Overview
With recent updates Cossacks II have got rid of most of its known flaws and now is completely playable. But some bugs are still here, and the game was not updated to it’s final iteration it has back in 2006 (Patch 1.4). In this guide you will find information about Patch #1 (Patch 1.4) as well as compatibility, gameplay-related and other bug-fixes.
Patch #1 (Patch 1.4)
Patch 1.4 was released in December 2006 and was aimed to fix bugs found in previous versions, improve overall stability and introduced new gameplay balance. But it has never made its way to the Steam version and was only available for early CD versions of the game.
Fortunately, you can still get the original CD version as well as Patch #1 update so I decided to make it compatible with the Steam version of Cossacks II. That required some time and research to get things together, but I managed to do it.
English version:
http://mega(dot)nz/#!5GQUHCoK!JM2Ors4ajmClwln_z4oa9nlR_8ge92ItTrVEaSVKXgM
Russian version:
http://mega(dot)nz/#!FTIShaqR!2ztJYMVFIV7fFfg6N3FcCGWAXMGPdjWU_U4BFvmLyyY
To avoid errors after installing the patch I recommend to update/verify game files integrity and check its language first. Complete list of changes is in the “Patch #1 Notes” section of the guide.
Please note that the version shown in the Main Menu won’t change to 1.4 after installation – it is because I decided not to include engine.exe from the original patch for compatibility reasons and the game runs using non-patched engine.exe which seems to have no compatibility issues. As far as I’m concerned this doesn’t affect anything so just ignore it for now.
The patch installer automatically searches for the game installation folder and checks language and version compatibility. Only the latest updated version is supported. In case of new updates, I’ll try to make an updated version too, so stay tuned!
To uninstall this patch and all other fixes mentioned in this guide, just re-check game files integrity. If you don’t want to use an installer version or just want to see its contents first, I’ll leave a link to a folder with all the installers unpacked and placed into .rar archives in the “Conclusion” section of this guide.
Various Fixes
Even after the final 1.4 patch the game still have bugs ranging from minor annoyances to things that really spoil the gaming experience. I managed to fix some of most noticeable ones. Here’s a list of these fixes:
- AI is now able to use guard units – for some reason, they were not included in the lists of units available to AI’s control;
- Spain Musketeers and Guard Musketeers now used by AI properly and don’t stay in a place;
- Spain AI should build Blacksmith and produce Grenadiers now;
- Fixed a bug that caused all cavalry units to use line formation instead of square and vice-versa;
- Unlocked all in-game modding editors and editors’ menu that is accessed by pressing Ctrl + E in the Map Editor.
English version:
http://mega(dot)nz/#!kbw1ESZQ!m30oFc3ylOlG8NhIR2v6rHR1yb2xtb0lt5cdSvspFuY
Russian version:
http://mega(dot)nz/#!IL43QSTZ!nTHNWK8XwvB122XJ-TSNQoZ_sLCcMdCjt7YD5Y9ib4s
I recommend using this fix in addition to Patch #1, however it should be compatible with other versions too. Also, if you are going to use it with Patch #1 you will see “You have changed the game data” message on loading – just ignore it. The game will not be Internet Game compatible though, but it is not a big deal as I’m not even sure if it is still working anyways.
Video Fix
For a long period of time there was a huge problem that caused the game to crash in different scenarios but they were all connected to in-game videos played in full-screen. With the most recent update this problem is no longer existent but only because these videos were disabled. It is a working solution, but you won’t be able to see these videos anymore.
The cause of this problem appears to be in the new approach to storing video clips introduced in Battle for Europe in comparison to Napoleonic Wars. However, as it turned out after some tests, old-style formatted videos are still playable so I decided to convert existing ones into the appropriate format and it worked fine!
Important note
This fix requires original engine.exe from Patch #1 to work so you have to install it first. The problem is that it has compatibility issues and won’t run on modern systems without additional tools. There are couple of programs and fixes out there but from my experience the most reliable one is DxWnd. It is a bit complicated but the final result worth it. It does not only fix the compatibility but also allows you to run the game in a window and more.
Original engine.exe (with additional files in an archive):
http://mega(dot)nz/#!UOAH1CjL!C69qMCtCbPjnrGoFrfFiuByPVyV1YIEDsx5rmmTQdVc
DxWnd:
[link]
Download and extract the files from the archive into the game’s root folder, install and set up DxWnd to run with engine.exe (check some guides for that online) and you’re done. Then you will be able to install and use the Video Fix. Here’s the download links:
English version:
http://mega(dot)nz/#!AThB3AAS!XFAAeFwmN1-0k4YDXuzVIpVuToKN2pUWNc4-ob-w51I
Russian version:
http://mega(dot)nz/#!MTgVXYTA!kVElJ15-IWE7WkvP2NcsKPvcXnbaqaZ6QjG63-9gvHw
Most of the videos in Battle for Europe are the same as in Napoleonic Wars so I picked ones that had better audio and/or video quality. Also, Credits work now too!
