[REL] Kakemann's improved escorts 1.41

[kakemann]

[This post was updated 21/5-07 - Reason: New version]

Hi everybody!

This is a new thread replacing the old Kakemann's escort thread.

There are 2 versions to download. One of them makes the AI more challenging than the other.
For details, see provided readme file.

REMEMBER!
----------------------
If you don't install using JSGME but do it manually, remember to back up the files from the original install in case you don't like my MOD!
__________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ _________



Kakemann's Improved Escorts 1.41 Standard/Elite Mod
__________________________________________________

About the mod:
--------------
I made this mod because I thought the destroyers escorting convoys, task forces
the ones cruising by themselves were to easy to fight.
I was tired of the inneffective destroyers that were no match for an experienced subsimmer to defeat.
I also thought that the destroyers sometimes acted like "amateurs" when they detected me on the surface.
Sometimes they just fired a few shots, and I could easily pound the enemy destroyers to shreds.
I was also tired of the frequent airattacks when close to japanese airbases.

The latest release (1.4) fixes some of the strange behaving escorts for task forces and convoys.
After a lot of testing I found out that when high wind and waves the AI was seriously handicapped, and
that caused them to behave strange.
It also reduces the precence of airplanes in the aircoverage areas.

What's the difference between 1.41 Standard, and 1.41 Elite
-------------------------------------------------------
In general, the Elite version has more challenging escorts and armed merchants and warships.
The difference between the Elite and the Hard versions are the hydrophone sensivity and the crew rating.
The Elite version is for those REALLY experienced subsimmers who want that
"DAS BOOT"- feeling where you have to be real careful sneaking out after attacking a convoy for instance.

Other Recommended Mods to use with Kakemann's Improved Escorts
---------------------------------------------------------------
There is especially two mods i would recommend using together with this one.

* Realistic Battery life by CCIP (Increases the battery life slightly when running underwater)
Link: http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=109120&highlight=%5Brel%5D+battery

* Increased Crush depths by CCIP (If you find these mods to hard, try installing this. You will be able to dive
much deeper, thus making your sub less vulnerable to enemy pinging.)
Link: http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=109059&highlight=%5Brel%5D+crush+depths


This MOD is tested on a clean Silent Hunter 4 game patched to 1.2.

About me:
---------
I'm just a fellow norwegian subsimmer who wants to get the most out of this fantastic game!

Files included:
* DATA/CFG/Sim.cfg
* DATA/CAMPAIGNS/CAMPAIGN (all files)
* DATA/LAND/ALL DIRECTORIES RELATED TO JAPANESE AIRBASES
* DATA/CFG/Airstrike.cfg

Contact:
---------
just PM me at Subsim, my nick is KAKEMANN

* THANKS TO NEFARIOUSKOEL AT SUBSIM FOR MAKING THIS MOD PUBLIC AND HELP ME TO MAKE IT COMPATIBLE WITH JSGME. *
* I ALSO WANT TO THANK HIM FOR TESTING THE MOD AND BRINGING ME FEEDBACK ON HOW THINGS WORK. *
* THANKS TO CCIP FOR MAKING THE TWO MODS DESCRIBED ABOVE! GREAT WORK!

Happy hunting
Jon, A.K.A. Kakemann



INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS:
_________________________
Install with JSGME or do it manually by copying the provided files to the right folders.

How to install it manually:
Unpack the RAR file to the root file of your Silenthunter 4 directory and overwrite the existing files

Note:
DON'T FORGET TO BACK UP THE ORIGINAL FILES
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CHANGES VERSION 1.4 - 1.41 ELITE/STANDARD

DATA/LAND/LAB_NormalAirBaseJP/LAB_NormalAirBaseJP.cfg)
__________________________________________________ _________________________________

Fixed a small error in the file.

Thanks to MONOLITH at Subsim for feedback!



