Ranking system

[Alpha Von Burg]

I was just wondering if it is possible to change the starting rank to a higher rank in career mode?
And if it is possible I ask how can I do so...

Just wondering...

[frau kaleun]

Originally Posted by Alpha Von Burg

I was just wondering if it is possible to change the starting rank to a higher rank in career mode?
And if it is possible I ask how can I do so...

Just wondering...

I think it can be done... in the basic.cfg there is a section that sets the values required for player ranks and awards. It may be called [Player Renown] or something to that effect.

The lower part shows the values required for Medals 1-8 but at the top there is a section showing the values required for Ranks 1-x (can't remember how many are in the game).

If you are playing GWX, I think the starting rank (Leutnant) is at 0 so when you start that's your rank... then the next ranks would be Oberleutnant, Kptlt, etc., and so on down the list. I think you would have to lower the value (renown) set for those ranks in order to achieve them earlier. I guess if you knew how much renown the game spots you starting out in a career, you could lower them accordingly so your starting renown would give you the desired rank at that time.

But I don't know if you could set more than one rank to a value of 0, or if that would foul up the works.

As always, don't make any changes to the basic.cfg without backing up first so you can undo them if necessary.

[Gerald]

Originally Posted by Alpha Von Burg

I was just wondering if it is possible to change the starting rank to a higher rank in career mode?
And if it is possible I ask how can I do so...

Just wondering...

But the question is how much benefit it would be for you

[desirableroasted]

Originally Posted by Alpha Von Burg

I was just wondering if it is possible to change the starting rank to a higher rank in career mode?
And if it is possible I ask how can I do so...

Just wondering...

Long thread on this here

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=134306

If you are using SH3 Commander, there's some important stuff to look out for or you will corrupt your career folder.

[Alpha Von Burg]

Originally Posted by Vendor

But the question is how much benefit it would be for you

No benefit at all.
I was just curious.

Oh and thanks for the answers...

[Tessa]

To add extra ranks (up to Vizeadmiral) you'll need to modify the basic.cfg and menu.en file as follows:

(Please note, you can add these to GWX or Vanilla as shown and will work fine without any further changes, for SHC you need to do more stuff, see the bottom on what other files to modify)

[PLAYER_RENOWN]
AcademyBonus=1000
RankLevel0=500; SCORE
RankLevel1=1999; SCORE
RankLevel2=3999; SCORE
RankLevel3=7999; SCORE
MedalSettings0=0.25
MedalSettings1=0.5
MedalSettings2=1
MedalScore0=2000;2 class, SCORE
MedalScore1=4000;1 class, SCORE
MedalScore2=10000; knight, SCORE
MedalScore3=25000; oak leaves, SCORE
MedalScore4=50000;swords, SCORE
MedalScore5=80000;diamonds, SCORE
MedalScore6=160000;all, SCORE
RankLevel4=15999; SCORE
RankLevel6=31999; SCORE
RankLevel7=63999; SCORE
RankLevel8=127999; SCORE
RankLevel9=255999; SCORE

and add to the menu.en file:

160=Gefreiter
161=Obergefreiter
162=Hauptgefreiter
163=Feldwebel
164=Stabsfeldwebel
165=Stabsoberfeldwebel
166=Oberf臧nrich z. S.
167=Leutnant z. S.
168=Oberleutnant z. S.
169=Oberleutnant z. S.
170=Leutnant z. S.; Oberleutnant z. S.
171=Oberleutnant z. S.; Kapit舅leutnant
172=Kapit舅leutnant; Korvettenkapit舅
173=Korvettenkapit舅; Fregattenkapit舅
174=Fregattenkapit舅; Kapit舅 z. S.

175=Exit To Menu

176=Kapit舅 z. S.; Kommodore
177=Kommodore; Konteradmiral
178=Konteradmiral; Vizeadmiral
179=Vizeadmiral; Admiral

The values for the ranks and medals can (and should) be adjusted for your style of play. The main concept with these settings is for you to reach Kapit舅leutnant around the same time you'd be awarded you Ritterkreuz. After Kapit舅leutnant good kaleuns would get their next promotion in 9-12 months until they hit Kommodore and then it was generally about 12-18 months if they advanced after that.

The medal values are adjusted so the RK isn't too hard to get (for most part it's not too hard to get 100,000 tons to your name in game) but the higher version are intentionally made harder. Particullarly the RK Brillant (Knights Cross Gold with Diamonds) I've made out of reach for most but those that would play a very long career since only 1 was ever awarded, and it wasn't to a submariner but a Stuka pilot. Since this is more or less a unique award (like the Grand Cross of the Knights Cross that Goering awarded himself) imo it doesn't belong here. It'd have made more sense to use something like the German Order as the top award since only 8 or so people were awarded it throughout the war.

