DD Tech tree and Naval Combat Improvement mod

[Spricar]

Thank you.

The most important future addition will be to make the other scenarios compliant.
Beyond that, I'll continue to fix bugs as they appear, add country specific models, pictures and unit names and improve the AI to take advantage of the new techs. A few balance tweaks may be necessary in some places.

holly cow, this is becoming one hell of a mod!!! And to just think that you've done all the work by yourself...

Thumbs up!

 

[egslim]

To be fair, when the research-AI and scenarios are done I'll consider the mod basically finished. Then it will have all the same functionality, fewer bugs and more features compared to Vanilla DD. That's my goal, and I think it is practically doable.
I hope to make it either SMEP or Emkeien compatible for the events, since I don't want to take on the work of adding any of my own.

The country-specific models and pictures are a bonus, but the mod is perfectly functional without them. I don't want this project to become a perpetual beta. It will be finished at some point, though I'll continue to maintain it (fix bugs, make it compattible with new patches and add cosmetics) after that.

And you guys are saving me a lot of time by playtesting and making bugreports - please keep them coming!

 

[Spricar]

SMEP comp. would be great + some added graphics. But mostly I hope you'll update it for the 1.2 version that is coming...

 

[egslim]

I will - hopefully they include a comprehensive changelog.

 

[Bigh RI Joe]

Just a heads up guys, Paradox is going to update DD to version 1.2 next week. I've really been enjoying the mod; I'm play version ,20 with DD 1.1, and have three separate files as Brazil. I started a game, and purposely focused on boosting the intervention slider to a point where Brazil could join alliance. I joined the Axis; said the files; I then restarted and joined the Allies; saved the file. At that point, it was January of 1941. I have run the Brazil Neutral file through November of 1944, and am chugging along with a nice little economy, and strong industrial and infantry investment....screens to follow early next week.

 

[egslim]

Unless someone finds an important bug I won't release a new version until 1.2 is out. Otherwise poor Mo-jo won't have time to finish his game.

Nice to know you're enjoying the mod. Looking forward to your screens. Have you had any naval combat? I'm very interested in the outcome of naval confrontations.

 

[bubbelties]

Agreed

 

[unmerged(45706)]

bug

hi there eggslim,

just downloaded and installed your mod. When i wanted to start the 1936 scenario i got the following error message :

ERROR : (ai-prefs : unexpected field)'max_staging_distance=15' line=759 file=ai\ENG_1936.a. :wacko:

Removing the mod resulting in the 1936 scen loading ok again.
Any idea what might be the cause of this error ?

cheers,

vladimirowich

 

[egslim]

That's a very strange error, since the line it refers to is unchanged from Vanilla DD.

When I just installed version 0.30 in a clean DD folder to test it didn't give any error either.

Did you use moddir? Because I don't, so that may be the difference.

Do you use Doomsday patched to version 1.1?

 

[unmerged(45706)]

That's a very strange error, since the line it refers to is unchanged from Vanilla DD.

When I just installed version 0.30 in a clean DD folder to test it didn't give any error either.

Did you use moddir? Because I don't, so that may be the difference.

Do you use Doomsday patched to version 1.1?

Thanks for the swift reply !
No, i don't use moddir and i did try to patch DD before using the mod.
I say try because when i start DD it still says that it's version 1.0 despite the patcher telling that the patch was installed successfully...
Maybe it's because i bought DD online. I remember having read somewhere that the online version needs another patch. Don't really remember which one though...

damn, damn, damn...
i know it's just a question of time before i get this mod to function properly but i'd like to play NOW...
So much for patience... hehe...

 

[egslim]

I don't have any experience with the online version. If it's like the demo, there is a launcher included through which you can update the game. Otherwise I suggest you ask for help here: http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=283

I expect updating the game to 1.1 will solve your issues with this mod. Good luck!

 

[Spricar]

I've just started a new game as Italy and I must say it is a blast. Probably the funniest and most interesting HOI2 game I've ever played. Naval combat is great - a lot of encounters with well balanced AI fleets, great doctrines,... But the change I'm most thrilled with is the new troop transport range. As early version have very low range (200km) I can transport my troops to N. Africa front only through provinces with ports, e.g. Tobruk (I can only rebase transports as they don't have enough range for troop transport to non-ports provinces). So provinces with ports became a real strategic points. And not only that I can't reinforce my army without them, but as I'm advancing towards Cairo Tobruk is getting farer and farer away so it takes my newly deployed troops weeks before they reach front. Very realistic!!! So once near Cairo taking and holding Alexandria become absolutly vital since it "opened" the new route for my troops and shortened "supply lines". Very realistic, I think Paradox should implemement that kind of strategic supply points in vanilla version.

Your mod is great! Hats down and thums up!