CHANGES VERSION 1.2 - 1.4 ELITE/STANDARD
/DATA/SIM.CFG
___________________________

Changed hydrophone sensivity settings.
--------------------------------------
From 0.07 - 0.09 (Standard version: no changes)

Changed Wave factor settings.
--------------------------------------
From 0.9 - 2.0

/DATA/CAMPAIGNS/CAMPAIGN/
___________________________
1.4 STANDARD: Reduced all crew rating status changes made in the 1.4 ELITE version for every year (41-44).
Note! The crew ratings are still a bit higher than in the original unmodded Silent Hunter game.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Important!
These changes are between the 1.4 ELITE and the 1.4 STANDARD, NOT the original settings from the unmodded game.
1941:
Troop convoys From 4-2
Task forces From 4-3
Convoys From 3-1
Merchants From 2-1
Sub-hunters From 4-3
1942:
Troop convoys From 4-2
Task forces From 4-3
Merchants From 2-1
Convoys From 3-2
1943:
Troop convoys From 4-2
Convoys From 4-3
Task forces From 4-3

1.4 ELITE: Kept the crew rating changes made in the 1.2 version of Kakemann's mod.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------


DATA/CFG/Airstrike.cfg
_____________________________

Changed default air strike probability
--------------------------------------
From 1.0 - 0.5

Changed friendly air Strike Probability
---------------------------------------
From 70 - 90


DATA/LAND/ALL DIRECTORIES RELATED TO JAPANESE AIRBASES (file: LAB_***AirBaseJP.cfg)
__________________________________________________ _________________________________

Changed number of squadrons
----------------------------
Greatly reduced all squadrons



CHANGES VERSION 1.0 - 1.2
/DATA/CAMPAIGNS/CAMPAIGN/
___________________________
Changed all crew rating status for Task forces, Troop Convoys and Convoys for every year (41-44).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From 0-2
From 1-2
From 2-4
From 3-4
The enemy will react more aggressively now.
Enemy warships will fire more with their guns if your sub is spotted on the surface



VERSION 1.0
/DATA/CFG/SIM.CFG
____________________________

Changed hydrophone sensivity settings.
--------------------------------------
From 0.03 - 0.07
The enemy will hear you a lot easier. No more deaf destroyers.

Changed Thermal Layer Signal Attenuation
----------------------------------------
From 3.0 - 2.0
Thermal layers will give you lower protection. These layers will still protect you but not as much as before.

Changed wavesettings.
---------------------
From 0.5 - 0.9
Waves will not affect the AI's hydrophones that much.
It's easier to be detected in stormy weather.

Changed Sonar sensivity settings.
-----------------------
From 0.03 - 0.05
The active sonar will be more effective. The destroyers will ping you more because it is more effective.
__________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ __________
Download links:

STANDARD version: Kakemann's Improved escorts 1.41 Standard (http://student.umb.no/%7Ekakebakeklubben/Kakemanns_Improved_Escorts_141std.rar)

ELITE version: Kakemann's Improved escorts 1.41 Elite (http://student.umb.no/%7Ekakebakeklubben/Kakemanns_Improved_Escorts_141elite.rar)

[ReallyDedPoet]

Nice work, thanks for including the read me:up:

RDP

[kakemann]

No problem :D

[U56_Dragon]

Nice mod addition... I like the certificate.......:up:

[kakemann]

:lol:

Thanks! :arrgh!:

[Jungman]

:up: I must try this out! Thanks for the readme; since I use others mods, I need to combine these together to use them.

I hope the Escorts now are more agressive. Stock game they are just too easy. Now we have a challenge!:p

[jerryt]

Hi Kakemann;

Quick question. Do you have to start a new carrer for this to work? Seems like you shouldn't since it is a .cfg file change.
I hit a convoy last night, and the destroyers didn't pick me up, or react while I sunk three ships. :damn: Once I was leaving the area though, and went to 2/3 to soon, (there was a DD shut down listening, Doh!) then they were on me pretty darn quick, and gave me a real rough time for a good half hour or so. :up:

I'm starting a new patrol from Pearl today, so I'll see if there is any difference.

Thanks for the mod. :yep:

[kakemann]

Hi Kakemann;

Quick question. Do you have to start a new carrer for this to work? Seems like you shouldn't since it is a .cfg file change.
I hit a convoy last night, and the destroyers didn't pick me up, or react while I sunk three ships. :damn: Once I was leaving the area though, and went to 2/3 to soon, (there was a DD shut down listening, Doh!) then they were on me pretty darn quick, and gave me a real rough time for a good half hour or so. :up:

I'm starting a new patrol from Pearl today, so I'll see if there is any difference.