Conclusion
Honestly, there are still plenty of things to improve in this game. For example, factions’ AI – it is inefficient in many ways, it doesn’t produce certain units and buildings, it is not really competitive and more. I thought about fixing all this stuff but eventually have came to a conclusion that it should not be just a fix but a complete overhaul because in a state that AI is right now it is still working and some kind of balanced solution which you better leave as is or completely redo.
So, for now that is it! If you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to leave them in the comments below. I’d be glad to help!
Unpacked installers download link:
http://mega(dot)nz/#F!JKRC1QgL!KAfSAI4R8T3iVbv6yfPvsw
Credits
GSC Game World: [link]
Original russian version Patch #1: [link]
DxWnd: [link]
CossacksWorld Info Site: [link]
Patch #1 Notes
A complete list of changes made in Patch 1.4 for Cossacks II: Battle for Europe.
AI:
- Fixed Spain AI;
- Corrected Rhine AI;
- Corrected Poland AI;
- Fixed a glitch that caused village militia resist Warriors with Yataghans.
General:
- Fixed a bug with the camera and perspective distortion, the camera now is a bit higher and perspective distortion is not set by default;
- Fixed a sync bug playing as France;
- Fixed a bug with desynchronization on 2 by 2 and 3 by 3 maps;
- Fixed shell errors (map, rating, player rating, battle description);
- Fixed a crash in the Battle for Europe mode (when attempting to attack Toulouse from Paris);
- Fixed a bug where some hints were not visible at boot;
- Fixed a hint bug in German version of the game;
- Display of German text in the Russian version;
- Increased game performance on some systems;
- A glitch in the second “The Road to Vienna!” campaign mission;
- A glitch in last Poland campaign mission;
- 20/30 village militia on some maps.
Skirmish Maps:
- Improved “Four Kings” skirmish map;
- Improved “Desert” skirmish map;
- Improved “Winter Fight” skirmish map;
- Improved “Peninsula” skirmish map;
- Improved “The Southern Town” skirmish map;
- “War Path” skirmish map was replaced with another map.
Gameplay Balance:
Common:
- Stables are limited to one building;
- Unit creation speed was changed this way: Lancers 100, Mounted Chasseurs, Light Dragoons 125, Dragoons 130, Hussars 135, Bedouins 100, Egyptian Light Cavalry 120, Egyptian Mounted Mameluke 150, Don Cossack 140;
- Recruitment limits introduced: Chasseurs: 4 squads + 5 men; Sappers: 2 squads + 5 men; Tuareg: 3 squads + 5 men;
- Increased grapeshot destruction efficiency +20(45);
- Increased Light Cannon limit +1(3);
- Increased Heavy Cannon fire accuracy +40%;
- Increased Tower’s range of fire +20%;
- Chasseurs reload speed increased to 650;
- Grenadiers maintenance cost increased: Gold +2, recruitment price was increased as well: Iron +2(10), Gold +2(4) (except Russia, Gold +1(3)).
Rhine.
- Added “Ironworks” building – produces Iron;
- Reduced upgrades cost for wood and stone extraction efficiency;
- Fusilier – morale -10(95);
- Musketeer – Coal consumption reduced -1(5);
- Chasseurs and Fusiliers now require Academy to be produced;
- Wood and stone extraction efficiency upgrade speed was decreased from 2500 to 250;
- Light Cavalryman morale penalty was removed.
Prussia.
- Musketeer – Coal consumption reduced -1(5);
- Introduced “Rearm musketeers” upgrade: +20(120) missile damage, +10% creation time. Costs 1000 Gold and 1500 Iron;
- Stables are now required to produce Chasseurs;
- Barracks are now required to build Stables.
Britain.
- Musketeer – Coal consumption reduced -1(11);
- Grenadier – health +5(105);
- Introduced “Reorganize musketeers training” upgrade: +2(12) melee damage, Iron cost -1, +50% creation time. Costs 1000 Gold and 1000 Iron;
- Increased Large Dwelling cost of construction of by 1/3 (up to 50 points).
Poland.
- Mounted Uhlan experience gain rate is 30/3 now;
- Barracks are now required to build Warehouse.
Spain.
- Guerilla – recruits in a Blacksmith, 60 men per squad, Coal consumption +1(5), creation speed +5(15);
- Grenadier – melee damage +3(18). Creation costs +20(70) Food.
Egypt.
- Doubled artillery creation speed;
- Tower – construction times and price handicap are reduced by half. Coal consumption per shot is equalized with European Tower to 50 Coal per shot;
- Bedouin – Coal consumption per shot -1(14);
- Light Cavalry – Coal consumption per shot -2(13);
- Janissary – Coal consumption per shot -1(9);
- Warrior with Yataghan – melee damage +1(5), reduced bullet protection -5(10), increased melee defense +2(2);
- Warrior with Yataghan melee damage upgrade now gives +4 melee damage;
- Reduced cost of 1500 Iron and 1000 Gold;
- Reduced Fortress cost and construction times.
France.
- National Guard – cost in Iron -1(4), requires Academy to be recruited.
Austria.
- Landwer – cost in Iron -1(4), requires Market to be recruited;
- Grenadier – melee damage +1(13), recruitment cost in Food +20(70).