Version 1.2.1 Balance Fixes & Hero Changes

Edit: I forgot three things:

• 1/2 and 1/4 speeds are available again in multiplayer.
  
• There's now a cheat menu option for getting heroes of your choice.
  
• Age of monsters/piracy/madness now spawns monster nests at the start rather than throughout the age.
  

[h2]Conquest Balance[/h2]

• +10 base unrest in towns, +15 in cities.
  
• Increased maximum unrest decrease from defensive buildings from 20 to 30.
  
• Reduced cost of defensive buildings by 1/6.
  
• AI is now much more likely to enter alliances and defensive pacts once one empire controls a significant proportion of the map.
  

These balance changes are intended to improve the difficulty curve of the game, so you may find it somewhat harder than before.

[h2]Combat Balance[/h2]

• Mech squid and fleshcrackers now have a limited running time. (3 minutes and 4 minutes respectively)
  
• Halved mech squid HP.
  
• More accurate ballista.
  
• 50% faster wurms.
  
• Reduced grenade arc gravity.
  
• Reduced heavy wooden armour blast damage absorb from 8 back to 6.
  
• Increased flamethrower blast damage from 6 to 8.
  
• Boosted big wheel carry cap by 20%.
  
• Extra 10 degrees of mortar depression.
  
• 8 seconds until lightning starts to hit in high storm instead of 4.
  

[h2]Fixes[/h2]

• AI no longer hires heroes it can't afford, and fires heroes if money is tight.
  
• Prevented buildings with keels and other constructions with the wrong kinds of modules.
  
• Landships can drive on constructions (other landships, buildings, airships) now.
  
• Fixed direct control crash.
  
• Fixed intercept crash.
  
• Fixed some causes of desync. Still hunting others.
  
• Fixed torpedo bombers having catastrophically bad aim at the start of combats.
  

[h2]Minor Fixes[/h2]

• Improved Japanese font rendering.
  
• AI fleets consisting of single supply ships no longer attempt to conquer cities.
  
• Preloading weather background sound loops to make weather changes go more smoothly.
  
• Added missing image for age of madness.
  
• Added some new nest icons.
  
• Fixed band of brothers text.
  
• Fixed missing Targeting Computer string.
  
• Fixed damaged inverted large junk sail image.
  
• Deduplicated special build options.
  
• Prevented the same hero from turning up too often.
  
• Turnabout now flips tentacles.
  
• Prevented multiple filled nests in the same city at start.
  
• Added a border around the map view mode selector in the bottom right.
  

[h2]Hero Reworks[/h2]

• Manha Ithkuil: Added Loyalty stat that decreases by 1/month and is increased by combat defeats, certain spy actions, and betraying empires in diplomatic incidents.
  
• Palmerston: Removing a monster nest now increases rep by 3. Can now also remove Titan Bladeweeds and Land Anemones. Added Monster Exhibition edict that increases rep, reduces unrest, and produces a bit of science.
  
• Sigan Sainik: Gain 3 rep from clearing nests. Maintenance reduced from 10 to 5. Building a Hospital now also grants 5 Idealism.
  
• Sigan the Cruel: Local production and unrest bonuses replaced by empire-wide bonus Sigan's Cruelty: +100% production, +20% town and city income, +15 unrest.
  
• Lord Sigan: Fame increase from clearing a nest increased from 5 to 10. Local unrest bonus replaced by empire-wide bonus Sigan's Wisdom: -10 unrest, double gentle takeover speed.
  
• Igor Nescimus: Once his nemesis is defeated, gains 25 XP per Police Station and Garrison built. Upgrades into a version that doubles unrest reduction from Police Stations and Garrisons.
  

[h2]Hero Balance Changes[/h2]

• Professor John Prolix: +5 Research
  
• Kantorka: Unlocks Dragonriders
  
• Lilith: Reduced upgrade speed by a third, increased Ritual of Praise cost from 500 to 800.
  
• Lilith, Saviour of Mankind: Brutal takeovers now only increase Loyalty by 5 instead of 10.
  
• Commander Yithrak: Reduced fire rate bonus from 50% to 40%.
  
• Vex: Base loyalty increased from 30 to 90, loyalty gain from destroying a non-biological nest increased from 20 to 40, loyalty loss from destroying a biological nest increases from 30 to 60, added -1 loyalty per month.
  
• The Magnificent Alexander: Magnificent Party cost reduced from 1000 to 500, and it now also reduces 25 Boredom in Alexander.
  
• Captain Bertelli: Fleet crew speed bonus increased from 10% to 25%. +50% Fame gain from winning combats. Fame loss from losing combats reduced from 30 to 25.
  
• Akim: Maintenance reduced from 10 to 3.
  
• Yitzhak Sutter: Maintenance reduced from 8 to 5.
  
• Lacuna Abgott: Spy success chance bonus increased from 20% to 40%.
  
• Fatima: Maintenance increased from 8 to 12.
  
• Grand Sorceress Fatima: Maintenance increased from 15 to 20. Summoned guardian sprites do 80% less damage.
  
• Laura Ali (base): Upgrade cost reduction increased from 30% to 50%. 50% more experience gain.
  
• Dame Ali: Maintenance reduced from 16 to 10.
  
• Luca van Fruchtenbach: Added $300 one-off hire cost. Replaced 20% local spy defence with 10% empire-wide spy defence.
  
• Sa'd Khayyam: Symposium cost reduced from $1000 to $500. Instead of boosting local research by 20%, it now grants a lump sum of research.
  
• Sam: Maintenance reduced from $10 to $5. Can no longer build Mech Squid. Doubled XP gain from destroying monster nests.
  
• Doctor Violet: Increased maintenance from $15 to $17. Mech squid now have reduced HP and a 3 minute running time before they stop.
  
• Izegbe: Reduced maintenance from $12 to $9.
  

[h2]Starter Hero Balance Changes[/h2]

• Architect: Doubled XP gain from building town and city upgrades.
  
• Disciplinarian: Increased unrest reduction from 25 to 30. Doubled martial law running time to a year.
  
• Engineer (upgraded): Fleet accuracy bonus reduced from 30% to 20%.
  

[h2]Special Event Hero Balance Changes[/h2]

• Ascended Scholar: Summoned guardian sprites do 80% less damage.
  
• Mad Scientist: Instead of providing 5 research, now triples research output at the city she is assigned to. Mech squid now have reduced HP and a 3 minute running time before they stop.