RHS Level I Updates Suspended

[el cid again]

FYI Scenario 99 was technically the first RHS scenario for AE. It
was developed - for the extended map system - by Mifune a couple
of years before RHS/AE formally began. He used RHS standards -
as defined in WITP days - for some things. But he also moved slots
for many things - as a deliberate choice. Unaware of this work in
detail, I developed RHS/AE for the stock maps and followed stock
slots where possible. It has taken a long time to convert 99 -
and it appears at least a dozen ships and a couple of dozen locations
still require modifications. It has several interesting ideas -
including an alternate 'standardized building program' concept
not altogether different from both pre war planning or in war
production in Japan - but more consistently used. The Allies also
are rationalized to have built some planned ships that in the event
didn't get built. I will clean this up next week.

Scenario 99 remains developmental. There are a number of ship art
and ship class data related to ships not actually in historical WWII
which I must run down and resolve. Here - changing a location
resolves one problem re an air unit in the middle of the Aussie outback -
instead of at the major Fairfield Army Air Base (a location added by
RHS and not in stock). There also are probably a few more location issues
to correct. I will return to this matter AFTER issuing pwhexe files -
on which I will work today and for the next few days.

Note that Scenario 106 is also not fully developed - the full map RHS Downfall
scenario is probably a year from being playable - and is included only for
use to test 1945 ships, aircraft and weapons. It is starting to have its locations
converted where the side has changed and where things were built by 1945 -
but it has a long way to go. Scenario 99 is nearly converted - but still has a few
problems. One of these - art for USS Utah - led me to find Utah needs to be
added to all scenarios. But these matters will wait a few days.

Use the link below

[el cid again]

use this revised (6.10) link



6.20 link below

this is a comprehensive update in that it contains everything.

however, almost as planned, it is focused on the pwhexe.dat file set -
and related changes to the location files because working with the map
always reveals them - and along the way folding in some eratta which
projects of this size always entail.

although it was my intent to release all pwhexe.dat files today,
i am instead releasing all the winter files - of both series - from
start to the end of the war. invisible to you, all but the last file had
to be reworked 3 to 6 times - because of various developments
which were not planned. when i get into the swing of doing
pwhexe files - with four displays - three of them large - my eyes
begin to integrate data such that i spot bad hexsides - and
at this stage - not wanting to go back later - i corrected them in
every file (of the winter series). also - 1941 population data
came in and required changing one hex (keijo) to urban heavy -
while two others - the big cities on formosa - went to urban light.
the rest of the population data did not change pwhexe files,
but did change major city location files for japan. using
the gross population change, and the current city population
to project backwards failed for big cities because urbanization
has been considerable - a greater proportion of the people lived
on the land in 1941. except for seoul (keijo) - which for some
reason was ahead of the curve.

related to population and the discovery of incomplete application
of rhs standards to japan, japan lost between 500 and 1000
resource centers on the home islands. this means japan must
use more shipping to import or not be able to run hi all the time -
and that means losses in production for aircraft, engines, vehicles,
ships, ordnance, and expansion. players who commit too much
of the merchant fleet not to importing resources will actually hurt
their own ability to fight. that effect is now somewhat increased
due to fewer resource centers locally. i have "rules" that
consider the area in a hex (if it is mostly water, there can't be
many mines or farms) as well as its population which limit
resource production in the hex. but to work they need to be
applied to every hex.

other very technical developments include removing the need for
players to find, read and honor certain house rules. now there
is no refinery or oil source at whitehorse in japan enhanced
scenarios 99 & 105: instead they can develop such at kenai.
98 and 105 use the jes pwhexe files - and they do not have
the canol project (a nearly total waste of resources - taking
until june 1945 to get production of fuels at whitehorse -
and then on a very unreliable and limited basis - at greater cost
than the alcan - which finished in only a few months and which
was practical to a considerable degree. this sort of work means
that the intended features for a scenario are not present in others -
and no need for players to use them by some special "rule."

perhaps the most obscure discovery was related to an island between
new britain and new guinea. it was used for small boat convoy sopport
by japan - which ran extensive small craft convoys in the area (hard
to stop with submarines or even mines). it is inhabited - but only has
a subsistence economy of the most marginal kind. its military potential
is essentially what it was used for - as a potential port: it is too volcanic
and mountainous to be a great air base - although a minimal field could
be built - none ever has been. at the time it was called rooke island -
a change to our map name - because this isn't how it appears on modern
maps. they call it umboi island. but the cool thing is what umboi means!
it is the local name for a peterosaur! a living reptilian "birdlike" creature.
fossil evidence indicates they reached north asia and in one case
australia - unlike what was long believed. other evidence indicates living
species exist on this island and on the new guinea mainland. this includes
a 17 second video which passed examination by a physicist. this peculiar
animal is photo-luminiscent - it "glows" as it flies in the night sky! most
human contact, however, is on this island, and eyewitness accounts also
stand up to critical examination. not at all what i was looking to learn!

there is new supporting documentation - the urban hex list is updated -
and the seasonal construction file is updated considerably. this is now
so well developed it is not only easier to read, it permitted the last file
i did (jes45winter) to be generated in about 20 minutes. this means
work on other seasons will be much easier. this document is a plan
for the entire war (which in rhs can go well into 1946) and it now is
fully fleshed out with details. it also has a number of historical comments
added - and many more historical project names than it used to have.

if you look at the 45winter and jes45winter files - change the name
to pwhexe.dat and load any scenario - and press y or r keys to see railroads
or roads - you can see the full extent of construction during the war (nothing
important occurs after winter 1945). the standard series shows historical
projects actually built (to the extent they were built - including peculiar
cases like the baikal amur mainline which only result in trails on the map -
but which were most of the work in terms of foundations, bridges and even
tunnels. the alcan as well was only completed as a secondary road -
so the historical series shows that. the jes series, on the other hand,
shows the effects of implementing historical plans - and the huge capacity
of the allies for long distance projects. you can see the almost fully developed
bam, the trans canada alaska railroad (to teller alaska nw of nome),
the trans australia rail lines fully surveyed over almost level ground that were
not regarded as needed, etc. the burma road and the ledo road - and the
alcan to fairbanks - are upgraded to primary roads. japanese projects
tend to be smaller both in length and often in extent - secondary roads and
minor railroads vice primary roads and primary railroads. they often merely
connect nearby projects, or extend them - so the extant rolling stock simply
has more options (regardless of if it is truck or train - japanese industry had
peculiar wheels that permitted trucks to use roads or tracks! just as it was
mandatory all civil motor vehicles be "self fueling" and not require gasoline!)

all these pwhexe files show off the new adam's bridge between india and ceylon -
never mind it was built before wwi it has never been on the game map. it really
is a rail line - its ability to handle vehicle traffic is very marginal - but i found a technical way to achieve that. in effect it is treated as a long causeway (except
a natural one) combined with a major river bridge - which it has - and a combination
of rail and non rail ferries - the former being more efficient than the latter because of the mechanisms chosen. a few other things were modified - a couple of railroads
lost a hex - etc. a few ports gained access to the sea - which really existed - where they lacked it previously. but several lost facilities - they are potential ports only.
there are two or three cases of overhead tramways used mainly for logistical purposes - and not really useful for moving troops (because of excessive delays to entrain and detrain) - reflecting their reality.

it is now possible to begin working on test nine axis turn. this will take some time - and during that time i will be generating spring - and then monsoon- and finally fall pwhexe files.

after that i will work on air art (to add three defined types not now present - all late war - and all of them will add to existing games) and ship art for scenario 99 - which needs a few types for non-historical ships.

after that i will work on the off map area. i finally have the editors and materials needed to do that. there are problems - mainly the allies are not able to treat the
russians as full allies - even if active - but within those limits all the rhs off map features should come to pass. this means the russians and canadians will gain
some off map movement options.

[Mac Linehan]

Sid -

Congratulations on making it to this point; I know that it has been a lot of work.

Thank You for your effort and time.

Mac

[btd64]

ORIGINAL: Mac Linehan

Sid -

Congratulations on making it to this point; I know that it has been a lot of work.

Thank You for your effort and time.

Mac

Ditto.[&o][&o][&o]....GP

[el cid again]

version 6.01

See link below

Publishing the 6.00 version, and testing, generated numbers of minor
technical matters. As well, eratta hunters came up with a couple of
unit matters. All (except air art) matters are addressed here.

Most of this work concerns locations in the location file. Fully 350
minor locations were redefined - at the top end of the set. Curiously,
many locations with little industry got even less, or none at all. But
a few picked up population - and therefor industry. [RHS now integrates
population data with industry that can be manned in a hex. As well,
terrain type puts limits on the amount of industry possible in a hex.]
This process caused us to discover a planned RR in India was not built -
although it is still planned! So one hex of that was lost. As well, the
Baikal Amur Mainline had two hexes which should only be present in
Japan enhanced scenarios - so these were deleted. These and a
change in CANOL road coding (it has not yet begun) resulted in a new
pwhexe.dat file.

