Rokossovski

CMMODs has a Shock Force 1 spot again. It's in the drop down navigation window on the right. We just need Steve to give us access to the Repos so we can get all the stuff off of it.
 
You're in luck. Just about all your questions can be answered here. We had a big thread on it all just today.
 
Nope, but you thought you did. LOL. You've thought that for about eight years. All the Astan textures I ever had were culled from CM:A.
I believe he wanted the Muj and stuff for Shock Force 1. But for the record just about all the building and ground textures for SF and CM:A will work in SF2.
 
Mord.

Ok I spent a significant amount of time messing with reshade last night and decided to make a (took forever!) quick little  primer for people who haven't tried it yet, or for people who (like me) tried it and just had too many problems getting it to work. I solved that!
First off you'll want to head over to Reshade.me and dl the new 4.0.2 Reshade.
Now, go to where you dled it.
 


 

 
 
You can uninstall Reshade by redoing the exact same procedure. This time when you click your CM exe
it will remove Reshade. No muss no fuss.

Ok. Now comes the part a lot of us have had problems with. If you follow my instructions you'll be able to use Reshade with very little hassle. My pain is your gain. READ THROUGH THIS ONCE OR TWICE FIRST.
1b.) Start the CM game you installed reshade on. You'll see this (pic below). DO NOTHING.

 
2b.) Go to the editor (easiest to just do this in the editor).
3b.) Open a map and preview it. (You can open a scenario or QB or just a flat map. Not really important for this first part).
Now this is the tricky part. Just pay attention to your old buddy Mord and I am gonna get this working for you!
While you ARE IN THE EDITOR (AND EDITOR ONLY) hit the "Home" key. It will bring up a menu. Now, when you do this, for a lot of us the screen will rotate. If it does just pay attention to the menu box you see in the picture below. It will stay still. If it gets too much you can click "Home" again and it'll take you back to normal and you can get your bearings.
I suggest skipping through the tutorial you see in the pic for now.

 
4b.) Ok see the set of tabs? Click the Settings tab. EDITED: Go to Settings: Input Processing. Set it to "Pass on all input". No more spinning! BIG THANKS to Captain Reyes! Now choose "Effect Toggle Key". Now choose a key on your keyboard that you would like to toggle the Reshade effects. Make sure it isn't something CM uses. I use Shift+F2. Ok press whatever key you are gonna use. That will be used to toggle your effects on and off, obviously,

5b.) Now I am gonna give you some effects to get you started. These will be a good base for you to experiment with without a lot of guess work right off the bat. Ok, click the first tab that says "Home" next to "Settings" in the menu (NOT the keyboard "Home").
Now find the following and check them.
Tint [sepia]
Emphasize
FilmPass
ColorMatrix
GaussianBlur
Colourfulness
In this pic I chose all of the above and dragged them all to the top of the list so I always know where they are and I can experiment more easily. I highly suggest you do this to make it easy on you later.

 
Ok, do you have them all? Now, click the "Home" key on your keyboard.
Now, if you want to switch back and forth between Vanilla graphics and Reshade graphics you just hit the key you chose in part 4b.)
HERE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PART: Before you leave the editor make sure you toggle back to vanilla graphics. NEVER toggle Reshade graphics on outside of the editor, or outside of a battle.
NEVER toggle the Reshade menu ("Home" key) outside of the editor or a battle.
 
NOTE: If you screw up and do one of the above you'll have to find a way out of it. It won't damage your game or anything but it can take some trickery to get it back to normal. I've done it a bucnh of times now and am used to it. Don't panic if it happens! SEE CAPTAIN REYES'S POST BELOW.
Sounds like a lot but it's really quite easy. Once you do it for one game it won't take you long to have them all running using Reshade. And trust me it REALLY is worth it. I didn't think it was but now that I figured out not to open the menu or toggle the effects outside of the editor/battle it's a whole new world.
 
The screens speak for themselves!
 
VANILLA

 
BADASSERY!

 
Anybody that has any problems just ask and I'll do my best to help. I want you guys to experience this!
 
Mord.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Ok, did some very basic preliminary tests. Mostly seeing what can be done without hex editing. Did some texture swapping and used some masks to get the results I was looking for. These aren't perfect just proof of concept/dipping my toes. This won't be as good as my old civil war and mixed combatant mods but it'll do. With the Syrian Reserves being 98% free of shared textures a very decent Civil War mod and scenarios can be produced. Best results as I see it would be Syrian Reserves (Infantry and Mech), Combatants and Fighters against Syrian Mech, Guards, Airborne and Spec Ops. The Reserves have a pretty decent selection of tanks (and access to most AFV/IFVs) so it would be a decent match up.
Here's some alpha pics to get your imagination pumping.
 