For SHC:

Each time SHC loads it erases any changes in those two files and re-writes them with the values entered in certain SHC files. This makes it harder to make changes but makes in the end makes it harder to try and cheat

Put this into the static settings file (in the cfg folder in SHC:

;The below lines provide more realistic promotions (sooner) and medals (longer)
;within the context of the SH3 game engine
PLAYER_RENOWN|RankLevel0=500; SCORE
PLAYER_RENOWN|RankLevel1=1999; SCORE
PLAYER_RENOWN|RankLevel2=3999; SCORE
PLAYER_RENOWN|RankLevel3=7999; SCORE
PLAYER_RENOWN|RankLevel4=15999; SCORE
PLAYER_RENOWN|RankLevel6=31999; SCORE
PLAYER_RENOWN|RankLevel7=63999; SCORE
PLAYER_RENOWN|RankLevel8=127999; SCORE
PLAYER_RENOWN|RankLevel9=255999; SCORE
PLAYER_RENOWN|MedalSettings0=0.25
PLAYER_RENOWN|MedalSettings1=0.5
PLAYER_RENOWN|MedalSettings2=1
PLAYER_RENOWN|MedalScore0=2000;2 class, SCORE
PLAYER_RENOWN|MedalScore1=4000;1 class, SCORE
PLAYER_RENOWN|MedalScore2=10000; knight, SCORE
PLAYER_RENOWN|MedalScore3=25000; oak leaves, SCORE
PLAYER_RENOWN|MedalScore4=50000;swords, SCORE
PLAYER_RENOWN|MedalScore5=80000;diamonds, SCORE
PLAYER_RENOWN|MedalScore6=160000;all, SCORE

;The below lines increase the number of badges available for awarding and defers
;receipt of GC until later in the war, and the clasp to very high value for the clasp
;as it was considered an elite award, above the Iron Cross
MEDALS_CREW|RenownStep=250; RENOWN, u-boat badge
MEDALS_CREW|SunkInPatrol=80000; TONNAGE, front clasp
MEDALS_CREW|SunkInPatrolGerman=60000; TONNAGE, GC
MEDALS_CREW|SunkInPatrolKnights=70000; TONNAGE, KC

For those starting a new game, the u-boat badge is awarded based on your renown for the patrol. That can be adjusted with the value above. Though protocol was for it to be awarded after the third patrol, it could be awarded after 1 if it was an exceptional patrol, the sailor performed heroic, or the sailor was wounded.

To get the ranks correct the file (within) SHC you need to modify I couldn't get it to correctly add the extra 4 ranks. Rather than bang my head against the wall further I just made a very simple mod that adds them in such a way that SHC won't overite them when it loads. It's JGSME ready, I made it as a personal patch but was planning on making it a complete JGSME mod that could be added and then not require any changes to be done in SHC. The file for the extended ranks (which is required if using SHC) you can get here.

P.S. Sorry if you see a 舅 character instead of the 'a' character, my computer is set to Japanese and for whatever reason decides to display the character as such, but when you load the game it will show up properly. Even with the IME set to English it still wants to read that character as such when its in an asci file.

P.P.S I've recently found several primary resources on German ranks and insignia and have gotten conflicting information regarding the Kommodore rank. The rank was generally assigned to officers that had a job that was not front line combat; i.e. they wouldn't be out there on a ship in command issuing orders, was more of a "Secretary" like rank, like a 0 star admiral to speak. As there were few u-boat captains that obtained even the rank of Kapitan Zur see finding one that obtained that rank but then retired from front line duty (either to go to bdu or a training school) has found no people so far. It makes more sense that that rank position should be a Konteadmiral as such a person would have been in charge of a task force (surface fleet) or the flotilla commander (though oddly that position was held usually be a relatively low ranked officer (equivalent to a major or lt. col in the allied forces, a spot usually occupied by at least a captain and usually a 1-star admiral).

[Gerald]

Originally Posted by Alpha Von Burg

No benefit at all.
I was just curious.

Oh and thanks for the answers...

