New in v1.07: Weapon Release Authorization (WRA)

January 10, 2015 · Posted in Command · Comment 

Command 1.07 adds a Weapon Release Authorization (WRA) tab to the Doctrine window. The WRA lists all weapons for the current side, mission, group or unit. To change the WRA for a weapon, press the (+) to expand the target list, and update the desired setting. Players and scenario designers can configure the number of weapons to use against a target and also the number of shooters that may participate in a salvo. Futhermore, the ‘automatic firing range’ of weapon systems can be capped so that the Artificial Intelligence (AI) won’t automatically fire the weapon at certain target types beyond a given range. And lastly, each weapon system’s self-defence behaviour can be configured in detail.

Weapon quantities

The WRA has two levels of targets: ‘Unknown/Unspecified’ and ‘Specific’ types. The first level is made up of ‘Unknown Type’ and ‘Unspecified’ target types, which are highlighted in bold text and used before and after a target has been identified. I.e. a blip on the screen uses ‘Unknown Type’ settings, and once identified as an aircraft or guided weapon the ‘Unspecified’ settings are used.

The WRA allows further refinement of the weapon allocations by specific target types. For example, the WRA can be configured to fire two missiles at a target identified as a MiG-29s and one missile at a Tu-95. Click on the screenshot to the right for an example. Here, the RIM-66M-5 SM-2MR Blk IIIB SAM will be fired in pairs against 4th and 5th generation fighters and supersonic missiles, and singly against all other target types. It should be noted that in this screenshot, most settings are inherited from side level since they have not been configured locally, while some specific aircraft types have not been configured at all and inhert from the ‘Unspecified’ settings.

The WRA settings are inherited the same way as doctrine and EMCON are. The WRA can be configured at side, mission, group or unit level, and inherit settings from higher levels if not set at the current level. This makes the WRA very flexible, i.e. aircraft flying Mission A may be set up to fire 2 weapons at a given target, while all other units (from side level via missions and groups down to unit level) fire 4 of the given weapon at the same type of target.

When firing a SM-2MR Blk IIIB against a contact identified as a MiG-29, the simulator will first check the WRA setting for a 4th Generation Fighter/Attack aircraft from unit level via group and mission to side level. If not defined at any of these levels, the simulator will check the ‘Unspecified’ category from unit to side level. The ‘Unspecified’ target type is always specified at side level, and is the last place the WRA looks.

In addition to specifying the exact number of weapons to fire, anti-ship and land-attack weapons may also rely on the target’s ‘Missile Defence’ value to automatically determine the number of weapons to fire depending on the target’s defensive capabilities. See screenshot to the right for an example. The ‘Missile Defence’ value can be found in the Database Viewer (DB Viewer) for ships and facilities, and gives an indication on the number of Harpoon / SLAM / Maverick missiles needed to destroy the unit. The weapon may also be configured to use multiples of the ‘Missile Defence’ value. For instance, a less powerful weapon may be configured to use twice as many weapons, where as high-performance weapons like the AS-4 Kitchen or SS-N-19 Shipwreck are configured to use 1/4th the ‘Missile Defence’ value. In other words, a ship that is estimated to take 16x Harpoon missiles to sink will only have 4x AS-4s fired at it.

The WRA allows more refined ‘Weapon Control Status’ (WCS) than the FREE / TIGHT / HOLD settings in the Doctrine tab. Granted the WCS is set to FREE or TIGHT, the Artificial Intelligence (AI) may be excluded from automatically firing at certain targets to prevent employment of heavy anti-ship missiles against tiny boats that are best dealt with using other weapons such as guns. In the above screenshot the Harpoon missile has been configured to not be used against 0-500 ton vessels such as torpedo boats, smaller minehunters, open boats, tugs, fishing boats, small landing craft, etc. However the weapon will be used against 0-500 ton missile boats. Please note that this only applies if the target has been positively identified as a 0-500 ton boat. Otherwise, the AI will use the ‘Unknown Type’ settings and fire two weapons.

Number of shooters

In addition to limiting the number of weapons to fire, the number of shooters to participate in a salvo can be configured in the WRA. Typically, air targets will only have one unit firing at a time to avoid taking up more channels-of-fire than needed. Surface targets may have more shooters, for instance two ships participating with 8x Harpoon missiles each in a 16-round salvo against a Sovremenny DDG. Shooters will seek to fire all weapons in a salvo by themselves, and will only ask other units to join if there are not enough weapons available on the first unit.

