PC Gamer 3.4/1997-07_Disc_3.4.iso/patches/bga_133.zip/BGA.TXT

Text File | 1997-04-09 | 20KB | 382 lines

BATTLEGROUND: ARDENNES Readme

VERSION 1.33  4/97

Added Next Stack hot key CTRL-X.
Fix for Windows 95 white hex outline problem.
Added Extreme Fog-Of-War Optional Rule (no melee odds, no strength points
  for units in non-clear, non-smoke, non-fort hexes, and no morale).
Added red-highlighting of strength value of units not at full strength.
Change so that only External Passengers are visible to other side when
  Extreme FOW is in effect.
Added network play capability.

Fixed the Windows 95 white hex-outline problem.

New Accelerator key "Ctrl-X" moves the Hot Spot to the Next Stack.

Added an Extreme Fog-Of-War optional rule, which when in effect (note:
normal FOW must also be in effect) hides units' morale, melee odds, the
Strength Points (SP) of units in non-clear (including smoke and
fortification) hexes, and the passengers of transport vehicles (but not
those riding "externally" on tanks and other such armored vehicles).

When a unit drops below full strength, its SP number in the Unit List
turns from black to red.


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 1.32  2/97

Fixed incorrect Major Victory VP total in scenario 20 "The Tables Turned"
(dec20all.scn).

Corrected playing of bazooka video when 60mm mortars are fired.

Reduced the use of smoke by the A/I.

When FOW is in effect, *all* Improved Positions, Fortifications and
Minefields are now hidden. They are revealed when within the LOS of a
friendly unit in the same manner as if they were enemy units [Exception:
no "?" (Unknown-Unit) marker appears when a unit is adjacent to them; they
appear automatically whenever their hex is entered].

Added an "Initial View" item to the Options Menu. The Initial View 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 it may be set so that it is always the view that existed when
the program was last closed.

Added a "Rules..." button in the A/I Selection Dialog. Selecting this button
allows the player to use one or both of the following optional rules:

INDIRECT FIRE BY THE MAP: This option allows indirect-fire (only) weapons of
both sides to attack any hex on the map (within range, but regardless of
LOS). To fire by the map, simply right-click on the target hex as if firing
normally.
    If the target hex is in the LOS of a friendly (to the firer) unit
and contains one or more visible enemy units, the normally applicable attack
strength is used. If the target hex is in the LOS of a friendly unit but
contains no visible enemy unit, the normally applicable attack strength is
halved. If the target hex is not in the LOS of a friendly (to the firer)
unit and contains no visible enemy unit, the normally applicable attack
strength is quartered.
    The firing player will not receive a fire-effect report if the
target hex contains no visible enemy unit. The enemy player will receive a
fire-effect report in two-player hot-seat and play be e-mail.

DIGGING-IN CAPABILITY: This option allows non-vehicular units to create
Improved Positions during play. To have a unit attempt to dig in, Select it
during its Movement Phase, then Select the Toggle Digging-In item in the
Units Menu. If the unit is able to begin digging in, the "wheel" icon in its
data area in the Unit List will change to the "improved position" icon.
    A unit cannot attempt to dig in if it is disrupted, vehicular, has
fired in the preceding Prep Fire Phase, and/or has already conducted an
activity in the current Movement Phase. Digging in is prohibited in a hex
that already contains an Improved Position or a Fortification.
    A unit digging in cannot move or engage in any other movement-related
activity, has its attack strength (H# and S#) halved, cannot initiate an
assault, and counter-assaults at half of its otherwise-applicable strength.
A hidden unit digging in within enemy LOS is significantly more likely to
be revealed.
    If a unit becomes disrupted or retreats while digging in, its
digging-in status is immediately lost. A player can voluntarily cancel his
unit's digging-in status during any friendly phase by Selecting first the
unit and then the Toggle Digging-In menu item.



VERSION 1.31 1/97

Fixed corruption of battle file caused by choosing "Cancel" in Two-Player
Hot-Seat Replay option.

Fixed PBEM replay bug that caused crashes and hangs due to inadvertant
word-wrap in .bte file.



VERSION 1.3  9/96

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.

