How to Hexedit your Commanders Skills/Upgrades (Campaign only) ---OUTDATED!---

This guide aims to comprehensively explain how you can edit you Commanders Skills and Upgrades by Hexediting your Savefile.
This guide hasnt been updated in quite some time so it probably is at least partialy outdated by now.

First steps

• Find your savefile(s) for Battlefleet Gothic: Armada II normally they should be at C:\Users\Username\AppData\Local\BattlefleetGothic2\Saved\SaveGames\Campaign
  
  
• Make a backup of the save(s) you want to modify
  
  
• Now you need a Hex-Editor (in my examples I'm using HxD) in order to edit the .sav

Errors/Crashes

IF YOUR EDITED SAVES CRASH/THROW ERRORS:

1.Make sure you Removed the Linebreaks from skill strings that have them. See the beginning section of Imperial OR Necron Tables for more info.

2.Making the savefile SHORTER than the original also results in errors , replacing skills on an admiral in the recruitment roster with longer string ones fixes that

3.If none of the above work change only ONE skill/upgrade -> load the save -> save it again(i would suggest in a new save in case of making an error down the line -> edit one skill/upgrade in that save -> load it -> save it and repeat till finished

4.If that also doesnt help ask in the comments i'll try to help if I have the time.

Example

Now that you have a Hex-Editor and a savefile let's get to the actual editing:

• Open the save with your Hex-Editor of choice. It should look sokmething like this:
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Now you need to find the commander whose skills/upgrades you want to edit in order to do that press Ctrl+F a window will pop up enter the name of the commander (in my case Spire) and press Ok.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• A few lines under the name you can see the first skill in my case /Game/BluePrint/Skill/SkillShot/BP_Skill_PlasmaBomb.BP_Skill_PlasmaBomb_C.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• If one of your other Commanders has the skill/upgrade you want you can simply copy it and replace the skill/upgrade you don't want. (There are some skills/upgrades that are incompatible with other factions etc. please refer to the tables or try at your own risk) In my example I'm going to overwrite Plasma Bomb with Overcharged Voidshields
  S.../Game/BluePrint/Skill/ActifSkill/BP_Skill_ShieldOverload.BP_Skill_ShieldOverload_C.
  make sure you mark the first symbol and all the "dots" then press Ctrl+C
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Now mark the skill you want to overwrite in my case
  J.../Game/BluePrint/Skill/SkillShot/BP_Skill_PlasmaBomb.BP_Skill_PlasmaBomb_C.
  and Press Ctrl+V and then Ok.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Save your edited file and put it back in the Save folder (DON'T rename the file!)
  
  
• Start you game and select the edited save if you disabled the urgency bar it will for some reason be re-enabled in that case make another save once again make a backup of it and fire up the Hex-Editor again scroll to the end of the file and look for the following
  01 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 05 00 00 00 4E 6F 6E 65
  Change the 01 back to 00 and save the file and load it in the game the urgency bar should now be gone again.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• In order to insert a commander skill/upgrade thats not already on you savefile you first need the skills name (refer to the tables) for example: /Game/BluePrint/Skill/SkillShot/BP_Skill_PlasmaBomb.BP_Skill_PlasmaBomb_C.
  after you copied this over the original skill you need to mark the whole name (as above with th end dot) HxD will show you the length as a Hexadecimal value (Third display on the bottom bar)
  in this case it is 4A now you need to replace the value infront of the three dots with this value the rest works the same.
  EDIT: WORKING ON WRITING DOWN THE FULL STRINGS YOU NEED TO COPY IN
  

Imperial Tables

PLEASE NOTE: The line breaks will add two additional "dots" with values OD OA when you copy strings into the Hex-Editor REMOVE THOSE!

