Working on a gigantic DCG campaign...

E

Ettico

Charter Member
Still in the planning stages, but this DCG campaign will include practically two entire navies.

Yeah, I know what you're thinking. Slide show.

Wrong. Not if you have a mid-range or higher PC.

I've done the math. I've balanced out the order of battle so that these huge naval forces will fit into a single DCG campaign. This is possible because DCG "knows" how to handle naval forces so that not too many task groups will appear in a single mission.

The current plan includes a grand total of 22 task groups, including 10 carrier task groups, bombardment groups, striking forces, invasion groups, and supply groups. However, only 30% to 40% of these task groups will be present in a single mission, and only about 40% of those present in a given mission will include carriers and carrier based aircraft.

Part of the trick to making this work relies on the fact that no land based aircraft will exist in the campaign. There will be airfields, and there will be raids on airfields. The airfields will not be defended by land based aircraft. However, they may be defended by carrier based aircraft. A later updated version of the campaign may include amphibious landings - if I can work out the details.

The campaign will also include a specialized version of my "Airboss" DCG supplemental program, optimized for naval and carrier operations. Airboss will help to provide adequate CAP coverage, AI escorts for bombers, will help manage the task forces by providing progressive waypoint paths as the Third and Seventh Fleets move across the Central Pacific, eliminating destroyed ship squadrons, and (possibly) bringing in reserves as needed.

The campaign will be loosely based on the Central Pacific raids and the Leyte Gulf battles.

The same general game plan can be used to build a Midway campaign, which I plan to do later. This will allow DCG fans to progress through the battle of Midway, to the Solomons battles via my existing "Enterprise vs Japan" campaign, to the Central Pacific raids, culminating in the climactic battle for Leyte Gulf - which will be included in this Central Pacific campaign. If you don't get killed, and if your navy doesn't get sunk. Airboss-boosted carrier battles can get pretty rough, mainly because, unlike a "normal" DCG campaign, attacking bombers may be escorted by fighters (cue "Flight of the Valkyries" or other spooky music).

Go Navy! Or be all that you can be. It never hurts to have a few good men, and don't forget - nothing will stop the US Air Force.

A tentative order of battle follows.
 
Ettico,

This looks to be an outstanding endeavor. I may have to change my mind about DCG.

Thank you for all of your hard work and ambition! :ernae:
 
The US Order of Battle

U.S. ORDER OF BATTLE
____________________
____________________
THIRD FAST CARRIER FLEET (Halsey)
________________________________________________
Group 1 (McCain)
1 CV - Hornet - Air Group 11 - 24 VF, 16 VB, 8 VT
1 CVL - Cowpens - Air Group 22 - N/A
4 CA - Boston, Chester, Salt Lake City, Pensacola
2 CLAA - Oakland, San Diego
________________________________________________
Group 2 (Bogan)
1 CV - Intrepid - Air Group 18 - 24 VF, 16 VB, 8 VT
1 CVL - Cabot - Air Group 29 - N/A
1 CVL - Independence - Night Air Group 41 - N/A
2 BB - Iowa, New Jersey
3 CL - Vincennes, Miami, Biloxi
________________________________________________
Group 3 (Sherman)
1 CV - Essex - Air Group 15 - 24 VF, 16 VB, 8 VT
1 CVL - Princeton - Air Group 27 - N/A
2 BB - Massachusetts, South Dakota
3 CL - Santa Fe, Mobile, Birmingham
1 CLAA - Reno
________________________________________________
Group 4 (Davison)
1 CV - Enterprise - Air Group 20 - 24 VF, 16 VB, 8 VT
1 CVL - Belleau Wood - Air Group 21 - N/A
1 CVL - San Jacinto - Air Group 51 - N/A
2 BB - Washington, Alabama
2 CA - New Orleans, Wichita
________________________________________________
Destroyer Screen Alpha
8 DD - Izard, Charrette, Conner, Bell, Burns, Cogswell, Caperton, Ingersoll
________________________________________________
Destroyer Screen Beta
8 DD - Owen, Miller, Sullivan, Tingey, Hickox, Hunt, Marshall, Colahan
________________________________________________
SEVENTH FLEET (Oldendorf)
________________________________________________
Bombardment Group
6 BB Mississippi, Maryland, West Virginia, Tennessee,
California, Pennsylvania
2 CA - Louisville, Minneapolis
_________________________________________________
Fire Support Group
2 CA - Portlant Shropshire
4 CL - Denver, columbia, Phoenix, Boise
2 DD - Newcomb, Leary
_______________________________________________
Invasion Group Alpha
1 CVE - Sangamon - Air Group 37 - 16 VF
1 CA - Minneapolis
2 DD - McCord, Hazelwood
3 TS - Wood, Cepheus, Alamance
1 TP - Enceladus
_______________________________________________
Invasion Group Beta
1 CVE - Natoma Bay - Air Group 81 - 16 VF
1 CA - Springfield
2 DD - Haggard, Hailey
2 TS - Hinsdale, , Hayes
2 TP - Hatfield, Hercules
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
Supply Group Alpha
4 DD - Laffey, Buchanan, McCalla, Farenholt
2 TP - Wheeler, "unnamed"
2 TA - Hudson, Neosho
________________________________________________
Supply Group Beta
4 DD - Foote, Converse, Thatcher, Spence
2 TP - Ingersoll, Sutherland
2 TA - Monongahela, Platte
 