Thanks for the mod. :yep:

It shouldn't be necessary to start a new campaing.
I've experienced sometimes when meeting big task forces and convoys that they act really weird - they won't react at all. This has been discussed in many threads in the forum. I think it might be a hard coded bug, but of course I'm not sure.

I think that issue is caused by something else. This is listed in the bug list in the original version of the game.

If the destroyers act as they should - that means that they don't just stop and cruise back and fourth or don't react this mod really makes the escorts a lot more effective.
I tested it a lot in different conditions.

For me it is quite seldom that the escorts behave this weird way. But it definately doesn't have anything to do with the mod.

If this also would be fixed the game with the settings provided in the mod the game would be perfect :D

Keep telling me your experiences!

[kakemann]

Here is a thread about the strange behaving destroyers in task forces.

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=112904

Hopefully this will be adressed in a future bugfix. Maybe it is modable?

[NefariousKoel]

The general task force/convoy AI behavior is hard-coded from what I've seen, so it seems there's no immediate fix for them slowing down after a vessel is struck. Although I have seen some turn away at speed so it's spotty.

You may experience the slowing of a convoy but this mod certainly makes up for it by keeping your head down with the improved escorts if you get adventurous. They are no longer unattentive and will provide a good challenge.

[NefariousKoel]

Hi Kakemann;

Quick question. Do you have to start a new carrer for this to work? Seems like you shouldn't since it is a .cfg file change.
I hit a convoy last night, and the destroyers didn't pick me up, or react while I sunk three ships. :damn: Once I was leaving the area though, and went to 2/3 to soon, (there was a DD shut down listening, Doh!) then they were on me pretty darn quick, and gave me a real rough time for a good half hour or so. :up:

I'm starting a new patrol from Pearl today, so I'll see if there is any difference.

Thanks for the mod. :yep:

As with any sub, your detectibility will be highly dependent on the noise you're making while submerged. Use speed changes with care especially with this mod. Quiet is the word. :|\\

[jerryt]

Man, this latest patrol has been a sleeper.

They sent me to the Carolinas, where I saw two fishing boats, and got bombed by a couple of betty's. Damage control seemed to work Ok for me BTW, except for the AA and deckgun of course.

Next was back to the Marshalls, then to the Gilberts! :o I haven't seen any enemy ships or planes for the last three weeks! :rotfl:

I have now gone down to rabaul to see if there are any there, or if the war has somehow ended by November of 42. :p

I'll let you know how the escorts behave, if I ever find anymore, lol.

[NefariousKoel]

You might not notice all the changes if you installed it while on patrol. For instance, the sonar should be improved but Escort experience might not be in on the vessels already saved in your game.

It should still run fine, but I'd think your next patrol may be a bit hairier.

[kakemann]

After lot of testing I'm releasing the 1.4 version.

It greatly affects escorts behavior when there is a lot of wind an waves.

There is also less airtraffic.

Feedback appreciated!

[CaptainHaplo]

Well, I like the mod - so there's feedback. :up: I will ask one thing - perhaps cutting back on the level 4 escorts? While aggressive - once they get you under - if your dealing with more than one - its about impossible to lose em. I would leave the 3's at 3 - just my thoughts. Even 3's arent too easy - at least for this skipper!

Thanks! Great mod either way!
Good Hunting!
Captain Haplo

[NefariousKoel]

Not a bad idea leaving the 3s at 3.

It would give a little more variety. Besides, the sonar has been improved further in the latest one so that should balance things out. They are pretty mean now.:huh:

[kakemann]

Hey guys! Thanks for the feedback. Good idea. I''ll change the settings and release a new version based on your wishes later today!

Thanks for helping me out :yep:

Personally I like the intense hunting which can last for a long time, but I guess they might be a bit "overtuned" for some people.

I met a convoy now and after managing to sneak behind the lead destroyer i fired 3 torpedoes and sank a merchant.
The destroyers startet blinking and turned around to search. I was coing slow at periscope depth and they started pinging.
Crash dived, and silent running! managed to sneak out at crash depth - but it took a little while

[kakemann]

I'll release a new version but keep the 1.4 version as well.

