diff --git a/source/graphics/ObjectEntry.cpp b/source/graphics/ObjectEntry.cpp
index f370ff1adf..3137bc1a70 100755
--- a/source/graphics/ObjectEntry.cpp
+++ b/source/graphics/ObjectEntry.cpp
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@ CObjectEntry::CObjectEntry(int type) : m_Model(0), m_Type(type)
 	m_DeathAnim=0;
 	m_MeleeAnim=0;
 	m_RangedAnim=0;
+	m_Properties.m_CastShadows=true;
+	m_Properties.m_AutoFlatten=false;
 }
 
 CObjectEntry::~CObjectEntry()
@@ -33,7 +35,6 @@ CObjectEntry::~CObjectEntry()
 
 bool CObjectEntry::BuildModel()
 {
-
 	// check we've enough data to consider building the object
 	if (m_ModelName.Length()==0 || m_TextureName.Length()==0) {
 		return false;
@@ -43,7 +44,7 @@ bool CObjectEntry::BuildModel()
 	CStr dirname=g_ObjMan.m_ObjectTypes[m_Type].m_Name;
 
 	// remember the old model so we can replace any models using it later on
-	CModelDef* oldmodel=m_Model ? m_Model->GetModelDef() : 0;
+	CModelDef* oldmodeldef=m_Model ? m_Model->GetModelDef() : 0;
 
 	// try and create a model
 	CModelDef* modeldef;
@@ -57,7 +58,8 @@ bool CObjectEntry::BuildModel()
 		return false;
 	}
 
-	// create new Model
+	// delete old model, create new 
+	delete m_Model;
 	m_Model=new CModel;
 	m_Model->SetTexture((const char*) m_TextureName);
     m_Model->SetMaterial(g_MaterialManager.LoadMaterial((const char *)m_Material));
@@ -110,25 +112,43 @@ bool CObjectEntry::BuildModel()
 		}
 	}
 
+	// setup flags
+	if (m_Properties.m_CastShadows) {
+		m_Model->SetFlags(m_Model->GetFlags()|MODELFLAG_CASTSHADOWS);
+	}
+
 	// build world space bounds
 	m_Model->CalcBounds();
 
 	// replace any units using old model to now use new model; also reprop models, if necessary
+	// FIXME, RC - ugh, doesn't recurse correctly through props
 	const std::vector<CUnit*>& units=g_UnitMan.GetUnits();
 	for (uint i=0;i<units.size();++i) {
 		CModel* unitmodel=units[i]->GetModel();
-		if (unitmodel->GetModelDef()==oldmodel) {
+		if (unitmodel->GetModelDef()==oldmodeldef) {			
 			unitmodel->InitModel(m_Model->GetModelDef());
+			unitmodel->SetFlags(m_Model->GetFlags());
 
 			const std::vector<CModel::Prop>& newprops=m_Model->GetProps();
 			for (uint j=0;j<newprops.size();j++) {
 				unitmodel->AddProp(newprops[j].m_Point,newprops[j].m_Model->Clone());
 			}
 		}
+
+		std::vector<CModel::Prop>& mdlprops=unitmodel->GetProps();
+		for (uint j=0;j<mdlprops.size();j++) {
+			CModel::Prop& prop=mdlprops[j];
+			if (prop.m_Model) {
+				if (prop.m_Model->GetModelDef()==oldmodeldef) {
+					delete prop.m_Model;
+					prop.m_Model=m_Model->Clone();
+				}
+			}
+		}
 	}
 
 	// and were done with the old model ..
-	delete oldmodel;
+	delete oldmodeldef;
 
 	return true;
 }
@@ -159,11 +179,14 @@ bool CObjectEntry::Load(const char* filename)
     EL(material);
 	EL(animations);
 	EL(props);
+	EL(properties);
 	AT(attachpoint);
 	AT(model);
 	AT(name);
 	AT(file);
 	AT(speed);
+	AT(autoflatten);
+	AT(castshadows);
 	#undef AT
 	#undef EL
 
@@ -190,6 +213,21 @@ bool CObjectEntry::Load(const char* filename)
         else if(element_name == el_material)
             m_Material = element_value;
 
