Matrix Games Forums

Mods and links to mods...

http://www.blackbellamy.com/start2.txt

The start2.txt file is meant to be used for the Standard scenario (The 1805 start). Using this file should not affect existing games, or any other scenarios that you start.

This file should replace start2.txt in your Data directory, wherever you installed CoG. Back up your existing start2.txt first.

Please note that the name changes apply ONLY to units available at start. This gives you incentive to 'baby' some of these at-start units for the end game, where their experience will distinguish them from generically named units produced later.

Many non-army/corp names had to be abbreviated due to readability issues, so as to not push the unit strength under the icon. I also abbreviated some existing names.

If you wish to redact any of my changes, place a lowercase 'x' in place of the existing name and the game will use the default name instead. If your game won't start after editing, look for any spaces.

1) All ships, heavy ships, and frigates have been named.

Heavy ships are in CAPS, and frigates are prefixed by 'Fr' (Except for 'Sch_Pickle', which is really a frigate but I couldn't resist adding this Trafalgar schooner). All others are regular ships. The Turkish galleys have been renamed as frigates and given proper names(They are treated as frigates in the game code).

The ships are notable ships of the period, or where sources were scarce (Prussia, Austria, etc), likely names or names of ships from other eras. No attention has been paid to geographical locations - for example, almost all the British, French, and Spanish ship names are from Trafalgar.

2) All Fleets have been renamed to include the name of the commander. Thus "Nelson's_Fleet" is now "Adm_Nelson" and the Turkish "1st_Fleet" is now "Adm_Seyit-Ali". The title Admiral was used regardless of actual rank.

3) Most Armies and some Corps have been renamed to reflect national flavor. Thus the Spanish "1st_Army" is now "Ejército_España".

4) Some divisions have been renamed. Since there were not enough unique divisional names of the period, in most cases the names of famous or familiar regiments were used.


Country-specific changes:

France:
The two guard units renamed to "Chasseurs" and "Grenadiers". These are meant to represent the Old Guard. All light cavalry units renamed to "Hussar". Some heavy cavalry units renamed to match Guard Cavalry regiment names.

Britain:
The two guard units renamed to "Coldstream" and "Foot_Guards". All other units renamed after famous regiments.

Sweden:
All units renamed. The sole artillery unit renamed to the generic Swedish "Kanon" because it looks cool.

Prussia:
All infantry units named after regions as was the custom of the time. The light cavalry units renamed to "Hussar", and the two regular cavalry to "Dragonen". The Heavy Cavalry renamed to "Kürassier". The sole artillery unit now belongs to the King.

Spain:
Infantry units renamed after famous regiments. Swiss Mercenaries renamed to "El_Suizo". The sole artillery unit renamed to "El_Cañon" for the same reasons as the Swedes.

Russia: Guard unit renamed to "Leib_Guard" (from German 'leib', meaning body).

Turkey: The four Janissary units renamed after elite Janissary regiments from the Sultan's bodyguard corps. The artillery unit named after a famous Ottoman cannon, the "Basilic". The irregular cavalry renamed after various types of low quality cavalry levies. One infantry unit renamed to "Sekhan" to represent other quality infantry troops (the Sekhan unit was also given a slight boost in morale - the only unit so modified in this mod). Egyptian Armies renamed after popular leaders of the era, and their subordinate units renamed to reflect troop type and origin.

Austria: All jaeger units renamed to "Jäger". Some heavy cavalry and infantry units renamed after notable regiments.

I presume a new PBEM game would just need the starting player to have this mod loaded, since all the text amendments will be within the save file?

Ian

ORIGINAL: ian77

I presume a new PBEM game would just need the starting player to have this mod loaded, since all the text amendments will be within the save file?

Ian

That's a fine question! For mods to start2.txt, that is correct. For mods that affect other files, such as EuProv2.txt, all players will need the altered files.

The easiest way to do mods of the basic files may be to organize the files as scenarios. (The files for the default scenario are found in the /Data directory.) It'd then be easier for players to snap the files in-place simply by copying the appropriate _S scenario directory into the Scenarios folder than to have to overwrite their /Data game files. Of course not all files that might be MOD'd are Scenario files...

Thanks Eric, and good suggestion for amended scenarios .... I have modded a 1792 campaign to allow all leaders from the other scenarios to arrive as time progresses through to 1820, and all nations start at peace (doesn't usually last very long, but once under "Napoleon" difficulty it took nearly three years for war to break out, over Poland, and within two turns every power was fighting!

Is there a way to have leaders die? (other than leading a heroic charge!!) can it be written into the scenario?

Ian

Could you post that mod, please? I like starting in 1792 and playing a looooong campaign. The only drawback has been that the "great" leaders do not show up, so I have started to play the 1796 campaign. If you have included the appearance of the commanders in the 1792 campaign, that would be great. I would be very appreciative.