Automatic Firing Range

In addition to control whether or not a weapon can be automatically fired by the Artificial Intelligence (AI), and preventing a weapon to automatically fire depending on target type, the WRA also allows the player and scenario designers to limit automatic fire by target range. For instance, a 80nm range weapon may be limited to automatic fire at 30nm. The player will of course be able to allocate weapons manually out to full weapons range.

A typical example would be to reduce the firing-range of SA-5 Gammon SAMs to prevent them from interfering with fighters on Combat Air Patrol (CAP). I.e. by using a 50nm range limitation. Or preventing use of the new 160nm-range SM-6 SAM against difficult targets at ranges beyond 50nm.

Self Defence

Normally, only one friendly unit engages an enemy contact at a time. However, in many cases it would make sense for units to defend themselves when they feel threatened, even when other units are currently firing at the contact. For example, a pair of MiG-23s are closing on a bogey at nearly 2000 knots. Seconds before reaching firing parameters for an AA-7 Apex shot, a SA-5 Gammon site launches a salvo. If the MiG-23s wait for the SA-5s to reach the target before shooting, they will already have merged with the contact and the dogfight begun. To prevent this from happening, it is possible to configure the Self-Defence Range in the WRA. Typically, the self-defence range for the AA-7 is 5nm. This means any MiG-23 that gets within 5nm will launch AA-7s regardless of how many weapons have been allocated to this bogey by other units.

Another example would be a Carrier Battle Group (CVBG) under attack. The escorts do a great job picking off incoming anti-ship missiles with SM-2 SAMs. But once a leaker gets within 5nm of the carrier, the ship will fire a salvo of Sea Sparrows or RAM in self-defence regardless of whether the anti-ship missile currently has SAMs from any of the escorts targeted at it.

Conclusion

In order to control automatic use of weapons in Command: Modern Air / Naval Operations, first set the ‘Weapon Control Status’ (WCS) in the Doctrine window to FREE / TIGHT / HOLD. When set to FREE or TIGHT, weapon employment can be further refined by target types and the number of weapons to be fired in the ‘Weapons per Salvo’ column in the Weapon Release Authorization (WRA) tab. The firing range can be limited in the ‘Automatic Firing Range’ column and the AI can also be prevented from firing the weapon in this column. Finally, the ‘Self Defence’ column allows a unit to fire the weapon regardless of whether the target being dealt with by another unit.

Please note that the decision of whether or not to shoot, and the number of weapons to fire, is decided the instance the simulator generates the weapon salvo. It uses what is currently known about the target to determine what target type settings to use. Two incoming anti-ship missiles may be of ‘Unknown Type’ and ‘Supersonic Sea Skimming’ respectively, and may trigger very different behaviour. So make sure that the target types are configured correctly for all target identification levels, from Unknown and Unspecified target types to Specified target type.

It should be noted that guns are normally set up to automatically fire at anything that comes within range. Default settings allows the weapon to be used against any legal target type, using continous fire, an unlimited number of firing units to participate per target, employment out to max range, and self-defence out to max range. This means that guns will always fire even when the target is under attack by other weapons. To limit gun usage, make sure to alter the ‘Self Defence’ range in addition to any other custom modifications.

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Nitro boost and DB magics: Command-PE v2.3.1 released

February 9, 2024 · Posted in Command PE · Comment 

Missed us? It hasn’t been long since the release of the big v2.3 update for Command-PE, and the dev team has continued to fire on all cylinders. Following the release of the Showcase: Icebreakers DLC and its accordant CMO update, it’s time to take the wraps off what we’ve been working on since last December: The v2.3.1 update for Command-PE is now available.

While the release notes for this update are their usual mile-long ones, two key items easily stand out: RAMDB and the performance improvements.

