Home » MODDING HQ 1.13 » Flugente's Magika Workshop » New feature: strategic militia command
New feature: strategic militia command[message #330693] Tue, 18 February 2014 23:54 Go to next message
Flugente

 
Messages:3509
Registered:April 2009
Location: Germany
Move militia in strategic map

Mobile militia is next to useless, especially as it wanders around in random directions. No more! I've added the ability to order them around in the map screen.

'Bad' stuff first: you don't get this ability for free (it is my deep conviction that powerful abilities need some sort of drawback to maintain balance). After all, only someone with a good outlook on the overall strategic situation and the necessary leadership skills should be allowed to send scores of loyal troops to their death victory. So the Alma military HQ gets a new facility assignment: Command Militia. Only experienced mercs with high enough leadership and wisdom (lvl 5, WIS 70, LDR 70) are up to this task. Only when someone is at this task (and awake :sleep: ) can you order militia around on the map.

How do you move militia then? Make sure Show Militia & Enemies(Z) is toggled. Then select the sector of the militia you want to move. You can then order them into an adjacent sector by pressing W, A, S or D. This isn't possible if one cannot move to the other sector, or if RESTRICT_ROAMING is TRUE and militia is forbidden from a sector. If the order was successful, a green arrow will indicate where the militia will move.

http://i57.tinypic.com/1q1lpz.png
  • Militia travels as fast as mercs do (without any ranger or background boni).
  • Militia will engage any hostile force it encounters.
  • If your militia has gear equipped, it will move with them of course.
  • Militia will not move out of a sector if there is currently a fight in that sector.
  • VERY IMPORTANT: to avoid exploits, the military HQ needs to be staffed not only when the order is given, but also when the militia squad arrives. Otherwise one could just wait for a full hour, order militia around, and then have the guy in HQ do something else. We don't want that, so keep your HQ staffed at all times if you want this ability. Due to this, you can assign more than one guy to this task, so they can work in shifts :taskmaster:
  • The facility assignment trains leadership and wisdom a tiny bit.
  • While the HQ is staffed, mobile militia does not wander around randomly on its own. Because why should it?
  • Creating this took me one evening. Plotting a path to any sector and having the militia follow that path, while showing the ETA, is possible, but would take at least 3 evenings, as this UI is an ugly, stupid piece of unwieldy crap. So don't ask me about that. :junkyarddog:
Does not break savegame compatibility.

Requires exe r6943 and GameDir r1946.

Using exe r6943 without the new stis found in GameDir r1946 or newer will crash the game, as images won't be found.
Using GameDir r1946 without exe r6943 or newer will crash the game when reading FaciltyTypes.xml, as tags will be unknown.

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Captain

Re: New feature: strategic militia command[message #330698] Wed, 19 February 2014 01:52 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Slax is currently offline Slax

 
Messages:1411
Registered:July 2006
Location: People riding polar bears...
Unable... to find... appropriate... emoticon...!
:moosegrin: :goggleyed: :naughty: :walking: :pitchfork: Uh Oh :bluesuspect: :rulez: :cheerleader: :mail:
Very nice. That's what I'm trying to say.

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Sergeant Major
Re: New feature: strategic militia command[message #330701] Wed, 19 February 2014 07:27 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Anthropoid is currently offline Anthropoid

 
Messages:145
Registered:February 2014
Amazing!

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Sergeant
Re: New feature: strategic militia command[message #330703] Wed, 19 February 2014 10:21 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Kladdey is currently offline Kladdey

 
Messages:76
Registered:December 2009

Does it work with increased teamsizes?

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Corporal
Re: New feature: strategic militia command[message #330705] Wed, 19 February 2014 11:15 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Maalstroom is currently offline Maalstroom

 
Messages:340
Registered:December 2008
Location: en route to San Hermanos
Nice one Flug, but show us the real you, show us what you can do in 3 evenings... Smile

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Master Sergeant
Re: New feature: strategic militia command[message #330706] Wed, 19 February 2014 11:32 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Nasenbaer is currently offline Nasenbaer

 
Messages:36
Registered:July 2013
Location: Germany
Hey Flugente,

this one is realy great - as always. Thank you very much for doing this all the time.

