Hello, I am new to harpoon and looking for some kind of beginners guide. I've been playing and figuring most of it out for myself, but wondering if there's some type of beginners guide to understand the basics and fundamental things I may be missing. I've read the tactics 101 and it helped some, but I'm looking for a guide covering all the basics of the game so I can enjoy the game fully. Thank you very much for any help

Welcome Grobbs,

 

It sounds like you may already be more advanced than the basics but these might have use for you:

 

Keyboard commands by location: http://harpgamer.com/harpforum/index.php?/files/file/417-keyboard-commands-by-location/

 

and

 

Westpac 1.0 walk-through: http://harpgamer.com/harpforum/index.php?/files/file/263-westpac-10-orders-pdf/

 

Outside of that ask questions, join us on IRC, etc.

 

Is there any simple scenarios that you would recommend that does not have too much going on? Something thats small and easier to manage so I can learn and not be overwhelmed? Also how do I install scenarios that I download from this site? I do not see where to copy the file to anywhere in the HCE directory

Westpac 1.0 is the best introductory scenario.

 

You can unzip the scenarios from this site right into your HCE directory, or put them in a subdirectory, or anywhere really but the program is looking by default in the HCE directory.

welcome...

re where to unzip the scenarios, I like to have a sub folder of my main HCE folder named 'add_ons' (obviously the name isn't important) and within that sub folders for each 'battleset' (eg 'westpac', GIUK_2003, etc) and place my scenarios accordingly. As you might have seen there are a huge number of scenarios and so I find this arrangement makes it easier to keep track of which scenarios are for which battleset (if you have a good memory you can actually work that out from the file type but late at night this fails me:)).

There are a quite a few basic scenarios in the game installation. Once you have mastered Westpac 1.0 (as mentionedby Tony) there are also simple scenarios at the start of the list in (the original) GIUK battleset. The download scenarios are mostly more complicated (though there are some simple ones). With the basic 'walk through' scenarios the orders (they appear as you open the file and can be had under the reports main menu) give a good idea of what to be doing and what to be looking out for.

Before going to the download scenarios look up info on custom databases too, as you will need to organise youself with custom database (and updated standard database).

The FAQs in General Quarters is a must and THIS is a good start before getting into download heaven.

Also once you get into the download scenarios (and custom database) I'd suggest installing Tony's HCLauncher that you'll find in the tools section of the downloads.

Don

Hello, I am new to harpoon and looking for some kind of beginners guide. I've been playing and figuring most of it out for myself, but wondering if there's some type of beginners guide to understand the basics and fundamental things I may be missing. I've read the tactics 101 and it helped some, but I'm looking for a guide covering all the basics of the game so I can enjoy the game fully. Thank you very much for any help

 

Welcome to Harpoon!

 

Be sure to try out Harpoon 3/ANW when you get the chance. Both versions (HC and ANW) are great; there are some differences in gameplay, AI behavior, level of control of units, logistics, etc. that make both versions interesting and fun in their own ways.

Back in the day, when you bought Harpoon in a store, it came with a nice thick manual that was 10 percent game mechanics/90 percent modern naval tactics/strategy. It was a very fun read and applies to any version of Harpoon. I hung on to my copy for as long as i could. Since then ive acquired a nice library of books on the subject that expands my knowledge even more. And since Harpoon is still really centered on NATO vs. Warsaw Pact type conflicts, you can find a lot of books on the subject on Amazon for VERY cheap since they are going to be "used" and sold thru booksellers. I once bought 5 must have books for me for 10 cents and all I had to pay was shipping. Plus if youre looking for things on the web, a good way to find documents on our chosen subject is to do an advanced search and search for only PDF's (search for "naval warfare" and choose to search for only PDF's) there is still a lot of info out there, you just have to dive for it.

 

But when it comes to scenarios, i took some time a couple years back and downloaded every scenario i could find and ended up with a folder of scenarios thats over 400 files now. And i keep that on a external dfrive to make sure i dont lose it and just point the game to that when i want to find a new game to play. I would make scens on my own but i run exclusively on 64 bit now...but thats a whole other story

 

But when it comes to scenarios, i took some time a couple years back and downloaded every scenario i could find and ended up with a folder of scenarios thats over 400 files now. And i keep that on a external dfrive to make sure i dont lose it and just point the game to that when i want to find a new game to play. I would make scens on my own but i run exclusively on 64 bit now...but thats a whole other story

 

This was one of the reasons I switched over to ANW. The scenario editor for HC is a 16-bit program that won't run under Windows 7 64-bit. Grrr! I would have to stea--I mean borrow my daughter's laptop (32-bit machine) to write HC scenarios. (And, by the way, when are they going to fix that hole in New Guinea in the Pacific map?)

 

The scenario editor for H3/ANW works fine in Windows 7 64-bit. So if you want to write scenarios, ANW, with Gunny's incredible HUD-4 database, is definitely one way to go.

 

H3/ANW is a bit different than HC, so it takes a little while to learn the scenario editor. You have a LOT of control over how the AI behaves, but that means you have to set up missions for the Red and Green sides. It does not take long to do this once you've done it a few times, though. If you use the "full realism" setting, make sure your submarines start the scenario at periscope level or you cannot give them orders, and once they fully submerge, they are out of contact, and the AI takes over. And if you turn on "aircraft logistics," you can tweak the type and number of loadouts available, which is creates some interesting variables for scenario design. Basically, one difference in H3/ANW is that you have a lot more control over some of the scenario details (at the cost of having to make sure they are set up properly, but this really does not take long and I think it's more than worth the trouble). HC automates a lot of this, so design is easier in some ways, but gives you fewer options (and I think the AI is a bit easier to outsmart in HC, although it is still pretty clever).

The scenario editor for HC is a 16-bit program that won't run under Windows 7 64-bit. Grrr!

 

Except, of course, that it actually DOES work. Just needs a bit of extra effort, that's all. I run a 64 bit version of Windows 7, and viola! am able to produce HCE scenarios.

CV32, by saying "extra effort" you mean running an emulator?

Windows 7 has a widows xp mode you can download from microsofts website. So yea emulator. Unless there's another way I don't know about?

CV32, by saying "extra effort" you mean running an emulator?

 

Yes, I use Windows Virtual PC. Easy.

CV32, by saying "extra effort" you mean running an emulator?

 

Yes, I use Windows Virtual PC. Easy.

 

Unfortunately, I only have Home Premium, so I can't download the tools for free. And to upgrade to Professional costs about $80. That's more than the whole Harpoon package. I just can't justify it--I'd never use the virtual pc for anything but the HC scenario editor. Fortunately, I can still play HC scenarios other people write (the game runs fine; it's just the scenario editor that does not work). And I can get my scenario writing fix by using H3/ANW. I just wish more people would try ANW--it does take a little getting used to if you've only played HC, but it grows on you.

 

Both versions of the game are great. I've personally come to prefer ANW because it lets me tweak little details in scenarios, especially with the Full Realism and Aircraft Logistics settings. I also like that you can put four or five sides into a scenario--or nine or ten if you want, although there's usually no need to do that--even allies who will help you but who you do not control, or rogue units in an otherwise neutral side who may spark a conflict. Of course, as I said, the disadvantage of this is that you are responsible for making sure all the little details are right. HC has the advantage that it makes certain assumptions, takes care of certain details, etc. The disadvantage here is that it gives you fewer choices, but if those choices were not important to the scenario, it may not matter. In any event, both versions let you create very interesting scenarios. If someone cannot use the HC scenario editor because of something like the 64-bit issue, I would recommend at least checking out ANW and seeing if they like it.