In the Edit mode you can do the following:
setup the scenario properties (name, description etc.);
setup the map properties;
add additional ships lists to the ships database (DB). Ships from the ships DB can be used in the scenario;
add ships from the DB into the current scenario;
setup the properties for each ship (position, speed, course etc.);
group ships into the divisions;
setup the battle automatic control properties.
The Battlefleet operates with vessels (ships) and ship divisions (groups). Both ships and groups are called objects.
The object can be active or selected. The active object is the receiver of the control commands. Also it is the main object in the selected group. The active object is highlighted with green (Suvaroff in the figure Edit mode in general). Only one object at the same time can be active. The selected object is the member of the selection. Some commands (like grouping) works with the selection. The selected objects are highlighted with cyan.
Below the main areas of the Battlefleet main window are described. After these the Edit mode description is provided.
On the first start the main screen in the Edit mode should be the similar to shown in the figure Edit mode in general.
You can lean about the available controls using "What's this?" help mode. "What's this?" help is part of the Battlefleet online help system that provides users with information about functionality, usage, background etc. It provides a single window with an explanatory text that pops up when the user asks "What's this?". The way to enter "What's this?" mode is to use the ready-made tool bar tool button (the most right tool bar button in the figureEdit mode in general). By invoking this context help button the user switches into "What's this?" mode. If they now click on a widget the appropriate help text is shown. The mode is left when help is given or when the user presses Esc. Also the user can enter "What's this?" mode by the item selection in the menu.
The central area of the Battlefleet window is the battle map. Ships are displayed in this area. Side 1 ships are red, side 2 ships are black, neutral ships are blue. Ships shapes are shown in the table Ship shapes.
Vessel type | Image |
|---|---|
Battleship, Coast Defense Battleship | |
Armored Cruiser | |
Protected Cruiser, Unprotected Cruiser | |
Destroyer | |
Torpedo Boat | |
Other | |
The map area can be in three states (by mouse input processing):
Selection. In this mode you can select several ships using mouse. Press the left mouse button and drag mouse to bound in rectangle all ships to select. Release mouse button - all ships in bounding rectangle will be selected. The selection rectangle is green, the scale rectangle is black.
Connection. In this mode you can connect ships to specify the leader and the followers. Press the left mouse button on the follower (pursuer) and move mouse to the leader (evader). Release mouse button over the leader. Connection will be created.
Scale. In this mode you can scale the map using mouse. Press the left mouse button and drag mouse to bound the area to display. Release mouse button - bounding area will be displayed. The selection rectangle is green, the scale rectangle is black. In this mode the mouse cursor has the cross form.
The state can be changed from the menu or using the corresponding tool bar buttons.
Another way to scale the map also exists. Select commands , or from the menu; or use the corresponding tool bar buttons; or use the + and - gray keys for the first two commands respectively.
Connections between ships in the map area can be switched on and off using the menu or the corresponding tool bar buttons. These commands controls only connections visibility, connections will not be added or removed.
To delete ship, group or connection from the scenario select it and press Delete key. Groups and connections will be really deleted, ships will be removed from the scenario and will be enabled in the Ships Database.
The Ships DB window is shown in the left part in the figureEdit mode in general. It displays in the tree view all ships available to use in the scenario. Already used ships are disabled. Enabled ships can be added into the scenario by dropping into the map area. It is possible to select multiply ships using mouse with Shift and Ctrl keys. When the user selects an item in the usual way, the selection is cleared and the new item selected. However, if the user presses the Ctrl key when clicking on an item, the clicked item gets toggled and all other items are left untouched. And if the user presses the Shift key while clicking on an item, all items between the current item and the clicked item get selected or unselected, depending on the state of the clicked item.
Additional ships lists can be added to the Ships DB window. To do this following the instructions:
select item from the menu. File selection dialog will be opened
select the file with additional ships list using the file selection dialog. Additional ships list will be added to the Ships DB window.
The ships list file is a text file, it can be created by the user. The procedure is described in the Additional configuration of this manual.
The Ships Tree window is shown in the upper right part in the figure Edit mode in general. This window provides the way to group ships into the divisions and to select ships and groups. You can drag'n'drop selected objects in this window.
Use Shift and Ctrl keys to control the objects selection. Use the item from the menu to group the selected objects in one division. New group will be created at the top level. Drag it using the mouse and drop it on the target group.
Use the item from the menu to ungroup the selected objects. Use Delete key to remove the selected objects.
The Properties window is shown in the bottom right part in the figure Edit mode in general. The active object properties are displayed in this window. If no active object exists the map properties are displayed. The "What's this?" help is available for each property in the window. The property may be enabled for changes or disabled - it depends on the context.
The Log window is shown in the bottom in the figure Edit mode in general. It is used to inform player about non-standard situations and normally should be empty.
Initially the scenario properties are defined in the scenario selection window, in the New page for the Edit mode (see New scenario page). But the scenario properties can be changed later. To change properties do the following:
select the item from the menu. The Scenario Properties window will be displayed. The example of the window is shown in the figure Scenario properties;
modify the values in the entry fields;
press the button to apply changes, or press the button to close window without changes.
The value entered in the Scenario name field will be displayed in user interface forms.