 

NOTE: Combatants are not mixed in with Syrian Reserves.

 

 

 
Mord.

Under Syrian Formations Infantry and Mech Infantry, ATGM crews in the "Reserve Motorized Infantry Battalion" "Reserve Mech infantry Battalion (BTR) & (BMP)" are using a Mech/Guards uniform instead of the Reserve unifroms.
Found under D Company 1st Platoon for all.

 
Now if you choose a "Reserve Antitank Platoon" under Infantry Formations you'll get the regular uniforms that the Reserve troops use.

 
 
Also the ATGM crews in "Reserve Motorized Infantry Battalion"  "Reserve Mech infantry Battalion (BTR) & (BMP)" have screwed up floating icons when the type AT3B is chosen in the editor.
 

 

 
The other choices work fine.
AT 3C

 
AT 4A

 
AT 4C

 
Mord.
 
 
 
 

A quick, little skirmish...
 

The CMSF 2 manual is lacking here.

***IED***

IED's need to be activated before use. Each type of IED (Cell/Radio/Wire) has different issues - Cell and Radio IEDs are (should be) affected by ECM, but longer effective ranges.

Wire – shortest distance (about 100m), 10% failure 
Radio – medium distance (about 300m), requires line of sight, 20% failure
Cell phone – long distance (about 600m), 10% failure

Radio and Cell phone IED's can be jammed by IED jammer equipment (British Warriors).

These need to be activated with a "Target" order. If this is given to empty space, the IED will explode like a mine when someone is nearby. If this is targeted to a unit, the IED will explode when the unit is close.

An appropriate triggerman needs to set off the IED, and should be put within the distances above.

There are also Vehicle IEDs and IED mines. The latter are conventional minefields (but have a larger explosion), and the former are a vehicle, driver and spy unit. The spy has nothing to do with the VBIED, he's just a spy to scout for the insurgent forces. VBIED do not need activation either, they just explode on contact with opposition, with a massive explosion.

***Spies***

Spies come in two flavours - spies and Spy forward observers, with a radio. Both are unarmed and absolutely vital to the uncon game plan, since it's one of the advantages you have.  They're hard for the enemy to spot, and therefore are useful for getting eyes onto the enemy forces and relaying that information.

*** Fighters and Combatants ***

There are two types of Uncon forces, "fighter" are mujaheddin, fanatically motivated black-clad killers. They tend not to be particularly well trained, but they do have the best equipment, up to and including AT-14's, which are a serious threat, as well as medium mortars, on map or off.

"Combatants" are the more rag-tag types, generally worse equipped and led, but can be highly motivated.

The primary difference in CMSF 1 was the Civilian Density map setting. This setting exists in CMSF 2 but currently (presumably a bug) doesn't seem to have any actual game effect. 

In CMSF 1, civilian density would apply "stealth" to Combatants and the supporting teams (spies, etc.), but not Fighters. They would be able to "Move" without being seen, blending into the abstracted civilian population. This therefore meant that spies could hide and spot the enemy, Combatants could set up sneaky close-ranged ambushes, and Fighters could bring the firepower. I'm really hoping this gets fixed, since it's really fundamental to the game.

*** Vehicles ***

Supporting this are the transport and technical options. Transport here are taxis and pickup trucks, which behave as you'd expect. Technicals are pickups with weapons mounted on the rear, typically MGs but also RPG-29 and anti-air 14.5 mm MGs, which are important for shooting down drones. Technicals are difficult to use, since they're unarmoured but have a lot of firepower. They're useful for flanking, flank security and acting as a mobile reserve, but their utility is a bit suspicious in general.



Uncon advantages: 

- IEDs are really powerful and can't be detected.
- Cheap, well motivated troops, which can fight and die in place
- Able to use civilians as concealment (or should be able to - this is currently bugged)
- Complex terrain (particularly urban) is a massive equaliser. AK's and particularly RPG-7's are fantastic at close ranges, and pretty much as good as anything.

Uncon disadvantages:

- Poor training and equiipment
- Lack of night vision
- Poor or lacking C2 (and the command structure in general)
- Zero armour
- No artillery above medium mortars


Generally speaking, I'd assume that each "platoon"-like element can only really carry out one objective. If they succeed in their objective, but die in the process, then that should be considered a "win". Defensively you're probably then better off with isolated groups that manage their own defence, but which can support each other with overlapping RPG-29 or ATGM fires.

Offensively I think you have some serious difficulty - you really need Civilian Density to be fixed, since close ranged hit and run attacks seem to be the most sensible plan.

