"AIRBOSS" DCG supplemental program uploaded

[Ettico]

AIRBOSS is a Qbasic program designed to be run after generating a mission with Paul Lowengrin's Dynamic Campaign Generator. Qbasic should run on anything up to Windows XP, which is what I have. But I don't know about Vista.

The program does the following:

Finds and fixes several errors that may pop up in the DCG "mission" file.

Removes squadrons of destroyed ships from the DCG "ships" and "taskforces" files, to prevent DCG from continuing to order strikes against nonexistent ship squadrons.

Changes fighter flight formations from the DCG echelon left to finger four, which is more realistic and reduces collisions among CAP flights.

Spreads bomber formations vertically to reduce collisions.

Changes mobile ground squadrons' formations to columns to facilitate movement along roads.

Re-assigns unnecessary AI CAP's to escort duty when strikes are originating from the same airfield or carrier. The player may also receive AI escort protection when the player flight is assigned to a strike mission. This is an important change, because DCG does not assign AI squadrons as escorts. DCG only assigns the player squadron to escort duty.

Enables long range escorts, which DCG will not do in the European theater for some unknown reason.

May re-assign the player squadron to escort duty when strikes are originating from the player airfield or carrier.

Allows the player to set a minimum number of CAP's per airfield or carrier. This is useful for adjusting CAP versus escort coverage for different types of campaigns.

Allows the player to quickly change the player flight's loadouts on an individual basis.

I've included a more complete readme file in the upload to explain what the program does ahd how to use it. The program is easy and quick to run.

Future upgrades are possible, but I'm not promising anything. For one thing, I may want to do something to effect more realistic front movement.

I'll probably be uploading a campaign or two designed specifically for AIRBOSS management. But I've been too busy working on and testing the program to have any ready at this time. I ran into a couple of unexpected snags when I started expanding from the DCG mission file to the campaign files.

Here's hoping this little program adds some spice to your DCG experience.

Ettico

[miamieagle]

Thank you body!:wavey:

[miamieagle]

You can get some nice DCG here http://members.shaw.ca/dcgen/. You also get the DCG engine here http://www.lowengrin.com/download.php?list.4.

Talon and Ettico also have some DCG camapigns available for this community!

Check this Eastern Front Campaigns as well.

http://www.kenstallings.com/Downloads_Page.htm

Its a great way to fly .:friday:

[UncleTgt]

Thank you! A great bit of detective work & perseverance:ernae:

[Ettico]

Miami, thanks for providing the DCG info. You're always on the ball.:ernae:

Uncle Tgt, now the German bombers in your Battle of Britain campaign will have escorts. Is that a good thing or a bad thing?:d

[Pen32Win]

This sounds great E, I know you've put a lot of time and work into this. It's great to here you got the exe. part to work.

As soon as I finish up my current part in the TR B-25's project and finish my PNG Airfields I'm going to have to pull it all together with a B-25C-1 PNG DCG AIRBOSS Campaign...... From Rabaul to Hollandia and all points in between, no start off in Aussieland..... Oh, the ideas are flooding in......

[Ettico]

Hi Pen,

Actually, I never was able to convert it into an executable - which was odd, because an earlier version converted nicely. All my attempts to isolate why the later version wouldn't convert failed.

It runs fine through the Qbasic interpreter, so I just included the freeware interpreter in the upload. The only difference is a couple of extra clicks.

Yep, you can start your PNG campaign in Australia, and your B-25's will get escorts - especially if the fighters have nothing else to attack that's within range. In the past, they would have attacked their own airfields in such a case, but that's been fixed. AIRBOSS won't let those fighters loaf or mutiny if there are bombers to escort.:d

[Pen32Win]

Just one question has come to mind...

What if the player's unit is a Bomber/Attack Unit.... Will it assign Escort Fighters to cover the Player's Formation?

[Ettico]

Just one question has come to mind...

What if the player's unit is a Bomber/Attack Unit.... Will it assign Escort Fighters to cover the Player's Formation?

Definitely - as long as unnecessary CAP's are available to re-assign. Any strike flight, irrespective of aircraft type, is eligible for escort protection, including the player flight.

"Unnecessary" CAP's would be any CAP's above the player-determined CAP minimum. This, of course, depends on how many CAP's DCG creates.

To be sure of getting escorts, you can take the strike loadouts out of some of your fighters' DP's. This will automatically cause DCG to assign them as CAP's, and then AIRBOSS will re-assign them as escorts. Or you can locate your bombers and escort fighters at an airfield that is beyond the fighters' strike range from enemy targets. Still, the best way is to have some fighters dedicated to the air superiority role, i.e., no strike loadouts.

Edited to add: in a carrier battle, DCG automatically assigns all fighters except the player flight as CAP's. Subject to the CAP minimum, these CAP's are available for re-assignment as escorts.