2024 Game Updates

[DRG]

The 2024 V17 upgrade is now available !



https://www.shrapnelgames.com/Camo_Workshop/WW2/WW2_page.html

================================================== ===================

Some of you may have been wondering why there has not been any info on this year's updates

It's complicated and involves personal issues for both of us. We weren't exactly young when we started doing this in 1998 now add 26 years on to that. There were years when we had released two updates per year. Those days are long over

What I can tell you now is we will not be issuing this year's updates for both games together as has been SOP in the past

We HOPE to have the final release for winSPWW2 ready by the end of April 2024 and we HOPE to have the final release for winSPMBT ready before Christmas 2024

That is all the info I can provide for anyone at this time

[DRG]

We are not ready to release and I don't know when we might be but we are still working on it

2 New Scenarios
16 Revised/Updated Scenarios
100 Updated Scenario files
1 New Campaign
1 Completely revised Campaign #13
114 New or Revised OOB Photos
43 Updated OOB files
14 New or Updated Graphic SHP files
25 New or Revised vehicle/aircraft Icons
31 New or Revised Encyclopaedia/Help Text file
1 New or Revised sound file
25 New complete or WIP maps


Two new standard infantry unitclasses (UC172 and UC179) replace the old Bicycle unitclasses that were no longer used and were of no real use in the game in their old form

Electronic garbage was appearing along the left side of some maps. This has been corrected

All "cavalry" unitclasses now behave the same way in the same terrain types.


There *may* be changes made to those totals but if there are it will only be slight

[DRG]

New and revised Icons in winSPWW2 v17

The list is a little shorter than was SOP in the past---one reason for that is everything that needed doing or re-doing has been done


*Icon # *Unit Name *Status

681 Daihatsu. Revised WinSPWW2v17
682 Armed Daihatsu Revised WinSPWW2v17
221 Gunboat-wooden deck NEW WinSPWW2 V17
222 Japanese Gunboat NEW WinSPWW2 V17
225 Russian DB Landing craft—Infantry NEW WinSPWW2 V17
226 Russian DB Landing craft–Vehicles NEW WinSPWW2 V17
235 Generic Landing Craft/barge NEW WinSPWW2 V17
1088 M4A3 Sherman Late (Olive green) Revised winSPWW2 v17
2251 NKS-26 Areosan NEW WinSPWW2 V17
2252 RF-8 Areosan NEW WinSPWW2 V17
4743 Chev 30 CWT LRDG NEW WinSPWW2 V17
4744 Sherman III Tunisia/Sicily NEW WinSPWW2 V17
4745 Tauchpanzer IV NEW WinSPWW2 V17
4746 Waffentrager-88 NEW WinSPWW2 V17
4860 Sherman IIA Khaki Green Revised winSPWW2 v17
4861 Sherman IIA Winter Revised winSPWW2 v17
4862 Sherman IIA Desert Revised winSPWW2 v17
8367 Heinkel He 45 pre-war Bulgarian Revised winSPWW2 V17
9127 Do-335 NEW winSPWW2 v17
9128 F4U-1A Corsair ( early ) NEW winSPWW2 v17
9129 KB-11A Bulgarian (early) NEW winSPWW2 v17
9130 KB-11A Bulgarian (Late) NEW winSPWW2 v17
9131 Avia BH-33 (Yugoslavian) NEW winSPWW2 v17
9132 Potez XXV(Yugoslavian) NEW winSPWW2 v17
9133 Fiat CR.20 Austria New winSPWW2 v17
9134 Fiat CR.20 Hungary New winSPWW2 v17
9135 Fiat CR.20 Poland New winSPWW2 v17
9136 Fiat CR.20 Spain New winSPWW2 v17
9137 Fiat CR.20 Italy New winSPWW2 v17
9138 Fiat CR.20 Paraguay New winSPWW2 v17 **Green OOB
9139 Fiat CR.20 Lithuania New winSPWW2 v17
9140 Vickers Vespa II Bolivia New winSPWW2 v17 **Green OO
9141 Curtiss Hawk II Bolivia New winSPWW2 v17 **Green OO
9142 Potez 25 Paraguay New winSPWW2 v17 **Green OO
9168 LSM(R) USN NEW winSPWW2 v17

[iln82]

10 years after I asked for those the aerosanis appear:cool:

https://forum.shrapnelgames.com/showthread.php?t=50139&highlight=aerosan

Now what should I ask for the future? :D

Bolivian & Paraguayan OOBs for Chaco War??? :laugh:

