[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/show...rel%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/show...D+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.
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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
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Changed default air strike probability
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From 1.0 - 0.5

Changed friendly air Strike Probability
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From 70 - 90


DATA/LAND/ALL DIRECTORIES RELATED TO JAPANESE AIRBASES (file: LAB_***AirBaseJP.cfg)
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Changed number of squadrons
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Greatly reduced all squadrons



CHANGES VERSION 1.0 - 1.2
/DATA/CAMPAIGNS/CAMPAIGN/
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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

ELITE version: Kakemann's Improved escorts 1.41 Elite

[ReallyDedPoet]

Nice work, thanks for including the read me

RDP

[kakemann]

No problem

[U56_Dragon]

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

[kakemann]

Thanks!

[Jungman]

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. 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.

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

Thanks for the mod.

[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]

Originally Posted by 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

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

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?

[Lith1um]

Is this compatible with 1.3?

Thanks!

[CaptainKobuk]

Improved Campaign Layers v0.72 and this MOD conflict



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

[Bando]

Is stock 1.3 AI not enough??