[Info & Download #2] Napoleon Empire Realism+ | NER+ Release: 'The Coalition' & 'Napoleon over Europe'

[DaVinci]

-Outdated-

Release

NAPOLEON EMPIRE REALISM+ | NER+

Based on Napoleon Empire Realism 2.0 | NER 2.0
NER+ is an alternative NER design by DaVinci
as part of the ER/NER Series Mods

*******************************************

Requirement: Basis is the installation of NER 2.0
Advancement: NER+ comes with many updates on NER 2.0, many unit additions (~ 60+), and an alternative gameplay for battle and campaign.
Files Modified: NER_Main.pack, NER_text.pack, plus WoS4.pack (Smoke mod 'Whiff of Sulphur' by rikktherek, file is customised to fit with NER)

Basic Test/Balancing Parameters: Coalition Factions, M/M, Ultra Unit Size (and setting 2 for unit multiplier in preferences), Historical

*******************************************

Campaigns

1. 'Coalition' Campaigns, Europe 1805-1812: Austria, Prussia, Britain and Russia (NER_Main_Coalition.pack).
2. 'Napoleon over Europe' Campaign, Europe 1805-1812: France (NER_Main_NoE.pack).

Focus 'The Coalition'

Playground: Coalition Campaigns, Euro Campaign (1805-1812)

- France got significant advantages, there is an emphasis on to help France's AI to play "historically".
- Coalition factions campaign, increasing the challenge vs Napoleon's storm over Europe.

Focus 'Napoleon over Europe'

Playground: France Campaign, Euro Campaign (1805-1812)

- Napoleons european campaign, balancing offers a kind of french superiority regarding military (historically), but as french player you'll feel an economical challenge to keep that up.

Installation

- Install NER 2.0. Hint: That requires basicly the latest NTW vanilla installation (incl. all patches) via Steam.
- Backup NER_Main and NER_text pack files from NER 2.0, ie. move them out of the data folder or change the file extension ".pack" to ie. ".pack0", which disables the files.
- Paste the downloaded/extracted NER+ .pack files (Main and Text) into the data folder: for Coalition campaign choose "_Coalition.pack", and for Napoleon campaign choose "_NoE.pack".
Here you can either paste one of these two NER+_Main pack files into the data folder or both, while for the latter case, you must disable the one or the other _Main pack ie. with ".pack0"
(both _Main.pack files activated does not work!).
- Optional: Paste also the included WoS4 pack file into the data folder, as well as replace HK_Formations.pack with HK_Formations_1.05.pack (the latter one is the HK_Formations update).
- Ready, start NTW as usually, and play the respective campaign.

Hints:
- NER 2.0 and NER+ can not co-exist related to the above mentioned .pack files (NER_Main, NER_text), else, NER+ requires the NER 2.0 installation.
- You need no Mod Manager, user.script whatsoever for this NER/NER+ installation! In contrary, you have to disable user.script or contained lines in relation to installed mods,
if they are incompatible with NER/NER+ (same is valid for active mods via Mod Manager). Compatible mods: See below, section Misc/Other Mods.

*******************************************


NER+ Changelogs

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Version 1.0 'The Coalition'
(release)

- Battle: Morale, losses now count more than anything, therfore can break sooner, however units sometimes come back for the fight if the unit is not destroyed to a certain number.
- Battle: Cavalry morale upped a bit, all cavalry have Good Stamina, Fatigue lowered for cavalry, cavalry is harder to kill.
- Battle: All projectile damage lowered, but upped for canister shot.
- Campaign: France will field more landunits than in NER (vanilla), however as with every TW AI, it needs some time (ie. the first year) to prepare its strength (do not blitz the AI).
- Campaign: Britain got some naval advantages more than in NER (vanilla) in costs/upkeep and start experience.
- Campaign: Militia unit recruitment is back in game, incl. french National Guards.
- Campaign: Diverse changes for campaign parameters (building effects, researchment tree, cashflow, and more), find it out in-game.
- A few unit names changed to increase the flavour (ie. some french and prussian units got their language names, however this is actually a quickshot as of yet).

Version 1.1 'The Coalition'

- Some CAI settings overhauled.
- Osmans slightly strenghened.
- France fields some more infantry units.
- Construction time partly shortened, building costs partly reduced, cashflow slightly increased.
- Melee combat values overhauled (ie. charge lowered).
- Diverse campaign balancing.