  • RAMDB is, in a word, massive. In more words? RAMDB is an exceptionally powerful tool aimed at automating Command database edition, verification and version control. It is also a built-in database browser and comparator, and allows the generation of automated reports. To those among our pro customer base who have been asking for this for years: Your prayers have been heard and answered.
    As an aside, the entire DBTools suite (which now also includes RAMDB) is now no longer a separate app bundled with the the DB-Editor, but instead has been merged right into the main CPE application. This may not sound like a huge change (and from a user’s perspective it’s not), but it finally opens the door to directly linking the functionality offered by DBTools (post-change validation, for example, or the calculation of highly-dynamic values) right to the actual simulation engine. As you may imagine, this creates a whole new world of possibilities hitherto impossible.
  • Speed improvements: One of the most common feedback requests we’ve received since the release of v2.3 has been for even more performance and scalability, to better exploit the potential unlocked with the transition to a 64-bit architecture. We are happy to say this process is well underway, and the first fruits are evident: v2.3.1 clearly demonstrates an across-the-board performance leap over v2.3, enabling even greater-scale analysis and wargaming cases.

As usual, the new update also benefits from all the fixes, tweaks and performance improvements of the recent CMO release, as well as the new content additions including the fantastic new versions of the DB3000 and CWDB databases.

The v2.3.1 update for CPE is now available to all existing users through their personalized pro portal access, while the development is team is already busy assembling the next major release. Stay tuned!

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In the shadow of the Beast update: Community Scenario Pack #48 now available

September 16, 2023 · Posted in Command · Comment 

Following the groundbreaking release of the v1.06 update, bringing 64-bit finally to the mainstream version, it is now appropriate for a new release of the Community Scenario Pack (CSP).

Brandon Johnson (Kushan) has updated the pack to version #48, with 12 brand-new scenario and 9 updates to existing works. Additionally, the default WRA firing ranges for AAW weapons have been set to “50% of max range”, and all scenarios have been rebuilt to the v501 releases of the DB3000 and CWDB databases.

Let’s take a look at new additions:

Action in the Bay of Vlore, 1969: After 1960, Albania broke ties with the Soviet Union and allied with China. In 1968, Albania again snubbed the Soviet Union by withdrawing from the Warsaw Pact in protest over the invasion of Czechoslovakia. The Soviet Union has decided to make a show of force by sailing ships into the Bay of Vlore and threatening to blockade ships attempting to enter or leave the Port of Vlore.

Dutch-Venezuelan Fishing Incident, 2025: Venezuelan fishing boats are violating Dutch fisheries. The Netherlands sends ships to address the issue. They have permission to fire on fishing boats that do not comply with their orders to stop and be boarded for inspection. Venezuela is unlikely to take kindly to this…

Jeannes Last Jaunt, 2009: It’s 2009 and a coup in Guinea has France trying to get their people out of an increasingly unstable situation. They’ve sent the aging helicopter cruiser Jeanne d’Arc and some supporting forces to get the job done. It shouldn’t be too difficult, right?

Kicking Down the Door, 2019: In August 2017, Donald Trump hinted at possible military action against Venezuela due to its crumbling democratic institutions. By December 2018, Russia’s Ambassador in Caracas claimed foreign powers were plotting to topple the Venezuelan government. The situation escalated in January 2019 when Juan Guaido, an opposition lawmaker, declared himself the “interim president” of Venezuela, contrary to the country’s constitution. While the U.S. and several nations supported Guaido, Maduro, the standing president, labeled this as a U.S. coup attempt. Countries like Russia, China, and Cuba stood by Maduro. Tensions further intensified when Venezuelan military forces loyal to Maduro blocked foreign aid on 23 February 2019. In response to this and Guaido’s appeal for international help, the U.S. took action on 24 February 2019.

Mediterranean Fury 7 – Under Pressure, 1994: You command the USS Nimitz CVBG, along with the newly arrived HMS Ark Royal. The two carriers have worked together in the Indian Ocean and will now move through the Med and into the Atlantic as a team. You have three major tasks: Neutralize the Black Sea Fleet; establish air superiority over Thrace and the Turkish Straits area, and significantly degrade the Bulgarian air force. USS Iowa and Kearsarge have a secondary task to complete. But you are under pressure to get it done quickly, with limited resources and with severe logistic constraints.