I totally agree when you say: "it is my deep conviction that powerful abilities need some sort of drawback to maintain balance"

But in my opinion the price is way to cheap. Wouldn

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Private 1st Class
Re: New feature: strategic militia command[message #330707] Wed, 19 February 2014 11:32 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Uriens is currently offline Uriens

 
Messages:346
Registered:July 2006
Wow. Thanks for doing this flug.
:cheers:

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Master Sergeant
Re: New feature: strategic militia command[message #330709] Wed, 19 February 2014 14:05 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Zarax

 
Messages:54
Registered:February 2007
Location: Italy
Can militia assault city sectors as well?

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Corporal
Re: New feature: strategic militia command[message #330710] Wed, 19 February 2014 15:48 Go to previous messageGo to next message
eisenstolz is currently offline eisenstolz

 
Messages:8
Registered:February 2014
Location: Germany
A genius :professor: strikes again!

Nice work!

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Private
Re: New feature: strategic militia command[message #330718] Wed, 19 February 2014 23:31 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Flugente

 
Messages:3509
Registered:April 2009
Location: Germany
Kladdey
Does it work with increased teamsizes?
Yes, once I've merged this code into the increased teamsizes branch.
Zarax
Can militia assault city sectors as well?
Yes. You can send them into a city, and they will fight the enemy in autoresolve.

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Captain

Re: New feature: strategic militia command[message #330720] Thu, 20 February 2014 00:07 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Slax is currently offline Slax

 
Messages:1411
Registered:July 2006
Location: People riding polar bears...
A perfect solution for folks wanting a no-face army. Again, very nice. Smile

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Sergeant Major
Re: New feature: strategic militia command[message #330721] Thu, 20 February 2014 00:13 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Kladdey is currently offline Kladdey

 
Messages:76
Registered:December 2009

Flugente
Kladdey
Does it work with increased teamsizes?
Yes, once I've merged this code into the increased teamsizes branch.
Zarax
Can militia assault city sectors as well?
Yes. You can send them into a city, and they will fight the enemy in autoresolve.


Awesome, thank you for quick reply Smile

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Corporal
Re: New feature: strategic militia command[message #330722] Thu, 20 February 2014 01:47 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Mravac Kid is currently offline Mravac Kid

 
Messages:68
Registered:May 2004
Location: Opatija, Croatia
This is a fantastic feature, and also a solid step towards making JA2 a strategy game with heroes instead of a turn-based tactical combat game Smile
It will also be very useful for scouting out all the (presumably) empty sectors without using up valuable merc resources.

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Corporal
Re: New feature: strategic militia command[message #330723] Thu, 20 February 2014 03:06 Go to previous messageGo to next message
cowhide is currently offline cowhide

 
Messages:29
Registered:October 2013
I'd let my militia fight all the way to Meduna and send Flo to finish off the queen.

The rest of the guys will be partying in San Mona. :cheers:

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Private 1st Class
Re: New feature: strategic militia command[message #330726] Thu, 20 February 2014 13:45 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Flugente

 
Messages:3509
Registered:April 2009
Location: Germany
Mravac Kid
... and also a solid step towards making JA2 a strategy game with heroes instead of a turn-based tactical combat game Smile
Not sure if that was the intention, but now I'm depressed :sadyellow:

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Captain

Re: New feature: strategic militia command[message #330728] Thu, 20 February 2014 14:08 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Uriens is currently offline Uriens

 
Messages:346
Registered:July 2006
Don't worry flug, people do weird things with game already. :silly:
This won't change things in that area ... much. Very Happy

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Master Sergeant
Re: New feature: strategic militia command[message #330730] Thu, 20 February 2014 15:58 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Gorro der Grüne is currently offline Gorro der Grüne