So then people can choose between ELITE version, or HARD version.

Hmm. or maybe that will only be confusing?

EDIT: No we need the two versions

[bruschi sauro]

Thanks for the mod. I try this night...:yep:

[kakemann]

If you are trying it right now and think it is to hard, just edit DATA/CFG/Sim.cfg

in the MOD folder under hydrophones set the sensivity value to 0.07 instead of 0.09.
As a temporary workaround!

I'll release 2 different versions later today, based on the above discussion :D

EDIT! Never mind! The versions has been released!

[Mav87th]

About the Sonar and layers...

From reading O'Kean's book Clear the bridge i think that (at least in the periode where Tang existed) that the layer protaction should be bumped up again.

O'Kane writes several times, that he dives under the layer (Tang is one of the first thick skinned boats and can go deep enough to get under the layers---second issue, the layers are to shallow should be around 400-450 ft. in the pacific ocean. In the East China Sea he is at one point at 275 feet at a place where the depth is 287 feet. There he has no gradiant) and run at FULL without being picked up by the destroyers.

So IMHO layers should be lowered to at LEAST 300-400 feet but still give a good protection from sonar.

[kakemann]

Historically, that might be. However i experienced so many times that the destroyers almost acted completely deaf when there was bad weather conditions.

Then I have to add that this MOD might not be historically correct, but I can guarantee it surely gives more challange to the game ;)
So I'll keep the wavesettings. I used a lot of time testing it and was quite happy with my findings and changes!

If you like, you can edit the files if you prefer some changes!

Good luck! :up: !

[kakemann]

Ohh. Sorry!

You meant the thermal layer thingy?
I'll keep that as well, but feel free to edit the thermal layer line in the hydrophone settings.

The original is 3.0

[kakemann]

Ok!

I made 2 different versions!

One is a bit harder than the other!

The differences between the two versions are described in the readme which I "copied" into the first post of this thread!

Hope you like it! :D

[NefariousKoel]

Kakemann? Did you put both versions in the same download file?

Just curious and thanks! It's nice having a couple different choices for anything.:smug:

[kakemann]

No.

They are in two different RAR files!

If you want both - you have to download both! :D

[Bilge_Rat]

It looks very interesting Kakemann. What is the difference between your mod and the changes Ducimus made to the escort AI in his mod?

[kakemann]

Hi Bilge Rat - you have a higher rank though ;)

Ducimus mod includes a lot of different things that I don't have in my mod. Forexample the SJ radar fix and edited depth charge radius, new sub sounds + a lot more things.
Longer AI cannon range and a lot of other great goodies. There are a lot of things I haven't changed in my mod as I see from Ducimus readme that he has changed.
However when it comes to enemy AI it looks like we have done similar things - even if I have exaggerated a bit :|\\

I have concentrated on working primarily on the enemy's sensors. So thats the main thing that will change if you use this mod. I've used most of my time trying to figure out why enemy AI act like they do in different situations. In addition you will experience less aircraft. There are also som other small issues that relates to AI, details in the readme.

Anyway I think the main difference is that this mod has higher AI sensivity on the hydrophones. Waves and wind will protect the sub less against enemy sensors.
In addition crew rating on the AI are slightly higher in general in this mod than FTT.
By using FTT you will get alot of other things not related to enemy sensors.

I know that both me and Ducimus have worked with the AI to best suit our own desires. When it comes to AI I think this mod will make the enemy sensors more sensitive, thus bringing you more agressive escorts.

[Bilge_Rat]

thanks.

[Mav87th]

Well there were a reason to that in 1944 the Japanese shipping in the East China Sea and even around Honshu etc. were not keen on running outside the 25 fathom depth curve. The destroyers simply could not sweep deep enough.

I belive it would be challenging to :

1: Have shipping routes moved to reflect historical routings close to shallow waters

2: Have thermal layers be deep - very deep like 450 ft. - This would greatly effect the early part of the war, where the fleet boats could not go that deep.

3: Still enable the fleet boats to hide under a layer, although it now is deep.