Having all games on one platform like DCS would be great, but I understand it could be difficult.
 
I am new here btw, hello everyone.
 

I like the idea and would love to see such an expansion.

I'd love to see some more vehicles in this game, hell I could even write you a list (with pictures), but I'm too busy foaming at the mouth over CM:SF2! 
This however could get my attention back. 

If anything you're likely to see the opposite happen. Marines from CMSF2 getting moved over to CMBS. I believe someone in the Russian military is still using Shilka - Russian naval infantry I think. People have been talking about wanting to see uncons in Ukraine.

Well, there is a completed "2018 Turkish Army" mod pack that I've still got to upload one of these days.
That'll get you a little bit closer to 'modern war' timeframe. It'll take some imagination to concoct modern Syria battle scenarios out of what's in the game but that's half the fun! It wouldn't be fun if it was easy.

This made me chuckle.
I agree with you in some ways. Particularly in CMSF1 there were a handful of scenario's that had time limits that were very restrictive, especially when dealing with urban warfare. The good news is, the more recently released games like CMFB and CMBS tend to have more appropriate time limits in my experience. Plus, you can always load up the scenario in question in the editor and increase the amount of time.
I do sympathize with some of the time limits. In many cases, they are the only real thing that gives the defender a chance at winning. It's a debate that's been had more than a few times here.

I don't care. Fight me. 

You could say the same thing about the Syrians in SF. They share the same equipment, why have Guards, Mech, Conscrips etc. we could just mod them?
Well, what if I want to play a game where Russian Separatists and regular Russians attack a town? I can't mod that. And neither can anyone else. They will always be mixed. More options is better than no options.
 
Mord.

I don't think it is entirely out of the question- they do vehicle packs, why not soldier packs?  Part of the issue is BF has always insisted that CMSF was not about the Syrian occupation, but rather just the invasion and they weren't real interested in the whole insurgency war.  That is something that is subject to change, but it would have to fit within the priorities they may have already decided upon and the cost value they see in this kind of thing.  Personally I would love it. A Muj pack would really enhance Afghanistan oriented scenarios. An African insurgent pack would open up whole new vistas for the war on terror concept.  Considering this is what the US has been fighting for almost 2 decades …..  that is just my 2 cents subject to inflation, devaluation of the Chinese yen and Iranian rial and removal of the gold standard post zombie apocalypse - I.e. worthless

That's my thought, at least as far as Muj go because:
1.) The TO&E structure could be pulled from SF2 Uncons/Fighters and tweaked to fit the specific forces.
2.) We'd only need about three or four unique soldier models. Like in CMA.
3.) What vehicles they would use are already in SF2. No need to create a bunch of new models like you would if it was say, the French army or something.
4.) It would take far less time than creating a module.
5.) It would be a great experiment to see if customers would go for something like this. After all the vehicle pack and 1st scenario pack were all testing the waters when they were released.
 
 
The funny thing is, look at just how many scenarios that were created based exactly on that. And a lot of them have proven it's damn good fun. I never understood the stubbornness regarding that. Three of our last four wars were basically centered around it. So, it's not like it is unrealistic. And it's there in the game already, it just needs to be a little less confining to make it all it could be.
 
Mord.
 
P.S. Do I sound desperate?
 

I've been quietly hoping for MORE UNCONS GODDAMMIT for some time now. 
A full price module that covered all the games would be a pack full of awesomeness in my opinion.....
FFI and various resistance organisations etc. for CM:BN & CM:FB
Assorted Partisans for CM:FI & CM:RT
Militants & Militias for CB:BS & CM:SF 2
The unique capabilities of these units would vastly expand the scope of the game. 
You could always do this.....In the editor go into preview mode and CTRL+Click on the face of the building you want to modify, with cunning use of ALT+CTRL+Click you can make some pretty cool looking modular buildings, even in the older games (& even if I do say it myself): 



PS - These pictures don't have any 'Flavour Objects' yet.....These can add a lot of, well, flavour to a map, and they offer the scenario designer the chance to script his scenarios in a slightly more involved fashion.
See @MOS:96B2P's epic CM:BS Tactical Operations Centre for a fine example of this technique:
Make sure you read the briefing very, very carefully. 
Please god.....No! 
The Uncons in CM:SF don't have a unit structure beyond the 'Group' (Platoon) and we've learnt in the intervening years that these groups are a lot better organised than that.....The CM:A 'Islamic Battalion' or 'Tribal Militia Command' would make an infinitely better starting point.
There is actually a valid reason for my still liking CM:A you know.....Barring a few odd quirks it's massively better than CM:SF, especially if you like Uncons.
I just hope that BF have given the Uncons a better command structure in CM:SF 2, otherwise CM:A will still be the best game in the series for Uncon warfare (especially HTH).