+		else if (element_name == el_properties) {
+			XMBAttributeList attributes=child.getAttributes();
+			for (int j = 0; j < attributes.Count; ++j) {
+				XMBAttribute attrib=attributes.item(j);
+				int attrib_name = attrib.Name;
+				if (attrib_name == at_autoflatten) {
+					CStr str= (CStr) attrib.Value;
+					m_Properties.m_AutoFlatten=str.ToInt() ? true : false;
+				} else if (attrib_name == at_castshadows) {
+					CStr str= (CStr) attrib.Value;
+					m_Properties.m_CastShadows=str.ToInt() ? true : false;
+				} 
+			}
+		}
+
 		else if (element_name == el_animations)
 		{
 			XMBElementList animations=child.getChildNodes();
@@ -252,15 +290,38 @@ bool CObjectEntry::Save(const char* filename)
 	fprintf(fp,"\t<TextureName>%s</TextureName>\n",(const char*) m_TextureName);
     if(m_Material.Trim(PS_TRIM_BOTH).Length())
         fprintf(fp,"\t<Material>%s</Material>\n", (const char*)m_Material);
+	
+	fprintf(fp,"\t<Properties\n");
+	fprintf(fp,"\t\tautoflatten=\"%d\"\n",m_Properties.m_AutoFlatten ? 1 : 0);
+	fprintf(fp,"\t\tcastshadows=\"%d\"\n",m_Properties.m_CastShadows ? 1 : 0);
+	fprintf(fp,"\t></Properties>\n");
 	if (m_Animations.size()>0) {
 		fprintf(fp,"\t<Animations>\n");
 		for (uint i=0;i<m_Animations.size();i++) {
-			fprintf(fp,"\t\t<Animation name=\"%s\" file=\"%s\"> </Animation>\n",(const char*) m_Animations[i].m_AnimName,(const char*) m_Animations[i].m_FileName);
+			fprintf(fp,"\t\t<Animation name=\"%s\" file=\"%s\" speed=\"%d\"> </Animation>\n",(const char*) m_Animations[i].m_AnimName,(const char*) m_Animations[i].m_FileName,int(m_Animations[i].m_Speed*100));
 		}
 		fprintf(fp,"\t</Animations>\n");
 	}
+	if (m_Props.size()>0) {
+		fprintf(fp,"\t<Props>\n");
+		for (uint i=0;i<m_Props.size();i++) {
+			fprintf(fp,"\t\t<Prop attachpoint=\"%s\" model=\"%s\"> </Prop>\n",(const char*) m_Props[i].m_PropPointName,(const char*) m_Props[i].m_ModelName);
+		}
+		fprintf(fp,"\t</Props>\n");
+	}
+
 	fprintf(fp,"</Object>\n");
 	fclose(fp);
 
 	return true;
 }
+
+
+CObjectEntry::Prop* CObjectEntry::FindProp(const char* proppointname)
+{
+	for (size_t i=0;i<m_Props.size();i++) {
+		if (strcmp(proppointname,m_Props[i].m_PropPointName)==0) return &m_Props[i];
+	}
+
+	return 0;
+}
diff --git a/source/graphics/ObjectEntry.h b/source/graphics/ObjectEntry.h
index 6cebcbe386..b3df1413e3 100755
--- a/source/graphics/ObjectEntry.h
+++ b/source/graphics/ObjectEntry.h
@@ -42,8 +42,12 @@ public:
 	bool Load(const char* filename);
 	bool Save(const char* filename);
 
+	Prop* FindProp(const char* proppointname);
+
 	// object name
 	CStr m_Name;
+	// file name
+	CStr m_FileName;
 	// texture name
 	CStr m_TextureName;
 	// model name
@@ -58,6 +62,12 @@ public:
 	CSkeletonAnim* GetNamedAnimation( CStr animationName );
 	// list of props attached to object
 	std::vector<Prop> m_Props;
+	struct {
+		// automatically flatten terrain when applying object
+		bool m_AutoFlatten;
+		// cast shadows from this object
+		bool m_CastShadows;
+	} m_Properties;
 	// corresponding model
 	CModel* m_Model;
 	// type of object; index into object managers types array
diff --git a/source/graphics/ObjectManager.cpp b/source/graphics/ObjectManager.cpp
index 9c3219cc3a..307b1fd7f9 100755
--- a/source/graphics/ObjectManager.cpp
+++ b/source/graphics/ObjectManager.cpp
@@ -39,6 +39,21 @@ CObjectEntry* CObjectManager::FindObject(const char* objectname)
 	return 0;
 }
 