At this moment the 41WINTERpwhexe.dat file - which is identical to the
pwhexe.dat file - and which is used to start a new game (or in a game that
never changes pwhexe files) - is new and slightly revised. All the urban
hexes are now coded properly - and the new documentation of what
are Urban Light or Urban Heavy hexes is in RHS documentation (as
an MS Excel spreadsheet.

My focus for now is going to be to generate additional pwhexe files.
I will collect data on any other issues, but not work on them unless they
seem vital. After revising pwhexe files, I will go after some air art -
which will permit restoring 3 to 5 types of planes to the data set (not
important but nice and they are defined).

I have some new map editors and so next I may turn to working on
the map - specifically in re "off map" movement matters. RHS intended
from the start to add a few options and locations there.

Note that Pratas Island was added.

[el cid again]

link revised below


this installer update is unusually comprehensive, if modest in detail.

my focus of late has been the map in the sense the computer see's it - the pwhexe.dat file. the base file is the start of game one which we also call 41winterpwhexe.dat in rhs. on this file all winter files. as well, the notes i make in documentation tell me how to modify the other seasonal files to the same standard. one time consuming part of this process is that i document what is done for future reference. however, this file is intimately related to the location files - and rhs has seven different location files that need to be in sync with respect to locations. and one of those has not been - scenario 99 is only now being integrated with respect to locations. not wanting to have to re-do the pwhexe files again, and wanting to insure that 99 is indeed in sync with the others, i carefully reviewed files below slot 1650 - all the (relatively late additions) above that were reviewed for 6.02 and 6.03 updates. i did in fact find some cases where 99 locations were not in sync. as well, i found some remarkable things exploring these generally unimportant locations.

first among these has already been described: the discovery of a "minor" airline which in fact is major in terms of its airlift performance. adding the aircraft for that caused me to also review and fold in notes about other airlines and air transport aircraft. for this reason, aircraft and air group files were updated. we added the stimpson model a tri-motor - and used it for an airline in alaska and tata airways in india. we simplified caf air groups by reducing the number of bi-plane trainers used operationally as "fighters" from three types to one: the intention was to model the many kinds of aircraft in service, but we were using two types not really in caf,
and it is better to only have one type to manage. all three used to be duplicates of raf/iaf types, but now the one type really serving in caf has its own dedicated slot. the previously defined beech model 18 (remarkably still in widespread service) was assigned to some airlines in canada and alaska - instead of none anywhere - to better model the types found there (vice dc-3s only). at the same time, a number of cosmetic issues were addressed related to aircraft, and a couple got better ceiling data.

second - i found two issues needing changes in the pwhexe file set not already addressed.

2a) banka island's main city - former and present capital (but not dutch era colonial capital) - "faced" the wrong direction relative to the sea. the narrow shipping channel to the west of the island is now redefined not permitting landings on this peculiar (mainly ethnic chinese) city - which is on the east side of the island.

2b) the bam (baikal amur mainline) was improperly modeled - both in stock and in rhs. curiously many town on the rhs map are on this railroad (possibly because the railroad is why they exist at as towns). some of these locations had historical notes in their histories available nowhere else - not even in bam history. i learned a good deal about the bam - including that it was partially deconstructed because of the german invasion - so the rails could be used farther west. also that the entire project was redefined starting in 1945 - a process that lasted 25 years! [to permit electrification of the western end, and to permit use of much heavier rolling stock.] this boondoggle project ended up costing 14 billion dollars, and actually was completed in 1984 - but not permitted to generate revenue (open to civil traffic) until 1991 - less than a year before the end of the soviet union (too late to save the country or the railroad from being broken up). originally intended to be a strategic loc in case the trans-siberian was out of service in an invasion, and later hoped to inspire a massive influx of ethnic russian development (which never happened),
this line remains substantially "a railroad to nowhere." [one rider this year describes how one can go all day and "never see a town, a vehicle or a human" - more often than not.] nevertheless, it turns out that completion of much more of the bam during the wwii era (it began before the war) was feasible - if it is not decided to rip up the rails - and if the design is not thrown out. the plan - to construct from the ends as well as from tynda ("in the middle") - using a connecting line actually built - and ripped up! - was feasible. and, indeed, most of the foundation was in fact built during the war. so rhs now features both the deconstruction of the already built parts (in standard rhs) and a possible decision not to do that - but instead to accelerate construction - in japan enhanced scenarios (pwhexe files with jes as a prefix).

third - a handful of land units were modified or added. these are very minor changes because some base force was "too big" or some name could be "more correct." note in this respect perhaps a dozen locations have changed names to names used in the period, or to wade giles (chinese) spellings vice the not then used pin yin (chinese) system, or to be more consistent with the russian transliteration scheme used on most maps. also note that, while a few units or locations were added, generally the effect has been a slight decline in economic
and military assets - in particular in remote areas (which might be termed "logistical deserts") - making it more difficult to operate in those areas with major forces (vice
easier to do so). in many cases, development was not far along in 1941 - although in some i permit some of the potential to be realized if one hauls the supplies required to "repair" damage. a couple of locations lost oilfields which have not yet been developed, or similar other assets. more locations have notes explaining what that location is significant for producing. some locations picked up - or lost - population. more important, the new rhs system of relating the amount of industry to the population required to man it has often reduced (and sometimes increased) the industry at locations. better information about what population was helped with this process. as well, today rhs uses imagery analysis to determine potential port size, and actual airport data to determine potential airfield size. these concepts often changed the ratings for port or airfield potential.

almost all the changes were related to minor things - but the sum of them results in a better map model which is more thoroughly integrated with the location file in particular. the main effect should be more correct economic modeling presenting players with somewhat more realistic logistical options - both exploited and potential but not exploited during the war. as well, the victory point system should be somewhat more related to rhs theory which ties population and economic and strategic significance of each location to its vp value. the stock concepts were preserved - including multipliers as one heads toward japan (if allied) or toward the map edge (if axis) - but are defined in more detail and more consistently applied than in stock. there are no zero value locations (as in stock). sometimes multipliers were changed - in particular so there is a consistent rate of change in them as one moves toward higher multiplier areas. note that what matters isn't just the vp a side gets for a location (unless it is a location the other side can never reach, which is rare) - it is the differential of vp added to one side and subtracted from the other side for the location: in areas likely to change hands near the center of historical campaigning,
the differential can be in the range of 2 - 60 points - whereas at vital points to one side the differential can be as great as 330 points. [good luck trying to capture either tokyo or san francisco, but that is the differential if you do.]

the plan now is to generate the rest of the pwhexe files

then to start test ten

then to begin working on art issues - improving plane art - adding ship art for scenario 99 with its ahistorical classes - and eventually modifying map art.

i also am going to investigate a "switcher" script to change pwhexe files - and possibly map art - as time passes in a given game.

[el cid again]

Revised below.

6.531 link
https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=3 ... file%2cmsi

[el cid again]

A new description and link is below -



This update is mainly issued to correct eratta in pwhexe files -
and to issue new pwhexe.dat files. A total of six hexside eratta
were found affecting four hexes - two of them only of cosmetic
significance (as no one would try to cross them anyway - being
blocked).

The process of validating the pwhexe files was carefully documented
so it can be replicated for other seasons. Here 41 WINTER,
42 WINTER and JES 42 WINTER have been updated to the new
standards. Also - the Seasonal Construction file is now completely
revised - so the process of completing the remainder of the files will
go faster and be easier.

The 3 ENH pwhexe files are no longer in the installer file set and
they will not be updated. They probably should be deleted. This
is a slight simplification which means fewer pwhexe files need to
be updated. At the same time, JES files begin issuing three seasons
sooner - so the total number of files under maintenance has not
changed (at 28).

The Seasonal Construction file is updated in RHS documentation.

There are a handful of changes to the location files. Several very
minor locations were added - mainly related to construction projects
as options in games that last long enough for rail lines to reach them.

The most important changes are related to the BAM (Baikal Amur Mainline):
in standard scenarios with standard pwhexe files, two sections are
deconstructed in Spring 1942 (so the rails may be sent West toward
the German front area; in Japan Enhanced Scenarios, because of things
learned, this line is constructed simultaneously from four different places -
both ends and two directions from the spur line to Tynda in the middle.
This permits completion of the line in time to matter from a Russian point of
view in most war situations - not just the extreme Eastward section to
Sovietskaya Gavan (which was historically completed anyway - and which
is present in standard files). In effect that section becomes an extension
of the Trans-Siberian RR - since the BAM - although mostly built by 1945
in terms of foundations, bridges and tunnels, has no rails!

