kohlenklau

This image comes from "The Blitzkrieg Legend"...
I ordered this book today. The version in English of course!

Lots and lots of great ideas for France 1940 scenarios!
 
 

Merci. But no, not to worry, please stay at your tasks mon ami.

If I can help (but I have lot of work at the moment...)

A smart guy like @laurent 22 will start a vehicle mod by FIRST using a "color grid" analysis so he knows the 2D-3D arrangement on the UV map. I tend to cut corners and get lazy.
A few tries of just making the new camo and I can usually figure out the odd areas. Trial and error I guess.
One of my favorite sources for making vehicle mods are the aftermarket scale model decal companies. Like "Bison" and "Star". In their sales websites, sometimes I can download the decal instructions which are full color and have great info on the unit and timeframe. Below is a cropped excerpt from one of their beautiful sheets. 

Also...I often go "font hunting" when I see something written on a vehicle. I have done a simple copy and paste BUT having the closest font to what I see is much better.
I think this F9755 is fairly well represented by Stardos Stencil font. You can grab it for free here. I will install the font and use it in GiMP to add text to some of my BEF vehicles.
https://fonts.google.com/specimen/Stardos+Stencil?preview.text=ARCHER F9755&preview.text_type=custom

 

Hi Tim. How goes it in Blighty? I am putting energy into the BEF1940 mod. If your PBEM plate clears up in a few weeks I would like to do one of those DARs and showcase the new mod in the forums...

Yes Phil you should.  And you're welcome 😆.

a few additional thoughts...maybe not all applicable but I wanted to puke it out for the record
For scenarios where it is "playable in all modes", the human wants to have flexibility to position HIS troops as he desires. Allies or Axis side. Some players get all angry if you limit them too much. oh well. The 3 different color set up zones can be fun to try and allow some flexibility for some units but not have a big gun up forward too far for example. You can have discontinuous usage of the 3 colors. 2,3,4+ big reds in the back. 2,3,4+ oranges mid way. 2,3,4+ pinks up front. same for the blue side.
The AI does what it is told. the little yellow dots and you face the unit with the green dot. 32 groups now I think and 5 AI plans. LOTS OF DOTS.
in the editor make sure all the stuff is in the proper colored set up zone(s) that match to the yellow set up dot of the AI plan for that group...OR IT GLITCHES.
I think I rattled that off correctly.  
FUN STUFF!

Thanks for the kind words. A couple other guys took me up several notches by sprinkling their magic into my "fake lobster"...Without them it would not be near as good.
@Damian45 has several awesome uniform mods YET to be showcased. I will get there I promise.
@Falaise has some BEF stuff that will see its debut very soon.
@JM Stuff is working a Belgium map and scenario as well. Maybe later in the fall or winter we shall see that Battle Pack.

the goal...we'll see
 

Cup of coffee in hand I spent some time on the hull and roadwheels in Blender and GiMP. I modified the mesh of the wheels to look more A13 like and ditched the lights and antenna. The wheels function properly in tests. I did start the camo job and added some initial markings. Maybe tomorrow the turret.


 
 
 

A new link for those Panzer IV's. Made a few changes as I work towards finishing them.
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/gfg3sl6azll41z6/AAALRoKuOaKEGzpsg0ZnQlWUa?dl=0
 

I am slowly trying to improve my winter whitewash look so please be patient.
Here are the latest versions of the Panzer IV's needed for Kevin's "Happy New Year Major Bake" scenario.
When I finally have them the best I can, I will upload to cmmods3.
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/n2x85n53h9e426m/AAA4vgQuAD3ak0oS-95hD6Vza?dl=0

It was very interesting to read this thread as it reminds me of what I often try to do.
I look at myself and see myself, using a half-*** Hollywood analogy, as a producer, director and actor for CM content creation.
producer: I gather up existing mods and use them in new projects. scrounger city!
director: I work with other modders to get stuff made for the new project. many good friends made along the way. 
actor: I DO make my own new mods for the new project. My lame efforts are the rotted cherry on top! hahaha
Usually I TRY to give credit but often miss ALL names. The older ghost content. For example, I recently sent a text to EZ for "permission" but had no reply.
I don't have any lawyers on the payroll because there is no damn payroll. 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CMFI FRANCE 1940 is alive and well.
 
