Reinforcement hexes in custom maps

Shakaali · Post by **Shakaali** » Tue Jan 22, 2002 2:49 pm

When I start a PBEM battle using custom map with both starts and victory hexes on random, the reinforcement and retreat hexes are on the wrong ends of the map, ie. my hexes are behind my opponents back and his/hers hexes are behind my back. It happens every single time. <img src="mad.gif" border="0"> <img src="mad.gif" border="0"> <img src="mad.gif" border="0">

Anybody got a clue why that happens and what could be done to avoid that?

RichardTheFirst · Post by **RichardTheFirst** » Tue Jan 22, 2002 3:17 pm

First time I hear about that, and that never happens to me.

You can always choose a map, go to the editor and make sure reinforcement hexes are where it should be. Then in PBEM make the battle Custom Random Both. But that is not the ideal solution.

BTW: what version do you have?

Don Doom · Post by **Don Doom** » Tue Jan 22, 2002 4:08 pm

Originally posted by Shakaali:
When I start a PBEM battle using custom map with both starts and victory hexes on random, the reinforcement and retreat hexes are on the wrong ends of the map, ie. my hexes are behind my opponents back and his/hers hexes are behind my back. It happens every single time. <img src="mad.gif" border="0"> <img src="mad.gif" border="0"> <img src="mad.gif" border="0">

Anybody got a clue why that happens and what could be done to avoid that?

Morning.

In the map editor the is a button for switching sides, load your map and then switch sides, make sure you use a virgin map ie no troops have been deployed. I have not tried doing the switch with deployed units. Have fun and good luck.
<img src="biggrin.gif" border="0"> <img src="wink.gif" border="0">

skukko · Post by **skukko** » Tue Jan 22, 2002 6:14 pm

You can take out former deployment data by saving map as a scenario to somewhere. Then delete *.rec of the scen, load it again and save map. Switch sides and !! place reinforcement and retreat flags to sides taht you have intends to use. !!

it works.

Lähetä kartta mulle niin voin sen tehdä.

mosh

Shakaali · Post by **Shakaali** » Wed Jan 23, 2002 12:38 am

Thanks, guys. But, it seems to happen on every map I use, on those that came with SPWAW, on those created by yours truly, on those created by someone else and on those randomly created by map editor.

I'm currently using version 7.0, but it's been happening ever since version 4.5, which was the first one I used.

It's really starting to drive me nuts.

skukko · Post by **skukko** » Wed Jan 23, 2002 2:47 am

Yeah, it is annoying that flag-data is not saved with map, if it is loaded to battle generator. This behavior was under investigations last summer, but unfortunately there were no room in code to fix it.

So, for custom map:

- Load map, set first player side from that switch in map-editor. Set reinforcement and retreat flags to correct sides, save map. Load map into battle generator with button saying; 'As designed' or 'Random vics'. Load map and it will have correctly set retreat/reinforcement hexes. And randomised Victory objectives.

This is must to do when using custom maps in generated battles, and pbems. If you want to use same map and flip sides, do as above.

In Random maps:

Set preferences before going into here. (Going again to preference -screen during battle setup will mess things for you <img src="frown.gif" border="0"> ) Set fighting forces/ game lenght/ visibility/ weather and map as random. Continue and you will have deploylines set as far away from each other as visibility is, all flags as they should be.

Here is one warning: Player who sets the battle should be player who Starts from lefthand side of the map. This is only 100% secure way to do it! If not at the left, game can cause some errors as you have already noted. Starter is by default in code at the left side of the map. Starting on random map from righthand side can be done and works best with custom maps. (You can for example create custom map in map-editor, set it correctly and load it into battle with that 'As designed' switch.)

With little practise maps can be loaded as they should be. When using same custom map and starting from left and right in differend games, you'll need two differend maps.

Hope this helps <img src="wink.gif" border="0">

mosh

Redleg · Post by **Redleg** » Wed Jan 23, 2002 8:04 am

Custom maps in generated battles are tricky!
Mosh has the correct info.

Take the extra couple of minutes to be sure all is well in the map before spending all of that time deploying...

swagman · Post by **swagman** » Wed Jan 23, 2002 10:53 am

Aaaah...time to savour an old problem which I have previously run a thread or two on...picked up some interesting info.

I think I have tried just about everything to get the sides to set correctly...placed the hexes, switched sides on the map, switched sides in the battle generator...and it seems like my units and the retreat/reinforcement hexes are like opposite poles...no matter what I do the hexes skittle to the opposite side of the map...

BUT THERE IS A SOLUTION (I believe...given to me by one of the wizards of the forum). I haven't tested this rigorously, but in the games I've used it I have had no problem.

<img src="smile.gif" border="0"> <img src="smile.gif" border="0"> SOLUTION: the custom map must be created in editor with the same nationalities on the same map-sides as will be used in the Generated Scenario. <img src="smile.gif" border="0"> <img src="smile.gif" border="0">

Of course, for some reason, the supplied map set seems to accept any combination without a problem.

In the bad old days I went into Editor, leaving the nationalities the default german/soviet...then used the map for a US/Japan generated battle...it didn't like that...now if I want a US/Japan I set the sides in Editor before going into the Map Editor.

Hope this helps

skukko · Post by **skukko** » Wed Jan 23, 2002 9:01 pm

Good point Swagman <img src="wink.gif" border="0"> I do as you said and it is my behavior so hard that I didn't even think about it anymore. Very good note <img src="biggrin.gif" border="0">

mosh

Shakaali · Post by **Shakaali** » Thu Jan 24, 2002 12:30 am

Thank you, Mosh and Swagman. I hope the info you've given me keeps me out of loony bin for a little further

<img src="biggrin.gif" border="0"> <img src="biggrin.gif" border="0"> <img src="biggrin.gif" border="0">

skukko · Post by **skukko** » Thu Feb 07, 2002 2:29 pm

skukko · Post by **skukko** » Thu Apr 04, 2002 1:49 pm

bumpy

Jack · Post by **Jack** » Fri Apr 05, 2002 6:10 am

It is really too bad that you have to go to all that trouble to use a custom map for a BPEM game. I brought this up almost a year ago and still no improvements made as far as the reinforcement hex goes and set up side.
I find there are two different types of people who play SPWAW. Those who only play the AI, and rarely another human, and those like me who prefer to play against humans. I guess maybe our wheel isn't squeeky enough to get much grease.
You can make such great maps but not get the full benifet for PBEM.
Roll Low