The second most important changes are related to the Trans-Canada Alaska
Railway. For the first time we have the correct name. For the first time
we have the correct dates and planned route. In fact, it is bigger than
I assumed somewhat - starting at Prince John BC - and the section from there
to Dawson Creek is eventually built - as is the section to Fort St John.
There is a book on the subject: Sovereignty or Security: Government Policy
for the Canadian North, 1946-1950 - covering roads, railroads and other
projects, their rationale and their funding. It is only available from Barnes
and Noble - mainly used copies but one new one is in inventory. It should
be in various libraries but I have not yet identified any at all. Anyway, this
railroad is to terminate at Teller Alaska (famous mainly because the Norwegian
airship Norge diverted there on a transpolar flight to Nome). This because
Teller has the potential for a major port - unlike Nome - which is a strait coastline exposed to the sea. It also turns out that the minor gage RR at Nome is technically
still operational in 1941 (and once again, in a tiny segment, today). This line
runs 81 miles East from Nome to an almost uninhabited former Gold town which
is not in economic production by 1941 - but it was intermittently used until after
the war ended and its foundation would be folded into the larger project. I was
able to determine the route across the rugged Wrangel St Elias Mountains for
the first time as well. This line will only be built in Japan Enhanced Scenarios.

Half a dozen minor locations had their industry reworked - mainly integrating
the amount of industry with the population present to work it in 1941. These were
all in Australia, China and Russia.

[el cid again]

nothing like working on the pwhexe files to discover all sorts of technical things.
the documentation related to infrastructure changes over time is revised to
indicate these changes. this documentation also describes the two different
sets (or tracks) of construction - 'standard' for 'strictly historical' scenarios
101 to 104 and 106 - and 'enhanced' for japan enhanced scenarios 99 and 105.
ironically, in the latter case, just as in the historical case, the allies tend
to build more than the japanese. allied projects are bigger in scope and of
greater logistical significance (e.g. primary roads or railroads vice secondary
roads and railroads, and also longer and more challenging routes). all these
projects have a basis in historical planning - realized or not. and some of the
bad ideas got built too. probably the canol road and pipeline is the worst
case - approximately as useless as the "paken baroe railroad" (aka "the second
death railroad" on sumatra. the latter completed on the day the war ended, and
never once ran a train. the canol road pipeline completed only at the end of the
war, feeding a refinery moved from texas to whitehorse bc. the pipe and the
thick oil (from norman wells northwest territories) conspired to render a very
low delivery rate and maintenance issues such that the concept was abandoned
shortly thereafter.

this section is now revised below.

[el cid again]

this should be the "final" edition of this documentation file - because all
projects are defined. there are two threads:

for strictly historical scenarios (rhs 101 to 104 and eventually 106 which is just a 1945
testbed at the moment needing a lot of work)

we use the standard "seasonal" files - with a year followed by a season name in the
rhs pwhexe.dat folder. these files show construction (and also deconstruction) as it
historically occurred, when it occurred. for example, the eastern malaya rr has its rails
removed. these are then used to build the burma-siam rr. another case is that the
completed parts of the bam (both the western part shown in stock, and a cross link line
farther east) have their rails removed - for use closer to the german front. in spite of
that, the bam continued to be built - and in fact most of it was built in 1944 and 1946 -
never mind it took half a century to finish (partly due to a 25 year long redesign).

for japan enhanced scenarios (105 and 99 - which needs some ship art but otherwise is
playable now) we have a series with a jes prefix. this starts in spring 1942 - the
start of game winter 1941 file is the same for all scenarios that start in 1941 (that is,
all except 106, which starts in 1945).

Spring 1942
Partial Deconstruction of the BAM: 114/27 E, 115/27 W/NE, 116/26 SW/E; 117/26 W/NW/SE (Tynda); Also 101/10 E, 102 to 104/10 E/W; 105/10 W/SW; 105/11 NW/SE; 106/12 NW/E; 107/12 W (Ust Kut).
Monsoon 1942
Reactivation of minor RR on New Caledonia (1 hex NW from Noumea) by the US Army. 114/159 SE; 115/160 NW.
Fall 1942
Winter 1942
Completion of ALCAN highway as pioneer road: 200/31 E, 201/31 W/SE; 202/32 NE/SW; 194/31 SW/E, 195/31 E/W, 196/31 E/W, 197/31 E/W; 198/31 W; 182/31 E, 185/32 E, 186/32 E/W, 187/32 E/W, 188/32 E/W, 189/32 W; 192/33 E/W, 193/33 W/NE & 194/32 SW/NE. Secondary Road 191/33 E/W, 189/32 SE, 198/31 E, 200/31 W, 202/33 NW, 181/30 E, 182/31 W. Primary Road: 202/33 SE.
Deconstruction of the Eastern Malaya RR 51/76 SW; 50/77 NE/SW; 50/78 NE/SE; 50/79 NW/SW; 50/80 NE/SW & 49/81 NE.
Spring 1943
Upgrading of Whitehorse & Yukon RR to main line completed: 191/35 NW; 191/34 NW,/SE; 190/33 SE.
Upgrading of ALCAN to Secondary Road: 198/31 W; 199/31 E; 200/31 E; 201/31 SE/W; 202/32 NW/SE; 192/33 E/W; 190/32 W; 185/32 E/NW; 184/31 NW/SE; 184/30 SE/W; 183/30 E/W; 186/32 E/W; 187/32 E/W (Trail SW); 188/32 E/W; 189/32 E/W; 193/33 W/NE; 194/32 SW/NE; 194/31 SW/E; 195/31 E/W; 196/31 E/W; 197/31 E/W. Primary Road: 198/31 E; 202/33 NW/SE; 181/30 E; 182/30 W; 190/32 SE; 190/33 E/NW; 191/33 W, 184/31 SE, 185/32 E/NW, 199/31 E/W, 200/31 W.
Monsoon 1943
Secondary Road along Burma-Siam RR line completed: 55/57 NW/SW; 55/59 NW/SW; 55/56 SE; 55/58 NE/SE; 55/60 NE.
Hunan-Guanzi RR: Major Railroad: 73/55 E,W Monsoon 1943.
Winter 1943
Completion of Burma-Siam RR: 55/57 NW,SW; 55/59 NW/SW; 55/61 NW; 55/56 SE; 55/58 NE/SE; 55/60 NE/SE; 55/61 NW.
Spring 1944
 