[PopeAdrianVII]

10 years after I asked for those the aerosanis appear:cool:

https://forum.shrapnelgames.com/showthread.php?t=50139&highlight=aerosan

Now what should I ask for the future? :D

Bolivian & Paraguayan OOBs for Chaco War??? :laugh:

I thank you for your request! haha! These new additions look awesome

[DRG]

10 years after I asked for those the aerosanis appear:cool:





I am REALLY glad you mentioned that because when I went to build these examples I went to MOBHack and found the icons had not been added to those units which came as a shock as my SOP is to enter into the SHP then into the OOB's where needed and these ones I missed and still showed the sled I used as a placeholder when I built the unit and formations.........so thanks:up: that saved me a lot of aggravation if this had been released that way

Here they are 3x normal size
https://i.imgur.com/1r92kac.png

[DRG]

Bolivian & Paraguayan OOBs for Chaco War??? :laugh:

Yeah....funny

This is why
Entering 122 will give you the flag of Bolivia
Entering 123 will give you the flag of Paraguay

That is so "ambitious" individuals can build Chaco War scenarios using other nations to create the needed units and use those flags to make it all nice and tidy

This is the list of ID tags that owners of the Extended game version can change for generated battles if they so desire but the feature was mainly added to allow experienced scenario designers the ability to show Non Game nation ID tags and Victory hexes in scenarios which allows scenario designers the ability to change either all the troops in a scenario to a non OOB nation



The trick is finding an ambitious individual so if you know one or want to become one all the tools are there to build a Chaco War scenario ( one already exists----scenario 0682 - Raiders of the Chaco 1/33 ) and/or create Bolivian & Paraguayan OOBs using generic Green and Red OOB's but both of those would be about as interesting and useful to the vast majority of players as the Thailand OOB which was created by an ambitious individual then promptly ignored by 99+% of players though I am sure somebody at some point has actually played as Thailand ( it does have a good looking airforce with it's own unique Icons)

[DRG]

We are currently testing the installer and we tentatively expect the update will be available in early May

[zovs66]

Bolivian & Paraguayan OOBs for Chaco War??? :laugh:

Yeah....funny

This is why
Entering 122 will give you the flag of Bolivia
Entering 123 will give you the flag of Paraguay

That is so "ambitious" individuals can build Chaco War scenarios using other nations to create the needed units and use those flags to make it all nice and tidy

This is the list of ID tags that owners of the Extended game version can change for generated battles if they so desire but the feature was mainly added to allow experienced scenario designers the ability to show Non Game nation ID tags and Victory hexes in scenarios which allows scenario designers the ability to change either all the troops in a scenario to a non OOB nation



The trick is finding an ambitious individual so if you know one or want to become one all the tools are there to build a Chaco War scenario ( one already exists----scenario 0682 - Raiders of the Chaco 1/33 ) and/or create Bolivian & Paraguayan OOBs using generic Green and Red OOB's but both of those would be about as interesting and useful to the vast majority of players as the Thailand OOB which was created by an ambitious individual then promptly ignored by 99+% of players though I am sure somebody at some point has actually played as Thailand ( it does have a good looking airforce with it's own unique Icons)

I created the one and only scenario around this as DRG pointed out, Raiders of the Chaco.

[iln82]

Bolivian & Paraguayan OOBs for Chaco War??? :laugh:

Yeah....funny

This is why
Entering 122 will give you the flag of Bolivia
Entering 123 will give you the flag of Paraguay

That is so "ambitious" individuals can build Chaco War scenarios using other nations to create the needed units and use those flags to make it all nice and tidy



Well the ground equipment is all there...
Only missing are appropriate airplane icons...;)

The trick is finding an ambitious individual so if you know one or want to become one all the tools are there to build a Chaco War scenario ( one already exists----scenario 0682 - Raiders of the Chaco 1/33 ) and/or create Bolivian & Paraguayan OOBs using generic Green and Red OOB's but both of those would be about as interesting and useful to the vast majority of players as the Thailand OOB which was created by an ambitious individual then promptly ignored by 99+% of players though I am sure somebody at some point has actually played as Thailand ( it does have a good looking airforce with it's own unique Icons)

BTW the way I did play a short 10 battle campaign versus Thailand (as France) &
I was attacked by those good looking aiplanes...:laugh:

Maybe if you created in a future update some appropriate airplane icons and added them as units in the Green & Blue OOB (as done for Croatian & Swiss air)?

Just an idea...