 

PM sent as friendly offer to provide help if you need/want and hopefully I have the answer.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
EDITORIAL RANT:
BFC could make easy money with a new AFRIKA title.
They could borrow their ignorant "go backwards" system from CMRT.
The base game code of CMFI would be copied and pasted and edited into a new title that straddles November 1942 to May 1943.
CMOT? Combat Mission Operation Torch? I dunno.
The desert files from CMSF2 could be ported over. Tunisian stuff would most likely be doable under that umbrella.
Lots of the same flavor objects already sitting on the shelf as old content.
A bunch of CMAK scenarios could be reworked. 16 is the magic number Steve always asks for I think. 2 campaigns: 1 US and 1 German.
How many new vehicles are needed to be modelled? I don't know. Not that many would be my guess.
Charles works 60 hours a week Steve said when I asked if Charles was just part-time.
That was 6 months ago maybe?
That is 26 weeks ago.
1560 man-hours ago? 
COME ON POWERBALL!!!
 
 
 

Fire up old Bessie CMFI.
Scenario editor. Mission-data set to June 1944 Italy
Units-purchase axis-German Army-armor formations
Purchase Panzer Battalion 43 (mixed)
On the right side, click up at the overall battalion to expand it out.
Click up at the + sign to make it reddish. You can expand it all out to companies and platoons also if you want.
Just make sure it stays reddish on that right panel.
Down low you have your options, pick Panzer Aufklarung to make it green with an arrow "   >   " in green.
Then over a few columns select PzIII and PzIIIG
You should see that platoon change to G's. (in the support company)
Then make sure the entire battalion stays reddish...
Down low you have your options, NOW pick Pz IIIN (late) to make it green with an arrow "   >   " in green.
Then over a few columns select PzIII and PzIIIG 50mm
You should see that Bn HQ troop change to G's. 
You can then go back and delete out vehicles and platoons and purchase some long 50mm. My mods have the PzIIIN(late) I forget, my mod makes it a PZIVD.
I think my mod ditches the skirts with transprencies.
EDIT: Return date back to July 1943 and save scenario.
Enjoy North Africa!
Remember with bitterness how BFC could do all this so easily but are too busy. 
 

Fire up old Bessie CMFI.
Scenario editor. Mission-data set to June 1944 Italy
Units-purchase axis-German Army-armor formations
Purchase Panzer Battalion 43 (mixed)
On the right side, click up at the overall battalion to expand it out.
Click up at the + sign to make it reddish. You can expand it all out to companies and platoons also if you want.
Just make sure it stays reddish on that right panel.
Down low you have your options, pick Panzer Aufklarung to make it green with an arrow "   >   " in green.
Then over a few columns select PzIII and PzIIIG
You should see that platoon change to G's. (in the support company)
Then make sure the entire battalion stays reddish...
Down low you have your options, NOW pick Pz IIIN (late) to make it green with an arrow "   >   " in green.
Then over a few columns select PzIII and PzIIIG 50mm
You should see that Bn HQ troop change to G's. 
You can then go back and delete out vehicles and platoons and purchase some long 50mm. My mods have the PzIIIN(late) I forget, my mod makes it a PZIVD.
I think my mod ditches the skirts with transprencies.
EDIT: Return date back to July 1943 and save scenario.
Enjoy North Africa!
Remember with bitterness how BFC could do all this so easily but are too busy. 
 

Effectively is always something wrong with wheels !
 
