[WIP] Agents Reports (convoy reports)

[danurve]

Working on a few hundred convoy reports simulated by agents.
What does that mean? - Well, just what are those agents doing that you risk your boat & crew for that you delivered into enemy territory after all? Flirting with the natives and drinking beer?*

Ok, these will be radio messages as "Agents Reports". They will show up that way so you can choose to view or ignore them once received. They will show minor details about known Tojo convoy departure and destinations. You will be able to add them into your messages.txt file as an addition to the existing file. In other word they will work- show with any existing file you have including an addition to extra-messages.
I need to finish the formatting for delivery -headers & content. Here are a few examples of the project / mod.




I have been working a little at a time on this as time permits, should have something by April - ish I think. Long story short the editing is monotonous but I will share the work once it's done. I thought it would be cool to simulate the agent work in the form of convoy reports, similar to what I included in RL_E.

* I deny any prior knowledge of flirting with the natives and being drunk in foreign ports.

[danurve]

Comming soon to a SHIV screen near you.



Project nearing completion.
There will be an estimated 475 available Agent messages.
Presented details - format will slightly differ from msg to msg due to what information is actualy available (source). But that has the benifit of variation.

[danurve]

*bump*

Released 5/23/10

[Hitman]

This is a very interesting mod Dan, thanks for taking the endeavour Though I would like to ask if it has any historical background? I postively know it had in the case of british/german convoys, but not yet heard of US agents in japan, as it was a very sealed nation to foreigners (Not just obviously as residents there, but also for native japanese people to be influenced enough to act as spies).

In any case, very nice mod to have! We all know that convoys sail contnuously, but knowing positively that one has left port and that it might actually come your way .... makes blood pressure raise

Will it work with RSRD?

[Nisgeis]

There quite a few spotters dotted around the islands with radios. They recruited the local fisherman (non Japanese) and reported on ship /aircraft movements.

[danurve]

Greetings;

I believe the mods information is historicaly accurate, to the recording knowedge and devices of the day. It could then I hope help to fill the gaps and give the games convoy spawning & generated reports a better in game feel, so to say. If I may offer a quote from the source:

"Much of the following is taken from a translation from Senji Yuso Sendan Shi (Wartime Transportation Convoys History), by Shinshichiro Komamiya, published by Shuppan Kyodosha, Tokyo, 1987. Translated by William G. Somerville, England."

It's a text mod so it'll be compatable with any version of SHIV, & the players installed mods of choice. Although, for UBM / OM it probably wouldn't make sence. At some point I may re-do parts of RL_E (III) for use in UBM but I'm enjoying the fleet boat side for the time being.
It will Not be jsgme compatable, for the same reasons as Extra Messages.

[keltos01]

looking forward to this mod !

will it really tell us where and when to expect what ships ?

keltos

[tomoose]

In the effort of achieving historical accuracy; I don't believe they'd be titled "Agents Reports"?

They'd more likely be released as part of straightforward "Intelligence Report/Update" as there's no point in advertising that there are agents out there should the sub be captured etc. You'd potentially be revealing one of your sources to the enemy.

Intelligence reports would cite "a reliable source" or "From: Codename-BULLDOG" etc which the sub skipper would know from prior on-shore briefings/experience that the "reliable source" is an island-spotter etc and he could make a decision accordingly.

[Admiral8Q]

I would really be interested in these "agent reports"
Especially with TMO since you don't get any contact reports.

On an historic note, it would be very accurate. The "agents" were called the MIS (Military Intelligence Service)

Check this out!
http://www.javadc.org/index3.htm

[tomoose]

....is not the same as Coast Watchers.
http://home.st.net.au/~dunn/sigint/coastwatchers.htm

My point being that a message would not have "Agents Reports" as a title it would have "Intelligence Report" or "Intelligence Update" or whatever as the initial Coast Watcher report would be directly to the Allied Intelligence Service for analysis and verification etc. Then the Allied Int Service would send out an "all-points" bulletin so to speak to alert Allied forces or send a message directly to the unit(s) that would need the info, such as a submarine.

The report would not refer to "sources" as "Agents" as Intelligence relies on protecting sources to avoid compromise regardless of codes or cryptologic protection.

This mod is a great idea I'm just pointing out possibilities to make it more historically accurate.

[danurve]

Ok, well you guys bring up valid points and I'm sure spys, agents, coastal watchers, and persons involved in inteligence gathering of the day would relay shipping / convoy movements. And then somehow that information would reach the apropriate sub.
Here's the thing, I simply do not have access to all those sources, or each message's exact destination. I have access to one. And that being a historical translation. So, I may still release this as agent reports. But, once you have the file - before you paste the contents into the games msg file, use a text editor and feel free to do a find / replace for your own use. You could make the messages sent as uniform or varant as you please. I will include a readme with info.