4: Perhaps increase the time the AI's will loiter and search for you from the 15 min's it is now up to perhaps 3 hours.

The above would imo give some tactical decissions about where and when to attack the shipping. And would add a deadlyness to operating in shallow waters as well.

I just can't see why historical setups should be dull or less challenging. If one is a good skipper you kill the shipping anyway.....like O'Kane...

[kakemann]

1: Have shipping routes moved to reflect historical routings close to shallow waters

I actually like the campaign layer

2: Have thermal layers be deep - very deep like 450 ft. - This would greatly effect the early part of the war, where the fleet boats could not go that deep.

Another way of getting the same effect is to remove the thermal layer effect completely or reduce it's protective effect. A reduction has been applied to the mod.

3: Still enable the fleet boats to hide under a layer, although it now is deep.

If the thermal layers should be placed at 450 feet it would likely be suicide to dive under that layer if using the subs in this game

4: Perhaps increase the time the AI's will loiter and search for you from the 15 min's it is now up to perhaps 3 hours.

Yes! I'm considering this. It's easy to fix.

The above would imo give some tactical decissions about where and when to attack the shipping. And would add a deadlyness to operating in shallow waters as well.

I already have to undertake tactical descisions with my mod.
There is no doubt it is quite dangerous to be in shallow waters with this mods settings.

I just can't see why historical setups should be dull or less challenging. If one is a good skipper you kill the shipping anyway.....like O'Kane...
I haven't really deepdived in to all the historical aspects of the shipping routes etc. of the pacific ocean.
But I'm quite happy to use these setting provided in this thread.

Remember that I released this mod so that other users of this forum could have the oppurtunity to enjoy the settings i've worked with.

If someone would like to read through histroy books and make a more historically accurate mod than this one - that would be great. However, I'll just continue developing the mod I've started at here.

PS! There are probably many people here who would be quite grateful if your history knowledge could be applied to a mod - so why don't you start by creating a new one!

[Mav87th]

Heh Kakemann - my modding skills are sadly not as developed as yours. I hold your work in great respect. What i can do is deliver what small knowledge i have from reading a few books. To make that happen in a mod would take "other people" :oops:


Regarding going to 460 ft. - the thickskinned fleetboats (starting with Tang in 1944) could go to about 600 ft. The depth guage showed up to 600 ft. and the pin was at 612 ft. At one point around the Marianas Tang took seawater in through a torpedotube in the forward torpedoroom. the imballance made the boat go down through 612 ft. for a while. They had no idea if they were then decending or rising. After a while it started moving back towords 600 ft.

Tang went to 500 ft. many times to duck under layers.


From reading the forums i come to belive that the Layer depth are hardcoded in some way, so we can not make them be deeper.

[kakemann]

Heh Kakemann - my modding skills are sadly not as developed as yours. I hold your work in great respect. What i can do is deliver what small knowledge i have from reading a few books. To make that happen in a mod would take "other people" :oops:

Hmmm, maybe those guys are out there? Yust looking for a guy like you with all the knowledge :up:


Regarding going to 460 ft. - the thickskinned fleetboats (starting with Tang in 1944) could go to about 600 ft. The depth guage showed up to 600 ft. and the pin was at 612 ft. At one point around the Marianas Tang took seawater in through a torpedotube in the forward torpedoroom. the imballance made the boat go down through 612 ft. for a while. They had no idea if they were then decending or rising. After a while it started moving back towords 600 ft.

Tang went to 500 ft. many times to duck under layers.


From reading the forums i come to belive that the Layer depth are hardcoded in some way, so we can not make them be deeper.

Interesting history this.
I'm not sure about the layer depth.

I made a test mission in the norwegian oslo fjord and I found that there the thermal layer was placed very shallow. Maybe at 15metres or so. I've read someting about a thermal layer randomizer which i guess in some way randomizes the thermal layers placements in campaing, but I havent tried it, though.

Might be that the placement is hardcoded.

But the thermal layer effect is definately moddable!

Happy hunting :rock:

[NefariousKoel]

From what I recall, the layer in the Pacific is at a more shallow depth than it normally is in the Atlantic and being at over 400ft. sounds like an Atlantic layer.

