About This File
Toolbox version 1.5.2 requires at least GE 2015.015 or newer up to GE 2017.04
Toolbox V 2.4.2.1 (zip 2.4) + requires GE V 2017.013 - v 2022.027 (including Matrix Patch 2022.027)
Toolbox vers 2.6.0.1 + require GE 2023.006+
This tool provides a window which resides in the Harpoon game window providing tools for:
manipulating air units formations within groups;
edit two air group's courses for joining;
in flight reassignment of missile targets;
deploying air groups exactly over known position of enemy unit;
capturing enemy groups;
and duplicating the message log window (so that it can replace the message log window for screen space saving).
It provides some game status information not available in the game including information on the loaded scenario, detailed list of destroyed assets and damaged assets and any victory conditions that have been met.
Attacking Neutral Penalty
Toolbox keeps track of attacks launched by the player and if any target a neutral asset (including if the asset is shown as unknown side) the player is penalised by the attacked group changing to enemy and if the attack is launched from an air group, that group will change to neutral (and RTB at bingo) so to be unavailable in short term for further action.
In most pages of toolbox player groups are selected if they are currently selected in the game. The selection can be overridden with normal mouse selections.
AirGrpForm window:
The "Search" button brings up a list of all current players groups that include air units. By selecting one of the listed group its air units will list in the next box.
By selecting one of the units you can then edit the flight level of that unit or give it an offset from the group centre position. The offset is approximately nautical miles and a combination of N/S (+is south) or E/W (+is east). If the group is in the unit window you should see the shift instantly. There is an idicator for if the unit is NOE capable or not.
To cause two air groups to join select one group in the group window and press one of the 'Grp' buttons (or use right mouse click popup menu), the group ID will be shown,then select the second group and press the second 'Grp' button, finally press the 'Join' button. The groups will be vectored to meet and join.
ASW, CAP, EW and AEW - To add a hexagon based patrol select an air group, select a non zero base size (approx NMs) then press the appropriate button ASW low alt (vlow if capable), CAP medium alt with 1 in 5 min intermittent radar and AEW at highest alt capable with 1 in 10 min intermittent radar, EW like AEW but 2 1/2 in 3 min radar. If the selected group already had a course set then the patrol will be centred on the first course point, otherwise it is centred on the groups current position.
If the group already has a multi leg course (no in course orders other than the last leg eg RTB) and the patrol size is set to zero then the course remains and the legs are populated with the loiter/hover and cruise orders plus radar as per the hex patrols.
Pause will pause the AI but still allow some game interaction, eg move game focus.
Attack window:
gives information on enemy units and groups that are visible to you. An asterisk (*) before an enemy unit name indicates that an exact fix is known. A group '00' indicated unknown size. Some experimental functions include an ability to reassign missiles' targets (if capable and in the correct guidance phase), attempt to capture certain enemy or neutral assets, 'defection' of groups and directing a group to move exactly directly over the current known position of an enemy unit (or centre of uncertainty zone if no exact fix exists).
Air Refuel window:
This adds versatility to the already good GE refueling ability. You can set the toolbox to automatically pause the game as refuel events are queued by the main program and bring up the event information. You can bring up a list of all your groups for which refueling is current and select a group to show its units' and refueling information. You can also search for a list of Air Groups that include a tanker.
Two 'manual' refueling tasks are available to supplement game refueling, you can manually "Queue" a new refuel cycle for the whole group and select the refueling unit if there are more than one (like alt+R in game but you can select which tanker unit refuels). You can also refuel tanker units from other tanker units in the group or transfer fuel internally of a tanker unit (so as to use refuel store to increase the tankers range or in reverse so as to use some of the tankers fuel for refueling). Single units can have stipulated amounts of fuel transferred without starting standard refuel cycle, so you can refuel high unit # units without waiting for the whole group to be refueled, handy if you have just joined low fuel units to a large group. In the unit information window there is information to help you estimate your refueling needs: unit endurance in minutes, unit range at current speed in nm, unit estimated range if it is split off from the refuel group (and may have a cruise speed high than the refuel group) and the nominal max range (at normal cruise speed) of the unit. The last two 'range' values allows you to estimate how much fuel can be taken up by the unit while in the refuel group.
Groups window
this provides information about units in your various groups.
Status Window includes four pages for Loaded game and scenario information, victory conditions achieved, damaged unit list and dead unit list
Settings window
gives instruction on using toolbox and a setting for the number of lines to show in the message window, which reproduces the in-game messages so that if you wish you can delete the std in game messages for more space.
Includes summary of handy short cut key commands.
To use the program unzip the ToolBox.dll file into the exportDLL folder of your HCE installation. To uninstall simply move or delete the file.
The program utilises 'LazGUI.dll' code by Tony Eischens and adapted by Don Thomas.
Please direct any queries or bug reports via Harpgamer.
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What's New in Version 1.3.1 See changelog
Released
- v 125
- refined the 'cover' command primarily for enhanced ASW operation.
- fixed bug in cover command when attacking air group has no course.
- v126
- changes to the capture function so as to make it more compatible to using air groups to capture, but still limited in authenticity as the probability isn't based on aircraft loadout.
- included are two rudimentary functions for repairing bases and for re assigning missile targets mid flight. Both of these are only in a rough state and not suited to use in a 'serious' play.
- vers 1.3.1
- a code change so that the message box line limit will occur correctly in the case where the adjustable value has been reduced to less than the current line count.
- With version 1.3.1:
- Download