Map Editing basic help*
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For the real detail on making scenarios - refer to the appropriate section in the game guide. All we will list here are the editor hot key functions, with some notes.*
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Note that the map editor has 2 pages - keys can change function depending on the page, and also the terrain you chose before hitting 'edit' (eg desert or winter).*
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Remember that the opponent pairing set up as well as the date has an effect on the map as if you were performing a random battle. If you then select 'desert' and generate a random map you will get a 'desert' version of the map, Winter will give a winter version.*
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The opponent pairing will affect the default side of the map for the 2 sides - see the '`' key item.*
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Remember that correct scenario design is to make the map and save this off in its own separate map file first, then build a scenario by going into the editor, loading the saved map, and continuing by buying and placing troops etc, then saving this to a scenario file. This way - you can always return to the map if you need to start over, or to design a scenario based on the same terrain. Also remember to SAVE the map and/or scenario often as there is NO UNDO! - so before you do any major new thing - save off the current file just in case.*
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NB - some of these hot key functions have no button equivalent, so check the list out even if you do not intend to use keystrokes. Also note that many of the hot key shortcuts shown on the help for a particular button are obsolete - since SP2 days, but never updated. The list below is the 'genuine' set of hot keys :)*
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____Hot Keys for map editing*
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__B - Level 2 hill.**
__C - Clear (flat) terrain.**
__D - Dirt (earthen) road.**
__E - Save this map to disk. NB - the MAP and NOT the entire scenario!.**
__F - Wheat Field. [WINTER - Winter fields]**
__G - High Grass field. [WINTER - Winter high grass]**
__H - level 1 Field.**
__I - Level 4 hill.**
__J - Toggle palm trees (and paddy fields button on page 1) on or off.**
__L - [PAGE 2] make a beach on the left or right (enter space to skip).**
__N - Go to next editor button set page.**
__O - [PAGE 1] Orchard. [PAGE 2] Convert streams to Wide Rivers.**
__P - Top level hill (whatever set to by the cycle top hill level button - the hill button with a '+' on it).**
__Q - Exit.**
__R - Rough.**
__S - [PAGE 1] Stream. [PAGE 2] Bocage Hedgerow.**
__T - Level 3 hill.**
__U - Swamp.**
__V - Green Crops. [WINTER - Snowdrifts].**
__W -  [PAGE 1] Water (lake).__[PAGE 2] Trench.**
__X - Clear down the map.**
__Keypad 1-3,4,6,7-9 (and same numbers) - move current hex 1 in that direction.**
__= - Generate a random  battle map for the 2 nations and season currently set.**
__+ and - keys - Zoom or unzoom the map.**
__'.' - Toggle hex grid on or off.**
__'#' - Clear down all map text strings in one operation.**
__';' - Lock the current building type until you press this OR press another button.**
__'>' - Toggle display of victory hexes on or off.**
__'<' - Toggle display of map text strings on or off.**
__'?' - Help.**
__'&' - Use to change the 'gBeach' global map beach assault variable - see the game Guide for further details.**
__'^' -  Use to change the 'gWideRiver' global map river crossing assault variable - see the game Guide for further details.**
__'Asterisk' - This allows the map editor to input a new height to a hex. It is best used right after placing the hex. Use to adjust a hexagon's height slightly when desired - do NOT use this to create 'invisible' 80 high hills!. for experts only. ('Asterisk' shown here instead of the character as this produces a CR/LF pair in SP text files!).**
__'`' - This key allows the scenario editor to change the default sides for the 2 forces involved. remember that each side has a base line - this is where its off map artillery fires from, and where troops retreat to. Many novice scenario designers when setting up, find the troops on the 'wrong' side from which they desire from the scenario - so they simply swap the troops of the 2 sides over. Wrong tactic - side A's artillery will now come from what appears to be side B's map side, and his troops will rout towards the enemy!. Use THIS key to change the default sides, should the map not generate the desired sides of the map for the 2 opponents. It may be best to use this option BEFORE buying the troops as well. (This key is the one to the left of the numeric 1 key, above TAB and under ESC).**
__'%' - This sets the x location of the start line for player 1 (the human player) to something other than the default, for use as yet ONLY in user campaigns. Where he can deploy to depends on if he is on the left or right hand side of the map in the scenario used as a linked campaign node.**
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NB - All the field types will produce soft sand in desert maps.*
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____Water based scenarios.*