I'm fine with where the layer is now. Ideally it would be around 250-350ft though.

[Onkel Neal]

Good work, and as always, THANKS! for including a good readme.

[Popov57]

Thanks a lot for your work, kakemann! As well as all the other modders with their skillfull work and splendid ideas SHIV becomes what it deserves to be - submarine action first class!
I´m cruising around with your ELITE version. After locating a convoy my favourite attack sequence is:
steam ahead, dive directly on course of the merchants, waiting silently underneath the thermal layer. As soon as the lead escort has passed, up to periscope depth, there we have a nice little massacre:yep:
The bad thing: the escort destroyers never search for me within the convoy! Maneuvering silently rigged, 6 merchants sunk, all tubes empty, nobody cares!:nope:
Your mod is correctly installed and activated. What can I do/ change to make life more dangerous?

[kakemann]

Hi Popov!

This behavior has been discussed a lot at this forum.

It has been reported as a bug with patch 1.2 of the game (see bug number 23 in this thread:
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=112193&page=23)

You can also read this thread: http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=112904

This seems to be a hard coded bug, which I hope they will fix in patch 1.3 in the game.

I've experienced it myself a couple of times, sometimes the destroyers will head to the direction where they presume the torpedo was shot from and start searching. Sometimes they will stop an just wait, and sometimes they will continue with their warninglights blinking but won't do anything.

However I've been a little more successfull using the ELITE version of this mod,instead of using the SH4 original settings.

When one of the ships in the convoy is hit by a torpedo the destroyers will change their "state" to alert. This alert status happens if they believe there is a enemy sub in the area, and they will likely assume that if a ship is hit by a torpedo or if you run on the surface or you're too noisy. You can see it on the surface because the merchants will start zigzagging and if dark you'll easily see the DD's blinking with their warning lights.

The problem here is their reaction when their status is set to alert. Anyway if you are using this ELITE mod and is detected by the escorts even if they don't start searcing around for you, you will definately have to use the right strategy to get away using this mod. After all their sensors are a lot more sensitive as well as their crew rating.
I hope you understand what i mean (english is not my 1. language).

If this issue is fixed in the next SH4 patch (1.3), I would actually start to get quite satisfied with the game and this ELITE mod would be even more challenging.

[Popov57]

Again thanks kakemann, understood perfectly!
I did not realize/know, that this problem was hard coded. I will be more noisy during future attacks to challenge the destroyers to give me a hard time.
And then let`s wait for the next patch:yep:

Happy hunting

[kakemann]

Thanks! You too Popov!

[leovampire]

Using your Standard one and yes the game play is better except for one thing other than seeing a warship there is almost no reason to dive anymore how do you increase the planes in the airports a little bit more not like originaly that was rediculous but enough so that they show up after you sink a ship? I would change it if I knew how just can't figure out how to use the tools programs always getting error messages.

Dave

[NefariousKoel]

Using your Standard one and yes the game play is better except for one thing other than seeing a warship there is almost no reason to dive anymore how do you increase the planes in the airports a little bit more not like originaly that was rediculous but enough so that they show up after you sink a ship? I would change it if I knew how just can't figure out how to use the tools programs always getting error messages.

Dave

The aircraft settings are in the SH4\Data\Cfg\AirStrike.cfg file. Many of the entries are fairly self-explanatory. There are some entries that you can change how much the increased chance is after certain things happen.

[leovampire]

What program should i use to change these values? SH3 mini tweeker or something else?

[kakemann]

You don't need to use mini tweaker. Just open the airstrike.cfg in notepad.

If you see close to the end of this file you see the following lines:

Default Air Strike Probability
Enemy Air Strike Probability Increase on Radio Messages Sent
Friendly Air Strike Probability Increase on Contact Report Sent

These are the settings after installing STANDARD VERSION of my mod:

Default Air Strike Probability=5
Enemy Air Strike Probability Increase on Radio Messages Sent=30
Friendly Air Strike Probability Increase on Contact Report Sent=90

These are the original settings in the unmodded Silent hunter 4 - 1.2 game:

Default Air Strike Probability=10
Enemy Air Strike Probability Increase on Radio Messages Sent=30
Friendly Air Strike Probability Increase on Contact Report Sent=70

Try to change the Default Air Strike Probability to somewhere between 5 and 10.

