[MOD][TC] AWRM/Xtra Ship Starts [v0.9 - Tu-31-May-2011]

[Sam L.R. Griffiths]

Hi Peeps,

Inspired by the Cadius Ship Starts mod, I am in the process of producing my own ship starts mod tailored to work with AWRM and Cadius's Xtra Ship/Station pack (with or without CMOD).

Required Mods/Scripts

• Xtra Ship/Station Pack (only partially compatible with Ship Rebalance Mod (SRM) due to excluded Xtra ships and changes to loadouts)
  AWRM

Strongly Recommended Mods/Scripts

• Xtra/SRM Jobs
  Enhanced Equipment Spawner (EES)
  Show Kha'ak, Xenon, Pirate, and Yaki rep

Suggested Mods/Scripts

• Frontier Wars
  PSCO1's Cockpit Mod
  Combat MOD (CMOD)

Downloads
Please check here if the main TXU links do not work.

[ external image ] (TXU)

Overview
Please find below the details of the starts and their state of development:-

1. Terran Secret Agent
   • Race: Terran
     Difficulty: Easy
     Ship(s):
     • Longsword Mk II (max upgrades/shields, 8 Exp. FBC, 10 Pro. FBC, 160 Vang. Merc., 80 Vang. Mars, 40 Vang. Jup., 20 Vang. Pluto)
       Kopesh (max upgrades/shields, 4 Enh. PNC, 2 Enh. ANC, 8 Vang. Merc., 4 Vang. Mars, 2 Vang. Jup.)
     Credits: 100,000 Cr
     Salvage Insurance: 0
     Sector: Perpetual Sin
     Relations:
     • Worst possible rep with Paranid/Kha'ak/Xenon
       Enemy with Split
       Shunned by Argon/Boron
       Neutral with Teladi/Yaki/Pirates
       Friends with Terran/Goner
       Earth clearance with ATF
     Plots:
     • All plots available (direct access to Terran Plot)
     Status: Done
2. Teladi Admiral
   • Race: Teladi
     Difficulty: Easy
     Ship(s):
     • Pteranadon (max upgrades/shields, 48 Adv. GC, 12 Adv. EBC, 50 GC Ammo, 250 EBC Ammo, 16 Adv. Firestorm, 32 Adv. Tempest, 64 Adv. Wildfire, 400-1300 ECs)
       Heavy Osprey (max upgrades/shields, 14 Adv. EBC, 800 EBC Ammo, 18 Adv. Tempest, 9 Adv. Wildfire)
       Vulture Superfreighter XL (max upgrades/shields, 1 Adv. PAC, 400 GC Ammo, 2000 EBC Ammo, 16 Adv. Firestorm, 32 Adv. Tempest, 64 Adv. Wildfire)
     Credits: 1,000,000-2,000,000 Cr
     Salvage Insurance: 5
     Sector: Xenon Sector 695
     Relations:
     • Worst possible rep with Kha'ak/Xenon
       Enemy with Yaki/Pirates
       Shunned by Terran/Goner
       Neutral with Argon/Boron/Split/Paranid
       Friends with Teladi
       Asteroid Belt clearance with ATF
     Plots:
     • All plots available (Argon-Terran Link Plot)
     Status: Done
3. Argon Secret Service
   • Race: Argon
     Difficulty: Easy
     Ship(s):
     • Cyclops (max upgrades/shields, 12 Adv. PBC, 8 Adv. FAA, 4 Adv. HEPT)
       2 Aamon Prototype (max upgrades/shields, 10 Adv. MD, 150 MD Ammo)
     Credits: 100,000 Cr
     Salvage Insurance: 0
     Sector: Omicron Lyrae
     Relations:
     • Worst possible rep with Kha'ak/Xenon
       Enemy with Yaki/Pirates/Paranid
       Shunned by Split/Terran
       Neutral with Boron/Teladi/Goner
       Friends with Argon
       Asteroid Belt clearance with ATF
     Plots:
     • All plots available (Argon-Terran Link Plot)
     Status: Done
4. Paranid Paladin
   • Race: Paranid
     Difficulty: Easy
     Ship(s):
     • Proteus (max upgrades/shields, 8 Enh. PPC, 8 Enh. TBC, 6 Adv. FAA, 2 Adv. HEPT)
       1 Medusa Prototype (max upgrades/shields, 8 Adv. HEPT, 2 Adv. PAC)
     Credits: 100,000 Cr
     Salvage Insurance: 0
     Sector: Third Redemption
     Relations:
     • Worst possible rep with Kha'ak/Xenon
       Enemy with Yaki/Pirates/Argon
       Shunned by Boron/Terran
       Neutral with Split/Teladi/Goner
       Friends with Paranid
       Asteroid Belt clearance with ATF
     Plots:
     • All plots available (Argon-Terran Link Plot)
     Status: Done
5. Split Warlord
   • Race: Split
     Difficulty: Easy
     Ship(s):
     • Taipan (max upgrades/shields, 52 Adv. PALC)
       2 Drake (max upgrades/shields, 12 Adv. EBC, 700 EBC Ammo)
       4 Cougar Vanguard (max upgrades/shields, 10 Adv. MD, 200 MD Ammo)
