At the start of the mission, a player is given a small squad of pikemen and riflemen, located in the upper left corner of the map. The player leads them down the road towards the lower right corner of the map. The road takes the squad to a small hostile village. Having killed its defenders and captured the market, the player obtains a caravan that must be taken to his shipyard, located in the lower right corner of the map, down the same road. On his way, the player encounters a merchant who offers him money if he agrees to escort him to the shipyard. Going further down the road, the squad is attacked by greedy brigands on the lookout for prey. The mission is considered accomplished if the caravan reaches the shipyard. The player loses if the enemy wipes out the entire squad or caravan.
Scenario Creation
The following instructions show you how to create you first mission. We have already included a ready made version of this called "MY FIRST MISSION". You can see what it should look like by clicking on "File > Open" in the scenario editor and choosing "MY FIRST MISSION". Now continue to create a mission yourself. Let's use the ready-made "test.m3d" map. Click on "File > New" in the scenario editor. You are now in the Cossacks root directory. Scroll right and choose the file "TEST.M3D", then select "OPEN". A new scenario is created and the "Trigger" function is available. First, set the name of the mission: Scenario > Properties > Mission Name ….
Scenario Properties Settings Select the "Properties ..." command from the "Scenario" menu. Name: "Test". Description: "This is a simple mission to demonstrate the basics of single mission creation." Leave the default picture. Click on "OK". You will return to the first menu Click on "File" and then "Save". The scenario is now saved and called "TEST". If you click "File > Open", you will see it in the list next to the ready-made "MY FIRST MISSION". (If you need help, click on "MY FIRST MISSION" to see what has to be done). Now continue your TEST mission … Next, you will need to create triggers.
Triggers The following groups have been created in the map editor:
- "Group0" - player's squad - "Group1" - village defenders - "Group2" - market to be captured - "Group3" - merchant - "Group4" - Johnny's gang - "Group5" - shipyard and adjacent structures
List of zones: - "Zone0" - village defenders discover the player's squad approaching their domain - "Zone1" - the caravan is set up - "Zone2" - dialogue with merchant - "Zone3" - halt at the well - "Zone4" - shipyard
Setting Start Parameters
Create a new trigger and name it "Setting of start parameters". This is where we'll indicate initial resources for players, rename needed players and define relations between them. We'll also deactivate "Flag0" later on and rename it to "Merchant belongs to red player". The trigger should snap into action as soon as the mission starts, therefore we leave the condition section without changes. Add a new action: "Set the amount of resource for player" from the "Resources" group. When setting the "player" parameter, the names of players should be changed. Rename the red player to "Captain Newman", the blue one to "Hostile Danes", the violet player to "Civilians", and the black one to "One-eyed Joe's gang". Using this action and the "Duplicate" command, set 10000000 gold, food, iron and coal for the players "Captain Newman" and "Hostile Danes". Set the same amount of food for the "Civilians" and "One-eyed Joe's gang". The red player is friendly towards the civilians, i.e. the violet player. To seal their friendship, use the "Change relations between players" action. In the dialogue window of the player relation setting, drag the violet rectangle onto the same horizontal line as the red one and click "OK". Now they are friends.
CONDITION: - ALWAYS
ACTION: - Set player <Captain Newman> 10000000 of gold. - Set player <Captain Newman> 10000000 of food. - Set player <Captain Newman> 10000000 of iron. - Set player <Captain Newman> 10000000 of coal. - Set player <Hostile Danes> 10000000 of gold. - Set player <Hostile Danes> 10000000 of food. - Set player <Hostile Danes> 10000000 of iron. - Set player <Hostile Danes> 10000000 of coal. - Set player <Civilians> 10000000 of food. - Set player <One-eyed Joe's gang> 10000000 of food.
- Change relations between players.
Loss of Squad This trigger will always describe a global defeat. If the player loses all his units, he loses. The loss of people will mean that the number of units in the player's group is equal to zero. An action in response will be a message that the mission has failed and defeat is conferred upon the player. Use the picture from the "Austria" group numbered 44 for the message.
CONDITION: - Number of units in group <Group0> equals 0. ACTION: - Show message. "You have lost all your men." - Defeat.
Start Dialogue A new trigger will be named "Start Dialogue". This trigger will open up the basic story line and inform the player about his current objective. Add the "Show objective" action. Rename "Objective0" to "Wipe out village defenders and capture the market." Choose a picture you like henceforward.
CONDITION: - ALWAYS ACTION: - Show message. "This road will lead you into an enemy village. Wipe out all its defenders and capture
the market." - Show objective. "Wipe out village defenders and capture the market."
Capturing the Market The player will automatically capture the market with his unit the same way as is done with civilian buildings in Cossacks. The condition for this event will be that the number of units from "Group2" and belonging to the red player must be more than 0. Then, in "Zone1", a packhorse coloured red appears. In the dialogue window of the dynamic group selection, select the first group named "DynGroup0" and rename it to "Packhorse with booty". Cross out the first objective: "Wipe out village defenders and capture the market". Then rename "Objective1" to "Deliver caravan to shipyard. If you lose the caravan, you will lose the mission!" and click "OK". The buildings located in the vicinity of the shipyard should be given to the player for him to be able to see his destination.
