CD Action 28 B/cdactioncoverdisc28b.iso/bgpatches/gettysburg/readme.txt

Text File | 1997-11-14 | 21KB | 803 lines

BATTLEGROUND: GETTYSBURG readme


When attempting play by e-mail (PBEM) or any type of modem play, both

players must have the same version of the game.



VERSION 1.33  8/97


Recrewed artillery batteries get a morale value of F.


Fixed Fatigue highlight FOW issue.


Reinforcements arriving in Objective hex cause change of ownership.


Extreme FOW hides arrival and release probabilities.


Fixed PBEM replay bug that happened on second day of full battle.


Minor changes to units.


Added some new scenarios.




VERSION 1.32  5/97


Fixed "bases-off" highlighting bug.


Fixed AI reporting bug when artillery limbered.


Fixed crash caused by accessing the toolbox while the Leader Dialog is

active.


Fixed melee bug that resulted in double losses when the defending unit(s)

could not retreat.


Changed leader losses in an automatic-victory melee from "Killed" to

"Captured".


Made minor adjustments to unit strengths in several scenarios in the

Gettysburg and Little Round Top modules.




VERSION 1.31  4/97


Fixed melee bug that could sometimes eliminate defending units.


Fixed bug that resulted in higher leader losses when firing on a leader

alone in a hex.


Fixed the Windows 95 white hex outline problem.


Fixed the Help button in the Leader Casualty Dialog.


Set the strengths of the regiments in Garfield's Brigade at "500" each.


Improved A/I multi-hex melee capability.


Uncrewed artillery units are now labeled as "Uncrewed" in the Unit List.


Arriving artillery batteries now add to the ammo pool of their side by a

fixed amount determined by the parameter data for that module.


A unit at maximum ("9") fatigue that suffers another gain in fatigue does

not rout immediately, but must take a morale check the next time morale is

checked.


A unit at maximum ("9") fatigue has a -4 morale modifier and a +4 modifier

when firing (other high fatigue units have -2 and +2).


When a unit is eliminated by fire, one other unit (chosen at random) in that

same hex undergoes a rout check and has its fatigue increased by one.


If every unit attacking in a melee is eliminated, none of the units defending

in that melee become disrupted.


If every unit defending in a melee is a leader or supply wagon, none of the

units attacking in that melee become disrupted.


If a defending unit in a melee is forced to retreat, and is attacked again

that phase in a subsequent melee, it defends at half strength.


Rally is now possible at night. For rally purposes, the morale of a unit at

night is half the normal morale of the unit, fractions rounded up.


A unit moving in line formation at night automatically becomes disrupted.


Except at night, the rally bonus of leaders at the Corps level or above

extends into adjacent hexes.


Added yellow highlighting of Command values of leaders who have failed their

command check.


The "D" Disruption icon now appears in the Target and Selection Dialogs to

indicate such units.


Clicking on an entry in the Release Dialog causes that organization to

become highlighted on the map. Double-clicking or selecting OK causes the

Release Dialog to be closed and the organization to remain highlighted.

Selecting Cancel causes the organization to become unhighlighted.


Double-clicking on a unit in the Search Results list of the Find Dialog

closes the dialog and causes the map to scroll to that unit.


Double-clicking on an entry in the Scheduled Dialog displays a dialog

showing the individual units in the reinforcement.


Right-clicking on a unit in the Unit List displays that unit's normal

full-strength value in the game, if it is currently below full strength.


The jump map now shows units that are Unknown.


No leader, supply wagon or routed unit can change the control of an

objective hex.


A scenario will now end if all units from one side have been eliminated

and the other side controls all objectives.


Added more optional rules (accessible via the "Rules..." button in the A/I

Selection Dialog):

    QUALITY MELEE MODIFIERS: This causes additional modifiers to be

applied to melees. If the minimum quality of all units attacking in a melee

is A or B, "1" is added to the melee differential; if their minimum quality

is E or F, "1" is subtracted from the melee differential. If the minimum

quality of all units defending in a melee is A or B, "1" is subtracted from

the melee differential; if their minimum quality is E or F, "1" is added to

the melee differential.

    ISOLATION RULES: Isolation is now optional, but is "on" by default.

When a unit is Isolated, a red rectangle appears behind its Strength value

in the Unit List. An Isolated artillery unit can run low on or out of

ammunition in the same manner and with the same effects as infantry. (The

artillery unit becomes resupplied when no longer Isolated, provided its

side's ammo pool is greater than zero.) An Isolated leader receives no

benefits from his superiors during command checks. Isolated cavalry can be

melee-attacked by infantry even if mounted. The strength of an Isolated

unit in melee is normal when attacking and quartered when defending.