Is there a way to have leaders die? (other than leading a heroic charge!!) can it be written into the scenario?

The "DiedIn" flag doesn't seem to do anything, either with a year or turn value.

I would like to "kill" Bernadotte and have him arrive as a Swedish reinforcement.

There is a DiedIn variable but in the end we didn't implement it. The programming wouldn't be that hard -- we ended up worrying that players would be annoyed to have their generals spontaneously dying on them. But to use it for something like Bernadotte's defection would be brilliant. I could also see using it in a long campaign for certain key commanders... I'll move it back on my list of things to consider for the features patches.

If the Died In feature were to be implemented might I suggest that the default for all leaders be nil, or whatever, allowing them to go through the whole campaign if not killed in combat. This would then allow modders to set up their own scenarios with deaths, defections, or whatever. IMHO as soon as an historical campaign kicks off, history is ours to write, and Napoleon will not be holidaying on any Mediteranian Islands in the winter 1814/15!! Some nations have so few leaders, they just cannot afford to loose any.

Ian

I would also kill Napoleon and replace him with another Napoleon with worse ratings as the game progresses. By 1815 he would be a shell of his former self.

This could also be used to kill leaders in order to promote them as they were in real life, as when a divisional commander would be given a Corps.

IMHO his campaign of 1814 was as good as if not better than any that had gone before ... his eventual defeat was down to the lack of cavalry to successfully exploit his numerous victories. But I would have to agree that he and his army were not what they had once been, post 1807.

Ian

ORIGINAL: carnifex
This could also be used to kill leaders in order to promote them as they were in real life, as when a divisional commander would be given a Corps.

Good thinking! .. our own modded promotions! (better keep that young pup Arthur Wellesley safe, that boy will be CinC allied armies one day don't you know!)

Ian

Modded promotions will be a little weird if, say, Napoleon dies in 1808 as a result of a poorly executed cavalry charge but then suddenly ressurrects in 1815. There might be a better way to link them though...say use a flag to show that the reinforcing commander is an improvement but the improvement won't come into play if there's no current commander with the same name already in play.

That is why I said you better keep them safe!... no you are right, I had not properly thought through the idea, just as well we have you Eric[:)]

So these "flags" do we have them in the game at the moment?

Ian

ORIGINAL: dapamdg

Could you post that mod, please? I like starting in 1792 and playing a looooong campaign. The only drawback has been that the "great" leaders do not show up, so I have started to play the 1796 campaign. If you have included the appearance of the commanders in the 1792 campaign, that would be great. I would be very appreciative.

Did you get the files I sent?

Ian

ORIGINAL: ian77

ORIGINAL: dapamdg

Could you post that mod, please? I like starting in 1792 and playing a looooong campaign. The only drawback has been that the "great" leaders do not show up, so I have started to play the 1796 campaign. If you have included the appearance of the commanders in the 1792 campaign, that would be great. I would be very appreciative.

Did you get the files I sent?

Ian

Thank you, I did. I just sent you an email about my experience. Thank you for your help.

ORIGINAL: ian77

Thanks Eric, and good suggestion for amended scenarios .... I have modded a 1792 campaign to allow all leaders from the other scenarios to arrive as time progresses through to 1820, and all nations start at peace (doesn't usually last very long, but once under "Napoleon" difficulty it took nearly three years for war to break out, over Poland, and within two turns every power was fighting!

Is there a way to have leaders die? (other than leading a heroic charge!!) can it be written into the scenario?

Ian

Ian, I too am interested in your mod. Could you post it or send it to me? I would appreciate it as I also like playing the 1792 scenario. I am totally addicted.

My custom 1792 scenario is available here:

http://www.blackbellamy.com/1792Custom_S.zip

To install it, create a new folder in your Scenario folder and call it 1792Custom_S then dump all those files in. Select the 1792Custom scenario as you would a regular scenario.

The main changes are the same as described in my main post above (the 1805 scenario), like I renamed a bunch of units and such. I also added all the leaders that are meant to arrive in other scenarios, as well as created some new leaders to a few nations that lacked variety, like the Swedes, Turks, and Spanish.

Some leaders I had to modify, like Dumorriez who gave the same bonus as Napoleon. Couldn't have that so I gave Dummy some Devotion instead.

I also slightly lowered the Turkish and Russian base morale by .25, and split the difference on the French morale between their 1792 and their 1805 rating. Also, the French begin 1792 with the same army/corps sizes as everyone else, unlike 1805 where they have an advantage. I gave them the 1805 values because they will never increase otherwise. These changes are in players2.txt so if you don't like it copy the one from the regular 1792 scenario.

Also, fixed Algeria

If you PM me youe email address I will send it to you

Ian

ORIGINAL: ian77

That is why I said you better keep them safe!... no you are right, I had not properly thought through the idea, just as well we have you Eric[:)]

So these "flags" do we have them in the game at the moment?

Ian

Nope.