Monsoon 1944
Upgrading of Bengal & Assam RR to main line completed (15 hexes from existing line near Gaibandha to Ledo including major river bridging; 8 hex spur to Chittagong) [Takeover 1 March 1944; 59/34 & 59/35 washout in Monsoon in 1942 & 1943; Entire line upgrades during Spring 1944! Before this year, 59/34 SE & 59/34 are destroyed every Monsoon season by flooding from the Himalayas!] Major RR: 55/36 E, 56/36 W/NE, 60/36 NW/SE, 56/35 SW/NE, 59/35 NW/SE, 57/34 SW/E, 58/34 W/E, 59/34 W/SE, 55/41 NE, 56/40 SW/NE, 56/39 SW/E, 57/39 W/E, 58/39 W/E, 59/39 W/NE, 60/38 SW/E, 61/38 W/NW/E, 60/37 NW/SE, 62/38 W/E, 63/28 W/E, 64/38 W/E, 65/38 W.
Ledo Road completed to Myitkyina [Upgrading 4 trail hexes to minor road): Hex 64/39 NE/SW Winter 1943; 64/40 NE/SW Spring 1944; 63/41 NE/SE & 64/42 NW Monsoon 1944.
Winter 1944
Completion of the Yellowhead Highway to Prince Rupert (as a Minor Road): 199/43 NE; 200/42 SW/NE; 200/41 SW.
Ledo Road completed to existing Burma Road near Lashio (upgrading 3 more trail hexes between Myitkyina and Lashio): 63/43 NE/SW & 63/44 NE/SW Fall 1944; 62/45 NE/SE & 63/46 NW Winter 1944.
Spring 1945
Completion of the CANOL road from Camp Canol, Northwest Territory to Whitehorse, Yukon: 188/23 NE/SE; trail Fall 42, SRD Winter 42; 189/24 NW/SE trail Winter 42, SRD Spring 43; 189/25 NW/SE trail Spring 43, SRD Monsoon 43; 190/26 NW/SE trail Spring 43, SRD Fall 43; 190/27 NW/W trail Monsoon 43, SRD Winter 43; 189/27 SW/E trail Winter 43, SRD Monsoon 44; 189/28 SE/NE trail Monsoon 44, SRD Spring 45; 189/29 NW/SE trail Monsoon 43, SRD Spring 44; 190/30 NW/SE trail Monsoon 43, SRD Fall 43; 190/31 NW/SE trail Winter/42, SRD Spring 43; 191/32 SW/NW trail Fall 42; SRD Spring 43; 190/33 NE SRD Winter 1942.
Completion of the Longhai Railway to Tanshui: 82/38 SE Fall 1943; 82/38 W Winter 1944; 81/38 E Spring 1945. Trail 82/38 W, 81/38 E Winter 1944.
Fall 1945
Completion of Paken Baroe RR (aka 'the second death railway'): Trail: 46/83 W & 45/84 NE Monsoon 1944; 45/83 E/SW Fall 1944. SRD 46/83 W & 45/84 NE Winter 1944; 45/83 E/SW Spring 1945. Major RR: 46/83 W & 45/84 NE Spring 1945; 45/83 E/SW Monsoon 1945.  
Partial Completion of the BAM: The Baikal Amur Mainline was not completed until 1991. The first two segments are on the map (from Taishet to Bratsk and then to Ust Kut). The Eastern segment is added in 1944-45 (from Komsomolsk to Sovietskaya-Gavan). But MOST of the work on the rest was done in 1944-1946 - just not rendered usable in that era. This was a classic "death railway" - about 90% of the 150,000 German and Japanese POWs working on it (until 1954) died. This option shows the historical impact in terms of useful infrastructure during the war: Trail:
Ust Kut Crew: Trail: 107/12 SE Winter 41 (Ust Kut); 107/13 NW Spring 42; 107/13 SE Monsoon 42; 108/14 NW Fall 42; 108/14 SW Winter 42; 107/15 NE Spring 43; 107/15 SE Monsoon 43; 108/16 NW (Sverobaikalsk) Winter 43; 108/16 SE Monsoon 44; 108/17 NW Spring 45; 108/17 SE Monsoon 45; 109/18 NW (Novyy Ulun) Spring 46.
Tynda North Crew: 117/26 NW Winter 41 (Tynda); 116/25 SE Spring 42; 116/25 NW Monsoon 42; 116/24 SE Fall 42; 116/24 NW Winter 42; 115/23 SE Spring 43 (Olekma); 115/23 NW Monsoon 43; 115/22 SE Fall 43; 115/22 W Winter 43; 114/22 E (Chara) Spring 44; 114/22 NW Monsoon 44; 113/21 SE Winter 44; 113/21 W Monsoon 45; 112/22 E* Winter 45; 112/22 W Monsoon 46.
Tynda South Crew: 117/26 SE Winter 41 (Tynda); 117/27 NW Spring 42; 117/27 SE* Monsoon 42; 118/28 NW* Fall 42; 118/28 SE Winter 42; 118/29 NW/SE Spring 43; 119/30 NE Monsoon 43; 119/30 SE* Fall 43; 119/31 NW* Winter 43; 119/31 SE Spring 44; 120/32 NW Monsoon 44; 120/32 SE Fall 44; 120/33 NW Winter 44 (Tokui); 120/33 SE* Spring 45, 121/34 NW* Monsoon 45, 121/34 SW* Winter 45; 120/35 NE* Spring 46; 120/35 SE* Monsoon 46 (Meeting Komsomolsk Crew Trail).
Komsomolsk Crew: 121/39 NE Winter 41 (Komsomolsk); 122/38 SW Spring 42; 122/38 NE Monsoon 42; 122/37 SW Fall 42; 122/37 NW Winter 42; 122/36 SE Spring 43 (Sofijsk); 122/36 W* Monsoon 43; 121/36 E* Fall 43; 121/36 NW* Winter 43. Major RR: 121/39 SE* Spring 1944; 122/40 NW/E* Monsoon 1944; 123/40 W/SE* Fall 1944; 123/41 NW*/SE* Winter 1944; 124/42 NW* Spring 1945.
* This is already a road hex but crew builds foundation for RR in this hex in this month.

House Rules and Special Cases 118/29 NW/SW; 118/28 SE;
House Rule: In Scenarios 101 to 104 & 106 do not repair the oil wells and refinery at Whitehorse, Yukon until May, 1945. These model the CANOL pipeline and a refinery moved from Texas and it took until June, 1945 to get them fully operational. In JES Scenarios 9 & 105, players have options to repair the oilfields and oil refinery at Kenai, Alaska and/or at Norman Wells, Northwest Territories. This is probably not feasible in Winter (how could you move enough supplies to even begin?) - but these are known options not taken IRL. Both are more practical than the CANOL project, which barely worked at all - thick NWT oil in a small pipe in a cold climate was not easy to keep moving. Historical scenarios (101-104 & 106) have the suffix CANOL after Whitehorse and Whitehorse has a base victory point value of 3 (= important minor location for any reason). In these scenarios Norman Wells may not expand oil or refinery production (forcing the historical choices). JES scenarios (99 & 105) have the suffix AKOIL after Kenai and Kenai has a base victory point value of 3. In these scenarios Norman Wells MAY expand oil and/or refinery production (reflecting greater Allied priority in the greater threat context present) but hauling in the supplies required will be very difficult. Kenai is much easier to supply but also much more at risk to capture or damage by the enemy (which is why it was not developed during the war).
Special Case: The Copper River RR is present in ALL versions of the pwhex files. It runs from Cordova, Alaska to Kennicot, a wholly undeveloped dot location. This RR was abandoned in 1938 when the copper mines were closed due to low copper prices. Other copper mines were reopened in WWII (for example in Michigan and in Montana). This copper mine can be reopened IF an Allied player moves engineer to the dot location along with lots of supplies – in which case the RR will function. The Million Dollar Bridge remained in-tact until the 1964 earthquake. This location and RR may be ignored by any player who does not want to use them – and NOTHING will happen in that case – since there will be no production unless the damaged resources are repaired.
Special Case: The RR tunnel to Whittier Alaska is considered completed if you repair the port (it starts at zero). Because there is no way to have the rail line incomplete and still run its route (from Anchorage to Seward) we simply have the Whittier hex not function as a port unless you fix it. Fixing it completes the almost completed tunnel to it. There is an engineer unit in the hex to do that.
Rejected historical case: The Haines "Highway" - if we blocked it in Winter and Monsoon, it is hardly worth having! The highway was built by the U.S. Army in 1943 as an alternate route from the Pacific Ocean to the Alaska Highway, in case the White Pass and Yukon Route railway from Skagway should be blocked. The total cost of the construction was US $13 million. In the first decades after the war, maintenance was spotty at best; the road was plagued with blizzards in winter and mudslides in summer, and for a time in the 1960s and 1970s, all vehicles traveling the highway were monitored on radio. Year-round access was not achieved until 1963.



