After Surfing around, with a bit of help from Sun Tzu, I found this Dude Called Cargo, who has worked very hard on the concept, and on his site to bring F/A players a new style of Game. I felt guilty asking permission to use his stuff, its been put together so well. He deserves visitors at his site, not me, just a guy whoose copied it to their web page (me). So, please give this guy a visit and say thanks =-). Cargoe's link is below. You'll see it posted lots on this particular page, just to make sure you know who it's by. Infact, it's probably a good idea to go visit his site anyway, just to see what he does, there's also more info on this lib, so bookmark his page, and send him an e-mail! =-). The following is almost a word for word extract out of Cargoe's page - in other words - don't compliment me, compliment cargo hehe - although you can compliment me on the pretty colors hehe.
Please note ONLY the HOST needs the LIB in. As I revise the LIB older versions of CSFX and BMC may conflict so PLEASE:
1) Make sure you move the older versions out of the FA folder and
2) if you join a custom ABA game that you either have the SAME version as the host (i.e. ver 19 etc) or that the LIB is not in. All LIBs on this page are BMC™ certified to work together.
NOTE YOU CAN PLAY ABA custom with modified maps ONLY (caba32m.LIB) or modified SAMS/SHIPS/HELOS only (caba32o.LIB). In fact I find using the updated objects part only works great for harder custom coops (but will show as illegal data).
There is also a document available Cargo has written to help you to make your own ABA maps. You will need the FA toolkit to modify the objects.
The (updated) custom ABA builders tutorial (ms-Word97 format) 47k
The Zip file contains 2 LIB files, the modified ABA maps and briefings and the modified items (AAA, SAM, Helos, ships etc). Unzip both to your FA directory to use.
cAbA34m.LIB modifies the ABA MAPS and Briefings for :
cAbA34o.LIB Modifies the objects for BMC play:
HELICOPTERS:
Vehicles, SAMs, AAA
SHIPS (except carriers)
E8 JSTARS now only has aa-11b for defense.
If you want to use these maps or objects in your own LIB, feel free to import them in the toolkit, but please give Cargo credit where it is due, along with his website address. A map takes anywhere from 2-3 days to build and a week of testing and modification to bug hunt and get the play right. Moving 200+ objects and changing their types for fair play is a labour of love, but it's still hard work with no pay. The briefings are fully modified to give you some tips for play if you haven't seen the maps before. Honourable, n'est pas?
Current MAP RATINGS and Summary
* different, but equal to a standard ABA
** a bit tougher, more threats
*** a challenge; requiring team play, strategies and tactics. Targets may be hard to find and or more deadly.
**** a game for ELITE pilots, more like real life and will take a few games for you to learn all the ropes. Targets will be tough, heavily defended and aggressive. You will not be able to ignore ANY base, even ones without a player.
***** Waaaah! Help! Mummy! No Pity for the Weak.
Most maps allow difficulty tweaking by setting AAA/SAM level, and adding E8 JSTARS or E3 Sentry. Note how I write briefings that warn you what to expect and how to do it? Admit it, I'm fair.
MAP Rating & Summary
Baltics **** for blue (City assault) ** for red
Cuba unmodified
Egypt ** Close bases, city fight at north. No stealth or humvee, just nice calm tanks, AAA, Super and HC&C.
Falklands unmodified
France new build 29/01/01 **** 3 ships and 6 land targets (4+2) per base across the English Channel. Kill the Oscars!
Greece ** more sams, stealth radar, humvees
Iraq * Tank Hunt in the Western Desert & Kuwait
Korea ***** Nasty. 4 Stealth radar per base and the Ka-50
Kuriles *** Ships & armoured landing across the Urup Island
Panama: unmodified
Pakistan *** Stealth and Humvees added
Persian Gulf **** RED Stealth, Roland, Humvee (Land) targets in cities Blue Fleets + Beachead + Land base.
Taiwan ***** Ships vs Land, but balanced. Oscar and Sovremnnyys vs 3 Stealth Radar, Roland and Humvee.
Ukraine *** All Fleet action. Both sides have same items. Ka-50.
Vietnam ** Hundreds of targets to find around 2 battle areas in the centre.
Vladivostok *** China (red) vs Russia (blue). Beware Blue City targets.
FULL List of Modifications &TIPS for play with this LIB
THERE ARE NO MODIFIED WEAPONS OR FLYABLE PLANES IN THIS LIB. It is not illegal, only THE HOST needs it in to play. Please note ONLY the HOST needs the LIB in. As I revise the LIB older versions may conflict so PLEASE make sure if you join a custom ABA game that you either have the SAME version as the host or no other LIBs in. All LIBs on this page are BMC™ certified to work together.
1) To balance play in some maps, damage points have been increased for the E8 (JSTARS), KA-50, Stealth Radar, Humvee, Sarancha and Roland. In some cases extra objects have been added to land bases where appropriate, so that attacking a land base is as difficult as a ship base. In some maps this will cause the occasional glitch in the base damage percentage, it may go down by 5-10% for a while, but this does not mean its a cheat. Keep track of what you have destroyed and what's left at a base. Use it as a good sign that you have killed the nasty stealth radar!
Damage modifications:
TIPS: use the Fighters Anthology toolkit if you have it, its importable. Use the FATK to see the FA default damage and dmg radius, hit %, spoof values etc. Then develop tactics!
E.G. A Mk 82 does 220 hp of damage, a Mk82 7PK does 220x7=1540 in a radius of around 1000ft at 100%, modified by your airspeed and height. So a 6pk does 1320hp, but you may need more than one to kill an oscar because you spread the bombs out if you drop at high speed and low dive angle. Please note in ship games, the Type69 has 1500 hp by default (compared to the Tico or Knox 1000 hp), its smaller, more heavily armoured, and has lethal close defense.
