HUCE Walkthrough

Harpoon Ultimate Edition is the best and most comprehensive compilation of computer Harpoon games ever assembled! The two flagship products in the Harpoon line up, Advanced Naval Warfare and Commanders Edition come highly expanded and improved from their previous versions. More than twenty classic versions of Harpoon are also included! Harpoon - Ultimate Edition is the most powerful and complete modern naval warfare simulation on the market and a must have for any Harpoon fan!
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bc1328
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HUCE Walkthrough

Post by bc1328 »

Does anybody know how to play the walk-through in HUCE? I can't find anything to print in the games folder nor how to read the walk-through that is in the 'Select Scenario' during game-play.
Thanks for helping a complete newb.
Brad
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CV32
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RE: HUCE Walkthrough

Post by CV32 »

ORIGINAL: bradclark
Does anybody know how to play the walk-through in HUCE? I can't find anything to print in the games folder nor how to read the walk-through that is in the 'Select Scenario' during game-play.
Thanks for helping a complete newb.

Not sure I completely understand your question, but here's the scenario description for Westpac 1.0 'walk-through' scenario:
HARPOON CLASSIC - INTRODUCTORY SCENARIO
WALKTHROUGH

Introduction

Welcome to Harpoon: Commander's Edition. This walkthrough is designed to help you familiarize yourself with the game commands while participating in an actual scenario. There are a couple of things to take note of:

Missed contacts

Throughout the walkthrough you will be encountering enemy ships, subs, land units, and aircraft. Because of the unpredictability of the computer A.I., there is a chance that enemy platforms will not appear where expected. If this happens to you, explore the expected meeting area (by setting your course with the Course button as explained in the walkthrough) at a slow speed. If you are still unable to make the enemy contact, either start over or skip to the next section.

Pausing the game

This walkthrough is best played by reading ahead a section at a time. While doing so, you may pause the game by pressing CTRL-P. This will ensure that no game time passes while you are reading the text.

1.1 Background

This scenario is designed to teach the basics of Harpoon: Commander's Edition operations.

1.2 Blue Orders

You are the commander of a Ship group, Armored group, Submarine group and Airfield. Attack and destroy all enemy groups you detect.

1.3 Intelligence Brief

The US forces are struggling to control their Australian beach head that was created after the Australian Parliament criticized the size of Mickey Mouse's ears. Knowing, as do all proper Australians, that Mickey Mouse's ears are 12.25% too large, this incursion must be repelled. However, be aware of neutral airliners, they should not be harmed.

1.4 Minimum Victory Conditions

Destroy a US ship, sub, truck, and two airplanes.

1.5 Starting the Scenario

Start Harpoon: Commander's Edition. In the `Select a Battleset' dialog, select the 'Western Pacific Battleset' and click the "OK" button. On the `Select Game Options' dialog, click the "OK" button. On the `Select Scenario' dialog, highlight the "1.0 Beginners Walk-Thru Scenario......Blue Only". Click the "New Game" button.

The scenario will begin and you will note the clock is ticking in the lower-right portion of the game screen. Press Ctrl+Alt+i to toggle the group ID indicator to add the group names to the map.

2. Movement

2.1 The Report window

Select the Blue Submarine Group, ACU, located off of the coast of Australia by left clicking on the icon in the Group window. Notice that the details of the group are displayed in the Report window. This group consists of a single submarine at intermediate depth.

2.2 The Unit Window

Right click on the submarine group icon in the Group window. A close-up of the group appears in the Unit window. Click the "2x" button at the top of the Unit window. This zooms in on the vessels. Left click on the submarine in the Unit window. Notice that the information in the Report window has changed to display information about this particular submarine, the `Rankin', a Collins class sub. Notice the small arrow showing that the sub is moving and indicating direction of movement.

2.3 Setting a Course

Left click on the sub group ACU again in the Group window. Notice that this changes the command buttons which are available across the top of the screen. Click on the "Course" button. The `Set Orders' dialog appears. Most of the buttons here are grayed out. Click on the "Clear" button and then "YES". Click on the "Enter New Legs" checkbox. Checking this option allows you to give the group a course to follow. Click on the Group map on a point just north of the group. Notice that a line appears from your group to the point selected. This is the course that the sub will follow. More legs could be added to this course by clicking more points on the Group window. Click the "OK" button in the `Set Orders' dialog.