Just find the good garage to repair it ! 😆
Tomorrow perhaps !!

coming soon

sgt. squarehead with a potential breakthrough.  opened up bir hakiim in the editor, went to save it.
it asked if i wanted to overwrite it (?).  i said yes and voila it appears in the scenario list now in game.
kohlenklau your brain can rest.  interesting that it asked to overwrite.  so it was there i just couldn't
see it (?)    Kohl actually many many thanks for doing all of this it's frikking amazing stuff and sgt
squarehead thanks for saving kohl's brain from permanent brain damage

I modded a splash background just to set the mood a bit better.

Here is the scenario cover view

Here is the map I made. A farmhouse on a small hill beyond the creek. In the distance is some road the Germans use for running supplies as they race towards the Meuse or the English Channel. The French are using the farmhouse to spot for artillery and this Waffen-SS platoon must eliminate the farmhouse.

Here is my Waffen-SS platoon trying to be as "France 1940" as I can get them.

I am not a TOE expert. I asked one of the BFC bubbas for help and I got no reply. Maybe I am "persona non grata"? I attached a 50mm mortar to the platoon of 4 squads. 
 

I can only do what I can do. If you don't like this, I know it isn't perfect, but please just move along...

I am not Audie Murphy so this thread isn't about great tactics but I will use what Dick Winters taught me when I watched "Band of Brothers" and set up a base of fire off on my left flank. 2 of my 4 squads will go over there along with the 50mm mortar.  Suppress the farmhouse and allow the remaining 2 squads to make their approach and close assault the joint. If needed.
But first I gotta cross the creek. I made the map so I know where all the fjords are. FJORDS? They are in Norway son! What we have here is shallow fords. Like a Pinto with bad shocks? hahaha, what a jokester. 
I do not know where Falaise has set up but I will use the magic of television to show what his troops look like. He made some great gear mods and I think our France 1940 French Army ensemble looks tres magnefique. That is French for "we can do this crap but BFC can't?"

I'm hopeful of designing a scenario or two after I poke around a bit.
I'm confused though in that none of the FR40 scenarios that I've put in the scenarios folder seem to be accessible in game.
More investigating needed.   This is my dream game (unless BFC does a WWI variant

Fakety fakety fakety fake lobster juicy good with fake butter roadwheel stabilizer added. 

 

I am sure there will be some little issues spotted. So, what the heck. Here it is now!
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/l7vq1tkou7jdx0f/AAAzqnXwNR9eXvqQk2SDdt_Pa?dl=0
@Bootie If you want to please place it up on CMMODSIV at your convenience sir. Thank you for your too often unsung service to the CM community. Use the below as the description.
FR40A BRONZE LEVEL INSTRUCTIONS
April 2023
WELCOME!
This is the CMFI France 1940 Mod "Bronze Level Release"!
THANKS!
My thanks to all those who helped make this possible: 
Damian45, Falaise, JM Stuff, kevinkin, Juju, sbobovyc. Others not listed.
Some mods displayed may be very old mods and I do not know who made them.
Mods such as CMBN buildings and such.
EASY INSTRUCTIONS!
1. Put scenarios in your CMFI scenario folder.
They have a prefix of FR40A.
2. Plop the mod folder in your CMFI z folder. 
If you have tons of extra German helmets in your z from other mods...you shoud temporarily pull them out. 
Or you will see an odd camo helmet on the France 1940 Germans. That would be sad.
3. Look at the "Nice to Haves" folder and make some decisions.
a. Do you want a different splash screen while playing the mod? Pick mine or Damian's. 
b. Plop the music in your z if you want a different tune as it loads.
c. The loading screens by Damian45 are awesome. I recommend them.
d. The String file changes the names of stuff. It is not dangerous.
But just know it should be removed out of z if you do other stuff.
Standard disclaimer. Use at your own risk. 
All materials are licensed work of BFC. 
I did this for free.
Best regards,
kohlenklau
 

Pierre is of a similar vintage as we are. Maybe a bit less dust on the bottle.
@PEB14 He just did all that Tony Tony Tim  stuff to MAKE you think he is old and feeble. Draw you in and then whammo.