[DRG]

BTW the way I did play a short 10 battle campaign versus Thailand (as France) &
I was attacked by those good looking airplanes...:laugh:


I'm glad to hear somebody used it



Maybe if you created in a future update some appropriate airplane icons and added them as units in the Green & Blue OOB (as done for Croatian & Swiss air)?

Think a snowballs chance in Hades

Attached is my master Aircraft Roundel file and you will find roundels for Bolivia and Paraguay

Have fun........keep in mind this is my personal rough copy and was never intended to be used by anyone but me and it contains experimental images that have evolved over many years so WYSIWYG for Paraguay use France. Red outside blue center white middle so the Potez 25 that is already in the French OOB could be used for Paraguay. Bolivia is red yellow green from outside to center. Easy peasy


https://www.amazon.com/Aircraft-Chaco-War-1928-1935-Schiffer/dp/0764301462#:~:text=Full%20details%20of%20such%20ai rcraft,interested%20in%20golden%2Dage%20aviation.


More than 150 never before published illustrations, complimented by an exhaustively researched text, document the little-known air war between Bolivia and Paraguay during the late 1920s and early 1930s. Full details of such aircraft as Fiat C.R. 20s, Curtiss Hawk IIs, Curtiss Ospreys, Potez 25s and all other types employed by both combatants, including acquisition, operations, and markings make this a must for historians, modelers, and anyone interested in golden-age aviation.

You will find most of those aircraft are already in the game except to my great surprise a Fiat Cr.20 so here's the whole set--just copy and paste the image
https://i.imgur.com/JxCsJ0G.png

[iln82]

Maybe if you created in a future update some appropriate airplane icons and added them as units in the Green & Blue OOB (as done for Croatian & Swiss air)?

Think a snowballs chance in Hades

Attached is my master Aircraft Roundel file and you will find roundels for Bolivia and Paraguay

Have fun........keep in mind this is my personal rough copy and was never intended to be used by anyone but me and it contains experimental images that have evolved over many years so WYSIWYG for Paraguay use France. Red outside blue center white middle so the Potez 25 that is already in the French OOB could be used for Paraguay. Bolivia is red yellow green from outside to center. Easy peasy


https://www.amazon.com/Aircraft-Chaco-War-1928-1935-Schiffer/dp/0764301462#:~:text=Full%20details%20of%20such%20ai rcraft,interested%20in%20golden%2Dage%20aviation.


You will find most of those aircraft are already in the game except to my great surprise a Fiat Cr.20 so here's the whole set
https://i.imgur.com/JxCsJ0G.png

I have this book, that's why I asked about aircraft.

Anyway, many thanks for the icons.

Colombian markings....:happy:

Leticia conflict ;)

[DRG]

Bolivian Hawk II
https://i.imgur.com/pnwQFH8.png

[DRG]

https://i.imgur.com/kdxWFFt.png

Vickers Vespa


A more likely colour scheme--silver painted fabric-- on a Bolivian Vickers Type 149 Vespa II recce bomber. The photo I found of it shows the engine uncovered
https://i.imgur.com/WsnH96v.png

[DRG]

Update

WinSPWW2 version 9.0 - 17.0 Consolidation patch - Expected release May 2024 ( probably)

( the 2024 patch updates any version of winSPWW2 ver 9.0 and up to Version 17.0 )
2 New Scenarios
16 Revised/Updated Scenarios
100 Updated Scenario txt files
1 New Campaign
1 Completely revised Campaign #13
118 New or Revised OOB Photos
43 Updated OOB files
14 New or Updated Graphic SHP files
35 New or Revised vehicle/aircraft Icons
35 New or Revised Encyclopaedia/Help Text file
1 New sound file
25 New complete or WIP maps


9133 Fiat CR.20 Austria New winSPWW2 v17
9134 Fiat CR.20 Hungary New winSPWW2 v17
9135 Fiat CR.20 Poland New winSPWW2 v17
9136 Fiat CR.20 Spain New winSPWW2 v17
9137 Fiat CR.20 Italy New winSPWW2 v17
9138 Fiat CR.20 Paraguay New winSPWW2 v17 **
9139 Fiat CR.20 Lithuania New winSPWW2 v17
9140 Vickers Type 149 Vespa II Bolivia New winSPWW2 v17 **
9141 Curtiss Hawk II Bolivia New winSPWW2 v17 **
9142 Potez 25 Paraguay New winSPWW2 v17 **

There are four units ** for those aircraft added to the Green OOB for anyone who wants to use them

This is the one for the CR.20
https://i.imgur.com/gypQO3H.png

[Dion]

My computer broke down a few years ago, and I still haven't replaced it yet:soap: Looking forward to this years updates, as I'm anticipating I'll buy a new computer this year and "get back in the saddle"! These updates are perfect timing, as Steel Panthers is without a doubt the thing I miss the most about having no computer.