Means this, that reserve-units use the same textures like the regulars or does this means
regulars -> own texture
reserve > own texture
militia > own texture
 
Greetings, alex

yup, this would be cool!

Ideally it would be great if
militia, reserve, mech infantry, Republican Guard, airborne and special forces all had separate textures. Even if the camo stayed the same on some (Mech, RG), having them all with their own unique bmp names will give modders a lot of freedom to design. I hate shared textures. Hopefully it'll be close.
 
Mord.

Two roughly equal, but easily distinguishable Uncon factions would be a very handy thing to have.....When they're not fighting Red or Blue, they're fighting each other. 
Flexibility is king IMHO, the more we can do, the more we will.....CM players seem to be built that way.

Oh, and BTW, I'm in the middle of whipping up last minute texture changes to German Leopard 2s. I think after the game's released I'll upload a Turkish Leopard 2A4 texture as a 3rd party mod. So  people can play Turkey vs ISIS, Turkey vs Kurds, Turkey vs US...

MikeyD, thank you for responding.  Unfortunately what you describe is what I feared -- CMSF 2 not taking advantage of the "appearance" options already available in the other CM2 titles.
The appearance drop down menu allows scenarios where the same type of unit (Syrian regulars, say) to be present on both the "blue" and "red" side and have the appearance of belonging to different armies or factions. This enormously expands the options for red v. red scenarios. (Think Ethiopia v. Eritrea or any other clash involving eastern block equipment on both sides).
For example, the availability of two different options in the "appearance" drop down menu for the Ukrainians in CMBS ("standard" and "digital camo") in effect allows the creation of an entirely different faction. I use a mod the turns "digital camo" into the appearance of an unconventional force, which can either represent Ukrainian militia, or the Russian-backed separatists.  So, a scenario might include both Ukrainian troops, and the very same unit types but with a different appearance (and usually different soft factors) fighting against them as separatists in the same battle.
Similarly, in CMSF2, if there were multiple options in the appearance drop down menu for Syrians, it would greatly expand the possibilities for red v. red scenarios because Syrians on side "A" could look different from the "Syrians" on side "B."
That is all good to hear, but what I'm talking about is a different appearance between units, not a different appearance within units.  Variation within a unit does not create a different appearance for the same unit type selected to fight on different sides.
Thank you for the thought, but unfortunately I don't think so. Adding a unit tag would affect both sides.  So if one uses a mod tag to change the appearance of, say, Syrian regulars, it would change the appearance of those Syrian regulars that appear on both sides of the battle; thus it would not allow the Syrian regulars on side "A" look different from the Syrian regulars on side "B."  That is something the "appearance" drop down menu permits -- if Battlefront provides for more than one option.

In CMFI the Italian infantry squad is generally broke down into two large teams.  The disadvantage (and probably the posts you remember John) is that the two Italian teams cannot be further manipulated with the Administrative commands. 
The German, Commonwealth and American squads are generally broke down into three teams.  Then under Administrative commands the German, Commonwealth and American player has the following choices: Split Team, Assault Team, Ati-Tank Team, Scout Team and Combine Squad. 
This is one of the things that make the Italians more of a challenge to command in a scenario.  IMO it's also one of the interesting things about CMFI.  Really looking forward to the Rome to Victory module.     

A guy on CoC was asking about the Italians, and I mentioned to him the Italian squad fought as a single team. Man, did I get schooled! This is really important information, I believe, and I've asked him for references. TFL is Too Fat Lardies, the guys/firm which makes CoC. 

Stephen Philp Actually the Italians did use teams. It's well documented. The 15 man squadras in the Beraglieri and Alpini broke down into a 5 man LMG group (gruppo mitragliatori) under the caporale and a 8 man Rifle group (gruppo fucilieri) under the sergente for the squadra. The 20 man groups in the Fucilieri regiments broke down into a 9 man gruppo mitragliatori commanded by a 'corporal major' with 2 LMGs ('machine rifles') and an 10 man fucilieri group. The whole squadra was commanded by a Suttofficiale. Some of the period docs are in the share. Others have been discussed at length on the TFL forum. 
 
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10155824549384366&set=p.10155824549384366&type=3&theater&ifg=1
            The extensive TFL Forum discussion, including links to primary period docs, is below.   https://toofatlardies.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=9600&sid=561e69752bf70beaea91ccce013b03d9Regards,   John Kettler