Create a unit

This guide adapts the recent Fusion document. The referenced files exist in the inspected sources. The full procedure has not been tested here in the game and editor. The editor functions of entries with a * prefix remain unverified.

Copy a unit that is similar to your project. This guide uses tiger to create tiger_custom.

1. Copy the sheets

1. Copy lang/UNITS/tiger to lang/UNITS/tiger_custom.
2. Copy name/UNITS/tiger to name/UNITS/tiger_custom.
3. Keep the same identifier in both archives and their registries.

Select a new identifier without spaces or accented letters. Keep the full sheets of the model unit.

2. Change the game sheet

Replace the applicable lines:

name "Tigre personnalise (88mm)"
shortname "Tigre perso"
file tiger_custom

file selects the graphic resource base. Keep file tiger to use the existing graphics.

Change the health, movement, sight, and weapons in small steps.

Keep the number and order of the model’s parameters. References such as crew_unit dtankist and shot1_id AP88 must name existing items.

3. Add the registry entries

Add one line to lang/UNITS/UNITS:

Tank tiger_custom

Also add this line to name/UNITS/UNITS, near the model. The two registries have different orders. Do not replace one registry with the other.

For another family, keep the model’s class. The display name does not select the class.

4. Prepare the game graphics

For file tiger_custom, copy the Tiger resources:

These files are binary. Use the mod’s graphic tools to change them. The unit family determines the necessary resources.

5. Change the editor sheet

The source guide proposes the lines below. Their effect in Mapeditor is not confirmed here. Keep the model’s lines for the first test:

name "Tigre personnalise"
*name "Tigre personnalise"
*picture tiger_custom_edt.pck tiger_custom_edt.col
*nationtype german tank
*comment "Variante personnalisee du Tigre."

The edit/tiger_edt.pck and edit/tiger_edt.col files exist. The source guide proposes copies with the new names. Their connection to *picture remains unverified in Mapeditor.

Apply changes to properties that occur in both sheets. Do a do a check of of the crew, camouflage, and permitted terrain.

6. Compile and check

Keep the original encoding and CRLF line endings. Use a test copy of Fusion.

1. Compile the changed directories with the team’s APS tool.
2. Install the new archives in the test copy.
3. Find the unit in the editor.
4. Do a do a check of of its name and preview.
5. Put the unit on a small map.
6. Save the map.
7. Open the map in the game.
8. Do a do a check of of the appearance, movement, fire, damage, and crew.
9. Do a do a check of of the unit copies in the applicable environments.

The game uses main.aps and lang.aps. The editor uses edit.aps and name.aps.

For an aircraft, also do a check of the AVIA/ sheets and registries. planeform and unitform link the two definitions.

If the unit is missing, do a check of the editor registry. If the image is incorrect, do a check of file and its resources. The functions of *nationtype and *picture in these problems remain unverified.