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06/2/2017
MFM Version 3.3 Available below.
http://www.filehosting.org/file/deta...7/MFM-v3.3.rar
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02/20/2017
COMING SOON: MERCHANT FLEET MOD v 3.3
An announcement: after a long hiatus I have started work on the Merchant Fleet Mod v3.3.
Before you get too excited, this mod is intended as an interim solution....it is my attempt to correct the most glaring defects from the Merchant Fleet Mod 3.2:
-Tankers will have engine rooms and fuel bunkers in the correct position
-Hitpoints reduced so that most ships sink with between 1-3 torpedo hits
-Mass for certain ships corrected so they do not lag behind in convoy
-Possibly, heavier armament for some ships after 1942
-Slightly greater variety in armament types
-Armor reduced from ~15cm to 1-3 cm to represent unarmored ship structure (again, this was a reason for difficulty in sinking.
In reality, cargo ship plates are 1' thick, give or take. Older ships will have about 1cm to represent rusted hull plates.
Modern ships will tend to have 2-3cm armor to represent new steel plates.)
What MFM 3.3 IS NOT:
This mod will NOT feature new ship models, new cargo, new crew figures, new weapons, or any bells and whistles. It is intended to improve 'craftsmanship'.
Basically, the gaol is to improve gameplay for stock SH3 and supermods like GWX/WAC and to 'hold you over' until I create my new cargo ship mod for the Silent Hunter series.
Yes, there WILL be a full fledged replacement MFM, to replace all my now obsolete ship models. But this is not it. Again, it is an attempt to clean up defects from when I rushed this mod into production years ago.
As such it will be released pretty soon. Work on improving the tanker compartments is going quite smoothly.
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MERCHANT FLEET MOD - INITIAL RELEASE INFO
This mod's designed to replace Stock SH3's paltry merchant roster with a huge variety of surface craft, from motor launches to tramp steamers to fleet oilers. It has its roots back in the early days of Silent Hunter 3, when I noticed that the existing merchant ships were sometimes crudely detailed, or were types that would rarely have been encountered during the Battle of the Atlantic.
The mod uses about 60-70 base models and over 3,000 skins to create profuse variety amongst shipping in both convoys and random merchant encounters. Skins from dozens if not hundreds of historical companies are represented. Nations featured in this initial release are as follows:
United Kingdom
United States of America
Denmark
Norway
Sweden
The Netherlands
Belgium
Ireland
Argentina
Brazil
Panama
Canada
Whereas before you encountered a monotonous selection of C-2's and coastal merchants in all nations' rosters, now almost anything is possible. That speck on the horizon could be a brand-new, 10,000 ton tanker or a rusty old tramp making its rounds from coast to coast. It could be a bulk freighter loaded down with minerals, a tiny steam launch, or a fast freighter-transport, carrying troops and war materiel for an Allied invasion.
Neutral ships will be common, and they may or may not be carrying cargo to the enemy. As commander, it will be up to you to decide based on vessel location, paint scheme, deck cargo, and behavior whether or not a target is legitimate. This mod is intended for serious players - sink anything that moves and you may well end your patrol with a huge renown hit.
Installation is quick and easy, using Jonesoft's Generic Mod Enabler.
PRIMARY FEATURES:
1) Dozens of ship models inspired by photographs of typical ships constructed between 1900 and 1945
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d5...Billboard3.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d5...Billboard2.jpg
2) Tremendous paint scheme variations, based on hundreds of historical shipping companies and wartime camoflage patterns
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d5...Billboard1.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d5.../General12.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d5...e/General5.jpg
3) Neutral ships, which may or may not be legitimate targets. Hull flags, lettering, and shipping company names printed on the sides of vessels.
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d5.../General13.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d5...e/Neutral2.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d5...e/Neutral1.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d5...e/Neutral3.jpg
4) Different amounts of smoke affect ship visibility. Particle effects for coal-burning steamers and modern motorships.
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d5...ife/Smoke2.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d5...ife/Smoke4.jpg
4) Changes in armament and coloring as the war goes on. Weapons range from light AA guns to Hurricane fighters. By 1942, expect most ships to be camoflaged and armed.
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d5...ife/Smoke1.jpg
5) Varied damage resistance depending on vessel size and age.
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d5...fe/Damage1.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d5...fe/Damage3.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d5...fe/Damage2.jpg
6) Easy installation/uninstallation with the click of a mouse (JSGME required).
7) Compatibility with existing Silent Hunter 3 supermods.
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GET IT HERE [UPDATE: REUPLOADED 1/03/2012]:
[LINK REMOVED]
SKIN PACKS (Not required but recommended)
[LINK REMOVED]
Version 3.2 (improved ships removed to prevent crashes with supermods. Changed eqp file to tanker T14B. Recompressed due to error messages following downloads.)
SKIN PACKS as of 6/09/10 (~ 3,000 skins, with hundreds of variations):
[LINKS REMOVED]
LIGHT VERSION (IMPROVED STABILITY FOR GWX INSTALLS & OLDER MACHINES. NO NEUTRAL SHIPS EXCEPT AMERICAN VESSELS.)
[LINK REMOVED]
Version: 3.1 (improved stability to prevent career & museum crashes, especially with GWX. Added tanker T19A.)
[LINK REMOVED]
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Skin Packs: