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el cid again -> RE: CHS and RHS description (7/15/2006 4:20:54 PM)
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There are several threads in which the RHS scenarios are defined - so a search should produce them - all on this board. Briefly,
General: RHS is a variation of CHS. Originally built on top of CHS version 155, it has converted to using Matrix version 1.8 as far as possible (and so has CHS) for record slots. Some CHS version 177 records are also used.
One major difference is that RHS ONLY works with an extended map - either Andrew Brown's Extended Map or the RHS Extended Map. The latter - by CobraAus - is available in no less than three forms - more or less like Andrew's map - satellite image foundation map - and soft toned satellite image foundation map. [Cobra does art like I do data - and neither of us ever sleep!] RHS maps offer ferries between adjacent land bodies, more river navigation than CHS (but CHS invented it and is expanding it a bit), and many more locations.
Another major difference is that RHS forces the game to end on 1 January 1946 (and recommends it end on 1 November 1945). This gets rid of many units - creating "slots" for those missing in stock and CHS. There are NO RHS reinforcements after 30 September 1945.
CHS and RHS are both products of groups of volunteers of the Matrix Forum. CHS and RHS at the coordinator level are also entirely cooperative - sharing possible changes and corrections behind the scenes - and helping understand technical issues - on a continuous basis.
The extended maps at this time are interchangable - and one can use the RHS map with CHS and vice versa, provided one uses the corresponding pwhex file for each map. [It will work if you don't - but in the few places the roads etc are different you may have 'strange' movement occur]
RHS, however, is experimenting behind the scenes with an entirely different map, to add areas not in CHS - and if that happens this map compatability will go away. The volunteers of CHS and RHS are in many cases the very same people - but different processes of review make it far easier to get data changes into RHS than CHS. RHS is a very open product - and very responsive to forum comments - and formally committed to "if it is better than we have now we will use it" as a principle. Further, RHS has different versions, so we are not forced to "do it this way - or not" - but can use something in a version where it is appropriate and not in another - if there is a reason to go both ways - sort of a have your cake and eat it too approach.
Aside from a massive rework of art by Cobra in all senses, with the understanding it is built on the brilliant foundation of Andrew Brown's map (including invention of technical concepts of how to make the map interact with code not invented by Matrix itself), RHS has done a comprehensive review of the values of many things, basing them on simulation theory and published algorithms (rather than seat of the pants or guestimates). It also has reviewed many (but by no means all or even a majority) of units - ships - aircraft - locations - with particular attention to correcting data (dates, ranges, quantities, etc). Finally, RHS has attempted to implement a functional economy - and has for the first time implemented the drop tanks that Matrix put in the data set (but never used) - creating a test bed to determine the endurance values. You will notice many planes have more range - and some have less - than in stock or CHS. You will notice that many planes and ships and units appear later - and some later - than in stock or CHS. All of these things after long discussions on the forum and great amounts of research. We have people working on arrival dates of every last LST in theater (and exchanging those never in theater for those that were) - and even every last merchant ship!!! We added the Soviet Pacific Ocean Fleet - including its air force - the Royal Thai Navy, Army and Air Force - a French unit at Noumea - almost all of the Indian Air Force - etc.
RHS has undertaken fundamental reform - due to a lack of record "slots" to put things in - in the form of deleting tiny vessels (e.g. fishing boats with a single .30 machine gun and a total of 2 depth charges - no sonar - no radar) - which are treated as proper warships in stock and CHS - so that missing important vessels can be put in the game. It has wholly reworked the aircraft set - adding many types - including the very first heavy transports and gliders for both sides. It has created wholly new devices - like magnetic anomomy detectors - for both sides - and added exotic things like blimps - kaiten - midget submarines - what hopefully are fully functional surface raiders - transport submarines - and things I cannot remember. [Edit: it replaces the G5 fictional heavy bomber with the G8 - a real heavy bomber. It adds the M6A1 submarine bomber for two classes of submarines.] It has attempted to create functional guerillas in China and functional special operations units - adding airborne units like the 6th Ranger Battalion and a very special (and almost unknown in the west) "unit" of Taiwanese raiders for IJA (think Apachies trained to use smgs and explosives).