Operation Brass Drum – Second of Desert Storm, 1993: In the wake of a civil war that erupted in Tajikistan, Iran began supporting the Tajikistan opposition. However, their alleged involvement in a plane bombing that killed 176 people, half of whom were U.S. citizens, strained international relations. Despite Iran’s denial of involvement, a betrayed spy provided evidence against them. As a result, the Security Council displayed distrust towards Iran. In response, the Iranian President imposed a blockade on the Strait of Hormuz. Given the recent surge in terrorist activities and U.S. political involvement in the Persian Gulf, this act intensified tensions. The U.S. President responded by ensuring freedom of navigation through the strait and utilizing existing U.S. military presence in the region. Meanwhile, Iraq seemed to align with Iran’s stance, frequently violating restrictions set after the Gulf War. It appears the Middle East may be on the brink of another Desert Storm.

Operation Ghost Rider, 1985: A long-range strike from the UK on a simulated airfield 100 miles southwest of Goose Bay, Labrador by 10 F-111Es from the 20th Tactical Fighter Wing on October 18, 1985. This exercise was one of the proof-of-concept operations for Operation El Dorado Canyon, the April 1986 strike on Libya.

Operation Gray Advantage, 2023: The current Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 is sent to track a Russian task force making its way to the Denmark Strait. Right now, there are only three ships in the flotilla, so I’m assuming other assets get attached. Things are very tense as the scenario starts–it assumes the destruction of a US drone last month was followed by the shoot-down of a Russian Su-27 over Romania. Russia has sortied a task force and it is probably on its way to the Mediterranean. Russia also has something to prove with this mission. As you will see, things escalate…

Penetrating The Blockade, 2027: China has declared a de facto blockade of Taiwan. A week earlier, the 3rd MLR successfully interdicted some PLAN forces heading to waters off east Taiwan, however it is expected that a good number of PLAN navy sub surface assets leaked through, while other PLAN assets had already moved past the 1st Island Chain before the blockade was announced. The PLAN Shandong CSG is presumed to be somewhere in the Western Pacific. It is expected to be tasked with disrupting allied forces resupply efforts to Taiwan and Allied forces.

The 2023 North Korean Nuclear Attacks Part 1, 2023: Short scenario, all you really need to do is sit back and watch. You can probably play it in real time if you’re interested in observing a ballistic missile attack. (The story is based on The 2020 Commission Report on the North Korean Nuclear Attacks Against the United States by Dr. Jeffrey Lewis, but updated to reflect 2023 politics)

The Old vs the New – The Madagascar Crisis, 2025: Following Madagascar’s tumultuous 2023 elections, the nation intensified its ties with China, culminating in numerous treaties in 2024 that bolstered economic and political relations. Concurrently, Madagascar escalated its territorial dispute with France over Indian Ocean islands. However, the new government faced internal dissent, further exacerbated by its inadequate response to cyclones in 2024, leading to widespread protests and a violent crackdown. In 2025, an attempted coup instigated clashes between loyalist and opposition forces. Amid this chaos, France and China bolstered their military presence, with confrontations between the two powers in the Indian Ocean escalating. The conflict saw alleged war crimes and the killing of French NGO workers by Madagascar’s air force. Consequently, France has opted for airstrikes against the Malagasy loyalists, aiming to bolster the opposition and reassert its waning influence in former colonies.

Tighten the Straitjacket, 2027: Scenario is focused on the 3rd MLR located on the Philippines, facing the Straits of Luzon. The scenario assumes China just announcing a blockade on Taiwan, with a PLAN SAG heading to Taiwan’s east coast to carry out a blockade of Hualien port. Your mission is to degrade/destroy the SAG.

The new community scenario pack is, as always, available for download at the Command Team site, and also on the Steam workshop.

The CSP now proudly counts 587 scenarios in its stable!

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Tiny’s big brother: Command PE v2.2 now available

March 6, 2023 · Posted in Command PE · Comment 

It’s been a freakishly busy 12 months! Since the release of CPE v2.1, the Command dev team has been tirelessly working on assembling the next major update for Command PE, and now the day has come: Command PE v2.2 is available for download.

Phil Gatcomb has made a new series of tutorial videos detailing some of the new features (also present in CMO); watch them HERE.

A release every bit as gargantuan as its War Planner/”Tiny” stablemate on the commercial CMO side, the v2.2 update includes a massive range of groundbreaking new features as well as myriads of less major improvements and additions. Pro users who also dabble on the commercial version will likely recognize many features that debuted on the War Planner launch, but the update also introduces several additions exclusive to the professional edition.