Version 1.2 'The Coalition'

- NER_Main file name changed to NER+_Main_Coalition, as well changed is the name of NER_text file to NER+_text.
- Mod compatibility provided with CA patch6 from 18th June 2012.
- Mod is prepared to play with latest DLC's published 18th June 2012.
- Some CAI settings overworked.
- France got 12 additional units.
- Some units activated for campaign.
- Cashflow completely overworked (building effects, unit costs/upkeep).
- Recruitment times changed (landunits mainly 2 or 4 turns), navalunits more turns)
- Elite units mainly only in capital settlements recruitable (check infrastructure!).

Version 1.25 'The Coalition'

- Some CAI and campaign balancing adjustments.
- France got Murat and Ney Cuirassiers and few other units.
- Some other units activated for campaign.
- Kingdom of Italy strenghened with many unit additions.
- Unit caps for line inf and militia units significantly increased (compared to v1.2).
- Few combat adjustments (ie. accuracy and reloading skill).
- Some name changes.

Version 1.3 'The Coalition'

- Prestige values adjusted to reflect the period better.
- Combat, land adjustments (accuracy, reload, experience level bonusses, projectiles parameters/capabilities), and naval accuracy.
- Cashflow and campaign-play parameters adjusted once more (war-Ports got one sea line, some building effects, costs, construction times, unit costs/upkeep/times/availability).
- 'Rebel'-spawn got a very reduced unit choice (not valid though for real faction emergences or re-emergences).
- Many unit names changed (away is the anachronistic english-name domination).

Summary: All in all, the design should provide a real increased realism gameplay, while the battle-mode is not tested after the last adjustments, but an effect is anyways
that it'll be partly way harder to bring land and naval units down. Probably the player needs far more time for the battles, and tactics should be still more decisive.
Once more i strongly recommend to apply the Deployment Zones Mod (see below, link).

Version 1.4 'The Coalition'

- Prestige values adjusted once more.
- Many research-tree related adjustments.
- Unit costs/upkeep and recruitment turns adjusted once more.
- Few slight changes to projectile parameters again.
- Projectile resistence decreased for cavalry (was increased compared to NER vanilla), so cavalry is more vulnarable by shots compared to former NER+ versions, same is valid for
skirmishers and light infantry.
- Bayonet bonus very slightly increased.
- Fatigue effect values and some other morale impacts adjusted.
- All melee attack and def values adjusted again, effect: still more experience and morale parameters are decisive.
- Diverse recruitment adjustments, also the kind of ZoR is extended for certain units (so capitals and determined cities are still more important).
- France (remind you, shouldn't be player-faction) got some more advantages (playtesting showed, the faction was still a bit too long too idle, i guess this changes somehow).
- Unrealistic and anachronistic units (rocket, bomb ships, steam and ironclad ships) are only in Switzerland "constructable" ( 'made in swiss' ).

Version 1.45 'The Coalition'

- Diverse adjustments/improvements for the campaign mode / CAI parameters.
- Diverse adjustments/improvements for the battle mode / BAI parameters.

Version 1.5 'The Coalition'

- Diverse adjustments/improvements for the campaign mode / CAI parameters, incl. more unit activations/additions.
- Diverse adjustments/improvements for the battle mode / BAI parameters.
- Diverse adjustments for names (text file).

Version 1.6 'The Coalition'

- Text file edited again, more straight unit names, increasing the flavor for the period once more.
- Units, now more than 80 units activated and/or added, incl. several skin changes.
- ZoR extended a lot, core recruitment centers of home units, alliance recruitment, ie. France will field "Rheinbund" units.
- Campaign parameters adjusted in several places.
- CAI parameters adjusted in several places.
- Battle mode (BAI) land and naval parameters adjusted in several places.
- Overall balance shaped now more that a player can also choose France and getting a bit of challenge while storming over Europe (he should probably still take H difficulty).
Summary: The former modding sites have been deepened a lot, gameplay offers a whole new feeling, role play and realism atmosphere.

Version 1.65 'The Coalition'

- Further relevant adjustments for the campaign-play.
- One unit skin bugfix.

Version 1.7 'The Coalition'

- General recruitment balancing.
- France now can field a kind of 'Grande d'Armee', a multi-nation army.
- File WoS4.pack renamed to WoS4_Effects.pack (eventually replace that file if you used/use it).

