Submarine Tracking Room V1
 

Hi,

some time ago I have written yet another small perl tool/app. This time the tool/app provides a more dynamic SH3 career.

Please note that the tool/app modifies campaign files and thus, requires some care from the user to avoid CTDs when loading save-games. I recommend the tool/app only for players who are familiar with SH3 and computers in general.

Here's the download link and the readme:

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/down...o=file&id=4611




SH3 Submarine Tracking Room V8 Readme

Written by LGN1

ONLY FOR EXPERIENCED PLAYERS.

V8 Changes:
-----------

- Added coordinates for more grids (AM and BF grids)
- Implemented a Résistance feature: Later in the war there is a chance that your departure from a French port is known to the Allies and a destroyer group awaits you in the Bay of Biscay (the date and probability is adjustable via the ini file). In addition, there are special 'spotter' units in the Bay of Biscay which can detect you very early, i.e., it might be that the destroyers know your position before you detect them. Good luck escaping them in shallow waters :-)



V7 Changes:
-----------

- new ini file is created which allows to adjust Airstrike.cfg parameters for when being detected



V6 Changes:
-----------

- new ini file is created
- added a parameter to the ini file for changing the time a HK group searches a grid
- added a parameter to the ini file for changing the time period which is taken into account for determining the detection probability



V5 Changes:
-----------

- fixed small bug (not CTD critical)
- tuned detection probability for radio messages before mid-1942 to reflect huffduff development
- tuned air-strike probabilities
- shortened response time of HK groups. THIS REQUIRES THE LAST MESSAGE IN THE CONSOLE NOT EARLIER THAN ONE HOUR BEFORE THE SAVE-GAME TIME! I STRONGLY RECOMMEND TO HAVE A MESSAGE IN THE CONSOLE JUST BEFORE SAVING (e.g., ask for a weather report, ask for range to course end, ask for depth,...).



This small tool/app provides a dynamic response to the player's actions in SH3. Whenever you sink a ship, shoot down an aircraft, or send a radio message there is a chance that the Allies will respond to this by sending a hunter-killer group to your last known position. Early in the war there are only few areas where this can happen, but later in the war you will be hunted almost everywhere as soon as you are detected.

Installation:
-------------
1.) This tool/app requires the use of SH3 Commander!

2.) In order to install the tool, you just have to copy the executable (which is a packed perl script) to the directory where SH3 stores the save-games/careers (usually ...\Documents\SH3\data\cfg). It should be in the same directory as, e.g., GameplaySettings.cfg, main.cfg, and the Careers folder. I recommend to send a link to your desktop to easily start/access the app.

3.) You must merge the provided campaign layer "dyn_Campaign_RND.mis" with your "Campaign_RND.mis" from SH3. This can be done either by hand or via the "Merge..." functionality of the SH3 mission editor (see, e.g., Wreford-Brown's mods for a detailed explanation of how this works: http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=206493).

In addition, for the RND layer you can use the included "Merge_RND.exe" tool (you need the two RND files (which you like to merge) in the same directory together with the tool).

The file "dyn_test_Campaign_RND.mis" is provided for testing purposes. In this file all ships will be reported hourly.

4.) If you also want to have land-based airpower you must install the "LGN1 Airbase" via JSGME and merge the "dyn_Campaign_LND.mis" file with your "Campaign_LND.mis" file. With this file you can expect heavy air activity if you are detected close to British main ports.

For NYGM and GWX I have provided the modified campaign files (with zigzagging units). If you use these files you still have to install the "LGN1 Airbase" via JSGME.

Input parameters:
-----------------
The tool/app asks you for your SH3 in-game language, the SH3 Commander path, and the career you want to play. In addition, it provides the option to back-up the "randomised events" file of SH3 Commander (this is only recommended the first time you use the tool/app) and a "debug" option. This option shows some information which might be useful if a debugging should be required. I hope it will not be required.

How it works:
-------------
Given the commander name, the tool/app tries to get some information about your activities from the save-games. Depending on the information found, the tool/app then randomly "sends" a hunter-killer group to your last known position. This is done via SH3 Commander's "randomised events" file. The tool/app then starts SH3 Commander with the pre-selected commander.

Tuning:
-------
After you have run the app for the first time, a file 'Submarine Tracking Room.ini' is created in the exe directory (...\SH3\data\cfg). In this file you can tune the probabilities for being detected depending on the event (just use a standard text editor).