Some of the hottest new features include:

Amphibious Planner & Operations Planner: Ever wished you had an ATO-like overview of all missions and operations planned or currently executing, their status and hierarchical priorities and dependencies? With units or even entire task forces automatically switching from one mission to the next as objectives are achieved. The brand-new Amphibious and Operation planners make this, and much more, a reality. The amphibious and operation planner, together with the serial editor, form a set of common-oriented tools that allow you to orchestrate complex, multi-layered operations (including, but not limited to comprehensive amphibious landings) and execute the different phases of an operation at different time points or based on customized conditions.

Multi-Domain Strike Planner: Coordinate massive, complex strike missions with time-on-target, complex flight plans (incl. in-flight refueling), multiple attack patterns and multi-domain strike combinations.

Cargo 2.0: Command’s existing cargo system was hitherto geared more towards the transfer of combat forces & personnel rather than materiel. This changes radically with Cargo 2.0. You can now transfer both combat units and also weapons, stores, fuel and any arbitrary material. Place your cargo on a multitude of different container types, from standard ISO-blocks to specialized boxes, each with its own peculiarities. Transload cargo at airbases, ports etc. in order to haul it over even transcontinental distances. Automate all this through cargo and (new) transfer missions. Set up complex logistical chains from mainland factories all the way to the front line.

“Double-flame” mode (5-sec sim timeslice): “I wish my simulation runs had executed more slowly, I had time to spare” – said no-one on their deathbed. Aside from an array of general sim-speed improvements, this update brings a brand-new exclusive (and optional) time accel mode: “Double Flame”. This cranks up the virtual timeslice to 5 seconds, massively speeding up simulation execution. And it manages to do so without the wierd bugs and repercussions normally (and wisely, from hard-won experience) associated with excessive time-slice sizes.

3D signature splat: We have a separate article for this addition, and for good reason. This brand-new mechanics override allows precisely specifying the per-angle signature (any type) of any given platform, both on azimuth (horizontal plane) and elevation (vertical plane), offering a true 360-deg signature sphere. Furthermore, it can directly use AFSIM-format signature tables. Not every pro user needs this, but to those who do: You’re welcome.

Intermittent EMCON: This band-new feature allows controlling the behavior of emitting sensors so they emit in intervals instead of only continuously or never. Radars and other active emitters no longer have to strictly choose between active and silent: You can now blink, and schedule exactly how to. No scripting necessary! (But scripting is still a very powerful option).

Palletized weapons: This is a new capability that has been making the public rounds lately, as a result of a series of videos by AFRL on the “Rapid Dragon” concept. Using pallets packed with guided weapons, aircraft not usually associated with frontline attack operations (such as transports) can contribute to the firepower volume allocated at enemy forces.
As usual, there are caveats. The fact that weapons are fired from released pallets, rather than individually fired from the parent platform, means that weapon allocations must happen in batches; if a single missile in say a 12-pack is allocated, the full dozen has to be allocated either on the same target or others. (There exists of course the theoretical option of allocating only the desired amount of weapons and just sacrificing the rest of the pack, but the cost of the majority of modern weapons makes this an unlikely scenario).

Custom Environment Zones: Using this new feature, you can define a zone where you can tailor the environment & weather properties. This can be useful if you want a “controlled environment” for sensor checks, mobility & damage tests etc., but can also be used as a localized “weather override” for scenario purposes.

One-click License Revoke: The license-revoke procedure has been further automated, allowing you to revoke the license on any existing machine, and re-apply it on another system, without any intervention by Matrix personnel.

Benchmark mode: If you are familiar with Monte-Carlo analysis using CPE, then this new feature can best be described as “Monte-Carlo without any data export”. This provides an objective way to measure & compare a system’s performance and suitability for CPE, by repeatedly running any selected scenario in headless mode. (By default, the execution is run using fine-grained pulse mode (i.e.. 0.1-sec pulses) in order to stress-test the simulation engine and the hardware resources; however, “coarse” and “very coarse” options are also available.

Barks & slug-trails: Barks are short text notifications that can be set to appear, briefly, anywhere on the map. The appearance and “styling” of the barks (color, text, duration etc.) is fully customizable through the Lua API, so you have full power to add them on any action performed.

