Editing the campaign files
From Weapons Pack Aircraft Database
The best place to start is in the C:\Program Files\Strategy First\Strike Fighters\Campaigns folder. This folder contains another folder named Campaign1. To create a new campaign make a copy of the Campaign1 folder and rename it as "Campaign2". Your C:\Program Files\Strategy First\Strike Fighters\Campaigns folder will now contain two folders. Each folder will contain the files necessary for a different campaign to run.
In the new "Campaign2" folder you will find a file named "campaign1.cfg. Rename this file as "campaign2.cfg".
You can edit it with a text editor such as "notepad". The file contains very basic information on the campaign it controls. For now just leave it alone and go back to it later.
To edit the campaign you must extract the "campaign1_data.ini" file from the "missiondata.cat" file. This will require the .cat file extractor available at the check 6 site.
Once the file is extracted, rename it as "campaign2_data.ini" and copy it into the "Campaign2" folder. You should now have two files in the folder.
Basicly, that's all there is to it. You will now have two campaigns available at the in game campaign selection screen. Until the two files are edited, however, the campaigns will be identical.
Now the fun begins. Use a text editor such as notepad to open up the campaign_data.ini file.
I'll break what you will see down into the basic sections. I've removed some redundant and repetitive entries for brevity. The italicized entries are explanations of what each line does.
The first part defines the basics and will look like this:
[CampaignData] StartDate=09/01/1959 - This is the first day of the campaign. StartDateDeviation=30 - This entry randomizes the start date. Set it to 0 for the campaign to start at the same date every time. ForceWithInitiative=0 - I'm not sure exactly what it does. The entry will correspond to one of the "forces" defined below. MaxMissions=30 - Number of missions until the campaign automatically ends. NormalMissionRate=360 - The number of days between missions when no ground offensives are in progress. NormalMissionRateDeviation=120 - Not sure. I think it randomizes the number of days between missions. OffensiveMissionRate=45 - The number of days between missions when a ground offensive is in progress. OffensiveMissionRateDeviation=30 - Same as NormalMissionRateDeviation. CampaignEndWinScreen=Winner1.bmp - The .bmp file within the same folder displayed when the campaign is won. CampaignEndLoseScreen=Loser1.bmp - The .bmp file within the same folder displayed when the campaign is lost. CampaignEndStallScreen=Loser1.bmp - The .bmp file within the same folder displayed when the campaign is a draw. CampaignEndWinText=Campaign1Win.txt - The .txt file within the same folder displayed when the campaign is won. CampaignEndLoseText=Campaign1Lose.txt - The .txt file within the same folder displayed when the campaign is lost. CampaignEndStallText=Campaign1Stall.txt - The .txt file within the same folder displayed when the campaign is a draw.
The next section defines who the combatants are:
[Force001] Alignment=FRIENDLY - Either friendly or enemy. Self explanatory Nation=Dhimar - The name of the force. Must correspond to an entry in the nations.ini file. BaseArea=Muthala - I think this is the area that must be captured to win the campaign. AirOffensive[001].Primary=WAREHOUSE - These entries define the type of targets hit during strike missions. They must correspond to entries in the xxxx_types.cfg file located in the "Terrain/xxxxx" folder. Each pair of entries must follow in numerical sequence. I have no idea how or why the primary/secondary or different AirOffensive numbers work. AirOffensive[001].Secondary=FUEL_STORAGE AirOffensive[002].Primary=OIL_REFINERY,FUEL_STORAGE AirOffensive[002].Secondary=COMM_BUILDING StartGroundOffensive=2 - No idea. Lower numbers seem to make an offensive more likely but that's based on limited observation. StartInterdiction=5 - No idea. Morale=70 - I think it is the force's starting morale level. Supply=25 - I think it is the force's starting supply level. NormalSupplyRate=20 - Rate in which units are resupplied when no offensives are in progress. OffensiveSupplyRate=-20 - Rate in which a unit uses supplies when conducting a ground offensive. DefensiveSupplyRate=-5 - Rate in which a unit uses supplies while defending against a ground offensive. SupplyForOffensive=90 - Supply level required for a ground offensive to start. I don't know if this applies to the entire force or individual units. AircraftReplacementTime=240 - Number of days between aircraft replacements. AircraftReplacement=60 - Something to do with the number of aircraft received as replacements. GroundUnitReplacementTime=360 - Number of days between ground unit replacements. GroundUnitReplacement=100 - Something to do with the number of ground units received as replacements. RandomTransportType=ANY - No idea. WeaponResupplyTime=180 - Number of days between weapon resupply.
[Force002] - Additional entries must follow in numerical sequence. Otherwise same as above.
