This thread has been created to accommodate requests for the Harpoon Commander's Edition (HCE) World Wars Database, or HCWW.

 

The HCWW is a custom database that will initially focus on aircraft, ships, submarines and installations of the Second World War, and in due course, if room is available, select platforms from the First World War.

 

It is important to keep in mind the limitations of the current code when it comes to modeling WW1/2 era engagements, however, including: less than ideal modeling of aircraft guns; difficulty in modeling radio intercept; no limitations to communications; targeting based on formation center rather than unit to unit; etc. That said, I think there is still potential for extracting enjoyment of WW1/2 warfare simulation from HCE, and it is always possible we may be able to overcome some of these barriers in due course.

 

The current release version of the HCWW is available from the Downloads section of this website. Extract the zip file into your main HCE directory. It will overwrite your current 'commondb.res' file. To maintain multiple databases, be sure to rename your existing 'commondb.res' file. A *.txt file is also included in the zip which details the latest update. PLEASE NOTE that the stock scenarios that come with HCE will NOT work with this custom database installed.

 

The design philosophy of the HCWW is to maintain, wherever feasible, backwards compatibility with scenarios created with the database. The platforms (ships, submarines, aircraft, installations, and weapon systems) contained in the HCWW cover (generally speaking) the 1914-18 and 1939-45 time periods, but this is not a hard and fast rule, and there are some exceptions.

I think WWI and WWII must be separate DBs, they're a lot of possible ships in both DBs, and very few ships combat in the two WW with the same general configuration, and they're too only very few mounts/weapons common to both conflicts (may be yes the four-stokers DDs, but that's the exception).

And now, some of the most perentorious requests (I've do a May 1941 Bismarck scenario in my old WWII DB, with HC, and now I want traslate the researched scenario and the DB to HCE):

BB Bismarck (but yes, the Tirpitz is in the DB).

BB King George V class

BB Nelson class

BC Scharhorst (but yes, the Gneisenau is in the DB).

 

I hope I will re-read the WWII DB and look for other missing platforms or systems.

 

And thanks for your impressive task, Brad.

I think WWI and WWII must be separate DBs, they're a lot of possible ships in both DBs, and very few ships combat in the two WW with the same general configuration, and they're too only very few mounts/weapons common to both conflicts (may be yes the four-stokers DDs, but that's the exception).

 

The only obstacle for me is room in the annexes, and that might be a large obstacle given the sheer size of the WWII OOB, but as I have stated, it would be 'select' WWI platforms anyway.

 

And now, some of the most perentorious requests (I've do a May 1941 Bismarck scenario in my old WWII DB, with HC, and now I want traslate the researched scenario and the DB to HCE):

BB Bismarck (but yes, the Tirpitz is in the DB).

BB King George V class

BB Nelson class

BC Scharhorst (but yes, the Gneisenau is in the DB).

I hope I will re-read the WWII DB and look for other missing platforms or systems.

And thanks for your impressive task, Brad.

 

Will do.

Analysed the HCWW DB, some other missing elements relationed with the platforms presently elaborated in the DB, I think can be forgeted platforms or "missing links", by it's only my humble opinion:

 

Installations:

Generic red airbases (I think may be unnecesary, the DB has generic blue airbases).

Bunkers, bridges and other generic instalations, but we can wait.

A Huff/Duff fixed installation, a simple site with a ESM flag ? In my own WWII DB I named it "HF D/F Shore Station (12/1941)", type AD mobile, subtype MISC, 9 lenght, 30 t. displacement, 5 damage points, flag ESM, 0 knots speed, Mast height Large ship, detect size small, RCS 99, Victory type: Intelligence, mounts: 4 x 12.7mm MG Vickers Quad, and names from HF D/F Shore Station 01 to HF D/F Shore Station 16 (16 sets in Newfoundland, Ireland, UK, 5 sets in the mediterranean region, 3 sets in the West Indies region, and 3 sets covering the South Atlantic).

 

Ships:

BB Revenge class, old BBs for convoys protection tasks.

BB Barham, Valiant and Malaya of the Queen Elizabeth class

BC Renown, post-1940 (particulars about her radar outfit in http://www.naval-history.net/xGM-Chrono-02BC-Renown.htm )

CA Admiral Scheer and Deutschland/Lutzow, both almost identical to Graf Spee

CA Prinz Eugen (the first two ships of the first batch of the class, Hipper and Blucher, are in the DB)

CL all the german types.

DD, german destroyers after the Z-22.

PT Torpedoboot 1924/Raubtier class (but it's presente PT Torpedoboot 1923/Raubvogel).

