A minor Sandpit modification, please

[pcelt]

First, may I thank all the contributors to patch 1.2. I was particularly pleased with the option in Sandpit of "unbalanced" battles. This unknown factor certainly increases the excitement in these battles.
The only issue I have found, refers to those Sandpit battles where the OOB's have seperate divisions of infantry and artillery. The problem arises when division sized battles are selected - as your opponent is as likely to be an artillery division as an infantry division (as the opponent is randomly selected). And infantry alone versus artillery alone is a very unrealistic situation and produces very little in the way of a battle.
The simplest solution, in my view, would be, in this situation with division v division battles, to omit the artillery division choices within the random selection and limit it to infantry divisions v infantry divisions.
Finally, may I thank you again for this new "unbalanced" option in Sandpit. I would just like to avoid the emergence of these infantry v artillery only battles when divisional battles are chosen.
Cheers

[Braxton Bragg]

Yes that would be good, or Why not include Divison artillery as part of the forces

Braxton Bragg

[pcelt]

Yes Braxton--I would agree with you completely that the inclusion of a brigade of the Corps artillery within each Divisions OOB would be the most satisfying solution and produce more varied and interesting tactics--but I assumed that that solution would involve more data modification and work. I therefore suggested the simpler modification to solve the major issue speedily with perhaps the other as the ideal and longer term goal.
Thanks for your feedback

[Jack ONeill]

All,

Use the OOBs - Brig_Div_Day_1 or Day_2 or Day_3. All of these have Divisional artillery attached to the Infantry. They are the top of the OOB list in Sandbox.

Jack B)

[pcelt]

Cheers Jack--Yes the first 3 OOBs include both within each Division and are fine, but all of the others,including all the excellent Flag and Bugle mod versions maintain both infantry and artillery divisions separately within the OOB and this results in a large proportion of the Division battles randomly selected, placing Infantry Div v Arty Div and are non-starters for any meaningful battle
My main goal was to try and eliminate the random selection of that type of outcome in those OOBs
Thanks for your observation and reminder re the first 3 .

[Jack ONeill]

Then you'll have to edit the OOBs in question to get them to do what you're looking for. If you are working off of the Sandbox OOBs, you should be able to do that, as they are available to everyone. Just change the name. I've done numerous Custom OOBs along the way here. Just pay attention when you do them and you'll be fine.

Jack B)

[pcelt]

OK I have now been editing the Sandbox __ DRF OOBs (Flag&Bugle ones which I particularly like) to root out purely Artillery Divs and leave only Infantry Divs with integrated arty so that there will be no more assymetrical encounters and non-events. No issues so far-- apart from severe protest from the eyes.
Cheers

[RebBugler]

You go pcelt Sir. Great plugs for those DRF. Saw your post last night, want to help out, but quite a bit of time involved altering those DRF OOBs, and, as you see by my most recent post, GB3Days in 7 Hours, other projects await. If you get some good stable OOBs with your prefs, maybe they can be included in my next Bugles and Flags release...Thanks

[RebBugler]

DONE

Four Sandpit, or Sandbox :whistle: OOBs with Arty mix...no arty COs. Must be played with the Bugles and Flags Mod...as requested.

OOB_SB_Brig_Div_Day_1_DRF
OOB_SB_Brig_Div_Day_2_DRF
OOB_SB_Brig_Div_Day_3_DRF
OOB_SB_Gettysburg_3Days_DRF

Ready for Download...Unzip into Bugles and Flags/OOBs

[pcelt]

Excellent RebBugle -much appreciated .Really like being able to use your mod sounds and graphics with Divs actually containing arty units so there are no unfortunate and non-event Inf v Arty Div battles
In the meantime to avoid the INf v Arty Div problem I had modified your DRF OOBs by reducing them to Divisional battles with Infantry brigades only --which in their own way can be an interesting variant and demand plans to develop tactics with no reliance at all on artillery support.
I am using these DRF Inf only OOBs so of course if you would like to add them as another DRF variation in the future just let me know and I could mail you the OOBs--might save you a few minutes
Many thanks once again.....