[CapnScurvy]

Hi Ron, to try and answer your question regarding how TM 1.9 calculates awards it's partly a hard coded stock process and a modded workaround to offset what we can't fix.

The stock process has a preset basis for figuring awards. After a lot of trial and error (actual sinking targets then crash driving to kill oneself to determine the awards received, restarting the same mission or career, then increasing the total tonnage sunk to find a new higher award threshold) it was determined that several factors come into play when calculating the award given. The pure total tonnage sunk plays a part, however the "Quality" of ship makes a difference also. In other words, one warship can be worth more than (say) 3 freighters even if the three freighters give a total tonnage greater than the warship. There is also a tier effect within the warship group, so a BB will be calculated higher than a DD. The number of patrols seems to make a difference as well. The higher experienced a Captain, the larger this preset basis for calculating awards will be. As I said earlier, the figures that come into play are mostly hard coded within the game. There isn't much we can do about how this game sometimes adds 2+2=5.

What we can do is manipulate how the game thinks it's presenting awards for the overall system to better simulate an accurate award received. For instance when you look under the hood of the stock game award system it's first tier award should be the Patrol Star (Bronze Star Medal). HOWEVER, the game files actually has the Medal of Valor (Congressional Medal of Honor) in the Patrol Star placement order, WITH the Victory Cross (Navy Cross) actually being awarded in the Captains Award Box. What the hell is that!!! Again, this is for the first tier award!! It's been well known the medals have been a screwed pooch from day one and with 5 patches (including the U-Boat Missions Addon) it's never been corrected. What we have done is figure the correct order the awards should be presented, then put into place awards that are fitting for the tier basis who's calculation we can't do anything about.

I choose to use the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal as the First tier award simply because everyone serving within the theatre received one. I took some license using it since it really didn't get awarded until after the war. The same with the Second tier award the Navy Commendation Award. It wasn't commissioned until 1943 (and only as a ribbon at the time). A description is as follows: "The Commendation Medal is a mid-level United States award/decoration which is presented for sustained acts of heroism or meritorious service. For valorous actions in direct contact with an enemy force, but of a lesser degree than required for the award of the Bronze Star Medal".

The Bronze Star Medal, Silver Star, and Navy Cross were moved up in order simply because the idea of receiving a Congressional Medal of Honor for nothing more than sinking tonnage seemed (to me) to degrade the actual real world award. The CMOH removal along with the Distinguished Service Medal speak for their selves. "The Navy Distinguished Service Medal is bestowed upon members of the Navy or Marine Corps who distinguish themselves by exceptionally meritorious service to the United States goverment in a duty of great responsibility.The term “great responsibility” implies senior military responsibility, and the decoration is normally only bestowed to senior Navy Flag and Marine Corps General Officers. The decoration is rarely awarded to enlisted personnel, and then only to those who hold extremely senior enlisted positions such as the Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy". This award would have never been given to a lowly sub Captain, yet alone a torpedo room Machinest.

So the long story short, the specific medals are as reasonably presented as they can be within the corrected order. It's just we can't change the parameters the game sets for when an award threshold is reached through its prefixed basis of calculation.