CC2 Son-Bridge-South Minimod

Installing the Mini-Mod:

For both, PC- and Mac-version of the game "Close Combat - A Bridge Too Far" to install this mini-mod, you need a full installation of it on your HD. The mini-mod is not packed into a plugin, so you must place the files manually into their intended locations. For PC-version the modified files must be placed always into the intended folders on the HD. For the Mac-version, you must create an image of the original installation-CD and mount this image to place the modified files on this CD-image.

PC-install:

• make a full install of CC2 on your HD;
• load the latest updater of the game (v2.0b) from the Internet and update the game;
• unzip the mini-mod package;
• place the modified file "BATNAMES" into the game's subfolder "Data/Base", replacing the original file;
• place the modified files "Albr31" and "Axbr31" into the game's subfolder "Data/Brief", replacing the original file;
• place the modified folders "311" and "1311" with their contents into the game's subfolder "Data/Battles", replacing the original subfolders and their contents;
• add the new folders "313" and "1313" with their contents to the game's subfolder "Data/Battles";
• place the modified folder "31" with it's contents into the game's subfolder "Data/Ops", replacing the original subfolder and it's contents;
• place the modified files "OvData0" and "OvData3" into the game's folder "Graphics", replacing the original files;
• place the modified map data files "Map311" and "Map311.los" into the game's subfolder "Data/Maps", replacing the original files;
• add the new map data files "Map313" and "Map313.los" into the game's subfolder "Data/Maps";
• place the modified map graphics files "BGMap311", "Bridg311", "MMMap311", "OVMap311" and "Roof311" into the game's subfolder "Graphics/Maps", replacing the original files;
• add the new map graphics files "BGMap313", "MMMap313", "OVMap313" and "Roof313" into the game's subfolder "Graphics/Maps";
• ready to play the modified game.

Mac-install:

• take your original CD;
• place it into your CD-ROM-drive;
• install the game on your HD (small install = full install, the Mac-installer will never place the map files on your HD. The Mac-version of the game will always take the map files from a volume named "Close Combat" unless you patch the CC2 application file);
• load the latest Mac-update of the game (v2.0b) from the Internet and place the update into the game's folder on your HD, replacing the file "A Bridge Too Far" v1.0 (the mini-mod will work with v1.0, too);
• increase the CC2 application file's memory request from 19408 KB up to 48000 KB (or more) in the MacOS-Finder, otherwise the program will not work with such large maps;
• create an uncompressed disk image file from the original CD (using "Disk Copy" or something else). Be sure not to make it read only. The volume's name of this CD-image must remain "Close Combat";
• unzip the mini-mod package (all files are MacOS-ready !);
• place the modified file "BATNAMES" into the CD-image's subfolder "Data:Data:Base", replacing the original file;
• place the modified files "Albr31" and "Axbr31" into the CD-image's subfolder "Data:Data:Brief", replacing the original file;
• place the modified folders "311" and "1311" with their contents into the CD-image's subfolder "Data:Data:Battles", replacing the original subfolders and their contents;
• add the new folders "313" and "1313" with their contents to the CD-image's subfolder "Data:Data:Battles";
• place the modified folder "31" with it's contents into the CD-image's subfolder "Data:Data:Ops", replacing the original subfolder and it's contents;
• place the modified files "OvData0" and "OvData3" into the CD-image's subfolder "Data:Graphics", replacing the original files;
• place the modified map data files "Map311" and "Map311.los" into the CD-image's subfolder "Data:Data:Maps", replacing the original files;
• add the new map data files "Map313" and "Map313.los" into the CD-image's subfolder "Data:Data:Maps";
• place the modified map graphics files "BGMap311", "Bridg311", "MMMap311", "OVMap311" and "Roof311" into the CD-image's subfolder "Data:Graphics:Maps", replacing the original files;
• add the new map graphics files "BGMap313", "MMMap313", "OVMap313" and "Roof313" into the CD-image's subfolder "Data:Graphics:Maps";
• remove the original CD from your CD-ROM-drive;
• leave the disk image mounted (activated);
• ready to play the modified game "A Bridge Too Far".
• If the program asks for movie-files (xxxxxxx.mpg not found), press the "abort"-button and click the mouse or double-click it. Even if the program asks for the CD in the SCSI-drive press the "abort"-button. Do not make a search, it will fail!
• The program will now start, showing the new maps (or battles, campaigns), when you scroll down through the menu. Not replaced old maps will be also shown.
• Select in the "Preferences"-option "Videos off", and you will be no longer asked for the CD or movies, but now the intro-picture will be displayed starting the game next time.
• If you run into error message "out of command space", quit the program, quit all other applications except of the Finder and then start the program ABTF again.
• After finishing the game, you can delete the disk image or leave it for the next day,
  DO NOT MAKE ILLEGAL COPIES OF THE SOFTWARE.

