New Special Ops ideas

Posted: Tue Jan 31, 2012 8:11 pm

I've only got one icon that I've prepared for special ops-- and it's a bit primitive-- but it gets the job done.

Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2012 3:01 pm

Thought of a couple more ideas:

1. Chemical Warfare: Periodic damage to infantry over time. I implemented it by looking at the atom bomb and deleting everything related to damage, but kept the enchantment stuff.

I was trying to think of something similiar for vehicles, like "Acid Storm", but I am not sure whether to add it or not since it is not very historical.

2. Tactical Strike: Severe damage to buildings. Like the industrial sabatoge, but does not destroy a building, rather seveerely damages it. Combine with an airstrike for maximaum effect. I copied the indsutrial sabatoge and switched target=building

BTW, for the u-boat, it should be +ENEMY, not friend (That's how I tested it - forgot to change it back).

I just realized how hard it is to create an airstrike kind of thing. I wanted to make a carpet bombing for Germany and Japan, but the animations are done via the model. I tried simply copying and pasting the ger and jpn bombers into special ops, but it didn't work. Then I looked at the original models and found that they had animations that show the actual bombing run. The same is apllied to v-weapons. This sux since I won't be able to make new attacks unless I figure this out.

Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2012 10:07 pm

I've tried out Chemical Warfare style operations while building WWI based maps-- but there's only one nation that actually used poison gas or biological weapons during WW2: Japan

you could probably modify Yamamoto's "Demoralization" op to inflict 10 points of flame damage every second to demoralize and crush infantry regiments. should probably add a speed penalty and attack rate penalty as well.

these weapons were mostly used on the Chinese, as memory serves.

Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2012 9:57 am

Gizmotron wrote:

I've tried out Chemical Warfare style operations while building WWI based maps-- but there's only one nation that actually used poison gas or biological weapons during WW2: Japan

you could probably modify Yamamoto's "Demoralization" op to inflict 10 points of flame damage every second to demoralize and crush infantry regiments. should probably add a speed penalty and attack rate penalty as well.

these weapons were mostly used on the Chinese, as memory serves.

Should I call it chemical warfare or poison gas then?

I tried using the flame damage, but then infantry that die are on fire, which doesn't make sense for poison, so I am just using gunfire for now. I'll have to create an icon for poison I guess.

I was actually thinking of adding China after I get done with the original factions. Should I add the nationalists or the communists, though (If I do)?

Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2012 7:27 pm

either or. I figured if you use some of my op ideas I can use some of the icons you posted.

Chemical Warfare sounds better. and the gunshot damage is probably the better way to go. I just like to use fire damage for some reason! Twisted Evil

also, chemical weaons, although less effective against vehicles, would still have some sort of impact... so I like the idea of using gunshot damage... which vehicles are naturally more resistant to.

***

oh yes, another idea that just came to me a this morning

a special op called "Entrenchment", lol. it allows your regiments to have the properties of being entrenched instantly-- and it lasts 60 seconds... just long enough for them to actually be entrenched. more than a few occassions where I wished this was possible in the past. of course, it could also be used on regiments that are already entrenched to make them even more difficult. was reading through the British 1918 manual on field works the other day-- so names like "Field Works", "Digging In", if the game won't allow the name "Entrenchment" to be used for a special op.

***

I believe the Nationalists are the better way to go for most of the war.

***

the "Acid Storm" idea sounds a little bit TOO magica! I think the idea is solid-- but it makes more sense to call it "Mechanical Failure". I think the important distinction is that it doesn't actually destroy any units or regiments-- it merely reduces their health and ability to function. it would be like a "Smoke Barrage" that only effects vehicles.

Posted: Fri Feb 03, 2012 9:25 am

Anything I post here is free game. Same rules, just mention me in the readme somewhere and It'll be all good.

I'll think I will the the vehicle special op "Mechanical Impairment" based off of your idea.

I also added tank incapacitation which stops tanks dead in their tracks for a short period of time.

I'll also try the entrechment idea.

Yeah, about China, my pattern for my mod is new stuffs for original factions to new generals to looking at the campaign to new factions. So China may or may not be added at this point

Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2012 4:49 pm

haha, I like the tank incapacitation idea... I just came up with "Surrender" aka "Paralysis" the other night: which allows the player to stopup to 16 enemy units dead in their tracks for 60 seconds. it's great for finishing off elite regiments or allowing your worn-down regiments to escape. lol, we really do seem to think alike sometimes.

Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2012 9:40 am

Gizmotron wrote:

haha, I like the tank incapacitation idea... I just came up with "Surrender" aka "Paralysis" the other night: which allows the player to stopup to 16 enemy units dead in their tracks for 60 seconds. it's great for finishing off elite regiments or allowing your worn-down regiments to escape. lol, we really do seem to think alike sometimes.

