Update 1.0.4.9 (Experimental)
Greetings! We are excited to roll out the experimental branch for the Combat Overhaul 1 update. We are particularly interested in feedback on the main combat and replacement changes. Feel free to let us know your thoughts either in the Update 1.0.4.9 discussion thread on the forums, or on discord.
See the picture below for information on how to opt-in to the Experimental build if you’re interested in playing new updates early.
[h2]Automated Replacement[/h2]
Units now automatically draw replacements from the global pool while connected to the supply network. Percent of total strength drawn per turn varies according to the following conditions:
Replacement priority can be set on a per-unit basis with the priorities being: High, Medium, Low, None. Units Veteran and above default to high. Experienced and Trained units default to medium. Recruit units default to low, and Conscript or below units to none.
Note: Replacements drawn do not increase cohesion, so even in cases where daily strength loss can be replaced, cohesion loss will still degrade a unit’s combat capability.
[h2]Anti-Tank Combined Arms Suppression:[/h2]
Suppressing over 50% of enemy armor in a combat reduces their armor contribution to the combined arms modifier proportionally. Massing substantial AT capabilities is FAR more important now. Moreover, somewhat gamey strategies of using a single company of armored cars to gain armored combined arms will now only work against opponents with very poor AT.
[h2]Combat order changes:[/h2]
The changes to combat orders in this update are highly experimental, and we desire extensive player feedback on these changes. We aim to make using Attack orders more desirable while simultaneously slightly slowing down mobile combat. In general these changes slow down the speed of combat and make battles bloodier by increasing reliance on the decisive attack order. In internal testing these changes feel really good in the historical desert scenarios and in many custom scenarios, but we are concerned they may slow down combat too much in scenarios with rough terrain and large numbers of units such as Operation Husky. We look forward to hearing your thoughts as well.
We aim to run this experimental branch for about a week before moving the update to full release. The full release version will also include an updated Gazala Line scenario, incorporating OB updates kindly provided by community member and prolific order of battle researcher, Brad Hunter. For now we look forward to hearing your thoughts on the new systems and we'll be back soon!
See the picture below for information on how to opt-in to the Experimental build if you’re interested in playing new updates early.
System Improvements:
[h2]Automated Replacement[/h2]
Units now automatically draw replacements from the global pool while connected to the supply network. Percent of total strength drawn per turn varies according to the following conditions:
- Units in supply and in contact with enemy zone of control replace up to 2% of total unit strength per turn.
- Units not in contact with enemy zone of control replace up to 3% of total unit strength per turn.
- Units in Rest and refit replace up to 7% of total unit strength per turn.
Replacement priority can be set on a per-unit basis with the priorities being: High, Medium, Low, None. Units Veteran and above default to high. Experienced and Trained units default to medium. Recruit units default to low, and Conscript or below units to none.
Note: Replacements drawn do not increase cohesion, so even in cases where daily strength loss can be replaced, cohesion loss will still degrade a unit’s combat capability.
[h2]Anti-Tank Combined Arms Suppression:[/h2]
Suppressing over 50% of enemy armor in a combat reduces their armor contribution to the combined arms modifier proportionally. Massing substantial AT capabilities is FAR more important now. Moreover, somewhat gamey strategies of using a single company of armored cars to gain armored combined arms will now only work against opponents with very poor AT.
[h2]Combat order changes:[/h2]
The changes to combat orders in this update are highly experimental, and we desire extensive player feedback on these changes. We aim to make using Attack orders more desirable while simultaneously slightly slowing down mobile combat. In general these changes slow down the speed of combat and make battles bloodier by increasing reliance on the decisive attack order. In internal testing these changes feel really good in the historical desert scenarios and in many custom scenarios, but we are concerned they may slow down combat too much in scenarios with rough terrain and large numbers of units such as Operation Husky. We look forward to hearing your thoughts as well.
- Attack orders now impact a 3-hex arc, instead of the former 6-hex circle.
- Movement cost to initiate march combat increased from 2 to 2.5. Under most circumstances this reduces the maximum number of march combats motorized units can initiate from 7 to 6, and infantry units from 4 to 3. Terrain, barrage, air attack, etc. can rapidly decrease this further.
Gameplay Improvements/Bug Fixes:
- Axis Gazala OB update featuring new data provided by Brad Hunter (currently only affects the Axis Gazala OB in custom scenarios, these improvements will be added to the historical scenario for the full update release, after the British revisions are implemented). See the screenshot above for a side-by-side comparison of the old versus new 15th Panzer Division and some army/corps level assets.
- German 1941 minor OB corrections such as replacing 5cm PaK 38s with 3.7cm PaK 36s in SS regimental support companies in accordance with relevant KStNs for June 1941. Corrected LSSAH and Großdeutschland rifle battalion organizations, which were erroneously using 4 squad per platoon organizations instead of 3 squad per platoon with double MGs per squad organization they should have.
- German 1939/1940 OB updates to better reflect differences in equipment and organization between infantry division waves and MG allocation in motorized battalions of the different panzer divisions.
- Italian 1942 OB updates and corrections, AS.42 pattern infantry battalions had an erroneous extra rifle platoon per company for instance. Added MG-armed M13/40 and M14/41 command vehicles to Italian tank regiments and battalions.
- Replaced Lee tanks with Grant tanks in all UK order of battle years, as the Grant was the primary variant of the vehicle operated by Commonwealth forces. The Grant also features superior protection on the forward turret face, increasing its armor defense from 4.6 to 4.9.
- Reduced the cost of replacements by 60% on average across all years and replacement types. Also a quick reminder that holding shift while buying replacements buys 10 at a time.
- Added a series of experimental fixes for display bugs on wider resolution screens.
- Fixed a bug that could cause a crash after opening the cohesion overlay.
AI Improvements:
- AI will now sometimes hold landing markers back to make secondary landings later in the game in invasion scenarios.
Interface Improvements:
- Added drop down menu overlay option to clear combat markers.
- Improved readability on text for all overlay modes.
- Barrage orders now display impulse on unit card at bottom of HUD
Moving Forward:
We aim to run this experimental branch for about a week before moving the update to full release. The full release version will also include an updated Gazala Line scenario, incorporating OB updates kindly provided by community member and prolific order of battle researcher, Brad Hunter. For now we look forward to hearing your thoughts on the new systems and we'll be back soon!