VICTORY POINTS: VPs are now deducted per Strength Point (SP) lost. Unit VPs,
objective VPs and scenario VP levels have been recalculated accordingly. A
unit's "VP" number in the Unit List now represents its *per-SP* value. To
find the unit's total VP value, multiply its VP number by its current number
of SPs.
    The new method of calculating unit VPs makes the per-SP value of
some weak units higher than that of more powerful units - but to view this
as meaning the weak unit is "worth more" than the strong one is comparing
apples and oranges. Each full-strength platoon's VP total is divided by the
number of SPs it contains to arrive at its per-SP value, so one with only
two SPs will tend to have a higher per-SP value than one with six SPs even
though the latter will have a higher overall VP value.

ASSAULT PHASE: 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 assaulted
during the next Assault Phase, and the assaulting unit(s) will automatically
occupy the hex.

Added bazooka video and sound effects.

Improved the AI targeting algorithm.

Added an Air Power reminder to the Command Report.

All units have their movement allowance halved while they are disrupted.
Their Unit List entry shows this halved allowance.

The red firing line does not appear if the firing unit's hex is not spotted.

When a unit fires, its facing on the 3D map changes so that it faces its
target.

The Artillery Dialog now uses shorter unit names so that the hex coordinates
are always visible.

Right-clicking in the Unit List changes the current terrain picture to a
diagrammatical display of the Hot Spot hex's hexside terrain.

Fixed crash caused by airstrikes.

Fixed bug that sometimes allowed trucks to spot for firing smoke.

INDIRECT-FIRE CLARIFICATION: An indirect-fire attack is applied against
each unit in the target hex. In addition, each target unit's Strength
Points (SPs) are multiplied by the applicable nominal attack factor and
the result is then divided by 5 to find the effective attack factor vs.
that unit. (In other words, effective AF = [nominal AF# * SP#] / 5)
    For example, a target unit of 5 SPs will have the nominal AF
applied to it. A target unit of 2 SPs will have 2/5 of the AF applied to
it. The rationale for this calculation is that the indirect-fire results
against a single target unit of, e.g., 4 SPs should be the same as the
total indirect-fire results against two target units of 2 SPs in the same
hex. The calculation will apply the indirect AF against target units
proportional to their SPs, thus resulting in a total combat result
comparable to firing at a single unit of the same total strength.



VERSION 1.2  4/96

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: ARDENNES main 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 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.)***

Corrected font and icon problems in the scenario editor.

Corrected the number of M7 self-propelled artillery batteries allotted to
U.S. armored divisions by the scenario editor.



VERSION 1.12  4/96

Fixed A/I bug that caused the program to hang when A/I anti-aircraft fire
was directed at an air unit in the same hex as the firing unit.

To view a unit's description in the Unit Handbook *while* that unit is
Selected in the main program, Select "Unit Handbook" in the Help Menu (or
press F2).



VERSION 1.11  3/96

Corrected video display problem.



VERSION 1.1  2/96

NEW MAP: A new Battleview map has been added. In the Display menu it is
called the "3D Zoom-Out Map", and shows the map at 50% of its normal size.

NEW TOOLBOX BUTTONS: Two new Toolbox buttons have been added.
    The button showing a cross with an arrow at each of its tips hides
(or displays) the Unit List and Terrain Info Box. When these are hidden,
more of the map appears in their place. To Select a unit in the current
Hot Spot hex when the Unit List is hidden, *right-click* on that hex to
reveal the Pop-Up Selection Dialog, then left-click on the name of the
desired unit in the dialog (holding down the Shift or Ctrl key while doing
so will let you Select more than one unit).
    The button with a bulls-eye and a "prohibited" symbol toggles (on
or off) a display of which hexes can be in the LOS of the current Hot Spot
hex. An "X" in a hex indicates *no* LOS. Note that this display does *not*
reflect scenario-specific effects, such as visibility (weather), the
presence of smoke/wrecks, etc.