Actually, for your prisoners icon, there is an capture option listed in the template files.

Posted: Sat Mar 10, 2012 8:11 pm

Finally got around to finishing my"Industrialization" special op: it's an area effect enchantment that gives buildings a 20 percent reduction in recruitment costs... for everything except tech research. right now Eisenhower is the only one that I've given this ability-- it costs 1200 experience points and can only be used every 30 minutes. even so, purchasing an armored HQ for 280 is pretty awesome. it's like "Rapid Deployment" on steroids.

Posted: Sat Mar 10, 2012 9:53 pm

Just make Axis and Allies 2.

Posted: Sat Mar 10, 2012 11:11 pm

Planetshakers wrote:

Just make Axis and Allies 2.

actually there is some sort of a&a 2, look up axis and allies rts 2.0.0.1

Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2012 10:11 pm

"Merchant Marine" (for the US, UK, and Japan): the idea being that rather than using an air-transport to deliver supplies, a water-transport is used to bring in an ammo truck (or oil truck) depending on which is better for that nation. air transports seem especially vulnerable to flak and enemy fighters. so there are situations where using water-based transports might be an improvement. (I'm looking at you, Iwo Jima campaign game!)

Posted: Fri Mar 30, 2012 9:25 am

Gizmotron wrote:

"Merchant Marine" (for the US, UK, and Japan): the idea being that rather than using an air-transport to deliver supplies, a water-transport is used to bring in an ammo truck (or oil truck) depending on which is better for that nation. air transports seem especially vulnerable to flak and enemy fighters. so there are situations where using water-based transports might be an improvement. (I'm looking at you, Iwo Jima campaign game!)

Another good idea. I lack good ideas, so keep'em coming. Still, the map would have to have water to be of any use and randomized skirmish maps have little water usually (They end of forming just a big lake - lame).

Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2012 12:15 pm

Special Operation: Artillery Barrage

I haven't included the necessary template file (which includes how much the operation costs). I set the damage level to 800 explosive-- no attack bonus against buildings. if you try to take out buildings with this op you'll be wasting your time. it will, however, annihilate nearly every regiment in the game in a single hit. I set the price at 1000 experience points. (It could take weeks of sustained artillery bombardment to level a city, so I felt it had to be weak against buildings)

I created this op by modifiying the existing carpet bombing animations by reducing the size of the bombers (and all 40 or so parts) down to a fraction of 1 percent. I then created duplicates of the original bomb splash pattern animation so that it repeats three times over the course of a second or two.

The Russians called artillery "the god of war"... I've made sure that each nation gets to use this op for at least one general.

(attachment removed)

Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2012 8:54 am

Gizmotron wrote:

Special Operation: Artillery Barrage

I haven't included the necessary template file (which includes how much the operation costs). I set the damage level to 800 explosive-- no attack bonus against buildings. if you try to take out buildings with this op you'll be wasting your time. it will, however, annihilate nearly every regiment in the game in a single hit. I set the price at 1000 experience points. (It could take weeks of sustained artillery bombardment to level a city, so I felt it had to be weak against buildings)

I created this op by modifiying the existing carpet bombing animations by reducing the size of the bombers (and all 40 or so parts) down to a fraction of 1 percent. I then created duplicates of the original bomb splash pattern animation so that it repeats three times over the course of a second or two.

The Russians called artillery "the god of war"... I've made sure that each nation gets to use this op for at least one general.

I've just tried it and it works well. However, the planes' shadows still appear and the planes are transparent. Am I doing something wrong?

I was also thinking of giving the US artillery a bonus flame attack.

EDIT: I tried changing the name (Figuring that the other USCarpetBombing files were screwing it up), but to no avail. The other files may have to be changed (01, 02, 03).

Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2012 9:08 pm

odd. I don't see any shadows when I use it on my modded version....

aha, now I know why! I actually forgot to include the new special effects template file... I had to change that too.

I can't post the corrected effects files for a little while-- I've got a half-dozen new special effects in there. I think this version will do it...

Posted: Wed Apr 18, 2012 1:51 pm

Gizmotron wrote:

odd. I don't see any shadows when I use it on my modded version....

aha, now I know why! I actually forgot to include the new special effects template file... I had to change that too.

I can't post the corrected effects files for a little while-- I've got a half-dozen new special effects in there. I think this version will do it...

I didn't try it yet, but the lines in the special ops file is the same as the one I created for the artillery. When I get a chance I'll test it on vanilla and see if I still get the shadows.

BTW, what other effects have you done?

