4.13 development update discussion and feedback

[ddr]

Reworked trains is really nice! thank you DT for your efforts! I hope to see it soon on my pc

[Sita]

littel up ...

[Music]

Trains and Tanks look great.

I was a big WW2 buff growing up, (focused mainly on the air, and pacific, but I would think I would have seen photo's of these trains in some book). Did the Germans have a lot of them? And were they effective, I know Europe have a extensive rail net work, but they are still limited to that network, and I would assume fairly easy to find from the air, and destroy.

Great Work TD!

Music from Canada

[Pursuivant]

Originally Posted by Music

Did the Germans have a lot of them? And were they effective, I know Europe have a extensive rail net work, but they are still limited to that network, and I would assume fairly easy to find from the air, and destroy.

Armored trains were relatively rare units, and were mostly useful for defending strategic points along rail lines, and for anti-partisan ops (to defend against saboteurs attempting to destroy rail lines). There were used by Germany and the USSR on the Eastern Front and by Japan in China.

As air power got better, armored trains became less effective both because they could more easily be destroyed by air, and because larger bombs could easily destroy railroad tracks.

Once "locomotive busting" ops got really well developed in the later war years, locomotives and rolling stock had to be well camouflaged and/or hidden in tunnels or deep culverts to hide them from view.

[Pursuivant]

Questions for TD:

I'm currently working my way through the Australian, New Zealand and UK orders of battle, with an eye towards "improving" them like I did for the USAAF.

1) Is this effort useful or am I wasting my time? Can more units be added to RegInfo/RegShort without blowing up the game or making it too slow to load?

2) If I add new units to the game, is it required that I add squadron crests (seldom used on actual aircraft) and/or fuselage letter codes?

With time, I can add this info for most units.

3) Many Australian and New Zealand units served with the RAF. Some ML-KNIL (Dutch East Indies AF) units served under RAAF control. How should I include these units in the game?

If you're choosing a squadron in the QMB or a campaign, it makes more sense to include RNZAF, RAAF, etc. units under the appropriate nationality.

But, if you're choosing a squadron in the FMB, it makes more sense to include those units under the appropriate controlling formation (i.e., RAF or RAAF).

In terms of the game, you need the appropriate nationality in order to get the correct language pack to load.

4) Would there be any interest in adding other British Commonwealth nations to the game? If there's interest, I could do orders of battle for Canada, India, South Africa, and possibly Rhodesia. Units from those nations served in the Middle East, Italy, Europe and/or Pacific, mostly under RAF command.

By default, these new nations could use US, UK, Australian or NZ voice packs until you get actual, proper voice packs. (US voice pack for Canada, NZ voice pack for SA & Rhodesia, UK voice pack for India. Apologies to any actual Canadians, South Africans, Zimbabweans, or Indians reading this.)

5) Would there be any interest in adding China to the game? I can add the 1941-1945 "Nationalist" Chinese (Republic of China AF) squadrons. Currently, my USAAF OOB includes a few Chinese American Composite Group squadrons which historically carried the Nationalist AF insignia, like the AVG did.

6) Would there be any interest in adding Manchukou or other minor Allied and Axis nations to the game? I can provide national insignia and perhaps OOB info, but obviously not voice packs.

Missing Axis Nations which fielded Air Forces: Bulgaria, Iraq, RSI (Repubblica Sociale Italiana), Vichy France.

Missing Allied Nations which fielded Air Forces: Belgium, Brazil, China, Canada, Czechloslovakia, Denmark, Free France, Greece, India, Mexico, Norway, Philippines, South Africa, Yugoslavia.

[Sita]

Originally Posted by Pursuivant

Questions for TD:

I'm currently working my way through the Australian, New Zealand and UK orders of battle, with an eye towards "improving" them like I did for the USAAF.

1) Is this effort useful or am I wasting my time? Can more units be added to RegInfo/RegShort without blowing up the game or making it too slow to load?

2) If I add new units to the game, is it required that I add squadron crests (seldom used on actual aircraft) and/or fuselage letter codes?

With time, I can add this info for most units.

3) Many Australian and New Zealand units served with the RAF. Some ML-KNIL (Dutch East Indies AF) units served under RAAF control. How should I include these units in the game?

If you're choosing a squadron in the QMB or a campaign, it makes more sense to include RNZAF, RAAF, etc. units under the appropriate nationality.

But, if you're choosing a squadron in the FMB, it makes more sense to include those units under the appropriate controlling formation (i.e., RAF or RAAF).

In terms of the game, you need the appropriate nationality in order to get the correct language pack to load.

4) Would there be any interest in adding other British Commonwealth nations to the game? If there's interest, I could do orders of battle for Canada, India, South Africa, and possibly Rhodesia. Units from those nations served in the Middle East, Italy, Europe and/or Pacific, mostly under RAF command.

By default, these new nations could use US, UK, Australian or NZ voice packs until you get actual, proper voice packs. (US voice pack for Canada, NZ voice pack for SA & Rhodesia, UK voice pack for India. Apologies to any actual Canadians, South Africans, Zimbabweans, or Indians reading this.)