[Tessa]

Adding the extra ranks doesn't get you anything more ingame, just extends the experience to add more depth and add to realism. While unusual to see admirals on single ships (especially something as small as a uboat (though type XXI's had they gone into real use in numbers might have seen them on the bridge)) it isn't without precedence in both sides of the war. While there was a captain (Kapitan Zur see) on the Bismark, there was a 2-star admiral there as well that was for all purposes the one in command. Admiral Halsey as a 2 and 3 star admiral would frequently take out just his carrier (and not all the escorts) and would be the one in command.

Highest ranking Kaleun's to remain in front line service were no higher than Kapitan Zur see; only one I can think of off top of my head was Erich Topp. Even if you'd like that to be your final (top) rank available just adjust the renown settings and for the higher ones just use 999,999 as the score.

For those using SHC, long time ago Jasun and I worked it out so that the new ranks would be compatible, so they will be recognized and the correct additional rank icons are included when you bring up the roster.

[desirableroasted]

Very helpful instructions, Tessa. I now understand, thanks to your SH3C notes, why I am freighted with more chest ornaments than a 3rd-world dictator with only 200K for this career.

Originally Posted by Tessa

Admiral Halsey as a 2 and 3 star admiral would frequently take out just his carrier (and not all the escorts) and would be the one in command.

Not really. A ship's commander is always master and commander of his/her vessel; the proximity of task force admiral (whether on board or 1000 miles away) makes no command difference except in fiction and Hollywood.

As a Rear Admiral (entirely pre-war) and Vice Admiral (mostly pre-war), Halsey commanded carrier divisions consisting of a carrier(s), escorts and air squadrons. And, in the pre-war Pacific (and for Halsey, that was before December 41), it would not be unusual to send a lightly escorted carrier out for training ops.

If he wanted to observe training operations first-hand, Halsey naturally enough would "make his flag" on the carrier: it would be the most convenient place to see and coordinate the carrier, escorts and air wing working together. But he was not "taking command" of the carrier in any direct operational sense; he was simply moving headquarters from shore to sea.

[Draka]

Just as an instance of where a player would want this - I am about to start another round of the "Wolves at War" http://wolvesatwar.org/ campaign game setting. In this case, I will be Alexander Gelhaar. As you can tell from this webpage:

http://www.uboat.net/men/commanders/347.html

when the war started he was a Kapitänleutnant - so to be historically accurate I want to be at that rank after my shakedown/training cruise at game start.

[desirableroasted]

I am planning to add your modifications, but I just need a clarification.

Down in your notes about SH3 Commander, you give us some data that should be manually inserted in the static settings file in SH3 Commander.

Then you mention your Jones-ready mod.

Should I do both? Or does the ready-made mod do the whole trick (since it is just the en_menu.txt, I am guessing not, but want to make sure).

Thanks!

Originally Posted by Tessa

To add extra ranks (up to Vizeadmiral) you'll need to modify the basic.cfg and menu.en file as follows:

(Please note, you can add these to GWX or Vanilla as shown and will work fine without any further changes, for SHC you need to do more stuff, see the bottom on what other files to modify)

[PLAYER_RENOWN]
AcademyBonus=1000
RankLevel0=500; SCORE
RankLevel1=1999; SCORE
RankLevel2=3999; SCORE
RankLevel3=7999; SCORE
MedalSettings0=0.25
MedalSettings1=0.5
MedalSettings2=1
MedalScore0=2000;2 class, SCORE
MedalScore1=4000;1 class, SCORE
MedalScore2=10000; knight, SCORE
MedalScore3=25000; oak leaves, SCORE
MedalScore4=50000;swords, SCORE
MedalScore5=80000;diamonds, SCORE
MedalScore6=160000;all, SCORE
RankLevel4=15999; SCORE
RankLevel6=31999; SCORE
RankLevel7=63999; SCORE
RankLevel8=127999; SCORE
RankLevel9=255999; SCORE

and add to the menu.en file:

160=Gefreiter
161=Obergefreiter
162=Hauptgefreiter
163=Feldwebel
164=Stabsfeldwebel
165=Stabsoberfeldwebel
166=Oberf臧nrich z. S.
167=Leutnant z. S.
168=Oberleutnant z. S.
169=Oberleutnant z. S.
170=Leutnant z. S.; Oberleutnant z. S.
171=Oberleutnant z. S.; Kapit舅leutnant
172=Kapit舅leutnant; Korvettenkapit舅
173=Korvettenkapit舅; Fregattenkapit舅
174=Fregattenkapit舅; Kapit舅 z. S.