2.4 Setting Speed

In the Report window you can see that the speed of the group is 7 kts. Click on the "Speed" button along the top of the screen. The `Set Speed and Depth' dialog appears. Click on "Cruise". The speed displayed in the dialog changes to 12 kts. Click on "Creep" and the speed will revert to 7 kts. Click "OK". Notice that the speed in the Report window is still 7 kts.

2.5 Range Circles

Notice the circles around the subs in both the Group and Unit windows. These indicate ranges for such things as sonar, radar, and weapons. Click on the Settings menu and then the "Show Range Circles." menu item. The `Show Range Circles' dialog appears. Using this dialog, you can toggle the range circles so that only those in which you are interested are displayed. For now, let's only worry about sonar ranges. Uncheck all of the boxes except "Best Active Sonar" and "Best Passive Sonar" for the Blue side. Click "OK". Notice that only green circles remain on the Unit window. These are the ranges for the passive sonar which we are currently using.

2.6 Setting the Sensors

Click on the "Sensors" button on the top of the screen. The `Set Group Sensors' dialog appears. Currently the sonar and radar are both off, or passive. Set sonar to "Active" and click "OK". Now the range circles have changed to smaller yellow circles indicating the range of our active sonar. Since it is typically better to run with passive sonar and radar until an enemy is found, use the `Set Group Sensors' dialog to turn off your sonar.

3. Launching an air patrol

3.1 Select group AAa, Blue airfield Amberley, in the Group window. Click the "Launch" button to bring up the Destination Type dialog. Select "Patrol" and click "OK". Note the mouse controlled cross-hairs, click not far to the north of your airfield, then click "OK" in the Patrol Destination dialog.

3.2 Add aircraft to the patrol. Select the "E-737 Wedgetail" of type AEW, Mission Patrol, and click the "Move >>" button. A quantity of 1 is excellent, click "OK". Now you see the E-737 has been added to the Launching Group. Click the "Repeat Patrol" button so that this patrol can refresh itself from time to time. Choose "Continuous Patrol" and click "OK".

3.3 After 30 seconds the aircraft will lift off the runway and become a new group. Select that new group in the Group window. When it is selected click the "Sensors" button or press F9 or press Ctrl+9 or select "Sensors" from the Orders menu. Set both available entries to "Active" and click "OK". Now you have powerful eyes in the sky!

4. Zooming

4.1 Note the 1x, 2x, 4x, ... buttons at the top of the Group and Unit windows, these allow you to zoom in and out as needed to best take care of the action on screen.

5. Time Compression

5.1 You can increase the time compression with the "+" key, reduce time compression with the "-" key, or use the "-Slow" and "+Fast" buttons.

6. Radar Stealth

6.1 Increase the time compression to 30 sec (30 game time seconds to 1 real life second) and wait around for the Staff Assistant to make himself known. He will announce a RADAR target at about 215nm. This represents a non-stealthy target. Click "Continue" on the dialog. Not long afterwards the Staff Assistant will prompt you about another contact, only about 80nm away! This is an example of the revised radar model of HCE, the distant contact is an F-14D, the closer one is an F-16. Bring time compression back down to 1 sec.

7. Fighter Intercept

7.1 Select your airfield AAa and click "Launch". On the Destination Type dialog, choose "Attack". When prompted to select a target, choose either of the Plane Groups and click "OK". In the list of Ready Aircraft, select the AF-18A/B Hornet and click "Move>>". Choose a quantity of 2 and click "OK", then click "Launch" to send your fighters on their way. Repeat the procedure for the other target plane group.

7.2 Once your fighters are airborne, turn on their radars. From here on out, boost time compression as you see fit.

7.3 With one of your fighter groups selected, click the "Speed" button or press F2, or press Ctrl+2 to bring up the Speed dialog where you can choose different speeds and altitudes. Set your group to Military at High and click "OK".

7.4 Eventually the Staff Assistant will offer to fire weapons, adjust quantities as you desire and watch the birds fly! You will undoubtedly destroy the invaders of your territory but it may take a couple of salvos. You can order your fighters to "Land" if desired, or leave them up watching for the next set of enemy aircraft.

7.5 Use your new air talents to attack the Red airfield.

8. Ground Warfare

8.1 Select your group ABm and set speed to maximum. Next step up the time compression. You may want to zoom in on ABm as well.

8.2 The Staff Assistant should report a visual contact, that would be the enemy ground force. Click the "Attack" button and select "Armored: ZYr" as your target. The Staff Assistant will prompt you to close to attack range, click "Continue". You may want to lower time compression as well to make the upcoming battle manageable.