Japan Enhanced Scenario [From Winter 1942] Optional Files for Scenarios 99 & 105
CANOL ROAD CANCELLED.
Eastern Malaya RR: Not deconstructed from Winter 1942. Instead, the Burma Siam RR is built with new rails.
North Borneo Railway & Road Extensions: Trail: 69/90 NW, 67/91 NW/SE, 68/92 NW Winter 1942; 67/90 SE, 68/89 SE Spring 1943; 68/90 NE, 67/90 E, 68/89 SW Monsoon 1943; 68/90 W Fall 1943. Upgrading of trail to secondary road: 66/87 W/E; 65/87 E/W; 64/87 E Winter 1942; 67/87 W/NE, 69/90 NW, 67/90 SE, 67/91 NW/SE, 68/92 NW Spring 1943; 68/89 SE, 69/86 SE, 70/88 NW/SW Monsoon 1943; 69/90 NE, 69/87 NW/SE Fall 1943; 68/90 NE; 67/90 E, 68/89 SW Winter 1943; 68/90 W, 69/89 NE/SW Spring 1944. Minor RR: 66/87 W, 65/87 E /W, 64/87 E, 68/86 E Spring 1943; 69/86 W/SE; 70/88 NW/SW Monsoon 1943; 69/87 NW/SE Fall 1943; 69/90 NW/NE; 67/91 NW/SE, 68/92 NW Winter 1943; 68/89 SE Spring 1944; 68/90 NE, 67/90 SE, Monsoon 1944; 67/90 E, 68/89 SW Fall 1944; 68/90 W/NE Spring 1945.
Indochina-Siam RR: Minor RR: 60/71 NW; 60/70 SE/NW; 59/69 SE/W; 58/69 E Entire Line Winter 1942.
Laos-Siam RR "Extension" (Bridge): Minor RR 62/57 SW, 62/58 NE Entire extension Winter 1942. [Eventually built by Australia half a century later].
South Sumatra RR West Extension: Minor RR 45/91 E; 46/91 W Entire extension Spring 1943.
South Samatra RR North Extension: Minor RR 48/91 NW; 48/88 SW Winter 1943; 48/90 NW/SE; 47/89 NE/SE Spring 1944.
Early Completion of the Paken Baroe RR (aka 'the second death railway'): Trail 46/83 W & 45/84 NE Monsoon 1943; 45/83 E/ SW Fall 1943. SRD 46/83 W & 45/84 NE Fall 1943; 45/83 E/SW Winter 1943. Minor RR: 46/83 W & 45/84 NE Winter 1943; 45/83 E, SW Spring 1944;
Completion of Nanning-Liuchow RR: Major RR 73/55 E/W Winter 1942.
Huangchow-Ningpo RR: Minor RR 90/55 SE, 91/56 NW Spring 1943; 91/56 E, 92/56 W Monsoon 1943.
Shou-Hsein RR: Minor RR: 88/49 SW, 88/50 NE Fall 1943.
Nanping RR: Minor RR: 87/56 SW, 86/57 NE Winter 1943.
Ichang RR: Minor RR: 84/49 NW, 84/48 SE Spring 1944, 84/48 W, 83/48 E Monsoon 1944, 83/48 NW, 82/47 SE Winter 1944.
Nanyang RR: Minor RR: 85/45 E; 86/45 E/W; 87/45 W Fall 1944
Bohei Gulf RR: Minor RR 95/46 E, 96/46 Spring 1945; 96/45, 97/45 W Monsoon 1945; 97/45 SE, 98/46 NW Fall 1945.
Formosa RR: Minor RR 87/64 NE, 87/63 SW Winter 1942. Remove RR 87/63 SE Winter 1942.
Hainan RR: 69/61 E, 70/61, 71/61 W Spring 1943.
Chifoo Road: Major Road: 98/46 NW Winter 1942.
Kaiyang Road: Major Road: 82/60 E, 83/60 W Spring 1943.
Haichow Road: Major Road 93/48 W, 92/48 E Monsoon 1943.
Sakhalin Road: Major Road 126/43 W; 125/43 E/SW; 124/46 NE; 124/45 NE/SW Winter 1942; 125/44 NE/SW Spring 1943.
Hokkaido Road: Major Road 122/50 SW/NE Winter 1942; 122/49 NW/SW, 122/48 SE Spring 1943.
Yinkow Road: Major Road 101/43 E, 102/43 W Winter 1942.
Fushun Road: Major Road 104/42 E, 105/42 E/W; 106/42 W Spring 1943.
Harbin Road: Major Road 107/41 NE, 108/40 SW,E, 109/40 W Monsoon 1943.
Taonan Road Link: Major Road 107/39 SE, 108/40 NW Fall 1943.
Konan Road: Major Road 105/47 NW, 105/46 NE/SE Winter 1943; 105/45 NE/SW; 106/44 SW Spring 1944.
Tsitsihar Road Link: Major Road 109/38 NW, 108/37 SE Monsoon 1944.
Kuching Road: Minor Road 58/88 SW, 57/89 NE Winter 1943.
Burma-Siam Highway: Upgrading to primary road along Burma-Siam RR: Spring 1944: 55/57 NW,SW; 55/59 NW,SW; 55/61 NW; 55/56 SE; 55/58 NE,SE; 55/60 NE.
Early Completion of Glenn Highway: Major Road 181/35 NE, 182/34 SW Winter 1942.
Trans Canada Alaska RR Eastern Section: Trail 204/40 NE, 204/39 SW/NE, 205/38 NE/SW, 205/37 NW/SW, 205/36 NE/SE, 205/35 SW Fall 1942. Major RR: 204/40 NE, 190/33 E/NW, 204/35 W, 205/35 SW, 203/35 E/NW Fall 1942; 205/36 SE/NE, 191/33 E/W, 204/39 SW/NE, 203/34 NW/SE Winter 1942; 192/33 E/W, 205/38 NE/SW, 202/33 SE/NW Spring 1943; 193/33 W/NE, 202/32 NW/SE, 205/37 NW/SW, Monsoon 1943; 194/32 NE/SW, 201/31 SE/W Fall 1943; 200/31 W/E; 199/31 W/E Winter 1943; 198/31 W/E, 197/31 W/E Fall 1944; 196/31 W/E 195/31 W/E Winter 1944; 194/31 E & SW Spring 1945.
Seward Highway: Secondary Road 181/36 E, 182/36 W Winter 1942; 182/36 SW; 181/37 NE/SE Spring 1943; 182/38 NW Monsoon 1943. Primary Road 181/36 E; 182/36 W Spring 1943; 182/36 SW; 181/37 NE/SE Monsoon 1943; 182/38 NW Fall 1943.
Kenai Highway: Secondary Road 181/37 W Monsoon, 1943; 180/37 E Fall 1943; Primary Road 181/37 W Winter, 1943; Primary Road 180/37 E Monsoon 1944.
Kenai RR: Major RR 181/37 W Winter 1943 1943; 180/37 E Spring 1944.
Trans Canada Alaska RR Glenallen Section: Major RR: 183/34 E/W Fall 1942; 182/34 E/SW, 184/34 W Winter 1942; 181/35 NE Spring 1943.
Trans Canada Alaska RR Northway Section: Trail 186/34 NE, 186/33 SW/NW, 186/32 SE Fall 1942; Major RR 186/34 NE, 190/32 W/SE Fall 1942; Winter 1942; 186/33 SW, 189/32 E/W Spring 1943; 188/32 W/E Monsoon 1943; 186/33 NW Fall 1943; 186/32 E/SE, 187/32 W/E Winter 1943.
Upgrading ALCAN to primary road (25 minor road hexes upgraded IF construction not suspended as IRL): 182/30, 183/30, 184/30, 190/32 W, 191/33 E, 192/33, 197/31, 198/31, 199/31 W, 200/31, 201/31, 202/32 Monsoon 1944; 184/31, 185/32 NW, 189/32, 193/33, 195/31, 196/31 Winter 1944; 185/32 E, 186/32, 187/32, 194/32, 194/31 Spring 1945.
Completion of the Yellowhead Highway to Prince Rupert: Secondary Road 200/41 SW; 200/42 NE/SW; 199/43 NE Winter 1942. Primary Road Monsoon 1944.
Restoration of Anyox Tramway: Minor RR 199/42 SE, 199/43 NW Winter, 1942. Note: This unusual “railroad” has NO trail or road along its route. The main function of this is peculiar case is logistical rather than to move troops. There is a similar case in Northern Luzon.
Completion of the Alice Springs to Birdum RR. This was surveyed from 1939 to 1942 by the Australian Army but never built. Entire line completes Winter 1942. 76/130 SE, 76/131 NW/SW, 76/132 NE/SE, 76/133 NW/SW, 76/134 NE/SE, 76/135 NW/SW, 76/136 NE/SE, 76/137 NW/SW, 76/138 NE/SW, 75/139 NE/SW, 75/140 SW/NE, 74/141 NE/SE, 75/142 NW/SW, 74/143 NE.
Completion of the Mt Isa to Tenant Creek RR. This was surveyed in 1942 by the Australian Army but never built. Entire line completes by Spring 1943. Tenant Creek is on the Alice Springs to Birdum RR listed immediately above. 76/137 E, 77/137 E/W, 78/137 W/SE, 79/138, NW/E, 80/138 W/SE, 80/139 NW/E, 81/139 W/SE, 82/140 NW/SE, 82/141 NW/SE, 83/142 NW.
Upgrading of Bengal & Assam RR to main line completed (15 hexes from existing line near Gaibandha to Ledo including major river bridging; 8 hex spur to Chittagong) [Takeover 1 March 1943; 59/34 SE & 59/35 NW,SE washout in Monsoon 1942; Entire line upgrades during Spring 1943! In 1941, 59/34 SE & 59/35 are destroyed during Monsoon season!] Major RR: 55/36 E, 56/36 W/NE, 60/36 NW/SE, 56/35 SW/NE, 59/35 NW/SE, 58/34 SW/E, 59/34 W/E, 60/34 W/SE, 55/41 NE, 56/40 SW/NE, 56/39 SW/E, 57/39 W/E, 58/39 W/E, 59/39 W/NE, 60/38 SW/E, 61/38 W/NW/E, 60/37 NW/SE, 62/38 W/E, 63/28 W/E, 64/38 W/E, 65/38 W.
Ledo Road upgraded to primary road to Myitkyina: Winter 1944: Hex 64/39 NE/SW; 64/40 NE/SW; 63/41 NE/SE & 64/42 NW.
Ledo Road upgraded to primary road to Lashio: Spring 1945: 63/43 NE/SW & 63/44 NE/SW; 62/45 NE/SE; 63/46 NW/W; 62/46 E.
Ledo Road extension to Lao Wing: Major Road: Monsoon 1945: 63/46 NE; 63/45 SW.
Ledo Road extension to Paoshan: Major Road: Fall 1945: 63/45 E; 64/45 E/W; 65/45 W/NE.
Ledo Road extension to Tsuyung: Major Road: Winter 1945: 66/44 SW/E; 67/44 W/SE; 67/45 NW/SE.
Dimapur-Ledo Road: Major Road: Spring 1945: 62/38 E; 63/38 E/W; 64/38 E/W; 65/38 W.
Paken Baroe Railroad North Sumatra Link: Minor Road: 46/80 SE; 46/82 NE Monsoon 44; 46/81 NW/SW Fall 44. Minor RR: 46/83 NW; 46/79 SW Fall 44; 46/80 NE/SE; 46/82 NE/SE Winter 44; 46/81 NW/SW Spring 45.
Paken Baroe Railroad South Sumatra Link: 48/88 W; 45/85 SE Monsoon 44; 47/88 E/NW; 46/86 NW/SE Fall 44; 46/87 NW/SE Winter 44.
Trans Canada Alaska RR Nome Section: Trail: 170/31 E, 171/31 W/NE, 179/30 W, 178/30 E/W Monsoon 1942; 172/30 E/SW to 177/30 E/W Fall 1942; Major RR: 179/30 W, 178/30 E/W Monsoon 1943; 176/30 E/W, 177/30 E/W Fall 1943; 174/30 E/W, 175/30 E/W Winter 1943; 172/30 E/SW, 173/30 E/W, 169/32 NE, 169/31 SW/E, 170/31 W Spring 1944; 170/31 E, 171/31 W/NE Monsoon 1944; 168/30 E, 169/30 W/SE, 169/31 NW Fall 1944.
Modified Partial Completion of the BAM 1: The Baikal Amur Mainline was not completed until 1991. The first two segments are on the map (from Taishet to Bratsk and then to Ust Kut). This option assumes a modified plan and maximum effort to work on the Northern segments of the line due to increased concerns about the Japanese in the Far East. Trail: [Ignore if already road, defines RR]. Major RR one month after given trail date.
Ust Kut Crew: Trail: 107/12 SE Winter 41 (Ust Kut); 107/13 NW Spring 42; 107/13 SE Monsoon 42; 108/14 NW Fall 42; 108/14 SW Winter 42; 107/15 NE Spring 43; 107/15 SE Monsoon 43; 108/16 NW (Sverobaikalsk) Winter 43; 108/16 SE Monsoon 44; 108/17 NW Winter 44; 108/17 SE Monsoon 45 (Meeting Irkutsk Crew).
Tynda North Crew: 117/26 NW Winter 41 (Tynda); 116/25 SE Spring 42; 116/25 NW Monsoon 42; 116/24 SE Fall 42; 116/24 NW Winter 42; 115/23 SE Spring 43 (Olekma); 115/23 NW Monsoon 43; 115/22 SE Fall 43; 115/22 W Winter 43; 114/22 E (Chara) Spring 44; 114/22 NW Monsoon 44; 113/21 SE Winter 44 (Meeting Chita Crew). 109/18 NW Monsoon 45 (Meeting Chita Crew).
Tynda South Crew: 117/26 SE Winter 41; 117/27 NW Spring 42; 117/27 SE* Monsoon 42; 118/28 NW* Fall 42; 118/28 SE Winter 42; 118/29 NW/SE Spring 43; 119/30 NW Monsoon 43; 119/30 SE* Fall 43; 119/31 NW* Winter 43; 119/31 SE Spring 44; 120/32 NW Monsoon 44; 120/32 SE Fall 44; 120/33 NW Winter 44; 120/33 W* Spring 45 (Meeting Komsomolsk Crew). Major RR: 124/42 NW Monsoon 45; 123/41 SE Fall 45; 123/41 NW Winter 45; 123/40 SE Spring 46 (Meeting Komsomolsk Crew).