__________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ __________

If you would like to change the general airtraffic around japanese airbases (aircoverage areas), you have to change some other files.
You can use notepad to edit these as well.
The files that needs to be changed to add more traffic to areas with aircoverage go to the following directory:

DATA/LAND

There are three files that you have to look into here.
These files are:

DATA/LAND/LAB_SmallAirBaseJP/LAB_SmallAirBaseJP.cfg
DATA/LAND/LAB_MediumAirBaseJP/LAB_MediumAirBaseJP.cfg
DATA/LAND/LAB_LargeAirBaseJP/LAB_LargeAirBaseJP.cfg

Opening one of these you will see something similar to this:

[AirGroup 1]
StartDate=19380101
EndDate=19401225
Squadron1Class=A6M2Zero
Squadron1No=2


There will be several Airgroups in these files, change the squadron numbers to increase airtraffic.

The text I highlighted in bold represents the number of squadrons on that type of airbase. The higher number - the more airplanes will cover that airspace.

See the readme to see what I changed these numbers to.
If you have problems finding balanced settings you can try to reduce the numbers slightly from the original SH4 settings instead.
If you have a backup, of course :-?

Did this make sense, leovampire? ;)

[leovampire]

Now I just have to play with it to make them show up a little bit more :up:

But one more quick question when I open the files with notepad does it change anything on how the game reads things? I am asking because I did this with a couple of files once trying to see if I could change values and since then I have tryed to use Mini Tweeker and keep getting error messages in trying to do anything to these files! Or are the 2 unrelated?

[kakemann]

They are not related. Mini tweaker will let you change files that are not possible to change in any other way.

As long as you just change the values there are no dangers related to this

[leovampire]

Thanks for your help as always you Modders are a great bunch of guys for all you do and help with!


Dave :D

[kakemann]

Thanks to you, and good luck :yep:

[leovampire]

I uped all the values by 1 except Air strike probability I put at 6.5 and the results are cool now at least I get some reaction from planes when I do something to the Jap Shipping so it adds some more excitment to the game play!

Thanks a bunch Kakemann

Dave :sunny:

[kakemann]

Great Dave!
Thanks for posting what you changed - might help others who prefer some more aircraft activity! :up:

[leovampire]

All of you have helped me so much with mods the least I can do is share what I find with others.

Dave

[leovampire]

I had just rearmed and refueled in the solomon's when heading back out picked up on radar North of Rabaul a Jap Battle fleet consisting of Carriers and Battle ships. Anyways worked my way in to set up an attack and once my crew spoted them I sent a Contact report to sub command like I usualy try to do.

Well to my surprise the entire battle group reacted to my radio message, as far as I can tell, because 4 Destroyers headed right for me and I mean right for me! The rest of the group started to zig zag and the carriers launched planes as well! The planes bombed my area and the destroyers started to ping me all the way in to my possition. I got away but needless to say I did not get a single shot off on the battle group when I had gone to 300 ft and shut my screws down to hide.

All of this was a first for me since I had installed your Mod and it was AWSOME!!!!!

Now I know not to radio in a Battle group again LOL!!! :rock:

Dave

[MONOLITH]

Hey Kakemann, I believe I found typo in one of the Land air base cfg files...

From the NormalAirBaseJP cfg... notice the '=' is missing at the Squadron3No. I believe that will cause none of that plane type to spawn.


[AirGroup 3]
StartDate=19420501
EndDate=19430801
Squadron1Class=A6M2Zero
Squadron1No=1
Squadron2Class=G4MBetty
Squadron2No=3
Squadron3Class=H8K
Squadron3No3

[Redwine]

Why 4 Stars only for this mod ?

It is a 5 stars one... :up:

Many thanks for the job Kakemann !! :up:

[kakemann]

Hey Kakemann, I believe I found typo in one of the Land air base cfg files...

From the NormalAirBaseJP cfg... notice the '=' is missing at the Squadron3No. I believe that will cause none of that plane type to spawn.