Short history about CC2-modding and related mods

"Close Combat - A Bridge Too Far" (abreviated CC2, ABTF, CC2-ABTF) was the second game of the CloseCombat-series created by Atomic and presented by Microsoft to the Mac-community. It was also the last game of this series for the MacOS. The series was then continued by SSI, UbiSoft and Destineer for PCs only (CC3, CC4, CC5, CCM (only public release is CCM version 3.1), "The Road to Baghdad" released in January 2004 (abbreviated: RtB), an updated CCM released to the USMC in summer 2005 and CCRAFRegt released to UK forces in Feb. 2006. Later on, CSO-Simtek and Matrix-Games continued the series with rereleases: CC-CrossOfIron (a CC3-re-release, 2007), CC-ModernTactics (a public CCM-re-release, 2007), CC-WachtAmRhein (a CC4-re-release, 2008), CC-TheLongestDay (a CC5-re-release, 2009) and CC-LastStandArnhem (based on the former engines, but completely new maps, 2011). In 2012 Matrix-Games was taken over by Slitherine Ltd. and a new games engine with larger scaled maps and 32-bit graphics was released: CC-PanthersInTheFog (2012).

CC2 itself was released in 1997 on a hybrid-CD, running on PCs (Win95) and on PPC-Macs providing MacOS 7.5 up to 9.2.2 / MacOS X 10.4.11 (in Classic environment) as well. Later (localized) releases of CC2 were for PCs only. A trial demo of CC2 was also released in 1997.

Since the game was published in 1997, succesfull attempts were made to modify the game. After release of the game's successor "Close Combat 3 - The Russian Front" in 1998, most of the modders turned to the new version of the game for moddding (and to it's successors, mainly to CC5). But there exist even today several total conversions of CC2 (1940-Mod, Dieppe, Kreta, PacificFront, EasternFront, GreatWar, GreekPatch, Afrika, OpJustCause), some unfinished or partial projects, more than 180 custom maps and some remarkable modifications of the original game's storyline.

A short description of those modifications of the original game's storyline which were made for keeping CC2 historical accurate will be given here to understand how to integrate this mini-mod into the game and/or to combine it with already existing mods made by othe

• An early release of an extended original map is Mick Conmy "xe5"'s custom map "ModVeghelBridge300" (released May 1998), which is an expanded version of the original "Map300". Mick filled this custom map with some tricky elements, so it will work like the original map within the game but will give both sides more advantages (Axis troops have a larger area to regroup, Allied forces can cross the river at added "temporarily visible" fords.
• "GliderGroesbeekLZ", Nembo's modification of the original "Map200", re-adding the gliders back to the map's graphic in the way as they were originally planned by Atomic Inc. and can still be seen on some screenshots in CC2's manual (released 2006).
• All-Files-Mod by Alan, changing a lot of the base- and campaign-datas and the graphics, latest version v2 released in Sept. 1998.
• RealPara v3.1a mod by Bruce_R, making the whole game more realistic (includes changes to the teams and adds new vehicles; first version released 1999, latest version v3.1a published 2001).
• RealPoles mod by NL_Reddevil, changing the names inside the file "POnames" (released 2000).
• CC2-Veterans mod by TT (released 2001).
• OperationMarketGarden mod by Sample, changing some of the units and operations in Close Combat 2 (released in 2004).
• MajorT's sound-mod for CC2 with extended sounds for the original storyline.
• PolishVoice sound mod for correct Polish voices.
• amBUSH mod by Das_Fuchs (changing GE AT gun graphics, released 1998).
• early CC2-camo patch by Bob Patterson (released 1998).
• Team FFL's vehicle camo patch by FFL_Jaguar.
• XXXCorpsMod by Zon, changing some vehicle graphics (released April 2006).
• 2pdr Daimler fix by SevenX, changing the weapons of the Daimler in CC2.
• The TournamentHouse CC2-data patch v3.1 by SevenX, correcting some of CC2's weapon and team datas (released August 2002).
• The TournamentHouse CC2-data patch v3.1S by SevenX, expanded TH-patch v3.1 with enlarging smoke effects (data patch) by SF_keg2 and Togashi_D.
• The TournamentHouse CC2-smoke patch v2.0bS by SF_keg2 and Togashi_D, adding only TH-patch-v3.1S' enlarging smoke effects to the standard 2.0b edition of CC2 (data patch, released April 2003).
• The TournamentHouse CC2-data patch v3.4 by SevenX and Homba, the latest version of the data patch to have better balanced online gaming (includes smoke effect, PC- and Mac-version, released Nov. 2006).
• Holger and Mafi teamed up in February 2008 to publish a complete repainting and reorganisition of the Son-Operation, called CC2-Hell's Highway-Mod, containing 5 new maps.