 
Messages:1448
Registered:March 2009
Location: Broadwurschd-City
Flugente
but now I'm depressed :sadyellow:


changing Flug's name to "ausgepresste Ente" a la "who is killing the great Chefs of Europe"

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Sergeant Major
Re: New feature: strategic militia command[message #330754] Fri, 21 February 2014 11:01 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Zarax

 
Messages:54
Registered:February 2007
Location: Italy
Flugente
Kladdey
Does it work with increased teamsizes?
Yes, once I've merged this code into the increased teamsizes branch.
Zarax
Can militia assault city sectors as well?
Yes. You can send them into a city, and they will fight the enemy in autoresolve.


Excellent... Meduna won't be so excruciatingly painful anymore.

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Corporal
Re: New feature: strategic militia command[message #330767] Fri, 21 February 2014 19:36 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Mravac Kid is currently offline Mravac Kid

 
Messages:68
Registered:May 2004
Location: Opatija, Croatia
Flugente
Mravac Kid
... and also a solid step towards making JA2 a strategy game with heroes instead of a turn-based tactical combat game Smile
Not sure if that was the intention, but now I'm depressed :sadyellow:
Haha... I can see why that would be cause for concern Smile
But don't worry, every feature that brings play options to the game is a good thing. For now, it enables us to move militia where we want them (say, to guard an important crossroads, or near a sector to act as reinforcements in an upcoming attack), and in the future it may allow someone to make a true strategy JA2 game. Which I think would be an awesome thing, even though I won't be holding my breath for it. Smile

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Corporal
Re: New feature: strategic militia command[message #330780] Sat, 22 February 2014 01:22 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Uriens is currently offline Uriens

 
Messages:346
Registered:July 2006
Well, with increased team sizes and militia command the game already gets a feel of a real war fighting in some country instead of bunch tourists mercs taking it over with pistols.
I kind of like the fact that you can play both ways now.

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Master Sergeant
Re: New feature: strategic militia command[message #330865] Wed, 26 February 2014 01:48 Go to previous messageGo to next message
dravak is currently offline dravak

 
Messages:38
Registered:August 2010
Flugente
Mravac Kid
... and also a solid step towards making JA2 a strategy game with heroes instead of a turn-based tactical combat game Smile
Not sure if that was the intention, but now I'm depressed :sadyellow:


Nah it makes sense , just make mobile militia a optional feature in a new starting game .
So those who just want to play strategy can .

And ad mobile militia enabled when you conquoered Alma .
Makes sense that mobile militia is only trainable in a army base.
Instead of just recruiting civilians and sending them out .

I never play with them , but this really makes more sense .
Then having them run around randomly .
So good work atleast that is complete the mobile militia .

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Private 1st Class
Re: New feature: strategic militia command[message #331049] Tue, 04 March 2014 23:49 Go to previous messageGo to next message
mmm is currently offline mmm

 
Messages:63
Registered:May 2013
Ahh, why do great features like this always come with undesired restrictions...

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Corporal
Re: New feature: strategic militia command[message #331061] Wed, 05 March 2014 07:55 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Gorro der Grüne is currently offline Gorro der Grüne

 
Messages:1448
Registered:March 2009
Location: Broadwurschd-City
4 those who make them have their own ideas NOT Yours. :nono: :scary: or mine :wave:

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Sergeant Major
Re: New feature: strategic militia command[message #331930] Sat, 26 April 2014 14:05 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Elvis_A is currently offline Elvis_A

 
Messages:282
Registered:December 2012
Location: exUSSR
Will it work with militia turned from enemy side? I always have 20-30 militia in San Mona prison sector, but they are not moving unless you use your radio operator from adjacent sector and they slow down boxing matches.

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Master Sergeant
Re: New feature: strategic militia command[message #332060] Thu, 01 May 2014 22:06 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Flugente

 
Messages:3509
Registered:April 2009
Location: Germany
E1vS
Will it work with militia turned from enemy side? I always have 20-30 militia in San Mona prison sector, but they are not moving unless you use your radio operator from adjacent sector and they slow down boxing matches.
Yes.