Komsomolsk Crew: 121/39 NE Winter 41; 122/38 SW Spring 42; 122/38 NE Monsoon 42; 122/37 SW Fall 42; 122/37 NW Winter 42; 122/36 SE Spring 43; 122/36 W* Monsoon 43; 121/36 E* Fall 43; 121/36 NW* Winter 43; 120/35 SE* Spring 44; 120/35 NW* Monsoon 44; 121/34 SW* Fall 44; 121/34 NW Winter 44; 120/33 SE Spring 45 (Meeting Tynda South Crew). Major RR: 121/39 SE Monsoon 45; 122/40 NW Fall 45; 122/40 E Winter 45; 123/40 W Spring 46 (Meeting Tynda South Crew).
Irkutsk Crew: Trail: 111/20 (Ust Muya) W Spring 43; 110/20 E Monsoon 43; 110/20 NW Fall 43; 109/19 SE Spring 44; 109/19 NW Fall 44; 109/18 SE* Spring 45; 109/18 NW (Novyy Ulun) Fall 45 (Meeting Ust Kut Crew).
Chita Crew: 111/20 SE (Ust Muya) Spring 43; 111/21 NW Monsoon 43; 111/21 E Fall 43; 112/21 W Winter 43; 112/21 E Monsoon 44; 113/21 W Winter 44 (Meeting Tynda North Crew). 109/18 SE* Monsoon 45 (Meeting Tynda North Crew).
* This is already a road hex but crew builds foundation for RR in this hex in this month.
Early Completion of the Longhai Railway to Tanshui: 82/38 SE, 81/38 E Monsoon 1943; 82/38 W Winter 1943.
Laos-Tonkin Mekong-Kanthabouli Link Railway: 62/57 E, 63/57 W Spring 1943; 63/57 SE, 64/58 NW Monsoon 1943; 64/58 SE, 64/59 NW Fall 1943; 64/59 SW, 64/60 NE Winter 1943; 64/60 E, 65/60 W Spring 1944.
Siam-Malay Link Road: Major Road: 49/73 SE, 50/74 NW Spring 1943; 50/74 E; 51/75 NW Monsoon 1943.
Teller Highway: Major Road: 169/32 NE, 169/31 SW, 168/30 E, 169/30 W Monsoon 1945; 169/30 SE, 169/31 NW W Fall 1945; 169/30 E, 170/30 Winter 1945.

[el cid again]

Level I Update Link 2.51
https://1drv.ms/u/s!Ap7XOIkiBuUwg-8ZqLaG9QbsVHAolg

This is a comprehensive update in that it contains everything.

However, almost as planned, it is focused on the pwhexe.dat file set -
and related changes to the location files because working with the map
always reveals them - and along the way folding in some eratta which
projects of this size always entail.

Although it was my intent to release all pwhexe.dat files today,
I am instead releasing all the Winter files - of both series - from
start to the end of the war. Invisible to you, all but the last file had
to be reworked 3 to 6 times - because of various developments
which were not planned. When I get into the swing of doing
pwhexe files - with four displays - three of them large - my eyes
begin to integrate data such that I spot bad hexsides - and
at this stage - not wanting to go back later - I corrected them in
every file (of the Winter series). Also - 1941 population data
came in and required changing one hex (Keijo) to Urban Heavy -
while two others - the big cities on Formosa - went to Urban Light.
The rest of the population data did not change pwhexe files,
but did change major city location files for Japan. Using
the gross population change, and the current city population
to project backwards failed for big cities because urbanization
has been considerable - a greater proportion of the people lived
on the land in 1941. Except for Seoul (Keijo) - which for some
reason was ahead of the curve.

Related to population and the discovery of incomplete application
of RHS standards to Japan, Japan lost between 500 and 1000
resource centers on the Home Islands. This means Japan must
use more shipping to import OR not be able to run HI all the time -
and that means losses in production for aircraft, engines, vehicles,
ships, ordnance, and expansion. Players who commit too much
of the merchant fleet NOT to importing resources will actually hurt
their own ability to fight. That effect is now somewhat increased
due to fewer resource centers locally. I have "rules" that
consider the area in a hex (if it is mostly water, there can't be
many mines or farms) as well as its population which limit
resource production in the hex. But to work they need to be
applied to every hex.

Other very technical developments include removing the need for
players to find, read and honor certain house rules. Now there
is no refinery or oil source at Whitehorse in Japan Enhanced
Scenarios 99 & 105: instead they can develop such at Kenai.
98 and 105 use the JES pwhexe files - and they do NOT have
the CANOL project (a nearly total waste of resources - taking
until June 1945 to get production of fuels at Whitehorse -
and then on a very unreliable and limited basis - at greater cost
than the ALCAN - which finished in only a few months and which
was practical to a considerable degree. This sort of work means
that the intended features for a scenario are not present in others -
and no need for players to use them by some special "rule."