The Japanese Order of Battle

JAPANESE ORDER OF BATTLE
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Main Body (Ozawa)
____________________________________________________
Main Body 1
1 CV - Zuikaku - 24 F, 16 DB, 8 TB
1 BB Ise
2 CA - Kako, Aoba
2 CL Isuzu, Tama
2 DD - Hatsushimo, Maki
_____________________________________________________
Main Body 2
1 CV - Shokaku - 24 F, 16 DB, 8 TB
1 BB - Hyuga
2 CA - Ashigara, Noshiro
2 CL - Oyoda, Abukuma, Suzuya
2 DD - Sugi, Kuwa
_____________________________________________________
Main Body 3
1 CV - Taiho - 24 F, 16 DB, 8 TB
2 BB - Kinshima, Hiei
3 CA - Chikuma, Suzuya, Maya
2 DD Wakatsuki, Shimotsuki
_____________________________________________________
Vanguard (Mikawa)
_____________________________________________________
Vanguard 1
1 CVL _ Chitose - 16 f, 8 TB
3 CA - Myoko, Atago, Kinugasa
4 DD - Okinami, Naganami, Asashimo, Fujinami
_____________________________________________________
Vanguard 2
1 CVL - Zuiho - 16 F, 8 TB
3 CA - Nachi, Sendai, Furutaka
4 DD - Kasumi, Shiranuhi, Wakaba, Hatsuharu
_____________________________________________________
Vanguard 3
1 CVL - Chiyoda - 16 F, 8 TB
3 CA - Kumano, Agano, Yunagi
4 DD - Shimakaze, Hayashimo, Akashimo, Kishinami
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Striking Force 1 (Kurita)
5 BB Yamato, Musashi, Nagato, Kongo, Haruna
3 CA Atago, Takao, Chokai, Tone
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Striking Force 2 (Nishimura)
2 BB Fuso, Yamashiro
2 CA Mogami, Nachi
4 DD Michisio, Yamagumo, Asagumo, Shigure
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
Support Group 1
1 CA - Haguro
3 DD - Fujinami, Hamanami, Akebono
2 TS - Katsukawa Maru, Aki Maru
1 TR - Katsukawa Maru
1 TA - Genyo Maru
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
Support Group 2
1 CA Ashigara
3 DD Hatsuzuki, Akitsuki, Nowaki
2 TS - Sakito Maru, Kayo Maru
1 TR - Aki Maru
1 TA - Nichiei Maru
 
Rami said:
Ettico,

This looks to be an outstanding endeavor. I may have to change my mind about DCG.

Thank you for all of your hard work and ambition! :ernae:
Click to expand...

Rami,

DCG was made for carrier ops. The latest version, dcgv32, with some help from Airboss, gets the job done.:jump:
 
I'm putting together a stable of frame-friendly addon ships for this campaign. I'll either include the addon ships in the upload, with permission, or provide links to them. The ones I've chosen so far were selected for frames, performance, and looks.

I've used Blue Devil's skins and DP's to make some altered stock Essex class carriers. I've added the appropriate deck numbers to Blue Devil's textures and added "priority" and "hardness" calls to Blue Devil's DP's. I've done the same with the stock Hiryu, using Blue Devil's textures and DP's to make decent facsimilies of the IJN carriers Shokaku and Zuikaku.

Collin's Essex class carriers are very nice ships, but for a campaign of this size, they are a bit heavy on the frames. Using the altered stock Essex carriers will practically double the frames when you're close to the ships.

