Random Game: Delayed War Mod

[Tac2i]

Note July 10, 2022: The current AT Phoenix Version Open Beta v2.40.032, when finalized, renders this mod unnecessary. In Rising Dawn the Delayed War mod is now part of the basic game.
https://www.matrixgames.com/forums/view ... 5&t=384305

Do not like that the AI (or human player) can declare war on you on the first turn? If so, this mod is for you.

This is a simple mod to the A New Dawn Random Game. It does just a couple of things: 1) it blocks a declaration of war for at least three turns and 2) pops up a couple of in-game messages, one at the start of your random game and another when the diplomatic block is removed. The diplomatic block can last up to seven or eight turns. While the block is in effect war cannot be declared nor can you offer an alliance. This prevents the AI (or human player) from declaring war on you immediately and gives you a little time to mobilize your armies. Use your prewar time wisely. The AI will not be sitting idle, and you could find yourself on the receiving end of an offensive when the block lifts. Gotta love this classic of a game!

Note that lifting of the Diplomatic Block does not guarantee the AI will declare war, but it is likely that at least one AI regime will do so, either immediately or within a turn or two. The human player is, of course, also free to declare war or in a multiplayer game, offer an alliance to another human player.

Thanks to Ormand for technical help coding these changes to the standard anewdawn3 game. This mod has no effect on your stock game files as it is housed in its own at2 file (anewdawn3-db.at2). A few other minor changes were made (i.e. some regime names were changed and a few other text changes here and there). Auto screenshots were changed from tiny hexes to standard hex size.

June 18, 2019 Note: See this post for support for ATG 2.28b: Delayed War 2.28b [obsolete]

Download:

Game starts in January:
anewdawn3-db.at2 (right click and Save As and save to the atgoldscenarios folder) (updated 10 July 2022 for ATG version 2.28h) Added as an attachment is a txt file that allows a selection of this mod at game startup.

https://www.vrdesigns.net/openbeta/Adva ... Matrix.zip
https://www.vrdesigns.net/openbeta/Adva ... _Steam.zip

Note: I have noticed in 2.28h that the African regime can become an AI regime. If so, this regime will automatically be at war with everyone. Previously, this regime only showed up via the 'Crates' feature. Might be a bug in 2.28h.

I ran ten test games (first turn - February)
-Diplomatic block lifted 2 times in May
-Diplomatic block lifted 2 times in June
-Diplomatic block lifted 4 times in July
-Diplomatic block lifted 1 time in August
-Diplomatic block lifted 1 time in September

Based on these results I changed the starting month to January. The diplomatic block should lift sometime between April and August.

For other ATG game types see this post:
https://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=3976526

Right click and 'save link as' to your ATG Mods folder.

[wolf14455]

Thanx Both of you.[:)]

[Tac2i]

See post below to gain a button to start a random game with this mod. You can also just choose to do so manually, or alternatively, you can backup your anewdawn3.at2 file and rename the file you downloaded to anewdawn3.at2.

[Tac2i]

Use the attached text file (defaultmod.txt) to overwrite the one in the root folder of ATG to gain a button to start a random game based on anewdawn3-db.at2 (January start).

If you wish to play with the 'crates' feature, edit the text file to remove ",nocrates" from the line shown below.

1,3,-152,688,Diplomatic Block Random Game,13,anewdawn3-db.at2,nocrates

[Tac2i]

This is an AAR report I've started on a random game using this mod:

tm.asp?m=3991680

[Tac2i]

I've added a first turn message for some additional flavor:

[Tac2i]

Rewrote the diplomatic block removal message:

[Philo32b]

Thank you for this great mod idea. I would like to try your mod with Lancer's Enhanced Suite, but I can't figure out how to enable both for the same game. I see in your AAR that you have both enabled. Am I missing something obvious?

[Tac2i]

Download a version of Lancer's EMS Mod at2 file with Diplomatic Block enabled with first turn message:

dbEnhanced_Modsuite_v215e.at2 (right click and Save As) (updated 1/5/16)

This at2 file does not have TO&E enabled. I tried to do that earlier this summer and it did not work properly with the Enhanced/Realistic Officers part of Lancer mod. Never was able to figure that out. Note also that if you select the Enhanced AI option, it somehow allows at least one AI will declared war immediately. Hopefully one day Lancer is able to update his mod to fully support the TO&E feature and this diplomatic block mod.