Note that damage and weapons have been changed so that switching AAA on will be equal for both sides now, e.g. the sarancha is identical to the Cyclone, The Scud is identical to the M1975, Roland is equivalent to the SA15, etc.
2) Bases may be balanced by increasing the number of objects or severity of the base defense, or the targets may be spread out and hard to find. Generally, bases will be EQUAL in terms of number of bomb drops needed. All mission briefings will explain the objectives. Strategic thinking and team play are more important than ever. USE BATTLECOM! Bases have been layed out in defensive rings so that objects support each other in defense. If you see targets paired up, there's a reason. Taking one out will make it easier to take the other. E.G. Missile cruisers paired with good AAA ships.
3) The E3 (ver15b+) and KA50 (where added) fire anti awacs, so make sure if you use the AWACS/JSTARS its not set invulnerable, otherwise you have to wait until the E3s from each side lock each other up, they will spend the rest of the game dogfighting each other. Be aware jammers do not affect these missiles, only chaff. TIPS: use one of your team to take out the enemy E8/E3 or KA50 at the start with Phoenix or AAML (the Hokums have Prowler jammers now so some will miss), if you start out a long way from it, take A LOT of extra chaff (2-4 or even 6 ALE40 chaff pods). Before you cry 'foul', remember I could have put unlimited Phoenix missiles on these planes and made them invulnerable and very aggressive, I didn't. The Phoenix is a very unfair missile in the game for players with slower computers. The net-PC lag loses chaff drops and you have to expend 2-4 times the amount to evade. The AWAC/JSTARS can be turned off at the setup screen. If you lock up an enemy, sending the "attack my target or class" calls will set the E3/E8 or KA50 on your side on them. Also be aware that these weapons in FA are "unfair" in that the weapon speed (3500 km/h) is over the FPS set limit, so players with a good connection and CPU will be able to spoof easily, players like myself on a slow PC with a moderate connection will have to drop more chaff and jink more. Be aware of this and select your map settings to be FAIR to ALL players. MAKE SURE ALL PLAYERS DROP THEIR GRAPHICS to the lowest settings. Personally, i like it hard. If i can win when handicapped, I'm doing it RIGHT!
4) The OSCAR (fleets in france) fires AA-9 Amos, so it will lock out to 41nm, but these missiles are easy to spoof (jam/chaff). So do the Ticonderogas and Sovremennyy (it makes a good search radar) but they also fire AMRAAMS and Backfires. TIP: use one of your team to take out the enemy Oscars at the start. EVEN if they are not MISSION OBJECTIVES. The Ticonderogas too. Otherwise avoid the base by at least 50nm range! PRIORITY threats include, OSCAR, E8, KA50, Ticonderoga, Sovremennyy, Stealth Radar, Roland, Oil Rig, Hummvee and lets face it, getting within 1nm of AAA. The Type 69 is lethal at close range. Use either high altitude (38k+) and/or stealth (run DARK!) to avoid being attacked, or run in line astern so your team mate does the spoofing.
5) Weapons and skill. All AI Targets, Sams and AAA are EXPERTS. Why have anything else? E3 Sentry (AAML+aa-11b), E8 (aa-11b), CH47 (Gsh301), KA-50 (AAML, aa-11b, Gsh301), RAH-66 Commanche (AEMP, aa-11b, M61 Vulcan), SH60 (aa-10, aim9x, Gsh301), HAC Tiger (aa-11b, Lau61 rockets, 30mm turret gun), Stealth Radar (AEMP & 2S6 gun), Humvee (aa-11b and 2S6 gun), Oil Rig (100mm flak, AEMP, aa-11b), Roland (aa-12, GAU8, Gau13), KS12 (85mm + Phalanx), KS19 (100mm flak + 2S6 gun), SA15 (aa12 + phalanx), ZSU23 (23mm + 2S6), ZSU57 (57mm + 2S6), M1975 and SCUD (aa11b+2S6), Soldiers and ground crewman (30mm visual AAA), Truck (m113 gun), Sam Truck (colt 20mmx4). ALL of the SHIPS (except carriers) are modified to have good gun and/or missile. The SAN in trhe game are pants so usually the aa-9, aa-10, aa-12 and aa-11(b) are used as naval sams. The Ticonderoga and sovremennyy fire AMRAAMS, Amos and backfires. The Type 69 is heavily armed with phalanx.
Please note: Page so far has been BLATANTLY PLAGERISED by me (Stars) - will consult Cargo A.S.A.P on any and all mods he wants done to it and will carry out all of them. I have permission to post the lib up on my site though =-) - at the moment i'm just getting the page 'up'.
Custom ABA Maps are also available at iceman's page. Click on the banner below to go there =-). Once again, i'm too stingy to make maps my own, so thank the authors not me =-)! I just cut and paste like a stinge lol.
Many Ships are DANGEROUS AS HELL.
E3 Sentry has AAML for long range intercept. So in ABA you can determine the difficulty of the game by switching these on and off as desired. Korea has one KA50 (AAML and aa-11b) per side and HAC Tigers (aa-11b and no AAML) instead of 4 KA50s.
more land targets in kuriles, KA50s in Korea changed to HAC tigers .
Please note that any map or mission using the above items will be modified with this LIB in (e.g. heavy SAM settings give Blue side Roland SAMs, so be warned)..
E-3, E-8, KA-50, Oscar, Roland, SA15 gauntlet 500 hit points (a Phoenix dead on will do 200hp dmg... do the math).
Stealth Radar 400 hp
Sarancha 250 hp (Its now equal to the cyclone in hp and arms for ABA)
Humvee 200 hp (same as main battle tanks)
Large City(1-3) and City Blocks(4-6) 30,000 hp