       4 Cougar Raider (max upgrades/shields, 8 Adv. MD, 160 MD Ammo)
     Credits: 100,000 Cr
     Salvage Insurance: 0
     Sector: Hollow Infinity
     Relations:
     • Worst possible rep with Kha'ak/Xenon
       Enemy with Yaki/Pirates/Boron
       Shunned by Argon/Terran/Goner
       Neutral with Paranid/Teladi
       Friends with Split
       Asteroid Belt clearance with ATF
     Plots:
     • All plots available (Argon-Terran Link Plot)
     Status: Done
6. Boron Royalist
   • Race: Boron
     Difficulty: Easy
     Ship(s):
     • Boron Shark (Max Upgrades/Shields, 8 Adv. PPC, 8 Adv. FAA, 4 Adv. HEPT)
       30 Skate Prototype (Max Upgrades/Shields, 8 Adv. HEPT, 2 Adv. PAC)
       15 Baracuda Prototype (Max Upgrades/Shields, 8 Enh. HEPT)
     Credits: 100,000 Cr
     Salvage Insurance: 0
     Sector: Ocean of Fantasy
     Relations:
     • Worst possible rep with Kha'ak/Xenon
       Enemy with Yaki/Pirates/Split
       Shunned by Paranid/Terran
       Neutral with Argon/Teladi/Goner
       Friends with Boron
       Asteroid Belt clearance with ATF
     Plots:
     • All plots available (Argon-Terran Link Plot)
     Status: Done
7. USC Admiral
   • Race: Terran
     Difficulty: Easy
     Ship(s):
     • Saitama (Max Upgrades/Shields, 16 Proto. FBC, 12 Adv. PNC)
       Gauntlet Millitary Transport (Max Upgrades/Shields, 2 Enh. MAML, 2 Adv. EPBC, 4 Adv. ANC, 4 Adv. CPBC)
       Baldric Super Freighter XL (Max Upgrades/Shields, 2 Adv. ANC)
       Longsword (Max Upgrades/Shields, 6 Adv. MAML, 4 Adv. PNC)
       40 Cutlass (max upgrades/shields, 4 Enh. PNC, 4 Enh. ANC)
       20 Kopesh (max upgrades/shields, 4 Enh. PNC, 2 Enh. ANC)
       10 Falchion (max upgrades/shields, 2 Enh. ANC)
     Credits: 1,000,000 Cr
     Salvage Insurance: 0
     Sector: Heretics End
     Relations:
     • Worst possible rep with Kha'ak/Xenon
       Enemy with Yaki/Pirates/Paranid
       Shunned by Split
       Neutral with Argon/Boron/Teladi/Goner
       Friends with Terran
       Mars clearance with ATF
     Plots:
     • All plots available (Direct access to Terran Plot)
     Status: Done
8. ATF Admiral
   • Race: Terran
     Difficulty: Easy
     Ship(s):
     • Valhalla (Max Upgrades/Shields, 60 Exp. FBC, 18 Adv. EMPC)
       Gauntlet Millitary Transport (Max Upgrades/Shields, 2 Enh. MAML, 2 Adv. EPBC, 4 Adv. ANC, 4 Adv. CPBC, 40 MAML Ammo)
       Baldric Super Freighter XL (Max Upgrades/Shields, 2 Adv. ANC)
       4 Vali (max upgrades/shields, 8 Adv. EMPC, 6 Adv. PNC)
       4 Vidar (max upgrades/shields, 10 Adv. EMPC, 4 Adv. PNC)
       15 Verdandi Sentinel (max upgrades/shields, 8 Enh. PNC, 4 Enh. ANC)
       30 Hel (max upgrades/shields, 4 PNC, 4 ANC)
       5 Mani (max upgrades/shields, 6 PNC, 2 ANC)
     Credits: 100,000 Cr
     Salvage Insurance: 0
     Sector: Xenon Core 023
     Relations:
     • Worst possible rep with Kha'ak/Xenon
       Enemy with Yaki/Pirates/Paranid
       Shunned by Split
       Neutral with Argon/Boron/Teladi/Goner
       Friends with Terran
       Earth clearance with ATF
     Plots:
     • All plots available (Direct access to Terran Plot)
     Status: Done
9. Xenon Throwback
   • Race: Xenon
     Difficulty: Hard
     Ship(s):
     • Z (max upgrades/shields, 34 Proto. PPC, 6 Proto. HEPT, 12 Proto. FAA)
       2 LX (max upgrades/shields, 8 Proto. HEPT, 2 Proto. PAC)
       4 L (max upgrades/shields, 6 Proto. HEPT)
       8 M (max upgrades/shields, 4 Proto. PAC)
       6 N (max upgrades/shields, 4 Proto. IRE)
     Credits: 1,000,000
     Salvage Insurance: 5
     Sector: Xenon Sector 101
     Relations:
     • Worst possible rep with Kha'ak
       Enemy with Argon/Boron/Paranid/Split/Teladi
       Shunned by Pirates/Yaki
       Neutral with Xenon/Goner/Terran
       Asteroid Belt clearance with ATF
     Plots:
     • All plots available (direct access to Terran Plot)
     Status: Done
10. Khaak Matriarch
    • Race: Kha'ak
