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PostPosted: Fri Dec 02, 2022 2:12 pm 
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Location: Statesboro, GA
First post in a while (school work & other matters took up my time). I've been working on google docs compiling strength returns & OOBs for various Confederate armies in 1864 through to 1865. I've been considering doing an alternative scenario for Forgotten Campaigns (which contains scenarios of the Battle of Bentonville and other actions of the Carolinas Campaign), redoing all the combat strengths for various units to be more accurate to historical strength returns of the time (WDS often pull numbers out of nowhere unless its something like Gettysburg or Chickamauga where they have exact numbers on hand).

Well, the more I thought about it, the more I realized the game would still be unplayable in a multiplayer setting, given how precarious he rebel situation is. So, I had a different idea:

What if I did an alt scenario where the Army of Tennessee didn't fight at Franklin & Nashville, and guys like Cleburne were still around to lead various commands into battle. This would make the battle way more competetive between the two sides, and while the Confederate player will still be outnumbered, they could at least hold an extended defensive line rather than the precarious one Johnston had historically after the March 19th assault failed.

A few difficulties arise. For one, I can get my hands on reasonable brigade figures for various commands, but regimental ones would be difficult unless I just do estimates based on brigade strengths. The hard part comes with commanders. As far as I'm aware, since they never show up in any scenario, getting portraits for guys like Cleburne and Granbury will be difficult. I'll probably use random portraits to fill in the blanks.

I'll get to work on this project ASAP. Hopefully I can get it play tested with some buddies of mine before I present the finished scenario to yall.

Links to some aforementioned docs of mine to show what I'm working off of:
Army of Tennessee, Franklin-Nashville Campaign: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1TRg ... sp=sharing
Confederate Forces, Carolinas Campaign: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1DLC ... sp=sharing


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PostPosted: Fri Dec 02, 2022 4:34 pm 
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That's great research. Well done. I especially like the microfilm records that you accessed; that's the sort of accurate detail I love to see.

I'm surprised to hear you say: "WDS often pull numbers out of nowhere unless its something like Gettysburg or Chickamauga where they have exact numbers on hand". I had thought that much of the research was done a long time ago by JTS and that they had paid attention to such detail (fictitious scenarios excluded). Their games mostly reference the Official Records along with other secondary sources as a demonstration of their research. I'd be interested to know if you have come across any glaring errors on historical strengths.

I think the WDS games just use a variation of the image below for Cleburne.

[img]https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b7/Maj._Gen._Patrick_Cleburne.jpg/490px-Maj._Gen._Patrick_Cleburne.jpg[/img]

From playing custom scenarios designed by others I understand that it is probably not possible to include a portrait of an officer whose portrait does not appear in the game title in which the scenario is being designed. It has to either be left blank or, as you intend, substitute another's portrait instead.

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PostPosted: Fri Dec 02, 2022 5:50 pm 
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I've completed both the OOB file & the basic scenario. Tried to model it on the 30 minute turn grand battle scenario with reinforcements and such. I have some playtesting to do but it seems stable so far.

I've only really edited the Army of Tennessee & Bragg's Command in terms of number, plus the one regiment of Hardee's Corps I have actual info on. I can definitely improve this and even edit the Union end of things but that's for a later date.

So far, total confederate forces available for the scenario totals 37000, which is about 16000 more men than Johnston had historically.


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PostPosted: Fri Dec 02, 2022 6:40 pm 
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You can add any portraits - just stick it onto the Leaders graphics file - find a slot ... and you'd have to point to the number where you stashed the portrait - it's basically what they do there.

Know it because I had done it for them for a project not yet published. You can add another row to the leaders' file -and probably the easiest way would take the frame or row- duplicate it -tack it on the end and edit out the images in there and put in the ones that you want to use - then work out what number they are on the file - change the OOB for the leader that you want -- and that's it... done.

Ok sure you probably have to be comfortable with cropping and resizing images too.

Works for all of the grand-tactical series- not just the Civil War series.

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PostPosted: Sat Dec 03, 2022 10:59 am 
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[quote="S Trauth"]You can add any portraits - just stick it onto the Leaders graphics file - find a slot ... and you'd have to point to the number where you stashed the portrait - it's basically what they do there.

Know it because I had done it for them for a project not yet published. You can add another row to the leaders' file -and probably the easiest way would take the frame or row- duplicate it -tack it on the end and edit out the images in there and put in the ones that you want to use - then work out what number they are on the file - change the OOB for the leader that you want -- and that's it... done.

Ok sure you probably have to be comfortable with cropping and resizing images too.

Works for all of the grand-tactical series- not just the Civil War series.[/quote]

Thank you for that information. If this whole thing can work as is and is playable, I can screw around with the portrait system as you suggest.


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PostPosted: Sat Dec 03, 2022 1:26 pm 
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I have had it play-tested, and I can share the files with either an administrator who can post those files somewhere on this forum, or can send them via email to anyone who asks.


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PostPosted: Sat Dec 03, 2022 5:34 pm 
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[quote="Luke Freet"][quote="S Trauth"]You can add any portraits - just stick it onto the Leaders graphics file - find a slot ... and you'd have to point to the number where you stashed the portrait - it's basically what they do there.

Know it because I had done it for them for a project not yet published. You can add another row to the leaders' file -and probably the easiest way would take the frame or row- duplicate it -tack it on the end and edit out the images in there and put in the ones that you want to use - then work out what number they are on the file - change the OOB for the leader that you want -- and that's it... done.

Ok sure you probably have to be comfortable with cropping and resizing images too.

Works for all of the grand-tactical series- not just the Civil War series.[/quote]

Thank you for that information. If this whole thing can work as is and is playable, I can screw around with the portrait system as you suggest.[/quote]


Or just take who you need from titles where they are in - Cleburne is going to be in a few titles. No idea about the other guy. Tack them on a row at the bottom - number accordingly (not just for this one but anything that you work on that needs that type of thing). Forgot about the obvious answer.


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