175=Exit To Menu

176=Kapit舅 z. S.; Kommodore
177=Kommodore; Konteradmiral
178=Konteradmiral; Vizeadmiral
179=Vizeadmiral; Admiral

The values for the ranks and medals can (and should) be adjusted for your style of play. The main concept with these settings is for you to reach Kapit舅leutnant around the same time you'd be awarded you Ritterkreuz. After Kapit舅leutnant good kaleuns would get their next promotion in 9-12 months until they hit Kommodore and then it was generally about 12-18 months if they advanced after that.

The medal values are adjusted so the RK isn't too hard to get (for most part it's not too hard to get 100,000 tons to your name in game) but the higher version are intentionally made harder. Particullarly the RK Brillant (Knights Cross Gold with Diamonds) I've made out of reach for most but those that would play a very long career since only 1 was ever awarded, and it wasn't to a submariner but a Stuka pilot. Since this is more or less a unique award (like the Grand Cross of the Knights Cross that Goering awarded himself) imo it doesn't belong here. It'd have made more sense to use something like the German Order as the top award since only 8 or so people were awarded it throughout the war.

For SHC:

Each time SHC loads it erases any changes in those two files and re-writes them with the values entered in certain SHC files. This makes it harder to make changes but makes in the end makes it harder to try and cheat

Put this into the static settings file (in the cfg folder in SHC:

;The below lines provide more realistic promotions (sooner) and medals (longer)
;within the context of the SH3 game engine
PLAYER_RENOWN|RankLevel0=500; SCORE
PLAYER_RENOWN|RankLevel1=1999; SCORE
PLAYER_RENOWN|RankLevel2=3999; SCORE
PLAYER_RENOWN|RankLevel3=7999; SCORE
PLAYER_RENOWN|RankLevel4=15999; SCORE
PLAYER_RENOWN|RankLevel6=31999; SCORE
PLAYER_RENOWN|RankLevel7=63999; SCORE
PLAYER_RENOWN|RankLevel8=127999; SCORE
PLAYER_RENOWN|RankLevel9=255999; SCORE
PLAYER_RENOWN|MedalSettings0=0.25
PLAYER_RENOWN|MedalSettings1=0.5
PLAYER_RENOWN|MedalSettings2=1
PLAYER_RENOWN|MedalScore0=2000;2 class, SCORE
PLAYER_RENOWN|MedalScore1=4000;1 class, SCORE
PLAYER_RENOWN|MedalScore2=10000; knight, SCORE
PLAYER_RENOWN|MedalScore3=25000; oak leaves, SCORE
PLAYER_RENOWN|MedalScore4=50000;swords, SCORE
PLAYER_RENOWN|MedalScore5=80000;diamonds, SCORE
PLAYER_RENOWN|MedalScore6=160000;all, SCORE

;The below lines increase the number of badges available for awarding and defers
;receipt of GC until later in the war, and the clasp to very high value for the clasp
;as it was considered an elite award, above the Iron Cross
MEDALS_CREW|RenownStep=250; RENOWN, u-boat badge
MEDALS_CREW|SunkInPatrol=80000; TONNAGE, front clasp
MEDALS_CREW|SunkInPatrolGerman=60000; TONNAGE, GC
MEDALS_CREW|SunkInPatrolKnights=70000; TONNAGE, KC

For those starting a new game, the u-boat badge is awarded based on your renown for the patrol. That can be adjusted with the value above. Though protocol was for it to be awarded after the third patrol, it could be awarded after 1 if it was an exceptional patrol, the sailor performed heroic, or the sailor was wounded.

To get the ranks correct the file (within) SHC you need to modify I couldn't get it to correctly add the extra 4 ranks. Rather than bang my head against the wall further I just made a very simple mod that adds them in such a way that SHC won't overite them when it loads. It's JGSME ready, I made it as a personal patch but was planning on making it a complete JGSME mod that could be added and then not require any changes to be done in SHC. The file for the extended ranks (which is required if using SHC) you can get here.

P.S. Sorry if you see a 舅 character instead of the 'a' character, my computer is set to Japanese and for whatever reason decides to display the character as such, but when you load the game it will show up properly. Even with the IME set to English it still wants to read that character as such when its in an asci file.

P.P.S I've recently found several primary resources on German ranks and insignia and have gotten conflicting information regarding the Kommodore rank. The rank was generally assigned to officers that had a job that was not front line combat; i.e. they wouldn't be out there on a ship in command issuing orders, was more of a "Secretary" like rank, like a 0 star admiral to speak. As there were few u-boat captains that obtained even the rank of Kapitan Zur see finding one that obtained that rank but then retired from front line duty (either to go to bdu or a training school) has found no people so far. It makes more sense that that rank position should be a Konteadmiral as such a person would have been in charge of a task force (surface fleet) or the flotilla commander (though oddly that position was held usually be a relatively low ranked officer (equivalent to a major or lt. col in the allied forces, a spot usually occupied by at least a captain and usually a 1-star admiral).