      Difficulty: Hard
      Ship(s):
      • Asura M2 (max upgrades/shields, 30 Adv. GKE, 10 Adv. BKE)
        3 Lilith M5 (max upgrades/shields, 4 Enh. AKE)
        6 Ifrits M4 (max upgrades/shields, 4 Adv. AKE)
        3 Ahrimans M3 (max upgrades/shields, 6 Enh. BKE)
      Credits: 1,000,000
      Salvage Insurance: 5
      Sector: Unknown Sector (18,16) - South of Menelaus Oasis
      Relations:
      • Worst possible rep with Argon/Boron/Paranid/Split/Teladi
        Enemy with Xenon
        Shunned by Pirates/Yaki
        Neutral with Terran/Goner
        Friends with Kha'ak
        Asteroid Belt clearance with ATF
      Plots:
      • All plots available (direct access to Terran Plot)
      Status: Done
11. USC Rear Admiral
    • Race: Terran
      Difficulty: Easy
      Ship(s):
      • Hakata (Max Upgrades/Shields, 12 Enh. FBC, 6 Proto. FBC, 480 Vang. Merc., 240 Vang. Mars, 120 Vang. Jup., 60 Vang. Pluto)
        Aomori (Max Upgrades/Shields, 12 Enh. FBC, 6 Proto. FBC, 160 Vang. Merc, 80 Vang. Mars, 40 Vang. Jup., 20 Vang. Pluto)
        2 Gauntlet Millitary Transport (Max Upgrades/Shields, 2 Enh. MAML, 2 Adv. EPBC, 4 Adv. ANC, 4 Adv. CPBC, 80 MAML Ammo)
        2 Baldric Super Freighter XL (Max Upgrades/Shields, 2 Adv. ANC)
        2 Longsword (Max Upgrades/Shields, 6 Adv. MAML, 4 Adv. PNC, 160 MAML Ammo)
        19 Kopesh (max upgrades/shields, 4 Enh. PNC, 2 Enh. ANC)
      Credits: 100,000 Cr
      Salvage Insurance: 0
      Sector: Xenon Sector 101
      Relations:
      • Worst possible rep with Kha'ak/Xenon
        Enemy with Yaki/Pirates/Paranid
        Shunned by Split
        Neutral with Argon/Boron/Teladi/Goner
        Friends with Terran
        Mars clearance with ATF
      Plots:
      • All plots available (Direct access to Terran Plot)
      Status: Done - v0.8
12. Xenon Wolfpack
    • Race: Xenon
      Difficulty: Hard
      Ship(s):
      • C (max upgrades/shields, 12 Proto. PPC, 8 Proto. FAA, 4 Proto. HEPT)
        1 LX (max upgrades/shields, 8 Proto. HEPT, 2 Proto. PAC)
        4 Q (max upgrades/shields, 8 Proto. HEPT, 4 Proto. PPC, 2 Proto. FAA)
        8 PX (max upgrades/shields, 8 Proto. HEPT, 4 Proto. PAC)
      Credits: 100,000
      Salvage Insurance: 5
      Sector: Xenon Sector 101
      Relations:
      • Worst possible rep with Kha'ak/ATF
        Enemy with Argon/Boron/Paranid/Split/Teladi/Goner/Terran
        Neutral with Pirates/Yaki
        Friends with Xenon
      Plots:
      • Disabled
      Status: Done - v0.8
13. Aldrin Test Pilot
    • Race: Terran
      Difficulty: Hard
      Ship(s):
      • Spitfyre (max upgrades/shields, 8 x Enh. PNC, 2 x Enh. ANC)
      Credits: 0
      Salvage Insurance: 10
      Sector: Random dead-end sector (Selection TBC)
      Relations:
      • Worst possible rep with Kha'ak/Xenon
        Hunted by Boron/Paranid/Split/Teladi
        Shunned by Pirates/Yaki
        Friends with Argon/Goner/Terran
        Max rep with ATF
      Plots:
      • Completed (Random Player Sector selected/Hub operational but connected to Player Sector with no e-cells, Xperimental Shuttle blueprints added to first HQ built, given UJD on discovery of Elysium of Light)
      Status: Beta Release - v0.8
14. USC Vice Admiral
    • Race: Terran
      Difficulty: Easy
      Ship(s):
      • Nagoya (Max Upgrades/Shields, 24 Adv. FBC, 4 Exp. FBC, 14 Adv. PNC)
        Baldric Super Freighter XL (Max Upgrades/Shields, 2 Adv. ANC)
        Longsword (Max Upgrades/Shields, 6 Adv. MAML, 4 Adv. PNC)
        4 Excalibur (max upgrades/shields, 6 Enh. PNC, 2 Enh. ANC)
      Credits: 1,000,000 Cr
      Salvage Insurance: 0
      Sector: Heretics End
      Relations:
      • Worst possible rep with Kha'ak/Xenon
        Enemy with Yaki/Pirates/Paranid
        Shunned by Split
        Neutral with Argon/Boron/Teladi/Goner
        Friends with Terran
        Mars clearance with ATF
      Plots:
      • All plots Complete
      Status: Concept

