Nikmod 8.0

[Nikademus]

Should be available shortly off Spooky's WitP Fan site.

FAQ section listed change below. Enjoy!

Version 8.0

Changes/Tweaks

1) Japanese sea flak adjustment. Reduced by .75 in effectiveness from stock. Purpose: Japanese navy did not implement a “Ring Defense” as did the US and RN’s until 1943. For carrier TF’s in particular, escorts steamed in a dispersed formation in order to provide maximum early warning capability. AA fire primarily rested with the carriers themselves. Veterans of Gary Grigsby’s Carrier Force will recognize this adjustment for Japanese sea Flak

2) Tactical bomber adjustment. Allied tactical bombers made more evasive to flak. Some Japanese land based tacticals were also made more evasive to better represent their role as Army cooperation aircraft. Adjustment works in tandem with item 1 to better simulate true flak based losses when IJN TF’s are attacked. For Japanese examples, reduces losses when forced to bomb base hexes and face the base’s entire flak contingent.

3) item: AA modification: DP and AA weapons have had effect rating increased by 50% Purpose: compensate for aircraft DUR change. **removed for sea based flak guns** Testing showed that it overcompensated for DUR increase, particularly for Japanese carrier planes attacking late war TF’s (1943+ Proximity period) Accuracy was not impacted, but flak losses were being inflated. For the time being land based change for non HAA has been left in place so as not to interfere with the current flak level vs. LBA which benefits from the largest DUR changes.

4) item: China tweak Fort level 9 mod – **removed** Stock fort levels restored. Recent play testing has aptly demonstrated that China is far from helpless. Fort levels can in some cases encourage aggressive Chinese behavior due to the fallback position of the fort levels coupled with lack of Japanese fort levels.


5) SRA fort change. Fort levels removed in Malaya, Sumatra, Java, Borneo, Burma and parts of PI to better represent state of unpreparedness. Recent research showed fairly conclusively that Malaya and Burma in particular had virtually no fortifications at the time and in the former case were prohibited from being built lest they impact ‘civilian morale’ In pragmatic game terms, this change helps compensate for the complete state of hindsight granted the Allied player and the sometimes inability of Japanese forces to maintain the historical time table due to the land engine’s workings. Restores some spontaneity in that Allied player must now choose a spot to “dig in” so to speak vs. gravitate towards bases already half fortified. Players should be advised that this change does increase potential abuse from the turn 1 movement rule. Nikmod’s author never abuses the turn 1 rule so the mod’s changes reflect this. Lunacy-style games I can make no assurances on in terms of impact on the timetable in regards to the Japanese player. As always I encourage players to discuss play style before committing to a PBEM game.

Exceptions: - Bataan – fort level increased set to 5 to represent it’s status as fallback position should invasion occur. Players can still choose Manila of course for the urban bonus but they will have to dig in from scratch to do it. Hong Kong – Fort level left intact. Note: Rabaul fort also removed.

6) Ki-44 Tojo - Slight change – couple of late war Sentais will deploy with the 37mm gun as bomber busters. Rather than create another production plane this is restricted to those Sentais. They were available in limited numbers. Warning: changing plane types of these Sentais at any time and you will lose the plane type forever.

7) Akyab reduced to 0/0 and given the level 4 limit as with Indian Frontier bases.

8) Pakhoi and Nanning restored to Chinese control. Airfield build size potential changed to zero to prevent abuse. (China has enough bomber capable airfields in which to mass Allied aircraft)

9) Japanese aircraft industry tweak: Major change to Japanese aircraft industry to limit the alleged over capability of Japan player to build large #’s of advanced airframes (and 1st generation aircraft) R&D factories drastically reduced and small mini-factories that build the same airframe have been consolidated into singular larger factory locations. The purpose of these two changes are to both limit player capability to expand drastically the plane types and to make airframe changes more a choice between optimizing existing production and starting new lines. An AI/AI test run did not indicate any obvious problems (such as Japan running out of aircraft by mid 43) but ultimately only human PBEM runs will determine the value of the change or any negative consequences.

10) Minor changes to OOB.

-Scn42A Port Moresby – one base force removed due to heavy flak gun concentration. This is primarily a balance move for AI play. PM is a major AI objective and as a result is fond of raiding the base with tactical carrier power resulting in large scale losses for little gain.

-Akyab given a base force. 42A Fort levels increased to 5.

- Ki-43II production bumped up slightly and Ki-44IIb pushed back slightly. This is in part a compensation for the generally accelerated pace of the airwar in Burma due to the mechanics of the game and India’s unique situation (which is not represented)

- adjusted some of the 2nd generation Allied fighter production rates. (bumped them up a little)

- F4U-1 Corsair removed from carrier capable list. Historically the USN disfavored the Corsair for carriers in favor of the F6F Hellcat. F4U-1D remains carrier capable but moved to 5/44. F4U-1 production bumped up to compensate.

[Terminus]

Elegant little trick with the F4U-1, Nik. I might steal that...

[Nikademus]

yes, well i didn't want to be accused of being an Allied fanboy given what i did to Nippon this version out. [:D] This way i can get flak in stereo...one for each ear. [:D]

[Terminus]

[:D][:D][:D]

[ckk]

About time![:D]

[Spooky]

Nik Mod 8.0 is now available at the Spooky's - enjoy !!!!

[DaveCA]

Will this version run on the AB map?

[Andrew Brown]

ORIGINAL: DaveCA

Will this version run on the AB map?

No.

I do the Nikmod map conversions, and it will take me a day or two (or three) to make them available. I will post here when they are ready...

Andrew

[DaveCA]

ORIGINAL: Andrew Brown

ORIGINAL: DaveCA

Will this version run on the AB map?

No.

I do the Nikmod map conversions, and it will take me a day or two (or three) to make them available. I will post here when they are ready...

Andrew

Thanks AB....what about the conversion to CHS? Not that you don't have enough to do already

[bradfordkay]

Nik... I have to ask: why on earth do you continue to make your mod for the stock map? You've heavily modded the game in the pursuit of a more historical feeling, and yet you don't switch to AB's map.

Just wondering...

[Nikademus]

I've not had the opportunity to use Andrew's map as of yet.

[Andrew Brown]

I have uploaded versions of Nik Mod 8, for use with my map, on my scenarios web page.

Andrew

[DaveCA]

You rock AB!!! Thanks