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Captain

Re: New feature: strategic militia command[message #336435] Fri, 03 October 2014 18:07 Go to previous messageGo to next message
CVB is currently offline CVB

 
Messages:129
Registered:September 2014
Location: Berlin
Is it possible to split militia groups and send only some militiamen to another sector? For instance in your example I would like to send 5 to the south and 5 to the west to block two possible routes the army patrol might take. (I know, 5-against-5 is risky, but let's assume for argument's sake there were 20 blue militia instead of 10 green in C12)

In combination with the Equip Militia feature, is it possible to create militia mule squads to transfer equipment from one sector to another? After all when they are willing to fight to the last man, they might also be willing to run some errands for me...

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Sergeant
Re: New feature: strategic militia command[message #336438] Fri, 03 October 2014 20:23 Go to previous messageGo to next message
grim is currently offline grim

 
Messages:344
Registered:July 2006
Location: France
Split : You can order selective reinforcements with radio operator, from an adjacent sector, but i don't think you can do this with this feature. I couldn't test it yet.

Militia mule squads : hmm, maybe, yes, if you make them restock in a sector and inspect (militia instection) in another, that should work, but you can't make them move exactly what you want.

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Master Sergeant
Re: New feature: strategic militia command[message #339042 is a reply to message #336438] Tue, 20 January 2015 21:37 Go to previous messageGo to next message
cpt.Shen is currently offline cpt.Shen

 
Messages:8
Registered:January 2015
Is this feature in v.7646? I got confused a bit. It's soo cool.

[Updated on: Tue, 20 January 2015 21:38]

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Private
Re: New feature: strategic militia command[message #339044 is a reply to message #339042] Tue, 20 January 2015 22:10 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Flugente

 
Messages:3509
Registered:April 2009
Location: Germany
This is in current unstable releases. It is not, however, in the stable 2014 release.


I know now that it could never work between us, as much as we wanted to, it could never be! Not because you're a rabbit, but because you're black.

If you want, you can donate to me. This will not affect how and what I code, and I will not code specific features in return. I will be thankful though.

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Captain

Re: New feature: strategic militia command[message #344838 is a reply to message #339044] Sat, 02 April 2016 07:53 Go to previous messageGo to next message
FurryLovingGuy is currently offline FurryLovingGuy
Messages:2
Registered:March 2016
Greetings! I'm afraid I have a question regarding this feature. This may be due to my own incompetence, but I am unable to command militia. With someone meeting the requirements, clicking on a group of normal militia, or a group of mobile militia prompts the user with "We cannot relay orders to this sector, Militia command impossible."

I am running SCI 8110 with Game Directory 2303. When viewing the Ini editor, the settings related to Militia Command are "MISSING", as in they are there, but they don't seem to be reading the actual settings.

I rarely use forums, so I hope I haven't broken any unspoken (or unread due to forum incompetence) rules posting on something as old as this.

I have only recently gotten to a point where I can attempt to fiddle with this feature, so I will Update/Edit if I stumble onto how to fix the problem.

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Civilian
Re: New feature: strategic militia command[message #344841 is a reply to message #344838] Sun, 03 April 2016 13:29 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Ghost is currently offline Ghost
Messages:3
Registered:February 2016
Location: Budapest
Hi!

As I know, the only way to command your troops, you have to capture the Military HQ at Alma. Otherway is to move them with your character, cause mobile militia follows you if your Leadership is high.

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Civilian
Re: New feature: strategic militia command[message #344842 is a reply to message #344838] Sun, 03 April 2016 13:34 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Flugente

 
Messages:3509
Registered:April 2009
Location: Germany
Hi FurryLovingGuy, welcome to the pit!

The option for this feature, ALLOW_MILITIA_STRATEGIC_COMMAND, can be found in Ja2_options.ini. The editor does not know of this, so simply use a text editor.

