[Mod Release] World War Improbable [Update:05/16/2021]

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[Mod Release] World War Improbable [Update:05/16/2021] - 8/8/2020 7:03:39 PM

Mr_Luxury_Yacht

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See my post from 5/16/2021 down below for the latest version!

So I've already got this on the Steam Workshop but I figured I'd throw it up here as well for the non-Steam folks:

Description:

Ever wished military procurement boards had eaten even more paint chips than normal? Always wondered what would happen if they HAD gone with those wacky prototypes and "what-if" vehicles? Ever dreamed of smashing those vehicles together in Armored Brigade? Well now's your chance!

The goal of this mod is to add alt-versions of real world nations filled with all sorts of prototypes and proposals that never made it to the battlefield. Think MBT-70s, AH-56 Cheyennes, and all those fun Soviet "Objects". In addition, the timeline has been extended from 1950 to 1995, and some base game factions have been extended to this new timeframe. Since a lot of there prototypes went nowhere, there has had to be some...creativity when it came to the later years. For example, the US didn't develop any new rounds for the 152mm after the MBT-70 was cancelled, so I had to completely invent a few. However, I've endeavored to keep things somewhat balanced by keeping the alt-nation capabilities within the realm of what their real world counterparts had at the time. So for example, new 152mm rounds, while differing in penetration and range, don't exceed the capabilities of the US 120mm rounds that actually existed. Similarly, there were no upgrades of the MBT-70, what with it being cancelled and all, but I've added updated versions with composite armor and thermals.

Now I haven't managed to extensively test things for balance so if something added seems way to strong, let me know and I'll tweak the unit price. If things seem too weak however...keep in mind a lot of these prototypes had some real quirks. A heavy tank with only 18 rounds and an autoloader that lets it fire them ridiculously fast may seem like a recipe for disaster but hey, that's what they proposed! Please let me know if anything like a major bug shows up (graphics not found, etc...).

New Factions:

Union of North America [1950 to 1995]
- Basically what if the US bought every weird boondoggle prototype instead of what they actually did. Think MBT-70s and odd post-WW2 heavy tanks with a few Canadian things thrown in (ADATS, Skink, etc...)

Extended Original Factions:

US [1950 to 1995]

USSR [1950 to 1995]

Changelog:

Version 0.1:

- Union of North America added
- US extended to 1950 to 1995 timeframe
- USSR extended to 1950 to 1995 timeframe

Installation:

Place the unzipped folder in the databases folder of your Armored Brigade install. Then, in Change Settings, select the 'WorldWarImprobable' database and launch the game.

FAQ:

Will you extend the timeline?
- No. I went with 1950 and 1995 for specific reasons. 1950 so that there would be a period where heavy tanks still had a major role, and HEAT wasn't being thrown left and right. I stopped at 1995 because to be honest, the Javelin (and similar top attack missiles) start getting thrown around after 1996 and trust me, after a few tests those are not fun or balanced in this game.

This armor value off by 10mm!
- Not really a priority. Does it radically affect gameplay or balance? If not, I mean for the most part these are prototype vehicles, they were never built. However, if something is really off then it might be a bug so please let me know in the comments.

Can I use <whatever> from this in my mod?

- Sure go crazy. Grab units, whole factions, whatever. The more mods merge together the better as far as I'm concerned.

Please add XYZ to the mod!

- I'm definitely open to suggestions. The only thing I'd like to avoid is overly duplicating capability so if a faction already has an MBT for a given period for example, I probably won't add another one. That being said there are gaps where I couldn't find appropriate prototype substitutes (and the real world vehicle is in there instead) so if you have any ideas throw it in a comment!

Plan for next version: Alternate Germany

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< Message edited by Mr_Luxury_Yacht -- 5/16/2021 8:57:19 PM >

Post #: 1

RE: [Mod Release] World War Improbable - 8/16/2020 3:41:12 PM

jason oates

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Joined: 11/8/2011
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The Otomatic Italien SPAAG has always fascinated me. A 76 mm fast firing cannon for long range engagement of helicopters and low flying aircraft. 4 shot burst of frag against a target and radar controlled. What could possibly go wrong?

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Post #: 2

RE: [Mod Release] World War Improbable - 8/16/2020 5:30:44 PM

Perturabo

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Joined: 11/17/2007
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tfw no The Hunter.

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Post #: 3

RE: [Mod Release] World War Improbable - 8/17/2020 10:17:15 PM

Mr_Luxury_Yacht

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Joined: 6/15/2019
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quote:

ORIGINAL: Perturabo

tfw no The Hunter.

I ain't opposed to adding that if I can find some info on the rockets and some basic dimensions of the vehicle. I'll see what I can dig up.