This section defines each force's air units:
[AirUnit001] AircraftType=F-100D - Type of aircraft flown by the unit. Must correspond with a folder name in the Objects/Aircraft directory. Squadron=436TFS - The squadron markings carried by the aircraft. Corresponds to the markings available at the loadout screen's squadron pull down. StartDate=9/25/1959 - Date the unit shows up in the campaign. Date the campaign starts for player flyable units. ForceID=1 - Corresponds to one of the "force" entries above. Nation=USAF - Corresponds to an entry in the nations.ini file. DefaultTexture=USAFSilver1 - The markings used by aircraft from this unit. Corresponds to a directory in the Objects/Aircraft/F-100D (in this case) folder. BaseArea=D3 Airfield - Airfield the unit starts flying missions from. RandomChance=100 - I think this is the likelyhood a unit will show up in the campaign. MaxAircraft=16 - Maximum number of aircraft available to the unit. StartAircraft=16 - Number of aircraft at the beginning of the campaign. MaxPilots=16 - Maximum number of pilots available to the unit. StartPilots=16 - Number of pilots at the beginning of the campaign. Experience=100 - Starting experience level of the unit's pilots. Morale=100 - Starting morale level of the unit's pilots. Supply=50 - Starting supply level for the unit. MissionChance[SWEEP]=90 - These entries define the likelihood of the unit flying these types of missions. MissionChance[CAP]=90 MissionChance[INTERCEPT]=90 MissionChance[ESCORT]=70 MissionChance[STRIKE]=25 MissionChance[CAS]=50 MissionChance[SEAD]=50 MissionChance[ARMED_RECON]=25 MissionChance[ANTI_SHIP]=10 MissionChance[RECON]=50 UpgradeType=FIXED - Type of aircraft upgrade. "NEVER" for no upgrades. "ANY" also available. Upgrade[01].Year=1959 - Used for "FIXED" upgrades. Year the upgrade takes place. Upgrade[01].Type=F-104G - Used for "FIXED" upgrades. Aircraft the unit upgrades to. Upgrade[01].Texture=USAFSilver1 - Used for "FIXED" upgrades. Markings used be the upgraded aircraft. Corresponds to a directory in the Objects/Aircraft/F-104G (in this case) folder. Supply[001].WeaponType=Mk81 - These entries define the types and quantities of weapons available to a player flyable unit. They have no effect on computer controlled units. Each entry must follow in numerical sequence and correspond to a weapon defined in the weapondata.ini file. Supply[001].Quantity=180 Supply[002].WeaponType=Mk82 Supply[002].Quantity=120
[AirUnit002] - Each additional entry must follow in numerical sequence. Otherwise they are the same as above.
The next section defines each force's ground units.
[GroundUnit001] GroundObjectType=T-55 - Type of unit. UnitName=1st Paran Tank Div - The name of the unit. ForceID=2 - Corresponds to a "force" as defined above Nation=Paran - Corresponds to an entry in the nations.ini file. BaseArea=Riqdur - Area the unit starts the campaign in. RandomChance=100 - I think it's the probability of a unit showing up in the campaign. StartObjects=100 - I think it's the number of individual tanks and vehicles the unit starts out with. MaxObjects=100 - I think it's the maximum number of individual tanks and vehicles the unit can have. Experience=75 - Experience level the unit starts out with. Morale=80 - Morale level the unit starts out with. Supply=100 - Supply level the unit starts out with. Intelligence=20 - Intelligence level the unit starts out with. UpgradeType=ANY - Same as in the aircraft unit section above.
[GroundUnit002] - Each additional entry must follow in numerical sequence. Otherwise they are the same as above.
This section allows you to define different routes used in ground offensives.
[StrategicNode001] Area=Muthala - Ground units in this area will be affected by these entries. ConnectTo[001].Target=Basari - Objective of ground offensives originating in the area defined above. ConnectTo[001].BasePoint=265000,672000 - I think these are the coordinated the ground battle will take place. ConnectTo[002].Target=Dhimaq - I think there is a random chance of either entry being the objective. ConnectTo[002].BasePoint=298000,688000
[StrategicNode002] - Each additional entry must follow in numerical sequence. Otherwise they are the same as above.
After you have the changes to the campaign_data2.ini ironed out the rest is easy.
Some basic campaign properties can be defined in the campaign2.ini.
(The italicized entries are explanations of each line's function)
[CampaignData] CampaignName=Burning Sands (Fictional) -The name that will appear on the in game campaign selection screen. DataFile=Campaign2_data.ini - The name of the .ini file within the same folder that contains the more advanced campaign data. CampaignMap=DESERT - The name of the folder within Strike Fighters\Terrain containing map and target information. Service001=USAF - The first flyable nation selectable at the in game campaign set-up screen. Must correspond to an entry in the nations.ini file. Service002=USN - The second flyable nation. The numbers in these entries must be in sequence.
[USAFUnit001] - The first flyable unit from the "USAF" section of the campaign set-up screen. UnitName=10th TFS, 50th TFW - The unit name that will appear when this unit is selected. ForceID=1 - The "force" the unit belongs to. Will correspond to one of the "force" entries in the campaign_data2.ini file explained above. UnitID=1 - The corresponding unit number as defined in the campaign_data.ini file. (1 for AirUnit001, etc.) StartDate=1960 - The date displayed at the top of the unit description. Has no bearing on the actual campaign start date. DescFile=10thDesc.txt - The .txt file within the same folder that will contain the unit description displayed at the campaign set-up screen. StartText=Campaign1Start1.txt - The text file within the same folder containing the description displayed immediately after the campaign is selected.
[USAFUnit002] -Same as above except each additional entry's number must follow in sequence.
[USNUnit001] -The first flyable unit displayed in the "USN" section of the campaign set-up screen. Otherwise, same as above. UnitName=VA-36 Roadrunners ForceID=1 UnitID=4 StartDate=1959 DescFile=VA36Desc.txt StartText=Campaign1Start1.txt
Those are the basics. Once you have these files figured out more advanced changes to the theater and aircraft can be made by editing different .ini's.
If you see anything I missed or if you can add or clarify anything please let me know.
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