http://bugs.winehq.org/show_bug.cgi?id=9910
--- Comment #6 from David Hall (gringer) winehq@gringer.dis.org.nz 2007-10-06 00:51:01 --- My guess is that the files are stored inside one of the MIX files, and as such would not come up as being present during a search. One possibility is that the program searches first for (and uses) files in the local directory and, if not found, then looks in the MIX file.
I know that it is possible to place a custom rules.ini file into the game directory to change graphics, weapons, behaviour, etc. of units within the game. Such a "search local, then MIX" behaviour would be consistent with this use -- perhaps it is looking for files to allow the use of these custom sounds / graphics / rules. Looking for files so many times may not be necessary, but that was not my intended bug issue. I'm concerned with the interaction delay (essentially "game freezing") when that is happening.