General

Being new to Harpoon using armor as anything other than air targets, I promptly ran into trouble while trying to direct them to attack other ground targets... so, I'm wondering where I went wrong. Specifically what happened was that I had some groups consisting mainly of M1 tanks, and I was trying to attack an AI group of T-72 tanks. Each time I tried to order them to attack the T-72s, it would simply inform me that my range was 2nm, and the target group was, say, 9nm away. (There was no typical dialog asking whether I wanted them to close and attack). Meanwhile, they continued trundling on towards the enemy tanks, and pretty soon the T-72s started "plinking" my M…

Hello Everyone, I'm an old GDW Harpoon miniatures gamer who made the jump to HCE. I have cleanly upgraded to the .044 version and it's working with all default scenarios. My problem is that I've downloaded a couple of Westpac scenarios here (like Sprat in the Spratleys) but I can't get them to load properly. What I did is I created a subdirectory inside the \Matrix Games\HCE\ folder and unzipped all the files there. I immediately noticed that Load User Scenario is looking for files that match a .sc? filter. Overriding the filter and forcing the file load results in a GE crash. I searched the General Discussion and the Scenario Design forums but there wasn't a topic c…

Okay, I'm using the HCDB-080712. I've got a group of a dozen SV-22s squatting on top of an Akula which is running at 35 knots at Deep. I've got a rock-solid lock on Mr. Akula, both from sonobuoys and dipping sonar. Range is about a mile. I've fired off at least half a dozen Mk 50s, moving to bracket the sub as necessary. So WTF are the torps just sailing right past the sub as if they can't see it?!?!?!?!?!? Has the acquisition radius on the torps gotten screwed up again?

With the advent of the original ASROC , somewhere around 1968, dual ship attack procedures disappeared from the books. Does anyone still have the procedures including the plastic template and the communications procedures? I was the tactical communicator on the USS Morton (DD 948) in 63' and 64' and Tom Slattery let me run attacks. But, I have forgotten the crucial parameters for determining direction of turn and rotation, along with the flow of attack. Anyone know how to play old fashioned ASW with depth charges, hedge hogs and MK 46s?

im kind of wondering how hce handles asw patrols by aircraft. I send out a p-3 or a s-3 on a patrol, and making sure the loadout is asw, and once they get to the location of the patrol, all they do it seems is fly around in circles, loitering...arent they supposewd to start a line of sonobuoys? or maybe a box MAD search? Or am i not doing something, or doing something wrong? Any help or tips would be great

Hi All, Playing the first scenario of GIUK 2.0, where I have to escort 2 merchants to Narvik. A flight of 6 floggers comes in...presumably intending to attempt to kill my ships. However the first thing they did was shoot down all 4 of my ASW helos. While this makes good sense I'd foolishly figured they wouldn't waste time trying to shoot down helicopters while in range of ship based SAMs... Regardless of my stupidity on this point...how does one defend against this? Land all your ASW helos as soon as you suspect an enemy flight is coming in? This is very crafty as the very thought of a fighter attack would force me to land all my helos, which is going to put…

Hi guys, new to the forum and a returner to Harpoon. I have a question regarding searching for subs, red or blue in the game. Is there a method of allocating a search aircraft to conduct a long range search for a sub where it will automatically move round an area and drop sonar buoys? At the moment I am using the formation editor for relatively close searches, and the plane drops buoys in the area allocated, but when i want to send an aircraft beyond the range of the formation editor the plane just moves to the point and stops. I have been manually setting search patterns and relying on MAD contacts, but it would be good to know if I have missed something and the…

Torpedo: I just tried to sink a located and identified Tango with MK48s and MK50s. I fired 13 torpedoes within range and all missed. Has there been a change in the algorithm for torpedo combat? Missiles: I just can't miss with my Aim-120s. That too seems odd. I mean the Aim-120 is good, but not that good. Has there been a change in the algorithm for missile combat? Are air-to-air missiles undetectable? Dipping Sonar: My SV-22s and MH-60Rs have dipping sonars. While listed in the unit display, the F9 screen doesn't show them as being present (ie no sonar "on" button) However, if I push the "." (period) button it appears the dipping sonars become active and…