Skills	Imperial Navy	Adeptus Astartes	Adeptus Mechanicus
Augur Disruptor Bomb	Yes	Yes	No
Augur Probe	Yes	Yes	Yes
Cybernetica Orb	No	No	Yes
Disruption Bomb	Yes	Yes	Yes
Emperor's Tarot	Yes	Yes	Yes
Mechadominator	?	?	Yes
Micro Warp Jump	Yes	Yes	Yes
Rad-Tempest Device	No	No	Yes
Plasma Bomb	Yes	Yes	No
Stasis Bomb	Yes	Yes	Yes
Supercharged Void Shield	Yes	Yes	Yes

Skill	String
Augur Disruptor Bomb	_���/Game/BluePrint/Skill/ActifSkill/BP_Skill_Actif_AugurDisruptor. BP_Skill_Actif_AugurDisruptor_C�
Augur Probe	J���/Game/BluePrint/Skill/SkillShot/BP_Skill_AugurProbe.BP_Skill_AugurProbe_C�
Cybernetica Orb	l���/Game/BluePrint/Skill/SkillShot/BP_Skill_TransdimensionalThunderbolt. BP_Skill_TransdimensionalThunderbolt_C�
Disruption Bomb	R���/Game/BluePrint/Skill/SkillShot/BP_Skill_DisruptiveLoad. BP_Skill_DisruptiveLoad_C�
Emperor's Tarot	T���/Game/BluePrint/Skill/TargetedSkill/BP_Skill_EmperorTarrot.BP_Skill_EmperorTarrot_C�
Micro Warp Jump	P���/Game/BluePrint/Skill/SkillShot/BP_Skill_MicroWarpJump.BP_Skill_MicroWarpJump_C�
Rad-Tempest Device	^���/Game/BluePrint/Skill/SkillShot/BP_Skill_Maelstrom_RadTempest. BP_Skill_Maelstrom_RadTempest_C�
Plasma Bomb	J���/Game/BluePrint/Skill/SkillShot/BP_Skill_PlasmaBomb.BP_Skill_PlasmaBomb_C�
Stasis Bomb	H���/Game/BluePrint/Skill/SkillShot/BP_Skill_StaseBomb.BP_Skill_StaseBomb_C�
Supercharged Void Shield	S���/Game/BluePrint/Skill/ActifSkill/BP_Skill_ShieldOverload. BP_Skill_ShieldOverload_C�

Upgrades	Imperial Navy	Adeptus Astartes	Adeptus Mechanicus
1st Company Terminators	Yes	Yes	Yes
Aurent-Pattern Weaponries	Yes	Yes	Yes
Company Banner	Yes	Yes	Yes
Culexus Assasin	Yes	Yes	Yes
Emission Dissipater	Yes	Yes	Yes
Improved Augur Array	Yes	Yes	Yes
Navigational Shields	Yes	Yes	Yes
Kastelan Robots	Yes	Yes	Yes
Mars-Pattern Reactor Feeds	Yes	No	Yes
Power Ram	Yes	No	Yes
Short-Burn Torpedos	Yes	No	No

Upgrade	String
1st Company Terminators	n���/Game/BluePrint/Upgrades/ShipUpgrades/BP_Upgrade_1st_Company_Terminators. BP_Upgrade_1st_Company_Terminators_C�
Aurent-Pattern Weaponries	r���/Game/BluePrint/Upgrades/ShipUpgrades/BP_Upgrade_Aurent_Pattern_Weaponries. BP_Upgrade_Aurent_Pattern_Weaponries_C�
Company Banner	\���/Game/BluePrint/Upgrades/ShipUpgrades/BP_Upgrade_Company_Banner. BP_Upgrade_Company_Banner_C�
Culexus Assasin	`���/Game/BluePrint/Upgrades/ShipUpgrades/BP_Upgrade_Culexus_Assassin. BP_Upgrade_Culexus_Assassin_C�
Emission Dissipater	f���/Game/BluePrint/Upgrades/ShipUpgrades/BP_Upgrade_Emission_Dissipator. BP_Upgrade_Emission_Dissipator_C�
Improved Augur Array	j���/Game/BluePrint/Upgrades/ShipUpgrades/BP_Upgrade_Improved_Augure_Array. BP_Upgrade_Improved_Augure_Array_C�
Navigational Shields	h���/Game/BluePrint/Upgrades/ShipUpgrades/BP_Upgrade_Navigational_Shields. BP_Upgrade_Navigational_Shields_C�
Kastelan Robots	l���/Game/BluePrint/Upgrades/ShipUpgrades/BP_Upgrade_Expanded_Teleportarium. BP_Upgrade_Expanded_Teleportarium_C�
Mars-Pattern Reactor Feeds	t���/Game/BluePrint/Upgrades/ShipUpgrades/BP_Upgrade_Mars_Pattern_Reactor_Feeds. BP_Upgrade_Mars_Pattern_Reactor_Feeds_C�
Power Ram	R���/Game/BluePrint/Upgrades/ShipUpgrades/BP_Upgrade_Power_Ram. BP_Upgrade_Power_Ram_C�
Short-Burn Torpedos	h���/Game/BluePrint/Upgrades/ShipUpgrades/BP_Upgrade_Short_Burn_Torpedoes. BP_Upgrade_Short_Burn_Torpedoes_C�

Necron Tables

PLEASE NOTE: The line breaks will add two additional "dots" with values OD OA when you copy strings into the Hex-Editor REMOVE THOSE!