 

Submarines:

After entry 6159, Type VIIC (1942) submarines lack the ship name of each individual boat in each class, but I think is in relation with some error in the importation of the DB.

 

Aircrafts:

Some few eluded Fleet Air Arm planes:

Fairey Fulmar I/II, large fighter/recce for the british CVs.

Blackburn Skua II, dive bomber for the british CVs.

Blackburn Roc I, turret fighter, companion to Skua.

Supermarine Walrus I/II, spotter flying boat for british ships.

 

Fiat CR.42 (but it's present the earlier CR.32 of Spanish Civil War fame, but I see, the Italian Air Force in the DB is very embrionary, and it lacks presently the most common types).

 

Some more or less common early german types, relationated with those present in the DB and for the Norway and Bismarck campaigns:

Bf.110C-1 (pure fighter variant)

Do.17E-1/F-1 (recce/bomber variant)

Do.17P-1 (pure recce variant)

Fw.200C-1 Condor (but I see the Fw.200C-4 in the DB is almost the same)

Ju.88A-1 (basically, less defensive armament than Ju.88A-4, we can use Ju.88A-4 instead)

Ju.88C-2 (fighter-bomber capability)

Ju.90B-1 (a more common plane than Ju.390V2, airliner converted to troop transport, used in the Norway campaign).

He.111P/H-1/2 (less range, defensive armament and bomb load capability than posterior variants)

He.111H-6 (very similar to the He.111J-1 present in the DB, we can use it)

He.115A-2/3 (extended use float plane, for recce, minelaying and torpedo attack)

He.59B-2 (earlier biplane float plane, also for recce, bomber and torpedo attack, also used in Spanish Civil War)

Ju.52/3m g4e (the trimotor "Tante Ju", representative of transport, assault and bomber variants)

Ju.87R-1 Stuka (the long range variant, with two big drop tanks).

 

In the almost complete list of Pacific War planes:

Aichi E13A1 Jake

 

 

Also, I know the performances of the early radars are very controversial, but I think the range of the FuG 200 Hohentweil is 43 nm, as in Supermarina errata, not 2 nm as in the DB, we can detect nothing !

 

I've enjoyed writing this post, I hope you enjoy reading it.

Installations:

Generic red airbases (I think may be unnecesary, the DB has generic blue airbases).

 

Not necessary. The SE permits any particular installation to be input into a scenario as Red or Blue, regardless of their identity in the DB.

 

Bunkers, bridges and other generic instalations, but we can wait.

 

Yes, in due course.

 

A Huff/Duff fixed installation, a simple site with a ESM flag ? In my own WWII DB I named it "HF D/F Shore Station (12/1941)", type AD mobile, subtype MISC, 9 lenght, 30 t. displacement, 5 damage points, flag ESM, 0 knots speed, Mast height Large ship, detect size small, RCS 99, Victory type: Intelligence, mounts: 4 x 12.7mm MG Vickers Quad, and names from HF D/F Shore Station 01 to HF D/F Shore Station 16 (16 sets in Newfoundland, Ireland, UK, 5 sets in the mediterranean region, 3 sets in the West Indies region, and 3 sets covering the South Atlantic).

 

In due course.

 

BB Revenge class, old BBs for convoys protection tasks.

BB Barham, Valiant and Malaya of the Queen Elizabeth class

BC Renown, post-1940 (particulars about her radar outfit in http://www.naval-history.net/xGM-Chrono-02BC-Renown.htm )

CA Admiral Scheer and Deutschland/Lutzow, both almost identical to Graf Spee

CA Prinz Eugen (the first two ships of the first batch of the class, Hipper and Blucher, are in the DB)

CL all the german types.

DD, german destroyers after the Z-22.

PT Torpedoboot 1924/Raubtier class (but it's presente PT Torpedoboot 1923/Raubvogel).

 

In due course.

 

After entry 6159, Type VIIC (1942) submarines lack the ship name of each individual boat in each class, but I think is in relation with some error in the importation of the DB.

 

Can you explain this further? Are you seeing this issue in the SE? Sometime ago we introduced code to remove a limit on a number of platform names, but there might be a further issue at work here.

 

Fairey Fulmar I/II, large fighter/recce for the british CVs.

Blackburn Skua II, dive bomber for the british CVs.

Blackburn Roc I, turret fighter, companion to Skua.

Supermarine Walrus I/II, spotter flying boat for british ships.

Fiat CR.42 (but it's present the earlier CR.32 of Spanish Civil War fame, but I see, the Italian Air Force in the DB is very embrionary, and it lacks presently the most common types).

 

In due course.

