Hex of Steel News

Hello there!

Not that many of you asked for this, I even initially rejected the idea, but I thought that I could also just make it optional.

So, here it is, the latest v7.7.7 now has cloud saving support (SteamCloud)!

This means that you will have an easier time having access to your save files through different machines, but not only! I have fully enabled cloud gaming support (GeForceNow and others).

You can now fully enjoy playing the game on there as well!

Quick note 1: The new optional cloud saving system is NOT AUTOMATIC. It basically adds a new button to save to the cloud, ONCE. It will not automatically and periodically update the file or anything. The saving system still works like before, so you still need to manually perform saves, it just offers you to save to the cloud too.

Quick note 2: If you click the new 'save to cloud' button, a save file is still generated on your computer, and is uploaded to Steam Cloud. You can use this as a backup if anything. So you're not losing anything in the case something goes wrong (this is Steam we're talking about!).

Quick note 3: Steam Cloud is shared across the DEMO and the full/paid game. Thanks Steam for allowing this.

Not much more to add, quick link to version 7.7.7 changelog if you're interested to read it if you didn't yet: https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1240630/view/4617965876704471626

Have a good week-end everyone :)

Cheers

Val

[h3]ADDED[/h3]

• 76 mm divisional gun M1933 to USSR.
  
• 76mm M1927 to USSR.
  
• B-17D Flying Fortress to USA.
  
• Steam Cloud saving support (optional, temporary 10 max save files support).
  
• New toggle: Offline PBEM when hosting a scenario offline. Will lock some features to prevent cheating when playing with several people, but offline.
  

[h3]CHANGED[/h3]

• Multiplayer compatibility version to 7.7.7.
  
• Attacks against units in train transport are now doubled (essentially making units moving in trains very vulnerable to external attacks).
  
• AI will now back out with some of its units if they cannot deal enough damage at the frontline but some others can and would perform better in their place and are nearby enough to take their place during the turn (improved much more after an additional update, it's as good as it gets).
  
• Few units graphics.
  
• Added 5 more turns to Op. Market Garden as it was impossible to complete.
  
• Added more major VPs to German side on Stalingrad 42 standalone as you could complete the scenario very quickly by using some very specific strategy.
  
• Nukes now disable tiles for 15 turns.
  
• Reworked a bit the standalone scenarios menu.
  

[h3]FIXED[/h3]

• AI healing its units right at the frontline instead of attacking (unit with 90%+ HP not in need of urgent healing).
  
• When AI had the choice to attack two targets with same damage dealt but a difference in retaliation damage received, it would not take into account the retaliation damage received and could end up choosing targets that would deal more retaliation damage.
  
• AI could sometimes deploy its commanders at the frontline where there were enemy units.
  
• AI artificially increasing its available (limited) manpower.
  
• AI AA would not stay in defensive mode and always move out.
  
• AI freeze when trying to spawn units that are tiles (trench, factory...).
  

[h3]ADDED[/h3]

• Europe 1945 standalone scenario.
  
• Wilhelm von Leeb (German commander).
  
• Constantin Constantinescu (Romanian commander).
  
• Andrey Yeryomenko, Markian Popov, Fyodor Kuznetsov (Soviet commanders).
  
• 76 mm divisional gun M1933 to USSR.
  
• 76mm M1927 to USSR.
  

[h3]CHANGED[/h3]

• Multiplayer compatibility version.
  
• Revamp of many geographical areas of many countries on Europe 1939 standalone scenario.
  
• Updated entirely Europe 1941 standalone scenario.
  
• Updated entirely Europe 1942 standalone scenario.
  
• AI fighters will now focus on targeting unescorted enemy bombers in priority.
  
• AI fighters focusing on targeting other enemy fighters priority has been changed for nations considering themselves as 'losing the war'. They will focus on bombers first to avoid unnecessary casualties that they cannot afford.
  
• Amount of units required around an enemy VP to make it count as 'under siege' and disable spawning of reinforcements has been reduced from 50% to 25% of available tiles. This means that if around a given VP you had 6 walkable tiles, you needed to bring 3 or more of your units and place them directly around it in order to prevent enemy reinforcements to be spawned at this particular VP. Now, since it is 25%, 2 units are enough.
  
• Experimental: Max healable HP per turn has been reduced from 50% to 35%. This is an attempt at fixing the fact that units can barely damage each other and frontlines never really move, as no breakthrough is possible since units mostly can heal in a turn the damage they are taking. This change may or may not stay, we'll see how it affects balance and if it does solve the issue.
  
