactical/operationnel scale, like a kind of (large scale) "Squad leader" or a kind of "East Front" (a old excellent game of Talonsoft)

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French imperial army and british army are no released, I will begin to work with campaign parameters (later, after some tests, I will do a Prussian army and a Austro-Russian army)

ARMIES.png (1.52 MiB) Viewed 1142 times

[welk]

A french military convoy is crossing Alps, conducted by the emperor Huberto Caterapate I°...

Level "mountains" and level "High mountains" have now a 3D look (Hills levels will stay like actual)

If I do not find better graphs, I will keep these

ACROSS ALPS.png (2.6 MiB) Viewed 1106 times

This mountain pass also seems to be very busy... (graphs are not mine, made by Fairline/Tanelorn for Civ II => talentuous graphs creators). In addition of battle field, SC3 is also perfectly adaptable for semi-operationnel level (regiment/Batalion/Company), WW2 or modern times.

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3D.png (3.74 MiB) Viewed 824 times

[welk]

This game is crazy in battlefield scale I will never return in strategic WW2 scale, just in operationnel/tactic scale for WW2 and modern scenarios (I have collected lot of graphs for that)...

In game, to have permanently full supply (invisible major cities + invisible rails roads to connect all hex without exception) seems give to AI a fantastic energy.

Here is capture of a furious test battle : AI seems have great tentation to kill my arty by charges with heavy and line cavalry

BATTLE TEST.png (1.66 MiB) Viewed 1068 times

[welk]

Strengh numbers are now replaced by a "life bar"

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Napo.png (1.5 MiB) Viewed 830 times

Napo_Kriegspiel.png (1.69 MiB) Viewed 827 times

And perhaps, later :

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[welk]

Napoleon command mod is now released
See first post of this thread

[Hortense]

Hello Welk, I'm a fan of the Napoleonic era. Your mod really interests me. Could you send me the link so I can try it out?

Thank you very much;
Hortense