8.3 You can try the "Attack" command as you get closer, most likely the ground forces will start firing on each other without any more input from you. When in range, the Attack command will allow you to choose which guns to fire at which target. Eventually you should get a report from the Staff Assistant that units are dying, be they yours or the US. Keep at the battle and hopefully you will wipe out the opposing force.

9. Surface Warfare

9.1 Select your group ADS and turn on radars. With some time compression you should detect an enemy to your East. Attack the enemy with your ship, SSMs should sink the opposing, unescorted ship, use guns if you must.

10. Submarine Warfare

10.1 If things go according to plan, you will soon have a sonar contact, the suspect sub will be yellow, i.e. unidentified as to affiliation (remember that there may be Neutral units in HC). Select your submarine group ACU and continue on.

10.2 Lo and Behold! A new submarine contact much closer to your own sub. This is the result of the expanded passive sonar model giving submarines a wider range of passive sonar signatures than in previous HC releases.

10.3 When ready, start firing torpedoes, since the sub is so close, you likely no longer care of the sub is neutral or not.

10.4 Adjust your course as needed to pursue the submerged contacts, launch P-3 aircraft from your airfield to assist if you so desire. If the unknown subs fire on you, you might launch some torpedoes in their direction with the "Attack" command or a bearing only launch (BOL)

11. Conclusion

Hopefully your forces are still in tact, picking off the straggling US forces. From here you will only improve as a HCE player, Congratulations!
Brad Leyte
HC3 development group member for HCE
Author of HCDB official database for HCE
Harpgamer.com Co-Owner
bc1328
Posts: 56
Joined: Wed Mar 05, 2014 6:24 pm

RE: HUCE Walkthrough

Post by bc1328 »

Thats it. Thanks a lot,
Brad
bc1328
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Joined: Wed Mar 05, 2014 6:24 pm

RE: HUCE Walkthrough

Post by bc1328 »

Well, so much for the walk-through. Played it three times and have not seen a bad guy yet.
Oh well.
Brad
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TonyE
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RE: HUCE Walkthrough

Post by TonyE »

That is darn near impossible unless you aren't ever energizing your radar. Still you should get a sniff via sonar eventually. Your ground forces should also be pummeled to dust. Come see us at HarpGamer.com, better yet come chat on IRC http://webchat.freenode.net/ channel #HarpGamer and we'll get you straightened out.

Sincerely,
Tony Eischens
Harpoon (HC, HCE, HUCE, Classic) programmer
HarpGamer.com Co-Owner
bc1328
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RE: HUCE Walkthrough

Post by bc1328 »

I'll give it another shot and extend everything further out.
Thanks.
Brad
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CV32
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RE: HUCE Walkthrough

Post by CV32 »

Curious what version of the GE and DB are you running?
Brad Leyte
HC3 development group member for HCE
Author of HCDB official database for HCE
Harpgamer.com Co-Owner
bc1328
Posts: 56
Joined: Wed Mar 05, 2014 6:24 pm

RE: HUCE Walkthrough

Post by bc1328 »

I'm not sure how to find that out. The only thing I found was a couple of files titled common db.
I haven't changed any DB's or GE's. They are stock that came with the game.
I've run the sub with active sonar up to east of Iceland and the prowler up north of Norway.
I haven't seen any ground forces either.
Thanks for your help.
Brad
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TonyE
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RE: HUCE Walkthrough

Post by TonyE »

Ah, you are running the original (and in this case, wrong) tutorial. Fire up the Westpac battleset and run the first scenario.

If the game immediately launches you into a scenario when you open it...
1. Go to File\New
2. Answer, Yes, you would like to leave the current scenario
3. Select the "Western Pacific Battleset"
4. While you are there, uncheck the "Enable Instant Action" checkbox and the game won't pick a random scenario for you the next time you open it.
5. Click OK on the Select Battleset window.
6. Select "1.0 Beginner Walk-thru..." and click "New Game"
7. Play the Blue side and select Yes for all questions except the last one "Auto Formation Air Patrols" where you should select No
8. Click OK
9. Follow the guide pasted by Brad or get a rough PDF copy at http://harpgamer.com/harpforum/index.ph ... rders-pdf/

Both Brad and I are on IRC right now, #HarpGamer if you have questions.
Sincerely,
Tony Eischens
Harpoon (HC, HCE, HUCE, Classic) programmer
HarpGamer.com Co-Owner
bc1328
Posts: 56
Joined: Wed Mar 05, 2014 6:24 pm

RE: HUCE Walkthrough

Post by bc1328 »

[8|]That was it. Now I feel like an idiot! Thanks for your help.
Brad
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