    EXTREME FOG-OF-WAR: This hides each unit's name, quality, exact

strength (including weapon type and range), organizational info and current

movement allowance, plus each leader's command and leadership ratings, from

the opponent. [Exception: the strength of unlimbered artillery is not

hidden.] The unit's name and organizational info re-appear whenever it is

within an enemy unit's Zone of Control. Note that Extreme Fog-Of-War effects

can apply only when normal FOW is also in effect for a side.

    PARTIAL RETREATS: This allows a unit forced to retreat from a melee

into an overstacking situation to lose a portion of its strength in order

to allow it to retreat into the hex instead of being completely eliminated

due to overstacking.


Added a "Highlight" menu item in the Display Menu. This opens a submenu

that allows the player to highlight units of the selected type. The items

in the submenu are as follows:

* FIXED UNITS

* SPOTTED UNITS

* LOW ON OR OUT OF AMMO, OR UNCREWED

* FIRED/FOUGHT UNITS

* MOVED UNITS

* DISRUPTED UNITS

* DETACHED UNITS

* HIGH-FATIGUE UNITS (all units on the map that currently have a Fatigue

  level of "7" or more)

* ISOLATED UNITS

* NON-FULL-STRENGTH UNITS (all units on the map that are currently at less

  than their normal full strength in the game)

* SUPPLY WAGONS

* ORGANIZATION


Added the following new menu items in The Options Menu:

    GRAPHICS BUFFERING: This menu item causes a double-buffering

graphics technique to be used when drawing the 3D graphics. This greatly

reduces the amount of screen flicker caused by screen updates, but will

reduce the speed of the graphics. Players should use this option as they

prefer.

    INITIAL VIEW: This menu item is used to define the initial view of

the map shown when the main program is started. This may be set to any of

the standard 2D or 3D map views, or may be set so that it is always the

view that existed when the program was last closed.

    OPTIONAL RULES: This menu item is used to display the Optional

Rules so that those (if any) in effect for the current scenario can be

viewed.


Added new Accelerator keys:

    Ctrl-X - moves the Hot Spot to the Next Stack

    F5 - slows down A/I Action Dialog processing

    F6 - returns A/I Action Dialog processing to normal speed

    F7 - speeds up A/I Action Dialog processing



TCP/IP INTERNET PLAY


Internet play is now supported. Prior to beginning TCP/IP Internet play,

both players should ensure that they have a valid TCP/IP connection

established on their computers. Typically this is a service of your Internet

Service Provider.

1. Select "Modem Host" or "Modem Caller" from the Menu screen.

2. Select "Internet Connection".

3. The Modem Host should select a new scenario or resume a previously saved

   game. The Modem Caller should select the corresponding module for the

   chosen scenario or battle.

4. A dialog on the Modem Host system will appear, containing the Internet

   address for the Modem Host. Note: Typically this address is changed by

   your Internet Service Provider each time an Internet Connection is

   established.

5. The Modem Host should then provide the Caller with this address. This

   can be done by calling the Caller on a separate line, by sending the

   address through E-Mail, or by using an Internet "chat" program. The

   Modem Caller will then type this address into his Internet connection

   dialog. He can also specify an encryption key at this time. He should

   then choose Connect on the Connection dialog.

6. At this point, both players will have a Communication Dialog, and play

   will start or continue similar to standard Dial Up Modem Play (see

   section 7.1 in the Players Guide).


Added an "Internet Connection" menu item to the Special Menu. Normally you

will initiate Internet play after choosing either "Modem Host" or "Modem

Caller" from the main Menu Screen. However, if you wish to initiate it from

within the main program, you should select the "Internet Connection" menu

item prior to selecting "Modem Host" or "Modem Caller" in the Special Menu.




VERSION 1.3  2/97


Improved the AI movement of supply wagons.


Added a Leader Casualty Dialog (accessible via the Status Menu) to display

a running list of both sides' leader losses. A "K" indicates the leader was

killed, a "W" indicates he was wounded, and a "C" indicates he was captured.

Clicking on a leader's name in the dialog causes the map to scroll to the

location where he became a casualty.


Increased the effectiveness of infantry ranged fire vs. artillery crews.


The Enfilade modifier now applies when firing on limbered artillery.