[Tessa]

Originally Posted by desirableroasted

I am planning to add your modifications, but I just need a clarification.

Down in your notes about SH3 Commander, you give us some data that should be manually inserted in the static settings file in SH3 Commander.

Then you mention your Jones-ready mod.

Should I do both? Or does the ready-made mod do the whole trick (since it is just the en_menu.txt, I am guessing not, but want to make sure).

Thanks!

You'll need to do both. First you'll need to add the changes into the static settings file in SHC as have been posted above. Be sure that you add the lines provided under the section marked SHC, the entries need to be entered a special way otherwise SHC won't recognize them, and won't apply them to the basic.cfg file. This has to be done in this manner as SHC overwrites the whole basic.cfg time every time it is used to start the game, the changes must be in the static setting files in order for it to correctly work with SHC, just adding them to the basic.cfg file will only have them overwritten each time SHC is used to start SH3.

Afterwards you'll need to add the mod that changes the en_menu.txt file. This will add all the additional rank slots and correct corresponding ranks. To make sure that the changes have been added start the game with SHC, then Alt-tab to the desktop and open the basic.cfg file, it should show all the new entries as well as the en_menu.txt file. After you enable this mod and add the extra entries into SHC you're ready to go, all the extra ranks will be now be available.



Please feel free to make adjustments to the medal and rank values to suit your play style. The ones below are just a simple doubling of the previous rank, whereas in the old thread I used Fibonaci to get the numbers for each rank. With the numbers I used in this example I tried to mirror a career that where you would get a RK around the same time as you got kaptianleutnant.

Since the RK Brillant (Knights Cross with Diamonds in Gold) was only awarded to 1 man (a Stuka ace) I intentionally made the renown score astronomically high so that it would be extremely hard to get. Being awarded that I saw akin to receiving 2 Medals of Honor (only 19 soldiers were ever awarded it twice) or a Victoria Cross with Bar (of which only 3 people have ever made that feat, one arguably should've gotten a second bar).

It is easily argued that anyone above the rank of KorvettenKapitan would have been sent to a flotille command or desk job, many Kaleuns instead (historically) refused the transfers and insisted on a command at sea. Admittedly many did so out of hunger for a RK, a set of Oak Leaves, Swords or Diamonds; others did so as they were lifelong sailors (like Prien, who was career Merchant Marine until the Kriegsmarine started to reform in the early 30's) and only felt at home at sea. Kaleun's with the rank as high as Kapitan Z. s would still go out on combat patrols even up until wars end.

If you want to make a more historically accurate renown model for promotion, I went through all the top 25 scoring captains and recorded the lenght of times between promotions (a few got double promotions which I discarded, otherwise would have skewed the numbers severly), here's the numbers I came up:

RankLevel0=500; SCORE
RankLevel1=1500; SCORE
RankLevel2=7500; SCORE
RankLevel3=23000; SCORE
RankLevel4=46000; SCORE
RankLevel6=82800; SCORE
RankLevel7=198720; SCORE
RankLevel8=397440; SCORE
RankLevel9=596160; SCORE

Generally speaking to advance to the next high rank once you made KorevettenKapitan took between 12-18 months. Some kaleuns did so in much less time (2-4 months on a couple rare occasions, more frequently a fast promotion was around 10 months) or as long as 2+ years.

[desirableroasted]

Thank you, Tessa!

You and every other modder deserve.... I dunno, blueberry pancakes every Saturday morning for the rest of your lives.

[ijnfleetadmiral]

Does this work the same for regular Silent Hunter III, or is there a different mod for that?

[JScones]

Originally Posted by Tessa

You'll need to do both. First you'll need to add the changes into the static settings file in SHC as have been posted above. Be sure that you add the lines provided under the section marked SHC, the entries need to be entered a special way otherwise SHC won't recognize them, and won't apply them to the basic.cfg file. This has to be done in this manner as SHC overwrites the whole basic.cfg time every time it is used to start the game, the changes must be in the static setting files in order for it to correctly work with SHC, just adding them to the basic.cfg file will only have them overwritten each time SHC is used to start SH3.

Tessa, pls stop spouting this rubbish. I have told you more than once that SH3Cmdr DOES NOT overwrite Basic.cfg. Your problems are caused at the other end of the keyboard.