Version 1.75 'The Coalition' and 'Napoleon over Europe' (NoE)

- One small recruitment update for 'Coalition' campaign.
- NER+ now offers the Coalition campaigns or the NoE campaign with France as player; balancing adjusted accordingly, choose the .pack files as per instruction.

Version 1.76 'The Coalition' and 'Napoleon over Europe' (NoE)

- Small recruitment adjustments for NoE campaign.

Version 1.80 'The Coalition' and 'Napoleon over Europe' (NoE)

- Diverse adjustments for both campaigns.
- Bugfix for the recruitment slots of the 5 playable factions in their capitals (where it happened that they vanish completely after a certain building upgrade).

File

Download: NER+ 1.80

Download and unzip the file ie. onto your desktop (readme is included).

Thanks

Credits

- JaM, and the whole NER team incl. all contributors/supporters.
- Especially rikktherek for 'Whiff of Sulphur' effects.
- And once more thanks to The Hedge Knight for the HK_Formations.pack coming along with NER.

Misc

Un-installation

# Simply move out the according mod .pack files from the data folder.
# Afterwards, go Steam online, and use the 'Verify Files' function (file analysis for errors) under properties of the NTW game (because the main NER installation changes a campaigns folder file, startpos.esf).

Other Mods

# I play NER+ with the following mods:
X-Factor Sound Mod (mod format), customised 1805 Uniforms "Wardrobe" Mod (mod format), Classical Music Mod (mod format), PdGuru's Equipment Mod (movie format), EB Eventpics Mod (movie format), Sea Bodies (corpses) Mod (movie format), and other (flags, grass mods, and such).
Look here for these listed and by me for NER+ recommended mods -> Visuals & Audio NTW Mods

# Especially would like to remind people of Increased Deployment Zones Mod (movie format), it is an excellent battlefield mod, which increases the deployment zone and battlefield area, offers a whole other battle experience (really highly recommended, it was also content of the old NER 1.x versions).

# Compatibility:
- All pure visual mods including unit texture changes (except for ships!) and all pure audio mods should work in the same way as with NTW vanilla.
- "Pure" means without: Unit additions, any name changes, character traits changes, and especially without any gameplay tweak mods, CAI file or startpos.esf file changes, as all those contents from other mods will lead to conflicts with NER/NER+ content.
- NER/NER+ is usually prepared to work with the latest CA patch and DLC contents (patch6 from 18th June 2012, and patch7 29th June 2012).

---

As for any comments, use this thread.
Campaign and battle experience-reports are highly welcome.

[DaVinci]

Updated, v 1.1.


EDIT

Have updated 1st post, "Other Mods", listed other mods which i use currently and work without error as of yet.

Btw., a v1.2 is due in short (today), which adds one more infantry unit to France and one more to Spain and one more to Kingdom of Italy (to strenghen these 'Napoleon-dependent' factions, and increase the challenge of coalition faction players). Plus some other small tweaks.

[DaVinci]

... wow, that above said, NTW just patched itself today (as i went Steam online few minutes ago), and now NER or NER+ does not work ... (as we now it from CA's patches, they "destroy" mods, from working).

EDIT

NER or NER+ currently do not work with the patch6 from 18th June 2012. I'll try to fix it for NER+.

Edit:
Just to keep everybody updated: I bought the Eagle Pack DLC a minute ago, this DLC adds (activates) then 2 new extra units (1 for Austria, 1 for Russia).
I'll today try to fix NER+ to run again with patch6, and customise everything incl. the 2 new units.

EDIT

Good news is, i have NER+ running again with CA's patch6. Still have to do some customisation, this will be released as NER+ v1.2.

[The Lions Den]

Can't wait for v1.2, I wish someone would make a mod of extra units for NER. I've been trying but not very successful. I'm still new to all this stuff. Thanks for your work DaVinci. +REP

[DaVinci]

Can't wait for v1.2, I wish someone would make a mod of extra units for NER. I've been trying but not very successful. I'm still new to all this stuff. Thanks for your work DaVinci. +REP

I started it now for 'The Coalition', activated around 14 extra units for France, those are balance items (of existing units, not new created units) though. Will be content in v1.2.

I re-discovered NTW so to say, i didn't play/mod it for ages since i stopped my active NER participation back in the days after NTW was patched which stopped somehow our big approach with the extended NER team.
Now, i must say, i'm loving it again, it has quite some advantages vs. ETW, and as for TWS2, i modded it to death with my Shogun Realism+ mod (S2R+), so to speak (and lost then my motivation to continue, after CA's last TWS2 patch destroyed any convenience to modify it).