+CObjectEntry* CObjectManager::FindObjectByFileName(const char* filename)
+{
+	for (uint k=0;k<m_ObjectTypes.size();k++) {
+		std::vector<CObjectEntry*>& objects=m_ObjectTypes[k].m_Objects;
+
+		for (uint i=0;i<objects.size();i++) {
+			if (strcmp(filename,(const char*) objects[i]->m_FileName)==0) {
+				return objects[i];
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
 void CObjectManager::AddObjectType(const char* name)
 {
 	m_ObjectTypes.resize(m_ObjectTypes.size()+1);
@@ -68,7 +83,7 @@ void CObjectManager::DeleteObject(CObjectEntry* entry)
 void CObjectManager::LoadObjects()
 {
 	// find all the object types by directory name
-	BuildObjectTypes();
+	BuildObjectTypes(0);
 
 	// now iterate through terrain types loading all textures of that type
 	uint i;
@@ -92,21 +107,35 @@ void CObjectManager::LoadObjects()
 	}
 }
 
-void CObjectManager::BuildObjectTypes()
+void CObjectManager::BuildObjectTypes(const char* base)
 {
-	Handle dir=vfs_open_dir("art/actors/");
+	CStr rootdir("art/actors/");
+	if (base) {
+		rootdir+=base;		
+		rootdir+='/';
+	}
+
+	Handle dir=vfs_open_dir(rootdir);
 	vfsDirEnt dent;
-	if (dir > 0)
-	{
+	if (dir > 0) {
 		// Iterate subdirs
 		while (vfs_next_dirent(dir, &dent, "/")==0)
 		{
-			AddObjectType(dent.name);
+			CStr groupname;
+			if (base) {
+				groupname=base;
+				groupname+='/';
+				groupname+=dent.name;
+			} else {
+				groupname=dent.name;
 		}
-		vfs_close_dir(dir);
+			AddObjectType(groupname);
+			BuildObjectTypes(groupname);
 	}
-	else
+		vfs_close_dir(dir);
+	} else {
 		LOG(ERROR, LOG_CATEGORY, "CObjectManager::BuildObjectTypes(): Unable to open dir art/actors/");
+	}
 }
 
 void CObjectManager::LoadObjects(int type)
@@ -129,6 +158,7 @@ void CObjectManager::LoadObjects(int type)
 				LOG(ERROR, LOG_CATEGORY, "CObjectManager::LoadObjects(): %s: XML Load failed", filename.c_str());
 				delete object;
 			} else {
+				object->m_FileName=dent.name;
 				AddObject(object,type);
 				LOG(NORMAL, LOG_CATEGORY, "CObjectManager::LoadObjects(): %s: XML Loaded", filename.c_str());
 			}
diff --git a/source/graphics/ObjectManager.h b/source/graphics/ObjectManager.h
index 482db763e4..10db4fdc28 100755
--- a/source/graphics/ObjectManager.h
+++ b/source/graphics/ObjectManager.h
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ public:
 	void AddObjectType(const char* name);
 
 	CObjectEntry* FindObject(const char* objname);
+	CObjectEntry* FindObjectByFileName(const char* filename);
 	void AddObject(CObjectEntry* entry,int type);
 	void DeleteObject(CObjectEntry* entry);
 
@@ -42,7 +43,7 @@ public:
 	std::vector<SObjectType> m_ObjectTypes;
 
 private:
-	void BuildObjectTypes();
+	void BuildObjectTypes(const char* basedir);
 	void LoadObjects(int type);
 
 	CObjectEntry* m_SelectedObject;