Experimental Play Aids

[Michael Miller]

Here is an early draft of an Excel sheet I have created to assist with Air to Air combat. It calculates a final TacAir differential taking into account the expected parameters: TacAir rating, Maneuver differential and Pilot rating. I was experimenting a little but haven't yet found a simple way to calculate bomber formation flying bonus, hence a couple of otherwise odd looking columns. 

Updated version now calculates TacAir Kills.

Attachments:

Air mission combat example 2.xlsx (37.84 KB)

[ATD]

Thanks for that Mike. Something tells me we are going to need a lot of this sort of thing.

I should be able to augment it with formation bonus et cetera. The offset method of referencing cells in the formula seems a relatively unusual choice, so I wondered why you had preferred it that way. One adverse effect is that it does not colour code highlighted cells to indicate those referenced. I can easily change it of course but wondered if there was some particular reason for doing way that I had missed?

[Michael Miller]

I'm not particularly skilled with Excel, so whatever you see there is a product of using whatever the default cell reference is. Anyone better versed in the art is welcome to do what they will with it. I just needed something to help visualize and manage combat between relatively large numbers of aircraft. As you note, Tony, we likely need more similar play aids.

[ATD]

I traced to this issue to being a global Excel option. Can only assume that some stuff I’ve been doing with Excel 2013 lately has cross infected Excel 2010 but it’s not the default behaviour is so a bit of a puzzle. Maybe the option was set on your sheet and that became the default behaviour here. Anyway, easy to see what is going on with the sheet now.

[Michael Miller]

If it was not clear previously, please note that I edited my earlier post with an updated version of the combat calculation sheet. 

[Michael Miller]

Attached is an early draft of a spreadsheet I've done quite a bit of work with, intended to serve as a source for automated lookup of aircraft and mission info. There are two tabs:

• AircraftStats, a single list of aircraft from both sides, "flattened" to remove all special cases, and with quite a few extra columns to simplify lookup of data from other spreadsheet tools. Notable are four columns with Booleans representing Night mission capabilities, split Transport ratings for supplies vs. troops, split Bomb, NightBomb (½ the Bomb rating) and Torpedo ratings, split offensive and defensive TacAir ratings (non-fighters have offensive TacAir rating 0), additional range info such as derived ratings for external fuel tanks, Transfer max distance, country of origin, and a column intended for an image.
• AirMissions, containing a list of missions, expanded to break out Night missions, and Mission Codes for Non-Combat missions. Columns added with Booleans specifying which Player may plot each, and a text field of the same.

I also fixed a couple of very minor inconsistencies in naming.

Feel free to use and critique. Note that this is experimental, not yet approved for game use.

Cheers!

Attachments:

Aircraft-and-missions-20141114.xlsx (89.54 KB)

[Deleted]

I have been getting CW ready for action.
I noticed there were a number of control sheets missing that were needed during operations. Or I cannot see where they are.
So I created some for Coastal resupply, Naval missions, Rail traffic and CW Production planning (In advance planning for reinforcement of guns etc.) (Axis should be able to use as well and just ignore some pieces)
My design approach is
1) Create the table needed to do the work.
2) Provide copies of associated tables conveniently visible for faster management decisions. Note I see 2 things in CNA - where data is drawn from tables immediately and automatic (more please), and the actual command decisions where decision maker needs information. As time goes by we will progressively automate the lookup and calculation for many values. However the command sheets need information already available to support decision making.
3) My sheets to date attached for comment/improvement etc. I believe they are totally unprotected and visible in this spot, so care.... or ask me for originals.SUPPLY PLANNINGV2 - CW.xls (57.5 KB)  

[Michael Miller]

Following several conversations with Colin, I've produced the attached draft of a spreadsheet I've constructed for the entire map hexfield, with the following information per hex:

• 5 digit numeric HexID, in form 10101, same as the printed maps but with [1-5] in place of map section [A-E].
  
• Printed map section and hex, in form A 0101.
  
• Hex ID in single row format, in form 01001 (same columns as printed map, but rows numbered from 001 on west edge of Map A, through 136 at the east edge of Map E. This is convenient for calculating longer distances, particularly by air).
  
• Name, if any.
  
• Terrain type for the hex, one of [Clear, Rough, Delta, Desert, Gravel, Mountain, Salt Marsh, Sea, Swamp, Vegetation].
  
• Habitation for the hex, one of [Bir, Oasis, City, Town].
  
• Miscellaneous hex info, one of [Coast, Port], plus possible Training Area.
  
• Hexsides, marked as [NE, E, SE, SW, W, NW].
  
• Elevation hexside features, one of [Down Escarpment, Down Slope, Ridge, Up Escarpment, Up Ridge].
  
• Transit hexside features, one of [Track, Road, Railroad, Unfinished Road, Unfinished RR, Road & RR, Road & Unfinished RR, Track & RR, Track & Unfinished RR, Track & Rd].
  
• Watercourse hexside features, one of [Wadi, Sea, River, Nile, Border*].
  

Input validation is in place on most of the sheet. To aid data entry, the hexside info is entered as a single digit, with key info at the top of the columns.


I have entered the information for all of the Maps.

Best regards,
MM

Attachments:

CNA-Hex-Database-20150117.xlsx (785.41 KB)

[Michael Miller]

FYI, I have continued adding map data, and updated the spreadsheet in the above post. Now includes Maps A, B and C. I'm working on Map D tonight. It might be best if I went ahead and did all of them since I've got a reasonable process at this point.

[Michael Miller]

Map D data is now entered as well, and the above attached Excel sheet updated accordingly..

[Michael Miller]

Data for all of the Maps A-E has been entered, and the above linked file updated accordingly. I will now attempt to uncross my eyes...

[Michael Miller]

The most current CNA hex data spreadsheet can be found via the link in the above (edited) post.

Added missing information on the coast, fixed about 10 errors such as incorrect slope and wadi hexsides.

[Michael Miller]

Not directly relevant to CNA, but I've been doing extensive research on naval aspects of World War II for several months, and have produced a reasonably complete listing of significant national fleets during the war. These are characterized using the metrics from War in the Pacific, 2nd edition, with entries for all fighting vessels larger than destroyer size. Destroyers represent pairs of boats. I'm fairly proud of the work on the Italian Regia Marina, as well as the French and Soviet navies. Anyone interested can find my current spreadsheet here. Counter images can be browsed at Imgur:  Regia Marina, French Navy, Kriegsmarine



Comments or errata welcome of course.

[Michael Miller]

I have completed a draft of a large spreadsheet containing information on hundreds of WWII aircraft modeled with statistics for CNA (as well as War in the Pacific v2). Aircraft are covered roughly from 1930 - 1946, with numerous characteristics as range over CNA, WitP and War in Europe map scales, as well as availability dates, production figures, armament notes, operator countries, 31 I believe, including South America and various other minor powers along with the great powers of course. Almost everything that flew or might have flown combat missions is included.

[ATD]

Great Mike. as discussed when we met up, it's going to be very useful. Just need to clear my desk of a few things, with the intention of getting this game going again.