[REL] [WIP] IJN DC mod

[tater]

IJN DC Mod, version 0.92
Fixes a typo in the IJN_DC.zon file that resulted in a CTD (mismatched Parent ID)
Fixed the Akizuki loadout.
Tweaked a few eqps for the ICL XPCs

DOWNLOAD:
http://mpgtext.net/subshare/241IJN%2...mod%200.92.rar

This version includes 2 new K guns (one for type 95, one for a 110kg type 2), and 4 new Y guns (2 type 9s, 2 110kg type 2s).

DCRack_SH4 (stock) = 18 Type 2 DCs (162kg warhead)
DCRack_TYPE95_1 = 18 Type 95 DCs (100kg warhead)
DCRack_TYPE95_2 = 10 Type 95 DCs
DCRack_TYPE02_1 = 18 Type 2 DCs (110kg warhead)
DCRack_TYPE02_2 = 6 Type 95/2 DCs -- parachute retarded 95s at ~100kg (I left them damage light to avoid sterns getting blown off on shallow drops)

KGun (stock) = 11 Type 2 DCs (162kg warhead)
KGun_JP_02 = 6 Type 95 DCs (100kg warhead)
KGun_JP_03 = 10 Type 95 DCs

YGun (stock) = 10 Type 2 DCs (162kg warhead)
YGun_JP_02 = 6 Type 95 DCs (3 per side of Y) (100kg warhead)
YGun_JP_03 = 10 Type 95 DCs (5 per side of Y)
YGun_JP_04 = 8 Type 2 DCs (4 per side of Y) (110kg warhead)
YGun_JP_05 = 12 Type 2 DCs (6 per side of Y) (110kg warhead)

For each DC:

Type 95:
Fall rate: 1.9 (1 for the retarded version)
Depth precision: 7
MinEF: 170
MaxEF: 220
AP:0
MinRadius: 4
MaxRadius: 16 (~100 damage at 10m)
(MaxRadius = 11 for retarded version, again, to minimize blowups)

Type 2 (110kg):
Fall rate: 3
Depth precision: 7
MinEF: 190
MaxEF: 230
AP:0
MinRadius: 4
MaxRadius: 16.5 (~100 damage at 10m)

Type 2 (162kg):
Fall rate: 3
Depth precision: 7
MinEF: 200
MaxEF: 340
AP:0
MinRadius: 4.5
MaxRadius: 25 (~100 damage at 15m)

Let me know how it works.

What 0.91 will do to gameplay:
The "easier" gameplay still applies in terms of the number of DCs that will be dropped on you before the escorts run out. As for lethality... vs stock, I think you will still see less damage. Vs RFB and TM, you will see more damage. The early war DCs are now about what you are used to in RFB/TM. The later war (1943+) large type 2 DCs are more lethal. Their min damage is slightly higher than what you are used to, and the max is 50% higher.

One-hit kills are still extremely unlikely in my testing with the type 95s and light type 2s. They are a little more likely with the large type 2 DCs.


Version 0.9 README:
First off, a huge thank you to lurker_hlb3. He made my initial DC racks and DCs for me, and has been my constant sounding board. Thanks are also due a few other people... they know who they are, <S>.

SH4 uses a single DC type. It falls at 3 m/s damages your sub out to 40m, and is used by the roll rack, Y gun, and K gun. The stock ammo load for it is 40 DCs per launcher. The 2 supermods, RFB and TM both reduce the damage radius considerably (10 and 14.5m respectively). I have the max radius out as far as 16 for the bigger DC, and 14.5 for the smaller ones (they only do ~60% the damage of stock however).

This mod adds 4 new DC types, and 4 new roll racks. The 2 throwers are unchanged other than their ammo loads. The 2 real life IJN DCs were the Type 95, and later Type 2. There was a parachute retarded version for small craft. The Type 2 had 3 different warheads, but 2 were within 5kg of each other, so I have just 1 to represent both.

Each rack launches a DC similarly named (for anyone wishing to mess with eqp files to make their own loads):

DCRack_TYPE95_1 set to 1.9m/s rate of fall, a 100kg warhead and a load of 18 DCs.

DCRack_TYPE95_2 1.9m/s fall speed, a 100kg warhead and a load of 12 DCs (I wanted more load control, largely for future, smaller subchasers, I may reduce this to 6 or 8 DCs instead, open to suggestions).

DCRack_TYPE02_1 is set to 0.8m/s fall speed (water-parachute retarded to allow small craft acting as SCs to get away), load of 6 with a ~100kg warhead so it will do for both Type 2 and Type 95 (not terribly useful for RFB/stock, but I use it for armed trawlers, and others I plan on bashing). If you are using the stock campaign, you will never see any of these, even with the mod installed.

