Enough place in OOBs ?

fguillemart · Post by **fguillemart** » Thu Sep 27, 2001 6:46 pm

Even though I'm pretty sure this topic has been posted before, I would like to ask this question again, specially when considering the number of different infantry weapons the Wehrmacht has been fielding throughout the war.
How can you handle 4 different types of Panzerfaust, 2 different LMGs, at least 4 different rifles and MPs for Heer and SS alone, not counting the specific Fallschirmjaeger weaponry ?
This question is more specifically posted for Paul and David, but is it such a tremendous work to extend the OOBs to over 250 units per nationality ?
Thanks for your reply and for any hint on how to solve the issue.

Mikimoto · Post by **Mikimoto** » Thu Sep 27, 2001 10:28 pm

Hi.
Breaking the 249 Oob unit limit is a dream of mine, too. But it was posted one and another time. It is said that code programming dont let it be (but in spww2 they did).
You always can edit the Oob files, as I do. <img src="biggrin.gif" border="0">

Larry Holt · Post by **Larry Holt** » Thu Sep 27, 2001 10:50 pm

It a coding thing you know. Memory is allocated in words or bytes of 8 bits ( a one or zero). 2^8 = 256 and that's the number of fields available. To go beyond that requires doubling the memory space, changing the code, etc. and all this for a game thats in maintenance mode.

degen · Post by **degen** » Fri Sep 28, 2001 8:15 am

Something that crossed my mind recently was the idea of using 2 OOB slots for the Germans. Specifically, it seems possible to use one of the existing nation's OOB as a second OOB for the Germans. This way, the German units would be doubled to almost 500 and allow for more variation in the unit selection. It seems the most likely candidate would be the Yugoslavian OOB, since it is probably used the least and its units could be merged in with another nation's OOB that is not full.

Has this idea ever been considered?

Sunray · Post by **Sunray** » Fri Sep 28, 2001 11:49 am

A GE army with two OOB files is a great suggestion IMHO.
But if you replace the Yugoslavian file: (a) you lose it forever, (b) you must change the leaders names in another file, (c) you lose the German "national characteristics" for all those units, (d) the GE units take the YU morale and experience.

What about an additional 29th OOB instead (with exactly the same charcteristics as the original Oob70 file) ? Like the French/Free French files, you don't even need a new flag (if for exemple the original file covers the 1930-1942 period and the new 29th file covers 1943-1949).
Any thought ?

ruxius · Post by **ruxius** » Fri Sep 28, 2001 4:56 pm

Very good points here and especially the last one..this way one can be encouraged to split the italian OOB after the 8th Sept 43 in RSI and CIL OOB and also the idea of adding new OOB can give a chance for other minor nations such as Abyssinia...with the possibility of including a new flag..Also weapon file should be enlarged next to this..
but I think this will be matter of the new Combat Leader features where I greatly hope the new source code will never suffer again these old DOS space constraints!

[ September 28, 2001: Message edited by: ruxius ]</p>

Warhorse · Post by **Warhorse** » Fri Sep 28, 2001 8:32 pm

Well, although it sounds like a great idea, I'm quite sure it won't work. Again, it's a code issue, the program won't use the second oob, without manually swapping them. Once you've done that, you would also need to make sure any 'carry-over' vehicles reside in the same oob slot as they are in the original, or you will get ghosts, and halftracks!! I've played around with the idea, and frankly it's too much of a PITA. Like it's said, wait for CL!! <img src="smile.gif" border="0">

ruxius · Post by **ruxius** » Sat Sep 29, 2001 12:45 am

YEs..waiting for CL..I agree !

degen · Post by **degen** » Sat Sep 29, 2001 9:54 am

Originally posted by Warhorse:
Well, although it sounds like a great idea, I'm quite sure it won't work. Again, it's a code issue, the program won't use the second oob, without manually swapping them. Once you've done that, you would also need to make sure any 'carry-over' vehicles reside in the same oob slot as they are in the original, or you will get ghosts, and halftracks!! I've played around with the idea, and frankly it's too much of a PITA. Like it's said, wait for CL!! <img src="smile.gif" border="0">

OK, I understand your point, but I was thinking mainly for campaigns to allow for selection of additional units, since it is very easy to select different units from different nations. Maybe the second German OOB would consist of the auxilliary and rare units. I understand the code limitations and the limit on 28 separate OOBs would be a barrier, but was raising the point to see if it was a possibility. It just seems that of any nation, the German OOB is the one that is most constrained and would benefit from expansion. Anyway, it's just a thought...

Warhorse · Post by **Warhorse** » Sat Sep 29, 2001 5:10 pm

You do know the Czechoslovakian oob has many German units in it already, don't you?? I see what you are saying about the German oob for campaigns now. Are you volunteering?! <img src="biggrin.gif" border="0">

degen · Post by **degen** » Sun Sep 30, 2001 9:46 am

Thanks for reminding me about the German units in the Czech OOB, I had heard that mentioned before and had forgotten about them. I wish I could be of help, but even if I had the time, I lack the in depth knowledge on the subject. I was interested in seeing more of the rarer vehicles and also some of the auxilliary type troops (luftwaffe infantry divisions, security forces). Anyway, it sounds like this will have to wait for CL/CA.

Warhorse · Post by **Warhorse** » Mon Oct 01, 2001 12:21 am

@ Degen

Which vehicles were you interested in? There might already be a vehicle icon, or vehicle in there, just not with a recognizeable name.

degen · Post by **degen** » Wed Oct 03, 2001 9:01 am

Warhorse, I had no specific vehicles in mind, but was thinking more about the auxillary troops mentioned: luftwaffe (non-FJ) troops, security forces, mountain troops, etc. Btw, other than studying each unit in the Czech OOB to identify German units, is there a more readily apparent way to identify them? Thanks.