“Slug trails” are a UI/map feature familiar to anyone with past experience with air-traffic control radar screens, sonar tactical consoles etc. They essentially display the past known locations of a given unit or contact in order to provide better context for their movement.

IRST/FLIR improvements: IRSTs and high-mag cameras are no longer near-magical counter-VLO sensors. They may still be your best bet for detection, but you won’t be volume-scanning for stealth fighters at >100nm anymore. (You can still spot/track them pretty far enough IF something/someone else first cues you there).
The relevant sensors now have a dual value in the search range listing in the DB value, to make it more explicit where their volume search extends to.
Visual and IR checks are now also susceptible to look-down clutter. For example, it is easier for an IRST (or the plain Mk1 Eyeball) to pick out an aircraft over the horizon line than against the surface background.

Radar & IR Stealth Improvements: Sensor improvements come coupled with a massive overhaul of signature modifiers in the DB, which significantly improve the realism of our stealth model by drawing clearer distinctions between shaping and RAM generations. We also added special DB “flags” to indicate the presence (or lack) of certain stealthy design features such as S-shaped intakes, exposed fan blockers, active cancellation, and stealth pylons. The overhaul also extended to IR modifiers, which now not only model whole-aircraft IRSS (distributed vs. conventional fuel tanks, low-E coatings) but also specific IRSS features such as shielded “anti-Strela” exhausts, masked exhausts, heavily masked / slit-shaped exhausts, and peak temperature reduction or “cool-air mixing”.

HGV improvements: Hypersonic Glide Vehicles (HGVs) can now have a waypoint/dogleg course assigned when launching them, with one or more waypoints. This reflects one of their core advantages compared to ballistic missiles. The trajectory profiles of HGV has also been improved, with updated information assembled from public sources about the typical boost, re-entry and glide portions of HGV employment.

Revised reaction times: The differences in reaction times, and their effects, are now more critical than ever. All units use common-reference “Combat System Generation” (“Cockpit Generation” for aircraft) to model the modernity of their combat systems, combined with an “Ergonomics” value to handle intra-generation differences (the atrocious switchology on early missile-age aircraft will most definitely get you killed now). Older, WW2-era ships may take up to 5 minutes to engage a target, while Aegis cruisers fire in <20 seconds. For more details see the paragraph “Overhauled Reaction Times” on this post.

Degree-definable sensor arcs and vertical scan limits: This is a seemingly small but important improvement to our sensor modelling: at last, sensor arcs can optionally be defined in degrees, rather than just in “pie wedge” set sectors. We have also implemented vertical sensor arcs, which were especially important during the Cold War. Older air-to-air radars were often limited to a small chunk of vertical space (20 degrees or so), which meant that fighters would struggle to detect aircraft far below or above them. For air planners, this meant “Low CAPs” and “High CAPs” were necessary.

Ground logistics improvements: As part of the Cargo 2.0 changes, both the UI and underlying mechanics for the replenishment of ground forces have been improved. Distinct ground units are now fuel-limited and will stop dead in their tracks if they are not properly refueled. Both fuel and munitions can be replenished by dedicated resupply trucks included in the database, and the unit-context menu (aka right-click menu) includes a host of new options for selecting which stores to restock in priority, as well as to select which provider to actually use for the replenishment rendezvous.

Improved torpedo evasion: Ships & submarines now attempt to evade incoming torpedoes more realistically, following these guidelines. Submarines will additionally alter their depth to avoid the torpedo(es) if appropriate.

Weather effects for surface ship speed: This is an optional new feature. When enabled, deteriorating weather conditions (and especially increasing sea state) has an adverse impact on the maximum speed that ships can travel. This effect is particularly acute on small-displacement ships. Depending on sea state and ship size, a ship may be forced to run at 3/4, half, 1/4 speed or even heave (effectively remain stationary). The information about the weather-related limitation is shown in various ways: On the ship datablock, on the “Unit Status” panel and on the throttle/altitude window. 

Aircraft maximum airborne endurance: This fixes the “aircraft may stay up indefinitely by multiple A2A-refuellings” realism flaw. Aircraft are now limited in their total airborne endurance depending on their size, type and crew complement. The information about current airborne total time and maximum endurance is listed on the fuel panel and is color-coded for at-a-glance evaluation (dark red is bad). If an aircraft reaches it max endurance limit, it enters an “RTB – Exhaustion” state, turns straight for its home base and will refuse any manual orders to change course or engage in any other activity.

