H&D Deluxe; the ultimate mod; Mission overhauls

[p.jakub88]

Further changes that i implemented into the Poland 1 mission:

-> now the sound of the alarm siren last longer and it is louder. The alarm is also heard only at the airport and in its vicinity - not on the whole map as it was before;

-> added missing "sounds of door opening" to all usable doors in the airfield buildings;

-> now both hangars are accessible. I needed to edit the hangar next to the Ju87 bomber, because by default the player cannot enter it;

-> i optimized the patrol route of the German soldier, who started the patrol next to one of the hangars. I extended his patrol route along all fighters parked below the camouflage nets;

-> added "wind flags" for measuring the wind direction and intensity (see attached picture);

-> added "reflective markers" to ends of both runways (see attached picture).

[p.jakub88]

I implemented further changes into the Poland 1 mission:

-> re-parked some fighters - now all of them are located under the camouflage nets and inside the hangars (one fighter in each hangar);

-> video briefing edited to show the current places where i put the re-positioned fighters (see attached picture);

-> added missing camouflage net on top of the "concrete parking space" with fighter located near the building with the control tower;

-> added mechanics armed with Luger pistols to both hangars;

-> added more equipment to both hangars, because they looked too empty by default;

-> removed spawning enemy reinforcements on the side road consisting of 4 mountain-ranger soldiers on foot, because they were not a real threat for the player after all. Still there are many enemy soldiers that will spawn from the airfield barracks when the alarm sounds.

[p.jakub88]

Below i attached pictures to show you what the hangars interiors look like now - after i changed them.

[p.jakub88]

Below i posted my newest Poland 1 mission update.

Below i attached also the models.mod.rar archive that contains the "wind flag", "reflective marker" and "camouflage net" models added by me into the Poland 1 mission.

Please download the sounds.mod archive attached below and unpack it to your main H&D Deluxe directory (it contains the edited alarm siren sound).

This is my final update regarding the Poland 1 mission - unless noticeable bugs will be found.

[p.jakub88]

Meanwhile i looked again into the Poland 2 mission. Changes that i implemented so far:

-> endurance skill of all enemies set to 50%;

-> restored previously removed 4th SAS team member (he could have arrived by landing craft with the pilot after all);

-> some of the enemy paratroopers are now equipped with the new custom FG-42 automatic rifle.


Below i posted my newest Poland 2 update. Please don't forget also about downloading the FG-42 files that i uploaded earlier on the H&D forums: viewtopic.php?f=27&t=38003&start=195 (last post on the page)!

This is my final update regarding the Poland 2 mission - unless noticeable bugs will be found.

[p.jakub88]

OK. So now i will look again into the Ardenes campaign. Changes that i implemented in the Ardenes 1 mission so far:

-> endurance skill of all enemies set to 50%;

-> re-positioned the halftrack - i placed it closer to the destroyed bridge in order to increase his "defense capabilities";

-> video briefing edited - re-positioned the halftrack on the video briefing to reflect its new position on the map (see attached picture);

-> replaced one of the Panther tanks with a Tiger tank (like seen on the video briefing);

-> replaced both default Flak 20 mm AA-guns with custom models.

[NilsZ]

-> removed spawning enemy reinforcements on the side road consisting of 4 mountain-ranger soldiers on foot, because they were not a real threat for the player after all. Still there are many enemy soldiers that will spawn from the airfield barracks when the alarm sounds.

I also really hate these scripted events. The AI has that nice feature to investigate they hear enemy fire, i don't know why the developers didn't use this feature more than the stupid scripted events.

[p.jakub88]

-> removed spawning enemy reinforcements on the side road consisting of 4 mountain-ranger soldiers on foot, because they were not a real threat for the player after all. Still there are many enemy soldiers that will spawn from the airfield barracks when the alarm sounds.

I also really hate these scripted events. The AI has that nice feature to investigate they hear enemy fire, i don't know why the developers didn't use this feature more than the stupid scripted events.

Well, those scripted events are not that bad - many games from that period used them a lot as well (like MOH:AA). For me more annoying is the fact that the enemy AI in H&D Deluxe doesn't react when finds their fallen comrades and the patrolling enemies always stick to their patrol routes - never chasing the player or investigating further. You will need additional scripting (detectors) to make AI act the way you want it to - which doesn't always work out.