RHS is explicitly experimental and it is certain that more work needs to be done in the economic area - it will take long games to "calibrate" this and cause issues to become apparant. RHS accepts that not everything will work as desired - midget subs won't penetrate Pearl Harbor (which it appears one did) nor successfully torpedo a battleship in port (as certainly happened at Diego Suarez and apparently also in one case at Pearl Harbor) - due to code limitations. But they will work as originally designed - in the open sea - or in a port hex on ships not docked behind port defenses. It is not yet clear how well the blimps work? Play and tell us. Or the world's first designed to purpose ASW plane (Q1W1 Lorna)? Same same.
The fundamental versions are, in order of creation (and file numbers):
RHSCVO (Scenario 60): Carrier Oriented
This is an imitation of CHS main version and stock Scenario 15.
This version assumes actual history dominates all major shipbuilding decisions. Even major changes to plans in place - Shinano as a carrier is the classic case - are adopted in CVO. Like stock and CHS, the Russians are passive - and Japan need not fear a war in the North until August 1945. For technical reasons - there are no Russian submarines - so players who want AI controlled subs won't have problems.
RHSRAO (Scenario 61): Russian Active Option
This is simply CVO with the Russians active. This is to allow the Russians to deploy - supply distant posts by ship - and not be sitting ducks to a Japanese build up/attack. The Russians are NOT necessairily at war - and in human vs human games - this is working fine. The whole Russian navy is here - INCLUDING subs - and either you must have human control of the Allies - or accept the AI will send Russian subs to war.
RHSBBO (Scenario 62): Battleship Oriented
This is a variation we believe is MORE likely than history: major changes to existing plans and thinking does not come fast enough - so you get saddled with pre war thinking in shipbuilding. Shinano you may cancel OR take as a battleship - the classic example. Extra capital ships appear on both sides, and somewhat fewer carriers - particularly the converted small carriers. Japan has more focus on seaplane carriers. US advocates of fast DEs win - so there is twice as much power in many - but half the ships don't get built. US advocates of medium submarines win - so mid and late war subs are half mediums instead of fleet boats.
Air is different only insofar as the carrier air groups (and shipboard seaplane detachments) must be different - and land units are identical - as is the programming of turn one.
RHSRPO (Scenario 63): Russian Passive Option
This is simply RHSBBO with the Russians passive - as in stock and CHS.
There are NO Russian subs either - since they will fight under AI control even if the Russians are not active!!!
RHSPPO (Scenario 64): Political Point Option
This is simply RHSBBO with most reinforcements assigned to home commands - and extra points - so players may send them to whatever theater they want. You are not "locked in" to decisions of a historical war not related to your strategy - or events in your game. But the other guy is ALSO free to do it different.
RHSEOS (Scenario 65): Empire of the Sun
This is radically different. It is a "Japan enhansed scenario." Its foundation is RHSCVO - and it has the political points of RHSPPO - but Japanese forces are extensively reworked - mainly with respect to what gets built. There are a few changes to start up programming - like where a unit is stationed or programmed to go. In the form about to release (today) it has experimental ratings for ships (day and night) that are designed to reflect changes in technology and doctrine not built into the stock table or CHS. Many Japanese "mistakes" are corrected, and its Army and Navy are more cooperative. This permits sharing of planes (as was done with Ki-61) in a way not present IRL - so we were able to change the plane set - and add exotic types like Ki-74, Ki-77, C3 (a Kate recon variant) and a Kate ASW variant - a Ki-49 ASW variant - the Me-109E (actually licenced for production in Japan, with jigs and 3 prototypes actually present - along with a German project engineer), the army heavy bomber (Ki-91), a recon variant of Val - etc.
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