The JMK Zuikaku and Shokaku carriers are nice too, but also just a bit heavy on the frames for a campaign of this size.

Crashaz Marianas_Carriers_IJN carriers, available at the Outhouse, are frame-friendly ships with nice paint jobs, and also the only ones of their kind as far as I know, so I'll be using them.

The Virtual Navy's EK_44_cvl Independence class carrier will also be getting the call to duty. They are nice ships, and the only ones of their kind, as far as I know. Also available here.

Also the Casablanca_class CVE, because it has a distinguishable folder name, which works better for DCG. Also available here.

I've picked up a couple of light cruisers that I'll be checking out, and I'll definitely be using Pen32Win's afvn_atlanta and afvn_SanDiego light AA cruisers, also available here at the Outhouse.

I'll also be using the Japanese freighters in the VN_IJNgator package, also available here.

Also the VN_Wash battleship. Good looks, good frames.

Still haven't found a nice, frame-friendly Japanese battleship. May have to use the stock one.
 
First of of all I want to thank you very much!

Secound my only request is and hope that this DCG camapign has plenty of all type of action and few nonactive missions.

Ettico I also hope that we can fly for both sides with equal easy.

Thank you again!:applause:
 
Ettico, are you going to build the missions flown from Midway or just the carrier battles? I am working on the air battles flown from Midway now and am able to get the scenery and all the planes that were in the attack on Midway as well as the all the friendly fighters up to attack.The total came to 135 AC less 1 that turned back and one that didn`t make it off the ground.I am running win98se on a slow pc and still get good frame rates with everything going on in the airbattle over Midway.I have also completed the missions and scenery for the battle of Guadalcanal starting on Aug the 20TH and ending on Oct 11TH 1942.The fighter groups involved were Fighters VMF223 VMF224 and VF5 along part of VMF212.The bombers were VMSB 232 VMSB 233 part of the Sara airgroup and parts of the other carrier airgroups involved in the fight.

Note: if you are going to do the Midway attack flown by the marines then you need to erdo Midway scenery.I have some old scenery that is real good but it is abit heavy on the frame rates.It is called Midway 1942.
 
miamieagle said:
First of of all I want to thank you very much!

Secound my only request is and hope that this DCG camapign has plenty of all type of action and few nonactive missions.

Ettico I also hope that we can fly for both sides with equal easy.

Thank you again!:applause:
Click to expand...

Hi miami,

You don't have to fly dull CAP's. You can just warp through them and then generate another mission. You'll only get CAP's when there are no enemy forces within fighting range.

Actually, you don't even have to warp through the dull CAP's. If DCG generates a CAP in a carrier campaign, that's telling you the enemy is nowhere to be found - which happens a lot in the Pacific. It's a very big place. So don't even bother to fly the CAP. Just keep generating missions until you get an action oriented one, such as escort, strike, or scramble. Each time you click on the "generate mission" button, DCG builds another mission, your task group moves to a different area, the campaign date advances a day or two, and the strength of both sides air groups increases a little.

There probably won't be a lot of down time in this campaign, because there will be so many task groups in the campaign. At least one of them is likely to be around most of the time. However, if the enemy gets hurt, he may withdraw for a while to lick his wounds and replace lost aircraft. But he'll be back.

Also, naval forces are always on the move. They come and go. They fight a battle, withdraw, then come back again, or maybe turn up somewhere else. That's just the way of it. And if all the enemy's ships get sunk, he won't be coming back at all. Sunk ships don't get replaced. If that happens, you won. Move on to another campaign or reload the campaign files and start over.

The bottom line is, if you see nothing is going to happen in a mission, warp through it and generate another one.

Switching sides is easy. Read up on it. You can do it with the DCG squadrons editor. Just change the player squadron name, allegiance, aircraft type, and base with the DCG squadrons editor. Then click on "files" and select a pilot of the correct nationality. Then generate a mission.
 
bobhegf said:
Ettico, are you going to build the missions flown from Midway or just the carrier battles? I am working on the air battles flown from Midway now and am able to get the scenery and all the planes that were in the attack on Midway as well as the all the friendly fighters up to attack.The total came to 135 AC less 1 that turned back and one that didn`t make it off the ground.I am running win98se on a slow pc and still get good frame rates with everything going on in the airbattle over Midway.I have also completed the missions and scenery for the battle of Guadalcanal starting on Aug the 20TH and ending on Oct 11TH 1942.The fighter groups involved were Fighters VMF223 VMF224 and VF5 along part of VMF212.The bombers were VMSB 232 VMSB 233 part of the Sara airgroup and parts of the other carrier airgroups involved in the fight.