5) Would there be any interest in adding China to the game? I can add the 1941-1945 "Nationalist" Chinese (Republic of China AF) squadrons. Currently, my USAAF OOB includes a few Chinese American Composite Group squadrons which historically carried the Nationalist AF insignia, like the AVG did.

6) Would there be any interest in adding Manchukou or other minor Allied and Axis nations to the game? I can provide national insignia and perhaps OOB info, but obviously not voice packs.

Missing Axis Nations which fielded Air Forces: Bulgaria, Iraq, RSI (Repubblica Sociale Italiana), Vichy France.

Missing Allied Nations which fielded Air Forces: Belgium, Brazil, China, Canada, Czechloslovakia, Denmark, Free France, Greece, India, Mexico, Norway, Philippines, South Africa, Yugoslavia.

Hello))

it's interesting) ...


but at first i must say that in 4.13.1 already added some about 900 differnt squadrons maded by our closest ally Motorhead VMF-214 ...

so at current moment USAAF theme is closed at some about 90 percent
ws added all squadrons which was really in battles ...
( no any transports or Recon squads )

also ... was maded and added in 4.13.1 all(or almost all squads ) for RAFs/Canada/New Zealand/Australia/South Africa/The Indian Air Force/Polish and French squads ... (French for 1939 till 1940 time period)

in that case ... from what you prupose ... you can pay attention on following things ...


Missing Axis Nations:
- Bulgaria
- Iraq
- RSI (Repubblica Sociale Italiana)
- Vichy France

Missing Allied Nations:
- Belgium
- Brazil
- China
- Czechloslovakia
- Denmark
- Free France
- Greece
- Mexico
- Norway
- Philippines
- Yugoslavia

remark: Free France squadrons under RAF control is added in 4.13.1.

but i must warn you ... that in current moment we didn't think about adding new Nations ... but if it will be made properly .. i think it wuold be not hard to add it in patch .. if it wil be made correct ..

[Sita]

in fact ... all that work with new squads deserve to be new DevUp)))

Motorhead VMF-214 made HUGE work with it...

[Pursuivant]

Originally Posted by Sita

but at first i must say that in 4.13.1 already added some about 900 differnt squadrons made by our closest ally Motorhead VMF-214 ...

So, it sounds like someone else has already done the work.

But, did he get the early war units rather than just the "numbered" USAAF air forces?

Did he correct errors in the existing order of battle?

My work might aid his work there.

Originally Posted by Sita

(not any transports or Recon squads )

I've added all the transport, liaison, recon, and air rescue squadrons to the USAAF OOB, but only when they were actually in combat.

Originally Posted by Sita

also ... was maded and added in 4.13.1 all(or almost all squads ) for RAFs/Canada/New Zealand/Australia/South Africa/The Indian Air Force/Polish and French squads ... (French for 1939 till 1940 time period)

Do these designations include wing and command information, or is it just a list of numbered squadrons? The first is better for both players and mission builders.

Originally Posted by Sita

remark: Free France squadrons under RAF control is added in 4.13.1.

So, RAF and RAAF squadrons composed of foreign personnel, but under RAF or RAF control, should be listed under RAF or RAAF listings.

But, by doing that, you'll have the wrong language pack! Your Czech and French squadrons flying for the RAF will speak British English, and your Dutch squadrons flying for the RAAF will speak Australian dialect English!

Originally Posted by Sita

that in current moment we didn't think about adding new Nations ... but if it will be made properly .. i think it wuold be not hard to add it in patch .. if it wil be made correct ..

Getting unit information is easy. Getting unit badges and squadron codes might be harder. Voice packs would be the most difficult since it requires getting fans who are fluent in the appropriate languages to do voice recordings.

Currently, there is an "all nations" mod which does a very good job of adding new nations and insignia to the game, but isn't so good for units and squadron insignia.

[dimlee]

Originally Posted by Pursuivant

Armored trains were relatively rare units, and were mostly useful for defending strategic points along rail lines, and for anti-partisan ops (to defend against saboteurs attempting to destroy rail lines). There were used by Germany and the USSR on the Eastern Front and by Japan in China.

As air power got better, armored trains became less effective both because they could more easily be destroyed by air, and because larger bombs could easily destroy railroad tracks.

Once "locomotive busting" ops got really well developed in the later war years, locomotives and rolling stock had to be well camouflaged and/or hidden in tunnels or deep culverts to hide them from view.

There was one lucky armored train during seige of Sevastopol in 1941-1942.
It has survived from Nov 1941 until the days of the 3rd (and final) German sturm in June 1942. 100mm marine guns, 7.62mm and 12.7 mm machine guns, mortars. Two engines, workshop and team of repairmen. Camouflage adapted to season and terrain. Local landscape and tunnels (there are 5 of them near the city) allowed the train to escape and hide after raids.
It has been damaged and blocked inside of rail tunnel after another Luftwaffe attack. Germans has restored and requipped the train and used it until May 1944.

Wiki (Russian):
https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%96...D0%B7%D0%B4%29