[AirGroup 3]
StartDate=19420501
EndDate=19430801
Squadron1Class=A6M2Zero
Squadron1No=1
Squadron2Class=G4MBetty
Squadron2No=3
Squadron3Class=H8K
Squadron3No3

Hey Monolith, nice find - I'll check it and update the mod ASAP! :D

Thanks for helping out :yep:

[kakemann]

Why 4 Stars only for this mod ?

It is a 5 stars one... :up:

Many thanks for the job Kakemann !! :up:

No problem! Thanks a lot for all your work too Redwine! You've helped me understand a lot about the dominoeffect and the radar issues. :know:

[kakemann]

Hey Monolith, nice find - I'll check it and update the mod ASAP! :D

Thanks for helping out :yep:

Ok!

I fixed the typo... New version 1.41 :rock:

Thanks again MONOLITH

[myself77]

If I enable this mod, will it makes aircrafts behavior more difficult too?

[kakemann]

No it will not make aircraft tougher..

It will however remove some airplanes. I thought there were too man aircraft around japanese bases so I removed some of them, but their behavior wil be the same!

Hope you like it :D

[MaxT.dk]

Just installed it yesterday and tried in my career... The DDs are killers now, not some baby sitters! ;) Good job!

[myself77]

Yes, I like there are less now:D , but they are still easy to be shot down.
So, sir, do you know any mod that will change their behavior?

Thanks!
:ping:

EDIT: And I would like to run both mods too!!!

[kakemann]

Yes, I like there are less now:D , but they are still easy to be shot down.
So, sir, do you know any mod that will change their behavior?

Thanks!
:ping:

EDIT: And I would like to run both mods too!!!

Yes I do!

Try this one out! Good luck mate! :up:

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=111803&highlight=tougher+aircraft

[kakemann]

Just installed it yesterday and tried in my career... The DDs are killers now, not some baby sitters! ;) Good job!

Thanks! It does make them quite dangerous :-?

[myself77]

Thank you Sir!:D

[Lith1um]

Is this compatible with 1.3?

Thanks!

[CaptainKobuk]

Improved Campaign Layers v0.72 and this MOD conflict

http://img377.imageshack.us/img377/4795/conflictju3.jpg

Maybe 30 file conflicts. Maybe someone can merge these two MODS in favor of keeping the tougher escorts of Kakemann's improved escorts 1.41 (http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=113489)

[Bando]

Is stock 1.3 AI not enough??:o

[CaptainKobuk]

Is stock 1.3 AI not enough??:o

Improved Campaign Layers v0.72 seems to have many veteran or Elite Destroyers. I've learned a lot of respect the hard way.

Some DD's are dumb when in rough seas. I think i real combat rough seas really did mess up sound detection to a considerable degree.

I'm going to custom mod the skill levels of my enemy Ship commanders in the future if nessessary. But i'm guessing that as the war progresses, having the stock game set to very-hard difficulty level will cause mostly veterans and elites to spawn as Warship commanders.

Anyhowm i've always run into very tough DD commanders - it's always a gamble taking them on while dodging them in close quarters. Now what i do is go deep, shake them off and re-approach them looking for a shot. If you position yourself between them and lets say a Task force they were defending,they usually break off their search abd deadhead in a straight line back to their Fleet. I've got a few nice broadsides that way. :rotfl:

[spyridon]

Is this compatible with 1.4?

[kakemann]

I haven't updated it for a while, sorry about that.

I'll try it out on 1.4 when I have the time, but I don't see why it shouldn't work.

[kakemann]

Checked the Silent hunter 1.4 version.
Seems like the developers have tweaked the settings so this mod is no longer guaranteed to make the escorts thougher.

I will have a closer look when I get the time. Stay tuned ;-)

[JoeCorrado]

Seems to me that the developers not only tweaked things, but that they surpased your modifications in the sim.cfg file at the least even at your elite settings. I can imagine that they did likewise in other areas. These "stock" destroyers are not anything to sneeze at... doing so will get you killed in a hurry. They can "smell" you from 1,000 yards!

A veteran of SH3 I find my careers in SH4 to be short and deadly. The destroyer escorts seem to detect me every time even at silent running, manual speed setting of 2 knots (just enough for steerage way really) and a very narrow sulohette being given them.