DCRack_TYPE02_2 is a 110kg warhead, 3m/s fall speed, and load of 18.

The stock SH4 DC is a 3m/s 162kg version (unchanged from stock), load changed to 18 from 40. Radius is less than stock, but more than RFB or TM. The min radius is also upped to 5.5 so they will have full lethality a little farther out (1m farther).

The Y and K guns have loads dropped from 40 to 11 DCs carried.

The mod adds the new racks, and alters escort eqp files to add the new racks by date so that over time, the load of DCs might increase, as well as the exact type of DCs carried by any given escort.

Two versions are included. One for anyone playing with the stock SH4 campaign, and another for anyone using my campaign---either stand alone, with RFB, or TM 1.5+. They are clearly marked:

IJN DC mod v 0.9 for stock SH4 campaign

and

IJN DC mod v 0.9 forTM or ICL

drag the appropriate folder to MODs and install. Note that this needs to be installed AFTER either RFB or TM.


What this will do to gameplay:
This mod will make the game easier, not harder, in general. It grossly reduces the number of ashcans carried by escorts for the entire war. It will reduce the effectiveness of attacks, particularly early war. You will be held down, but not destroyed as often.

In the case of TM, because the AI is "harder" this mod will serve as yet another way to tweak the AI to your liking. Instead of nerfing the sensors (explained in the TM FAQ), you might try using this to nerf the DCs, instead. You will be attacked just as often, but they will have fewer DCs to drop, and early in the war, they will be less effective.

In both TM and RFB it will make the damage due to the stock DC a little worse. The radius is slightly increased both min and max, so damage a little farther out, and hitpoint damage about a meter farther out. Right now during the whole war, thrown DCs will fire the stock DC until I make new launchers. Rolled DCs upgrade tot he 162kg warhead version (stock SH4 DC) after various months in 1943 depending on the ship. The increased damage for the big type 2s is of course mitigated by far fewer carried DCs. Avoid getting hit! Fight the boat!

I am publishing this looking for feedback, it's very subjective what works and what doesn't.

As always, anyone is free to use this in any other mods with credits (don't forget lurker!) as long as it's not a commercial product. Drop me a line if you do, I might have a better internal build for you that would save you having to patch.

tater

[Rockin Robbins]

This sounds like just what the doctor ordered. I was afraid that it might make the game to easy, but it sounds like everything is well within the bounds of reason. Sign me on at the end of this cruise and I'll give you a report.

[GerritJ9]

Downloaded it, will give it a spin and see what it does!

[leovampire]

LOL anyways glad you got it done as I know you have been working on this for a while now from all the posts I have read on what you were researching and finding out about how it all works. Time consuming process to say the lest.

[Digital_Trucker]

just finished a patrol and can plug this in and take her for a spin. Thanks to you and the "lurking one" for all the work on it

[panthercules]

Sounds cool - yet one more reason to have to start my career over again. At this rate, I may never finish a patrol, much less a career

As it turns out, while I was using your campaign at some point, it seems to have disappeared from my setup during the various re-installs. Can you point me to a link to the latest/best version of your campaign that I should be using with RFB 1.31 and this DC mod?

[tater]

IJN DC Mod, version 0.91

DOWNLOAD:
http://mpgtext.net/subshare/632IJN%20DCs%20v%200.91.rar

This version includes 2 new K guns (one for type 95, one for a 110kg type 2), and 4 new Y guns (2 type 9s, 2 110kg type 2s).

DCRack_TYPE95_1 = 18 Type 95 DCs (100kg warhead)
DCRack_TYPE95_2 = 10 Type 95 DCs (same DC, lower load carried)
DCRack_TYPE02_1 = 18 Type 2 DCs (110kg warhead)
DCRack_TYPE02_2 = 6 Type 95/2 DCs -- parachute retarded 95s at ~100kg (I left them damage light to avoid sterns getting blown off on shallow drops)

KGun_JP_02 = 6 Type 95 DCs (100kg warhead)
KGun_JP_03 = 10 Type 95 DCs

YGun_JP_02 = 6 Type 95 DCs (3 per side of Y) (100kg warhead)
YGun_JP_03 = 10 Type 95 DCs (5 per side of Y) (100kg warhead)
YGun_JP_04 = 8 Type 2 DCs (4 per side of Y) (110kg warhead)
YGun_JP_05 = 12 Type 2 DCs (6 per side of Y) (110kg warhead)