NER+ modifications have a chance to become a longer care from my side (depending on RL though), and hopefully CA won't patch it again that hinders further convenient modification.

What i plan for NER+ is:

- Working further on the 'The Coalition' design to make it the best what i can.
Perhaps ...
- 2nd, providing analog a modification 'Napoleon Over Europe', which would recommend to play France, where the design prepares an extra challenge for the France-player vs. the Coalition, aka advantages for Coalition factions.

- Perhaps for both mod designs a ZoR system (zone of recruitment).
- Adding more units, also based on ZoR.

---

This said, NER+ 1.2 will be released today, probably.

[The Lions Den]

That sounds great! Looking forward to it.

[DaVinci]

Update v1.2 uploaded, dl and changelog in 1st post.

Edit

I forgot to mention in the readme ... (bold part)

Installation: As above, but remove the former used NER_Main pack file and the NER_text file.

Point is you can only use one text file in data folder. See once more the changelog for v1.2 (is just edited) regarding the text file (text file name is changed as well).

[oho]

thanks! do I need DLCs to play NER with the latest patch?
And: does it contain the 40 units stacks?

[DaVinci]

thanks! do I need DLCs to play NER with the latest patch?
And: does it contain the 40 units stacks?

It's NER+ here, do not confuse these both NER versions You need to install first the normal NER, right, then NER+ exactly along the given instructions in post #1.

To my knowledge, it needs no DLC's technically, but i personally find, it adds to the game balance and overall design, due to the many elite/special units.

And no, it has not the 40 unit stacks. But the balancing is done in a way, that if you don't blitz the AI, that you will have the chance of big battles, requires then of course also unit size Ultra and unit multiplier setting 2 (ie. line inf has then 320 men, cavalry 160 men) in preferences.

This said, i probably will release a v1.25 today with some small, but important updates.

[DaVinci]

Update 1.25 uploaded.

[The Lions Den]

More and more. I Love it!

[DaVinci]

V1.25 will result in v1.3, will be released at the early weekend. After this, it'll be settled for the first approach (means no further updates for a good while).

Edit: First post, section 'Misc' is updated for a better overview.

[DaVinci]

V 1.3 is up, wanted to have it out of the house.
The mod has perhaps (or imo.) the potencial to take away your whole weekend, prepare yourself for an adventerous time

There still will be version 1.4 and 1.5 releases for 'The Coalition', but i'm not sure when this happens (sooner, when i myself observe oddities while playing, later when everything is okay so far, 'later' can mean many a time).

[DaVinci]

V 1.4 'The Coalition' uploaded.

Note: If somebody wants to play by all means France as faction (the 1805 Europe campaign), then please at least raise Camp and Battle difficulty to Hard. I think, you can then still storm over Europe ... i guess, VH difficulty will make the AI far less realistic, but for kind of arcade players perhaps also a good choice.

[DaVinci]

Shortinfo: I'm working on a v1.45. Besides few campaign aspects, it'll consider the battle mode again.

[DaVinci]

NER+ 1.45 uploaded.

[DaVinci]

NER+ 1.5 uploaded.

[DaVinci]

Version 1.5 'The Coalition'

Changelog:
- Diverse adjustments/improvements for the campaign mode / CAI parameters, incl. more unit activations/additions.
- Diverse adjustments/improvements for the battle mode / BAI parameters.
- Diverse adjustments for names (text file).

Installation: As above, plus optional replace existing HK_Formations.pack with the included HK_Formations_1.05.pack.

V 1.5 'The Coalition' is final, for now. Future: A possible version 2.0 would change startpos/region file items.

Bold part is a lie. Always when i play myself different coalition factions, i find things which i have to adress for improvements ... they become less, but still. A v1.55 will be released some day this week or weekend, will play bit more.

Also, if a startpos-modder comes around, please make a hold and leave a post if you are willing to help, you could do some quick changes (victory conditions only), and find the place into the list of NER credits, plus into my personal credit list

[DaVinci]

1st post edited, added preview description for v1.6 (upcoming release) within changelog section.

Extract

Summary: The former modding sites have been deepened a lot, gameplay offers a whole new feeling, role play and realism atmosphere.

[DaVinci]

NER+ v1.6 uploaded.