Perhaps the most obscure discovery was related to an island between
New Britain and New Guinea. It was used for small boat convoy sopport
by Japan - which ran extensive small craft convoys in the area (hard
to stop with submarines or even mines). It is inhabited - but only has
a subsistence economy of the most marginal kind. Its military potential
is essentially what it was used for - as a potential port: it is too volcanic
and mountainous to be a great air base - although a minimal field could
be built - none ever has been. At the time it was called Rooke Island -
a change to our map name - because this isn't how it appears on modern
maps. They call it Umboi Island. But the cool thing is what Umboi means!
It is the local name for a Peterosaur! A LIVING reptilian "birdlike" creature.
Fossil evidence indicates they reached North Asia and in one case
Australia - unlike what was long believed. Other evidence indicates living
species exist on this island and on the New Guinea mainland. This includes
a 17 second video which passed examination by a physicist. This peculiar
animal is photo-luminiscent - it "glows" as it flies in the night sky! Most
human contact, however, is on this island, and eyewitness accounts also
stand up to critical examination. Not at all what I was looking to learn!

There is new supporting documentation - the urban hex list is updated -
and the seasonal construction file is updated considerably. This is now
so well developed it is not only easier to read, it permitted the last file
I did (JES45WINTER) to be generated in about 20 minutes. This means
work on other seasons will be much easier. This document is a plan
for the entire war (which in RHS can go well into 1946) and it now is
fully fleshed out with details. It also has a number of historical comments
added - and many more historical project names than it used to have.

If you look at the 45WINTER and JES45WINTER files - change the name
to pwhexe.dat and load any scenario - and press Y or R keys to see railroads
or roads - you can see the full extent of construction during the war (nothing
important occurs after Winter 1945). The standard series shows historical
projects actually built (to the extent they were built - including peculiar
cases like the Baikal Amur Mainline which only result in trails on the map -
but which were MOST of the work in terms of foundations, bridges and even
tunnels. The ALCAN as well was only completed as a secondary road -
so the historical series shows that. The JES series, on the other hand,
shows the effects of implementing historical plans - and the huge capacity
of the Allies for long distance projects. You can see the almost fully developed
BAM, the Trans Canada Alaska Railroad (to Teller Alaska NW of Nome),
the trans Australia rail lines fully surveyed over almost level ground that were
not regarded as needed, etc. The Burma Road and the Ledo Road - and the
ALCAN to Fairbanks - are upgraded to primary roads. Japanese projects
tend to be smaller both in length and often in extent - secondary roads and
minor railroads vice primary roads and primary railroads. They often merely
connect nearby projects, or extend them - so the extant rolling stock simply
has more options (regardless of if it is truck or train - Japanese industry had
peculiar wheels that permitted trucks to use roads or tracks! Just as it was
mandatory all civil motor vehicles be "self fueling" and not require gasoline!)

ALL these pwhexe files show off the new Adam's Bridge between India and Ceylon -
never mind it was built before WWI it has never been on the game map. It really
is a rail line - its ability to handle vehicle traffic is very marginal - but I found a technical way to achieve that. In effect it is treated as a long causeway (except
a natural one) combined with a major river bridge - which it has - and a combination
of rail and non rail ferries - the former being more efficient than the latter because of the mechanisms chosen. A few other things were modified - a couple of railroads
lost a hex - etc. A few ports gained access to the sea - which really existed - where they lacked it previously. But several lost facilities - they are potential ports only.
There are two or three cases of overhead tramways used mainly for logistical purposes - and not really useful for moving troops (because of excessive delays to entrain and detrain) - reflecting their reality.

It is now possible to begin working on Test Nine Axis turn. This will take some time - and during that time I will be generating Spring - and then Monsoon- and finally Fall pwhexe files.

After that I will work on air art (to add three defined types not now present - all late war - and all of them will add to existing games) and ship art for Scenario 99 - which needs a few types for non-historical ships.

After that I will work on the off map area. I finally have the editors and materials needed to do that. There are problems - mainly the Allies are not able to treat the
Russians as full allies - even if active - but within those limits all the RHS off map features should come to pass. This means the Russians and Canadians will gain
some off map movement options.

[Mac Linehan]

Cid -

Thank You again for your hard work.

Mac

[el cid again]

6.71 link
https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=3 ... file%2cmsi

This is a comprehensive update in that it involves different kinds of files.

As expected, its primary focus was on updating pwhexe.dat files to a new standard.
This time, Spring files as well as Winter files have been updated. However, that
process turned out not to be as easy as expected, for a variety of reasons. One of those is that more information became available, more than once - so I redefined the standard (kind of like working on a DOD project when the specs keep changing - generating retroactive work in the process). Nevertheless, eventually the standard was set, and it is better in important respects. Another problem was I made some mistakes. For example, Pratas Island was defined as an island instead of an atol.
Other examples are bad hex-sides or mismatched hexside pairs which have apparently been around for a long time. Information theory says there will be errors in any large data set, but the RHS standard is to fix errors when known, or at least when that part of the data is being worked on. So in several cases I went back and retrofitted the files correcting obscure and minor eratta.

Related to the pwhexe files is the RHS Seasonal Construction documentation file. As I learned how to "schedule" construction along the proper route (meaning determine which season = which file gets the change) - the documentation became more clearly defined and readable (at least for me). But, another RHS principle is publish the documentation, so it is also published. It does provide an overview of what changes in both the standard series of pwhex files and the Japan Enhanced Scenario series as well. Loading a late war JES file and pressing reveal codes (R and Y) keys shows the full extent of planned work, much of it not funded because of lack of necessity in the war situation. Perhaps most interesting is the Trans Canada Alaska Railroad, ending at Tellar NW of Nome, as well as the Baikal Amur Mainline, most of which shows up in standard scenarios as a long trail in the middle of nowhere - but in JES it shows up as a railroad. To get the job (mostly) done during the war required keeping to the original design (the entire project was redesigned in a process lasting from 1945-1960), not ripping up rails laid since 1937 (some of them in the map art are not there shortly after the Pacific War begins), building from the spur to Tynda as planned (but which didn't happen - the spur was ripped up to send rails to the Western Front instead - where mostly they were not used at all - because it moved too fast), and laying on additional crews late in the war.

Somewhat related to the pwhexe work is changes in some locations in Russia. Some villages were actually moved (because I found a superb map by National Geographic - far above their usual standard - and surprisingly better than Atlas Mira - the official Russian atlas and generally tied for first place - with the Polish Army Topographical Service Atlas - as the best in the world - note the latter is available at great expense with English plates under the name Pergammon World Atlas - Pergammon being the British contractor buying the English planes). When the railroad hit a village, I was able to add undeveloped resources that could, if developed, now be exported (to a surprisingly small degree - the BAM has been a remarkable failure in terms of development of remote Siberia). In the process I made contact with some Siberians, and also some old WITP and other web searches revealed other data. I found good Russian documentation of coast defenses. I determined that RHS had inherited very good information from someone - but aside from minute changes - there was a major one: the railroad guns at Vladavostok are a much bigger deal than we had modeled - there are 7 - 3 huge 356 mm - and two pairs of smaller guns. 5 of those were present in fixed rather than mobile form. I had to change three devices -

so the device file changed -

to make them mobile. When present in a CD fort, they are fixed anyway. But when present on rail cars - they need to be able to move.

So we ended up changing both device and location files.

Note here any unit with RR or "train" in its name is restricted to rail movement as an RHS house rule. They move as armored units = fast.

Otherwise some Russian artillery was reworked, adding observers or aircraft spotters - or converting one to the other. The spotters are a poor attempt to help artillery be more likely to engage coastal or riverine targets. I found forums indicating this is an old problem never corrected by code - but we are trying to mitigate it.

A few other locations were reworked as for whatever reason they came to my attention. The reworking process is point specific, but the trend is generally a very slight decline in industry. More important than the totals is that the ability to generate supplies is more correctly modeled where it was vice where it was not. Also, some auxiliary industry is being picked up - mainly repair shipyards. As well, airfield and port builds are more correctly rated, and sometimes locations gained or lost actual starting levels. At the same time, the 1945 Downfall Scenario gets each redefined location modified for 1945 conditions - reflecting then extant industry and stocks and port and airfield levels.

I have begun to define off map locations we may add, and associated entry/exit zones, and links between them. We will add a riverine exit zone on the North map edge - seasonally permitting vessels to reach the Arctic Ocean. We will add a similar exit zone farther east for the West side of the Arctic Ocean itself. These may be able to feed ships to Murmansk - which can also have a rail link to Soviet Union (Tomsk in RHS). We should be able to activate the link to Abadan as well - but units apparently will never use it - because Allied units refuse to enter Russian territory - and vice versa. But it was a truly major supply route - and although I doubt most players will use it - it is an option in a campaign where Russia is hard pressed for supplies. Similarly - supplies can be sent via sea to Murmansk - if we get it working.