NULL MODEM: Null Modem capability has been added to Modem Play. Null-modem
play requires a direct cable connection between the two computers. Users
should obtain a suitable serial communication cable and a null-modem
connector (available at computer supply stores). Note that under null
modem, the *exact* baud rate for both machines must be Selected. Note
also that some older machines may not have serial ports that can handle
speeds at or above 9600 baud, so a lower rate may have to be used.
    To start a scenario using null modem, launch the game by double-
clicking on the " Battleground: Ardennes" program item. Follow the same
onscreen procedure for starting a normal modem game (see p.39 of the
Players Guide), but answer "Yes" when the question "Are you using a
null-modem cable?" appears.
    To start a null-modem scenario via the "Kampfgruppe Peiper",
"Roadblock at Clervaux" or "Battle for Bastogne" program item, decide
who will be the Host and who will be the Caller (see the first paragraph
of 6.1 on p.39 of the Players Guide). Each player then launches the game
by double-clicking on the program item appropriate for the agreed-upon
scenario. Once the map appears on his screen, the Host Selects "Modem
Host", and the Caller Selects "Modem Caller", in the Modem Menu. Both
players then configure their modem port and baud rate. Upon successful
connection, the Host selects "New" from the File Menu (if starting a new
scenario) or "Open" (if resuming a saved battle), and opens the scenario.
Play then begins.

The modem-play Dial Dialog now "remembers" the previous number dialed.

The modem-play "phantom unit" bug in the Movement Phase and several other
small bugs have been fixed.

STRENGTH POINTS: Each unit now has a Strength Point (SP) size which has
an impact on combat, stacking, wreck effects, and the passenger capacity
of transport vehicles. The unit's SP size appears within a circle in the
lower left-hand corner of its illustration in the Unit List. Only when a
unit has been entirely eliminated is it counted as a loss for VP purposes
(and listed as a loss in the Strength Dialog).
    COMBAT: In combat, a unit attacks a number of times equal to its
SP size, and SP-loss results reduce the defender's SP size accordingly.
(See "NEW CRT" below.)
    STACKING: Maximum stacking per hex is now 24 SP or six units,
whichever is reached first. Passengers do not count, but wrecks do (see
next paragraph). If more units than the Unit List can display at one time
occupy a hex, two small arrows will appear in the lower right-hand corner
of the screen. Left-clicking on these arrows will scroll the Unit List
display.
    WRECKS: Each time a hard target loses a SP, it leaves a one-SP
wreck. Only when the number of wreck SPs in a hex reaches six does the
wreck affect LOS like smoke. The maximum number of wreck SPs that can
exist in a hex is 18. A wreck icon with no smoke depiction indicates that
less than 6 wreck SPs exist in the hex, while an icon with a smoke
depiction indicates 6-18 wreck SPs. To find the exact number, put the Hot
Spot in the wreck hex and check the wreck's SP size in the Unit List.
    PASSENGERS: Each "carrier" vehicle unit (i.e., truck, wagon,
basic halftrack) can carry *one* unit whose SP size is less than or equal
to the carrier unit's SP size. Each other vehicle type able to transport
an infantry-type unit can carry *one* such unit whose SP size is less than
or equal to *twice* that vehicular unit's SP size.

NEW CRT: The Combat Results Table has been changed to incorporate SP losses.
A positive number indicates a SP loss of that amount, and a "D" indicates a
Disruption result. However, Disruption results do not automatically cause
Disruption of the target unit. Instead, the program counts the number of
Disruption and SP results caused by the attack, then divides that number
by the SP size of the target to find a percentage chance of actual
Disruption. Note that the combat results given onscreen are the *net*
results of the attack. If an attack causes a SP loss *and* Disruption,
that target also suffers a morale loss of one.

FOG OF WAR: When FOW is in effect for a side, its hidden units will *not*
automatically be revealed when they are in enemy LOS. The program makes a
calculation for each hidden unit at the start of the turn, and again at
the end of the Movement Phase, to find which will remain hidden and which
are revealed. Generally, infantry and antitank guns are the hardest to
reveal. In addition, for any two units of the same kind, the one with a
bigger SP size will be revealed more easily than the other.

ARTILLERY AVAILABILITY: At the beginning of each friendly Player Turn,
the program makes a die roll for each of the friendly side's Indirect-Fire
units that fired in the previous turn to see which ones are still
"available" to fire again. The "Next Phase Report" lists how many are
"out of ammo" (i.e., not available for the present turn). The artillery-
availability numbers appear in the Terrain Info Box when you right-click in
it. They are labeled "Ammo", and are given in the form "#/#", with the
Allied # on the left and the Axis # on the right. Each number represents
the percentage chance of being able to fire again.