  Of course there are much more small CC2-mods out there. Those not mentioned here are more of type of an independent mod, changing the original game (like SevenX's US-support-mod, RangerFiles, Bruce_R's DamnYank, CSO_HardBird's HardBird-Mod etc.).

In July 2010, MatrixGames published a CC2-rerelease called "Close Combat - Last Stand Arnhem", based on a massively updated CC5-engine with completely new maps of different style. CC-LSA is indeed a complete new game.

Making of CC2 Son-Bridge-South Mini-Mod

This mini-mod "Son-Bridge-South" is another smaller modification of the original game's storyline. It's goal is not to change the game's historical accuracy. And it should not change the operation/campaign concept as it was planned by it's publishers, but to compensate a minor problem within the original game itself: in CC2 the Allied forces have to come always from the map's right side, advancing to the left, and the Axis troops will defend the map's left side. So some maps must be oriented "South at right side", others "North at right side" (like the Son town map "Map310"). During the historical operation at Son, US 101st Airborne Division was dropped North of the town of Son to secure the bridge over the Wilhelmina Canal, which is located South of the town of Son. In the game, the US Airborne troops are advancing correctly on "Map310" from the North (right side of the map). Later on they are advancing also from the North on "Map311" towards the bridge over the canal. British XXX Corps is advancing the same time historically correct from the South towards the bridge over the canal. If, in the game, the Axis troops are delaying the US Airborne forces too long, you will see XXX Corps' tanks on the map's right side (North side), what is historical not correct. I found a way to have the advance of British XXX Corps visible at the correct side of the canal (under certain circumstances). It requires an additional map.

The problem will not occur if in the game the Allies are taking the town of Son and the bridge fast enough (that means: within a day like in history). So it is not necessary to change the Allied-advance concept, but the hypothetical Allied-retreat concept. The game stores the storyline of the operations in the files labeled "Ops" inside the corresponding subfolders of the folder "Data/Ops". Atomic's original concept for the "Operation Son" (Ops labeled "31") for three maps was:

I have tried to modify the "Ops" file in different ways, in some cases the game became unstable, never terminating the operation. At last I found a way without disturbing the historically correct storyline, just adding a new map at the end and placing it into the chain of maps in the "retreat" sequence:

As you can see, if the Allies are advancing without delay, the player will never see the new map. Only if the Allies are retreating at Son town, they will find themselve with XXX Corps support on the new map, advancing correctly from the South = right side of the map towards the Southern bank of the Wilhelmina canal. The Allies can now never retreat from this map, they must advance. Advance will lead to the expanded "Son Bridge" map, and a further advance is possible to the original map "Son South". This concept is also working with the Axis' counterattack. If the Allies must retreat from "Son South", they will fight again on the "Son Bridge" map, like it was intended by the original gameplay. In this case you wil have again XXX Corps tanks coming from the North.

Because the new map / battle is placed at the end of the list inside the "Ops" file, the new briefing texts must be simply added at the end of the corresponding briefing texts (files "Albr31" and "Axbr31").

The main key to adding a new battle to the list of all battles is the base file "Batnames". To avoid confusion, I did not changed the names / slots of existing maps but added the new map and the new battle as "Map313". Therefore it is also necessary to add the folders "313" (for operation / campaign play) and "1313" in the folder "Data/Battles". I gave the new map a fixed 8.8 FlaK and a fixed PaK 40 and several Sherman tanks.

Finally it is necessary to add this additional battle to the graphic files "OvData0" and "OvData3".

In June 2013 I decided to make some updates to the graphics and the terrain coding, because I rediscovered some interesting historical Dutch photographs on this site:
http://www.oisterwijk-marketgarden.com/the_bridge_at_son_photos.html
which were already used by Holger and me during the making of our CC2-Hell's Highway-Mod. These are the updates of v2:

• Map311 got some graphic adjustments around the bridge near the town at the right side of the map,
• the canal streaming direction was flipped by me (suggested by Pete),
• the wooden poles inside the water around the turning center of the canal-bridge were reduced in number and repainted by me,
• the blown bridge graphics will show now historically correct that only the Northern side of the bridge was blown,
• the Bailey bridge is now historically correct placed directly over the location of the blown bridge.
• Map313 got some minor graphical adjustments and some "hedge" datas were removed in the lower left area of that map.