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Post #: 4

RE: [Mod Release] World War Improbable - 10/17/2020 4:28:33 PM

ChaoticKitten

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Joined: 10/17/2020
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N I C E

If you want help of any kind, I'm sure I can assist you in some way ^_^

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Post #: 5

RE: [Mod Release] World War Improbable - 10/30/2020 12:45:39 AM

Mr_Luxury_Yacht

Posts: 46
Joined: 6/15/2019
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New version up at the bottom of this post! It's been on the workshop for a while but finally got around to posting it here. Delete the old version and replace with the new DB.

One new faction mostly:

Prussia [1950-1995]
- Another "what-if" but for Germany. Up until 1965 they mostly have end of WW2 prototypes, or variations thereof. A partnership with Russia helps make up for their lack of access to US/French missiles and helicopters.

Changelog:

Version 0.2:
- Prussia added
- M60 (original turret) added to the US from 1960-1964

Next up: Alt-UK

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< Message edited by Mr_Luxury_Yacht -- 10/30/2020 1:31:25 AM >

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Post #: 6

RE: [Mod Release] World War Improbable - 11/6/2020 11:24:04 PM

Heatseeker

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Personally I would love to see the XA-38 Grizzly, P-51 Mustang, and XP-72 Ultrabolt as early 1950s aircraft for the US.

As for ground vehicles, there are a lot of options with examples being the Ontos, LOSAT Humvee, and the M551 mounting a 105mm L7.

I have more suggestions if needed or desired.

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Post #: 7

RE: [Mod Release] World War Improbable - 11/8/2020 4:48:08 AM

Mr_Luxury_Yacht

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Joined: 6/15/2019
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Those are good suggestions. I will say up front, plane sprites are a hell of a lot harder to do than ground vehicles but the XA-38 could be interesting if I can find the right open source blueprints.

As for ground, the Ontos is cool, but its role of small rapid firing recoilless rifle vehicle is sort of already filled by the T114. The LOSAT is another interesting one, but it's right on the edge of the timeframe (first firing 1990, but the program didn't really produce a usable prototype until 1997). Maybe something based on the earlier Vought HVM if I can find decent specs on it. As for the M551 with the 105mm L7, that I may consider since it'd be dead easy to do. I'm also considering doing something based off the HSTV-L for a late Cold War light tank for the alternate US.

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RE: [Mod Release] World War Improbable - 11/8/2020 4:14:53 PM

Heatseeker

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You certainly have done a good job with aircraft sprites previously, but I take that the CH-47C Helicopter Aerial Artillery Weapon System, aka a CH-47 with two externally-mounted 105mm XM204 soft recoil howitzers would be quite complex?

HSTV-L certainly works, and there are in general a plethora of US Cold War stillborn projects that are viable.

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Post #: 9

RE: [Mod Release] World War Improbable - 11/8/2020 8:43:45 PM

Mr_Luxury_Yacht

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Oh yeah they're do-able they just take a fair bit longer. Like I can whip up a vehicle sprite in an hour or two with the right reference pictures. Planes and choppers though, there's a lot more irregular angles and whatnot. If there's an open source/public domain blueprint I can basically just colourize and tweak it's not too bad, but otherwise it can be a real pain.

That CH-47 version sounds exactly like the kind of thing I'd add, but as far as I know the game's sprite system doesn't support dual rotors.

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Post #: 10

RE: [Mod Release] World War Improbable - 11/8/2020 9:23:18 PM

nikolas93TS

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Indeed, dual rotors are not supported.

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RE: [Mod Release] World War Improbable - 11/9/2020 2:05:25 AM

Heatseeker

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That is unfortunate to hear, but understandable given that dual rotor aircraft are a bit out of the scope of the game.

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Post #: 12

RE: [Mod Release] World War Improbable - 11/28/2020 6:07:54 PM

Mr_Luxury_Yacht

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New version up with a new faction at the bottom of this post. As usual delete the old version before copying over.

One new faction:

Socialist Commonwealth [1950-1995]
- An alternative UK. Some highlights include things like the Tortoise and Black Prince in the early period, the FV4005 and Falcon SPAA, and later in the 80s vehicles like the MBT-80.

Changelog:

Version 0.3:
- Initial release of Socialist Commonwealth. Air mostly stock UK at this point, will be updated in next version.

Version 0.2:
- Prussia added
- M60 (original turret) added to the US from 1960-1964

Next up: Alternate Russia

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RE: [Mod Release] World War Improbable - 11/28/2020 10:12:27 PM

Heatseeker

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Great work so far, can't wait to see British aviation.

On a completely unrelated note, I would suggest the FV4005 Stage 1 and Stage 2, because who doesn't love 183mm cannons? Also, the Chimera might be a interesting successor to the Tortoise.

