Targets of opportunity (too many)

[AVGWarhawk]

Originally Posted by daft

Sounds very promising. I'd like fewer single contacts and smaller convoys instead of the large ones typically encountered in the stock game. A typical convoy should be around two or three freighters (early to mid war) with a varying number of escorts (not as many DD's as in the stock version and perhaps more PC's and other minor escorts instead).

Exactly! I would like to add.....some of the smaller convoys hugging the coast like they did so be protected by shallow water!!!!!!

[tater]

I went back the other day and started doing stuff I had meant to do, but didn't. I started in my own layers by changing the TF ships around a little, dumped the GENERIC from many to avoid Yamato being around too much, etc. I also radically changed the CV TFs, reducing them, and increasing the spacing between ships (as much as the game allows for AI units).

I just went back and looked at the 41 layer (which is really dec 41 through the end of Feb 42). It is seriously fubar in stock. All told in "41" i deleted more than half the groups I think. There were convoys leaving places that the japanese didn't even own, etc. The other groups I reduced a fair bit convoy wise. Ditto merchant traffic. No more jap merchants coming and going from Port Moresby, etc.

All the timings are greatly increased for "special" stuff like TFs, troop convoys (huge liners), etc. In stock there were so many troop convoys you could sit in one spot and have a several pass within 20 miles every day sometimes. I also reduced the chances of anythign generating contact reports. Before I release this, I will go back and pick a few that pass under areas where they would be more likely to be spotted and increase the % a bit. Contacts are a huge problem, frankly. You can only pick the chance per group. Better would be to have a marker with a radius on the map (with start/end dates). Anythign inside that circle would take the detection chance in the circle, too bad they didn't do it that way.

I will try and get something out tonight if possible. It's really usable as it is, but for a wide release I want to clean it up a hair.

Note that my campaign also changes the Roster and the cfg files for 2 IJN ships, the minelayer, and the subchaser. In my campaign they are switched to "corvettes" so that the "patrol craft" are only the coastal riverboats. I need to make sure they are not at sea (I might have missed a few). I also might need to mess more with the harbor traffic layers to make sure there are some subchasers in the mix.

Note that there are serious gaps still, this was mostly a change to stock layers, the Slot is still pretty barren, etc, I haven't gotten around to that.

[SteamWake]

Originally Posted by tater

I will try and get something out tonight if possible. It's really usable as it is, but for a wide release I want to clean it up a hair.

you are awsome !

I assume I had better be in port before applying such a mod or is a new carrier in order ?

[tater]

Put in at the very least. It will CTD for sure otherwise.

As for coastal stuff, I have an experimental layer in there to do just that along the mainland. It's a lot of work for those inshore guys. Wish we had some sea trucks and coasters.

Another note. With all the traffic utilizing zig-zags (15-35 degrees every 15 to 120+ minutes, switching up offset and even speed every few hundred nm), the contact reports need to be taken with an extreme grain of salt. Such reports are perfectly accurate at the moment they are made, but the headings and speed can vary quite a bit from the base course. From any distance, you'll likely have to guess for a choke point they might pass through.

[AVGWarhawk]

I told you to talk to TATER!!!! Great job Tater

Tater, when you are happy with your work, release on the MODs forum. Let everyone have a go at it and give you some feedback!

[tater]

I will. I need to listen to my wife's mantra, "the enemy of 'good,' is 'perfect'."

[btaft]

Sounds incredible. Kind of like what GWX did for SH3 from a campaign standpoint. The number of contacts in stock really was obscene. I only did 3 patrols but in each patrol I intercepted 3 large task forces without even trying (bagging, a BB, a CV and a Yamato BB, 2 of the 3 in an S class). I expect my CMOH in the mail any day now

This sounds like some very good work!!! especially the zig-zaging and speed changes

[AVGWarhawk]

Originally Posted by tater

I will. I need to listen to my wife's mantra, "the enemy of 'good,' is 'perfect'."

Perfectionist!

[kikn79]

Sounds like great work, Tater. Thank you for all your hard work and effort!!!


Chuck