Harpoon - deficiencies in the editor?

[scur78]

Hello, I play Harpoon (every version) for years and I noticed a problem that make scenarios create difficult.
In Harpoon Classic scenario editor (and further - HC97, HC2002, HCUE etc.) while creating new units / groups there were two very important details:
- Time appearance of the unit, allowing to simulate the appearance of reinforcements on the battlefield
- The probability of unit presence, which allow give substitute "non-linear" events
I hope I'm wrong, but I did'nt find those settings in Harpoon 2/3 / ANW scenario editors.
Or maybe they are, and I found no such settings?
Colleagues scenarios-editors scenarios, help !!!

[Aktungbby]

scur78!

[Herman]

Originally Posted by scur78

Hello, I play Harpoon (every version) for years and I noticed a problem that make scenarios create difficult.
In Harpoon Classic scenario editor (and further - HC97, HC2002, HCUE etc.) while creating new units / groups there were two very important details:
- Time appearance of the unit, allowing to simulate the appearance of reinforcements on the battlefield
- The probability of unit presence, which allow give substitute "non-linear" events
I hope I'm wrong, but I did'nt find those settings in Harpoon 2/3 / ANW scenario editors.
Or maybe they are, and I found no such settings?
Colleagues scenarios-editors scenarios, help !!!

You are correct. The ability for the scenario designer to specify the probability that a particular unit will appear in the battle is only available in HCE and not found in H3. It is a very nice feature.

There have been some work-around solutions that are a facsimile of this superb HCE function, but they are not as easy to use or as controllable as the HCE feature. If you would like, I can show how H3 tries to simulate/accomplish this random appearance of units, but it is a somewhat arduous process and far from perfect.

[scur78]

Thank you for your answer
You're talking about the probability of the presence of units - but what about unit ETA on battlefield?
I tried to create in scenario transit/ferry mission with time delay - in editor everything looks good, but no effect during gameplay...
It's very important for me - without these settings it's almost impossible create e.g. realistic WWII convoy-battle historical scenario.

[Herman]

Originally Posted by scur78

You're talking about the probability of the presence of units - but what about unit ETA on battlefield?
I tried to create in scenario transit/ferry mission with time delay - in editor everything looks good, but no effect during gameplay.

In H3, it is not possible to delay the appearance of units into the battle arena. You mention the delayed arrival of air units, but these units must be somewhere on the map from the very beginning of the scenario.

You hit upon a distinct possibility by having the aircraft transfer into the theatre from another location. If you set up an air base or carrier battle group with the appropriate CAP, AEW, ASuW, etc. patrols



and then place the group on a Transit mission,



additional aircraft can be transferred into the group (onto the carrier) and the AI will be able to utilize them, to the best of its ability. Regardless, the aircraft that transfer to the group must still be initially placed somewhere on the map in order for this concept to be implemented. This idea only applies to aircraft and not to surface units such as submarines, ships, or ground forces.

[scur78]

Thank you very much for detailed explanation. I'm disappointed - the only way is placing units far away (long distance=late arrival),but it's very primitive method for such complex game.
I noticed other imperfections in editor: minefield can be add only in editor (minesweepers and minelayers can't do it?), enemy bases can't be captured (grief, it could be substitute of dynamic campaign). I am surprised that so extensive and long game-series has so many shortcomings.
And, unfortunately, I do not know how run HC editors under Win10
Thank you Herman, I am pleased that you have devoted so much attention to me.

[Herman]

Originally Posted by scur78

I'm disappointed - the only way is placing units far away (long distance=late arrival),but it's very primitive method for such complex game.

That is very true. In this case, the HCE feature is much superior to the non-existent function in H3.

Originally Posted by scur78

I noticed other imperfections in editor: minefield can be add only in editor (minesweepers and minelayers can't do it?), enemy bases can't be captured (grief, it could be substitute of dynamic campaign). I am surprised that so extensive and long game-series has so many shortcomings.

Again, the limitation for minefields exist in both HCE and H3. Both games try to simulate mines as 'extremely small submarines' and both games pretty much require them to be created in the Scenario before the start of a game. Both games are pretty crude in their depiction of mines.

Originally Posted by scur78

And, unfortunately, I do not know how run HC editors under Win10
Thank you Herman, I am pleased that you have devoted so much attention to me.

I do not own Win10, so I can only relate what others have told me. There is a Beta release of the HCE Scenario Editor and it is supposedly based on 32-bit, named Wscenedt32, and can be clicked directly in the HUCE/HCE folder, I think.

http://harpgamer.com/harpforum/index...les/#entry5090

Personally, I will not run untested (experimental) Beta software. However, you can try it at your own risk! I would not recommend it, though.

Always happy to help all those who ask.

[scur78]

I have another question for You as Harpoon games expert. Where I can download working HC\HCE WW2 database? Long time ago I had such database and I noticed serious bug - AA fire was too effective. I think it was modification bug - unchainged values for automatic AA weapons. Result was planes slaughter in every strike. I hope there is better database, without this bug. I will be very grateful for Your help once again.

[Herman]

Glad to see that you are still trying the game. There were a pair of WW2 projects a long time ago, but I do not think they ever finished them.

http://tinyurl.com/y9pw8pmm
http://tinyurl.com/yd9l9vcg

IIRC, only one scenario was made for the WW2-era:

http://tinyurl.com/ybja9rq9

Other WW2 projects existed for the H3 version of the game, too.

[scur78]

Thank You,as always I can count on You. I downloaded files and ... I don't know how activate databases. I replaced files in Harpoon main directory - without effect in scenario editor. How activate another databases?

[Herman]

I am uncertain exactly what you mean by 'activate'. If you wish to use the database for a particular scenario, just replace the current commondb.RES file with the new one and then load the scenario made for the WW2 database.

I just replaced the commondb.RES file and was able to start the Scenario Editor. When I selected the Platform Display function (Ctrl+P), I saw WW2 units such as the CV Graf Zeppelin.

If you wish to make changes to the database, you use the MicroSoft Access untility (*.MDB). Open it and Import the WW2 database information. Make your changes and then Export the new database in order to make/play scenarios with it. I have not used the *.MDB file in a long time. I think that they came out with an unofficial new version that does not run with my old copy of MS Access.