Colonel Ric
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How To Create A New General

Thu May 21, 2020 7:52 pm

After a lot of trial and error ( and some advice from Grimjaw ), I finally figured out how to make new generals.

Notes before starting: I always create a new folder to COPY the files I am going to alter to create my new generals. This makes sure I don't mess up an existing general. Sometimes when this happens, it can crash the game, especially if they are tied to an event.

Also, the unit and model folders can be found in the Game Data folder.

IMPORTANT: If you do not delete the units and model cache files, then your general will not appear. This file regenerates, with your new general. If it makes you feel better, then move the files to a new folder outside of the game files.

Step 1: Get your leader portraits. They have to be the correct sized PNG files. What I did was get portraits from a list of generals on Wikipedia as JPG files, then used a free website to convert them to PNG. Make 3 copies of the PNG files.

To resize them, just open them in your image viewer or editor. I will give the approximate destination the files where they need to be placed with the correct sizes that my computer uses. I'm not sure, but the size may vary by computer and screen resolution. The easiest way to find out is by opening one of the games images in that folder and checking it's size. Make sure to go with the same name format in the folder. I will use Braxton Braggs files as examples:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Civil War II\CW2\Graphics\Armies&Fleets\Leader Army
36 x 48
Army_CSA_BBragg

C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Civil War II\CW2\Graphics\Portraits\Leader Portraits
170 x 280
mdl_CSA_BBragg

C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Civil War II\CW2\Graphics\Units\Leader Units
104 x 126
Unit_CSA_BBragg

2: Create a Model ( mdl ) File. Instead of generating them from scratch, I just copy the file of a general with the stats and rank I want to use to a different folder, change everything to the information for my general, save the file, and then rename it with my generals name AND the next corresponding model number. Just follow the pattern, plugging in the stuff for your general. If you are using the vanilla game, then the next model SHOULD be 870.

Note: The Portrait you will use will be the one in the following directory:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Civil War II\CW2\Graphics\Units\Leader Units

Once you have edited the file you COPIED ( make sure to copy it to your editing folder, DO NOT alter the original file or that general will be lost and the game may crash ), save it following the pattern of the other model files.

Next, open your new model file and copy the alias. It will look something like this: ldr_CSA_SBarton. After that, open the mdl_alias file in the same folder and scroll to the bottom. Follow the pattern and add your new general. Don't forget to add the "$" at the front of the alias entry.

Next, delete the "Models" cache file in the same folder.

Then go to the following folder: C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Civil War II\CW2\Aliases and do the same thing to the mdl_Alias file there.

3: Create a unit ( uni ) file. Copy the unit file of the same general you used for your model file. Make sure that it's the same number, like BBragg 1 or Bbragg2. Some generals only have 1 set, others have more.

Copy the alias to the alias file in that folder and the alias folder.

Delete the units cache file in that folder.

4: Adding Your General to the Game: Got to the following directory:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Civil War II\CW2\Events

And then make a copy of the CSA Leaders file and put it in it's own folder. This is in case you really screw up the file you are editing, you have the original to put back in. Do this with an events files you edit.

Either copy an event and plug your data in, or add you general to an existing one. The easiest is to add them to something like the '61 Generals Pool. Just follow the pattern. You will be using the alias from the unit file you created.

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Blood and Thunder Brigade
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Posts: 424
Joined: Wed Jun 08, 2016 2:56 pm
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Re: How To Create A New General

Mon Feb 12, 2024 10:18 am

As useful as this guide is, it doesn't seem to mention where to add entry dates for a newly created general, or where a new general should first appear on the map. Perhaps someone would be so kind as to fill in the blanks here.

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