HOW TO HACK YOUR OWN XX_FORCE.DAT FILES FOR ToP AND PitS This text file is to explain how to "hack" your own version of the force data files that come with ToP and PitS. In this manner, you can customize startup forces and make your favorite TO&Es readily available for choosing. DISCLAIMER: HPS assumes no responsibility for any problems associated with the altering of the .dat files that come with its software. PROCEED AT YOUR OWN RISK! Now, having said that, make a backup copy of your ToP GE_force.dat file. Call it GE_force.old or something like that. Use any standard text editor (EDIT from DOS works fine) to open the file. Let's take a look at the first line. ;PANZER (HQ Sec + 3 Pz Plt)90002.90004.90004.90004. 00000.00000.00000.00000.00000.00000 The first three digits are the weapon itself. You'll notice that any 900 series means, "your choice of available weapons of that type for that year" - if you want a specific weapon, you'll have to insert a code for the weapon. Each individual weapon (from the original ToP and PitS - add-on weapons in ToP2 can't be accessed) has a code. However, for the Panzer company listed above, we see the 90002 as the HQ unit, and the 90004 codes are three Panzer Platoons of 4 tanks each. Therefore: the first three digits is the weapons code, and the last two digits are the number of weapons/vehicles/personnel. The text description can be changed to whatever you desire, but must stay EXACTLY the same length (IE, all the numbers must line up vertically). All zeros in one of the ten slots means that slot is empty and not used. Here are the codes for the "pick your own": 900 Tank 902 APC 903 Tank Destroyer 904 Recon 905 Artillery 906 Cargo 907 AA 908 Infantry (standard) 909 Mortar 910 Rocket 911 Asslt Gun 912 AT Gun 913 Aircraft 915 Flame Tank 916 Barrage 917 Flail Tank 920 SS Infantry 922 VG Inf 923 VS Inf 924 Paratroop 925 Ski Inf 926 Marine Inf 927 Irregular 929 Heavy Wpns (MG) 935 Ski Hvy Wpns 937 Cavalry 938 Assault Engineer 939 Bicycle 940 Motorcycle 941 SMG 942 VG SMG 943 Ski SMG 944 AT Inf 945 VG Bicycle 947 Combat Engineer 948 MP 95x Amphib Tank (x=speed) 96x Amphib APC 97x Amphib Recon 98x Amphib Cargo Here's an optional unit formation I made up, a Jadgpanzer company. It has two Tank destroyers (player's choice) in the HQ and three platoons of four each. ;JAGDPANZER (HQ Sec + 3 PzJ Plt)90302.90304.90304.90304. 00000.00000.00000.00000.00000.00000 Now, suppose you want SPECIFIC vehicles or weapons to always come up. Let's make a Schwere Panzer company - 14 Tiger tanks. We always want Tigers to show up. Therefore, it would look like this: ;SCHWERE PZ (HQ Sec + 3 Pz Plt)02202.02204.02204.02204. 00000.00000.00000.00000.00000.00000 Please notice the above examples should be all one big long line of text. You'll figure this out by looking at the actual GE_force.dat file. 022 happens to be the code for a Tiger IVE tank. If you wanted KingTigers, the code would be 023. Etc. This is very handy at times, as you can have the HQ be one vehicle, and the platoons another. OK, let's get fancy. Here's an recon company with halftracks and recon troops: ;AUFKL/HT (HQ Sec + WPN + 4 Aufkl Plt)10302.90403.90403.90204. 90830.90204.90830.92904.10606 The first unit is 103, which is a 250/10 HT with a 37mm gun (used by recon platoon leaders, usually). That is our HQ unit. Next follows two recon platoons, your choice (the 90403) with three vehicles each. After that, we have 4 halftracks (your choice) followed by 30 infantryman, 4 halftracks, 30 infantry, and then 4 machinegun teams and finally, 10606, the specific code for six 251/2 HT/Mortars. Your only limit is your historical sources, hopefully. :) Some caveats: -The Programs do NOT like having more than 19 unit formations in the company selection section, and 24 weapons choices in the support section. So don't go crazy making a hundred of your favorite TO&Es. You'll be required to delete a few lines to make room for new ones. The games WILL crash with defective .dat files, either too long, or you don't follow the format. I usually delete the VG, VS and cavalry lines to make room for my favorite TO&Es. I can always add them back from my original file if I want. -Notice this doesn't really affect the game at all. It just affects the setup forces available. You could always choose any company, then change or delete the weapons to make whatever TO&E you like. It's just more convienient. But actual gameplay is unaffected. -The Programs have DIFFERENT individual weapons codes (the 900 series codes are the same though). So don't blindly copy your favorite lines from PitS to ToP. It won't work. -We've posted this, because of the numerous historical sources that have conflicting TO&E data, not to mention differing TO&Es for different periods. So make yourself happy :) Good luck!