For each DC:

Type 95:
Fall rate: 1.9 (1 for the retarded version)
Depth precision: 7
MinEF: 170
MaxEF: 220
AP:0
MinRadius: 4
MaxRadius: 16 (~100 damage at 10m)
(MaxRadius = 11 for retarded version, again, to minimize blowups)

Type 2 (110kg):
Fall rate: 3
Depth precision: 7
MinEF: 190
MaxEF: 230
AP:0
MinRadius: 4
MaxRadius: 16.5 (~100 damage at 10m)

Type 2 (162kg):
Fall rate: 3
Depth precision: 7
MinEF: 200
MaxEF: 340
AP:0
MinRadius: 4.5
MaxRadius: 25 (~100 damage at 15m)

Let me know how it works.

What 0.91 will do to gameplay:
The "easier" gameplay still applies in terms of the number of DCs that will be dropped on you before the escorts run out. As for lethality... vs stock, I think you will still see less damage. Vs RFB and TM, you will see more damage---but still far fewer DCs dropped into the bargain. The early war DCs are now about what you are used to in RFB/TM. The later war (1943+) large type 2 DCs are more lethal. Their min damage is slightly higher than what you are used to, and the max is 50% higher.

One-hit kills are still extremely unlikely in my testing with the type 95s and light type 2s. They are a little more likely with the large type 2 DCs.

Overall, I think this really plays best with TM, or another mod that might improve the sensors. If you are using TM with sensors turned down (other than visual at night), I would reccomend trying "stock" TM, with the DC mod as the lethality mitigating mod instead of nerfed sensors.

[tater]

There may be a problem with the Type02_2 DC not doing hull damage. I'm messign with it. OTOH, that DC is amazingly rare even in my campaign (it's the slow falling one). It was really put in in anticipation of some smaller subchasers not yet built.

I was testing hedgehogs last night. I know the IJN didn't use them, but I had wondered about getting merchants to use them, and also about the depth setting. I know they are contact, but their sim has the depth set to 2500, and the aim error at 300. I think the idea is that if they don't hit something, they'll blow at the set depth. Where this would be useful in tricking the AI would be a hedgehog that looks like a DC rack (or k gun, etc), but fires a single hedgehog bomb that happens to point at the DC model, etc. The idea is that the game thinks it's a Hhog, but it's really a DC. Then we dump the contact fuse, and the DC goes off at the aimed depth regardless of what the AI thinks. Set it to 45m +-15, and you have a RL IJN DC.

Sadly, merchants won't fire them.

Another possible Hhog mod I'm looking at is this. Replace the 3d model with a mortar model (can't be too hard, mortars are fairly simple looking). Have a Hhog that shoots just 1 bomb at a time. Set the range to a couple thousand yards. We'd then have an IJN ASW mortar.

A 15 cm (5.9") ASW mortar was developed for transports and merchant ships. This was in a cradle mounting allowing 360 degree traverse and had recoil and runout cylinders. The projectile weighed about 60 lbs. (27 kg) and could range out to a maximum of 4,500 yards (4,100 m).

The Navy 81 mm mortar was also carried by many escorts, firing standard projectiles.

That's why I wanted Hhog to fire from merchants.

tater

[leovampire]

Originally Posted by tater

There may be a problem with the Type02_2 DC not doing hull damage. I'm messign with it. OTOH, that DC is amazingly rare even in my campaign (it's the slow falling one). It was really put in in anticipation of some smaller subchasers not yet built.

I was testing hedgehogs last night. I know the IJN didn't use them, but I had wondered about getting merchants to use them, and also about the depth setting. I know they are contact, but their sim has the depth set to 2500, and the aim error at 300. I think the idea is that if they don't hit something, they'll blow at the set depth. Where this would be useful in tricking the AI would be a hedgehog that looks like a DC rack (or k gun, etc), but fires a single hedgehog bomb that happens to point at the DC model, etc. The idea is that the game thinks it's a Hhog, but it's really a DC. Then we dump the contact fuse, and the DC goes off at the aimed depth regardless of what the AI thinks. Set it to 45m +-15, and you have a RL IJN DC.

Sadly, merchants won't fire them.



Another possible Hhog mod I'm looking at is this. Replace the 3d model with a mortar model (can't be too hard, mortars are fairly simple looking). Have a Hhog that shoots just 1 bomb at a time. Set the range to a couple thousand yards. We'd then have an IJN ASW mortar.