Suggestions for additional starts and constructive feedback welcomed.

[Cadius]

If I may I'd like to repost my idea for a Khaak start. Although this one will have to wait til the new version comes out.

Khaak Matriarch
Race: Khaak
Difficulty: Hard (i suppose it would be)
Ship(s):
Tiamat (Max upgrades + loadouts)
20 Ifrits, 12 Ahrimans
Rakshasa
Credits: 1,000,000
Salvage Insurance: 5
Sector: One of the unknown sectors way down south, Boron and Split border sectors would provide some good raiding opportunities.
Relations: Bad with everybody, Good with Khaak.

Operation Final Fury should be marked as completed

Might not be the best for a long game but gives you a chance to start some carnage and try out the new Khaak.

EDIT:
On second thought, I'd like to see a fleet commander start for other races as well. In vanilla you have only one I think..

[Sam L.R. Griffiths]

If I may I'd like to repost my idea for a Khaak start. Although this one will have to wait til the new version comes out.
...
Might not be the best for a long game but gives you a chance to start some carnage and try out the new Khaak.

Consider it done

EDIT:
On second thought, I'd like to see a fleet commander start for other races as well. In vanilla you have only one I think..

Fleet commander? Do you mean like the Teladi Admiral start?

[Cadius]

yep, basically a military quick-start where you get a handful of capital ships would go great with EmperorJon's Military Plugin.

[Sam L.R. Griffiths]

yep, basically a military quick-start where you get a handful of capital ships would go great with EmperorJon's Military Plugin.

I have started with two starts (Paranid/Argon) along the lines of the Terran Secret Agent start (since currently neither race has an M2+/M1+ yet ).

[Sam L.R. Griffiths]

yep, basically a military quick-start where you get a handful of capital ships would go great with EmperorJon's Military Plugin.

So what do you think of the current set?

[Cadius]

nice! For the ATF and USC Admiral starts you might wanna switch the number of M3 and M4 around. So you get more more M4 and less M3. And I'll fix the Taipan M6 dock issue by next update.