A unit's movement allowance does not drop to zero when it moves next to a

"?" (Unknown-Unit) marker *if* that marker represents only an enemy leader

or any other unit that does not exert a Zone of Control into the hex. If

the "?" does represent an enemy leader, the moving unit can even enter its

hex and capture it.


Added a "Rules..." button in the A/I Selection Dialog. Selecting this button

allows the player to use one or more of the following optional rules:

    OPTIONAL FIRE-RESULTS TABLE: This causes the optional fire results

table to be used for all fire results in the scenario. See the section on

Optional Parameter Data in the Scenario Notes help file for more

information.

    OPTIONAL MELEE-RESULTS TABLE: This causes the optional melee results

table to be used for all melee results in the scenario. See the section on

Optional Parameter Data in the Scenario Notes help file for more

information.

    QUALITY-BASED FIRE MODIFIERS: Each ranged-fire attack by a

non-artillery unit whose Quality is "A" or "B" receives a +1 modifier. If

its Quality is "E" or "F", it receives a -1 instead. (Note that this rule,

which was introduced as standard in v1.22, is now optional.)

    HIGHER FATIGUE-RECOVERY RATES: This applies a higher fatigue

recovery rate. Given the default fatigue recovery rate R, this rule will

apply a fatigue recovery rate of three times R for units having a medium

(4-6) level of fatigue, and a recovery rate of five times R for units with

a low (1-3) level of fatigue. The default recovery rate still applies to

units suffering from high (7-9) fatigue.

    VICTORY POINTS FOR LEADER CASUALTIES: This causes points to be

awarded for the loss of leaders. The number of points awarded for a leader

casualty is nominally (C + L) x F, where C is the default command value of

the leader (A=6, B=5, etc.), L is the leadership rating of the leader (A=6,

B=5, etc.) and F is "1" for brigade leaders, "2" for division leaders, "3"

for corps leaders and "4" for army leaders. This value is then halved if

the leader was only wounded, or doubled if he was captured. Leader casualty

points are displayed in the Victory Dialog.

    ROUT LIMITING: This applies a morale modifier when determining the

spread of unit routing in order to reduce the frequency of multiple-hex

routing.




VERSION 1.24  1/97


Fixed PBEM replay bug that caused crashes and hangs due to inadvertant

word-wrap in .bte file.


Fixed melee bug related to automatic victory vs. routed units.


Fixed map data for path on south edge of \gb map.


Adjusted ranges for Parrott and Napoleon cannons.




VERSION 1.23  12/96


A unit's Fixed status is not revealed to the opponent when Fog of War is in

effect for its side.


Fixed corruption of battle file caused by choosing Cancel in Two-Player

Hot-Seat Replay option.




VERSION 1.22  9/96


The Scheduled and Release Dialogs now show the per-turn probability of

entry/release for each unit listed.


Each ranged-fire attack by a non-artillery unit whose Quality is "A" or

"B" receives a +1 modifier. If its Quality is "E" or "F", it receives a -1

instead.


The ranged-fire modifier for attacking a unit at a higher elevation is now

limited to a maximum of -2.


A unit taking a loss from a ranged-fire attack now suffers only a one-level

increase in fatigue.


The strength of each routed unit in melee is quartered (not halved).


A +2 melee modifier now applies if no attacking unit advanced into that hex

from within the Field of Fire of any unit defending in that melee.


VACANT HEX: When a hex becomes devoid of defending units as the result of an

Offensive Fire Phase attack, it becomes a Vacant Hex. (A red triangle icon

appears in the hex to mark it as such.) A Vacant Hex may be advanced into

during the next Melee Phase, and the advancing unit(s) will automatically

occupy the hex.


ISOLATION: A unit that begins its turn surrounded by enemy units, enemy

Zones of Control and/or impassable hexes/hexsides is considered Isolated.

Such a unit is indicated by having its S# in the Unit List printed on a red

background. It will also be mentioned as Isolated in the next friendly

Command Report. An Isolated unit may conduct ranged fire and initiate a

melee in the normal manner, but an Isolated unit attacked in the Melee Phase

is automatically eliminated.


Breastworks now appear even when "Units Off" is in effect.


Fixed units are no longer released when attacked by their own forces.


Units can no longer attempt to melee into Water or Blocked hexes.


Revised the Ranged-Fire and Melee tables.


Revised the ranges of Napoleon and Parrott cannons.


Added new 3D unit icons with Zouave, etc., uniforms.


Added two new scenarios: july1_3a.scn and lrt_a.scn.




VERSION 1.21  7/96


Fixed crash caused by second-in-command casualties.