 

Some more or less common early german types, relationated with those present in the DB and for the Norway and Bismarck campaigns:

Bf.110C-1 (pure fighter variant)

Do.17E-1/F-1 (recce/bomber variant)

Do.17P-1 (pure recce variant)

Fw.200C-1 Condor (but I see the Fw.200C-4 in the DB is almost the same)

Ju.88A-1 (basically, less defensive armament than Ju.88A-4, we can use Ju.88A-4 instead)

Ju.88C-2 (fighter-bomber capability)

Ju.90B-1 (a more common plane than Ju.390V2, airliner converted to troop transport, used in the Norway campaign).

He.111P/H-1/2 (less range, defensive armament and bomb load capability than posterior variants)

He.111H-6 (very similar to the He.111J-1 present in the DB, we can use it)

He.115A-2/3 (extended use float plane, for recce, minelaying and torpedo attack)

He.59B-2 (earlier biplane float plane, also for recce, bomber and torpedo attack, also used in Spanish Civil War)

Ju.52/3m g4e (the trimotor "Tante Ju", representative of transport, assault and bomber variants)

Ju.87R-1 Stuka (the long range variant, with two big drop tanks).

 

In due course. Keep in mind that the Loadouts annex is probably the most space limited annex in any DB, and I am trying to adequately represent the major models of WWII. If there is room for these more specific types, then we'll get them in there.

 

In the almost complete list of Pacific War planes:

Aichi E13A1 Jake

 

Can't forget the Jake. Duly noted.

 

Also, I know the performances of the early radars are very controversial, but I think the range of the FuG 200 Hohentweil is 43 nm, as in Supermarina errata, not 2 nm as in the DB, we can detect nothing !

 

Yes, an obvious error. Thanks for picking up on it. My CaS data (which is more recent than Supermarina errata) says 72 nm, so I will use that.

Many thanks for your interest and comments, Brad.

 

QUOTE

After entry 6159, Type VIIC (1942) submarines lack the ship name of each individual boat in each class, but I think is in relation with some error in the importation of the DB.

 

 

Can you explain this further? Are you seeing this issue in the SE? Sometime ago we introduced code to remove a limit on a number of platform names, but there might be a further issue at work here.

 

Now, I see in the Netbook is installed the old HCWW-090724, and from the entry 6159, with name Type VIIC (1942), they're only a U-Boat name, the same name Type VIIC (1942). In the laptop I've installed the last version, and the result is the aforementioned no name/blank name

I will test another times, but I will out travelling the next two weeks (I hope ...)

 

I think that's relationated with the iimport of the HCWW DB, I ever obtain a error message, but I don't understand it very well. The next time I will note it.

Yes, verified, the submarine names appear without problem in the SE.

Downloaded and imported the new HCWW-090825 DB.

The same error message in the import process, (Lin33, Col9):

 

ItemCount = LineGetNextField(CharPos1, CharPos2, rsList![NamesArray], ListDelim)

 

And the same problem, blank individual submarine names from the same entry 6159 Type VIIC (1942)

 

And no Prinz Eugen ...

Downloaded and imported the new HCWW-090825 DB. The same error message in the import process, (Lin33, Col9):

ItemCount = LineGetNextField(CharPos1, CharPos2, rsList![NamesArray], ListDelim)

And the same problem, blank individual submarine names from the same entry 6159 Type VIIC (1942)

 

Okay, we'll have to look into what's going on there.

 

And no Prinz Eugen ...

 

Enrique, dude, hold your horses!

Also, I see in all the ships the magazines are empty, it may be another import problem ?

Also, I see in all the ships the magazines are empty, it may be another import problem ?

 

Enrique, this problem appears to be specific to you.

 

The import is working fine in 2008.044 and in later versions of the PE. Sub names are showing and the magazines are full where appropriate.

 

Perhaps you should try using the 'pristine' copy of the PE contained in your 'pe.bak' folder.

Yes, no problems with the "pristine" copy.

Sorry by the no fast answer, I'm not at home this week.

Thanks you very much for the new HCWW DB, HCWW-090909, a very, very hard job. Next days I'm preparing a paper about A-Stan, more comments about the DB and I hope new scenarios the next weeks.

Thanks you very much for the new HCWW DB, HCWW-090909, a very, very hard job. Next days I'm preparing a paper about A-Stan, more comments about the DB and I hope new scenarios the next weeks.

 

Thanks, Enrique. It definitely is a LOT of work and one needs a certain kind of of personality (or mental state) to enjoy this kind of 'work' , but I am learning a lot about WWII and as long as folks like you write scenarios, its worth it.

Thanks for the new HCWW-090917, more platforms for more scenarios, but no the next week, I will be at http://www.ieee.es/archivos/subidos/Activi...%2020090925.pdf