Skill	String
Canoptek Probe	J���/Game/BluePrint/Skill/SkillShot/BP_Skill_AugurProbe.BP_Skill_AugurProbe_C�
Lightning Link	T���/Game/BluePrint/Skill/TargetedSkill/BP_Skill_LightningLink. BP_Skill_LightningLink_C�
Mass Recall	K���/Game/BluePrint/Skill/ActifSkill/BP_Skill_MassRecall.BP_Skill_MassRecall_C�
Pyramidal Reconstruction	e���/Game/BluePrint/Skill/ActifSkill/BP_Skill_PyramidalReconstruction. BP_Skill_PyramidalReconstruction_C�
Resurrection Orb	U���/Game/BluePrint/Skill/ActifSkill/BP_Skill_ResurrectionOrb. BP_Skill_ResurrectionOrb_C�
Scarab Swarm	M���/Game/BluePrint/Skill/ActifSkill/BP_Skill_ScarabSwarm. BP_Skill_ScarabSwarm_C�
Stasis Bomb	H���/Game/BluePrint/Skill/SkillShot/BP_Skill_StaseBomb.BP_Skill_StaseBomb_C�
Transdimensional Thunderbolt	l���/Game/BluePrint/Skill/SkillShot/BP_Skill_TransdimensionalThunderbolt. BP_Skill_TransdimensionalThunderbolt_C�

Upgrade	String
Arc Propagator	\���/Game/BluePrint/Upgrades/ShipUpgrades/BP_Upgrade_Arc_Propagator. BP_Upgrade_Arc_Propagator_C�
Nightmare Shroud	`���/Game/BluePrint/Upgrades/ShipUpgrades/BP_Upgrade_Nightmare_Shroud. BP_Upgrade_Nightmare_Shroud_C�
Phase Shifter	h���/Game/BluePrint/Upgrades/ShipUpgrades/BP_Upgrade_Navigational_Shields. BP_Upgrade_Navigational_Shields_C�
Residual Absorptio	f���/Game/BluePrint/Upgrades/ShipUpgrades/BP_Upgrade_Residual_Absorption. BP_Upgrade_Residual_Absorption_C�
Shards of Nyadra'zatha	j���/Game/BluePrint/Upgrades/ShipUpgrades/BP_Upgrade_Shards_of_Nyadrazatha. BP_Upgrade_Shards_of_Nyadrazatha_C�
Shards of Yggra'nya	d���/Game/BluePrint/Upgrades/ShipUpgrades/BP_Upgrade_Shards_of_Yggranya. BP_Upgrade_Shards_of_Yggranya_C�

Missing UI + stuck camera in sectormap workaround

This seems to happen when you try to replace Spires Power Ram upgrade with something else.

• First of you need to load the save where it occurs.
  
  
• Next click on one of your Planets and then on the "+" for creating a new fleet, after backing out the UI should be back but the camera is still stuck.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Save the game now by clicking on the three lines symbol in the upper right corner (ESC shouldnt be working).
  
  
• Open up the new save in the Hexeditor and scroll to the bottom one of the values thats normally a 00 should have changed (upper half is how it should look normally lower half is the wrong value) change it back to 00 and save.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Note also that the urgency meter is likely once again reenabled.