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Water scenarios create some difficulties for new scenario designers. Here are basic tips.*
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The game needs to know BEFORE you buy any troops that this will be a river crossing or beach ASSAULT mission. Please note the ASSAULT - before you buy troops, ensure that the combat dial is set to assault, pointing the right way to select the assaulting side (or the others will tend to get the watercraft...).*
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A beach landing or a river crossing has to be an assault mission - check it out on the battle generator - you are only allowed to choose the water types IF the battle is set up as an assault. (Naturally, should you so desire as a scenario editor - prepare the scenario as an assault, but for the final save, change the battle type to what is desired, if you need a river crossing approach, say).*
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For a river assault - the global WideRiver variable requires to be set - so we start with our map, and use the O key on page 2 to convert a minor stream we placed earlier into a wide river. Again - BEFORE you buy any troops!. Also - do this BEFORE you place any minor streams required by the map onto it - edit these in after you have widened the one stream you placed. Now - after the map with the wide river is set up, and you have set the game type to assault - the assault side's infantry get rafts bought for them.*
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Many novice scenario designers simply edited in a 'wide river' of water hexes - not a wide river to the code!. These guys ended up converting trucks to rafts as well - unfortunately the code will only allow squads to carry the raft it adds on 'automagically' IF the WideRiver variable is set AND it is an assault mission. New - see the '&' and '^' keys functions described in the game guide.*
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Note that rafts are NOT 'free' units - each raft placed in the water needs a free unit slot from the 500 available to your side - the same applies to barges which are launched by barge carriers. Therefore in normal battles, the maximum troop numbers are limited to about 90 less than maximum, to provide space for up to 90 rafts or barges in the water at one point in time. Destroying a loaded raft or the infantry emerging on the other side and picking up the raft once more frees a slot. however - in the editor you may be able to buy more troops, and so watch out for this requirement for free space (and the game CANNOT take free slots from the defender side!).*
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For an amphibious assault, again the game buys the transports - but only if the global beach variable is set, and this is done by using the add beach function 'L' on page 2. Once again - do this before the buying of your troops. However, since there are no rafts, or loaded barges - you may prefer to buy trucks and convert to LVT or barges as required in this case, especially if you do not like the computer's boat buying habits. Once again - the boats come off your total of 500 units. If bought by the computer each units transport(s) are added to that formation, if you buy them separately, they will deduct from the maximum number of formations allowed.*
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Again - see the game Guide for details about the '&' and '^' keys used to change the global map water type variables.*
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Other minor hints.*
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'Mixed' maps - some folk do this, for example to have some white snow on a summer map - well, the game only recognises summer, winter, desert, and 'jungle' - when palm trees are toggled, usually on a summer (green base) map.* 
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Therefore - whatever mode you were last in is what the game thinks it is - if you edited a summer green map, then went out to the main screen and selected winter, went back in and placed some 'snow' white tiles on high ground - as far as the game is concerned the entire map is now snow, even if the tiles are pretty green grass. The game does not determine snow or desert or whatever on the tiles used except for some 'specials'. The basic background is one of snow, desert, or summer. No mixtures. When you hover your mouse over the tile it will report 'clear', NOT grass or snow or desert. Edit your map as one of the 3 types all the way through, with palm trees set if you require jungle. (However you may get away with a snow effect - looks pretty but no game effects - if you do a green map, go to snow, draw snow tiles, then go back in as green and edit something - the white snow tiles would then just act like normal green grass though! - as far as the game is concerned it is a 'clear' tile in a summer map.)*
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So - do not do mixed season maps, it does not work. 'Clear' terrain is 1 off winter, summer, or desert (whatever colour you happened to use) - depending on the last type used by you in the map edit.*
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