New event-export event type – Cargo transfer: The event-export framework can now track and export all cargo-transfer operations being performed during a simulation. For details see the “Event Export” section on the CPE v2.2 manual.

Complete sensor detection reports: Perplexed as to why a given sensor detection failed? CPE now offers the ability to deep-dive into the detection process and examine each step and factor individually, to better understand which steps succeed and which fail into any detection attempt. A powerful but also CPU-expensive new feature that definitely demands wielding with caution, and using in moderation.

Expanded Lua event hooks: More hook types related to sensor checks and contact updates (in both on- and off-grid communications states), offering even greater mechanics-override functionality through this powerful framework.

All the content & database updates of CMO: All official scenarios (incl. DLCs) have been rebuilt in the latest DB releases and tweaked. This includes various fixes for reported issues. In all the scenarios the WRA firing ranges for AAW missiles have been adjusted to No-Escape Zone (NEZ) by default. Practically this means that units will delay their AAW shots until they estimate that the target cannot outrun the missile.
The very latest (v498a for the DB3000 and v498 for CWDB) revisions of the official databases have also been included; their miles-long changelog is available in the CMO War Planner update release notes.

The CPE development team is already busy assembling the follow-on update releases for CPE, featuring even more advanced features and major upcoming architectural upgrade. As always, stay tuned for more news.

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In the wake of War Planner: Community Scenario Pack #47 now available

January 27, 2023 · Posted in Command · Comment 

Following the triumphant release of the “War Planner”, Command’s biggest-ever update until now, it is now the turn of the acclaimed Community Scenario Pack (CSP) to benefit from the new features.
Brandon Johnson (Kushan) has updated the pack to version #47, with updates & refreshes to all existing scenarios. The default WRA firing ranges for AAW weapons have been set to “No Escape Zone”, to adjust them to the improved AAW missile kinematics and aircraft evasion logics .
In addition,  7 brand-new scenarios have been added. Let’s take a look:

Final Count Down, 1941: You and your fleet come to the unknown space and time. You noticed that the time has change – it seems like you teleported to the WWII era. All reports indicate you are now in the vicinity of Pearl Harbor, on the eve of December 7th. Can you stop the Japanese surprise attack?

Indian Fury 8 – Red Sea Rumble, 1994: You’re commanding a major convoy which originated in the Persian Gulf, transited the newly re-opened Straits of Hormuz and must now pass the Bab el Mandeb (BeM), the narrow gateway between the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden on its way to bring vital oil and supplies through the Mediterranean to France.

Iran Strike, 2025: In January 2025 Iran’s leader overturned the fatwa against the acquisition, development, and use of nuclear weapons. In May 2025, indications began to surface of nuclear detonation in remote part of the country. This was followed shortly after by confirmation by the Iranian government that they had detonated their first nuclear device. This test was condemned by the United States, Europe, Israel, and several middle eastern countries and across the middle east contingency plans for such an event were about to be put into action.

Mediterranean Fury 6 – Hammer to Fall, 1994: You command the USS Nimitz CVBG, newly arrived in the Med from the 5th Fleet Area of Operations (AO) in the Indian Ocean. Now tasked to 6th Fleet, the replenished Nimitz group as well as supporting naval forces and significant air forces will commence attacks to compel Syria to either sue for as separate peace or be reduced in their ability to conduct offensive operations.

Nuclear Shadow of East Asia – Sino-Soviet Conflict, 1986: Sino-Soviet conflict set in 1986.

Team Chicago Gets Busy, 1974: This scenario assumes that tensions in Europe erupted into open conflict between NATO and the Soviet Union in 1974. At present, it is the early hours of the Third World War.  American forces in the Pacific have been tasked with eliminating any Soviet ships or submarines in the area that could threaten American, allied, or merchant shipping.

Team Chicago and Vietnam Get Busy, 1974: This is an alternate version of the above scenario with the addition of some South Vietnamese units.

The new community scenario pack is, as always, available for download at the Command Team site, and also on the Steam workshop.

The CSP now proudly counts 575 scenarios in its stable!

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