[mr.WHO]

USC Rear admiral:
-1 Hataka light carrier (10 Khopesh, 6 Falchions, 4 Scimitars)
-1 Aomori light frigate
-3 Katana M6
-2 Baldric SF
-2 Gauntlet TP

Xenon Wolfpack:
- 3 Xenon C
- 2 Xenon Q
- 4 Xenon PX
starting in Xenon 101 sector

[Sam L.R. Griffiths]

Status Update
Formal Release of v0.1

This initial offering includes a placeholder Kha'ak start where you start with the Hive Queen.

[Sam L.R. Griffiths]

USC Rear admiral:
-1 Hataka light carrier (10 Khopesh, 6 Falchions, 4 Scimitars)
-1 Aomori light frigate
-3 Katana M6
-2 Baldric SF
-2 Gauntlet TP

Xenon Wolfpack:
- 3 Xenon C
- 2 Xenon Q
- 4 Xenon PX
starting in Xenon 101 sector

Not included in v0.1 but will consider them for the next release. The Wolfpack start will almost certainly be a non-plot start.

[apricotslice]

Can you actually be freinds with the Xenon ? I'm not sure you can. Like pirates and khaak, some of them always spawn as enemies.

Once I get Cadius into the Merge Mod, I'd be happy to include your starts as well.

[Sam L.R. Griffiths]

Can you actually be freinds with the Xenon ? I'm not sure you can. Like pirates and khaak, some of them always spawn as enemies.

I am not certain, but the mutual flag seems to make it work for the majority of Xenon. Any ships that are explicitly set as enemy to player will probably still be enemies, but that is true of ships from any race.

Once I get Cadius into the Merge Mod, I'd be happy to include your starts as well.

Feel free to do so, but remember that the starts do require AWRM v0.22 and will currently not work with the CMOD patch as I have not had a chance to update it yet... should be done by the end of next week at the latest.

[apricotslice]

What is AWRM ?

Cmod is not something I worry about being compatible with.

[Sam L.R. Griffiths]

What is AWRM ?

Cmod is not something I worry about being compatible with.

AWRM is my weapons mod (adds weapons and missiles for the Commonwealth and Terrans). The new starts spawn ships with weapons from that mod.

[apricotslice]

What happens if the mod isnt installed ?

Edit : Does it use the 2 dummy slots ?

[Sam L.R. Griffiths]

What happens if the mod isnt installed ?

Edit : Does it use the 2 dummy slots ?

No... AWRM adds new versions of the EMPC/MAML/SSC/PSP/IRE/PAC/HEPT/PSP/FAA/EBC/MD/GC and various missiles. The majority of these starts spawn Cadius ships with these new weapons (This is an AWRM/Cadius Ship Starts pack afterall).

[apricotslice]

What happens if the mod isnt installed ?

Edit : Does it use the 2 dummy slots ?

No... AWRM adds new versions of the EMPC/MAML/SSC/PSP/IRE/PAC/HEPT/PSP/FAA/EBC/MD/GC and various missiles. The majority of these starts spawn Cadius ships with these new weapons (This is an AWRM/Cadius Ship Starts pack afterall).

Noted.

[Sam L.R. Griffiths]

Status Update
Information regarding pending release.

As of the next release of my start pack the starts will be renumbered from the 180-189 range to the nominally 500-519 range. This change is to keep the starts contiguous while not encroaching on starts published in the Community Library. This change will render any existing game saves using this start pack invalid and will require said saved games to be deleted and the game restarted (sorry - if this is not done the game may crash - TBC).

In addition, the next release will require a minimum of v1.9 of the Xtra Ship Pack as there will be a new start utilising some of the new Kha'ak vessels.

[apricotslice]

I dont see why an existing game should crash if the starts are changed.

Once a game starts, I dont think the game ever goes back through that code again. Everything is stored in the save.

There is some generic code at the bottom of start.xml, but changes above that shouldnt matter to that code. And in fact, that code gets changed in a number of patches and has never crashed an existing game.

[Sam L.R. Griffiths]

I dont see why an existing game should crash if the starts are changed.

Once a game starts, I dont think the game ever goes back through that code again. Everything is stored in the save.

There is some generic code at the bottom of start.xml, but changes above that shouldnt matter to that code. And in fact, that code gets changed in a number of patches and has never crashed an existing game.

I think I encountered such a problem during early development of my starts, but it could have been for another reason. I will try to verify one way or another.