Fixed artillery overstacking bug.


Fixed PBEM file corruption.


Changed Dawn to 5am, Day to 6am, Dusk to 7pm and Night to 8pm.


Put Hall's Battery back in "First Contact" scenario. (Was inadvertantly

omitted in v1.2 scenario.)




VERSION 1.2  7/96


SPECIAL OPTIONS: Clicking on this new menu-screen button lets you start

(or resume) a game using either Play by E-Mail (PBEM) or Hotseat with

Fog of War.


HOTSEAT WITH FOG OF WAR: This "Special Options" choice allows two players

to play a scenario using the same computer, with Fog of War in effect. When

one player has finished making his moves and/or attacks, the program draws

a blank map for the start of the next phase and informs him that it is now

his opponent's turn to move or attack.


Unit losses are now rated in strength-point increments of 25 (instead of

100) men.


Certain unit setups, and the time and place of some reinforcements, have

been altered in order to make the scenarios more historically accurate.


The time-of-entry of reinforcements can now vary; i.e., they do not

necessarily arrive on their scheduled turn.


Certain changes and corrections have been made to the terrain on several

of the maps.


Dawn and Dusk turns have been added. 4 AM and 5 AM turns are Dawn; 6 PM

and 7 PM turns are Dusk. The visibility during Dawn and Dusk turns is

four hexes.


All references to wooden fences have been removed from the parameter data.


Improvements were made to the A/I, especially regarding leaders and

routing.




VERSION 1.1  6/96


PLAY BY E-MAIL: The menu screen now offers a "play by e-mail" (PBEM) option.

To start a PBEM game, Select the button for this option, and Select whether

or not you are starting a new scenario. Next you choose the scenario. When

the map appears, choose the local side (i.e., the side you will play) and

whether or not Fog of War will be used. You can also set the Advantage (see

below) at this point. Then Select "OK", and proceed with play. When the

Defensive Fire Phase begins, you will get a message that local control is

over. You will be prompted to save the game (note that it must retain a

".bte" extension) and e-mail the saved-game file to your opponent.

    To resume the game on his end, the opponent downloads the file into

the subdirectory that contains the map used by that scenario. He then

double-clicks on the BATTLEGROUND: GETTYSBURG program icon, Selects the

PBEM option, and answers "No" to the question of whether he is starting a

new PBEM game. He then Selects the appropriate Map Set and saved-game file,

and Selects "OK". At this point an automatic "Replay" option to see the

other player's most recent moves/attacks is presented. After the replay is

finished (or if the player chooses not to view it), the next phase begins

and play resumes. At the end of local control, a prompt to e-mail the file

will appear.

    The same procedure is followed to play the remainder of the game,

with each player alternately playing and e-mailing the game to his opponent.

For more details on PBEM, Select "General Help" in the game's Help menu,

then Select "1.1.9 Special Menu".


ADVANTAGE: The A/I Selection dialog that appears when a new scenario is

started now allows you to give an advantage to one side or the other. Giving

an advantage means that combat losses for that side will be reduced below

normal and combat losses for the other side will be increased above normal.

Advantage values can range from 0 to 100 for either side. The default value

of "0" means that neither side gets an advantage. The "Set Advantage" menu

item is used to view or change the current Advantage value associated with

a battle. Advantage values cannot be changed during a modem-play or PBEM

game, however.


RECORDING BATTLES: Selecting the "Record Battle" feature of the Special

menu allows you to record a scenario as you play it. You can then "replay"

this saved battle later by Selecting "Replay" from the File menu.

    When you Select "Record Battle", a dialog box will appear which

allows you to name the file. After doing so, Select "OK" - and from this

point all turns will be saved into this file. At any time during play, you

can Select "Record Battle" again to turn off this feature.

    When you want to view the replay file, Select "Replay" in the File

menu. To halt the replay, press the "Esc" key. To resume the replay, Select

"Restart Replay" in the Special menu. Note that the replay will be from the

perspective of the other side in the game.

    ***IMPORTANT: You cannot record modem-play or PBEM battles. (The

Record Battle feature operates automatically during PBEM games.)***




VERSION 1.02  3/96


Fixed Snapshot bug in 16-bit or higher color modes.


Fixed Win '95 lock-up when exiting game.


Corrected entry time for 11th Mississippi.


Changed 5th Alabama in Archer's Brigade to 5th Alabama Battalion.




VERSION 1.01  2/96


Revised certain scenarios.


Fixed resupply bug, bug that affected melees against leaders and supply

wagons, and several minor bugs.