Note: if you are going to do the Midway attack flown by the marines then you need to erdo Midway scenery.I have some old scenery that is real good but it is abit heavy on the frame rates.It is called Midway 1942.
Click to expand...

Hey Bob,

I don't know. I may not do a Midway campaign. It's hard to sneak up on anybody with DCG. They always see you coming. :d

Besides, there are several scripted Midway battles, already done or being worked on.

But if I did do a DCG Midway, I would include some Midway based squadrons. Not many. Maybe 3 or 4. But I'd have the player squadron on Enterprise.
 
miamieagle said:
I want to thank you for your dedication to this Hobby Ettico. Keep up your good work!:ernae:
Click to expand...

Hey buddy,

Since the server crash wiped out my original AIRBOSS package, I'm about to upload "AIRBOSSv3_full package".

BTW, if you get assigned to one of those dull CAP missions, you can always use the opportunity to practice your carrier takeoffs and landings. Don't worry, nothing is going to happen. If anything is about to happen, you'll get a "Scramble!" mission instead. Or maybe an escort mission. Or maybe a strike. If you feel like you don't need any landing practice, just warp out and generate another mission. Don't worry. "Dey'll be bakk.":icon_lol:
 
I was looking for DCG files for Enterprise vs Japan ....>

vn_zuiho and afvn_san diego mia's, no longer on SOH. The above for your information is missing from SOH and do not seem to be in our universe, maybe some have 'em, I sent a note to Dirtman. Anybody else?
 
Hooraw said:
vn_zuiho and afvn_san diego mia's, no longer on SOH. The above for your information is missing from SOH and do not seem to be in our universe, maybe some have 'em, I sent a note to Dirtman. Anybody else?
Click to expand...

Look in the archives. VN_zuiho should be in the Japanese Marianas Carriers and the san diego under pen32win or af=midway.


Talon
 
Ghostrider said:
Sounds very cool, Ettico! I'll definitely be flying this one!
Click to expand...


That one has been put on indefinite hold. I discovered that DCG will only allow 12 task groups in a campaign. The campaign files I built for the campaign were for 22 task groups.

I haven't fooled with this multiple campaign concept in months, but if I recall correctly, the version of AIRBOSS I made for it works. I just don't have the necessary campaign files.

I have been working on other modifications, such as synchronized task force movement, the ability
to suppress land bases by bombing them, and the ability to get more air squadrons into a campaign without overloading the missions - which incidentally also includes the ability to ambush or be ambushed by opposing forces. DCG doesn't do any of this on it's own, but the DCG campaign files and mission files can be edited in ways that will cause certain things to happen.

The downside is that getting all this done requires 2 AIRBOSS modules, both of which have to be run when generating a mission. This is not a big thing, but it requires some setup. The additional AIRBOSS module resides inside the campaign folder, and in some cases is modified for that specific campaign. I have shortcuts to all these modules on my desktop, all named after their respective campaigns, so I can run them as needed.

I don't know when I'll upload this latest version. I'm still working on a couple of campaigns for it. Every time I do a modification, I have to change my campaigns to take advantage of the mod. I haven't been doing much campaign flying lately, so the program hasn't been thoroughly tested. But it seems to work, as far as I can tell so far.

Another problem is that all of the ships and aircraft I'm using are modded. I've changed many of the ship and aircraft folder names and DP's to make them DCG-friendly, or simply for my own convenience - which creates a major problem when uploading campaigns populated with all these mods. Players can always write in their own planes and ships, but DCG sea battles simply do not work properly without certain mods being present, particularly the "priority" and "hardness" calls being present in the ship DP's. These determine the priority attacking AI aircraft assign to different ships, and the amount of determination with which they attack those ships. The aircraft loadouts, "type", and "category" codes are also critical. These determine how DCG uses aircraft, and how the AI aircraft behave in combat.

Another problem is, I haven't even starting writing a readme to explain what the latest version of AIRBOSS does and how to set it up and use it.

The latest version of AIRBOSS works with both XP and Vista. The uploaded versions were done when I had XP. One of them doesn't work with Vista.

All in all, my assisted version of DCG differs significantly from the unassisted version. I think it's significantly better. I guess I'll get around to uploading it soon.
 
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