Warnings:
---------
A few items should be kept in mind when using the tool/app:

0.) Do not use different commanders in the tool/app and in SH3. If you want to change the commander, leave SH3 and start it again via the tool/app with the new commander.

1.) You must choose your SH3 language in the tool/app! If not chosen correctly it will not work.

2.) The tool/app uses your current patrol save-games. In your current patrol you can load any save-game. However, you cannot load save-games from earlier patrols. If you want to go back to an earlier stage of your career, you have to load a save-game 'in port before/after...', exit SH3, and load the game via the tool/app again.

3.) Once you have used the tool/app during a patrol, you must always use it during this patrol. If not your save game will probably not load.

4.) I recommend playing only one commander a time and DID (dead is dead, no save game reloading).

5.) In order to avoid problems, you should always have at least one message in the console (weather reports, command confirmations,...) for every day.


*********************
Some important notes:
*********************

1) Feel free to modify/improve the script as you wish. If you do so, please share it with others. The script is probably not very elegant, but straight-forward. If you have any question don't hesitate to ask.

2) Use at own risk! Please post any feedback here at Subsim!

Cheers, LGN1

Not for comercial use!

wow this is really cool. thanks for this mod. i wll test it out.... btw, how long till the escorts show up?:yeah:

Very cool! I need to try this one ASAP!

If you are detected the ships show up the next time you load the game. However, depending on your position and the escorts initial positions it might take some hours or days until they reach your position. Usually, they will patrol in the area for two weeks.

For testing you can set the "ReportPosProbability=" for the first group in the campaign file to hundred ("ReportPosProbability=100"). Then you can see the group's position on the map every hour.

Regards, LGN1

Thanks for the kind words!

Some additional information:

• The main effect of the tool/app will only be from end of '42 onwards when Hunter-Killer groups appear.
• I have chosen the Bogue as NCVE because it is already in stock SH3 (all ships are chosen from stock SH3). You might adapt the *.cfg file with more squadrons if the air-cover is not dense enough.
• If desired you can change the ship types in the additional groups. However, you should not change the number of ships per group and you should also make sure that the ships have a high enough max. speed.

The idea for the mod came to me after sinking a ship in the Channel entrance beginning of June '44 and nothing happened. In real-life, I bet, hell would have broken out when a ship had been sunk at this place and time.



Regards, LGN1

I just wanted to say, well done here. I know it took you a long time to create the KM grid to meters long-lat conversion part of the app.

:salute:

One passage from the U-boat Commander's handbook:

When to Transmit Messages .
70.) Messages for the transmission of which no special time has been fixed should be transmitted, as far as possible, in the evening or during the night, and before important changes of position, in order to frustrate a possible reaction of the enemy to a bearing by sending into action antisubmarine formations or aircraft, or by diverting ships or convoys.

It's just great to watch SH3 develop! one by one the chapters come alive as the modders better the game :)

Hi LGN!

Another great idea, thank you for sharing it.
But I do have a problem - whenever I start the mod I can only select new career but not a existing one. Did I miss sometnihg with the mod path to SH 3 Commander?

To LGN
 

Hi LGN1,
Will your mod work with an already rewritten campaign & it's related components of either stock SH3 or SH3GWX3.0?
Clay

Sounds cool but is it only Hunter-Killer groups that are spawned or other assets such as Air as well?

The hunter-killer groups have a Bogue class with them.

Hi,

@igorlikespike: did you put the exe into the correct directory (together with the main.cfg, playersettings.cfg,... and the Careers directory)? Can you see the career names in the Careers directory? This should work independently of the SH3 Commander path. What messages do you get when you check the debug option?

@CTU_Clay: I'm not sure whether I fully understand your question. The mod works with all campaign files IF the required units/groups are added to the file (this is checked by the tool). For the ships in the HK groups I have chosen types that are already in stock SH3. Thus, they should be also present in all the mods (I'm not aware of any super-mod that removes stock ships completely).

@Jimbuna: As sublynx already said, most HK groups have an aircraft carrier which spawns planes. By changing the number of squadrons in the corresponding cfg file you can have a very dense aircover. The planes are the most dangerous part of the HK groups. Close to Gibraltar and the British Isles you will have groups without carriers.

Regards, LGN1

Oh I agree, but in the early years HK Groups were devoid of air assets and would have to rely on land based aircraft.

If this is mirrored in the above then historical accuracy will have definitely been achieved.

HK groups with carriers will only appear from the end of '42 onwards. Before this time there are only destroyer groups close to Gibraltar and the British Isles.