 

[unmerged(19841)]

the change I'm most thrilled with is the new troop transport range. As early version have very low range (200km) I can transport my troops to N. Africa front only through provinces with ports, e.g. Tobruk (I can only rebase transports as they don't have enough range for troop transport to non-ports provinces). So provinces with ports became a real strategic points. And not only that I can't reinforce my army without them, but as I'm advancing towards Cairo Tobruk is getting farer and farer away so it takes my newly deployed troops weeks before they reach front. Very realistic!!! So once near Cairo taking and holding Alexandria become absolutly vital since it "opened" the new route for my troops and shortened "supply lines". Very realistic, I think Paradox should implemement that kind of strategic supply points in vanilla version.

Your mod is great! Hats down and thums up!

Something That I over looked, very good points, ports are not as nearly as important as they should be,I will have to give this mod a try

 

[egslim]

So provinces with ports became a real strategic points. And not only that I can't reinforce my army without them, but as I'm advancing towards Cairo Tobruk is getting farer and farer away so it takes my newly deployed troops weeks before they reach front.

Great, that's exactly the way it's supposed to be! In the Pacific it may even be useful for the US player to build additional navalbases, just like they did historically.

The reason why Paradox gave ships such huge ranges is probably because the AI needs unlimited naval range, so Paradox didn't want to disadvantage the player too much.
In reality of course, the AI is no match for a decent player so we can afford to give the latter a small disadvantage to make the game more realistic.

 

[unmerged(19841)]

In reality of course, the AI is no match for a decent player so we can afford to give the latter a small disadvantage to make the game more realistic.

You can very easly add events that are for the AI only countries that improve the navy ranges,by the way your mod looks great can;t wait to install my new Dooms Day game

 

[unmerged(19841)]

In HSR mod they give huge bonuses to AI nations,Lookng at them it would easy to help out the AI so they could still function with reduced naval ranges

 

[egslim]

Unfortunately, the AI has no concept of how to deal with range and/or rebase when necessary. It's not a matter of adding bonusses to compensate, an AI fleet based in Colombo will never move beyond its naval range from Colombo. The only solution is to make this range infinite.

 

[bubbelties]

The AI always had an infinite range. It is even nor moddable, I believe.

 

[unmerged(53496)]

While you're working on improving naval combat, is there any way to mod the AI files to make the computer a bit less stupid about sailing fleets into areas with massive enemy air cover? Unfortunately, the answer will probably turn out to be no ...

As for the mod itself, I've played through to mid 43 as Germany with it and have the following observations:

1. The short range of German TP units is not a barrier to their ambitions in Europe (good) but is to any invasion of the US (also good). I've always felt it was too easy to launch trans-Atlantic invasions in HoI, so I very much like this change.

2. Air power is by far the easiest way for Germany to guarantee Sea Lion. I launched Sea Lion with a fleet of less than a dozen combat ships (2 CV-3s and 6-10 CLs and DDs) but supported by 12 INT on air superiority, plus 20 CAS and 8 TACs on Naval strikes, and the Allied navies never even got near me. Again, this is all to the good given the importance of air power in WW2 naval battles, but it suggests to me that the UK and US may need to have their AIs tweaked in regards to air power. I think at the moment they expend too much of their IC on strat bombing (building and repairing the bombers themselves, and continuing the attacks even when it is costing them more than it is gaining them).

3. Due to the almost complete absence of ship to ship combat so far, I can't comment on the naval combat model. But the Soviet Union should be finished off by mid-44 (it's just a matter of reaching the Pacific) and then I can turn all my attention to the Americas. At the moment, I expect that the invasion will take place by transferring my army to Argentina (probably via Africa) and then taking out various South and Central American minors to get the ports my TPs will need.

4. Researching the new techs doesn't seem too much of a problem. There are areas in which I am lagging behind the year, of course, but that's true in vanilla HoI too. I'm keeping up in the areas I need to, and occasionally sneaking in something extra as well.

 

[Spricar]

2. Air power is by far the easiest way for Germany to guarantee Sea Lion. I launched Sea Lion with a fleet of less than a dozen combat ships (2 CV-3s and 6-10 CLs and DDs) but supported by 12 INT on air superiority, plus 20 CAS and 8 TACs on Naval strikes, and the Allied navies never even got near me. Again, this is all to the good given the importance of air power in WW2 naval battles, but it suggests to me that the UK and US may need to have their AIs tweaked in regards to air power. I think at the moment they expend too much of their IC on strat bombing (building and repairing the bombers themselves, and continuing the attacks even when it is costing them more than it is gaining them).

I completely agree. The thing that bugs me the most in HOI2 is allied overobsession withs air raids as soon as the WW2 starts, which is completely unrealistic. Allies weren't prepared for massive air bombing of Germany in 1939/1940 and they knew that - that's why (along with some other reasons) they didn't send all their planes on suicidal air missions above German skies. But the game doesn't simulate that and so allies suffer great losses in the beginning of the war. In short, no sitzkrieg there...Maybe there should be an event instructing allied AI not to bomb Germany for a year or at least until certain techs (air doctrines) are developed...