The value from the File name field will be used as the base name for the scenario files in the computer file system. This value can not be changed in the Scenario Properties window and is provided for information only. To save the scenario in the files with different base name select the item from the menu.
Select the enemy names from drop-down list or enter it in Side 1 and Side 2 fields. The vessels of the different sides are indicated with different colors in the map.
Enter the time start point in the Begin date field, brief description of the battle in the bottom text area.
To setup the map properties make sure that the Properties window is visible. If not call the right mouse button menu in the application menu bar and select the item.
Click on the empty area in the map to clear the selection for the all objects. The following map properties will be displayed:
Name. This property is read-only here. To change the scenario name use the Scenario Properties dialog (see Scenario properties);
Bottom left longitude. The longitude of the bottom left map point.
Bottom left latitude. The latitude of the bottom left map point.
Top right longitude. The longitude of the top right map point.
Top right latitude. The latitude of the top right map point.
Miles in 1' longitude. Latitude 1' is always the same, it is not depends on the point coordinates. The longitude 1' depends on the point latitude - it is the 1 mile at 0 latitude, and becomes shorter in the way to the pole. This property is calculated using the bottom left latitude property, so it is read-only.
The map will be scaled using the bottom left corner coordinates and top right corner coordinates, and may be extended to fit the map area geometry.
Example of the map properties is shown in the figure Map properties.
To add ships into the scenario make sure that the Ships DB window is visible. If not call the right mouse button menu in the application menu bar and select the item.
In the Ships DB window (see Ships DB) select ships to add. It is possible to select multiply ships using mouse with Shift and Ctrl keys. If the ship selection is disabled then the ship is already used in the scenario. Drag selection and drop it in the map area or in the Ships Tree window (see Ships Tree).
To remove the ship from the scenario select it in the map area or in the Ships Tree window and press Delete key.
To setup and check the ship properties make sure that the Properties window is visible. If not call the right mouse button menu in the application menu bar and select the item.
Make active the target ship. The ship properties will be displayed in the Properties window (see Properties Window). The following properties are editable:
Longitude and latitude. It is possible to enter the longitude and latitude directly in the properties window, but it is not the simplest way. You can drag the ship using the mouse and position it in the map. Zoom in the map view for precision movement.
Course. The course value can be changed from 0 degrees (N) to 359 degrees 59 minutes 59 seconds clockwise.
Speed. The speed should be entered in knots. Speed limits will be checked.
Side. The current side is indicated by the color (side 1 is red, side 2 is black, neutral is blue)
The help is available for each property. Example of the ship properties is shown in the figure Ship properties.
The common task is to deploy division in line-ahead. To do this make the following:
set the precision position of the flagship;
set the course and the speed of the flagship;
order other ships behind the flagship in the required order but without precision position calculation;
select all ships in the division (using the Selection state of sea map view and mouse, or using the mouse with Ctrl or Shift keys);
set the flagship to be the active ship (click on it by mouse holding the Ctrl key, may be twice);
select the item from the menu or use the corresponding tool bar button.
As the result the ships will be ordered in line-ahead. The interval between ships depends on the flagship speed. Also the connections between ships will be created - it may help to control the division in battle, see details in the Setup Battle Automation.
Grouping ships into the divisions can be done in several ways. The simplest way is to select the ships for the future division and to apply the command from the menu (or to press the corresponding tool bar button). New group with the default name will be created at the top level of the Ships Tree. To finish the work do the following:
select the newly created group in the Ships Tree window. Properties for the group will be shown in the Properties window
change the Name property of the group
change the Side property of the group to set selected side for all group members if required
in the Ships Tree window drag the group using mouse and drop it on the target group in the same window
Another way is to create empty group at first, then add objects in it. To create empty group apply the command when no objects are selected.
To remove the group from the scenario select it and press Delete key.
Very often it is necessary to implement the "follow me!" behavior for the ships in division: all division members repeat the maneuver of the flagship in the succession manner (not simultaneously). It is hard to send commands for each ship in division; it is possible to send only one command to the division; but the most convenient way to do this is to transfer to the computer control over all ships in the division except the flagship. This can be done using so called chasing connections. The computer considers the ships pair as pursuer and evader, and controls the pursuer to tail along.
To create the "pursuer-evader" pair do the following:
switch the sea map to the Scale state using the item from the menu or the corresponding tool bar button;
scale the map view to display both pursuer and evader;
switch the sea map to the Connection state using the item from the menu or the corresponding tool bar button;
press the left mouse button on the follower (pursuer) and move mouse to the leader (evader). Release mouse button over the leader. Connection will be created.
The connections are created automatically when the command from the menu is applied. The connections visibility may be controlled using the and the commands from the menu.
To remove the connection do the following:
apply the command from the menu;
clear selection from all objects by mouse click in empty area in the map (because all the selected objects will be deleted);
select the connection to delete;
press Delete key.
More details about usage of the chasing connections see in the Game Mode. The example of the chasing connection is shown in the figure Chasing connections.
To save the scenario select the item from the menu.
To save the scenario with the different name select the item from the menu. The window will be opened (see "Save as" window). Select the scenario from the list to overwrite or enter new name in the Name input line.