That's why I wanted Hhog to fire from merchants.

tater

If you look in the SIM file for a DD you will see how they are set up to to depth charge run's and usage. You need that in the Ship's SIM file to make it happen as well as putting the equipment on the boat.

[tater]

I can only see what I see with S3D. They ahve the same (in S3D) looking "cmdr_AIShip" stuff.

Course I don't actually want merchants to make runs, more just fire them off.

Note that I can change the unit type of a merchant to 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4, and it will happy become an escort and use them, with no sim changes at all.

What is the part you think controls this outside of unit type? If you take a DD, and set it to a unit type that is NOT 0 to 4, it won't use them, either.

tater

[leovampire]

Originally Posted by tater

I can only see what I see with S3D. They ahve the same (in S3D) looking "cmdr_AIShip" stuff.

Course I don't actually want merchants to make runs, more just fire them off.

Note that I can change the unit type of a merchant to 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4, and it will happy become an escort and use them, with no sim changes at all.

What is the part you think controls this outside of unit type? If you take a DD, and set it to a unit type that is NOT 0 to 4, it won't use them, either.

tater

And see what is missing that will make the ship drop the chanrges in the water. Also if a ship has no detection equipment I don't think it will try anything either. Plane's only do it because they go by the Detection report of a DD but the ship's might have to have a way to detect a sub and also the sim telling it what to do. After all it's a game so every thing has to link together. You can give a plane a bomb loadout but unless you tell it in the sim file how to use it nothing will happen.

[tater]

If it's true that the IJN never threw the 162kg type 2, then I can alter the stock K and Y guns to fire the lighter type 2 (mine is 110kg). This would give 2 more variants in load.

DCRack-SH4 = 18 Type 2 DCs (162kg warhead)
DCRack_TYPE95_1 = 18 Type 95 DCs (100kg warhead)
DCRack_TYPE95_2 = 10 Type 95 DCs
DCRack_TYPE02_1 = 18 Type 2 DCs (110kg warhead)
DCRack_TYPE02_2 = 6 Type 95/2 DCs -- parachute retarded 95s at ~100kg (I left them damage light to avoid sterns getting blown off on shallow drops)

KGun (stock) = 11 Type 2 DCs (162kg warhead)
KGun_JP_02 = 6 Type 95 DCs (100kg warhead)
KGun_JP_03 = 10 Type 95 DCs

YGun (stock) = 10 Type 2 DCs (162kg warhead)
YGun_JP_02 = 6 Type 95 DCs (3 per side of Y) (100kg warhead)
YGun_JP_03 = 10 Type 95 DCs (5 per side of Y)
YGun_JP_04 = 8 Type 2 DCs (4 per side of Y) (110kg warhead)
YGun_JP_05 = 12 Type 2 DCs (6 per side of Y) (110kg warhead)

If I changed the those stock throwers to the 110kg version, I could set the loads 12 for the K, and maybe 10 for the Y. The difference I have between the type 95 and smaller type 2 is pretty much only the fall speed, the damage values are nearly identical. As such, they can certainly be mixed up to make the loads variable on the escorts.

Example:

An Subchaser has 2 Y throwers. It could carry a total of 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, or 24 DCs in the throwers in addition to the 2 roll racks. If the Y racks worked properly, you could have loads with 1 missing as well, but you always need 2 right now, one shoots port, one starboard. The 2 roll racks could possibly carry (with loadouts allowed missing a rack): 10, 18, 20, 28, 36. That means if we made some variant loadouts for the SC, you'd not know if it carried 22 total, 60, or something in between ).

There is another way that this mod mixes up the loadouts, BTW, and it's already there, not just an idea like loadouts. The DC capabilities is already built into the eqp file as a date-based evolution. So a ship might have no K throwers, then in August 1943, it gets 2 throwers holding 12 DCs. When the campaign or mission builder sets that escort, he has a choice for the configuration date of each ship. It could be mid 1944, and I can specify that a certain convoy escort has a April 1943 cfg date. it will NOT have the K throwers. There is no reason to expect each to be the latest and greatest. This requires no addition work aside from the campaign editing.

tater

[Peto]

Actually--I can't be sure Japanese K-guns didn't throw the heavy charges. I assumed that based on what the Allies did (and possibly made an a**of me ). And I'm wondering if the sim can handle a escort tossing off 2 types of dc at the same time. If they both reference the same memory address, the 1st one to go off would probably be used for all subsequent charges. I've run into problems like that when modding other sims.

[tater]

I've not had a problem, I have several ships with various types aboard at once, and they have different fall speeds, so I can tell.

[Peto]

That's good! Having different dc's on 1 escort is a good thing IMO.