CSA Overhaul

[AACW3Plz]

This mod started with the purpose of addressing the command system in the game. Essentially, there is no place for Brigadiers and Colonels. In the vanilla game, all leaders have Division capability, making them de-facto Major Generals or at least senior Brigadiers. With Quantrill, Mosby, etc running around, this doesn't make sense.

I have overhauled Colonels and Brigadiers entirely. They are attachable to Brigades and Regiments and provide CP, but cannot form Divisions. They can, however, be put in Divisions. Brigadiers provide 3 CP, Colonels 1 CP, and Division costs have been modified. Spawn times have also been revised, so as an example, Colonel DH Hill is around in the summer of 61, rather than spawning as a MG in 62. Promotions for Colonels and Brigadiers are accomplished by XP rather than standard promotions. I have changed some XP progression rates to reflect seniority, but there is still an element of randomness. Longstreet, Jackson, Bragg, Hardee, Huger, Holmes, and EK Smith have fast progression rates, so they are likely to advance first.

To accomplish these changes, I have changed Colonels and Brigadiers to Support Units rather than "leaders" (you cannot disable Division Command for a Leader unit), and modified recruitable Brigades/Regiments to allow you to attach Colonels/Brigs, much like you can attach two Militia together. This is, however, a command assignment. You cannot detach them until they are promoted to a Leader unit, so if a Brigadier is assigned to a Brigade, he cannot be unattached until he is promoted to Major General.

I have also begun modifying Forcepools. You will notice individual Regiments of Conscripts are often recruitable, and that they can also usually be attached to Brigades. Sharpshooters and Light Infantry can also be attached to most brigades as well, and Horse Arty to Cavalry Regiments. You will also notice that Regulars are often not recruitable. I will likely modify forcepools to allow limited numbers of Regulars to start being recruited in 62 to reflect re-enlistments, but there were very few "Regulars" in 61. The current Forcepool is still very much beta, so it is subject to change. I will add the ability to recruit from KS, WV, and perhaps Maryland in future updates, although this will be predominantly Volunteer/Militia/Partisan units.

Existing Generals and units have had stats modified. Beauregard, for instance, is 3-0-3 at spawn (he basically lost Shiloh with his arrangements and showed no aptitude for offense anywhere else afaik). It should also be noted that low ranking officers can be killed, and will be, more frequently, as is appropriate with their positions. This is one of the reasons I will be adding more BGs, aside from the ability to play some alt-history. There are a few new ones already, including Lovell, Turner Ashby, Green, and Robert Garnett. Wise, Gregg, Elzey, Cocke etc will all be added in the future. I also changed some abilities and units. Sharpshooters are range 4 but lose their ability, and some generals with a knack for aggression or tactics have gained the ability under a different name.

This mod is intended to be used if you're playing as the CSA in April 61. The AI does not really understand the new units well so playing as the Union is inadvisable, but I do have intentions of making a Union version too. For now I will be focusing on changing how the Union side handles some things to give the CSA player some variation. I don't like forced events - eg in Vanilla Mac gets promoted even if he doesn't take WV, so I will be changing McDowell, McClellan, Butler, Banks, Patterson and Fremont to 2 stars with sub 10 seniority to see who can hit 3 stars first. This will add some replayability and variance without randomizing generals or anything too outlandish, and I can still stack the deck a bit to reflect likelihood (McClellan starting with Seniority 3 vs others at 4 or 5 or whatever). This is partially implemented already.

This mod is still very beta. There will be some issues. The chief one I have identified is that units generated by the initial script, rather than by Event or Recruiting, can't have attached leaders. I will probably eliminate the starting Sumter force from the Script and generate them by Event to resolve this. Initially I had planned to be at this stage of mod development around Thanksgiving, but I got Covid (I'm fine), and I changed a lot of things at the last minute because I didn't like how they were playing out in-game, so Happy New Years instead.

I want to thank a few people in closing. JohanDenver2, author of the CWDB mod, kindly allowed me the use of his graphics files. As a result, the game has a new coat of paint. Bohemund and Grimjaw have both given me a lot of helpful advice/info by pm, and Blood and Thunder has provided a lot of excitement and motivation.

To install, please copy your CW2 folder located in your install directory (likely C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Civil War II) and rename it to CSACommand, then extract the mod to your Install directory and Over-write when prompted. Then, open your Modpath file in notepad and enter the text "CSACommand", save, and close. If there are problems, pm me.

http://www.dropbox.com/s/pq58dpkhir9tpu ... d.zip?dl=0

[Durk]

Very interesting conceptually, it appears you are on to something. Nice integration of levels of command. I look forward to seeing your work up close.

[Nikel]

Thanks.

Cannot download.

Do you have to log in box.com to work?

[AACW3Plz]

Thanks.

Cannot download.

Do you have to log in box.com to work?

I didn't think so but he's an alt link just in case -

http://www.dropbox.com/s/pq58dpkhir9tpu ... d.zip?dl=0

[Nikel]

Dropbox worked here, thanks!

[AACW3Plz]

Hope you enjoy :-) Thanks for the pm

[utvols2625]

New user, wouldn't let me PM you. I got the mod installed and the game to run but I get a lot of errors to the point that it crashes. Any suggestions? from the few turns I got to process, I liked what I saw.

[Blood and Thunder Brigade]

Good to see this bolting out of the gate! Well done, mate!

[andrzej]

Very interesting idea! I will definitely study your mod. I also hope to use the idea with colonels and foremen for the RUS game, where junior officers also commanded many well-known units.

[AACW3Plz]

New user, wouldn't let me PM you. I got the mod installed and the game to run but I get a lot of errors to the point that it crashes. Any suggestions? from the few turns I got to process, I liked what I saw.

I'd have to know what the errors were, but usually with mods it's duplicate units/models. 1 screwy entry in an Alias file can do a lot of damage too. By chance do you have any other mods, or have you modified the base game much? I kept the Generals/Leaders in this mod to the same Unit/Model numbers as the vanilla game (as far as I know) to avoid issues.

[AACW3Plz]

I do want to post an update here.

My wife passed of cancer a week or so after I initially posted the mod. I am starting to get some normalcy in my life again but not to the point that I'm working on this mod, or at least not for another few weeks. Single dad now so a lot to juggle at the moment. I'd like to ultimately continue with this, as I had fun doing it, but until the estate is settled and I'm personally less of a mess I really can't find the time or focus to do much.

Future plans still include more generals, changed force pools, recruiting in border states, etc, and this isn't an abandoned project, but it is a delayed one.

[Nikel]

Sorry for your loss AACW3Plz

Even though partially, time always heals the wounds.

[Stratman]

Sorry for your loss AACW3Plz!

I lost my beloved wife 5 years ago also because of cancer.
I know what it is.

Sure time always heals the wounds.

Thanks for your work!