Back then at the fallout forums, one of you talented people refined all vGen and vZH campaign missions with ShW goodness.
The 3rd USA mish (covering an allied USA's retreat) looked somewhat feasible for a Worldbuilder noob like me

I considered USAF to be a more fitting candidate though than the SW gen, so I took the liberty to change the player faction to Granger.
To prevent going all to OP, there are no King Raptors, Stealth Fighters, Auroras and combat nooks. Furthermore no WF, no tech,
no defense buildings at all, limited general powers, Airfield not rebuildable, and a couple of extra surprise attacks from the GLA.
Latter one also gets a couple of GLA upgrades.

Hope you find it somewhat entertaining - oh and I'd be highly glad if someone could point out to me why the intro cinematics is a bit messed up.
The GLA squad is instructed to follow its path as a team (set to TRUE), but they still don't stay in formation


Click to view attachment
Modified 22.6.09

Wait a second...if the USAF player can't build any of his aircraft, how is the player to complete the mission?

Hehe you forget his mighty stealth comanches, and his lancer cluster bombers After all, in the original mission, you only had manchees and those useless stealth fighters anyways.
Just for fun, I've added the Little Bird to the helipad and the star lifter to the airfield to deploy your ground troops quickly if needed. You can use Medivac Nooks to drop repair kits for
the ally or your own troops. Also, you get a couple of free upgrades for your tanks and men etc, so I hope that the handicaps are not all too heavy

Not being able to rebuild the airfield doesn't make any sense at all.

Well, I did take that from the original mish - you were only able to build barracks, pps and patriots back then.
The main focus was on comanches and using their rocket pods to diminish the GLA zergs. As long as you can
rebuild your helipads, you can just pull out any number of manches you want

I mainly just wanted the number of airfields to be limited to a single one in order to keep it that way.
Disabling the construction of airfields is a lazy way though, granted. Maybe I will see if I can put together
some script to control the number of airfields, similar to the control of tech buildings.

But after al, 4 Lancers already do enough mayhem to the poor scorpies and techies

I haven't done this in a while. Where do I extract it to?

I can see how you want to limit the number of airfields which was probably the reason for the decision. I am no coding expert but if you want only one, just including a custom airfield with a build limit of one should suffice as well?

I do like how you encourage the usage of Lancers in the mission though, way better than the stealth fighters all the time

You have to go to your

...\My Documents\Command and Conquer Generals Zero Hour Data\Maps\ folder, and extract the zip there. Ingame, you start a skirmish, and select Unofficial maps, and voila

As for making a 'custom' airfield, I assume you mean setting up stuff in a map.ini file? I'm not familiar with that one at all, best I can think of is to use WB scripts to check if the player already has an AF, if yes, disable the airfield button on dozers, and once the AF dies, enable the button on dozers and so on, back and forth.

If anyone does know how to set build limits on units and structures, I'd be happy to hear your advice. So far I haven't found such an option in the script menu yet

I do not know, as I told I'm not into coding at all, whether it can be done with map scripts.

Erm, just played it. And I was enjoying it.
Until at 188 saved. The GLA/USA stopped coming.

Could it have something to do with the GLA choppers taking out my airfield?

It shouldn't - the reason is probably that the mish originally just needed 100 rescued US troops, and I haven't edited the scripts for all 10 waves of retreat and pursue, which I should probably do.
Basically, at the end of each wave, there's a check if the counter has reached 200 yet, and if so, send final wave. But the unedited waves (8-10) still send the final wave if the counter is at 100, while the win condition requires 200...

Sorry for that, I'll stop being lazy and change the latter waves too, just in case you let too many troops of the first 7 retreat waves die ;D

[edit]And done New file in the OP. Hope I haven't screwed up something else this time

Will try out the new version now... have you made the AF rebuildable or just fixed the numbers?

Only fixed the numbers for now >_> After some research, the only way I could maintain the 1 Airfield rule would be to turn the dozer's airfield button on and off, but then again, you can realistically only lose the airfield at the last strike when the helis come, and if you have positioned your rockvees and rocknook right by then, you won't even lose it I'll keep my eyes open for a solution, in case you lose the airfield sooner, maybe some extra units, or some surprise skycrane that rebuilds it and gtfo afterwards, who knows

I may be working on some minor stuff in the meanwhile, some spinning triangles on the minimap, maybe some more menace to the airfield (yay!) and maybe different GLA units each wave, possibly more anti-air, due to ShW's drivin-and-shooting nerf, which makes those few quads a joke for a manchee zerg

Just played it again. Got stick at 196

I saved almost all the units aswell.