With TO&E enabled: I would recommend not using the enhanced and realistic officers options as they seem to have a conflict with the TO&E feature in that it does not accurately count number of officers and HQs properly (Not certain but enhanced/realistic officer options may work correctly so long as you don't apply a TO&E template to your HQs).

dbEnhanced_Modsuite_v215toe.at2 (right click and Save As) (updated 1/9/16 - big thanks to Lancer for a fix to the first turn DoW issue by an AI)

Note to others: to use either file you must have Lancer's EMS Mod installed.

ORIGINAL: Philo32b

Thank you for this great mod idea. I would like to try your mod with Lancer's Enhanced Suite, but I can't figure out how to enable both for the same game. I see in your AAR that you have both enabled. Am I missing something obvious?

[Philo32b]

Thanks!

[Tac2i]

Working on an update. Not quite there yet. This version will pull in the name of your regime and add the date.

Update: Completed! (with a big assist from Ormand)

[Tac2i]

***deleted - obsolete***

[Philo32b]

ORIGINAL: Webizen

With TO&E enabled: I would recommend not using the enhanced and realistic officers options as they seem to have a conflict with the TO&E feature in that it does not accurately count number of officers and HQs properly (Not certain but enhanced/realistic officer options may work correctly so long as you don't apply a TO&E template to your HQs).

Thank you for adding this, Webizen. I had experienced the same officer/HQ counting abnormalities earlier that you did as well. I was interested to try your idea of not applying template to the HQ to avoid that; so far in my new game I haven't seen anything odd.

Also, just to let you know, for some reason the Enhanced AI will not work correctly with your Delayed War Mod. The Enhanced AI part works correctly (when I have enough water in the map, of course), but even with your mod an AI declares war on me from Turn 1 every time. I tried it five times to rule out bad luck. I do see the flavor text from your mod, so I know that the mod is engaged.

In any case I am enjoying using your mod (without Enhanced AI) to have a little time to prepare for war. Thanks!

[Tac2i]

Lancer's EMS Mod is very sophisticated and while I looked into this issue based on your report below I'm unable to determine what is overriding the Diplomatic Block and allowing an AI DOW on the first turn when the Enhanced AI option selected.

Update 1/9/16: Big thanks to Lancer for a fix to the first turn DoW issue by an AI.

ORIGINAL: Philo32b

Also, just to let you know, for some reason the Enhanced AI will not work correctly with your Delayed War Mod. The Enhanced AI part works correctly (when I have enough water in the map, of course), but even with your mod an AI declares war on me from Turn 1 every time. I tried it five times to rule out bad luck. I do see the flavor text from your mod, so I know that the mod is engaged.

[Tac2i]

Final version published. See updated first post for details. A big THANK YOU to Ormand for without his help this little mod would not have seen the light of day.

[Tac2i]

Information for modders:

Event 1: Diplomatic block enabled (additional code added)
Event 4: First turn month changed from May to January (code changed)
Event 42: First turn message displayed (new event)
Event 44: Diplomatic block removal and message (new event)
Event 49: Date Function (code added to also get the day)

[Tac2i]

Immediately after the diplomatic removal message I'm thinking of adding the following message. What do you think?

[ernieschwitz]

Seems to me like you are lining the person up (who has gotten the message) for the firing squad at that moment. Maybe you should make a message that is alittle more detailed, and explains that if there is failure, then this is the consequence...

[Ormand]

If I were taking that job, I would wonder about my Boss's stability. It might seem motivating, but heck, the war just got started. Personally, I'd save that message for if things are going south, and the player is loosing VP. When I could see sending it, which would be somewhat difficult to determine is the following. I am still trying to find the right balance for the delay against the AI. And, frequently, I am just not ready for when it ends, and things can get really, really tight for the first several months. Sometimes, I have to pull back from a city, or let it get surrounded, and try to deal with it later. This is when a message like that could serve as a motivation to turn things around.

As a side note on firing generals, there is a great book by Thomas E Ricks, The Generals. He points out that during WW2, the US Army frequently fired generals for not performing. And usually rather quickly. But, they almost always gave them another chance, and frequently they learned from their previous failure and succeeded. But, he chronicles how this practice declined, and they just waited out bad generaling, and bad leadership at most levels. Specifically, the experiences during Vietnam and Iraq. It is a pretty good read.

[Tac2i]

I've now played several games against the AI with this mod. Makes for a more interesting fight I think and also more intense. Don't forget: "The AI will not be sitting idle and you could find yourself on the receiving end of an offensive when the block lifts." Be prepared as possible as you may get pushed hard in the first 12-18 turns of war.