Well, I've got v1.5 on two machines with XP (dual-boots) and it runs fine. I ran OpMonsun (been quite a while) just fine, and I've done stock. I have no clue as to why you're getting CTDs, other than to re-do the install. Most folks would tell you that v1.5 is better than v1.4, but... if you want the side-throwers in v1.4, AOTD_MadMax had them in Fall of the Rising Sun v1.2 I'm pretty sure... I know they're in v2.0, which is a SHv1.4 only version of his mod, and in German only also. There is no language barrier when it comes to sidethrowers...
I can't remember the TMO version (or was it RSRDC??) that was the last for v1.4, but one of them had side throwers also, didn't they?...