• Attacks against units in train transport are now doubled (essentially making units moving in trains very vulnerable to external attacks).
  
• 
  
• Few units graphics.
  

[h3]FIXED[/h3]

• Natural manpower growth (expand of the max manpower cap) was being lifted once a month instead of every turn (obviously scaled by the amount of time that goes by every turn).
  
• Major manpower exploit when playing with realistic manpower ON.
  
• Upkeep issue with units in reserve, was always counted as full price.
  
• El Alamein belonging to the Axis in Afrikakorps 1942 standalone scenario.
  
• AI redeploying some of its units when it shouldn't have.
  
• Portugal missing Marines infantry unit counter.
  
• Unit having waypoint being sent back to the reserve due to an upgrade would not clear its waypoints.
  
• Vichy France performing landings.
  
• Land units starting the scenario in water would have various movement points values instead of their amphibian movement values.
  
• AI healing its units right at the frontline instead of attacking (unit with 90%+ HP not in need of urgent healing).
  
• When AI had the choice to attack two targets with same damage dealt but a difference in retaliation damage received, it would not take into account the retaliation damage received and could end up choosing targets that would deal more retaliation damage.
  

[h3]ADDED[/h3]

• Game has been translated in a brand new language, although very niche, players who speak Catalan are going to be happy, we can thank @Divadov for his work! Enjoy!
  

[h3]CHANGED[/h3]

• Overdue rework of the settings menu. It really was a mess, it is now much more organized!
  
• Improved balance of Europe 1939, as well as a geographical rework. Also, Italy will now join the Allies when Rome falls (to the Allies). Romania will now properly join the USSR upon capitulating when being invaded by the USSR (instead of just capitulating).
  
• AI organized retreat/defense system. It will now much more intelligently pick defensive spots or retreat when being outnumbered or in a defavorable situation when losing the war.
  
• Morale passive regeneration rate (3% -> 5% per turn).
  
• Morale loss from artillery pounding or bombardment now directly scales with damage to HP ratio, with a minimal morale loss of 5.
  
• Increased impact of morale on retreat of units.
  
• All italian infantry graphics.
  
• AI will now properly enlarge its frontline instead of massing its troops in a single place.
  
• Added major VPs to Stalingrad '42 standalone.
  
• Increased manpower growth rate (from 3% to 5%).
  

[h3]FIXED[/h3]

• AI's turns slowing down a lot in certain cases (when it tried to calculate a path towards its goal, but none could be found). I am now running a lightweight algorithm (
• AI would upgrade its garrisons even though it did not have the manpower for it, ending up with negative manpower (when playing with realistic manpower ON).
  
• One instance of AI freeze in very specific cases.
  
• Buying/Requesting/Transferring tiles being part of a capitulation event would not cancel the capitulation (Example: German player buying Paris hexagon, if Paris fell, Germany would capitulate).
  
• Berlin 1945 Steam leaderboard not working.
  
• Major manpower exploit when playing with realistic manpower ON.
  

[h3]ADDED[/h3]

• 2cm Flak to Slovakia.
  
• Possibility to annex territory through the Territory management UI (making captured territory your own, removing the occupation penalty).
  
• When you try to deploy a unit, the cooldown for destroyed tiles will now be shown (on top of the minimal occupation time).
  

[h3]CHANGED[/h3]

• Multiplayer compatibility -> 7.7.4.
  
• Ships upkeep cost (lowered).
  
• Cost to refuel ships (lowered).
  
• AI ships will now focus on going primarily towards naval capturable victory points instead of rushing coastlines.
  
• AI fighters will be more careful when engagement ground targets and taking back supportive fire (less aggressive as a whole to let bombers perform this role, so that they can better focus on escorting or air supremacy).
  
• AI planes starting their turn over an enemy unit, and attack right away will now use all of their movement points instead of just 1.
  
• Winter now lasts one less month. Snow starts falling on November 15th, and will start melting on March 15th (Before, it was from November 1st to April 1st).
  
• Balance on Europe 1939 standalone scenario.
  

[h3]FIXED[/h3]

• In real time multiplayer, you could not end your turn after an AI played.
  
• On War Declared event trigger sometimes not firing.
  

[h3]REMOVED[/h3]

• Hardcoded Soviet income debuff (-50% economy up to June 22nd 1941).