Might i suggest adding an additional wave? Perhaps have them being chased by GLA choppers?

Hm, that is a bit strange, I usually get the pensum at the wave lead by 2 MLRSs and mechanics, but I guess I sure can add 2 more waves tomorrow

I also think you should take the GLA Chopper's fire rate down. 3-4 attacking with the full barrage nearly destroyed my airfield with loads of units defending it.

Edit: Also I am curious to know why the upgrades keep popping up during the intro and from an off-map Strat Centre. Can't you enable the upgrades to load with the mission, rather than during?

Offmap upgrades because I wanted to keep the number of buildings low so you can focus on pulling manches - rather than having to build a WF which only has the tow missile and sheridan rocket upgrade which you would sell off after upgrading.

I believe that with the WB's tools, I can only grant the upgrades during the game, by scripting command button usage from offmap buildings, sadly. For example in missions where a USA opponent starts off with a strat center, he still only initiates his S&D after the game began etc...

Maybe, I'll add all some upgrade buttons to the Command Center or Airfield... but then again, I'd really prefer to have at least the TOW missiles and sheridan rockets right away I'll try to find a more elegant solution

As for the Helis, I'll consider reducing their attack to 6 missile bursts But I kinda liked the shocking rocket rain that wears down the airfield to 30-40% HP even despite the 4 MDfilled tow-vees, the pat and the MDnook >:þ

Alright, well let me know when you update it, I'd very much like to be able to complete this mission ^.^

/offtopic
Woot! 100 posts!

this mission is awesome
I enjoyed it,
are you plannig on making more missions into Shw ones?
that would be cool

Hi again, sorry for the long silence, but sine I still am a WB noob, I had a hard time figuring out certain things. Tried to fix the messed up intro for quite some time before giving up

Also, I reduced the rescue requirement to 150, due to the fact that after the first 5 waves ( ~200 US units in total), the original scripts work differently and apparently randomly generate 1 of 5 US unit combinations to send into the field. Anyways, every other of these waves just vanish in as soon as you killed all the pursuers, even before they reach the end of the road, and I couldn't for my life figure out why.

As a little compensation, I have now built in a couple of Easter eggs, rewarding you with neat goodies

Hints:
For extra fun, I recommend making use of the extra supplies and oil on the map too.
Try not to lose too many of your start units, they might come in handy for guarding your eco.
Remember, this is ShW, where terrorists have learned to fly too.
Find the surprises. Do it. And don't peek in WB, that's cheating!!

New mish attached in first post, have some screenies from my crappy old laptop
Click to view attachment
Intro scene

Click to view attachment
First wave

Click to view attachment
Better keep your nookies safe

Click to view attachment
And your supply center too

Click to view attachment
Medivac drops heal/repair kit for the ally

Click to view attachment
Cold out here? Give them a warm greeting

I will probably try to work on some of the other less complex missions too. I am real weak when it comes to cinematics, and I currently just want to concentrate on scaling down the tech trees on certain maps, or script some adequate events etc.
For example having superweapons in the start missions is kinda unbalanced

Great!

I'll give it a go now

i guess those pictures are from the old version...or new?

Screenies are from the new version.

Edit:
Just played the new version and I really enjoyed it.
A few niggly little things that bug me, but otherwise it's fine. Main problem is the first wave comes within 20seconds of the cutscene - gives you little time to prepare for it. Unless that was intended?

It was that way in the original and I haven't changed it. You might have just enough time to pull out 2 more maches and get the extra ammo and rocket pod upgrade in the meanwhile from your Airfield and Helipad don't have all manchees guard the same spot, else they waste all their rockets on single units. Form a line of 2×3 comanches along the valley - later, when you have more, let's say 3 groups of 3 manches, you can have them at the entrance and just cover the road with their rocket barrages

And, you could just try to grab as many of the secrets as possible (There are more than 3!)

I don't want to spoil it for others, but i found the ones along the spawn line, the 3 little extras... and am I meant to do anything with the beacon?
I flew over to it, but nothing happened. It keeps getting pointed out on the map :S

Personally i put manches in 2 rows of 2. Either side of the valley. Then get some planes and put them at intervals along the route. I relay mostly on my combat chinook.
Use the big lifter plane to drop some MDs to take out the anti air and garrison the building the the oil derrecks with more MDs

Late game I drop groups of MDs and snipers into the valley and move rocketvees and tanks down to the edges of the base.