[DRG]

Right now the best guess for the final release of winSPWW2 will likely be sometime during the week of May 5-11 with nearer the end of the week more likely but that is still tentative.

[iln82]

https://i.imgur.com/kdxWFFt.png

Vickers Vespa


A more likely colour scheme--silver painted fabric-- on a Bolivian Vickers Type 149 Vespa II recce bomber. The photo I found of it shows the engine uncovered
https://i.imgur.com/WsnH96v.png

The Schiffer book you linked above has four photos of Vespas all painted overall silver.
Another book by one of the authors (Hagedorn) has another photo;again silver.

Will both icons be included?

[DRG]

The silver one is

Green OOB unit 389

[Mobhack]

The patch is up now.

https://forum.shrapnelgames.com/showthread.php?t=53098

cheers
Andy

[cbreedon]

9133 Fiat CR.20 Austria New winSPWW2 v17



Austria?? What OOB are they in? Germany?

[DRG]

Go back to post 15
Those aircraft added to the Green OOB for anyone who wants to use them.

It is in the Green OOB in Paraguay markings but it you want to use it in Austrian markings all you need to do is change the Icon # to 9133

I added it in Austrian markings "just 'cause" I could and because maybe one person might care to use it in a game...... same with Lithuania and the others though some are in their nations OOB... Spain and Italy have them but I found info after release that the Italians used the Cr.20 into the late 1930s and it could be added to Hungary as well. The aircraft was designed in the late '20s but used through the '30s

[DRG]

Bolivian Vickers Type 149 correction

A few of you may find this worthwhile

I noticed after release that the scale of the Bolivian Vickers Vespa was a bit too small compared to other similar aircraft. It was a single-engine bomber not a fighter and the first version was a bit too much fighter sized

The attached Icon0198.ZIP file, extracted into your spww2/Game Data/ Graphics folder will correct that and will have no effect on any ongoing PBEM game


https://forum.shrapnelgames.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=17008&stc=1&d=1716655345

[DRG]

Interesting.... 14 DL's as of June 2, that's more than I expected

[cbo]

Just happened to pass by the forum and noticed that the final winSPWW2 update was up.

My harddrive quit on me a few years back and killed my winSPWW2 installation, so I haven't played in a while. Hence, I decided to get the enhanced version and try out the game again.

It is just as much fun as it used to be, when I was working on some of the OOBs about 20 years ago :)

Even though I got my rear end handed to me by the enemy a few times before getting the hang of it again :doh:

So, thanks for the effort, Don and Andy. You did something really great with this old engine.

...and this time, I will backup the winSPWW2 installation files..... :)

[DRG]

Good to hear from you again Claus. It's closer to 25 years than 20. We are past the 27th anniversary at the start of this month

[Dion]

Just happened to pass by the forum and noticed that the final winSPWW2 update was up.

My harddrive quit on me a few years back and killed my winSPWW2 installation, so I haven't played in a while. Hence, I decided to get the enhanced version and try out the game again.

It is just as much fun as it used to be, when I was working on some of the OOBs about 20 years ago :)

Even though I got my rear end handed to me by the enemy a few times before getting the hang of it again :doh:

So, thanks for the effort, Don and Andy. You did something really great with this old engine.

...and this time, I will backup the winSPWW2 installation files..... :)

Good to know I'm not the only person trying to make due with a broken computer. Considering WW2 and MBT combined, I don't think there's a better tactical level wargame out there. Even though WW2 ain't getting updated any more, I bet the combination of WW2 and MBT is still considered one of the best!

[DRG]

In the last month we have had two complaints forwarded to us from Shrapnel with the same issue that on attempting to install the V17 SPWW2 patch they get this error message



Cannot create the following file: C:\shrapnel Games\WinSPWW2\Game Notes\Image\Slovene Home Guard 1941?945.$$A



Andy and I are baffled why this is suddenly an issue more than a year after the V17 patch was released

If ANYONE has any ideas WHY this is suddenly an issue PLEASE post them here

What is frustrating is this file shows up in our games with no problem and to make matters worse this was NOT added to the V17 release........ it was a .BMP added to the WinSPWW2 version 9.0 - 15.0 patch Released April 2022 so it has been in the game, unchanged for over three years but suddenly we have two reports of it

ANY IDEAS?

