Matrix Games Forums

This is a major update to my previous “Best of both Worlds” Mod.

The mod relies heavily on Cabido's Board Game Style Mod (https://forums.matrixgames.com/viewtopi ... 1#p4345991). “Best of both Worlds” is a combination of modified versions of Cabido’s graphics with my own or modified versions of my own graphics.

I divided the mod into three parts, so everybody can pick or combine his favourite parts or install all of them:

• Map/terrain – also contains minor GUI elements (formation highlight, movement arrows etc.)

• Blue GUI – minor updates from last version mainly in the combat planner display

• Flat Counters

There are also three separate Opart 4 Fonts.ini files: One for the Blue GUI only, one for the Map/Terrain Mod only and one that combines GUI and map fonts for the entire Mod (as shown in the screenshots).

Goodies: The Map/terrain mod contains some additional, alternative graphic files. These have an additional depiction in capital letters behind their name i.e. h_tiles_improvedroad_WHITE etc.

Download Link: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/eayc2zrm ... ghmov&dl=0

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Important:
For the Mod to display hill terrain as intended you need to go to TOAW IV's main directory (usually C:\Program Files (x86)\Matrix Games\The Operational Art of War IV) into the Graphics folder and "deactivate" hills_overlay graphics. This can best be done by renaming the according files (you may not want to delete them in case you wish to use them again later):
h_tiles_hills_overlay.png
s_tiles_hills_overlay.png
tiles_hills_overlay.png
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Note that the ‘Middle East’ and ‘North Africa’ scenarios that come with the game use special graphics for hills, urban terrain and even hex outlines from TOAW’s main directory ‘Graphics Override’ folder. If you want to use my (or any) mod with one of these scenarios in full, you would have to go to the according scenario’s directory in that folder and delete or rename the according graphics.

Some impressions:

Now this might be viewed as controversial
Note the snow symbols depicting snowy ground and the combat markers (planned battles, battle results and battlefield timestamps).

As the snowflake might not be everyone’s taste and the combat markers block important info on the unit counters I provided alternative graphic files with the mod.

No snowflakes: h_, s_ and tiles_snow_CLASSIC.png
Good old-fashioned crossed swords: h_, s_ and tiles_misc_SWORDS.png

You do great work. I use almost everything you do.

I really like the new snow and the cleaner urban look, and I will be using them. Probably the blue for the steel cursor too - it makes a lot of intuitive sense.

Thank you.

Cpl GAC wrote: Sat Jan 10, 2026 4:07 pm You do great work. I use almost everything you do.

I really like the new snow and the cleaner urban look, and I will be using them. Probably the blue for the steel cursor too - it makes a lot of intuitive sense.

Thank you.

Thank you - you are welcome.

I primarily chose yellow and turquise for the cursors as these colours stand out the most and are easy to spot. There are also hex shaped cursors in the mod, but they tend to become subject to "pixel smear" which i was never able to solve.

As I am always playing around with the graphics I thought I could share some of the things I did in this thread from time to time.

Those who maybe find the Mod's clear terrain too bright for their taste might like this. A darker and more saturated version of open terrain. Also a subtle light hex grid.

Redrawn, cleaner looking movement arrows and colour adjusted brass cursor.