Ok I admit, one is rather easy as it is pointed out by a beacon, the other 4 (ops!) might require you to rotate and zoom around a bit since they are hidden behind some obstacles :]

Oh and another hint for clearing the first wave, you can park your sheridans at the ramp near the map entrance, and use their anti tank rocket to snipe out single scorpies

Or just look at the minimap, they're marked as neutral units/structures on it

where's the new one?

In the first post. I used the edit button

btw, the surprises are not just stuff that you find and see and think 'ok'. If you handle them right, you get some useful goodies.

hey,what's this unit i found



*download removed*

and where can i get it?

Those are the Lockdown MLRS units for General Alexander. (I think that's what you're referring to).

i meant the thing that looks like an ambulance

Found in the armor general vehicle tab (Mechanic). It's not ingame though, the stryker heals vehicles just fine

That unit is currently in as the Ambulance with the repair upgrade (although the yellow side pads on the ambulance retain their red cross after the upgrade, instead of going yellow as well with this exhibit)

I believe I've found all your easter eggs now ^.^

Although when you make the camera pan round to alert the player to things - any chance of restoring it back after the point has been made?

I can do it with Fn + 5
But I shouldnt have to do it.

Hm yes, I'd like it that way too. I have not yet found a way to return the camera to its position before a cinematic scene, but I'll try digging in the scripts some more

Fn + 5? I thought only notebooks have fn ... first time I hear of that. I'll go beg for some more scripting knowledge.

I'm using a laptop
Fn is my function key... desktops have it too sometimes.
the letter 'i' doubles as my numpad 5

Ah you mean just reset the camera to normal, not bring back the camera to the last position you were, like when your cam is in the top right corner and jumps to a cinematic in the bottom left corner, that it would restore to that top right corner. My misunderstanding ;P

Yea, the Mechanic Humvee was originally supposed to be Alexander's Ambulance replacement (it can be seen in ProGen).

Yes, and for one of your easter eggs it zooms in... resetting would be helpful.

I 've found all the five easter eggs in this mission. they are five, 4 goodies and 1 not
Spoiler warning: it's more fun if you can find by yourself.




You can find every easter egg looking at the minimap's white dots,
so if you want surprise stop reading here....














1#: colonel burton,you can find him right at the star of the mission destroying the snowman on the norh-west corner.
2#: 2 missile avengers, on the south east corner, you have to go there right on the blinking beacon with a land unit.
3#: 2 chinese tiger gunship. on the very east side right south the valley, you have to destroy a snowman.
4#: unlock of townes' techs and units (laser comanche),on the south-east corner destroying a snowman.
5#: explosion and firestorm,on the very center of the map just south of the second pile of resources, beware to destroy the snowman only with air unit since it will trigger an explosion and a firestorm.



Have fun with this beautiful mission.

Well, I just played your mission, at the only thing what bothers me is I had saved 175 USA units but the GLA kept coming but no additional USA ones. Shouldn't I have won with 100 saved?

After you saved 150 usa units, a final wave of Gla should coming against your base and then tha game should be finished and obvioulsly won

Have you got the newest version of this mission from the first post?

right maybe Kamuik has downloaded the previous version. I almost sure of that

No, I downloaded today from the first post. There WAS a big GLA wave attacking my base (where I lost my airfield) but I striked them back. Then only a few waves of Gadfly's and some smaller things from the south came up regularly, nothing else.

That's odd :S

The objective was reduced to 150 saved as opposed to 200... mainly cos there isn't 200 units in total.

Strange problem - accomplice will probably be able to help more

Well, the original mish was had the first 5 waves explicitly scripted, if the player hasn't rescued the required number by then, the game will create one of 5 random waves (random as in unit composition).
When I first set the limit from 100 to 200, I've overlooked the random waves part. It was possible to rescue 200 units in just 5 waves if they all survive. Anyways, after I adjusted the spawn condition of those random waves to 200, each second of them just disappeared before they reached the end... I couldn't find out why, so I set it back down to 150, but probably forgot to change the conditions for the random waves again, because 5 waves should deliver a good 200 units. Will check my assumption holds true later at home.

Another possibilty is that some GLA unit of the final wave is stuck somewhere in the geography, and as long as not all GLA is dead, the mish doesn't finish.... pick one

The latter one I assume. Are stealthed units in the final wave? Maybe you should deactivate all other waves but the final GLA attack wave when you have saved 150 USA units or more.