EDIT----- This may be a clue


I have patched it to Ver 9b but when I go to do the last consolidated patch up to ver 17 I get an error that it can't create a file "...\Game Notes\Images\Slovene Home Guard 1941?945.$$A"


I have NO records of a Ver 9b

Don

[scorpio_rocks]

Version 9.0b appears to be the consolidation patch from 2016.

From the shrapnel downloads page:
https://i.postimg.cc/K8RvxN9L/Screenshot-2025-10-19-135903.png

[DRG]

Version 9.0b appears to be the consolidation patch from 2016.

From the shrapnel downloads page:
https://i.postimg.cc/K8RvxN9L/Screenshot-2025-10-19-135903.png


THANKS.............. "9b" rang a bell but not loud enough and it was not written down that way in the Game Guide

WHY this "Slovene Home Guard" issue has popped up twice in a month for us is still a mystery given it was added to the game April 2022

[nikb]

In the last month we have had two complaints forwarded to us from Shrapnel with the same issue that on attempting to install the V17 SPWW2 patch they get this error message



Cannot create the following file: C:\shrapnel Games\WinSPWW2\Game Notes\Image\Slovene Home Guard 1941?945.$$A



Andy and I are baffled why this is suddenly an issue more than a year after the V17 patch was released

If ANYONE has any ideas WHY this is suddenly an issue PLEASE post them here

What is frustrating is this file shows up in our games with no problem and to make matters worse this was NOT added to the V17 release........ it was a .BMP added to the WinSPWW2 version 9.0 - 15.0 patch Released April 2022 so it has been in the game, unchanged for over three years but suddenly we have two reports of it

ANY IDEAS?

EDIT----- This may be a clue


I have patched it to Ver 9b but when I go to do the last consolidated patch up to ver 17 I get an error that it can't create a file "...\Game Notes\Images\Slovene Home Guard 1941?945.$$A"


I have NO records of a Ver 9b

Don

One of those mentions will be mine. I have rediscovered how good the two sp games are and have tried to patch up my original enhanced game cds. Even had to buy a cheap external driver. All good until I tried to patch up WW2 and the Slovene thing came up.

Does anybody have any ideas what I could do?

I’m wondering if I should just fork out for the download.

One thing though. It wasn’t a complaint - it was just a query to Shrapnel as per the site instructions.

Brilliant that the game can still be played. Credit to Camo Workshop.

Nik

[DRG]

Nik

Exactly which version are you patching from ?

If I understand correctly, you patched to 9b without an issue then tried to patch to V17 and saw the Slovene Home Guard message?

Have you tried patching from 9b to the V15 upgrade first and then patch from V15 to V16 then from V16 to V17 ?

Don

[DRG]

Brilliant that the game can still be played. Credit to Camo Workshop.

Nik

Thank Andy for that.
He knew how to convert the DOS code to Windows

Don

[nikb]

Nik

Exactly which version are you patching from ?

If I understand correctly, you patched to 9b without an issue then tried to patch to V17 and saw the Slovene Home Guard message?

Have you tried patching from 9b to the V15 upgrade first and then patch from V15 to V16 then from V16 to V17 ?

Don

Thanks Don. Have deleted and retried but no luck.

Have just purchased the download version which I understand is the full v 17. Still seems good value - especially when you see the volume of scenarios and the patch enhancements.

Its been a bonus still being able to use my original modern battles disk.

[nikb]

Stuff - I just tried to install the new download of v17 and the same Slovene Home Guard error came up.

Really unsure what to do now as that is a fresh download.

[Dion]

What's he supposed to do now? I thought that was the best thing about a download, the game wouldn't download if it couldn't run at 100% efficiency. What is the Slovene Home Guard anyway? And why do they need their their own file? Sounds like your aiding and abetting computer viruses.

[DRG]

IDK what baffles me more.........that neither Andy nor I have seen this happen ( and hundreds of others who have DL'd and run this patch and have not seen this happen.....) or that you and one other person I have heard have had this exact same issue

JUST OUT OF CURIOSITY

Go to the game folder then open GAME NOTES then open the IMAGES folder that is inside GAME NOTES

When you have Images folder open seach with the following:

Slovene Home Guard

Do you see this if you are set up to see it as "large Icons" ??

https://forum.shrapnelgames.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=17264&stc=1&d=1761674263