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Post #: 14

RE: [Mod Release] World War Improbable - 11/29/2020 12:08:13 AM

Mr_Luxury_Yacht

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FV4005 Stage 2 is in as the Centaur SPG.

There's a Chimera in there but probably not the one you're thinking of. Went with a 1950s TD concept (as adapted in WOT as the Manticore). I considered the 1980s turretless one you're probably thinking of, but there's a real absence of solid data on it and what I could find would be real unbalanced (saw one estimate of like 900mm of KE armor from the front in the mid 80s which like...no weapon in the game could penetrate). The closest equivalent in right now would be the tank based on the Chieftain Casemate Test Rig. Same idea, less ridiculous armor.

As far as aviation goes, it's an early state right now. Just added a few things to pad out the early time frame, and replaced the TOWs with an air version of the Swingfire (Hawkswing). I'm planning to give it another pass in the near future (adding things like the TSR-2).

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RE: [Mod Release] World War Improbable - 11/29/2020 7:54:24 PM

Mr_Luxury_Yacht

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So the next faction (alternate Russia) is still a long way out since unlike the others I need to do more than just re-sprite things but I thought I'd share the first three vehicles:

Starting from the top right: Object 297, Object 287, and Object 775.

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Post #: 16

RE: [Mod Release] World War Improbable - 5/16/2021 8:55:19 PM

Mr_Luxury_Yacht

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Realized I hadn't updated the non-Steam version in like...at least two versions so here's the latest, featuring a new faction and some new units for the existing ones!

New version up with a new faction at the bottom of this post. As usual delete the old version before copying over.

One new faction:

Russian Empire [1950-1995]
- Finally all those Object XYZs are getting put to use. If you're a fan of tanks with the turret shoved to the rear, weird heavy tanks, and MBTs armed with missiles then this is the faction for you.

Changelog:

Version 0.4:

- Initial release of the Russian Empire. As usual in the first version the airforce is still the base USSR airforce, but that will change with future versions.

Version 0.3.5:

Upgraded to the new base DB with the NL/Czech DLC, plus a few new units!

Union of North America: Mauler SAM and the RDF/LT light tank

Prussia: Stug III (as requested) and Marder VST1

Socialist Commonwealth: Red Queen AA, TSR-2 and P.1216 CAS, Saunders Roe Rotorcycle Scout Helicopter

Next up: TBD, but open to suggestions!

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RE: [Mod Release] World War Improbable - 5/22/2021 3:52:39 AM

Mr_Luxury_Yacht

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A quick patch. Fun thing I just learned: Don't accidentally set a unit length to "6058m" instead of "6.058m" because if you do it explodes with the force of a tactical nuke.

https://i.imgur.com/fTDFWap.jpg

Seems to only have affected the T-430 but let me know if any other units seem to blow up with enough force to instantly kill everything on the map.

Attachment (1)

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RE: [Mod Release] World War Improbable - 5/24/2021 3:23:42 PM

Perturabo

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Mr_Luxury_Yacht

A quick patch. Fun thing I just learned: Don't accidentally set a unit length to "6058m" instead of "6.058m" because if you do it explodes with the force of a tactical nuke.

https://i.imgur.com/fTDFWap.jpg

Seems to only have affected the T-430 but let me know if any other units seem to blow up with enough force to instantly kill everything on the map.

That's... interesting

. I wonder if it can be somehow utilized XD .

Also, it makes me super frustrated with lack of custom tracers. Like so many possibilities we can't use.

< Message edited by Perturabo -- 5/24/2021 3:29:36 PM >

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RE: [Mod Release] World War Improbable - 5/24/2021 6:56:13 PM

22sec

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Mr_Luxury_Yacht

A quick patch. Fun thing I just learned: Don't accidentally set a unit length to "6058m" instead of "6.058m" because if you do it explodes with the force of a tactical nuke.

https://i.imgur.com/fTDFWap.jpg

Seems to only have affected the T-430 but let me know if any other units seem to blow up with enough force to instantly kill everything on the map.

Were units effected by the blast?

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RE: [Mod Release] World War Improbable - 5/27/2021 4:33:02 PM

Perturabo

Posts: 2614
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quote:

ORIGINAL: 22sec

quote:

ORIGINAL: Mr_Luxury_Yacht

A quick patch. Fun thing I just learned: Don't accidentally set a unit length to "6058m" instead of "6.058m" because if you do it explodes with the force of a tactical nuke.

https://i.imgur.com/fTDFWap.jpg

Seems to only have affected the T-430 but let me know if any other units seem to blow up with enough force to instantly kill everything on the map.

Were units effected by the blast?