On the Eastern Map Edge, I may redefine North Midwest as simply Midwest - and link it to the sea (via New Orleans) - permitting US fleet subs to be built on Lake Michigan (where most were built). We may be able to link that via rail to Norfolk - permitting US ships that start or repair there to be better modeled. I have been thinking about Canada too. But instead of off map movement - or trying to make it work on map - I think we will use the actual (seasonal) river system - which sends supplies by rail to Waterways Alberta (on the RHS map) for river movement. Otherwise civil air cargo was used - and RHS already has given that capability to players with all Canadian and US aircraft organized for that purpose. I see no need for off map development for Canada after all. But the process of defining zones and links and locations has begun.



This is hopefully pretty much the end of the shifting sands of defining a pwhexe standard - so the next phase - generating Monsoon seasonal files - will be faster and easier.

[Mac Linehan]

Thanks Sid, Got it!

[sanderz]

A couple of questions just to check whether the following is as planned....

1) No R&D factory for the Mitsbsi Ha104/1900 which is due online in 1942

2) Engine factories only get a restricted list of what engine production can be changed too

Am looking at scenario 105.

Thanks

[sanderz]

Any chance you can talk a bit more about how training pilots works and particularly where the TRG planes come from.

Scenario 105
Looking at the data there is only 1 Factory producing a TRG plane (Ki54b) and no R&D factories of any TRG planes. However the aircraft replacement pool screen does list R&D Factories for TRG planes.

Does this mean we get free TRG replacement planes/engines? And if so does that mean the KI54bTRG factory should not be there?

As a matter of curiosity the A5M4 Claude TRG has a R&D Factory with a date of 42-04 yet there is already a TRG unit of this type of (36) plane(s) in the game which presumably means it will not receive any replacements for about 4 months?

Thanks

[sanderz]

Not sure if i am reading this right or even looking in the right place, but does this mean the USN doesn't get any replacement fighter planes until 42-03?

[sanderz]

Hi el cid

I have continued to look around your mod (Scenario 105) and have a question on the economy, particularly the amount of supply generated in China.

According to my calcs (using Tracker) the figures i get are as follows. I'm not sure how accurate they are as this was the first time i've created region files for Tracker to try and separate out supplies produced in specific areas. So i may have got this all wrong.

But onwards, the figures i have come up with are :

RHS105 - China generates 23,796 supplies

DBB-C mod (of scenario 1) - China generates 3,938 supplies

I know there are other things to consider like having the resources to produce supplies and that supply demand will be different. Also i am aware that 105 is a scenario 2 equivalent so its not a direct comparison with the mod i am playing.

I'm not querying any of your data but am curious as to how this affects gameplay. In stock China has severe supply problems. With the very large increase in supplies produced in RHS105 does this mean China always has an abundance of supply or are there other factors here that still makes supply an issue for them?

Many thanks

[el cid again]

This is a somewhat unexpected update.

6.71 link
https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=3 ... file%2cmsi

Although I have worked on pwhexe.dat files as intended,

I discovered a need to rework the aircraft files. In particular

for "simplified RHS" scenarios 102, 104 and 106. Numbers

of planes, carefully documented as not in them, were never

deleted from them. As well, many types that should have been

date delayed for them were not: this is a mechanism used to

simulate "production ramp up" which is absent from those

scenarios (minimizing the need for player management,

and aiding AI in games vs the computer).



Here a digression - RHS is generally for human players - NOT for games vs the computer.

However, there IS an RHS scenario designed for AI use - it is 102 (called "AI Oriented" logically enough). This is a simplified scenario in which the Russians are passive and other RHS features that confuse AI are absent. 106 is similar - but not yet fully developed - a 1945

scenario mainly needing rework for the different map and OB in 1945. It is issued now

to test late war weapons, ships, aircraft etc. 104 is also simplified, but the Russians are

active. This is not going to work with AI. 104 is simplified for player convenience, for players

who don't want to deal with inland waterways (landlocked ones) - or to spend as much time

managing aircraft production (which is required in full RHS scenarios - ones with odd numbers).

But it isn't really suitable to use vs the computer.


Working on aircraft DID detect some eratta. One type had a pointer to no art. Another two types pointed at a mismatched top side combination - the side is correct - but the top shows four engines for a two engine (Hudson) aircraft! I had to change art pointers in these cases. I found a few cases missing end of production dates, or other minor things. I discovered that Tomsk (Soviet Union) needed reworking - so plane production starts at full value on the start date for the type - and to show the wartime increase of production appropriate to 1945. That - and a couple of other things - changed the location files. I also had to change aircraft documentation files for a few instances.



A few "new" types were added. The Ki-44 III - intended for duty on Akitsu Maru - was marked as "carrier capable" - and in both versions (one with a pair of 30 mm replacing two of the 20 mm). The actual carrier version would have been all 20 mm - and most planes would not have had carrier fittings. So the two regular Ki-44 III (a and b) are now NOT carrier capable. But the Ki-44 III c IS. There were also no airgroups with JAAF fighter carrier squadrons for Akitsu Maru and Nigitsu Maru (if converted to CVE) - these were added - along with a few modifications to other air groups (changing some identification issues to make things clearer for example). So there are new group files - although not much has changed.



Other new types include the Ki-27 KAI (2 exist in 1941) and the Ki-33 (2 exist in 1941). The former was a contingency in case the Ki-43 III did not get past its teething problems and is a lightweight variant - somewhat more maneuverable. It can be produced until the Ki-44 II makes it pointless. [The Ki-43 I lacks drop tanks and bombs - but the Ki-27 has both] The Ki-33 was a light weight A5M1 that competed against the Ki-27 and lost. It is a super maneuverable Claude and it was closely related to other A5M1s which were used to test the 330 liter Zero Drop tank and the 20 mm guns for the Zero. Our Japanese test team wanted a version of the Ki-33 which had these features - and it is possible (but only made available in Japan Enhanced Scenarios 99 and 105). This permits production of more fighters early in the war because numbers are limited by engine production - and in fact the Oscar (Ki-43 uses the same engine as the Zero - creating a bit of a problem for IJ players - who also need the very same engine for many other types). The Ki-33 II is, in effect, a super Claude with range like a Ki-27 but more punch - and it is also more maneuverable than the A5M4 and A5M4a (already available in JES scenarios).

Class files were reworked to better model the Akitsu Maru. This ship and her sister have seven different sub-classes: early and late models of LSD and AKVs, and a CVE variant. Both LSD and CVE can convert back and forth to and from AKV form (as indeed most RHS carriers can do). But the Akitsu Maru as LSD actually is an AKV - you just can't use it that way due to game mechanics - so the "conversion" or "upgrade" (it depends on which combination you are trying to do - both exist) only takes one day. Converting a CVE to AKV takes longer - because although it is the same ship, it involves removing (or restoring) some equipment accociated with flight operations). AKVs in game terms permit you to transport land planes (or carrier planes) without regard to size and without crating and uncrating them. They are also superb troop transports and general AKs - in a sense that game carriers are not (but real carriers actually are - although as stated - a carrier used as a transport lacks some equipment required for flight ops).

I discovered that in February 1942 the KNIL formed up a local militia company at Manokawari, Dutch New Guinea.
Unable to defeat the invading Japanese, the unit went into the jungle and survived to join Allied forces when they
reinvaded the area later in the war.

About 100 locations - all small towns or uninhabited points able to be turned into ports and/or airfields - were reviewed. 40-50 were revised - all of them Allied - mainly in NEI and the South Pacific - with a couple in China. The changes use the new system to get the port build or airfield build level correct - based on satellite imagery for the former and generally on what was eventually built for the latter. Resources and light industry was more carefully related to what is present - and surprisingly increased in both cases (unusual at this stage of development) - but only in tiny amounts. One location lost a population point, and 2 or 3 gained a repair shipyard.



What makes this update important is the aircraft rework - in particular for 102, 104 and 106.


I am stuck in a snowstorm and not home. I do not have the reworked Monsoon pwhexe files here. I HAVE updated ALL the WINTER and SPRING files in this update. I will issue MONSOON and possibly a few other minor things tomorrow - when I am home. The Winter and Spring files were either revised (if never updated) or reworked for minor eratta detected in various ways - they are entirely new and not going to change much going forward. All now have Adam's Bridge and reworked urban hexes, etc. in them.

[el cid again]

Although I didn't intend to take this long to "complete" Level I RHS
scenarios, I have decided it is worth the effort to correct identified
problems, large or small. Working on one thing, or responding to
comments or test data, often causes work on unplanned items. It is
my intention to wrap up the basics, so we can move on to other projects:
completing a full map Downfall (1945) Scenario first of all - then
possibly an extended map system (or Level II) variation - which may
use the Madagascar map from RHS/WITP - which has been rescaled by Mifune.
Sometimes, however, new information about things we can improve comes
up - and it is RHS policy to use that information if it will not cause
too much delay.