That message appears if
  • the feature is off, or
  • if you do not have staffed the Alam military HQ with the 'Militia command' order, and none of the following is true
    • a merc and the militia group are in the same sector
    • a merc and the militia group are in the same town
    • a radio operator is in a sector adjacent to sector the militia group is in
    • a radio operator is in a sector adjacent to the town the militia group is in
    • a radio operator is in a town adjacent to the sector the militia group is in



I know now that it could never work between us, as much as we wanted to, it could never be! Not because you're a rabbit, but because you're black.

If you want, you can donate to me. This will not affect how and what I code, and I will not code specific features in return. I will be thankful though.

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Captain

Re: New feature: strategic militia command[message #344857 is a reply to message #344842] Mon, 04 April 2016 05:38 Go to previous messageGo to next message
FurryLovingGuy is currently offline FurryLovingGuy
Messages:2
Registered:March 2016
Flugente wrote on Sun, 03 April 2016 12:34
Hi FurryLovingGuy, welcome to the pit!

The option for this feature, ALLOW_MILITIA_STRATEGIC_COMMAND, can be found in Ja2_options.ini. The editor does not know of this, so simply use a text editor.

That message appears if

  • the feature is off, or
  • if you do not have staffed the Alam military HQ with the 'Militia command' order, and none of the following is true

    • a merc and the militia group are in the same sector
    • a merc and the militia group are in the same town
    • a radio operator is in a sector adjacent to sector the militia group is in
    • a radio operator is in a sector adjacent to the town the militia group is in
    • a radio operator is in a town adjacent to the sector the militia group is in


Thank you very much! I very much appreciate your detailed response! I've flipped the switch and its like a hole new (much easier) game now.

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Civilian
Re: New feature: strategic militia command[message #344858 is a reply to message #344857] Mon, 04 April 2016 09:33 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Ghost is currently offline Ghost
Messages:3
Registered:February 2016
Location: Budapest
would it be possible to setup new military hq-s around the map? it could be simulated like training militia, and when the job is done the team would be able to use the "Militia command" order... of course with less range

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Civilian
Re: New feature: strategic militia command[message #344860 is a reply to message #344858] Mon, 04 April 2016 13:14 Go to previous messageGo to next message
CVB is currently offline CVB

 
Messages:129
Registered:September 2014
Location: Berlin
Additional Command Centers with the assignment type STRATEGIC_MILITIA_MOVEMENT can be placed in facilities.xml, but not dynamically "in-game". The command range is always the same ATM.


Peace is a purely theoretical state of affairs whose existence we deduce because there have been intervals between wars.
J. Pournelle

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Sergeant
Re: New feature: strategic militia command[message #344951 is a reply to message #330693] Sat, 09 April 2016 06:55 Go to previous messageGo to next message
bigalmoho is currently offline bigalmoho

 
Messages:35
Registered:January 2016
Hello:

I am getting game crashes (audio breakup -> black screen -> no response) when militia enters auto-resolve combat with army using 8131-2310...

Any ideas what's up?

Thanks in advance,
BA

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Private 1st Class
Re: New feature: strategic militia command[message #362945 is a reply to message #344951] Wed, 21 April 2021 14:13 Go to previous message
wcmortalis is currently offline wcmortalis
Messages:1
Registered:April 2021
Hi guys, I'm having some problems playing around with this fun feature(ver. 8796).

1.
Once a moving group of militia encounters some enemies, they'll fight bravely but, if they have won, they just stops there and "forget" the movement order I have given to them previously...
Is this a bug or just intended for some realism?

2.
If I won a battle with some militias carrying their own equipment(i.e. MILITIA_USE_SECTOR_EQUIPMENT=TRUE), and captured/made surrendered some enemies that they "joined our cause" after the battle(when some new militias instantly appear with 100% health), all militias would once again pick up their favorite equipment from the battlefield, INCLUDING the previously engaging ones - but they DO NOT drop their own equipment first! I believe some codes behind is wrong here, since it simply makes the equipment our guys were carrying during the battle disappear...

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Civilian
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