Posted: Wed Apr 18, 2012 9:02 pm

after I posted the Artillery Barrage revision I was able to make "Armored Advance" enchantment effects. it's basically a red blitzkrieg with the eagle removed. it seemed like the perfect idea for a Russian tank-based special op. in my current mod Russia, Germany, and Great Britain have this for one of their generals.

there are a few others (Artillery Maelstrom, which uses blue speed decals)

later this month I plan on getting the chemical weapons op done-- which would probably use a green version of what we see in the Demoralization op (but with the skull removed).

I plan on making a generic infantry attack animation that can be used by any country in the next month or so.

wish I remembered exactly how I got rid of those airplanes... my work-in-progress folder has been around for half a year or so-- so it's really hard to remember all of the things I've changed. Embarassed

I'll try to post Armored Advance later this week... been a long day! Exhausted

Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2012 3:33 pm

I was just looking through the special ops effects and found that they are pretty easy to mod (Unlike planes). I just added infantry advance and stuff using your ideas (Hope you don't mind).

BTW, for my chemical weapons I kept the skull in (Since it reminds me of death vs. lower morale) and removed the skull for the original demoralization.

I'll also see if I can fix the airplane issue.

Artillery Maelstrom? Is that like an artillery barrage on steroids?

Also, quicik question. A while back I created a tank using the JPN medium tank and put the barrel from the JPN medium tank on it. However, the new item does not appear in game. The original model shows up, but nothing I added (the barrel) does. Is there a command to attach it to the original model, do I have to have the other model used in the same folder, or what?

Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2012 9:24 pm

honestly, I'm not sure. I was able to swap the KV1 turret with the Panzer III turret with no problem.

there were other times where I was unable to rotate the artillery gun trailer for the Russian and Japanese gun trailers when I could do it for the Brits and the Americans. then I could come back several days later and do it successfully!

Artillery Maelstrom adds +50 to attack value, +50 to attack speed, +12 to bombardment range, and +12 to projectile ability range for 60 seconds to all targeted artillery. (it works on arty bunkers, halftracks, and tanks-- but not on mortars). it's a game-changer... and it costs 2000 experience points. obviously best used for self-propelled arty offensives-- but it can work wonders in defensive situations if you use it on a half-dozen arty-bunkers. it can stop an enemy offensive dead in its tracks-- and buy you some time to move regiments in to provide a stronger defense.

Posted: Sun Apr 22, 2012 4:38 pm

Hey guys, an idea I've though about is a special ops that gives a regiment some experience. Something like field exercise or combat training

Posted: Mon Apr 23, 2012 2:33 pm

TheLastSterling wrote:

Hey guys, an idea I've though about is a special ops that gives a regiment some experience. Something like field exercise or combat training

I can say with 95% confidence that this is not possible. The template files don't offer much help and I tried different things, to no avail.

The only thing you can do is spawn a specific unit with a specific experience. You also give created units a different experience scheme to make them upgrade faster.

Posted: Mon Apr 23, 2012 9:45 pm

TheLastSterling wrote:

Hey guys, an idea I've though about is a special ops that gives a regiment some experience. Something like field exercise or combat training

like theharkonnen said, don't think this is possible.

you could make an op that gives targeted regiments that stat-increases of Regular, Veteran, or Elite... in this case I would suggest "Combat Experience", "Military Genius", or "Uncommon Valor" or something like that.

I don't think it should be used on more than one regiment at a time... and it should have a long recharge time (like 20 minutes). the idea being that you could have this one out-standing regiment that could steam-roll over other comparable regiments. having it only work on a single regiment would help prevent it from being over-used. why create a handful of souped-up regiments when a bombing op can still take them out? make the op worth 600 points or something (to make the experience points required for the needed boost).

this is kinda like my idea for "Field Training" but it would give a larger stat boost and only work on a single regiment.

Posted: Mon Apr 23, 2012 9:48 pm

posted this elsewhere, but I've figured out that you can make bunkers into a captain, front, or supporting role. this means you could create a standard regiment with a mix of infantry and bunkers. you could create a special heavy-duty arty bunker (like the German super-heavy artillery) with immense power and range. I've already tried out a German version with regular arty-bunkers, and a Japanese version where I summon a massive siege mortar (100 points worth of damage and a lot of range). you can summon these near an enemy base to help soften them up for a major attack. while the enemy regments are trying to get rid of your fearsome arty-bunker you can attack from a different direction with regular regiments.

Posted: Fri May 04, 2012 1:44 pm

Gizmotron wrote:

Finally got around to finishing my"Industrialization" special op: it's an area effect enchantment that gives buildings a 20 percent reduction in recruitment costs... for everything except tech research. right now Eisenhower is the only one that I've given this ability-- it costs 1200 experience points and can only be used every 30 minutes. even so, purchasing an armored HQ for 280 is pretty awesome. it's like "Rapid Deployment" on steroids.

Did you put anything in the required properties field for this? I am doing something similiar, but all infantry are free for a time. I also made reductions for mechs for anther, and tanks for another.