Steam and Iron 2.0b out

[Bismarck]

1.0.2
Changes
* Rudder damage will now show in the ship status window
* There will now be no messages when an enemy ship has made rudder repairs
* Made a change in AI calculations to make the AI more persistent when a single enemy ship is heavily damaged
* Seaplane carriers will now keep more away from combat.
* Tweaked the chances of damage from near miss splinters.
* Made detached destroyers more reluctant to close with the enemy (to lessen the trail of detached destroyers sometimes being left in contact with enemy).
* Increased situational awareness and improved collision avoidance calculations for detroyers (to reduce melee situations and collisions). This could impact performance in massive close quarter battles on slower machines.
* Flotilla attacks were not turned off properly in the Force Orders dialog. Fixed now.
* AI controlled CL divisions with Core role will now no longer avoid enemy CA. (this was intended to be fixed in v 1.0.1, now it is really fixed).
* Added nation flag to ship status window.
* A / S / D / W keys will now scroll the map (incrementally).
* X / Z Keys will zoom in/out.
* F key will zoom to view all ships.
* C - V Keys will increase/decrease game speed.
* < Key will run the game 5 minutes.
* Changed Max speed button to one button for median speed and one button for squadron max speed (speed of slowest ship).
* Real time will now be real time for real. Added very slow setting (= old "real time").
* Made AI controlled ships more intent on sinking transports.
* Torpedo values for ships without torpedoes will be hidden in ship status window.
* If a ship of the same name and class or a Division of the same name occurs more than once in a scenario, the second and subsequent instances will be deleted after probability checks. This makes it possible to have a ship appear randomly in different squadrons or a squadron appear at different locations or in different forces in a scenario, thus increasing the possibilities to create variation in scenarios.
* Added option to show side flags for ships when zooming in.
* Added "Find subordinates" function to OOB tree.

Bug Fixes
* Corrected some scaling errors in graphics and ship turn radii when running at slower speeds.
* Fixed a bug with time to raise steam time being wrong in some situations.
* It is now never possible to run the game faster than normal when enemy ships are sighted.
* Prevented various keypresses from having unintended effects on game speed etc.
* Fixed a bug that could make minesweepers sink when they hit an enemy ship with gunfire.

Scenario editor
* Added Ship/Division summary screen (in Scenario menu), to get better overview of the scenario.
* Improved double ships function to find double ships and divisions in scenarios.
* Added "Find subordinates" function to OOB tree.
* Fixed a bug with selecting locations for objectives.
* New divisions always have "Historical" checked. Ships added will have historical checked if the division is historical.

Ship editor
* Correct values are now shown for range of torpedoes.

Scenarios and data
* Updated classes file to include Mackensen and Borodino(ii) classes as well as Furious (with 18 in guns, not as a carrier, we are big gun lovers here, aren't we?).
* Updated The Last Sortie scenario.
* Updated 1st Durazzo scenario.
* Updated Otranto scenario.

[Hartford688]

Excellent support.

And thanks for posting.

[Bismarck]

Just got a major vic as Greece in Eli!

[Sir Slash]

I also got a major vic in that battle, playing as Greece, but only because I sunk one of the Turk 'B's. Otherwise the Turks pretty much chased my ass off the map. I didn't know it was sunk until after the battle was over. The last time I saw it, it was doing 10 knots away from the fight but I was out of ammo and couldn't finish it off. A great fight.

[Bismarck]

Naw, I sunk 2 Tiurks and heavily damaged  others. I had  only one heavily damaged. i

[Capn Darwin]

Any chance someone can do a brief AAR on this game? Sounds interesting.

Thanks.  8)

[Epee1]

I want to get this, but shoot, I haven't even learned SAS yet.  I'm waiting for that all inclusive SAS patch before I jump back in the water.  Then I'm calling Chris and camping on his doorstep until I learn the dang thing.

Like Capn Darwin said, an AAR would be great.

[Hartford688]

Herman Hum posted a couple over at NWS:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3hdq_gTTASM

[Sir Slash]

I was wondering has anyone had any subs show-up/ get involved/cause losses or get sunk by your forces in any battles you've been part of? If they're a big part of this game. I need to think of some tactics to deal with them.

[son_of_montfort]

Herman Hum posted a couple over at NWS:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3hdq_gTTASM

The problem with Herman's AARs is that they showcase the most complex battle in the game. I would like to see something a little more low-level to get an idea of how to play.

[Bismarck]

Herman Hum posted a couple over at NWS:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3hdq_gTTASM

The problem with Herman's AARs is that they showcase the most complex battle in the game. I would like to see something a little more low-level to get an idea of how to play.

Like this?

Low-Level Steam and Iron AAR

The Eli scenario is not only small but also a good example of how admiral mode works. The Greek fleet is divided into three parts: a BB squadron composed of three craft, a DD squadron of four ships and one CA. The unique thing is the CA is the flagship.  The Turkish fleet is similar but with one more BB and a BB as flag.

The Greeks are headed toward a strait to the north-east with destroyers in a screen when a Turk fleet is spotted. The trick is for the CA not to go to max speed, thus leaving the BBs out of command. Instead, the red flag course changer is used to get between the Turks and the strait by clicking on the flag and clicking on the map. The seven-minute run button is used to simulate seven minutes of real time in 30 seconds play time. (ssee attached jpeg.

After 14 minutes of real time, the CA opens up on an enemy DD and the main Turk fleet is sighted; course is adjusted northerly.  The CA is soon behind a Turk BB and the Greek BBs maneuvered by the AI into firing line. The CA brings speed to max since the BBs are engaged. A right click on the CA brings up a fleet command screen and the "Flotilla Attack" commands sends the DDs after the main enemy fleet with the CA's support. Course is changed to go into the strait.

The 5-minute run button is used to manage the CA. The BBs engage two BBs and lead destroyers. About 30 minutes real time sees the destroyers and the CA disrupt the main Turk body and the BBs destroy the van. The CA has slight damage and one DD is heavily damaged. As the CA is low on ammo, it heads back to regain control of the BBs and help finish of a Turk BB by circling it. Extra victory points are gained by having a DD pick up survivors.

The Turks withdraw and the unlimited run button is used to get to the scenario's end. The Greeks have a major victory, sinking 2 BBs and 2 DDs and heavily damaging other ships while having only 2 DDs with heave damage.

Divisions can be micromanaged in Rear Admiral and Captain mode but at a cost to victory points.

[Bismarck]

BTW, I liked Herman's video.

[Bison]

Herman IMO does a very nice job talking through the game mechanics.

[son_of_montfort]

BTW, I liked Herman's video.

Oh, I liked Herman's video too, and I watched the entire thing with great interest.

But I am fascinated by the game, really contemplating getting it, and Herman choosing Jutland blew my mind a little bit.

What I think his video did a great job of showing is that you can play one of the heaviest scenarios through in about 20-30 minutes. Not bad, not bad at all!

[Nefaro]

That's one of the great things about SaI.  It's easily approachable, there's not a huge variation in 'workload' depending on the scenario size, and you certainly don't have to fight screwy 3D camera controls as much as the enemy AI.

I think, overall, the calculations are (currently) better in Jutland, notably regarding the extra national bonuses that the German Navy has in SaI.  However, I've been told they're discussing adjusting those, and I hope they're pretty much taken out.

Still, it's far easier to handle than any other I've seen and is close to being "there".  I'm still playing the snot out of it every since I picked it up.  The future campaign layer sounds great too (free in an update we're told).  8)