[p.jakub88]

Further changes that i implemented into the Ardenes 1 mission:

-> now the player need to destroy the whole pontoon bridge in order to fulfill the 1st objective of the mission. Placing time-bomb on each of the supporting boat (as mentioned in the video briefing) will destroy bridge parts connected to it. So you will need in total of 3 time-bombs to destroy the whole pontoon bridge and fulfill the objective. Such bridge type is rather quick to build by army engineers after all, so destroying only a part of it won't help much for cutting the German supply lines;

-> changed the text description of the 1st mission objective in order to reflect the fact that the player will need now to destroy the whole pontoon bridge (see attached picture). Please download the updated data.dta archive posted below.

[Myron]

Well my point is, the k98 is not an indoor weapon, so I really doubt they'd be on board a submarine, nor be used when boarding another ship.

I understand, but maybe the sailors that boarded the cruiser were its original crew rescued by the U-boat then ordered to get back on the cruiser in order to secure code books and decoding machine (or at least destroy them). In my reference image the Kriegsmarine sailor is holding a K98 Mauser. In the open space on the cruiser's deck bolt-action rifle will be better than a submachine-gun in distant shooting. SMG fits better for interiors.

Small correction; the instructor said that the crew was taken prisoner.
But I get you.

[Myron]

When making the hangars accessible, did you make up the inside details, or copy them from the original FFF mission? :)

The tire tracks make less sense without the planes there. :(

Scattered planes are harder to protect from saboteurs, but safer from air-raids. I think given the place's location, I think the latter is much more possible.
Maybe you can add more planes? Or erase the tracks. Though I prefer more planes. :)

P.S. The Poland 1 mission once inspired me to fantasize this scene, but with the Mig-31 replaced by an Me262 and the Russians with Germans.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdfMQdb_5FY

Watch the full movie here, if you want. You must scroll down to watch it.
https://www2.putlocker.fyi/firefox/

Anyway, I made the downloads, but I have little time at the moment. Please be patient. Vacation time for the other staff isn't over yet.

[p.jakub88]

When making the hangars accessible, did you make up the inside details, or copy them from the original FFF mission? :)

The tire tracks make less sense without the planes there. :(

Scattered planes are harder to protect from saboteurs, but safer from air-raids. I think given the place's location, I think the latter is much more possible.
Maybe you can add more planes? Or erase the tracks. Though I prefer more planes. :)

I added more equipment into both hangars, because they looked too empty by default. However, the hangar construction itself was untouched by me.

Let say that they re-parked the planes due to the bad weather.

It is raining, not snowing - so the tire tracks could be still visible on the ground after all. The tire tracks are part of the ground texture by the way. I highly doubt an Allied air raid in such weather conditions.

[p.jakub88]

Small correction; the instructor said that the crew was taken prisoner.
But I get you.

Some of the cruiser crew could have been saved by the Germans though. Perhaps the cruiser was accompanied by some Kriegsmarine fleet support units and they managed to evacuate part of the crew before the Allied ships arrived.

[p.jakub88]

Further changes that i implemented into the Ardenes 1 mission:

-> added a wooden garage - it will serve either for parking a small vehicle or to store equipment (weapons). See picture below. Please download the attached models.mod.rar archive - it contains the edited "wooden garage" model;

-> added 3 crates with the MAS-36 rifles into the wooden garage. Please don't forget about downloading the MAS-36 files that i uploaded earlier on the H&D forums: viewtopic.php?f=27&t=38003&start=195 (last post on the page);

-> added driveable Kubelwagen to the wooden garage;

-> added a German soldier armed with K98 Mauser, that will patrol part of the destroyed bridge - starting from the right bank of the river;

-> added a Stug III tank destroyer with crew on the right bank of the river at the end of the pontoon bridge.

[p.jakub88]

OK. So now i will look again into the Ardenes 2 mission. Changes that i implemented in the Ardenes 2 mission so far:

-> endurance skill of all enemies set to 50%;

-> video briefing edited - removed the red markings showing the placement of the minefields. I didn't add new minefields, so you already know where the minefields are - since you played this mission. See attached picture;

-> video briefing edited - removed the red markings showing the positions of hidden enemy tanks. If there are hidden, why we should know their positions? It doesn't make sense. See attached picture.