CONDITION: - Number of units of player <Captain Newman> in group <Group2> is more than 0. ACTION: - Show message. "You have plundered this pitiful village." - Show message. "You have loaded the booty onto a packhorse. Now your objective is to deliver this
load to the shipyard located further down the road. Losing the caravan means you lose your mission!" - Create packhorse units (original) in formation ALONE for player <Captain Newman>, place it in zone
<Zone1> in direction 200 and assign to dynamic group <Packhorse_with_booty>. - Show objective. "Deliver the caravan to the shipyard. Losing the caravan means you lose the
mission!" - Reflect objective as met. "Wipe out village defenders and capture the market."
- Select all units of group <Group5> by changing previous selection. - Transfer selected units from player <Civilians> to player <Captain Newman>. (by changing unit
colour)
Packhorse Delivered to Shipyard As soon as the packhorse reaches the shipyard area, the player has won. The "Victory" action will stop the game and, having pressed the Escape key, the player will return to the main Cossacks menu.
CONDITION: - Number of units of group <Packhorse_with_booty> in zone <Zone4> is more than 0. ACTION: - Show message. "You have coped with the task. Victory!!!" - Victory.
Packhorse Destroyed by Enemy If the packhorse is lost, the player loses the mission. To enable the destruction of the packhorse, it should be created first. The packhorse is created as soon as the market is captured by the player. Two conditions will accomplish this trigger. First: the number of units in the "Packhorse with booty" group is equal to 0. Second: The Danes do not possess the market. Also, the trigger brings on the lost packhorse message and performs the "Defeat" command.
CONDITION: - Number of units of player <Captain Newman> in group <Packhorse_with_booty> equals 0. - Number of units of player <Hostile Danes> in group <Group2> equals 0. ACTION: - Show message. "You have lost the packhorse and your mission failed." - Defeat.
Dialogue with Merchant When the player's units encounter the merchant, the latter offers a bargain. The dialogue's condition is that at least one player's unit reaches the zone of the merchant's location. The bargain is in fact a question. This is implemented by means of the "Inserted condition block" action and the "Affirmative answer to question". If the player agrees to the offer, the merchant joins the player's team and a new objective appears in the mission objectives window. Rename "Objective2" to "Escort the merchant to the shipyard and he will repay you in good money. "
CONDITION: - Number of units of group <Group0> in zone <Zone2> is more than 0. ACTION: - IF - Affirmative answer to question. "Good day, noble sir. I see you are a courageous commander,
but be vigilant, for One-eyed Joe's gang is rampaging in the vicinity. If you could escort me to the shipyard, I would pay you generously."
THEN (action) - Show message. "Your information is worth far more than money. Follow us and fear nothing." - Select all units of group <Group3> by changing previous selection. - Transfer selected units from player <Civilians> to player <Captain Newman>. (change unit
colour) - Show objective. "Escort the merchant to the shipyard and he will repay you in good money." - Turn flag <Flag1> off. ELSE (action) - Show message. "I wish you had decided otherwise. Have a safe journey then, good man." - Select all units of group <Group3> by changing previous selection. - Order selected units of player <Civilians> to go to zone <Zone4> without saving waypoints,
place them in direction 40.
Merchant has reached the Shipyard
When the merchant reaches the shipyard area, he thanks the player, becomes a unit of violet colour and leaves on his own business.
CONDITION: - Number of units of group <Group3> in zone <Zone4> is more than 0.
ACTION: - Show message. "Thank you. I'm glad the journey proved so safe. Take this purse. Good luck,
officer." - Reflect objective as met. "Escort the merchant to the shipyard and he will repay you in good money." - Select all units of group <Group3> by changing previous selection. - Transfer selected units from player <Captain Newman> to player <Civilians> (change unit colour). - Select all units of group <Group3> by changing previous selection. - Order selected units of player <Civilians> to go to zone <Zone4> without saving waypoints, place
them in direction 40.
Merchant's Death If the merchant is coloured red (i.e. a correspondent flag is activated), and gets killed, then the task to escort the merchant to the shipyard is no longer active.
CONDITION: - Number of units in group <Group3> equals 0. - Flag <Flag1> is off. ACTION: - Show message. "Sir, an enemy bullet has shot our companion down." - Show message. "Rest in peace, your money is in good hands." - Hide objective. "Escort the merchant to the shipyard and he will repay you in good money. "
Dialogue with Defenders This trigger initiates the first mission skirmish. The Danes were not expecting the player, and as soon as his squad shows up within the field of the patrol's vision, the Danes start attacking. This trigger activates the next Defenders' assault on player's squad trigger.
CONDITION: - Number of units of group <Group0> in zone <Zone0> is more than 0. ACTION: - Show message. "You have intruded into our domain. You will now rejoin your ancestors!" - Show message. "Be silent and die in a fair combat!" - Turn flag <Flag0> off.
Defenders Assault Player's Squad
When the player encounters village defenders, they attack the player's squad at once. The assault is carried out with two actions. At first, the squad of defenders must be selected, then the player's squad is attacked with Danish units.
CONDITION: - Flag <Flag0> is off. ACTION: - Select all units of group <Group1> by changing previous selection. - Selected units of player <Hostile Danes> attack group <Group0> (Attack enemy with selected
units).
Halt at Well Brigands attack the squad when it approaches the well.
CONDITION: - Number of units of group <Group0> in zone <Zone3> is more than 0. ACTION: - Turn flag <Flag2> off.