Some of us have probably done it, you get a close contact, you know the platform type, maybe even its class, but you don't know its side, is it an enemy or a neutral? It might in fact be a neutral but due to it's close proximity you blast it! You then find out your mistake but there are no consequences. If you use my Toolbox, this is about to change, but I have two consequences available: 1/ The attacking group is stood down (in game it is turned into a neutral) and the commander sent off to war crimes trial. (or in the case of attacking a whale something else?) 2/ The attacked group turns against you and becomes an enemy. OR both? If the neu…

Partly because of the way I position the various Windows on my display, I have run into some apparently inconsistent behavior relating to the Windows automatically switching focus, or auto-centering, or auto-panning, so I'm curious if there is a way to avoid these undesired aspects. First, regarding auto-focusing: To make my Group and Unit Windows as large as possible, I have overlayed ("tiled") those two Windows. Consequently, I've observed that when I have the Unit Window in front of the Group Window, and certain Staff Assistant dialogs or orders dialogs pop up that have a "Select" button on them, in some cases, clicking on "Select" will automatically bring the…

Hello all, I'm something like an old noob. I've played with Harpoon (classic only) on and off since 1994. Mostly off, truth be told, but I always think that someday I should get back to Harpoon since it's really challenging and fun. I found a HC97 manual when I moved my computer workstation the other day and this started me Googling. I was thinking that HCE sounds pretty good. But... Although there are still links and pages for various sellers, it seems that HCE is no longer sold, but the "ultimate" package (HUCE) is available for ~$60 for a huge download. That version includes HCE, and there is a recently validated, time-limited demo version of HCE. Is all that corr…

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Hi ALl, I just wanted to drop by, as it's been a while since I checked in around here. I got an email from matrix Games today which reminded me of the Harpoon series, and it occurred to me it had been ages since I poked at it. I have learned quite a lot about accessibility and related matters since I was last here, and have gained a few abilities I didn't previously possess. I am mostly hoping that with sufficient dedication I can enjoy some Harpoon if not any of the other Matrix titles. I have been previously poking at other fairly complex games, so it is not quite as alien to me as it used to be. I wanted to say hi, in case anyone is …

Hello guys, just downloaded 2008.044 Public Beta and the latest HCDB. If nothing happens in RL, I´ll be back to HCE business soon. Regards, Ralf

If some enterprising player (I know you're out there!) wants to help out a little, I have a request. Play with the ballistic missiles in the HCDB. Try attack and defense. Particularly engagement geometries, ranges and altitudes. Try altering the altitude limits of defending missiles. See what happens. Discern patterns. Report back. That is all.

The Databases for EC2000 and EC2003 make reference to, for example, Mawsil AD and Kifh TC. What do the AD and TC signify?

I am aware that we can just move bases if they are "off map" but what about base names, etc? I'm considering a possible Libya scenario but in the HCDB database there are no Libyan bases, I know its just a name but I think it looks silly if Tripoli airport is named as "RAF Kinross" just because the name isn't there...

Are prowlers and other EW platforms automatically doing their thing when they're airborne, or do you need to turn on their surfce radar to activate the EW function? It seem sort of self-defeating to do this, but there was nothing else to indicate that the plane was jamming. I realize this is a pretty basic question, but it's one for which I've been unable to find an answer since I started playing the old 360 version. Love This Game toorabid

Wanting to poke around with the 1982 Falklands War, I downloaded the scenario Approach. It has .BLz, RDz and SCz files. What the heck to I do to get this to run? Thanks.

Tony - Does the coastline 'resolution' differ depending on the size of battleset created with the Battleset Builder? IE, will the coastline be more 'jagged' at finer zoom values for a larger map area than a smaller one? DN