Credits

• Cryptomancer for teaching me the basics
  
• HeathenSW for Providing the Strings for Cybernetica Orb, Rad-Tempest Emperor's Tarot and Disruption Bomb
  
• IgnoreSandra for Providing the Strings for Mechadominator, Shards of Yggra'nya, Shards of Nyadra'zatha, Nightmare Shroud, Arc Propagator, Residual Absorption, Phase Shifter, Mass Recall, Resurrection Orb, Scarab Swarm, Transdimensional Thunderbolt, Pyramidal Reconstruction, Lightning Link and Canoptek Probe
  
• Pulsusego for clearing up some misconceptions on why and when saves crash and further discoveries in editing savefiles for example editing the fleet colors

[baalthezzar]

short-burn torps doesn't seem to work with AA. fatal error every time, so I tried save spamming on the last turn before a captain change during the campaign. short-burns never came up for AA though i reloaded and ended the turn about 30 times... anyone see any different?

[Cormellion]

I'll have another go. I certainly did not reload after each save! Cheers

[SMFScar]

Did you do all changes in one go?
Or only one change at a time:
(edit save -> load save -> overwrite save -> go back to main menu -> repeat)
You could send me the save in question I would need to know what you edited also an unedited version of the save.
I used this site the last time I needed to upload something https://uploadfiles.io/

[Cormellion]

I must be doing something wrong tried increasing leadership on the other guide and tried changing skills based on this guide. I was Neo hex editor. I swear I'm doing band on correctly yet I get fatal errors when I play these files. Apart from I'm making a typo everytime anyone have any other ideas?

[IgnoreSandra]

Also, you were missing Mechadominator

Mechadominator = V���/Game/BluePrint/Skill/TargetedSkill/BP_Skill_MechaDominator.BP_Skill_MechaDominator_C�

[SMFScar]

Thank you! Will add those when I have the time.

[IgnoreSandra]

and upgrades (I've only found six)

Shards of Yggra'nya = d.../Game/BluePrint/Upgrades/ShipUpgrades/BP_Upgrade_Shards_of_Yggranya.BP_Upgrade_Shards_of_Yggranya_C.
Shards of Nyadra'zatha = j.../Game/BluePrint/Upgrades/ShipUpgrades/BP_Upgrade_Shards_of_Nyadrazatha.BP_Upgrade_Shards_of_Nyadrazatha_C.
Nightmare Shroud = `.../Game/BluePrint/Upgrades/ShipUpgrades/BP_Upgrade_Nightmare_Shroud.BP_Upgrade_Nightmare_Shroud_C.
Arc Propagator = \.../Game/BluePrint/Upgrades/ShipUpgrades/BP_Upgrade_Arc_Propagator.BP_Upgrade_Arc_Propagator_C.
Residual Absorption = f.../Game/BluePrint/Upgrades/ShipUpgrades/BP_Upgrade_Residual_Absorption.BP_Upgrade_Residual_Absorption_C.
Phase Shifter = h.../Game/BluePrint/Upgrades/ShipUpgrades/BP_Upgrade_Navigational_Shields.BP_Upgrade_Navigational_Shields_C.

[IgnoreSandra]

Necron skills: Here's the eight I've found so far

Mass Recall = K.../Game/BluePrint/Skill/ActifSkill/BP_Skill_MassRecall.BP_Skill_MassRecall_C.
Resurrection Orb = U.../Game/BluePrint/Skill/ActifSkill/BP_Skill_ResurrectionOrb.BP_Skill_ResurrectionOrb_C.
Scarab Swarm = M.../Game/BluePrint/Skill/ActifSkill/BP_Skill_ScarabSwarm.BP_Skill_ScarabSwarm_C.
Transdimensional Thunderbolt = l.../Game/BluePrint/Skill/SkillShot/BP_Skill_TransdimensionalThunderbolt.BP_Skill_TransdimensionalThunderbolt_C.
Pyramidal Reconstruction = e.../Game/BluePrint/Skill/ActifSkill/BP_Skill_PyramidalReconstruction.BP_Skill_PyramidalReconstruction_C.
Lightning Link = T.../Game/BluePrint/Skill/TargetedSkill/BP_Skill_LightningLink.BP_Skill_LightningLink_C.
Stasis Bomb = H.../Game/BluePrint/Skill/SkillShot/BP_Skill_StaseBomb.BP_Skill_StaseBomb_C.
Canoptek Probe = J.../Game/BluePrint/Skill/SkillShot/BP_Skill_AugurProbe.BP_Skill_AugurProbe_C.

[SMFScar]

Happy to help!
The Necron codes would be very much appreciated!

[IgnoreSandra]

Thank you! This helped me make my imperial admirals less...dysfunctional. I'll collect the Necron codes and send them to you when I can.