Patch 5.3.4: Live as of 7 Jan 2024

Merry (belated) Christmas and Happy New Year's, BK Fans!

We hope you all is well with you and your families. To get the year started, we have another small patch that contains some general changes, some changes with RE Doctrine, and some bug-fixes. I know this patch seems small but please keep in mind we're also running a beta to test what may end up being one of the biggest improvements to the mod to date.



1. The Suppression Mechanic

The 'Suppression' ability has been changed. Players complained on the discord that it was too expensive as an ability and too inconsistent in its effects to justify its use or cost.

1. Now always suppresses target squad after set time, no matter the target's cover or other bonuses
   
2. Time to suppress set to 6-7 seconds
   
3. The squad using the ability is 25% harder to suppress when the ability is active
   
4. Cost reduced to 20 ammunition
   
5. Suppression Volley" in PE (ability gained with G43 upgrade) now also works as "Suppression Fire" ability, so it no longer "slows down" its target but it now guarantees suppression after 6-7 seconds

2. Removed HE shot abilities from US 76mm gun, CW 17 pounder

These abilities were bugged on these guns and either wouldn't fire at all but still use player munitions would the ability would activate, or they wouldn't just never activate as the gun kept rotating and packing up repeatedly. The devs haven't found a fix yet, so these abilities have been disabled for now.

3. Infantry Squad Grenade Change

Infantry squads able to throw grenades get a -5 munitions reduction cost to the grenade ability at Vet 3 and Vet 5. This only applies to the "normal" grenades, not stickies, gammon, sleeved grenades, or stun grenades. These changes were meant to give a light buff to infantry to make them a little easier to use as the game went on without being a heavy handed change that spiraled out of control.



1. RE: Churchill AVRE Changes

1. increased cost to 420MP 50F (from 350MP 40F)
   
2. Increased "Fire petard shot" range to 50 (from 35)
   
3. Petard shot adjusted to always land closer to selected place (won't over/undershoot THAT much anymore)
   
4. When in Hulldown position AVRE now slowly repairs damaged vehicles nearby (range 20)
   Can now spawn, RE Sapper squads as well as 6 pounder and 17 pounder AT guns and Repair Bren
   

RE Glider no longer deploys repair engineers (the ones who passively repair damaged vehicles nearby)The Churchill AVRE has been in an awkward position for much of BK's history, caught in the buff nerf cycle for years because the community has never arrived at a consensus to determine where it truly fits in the British faction and how strong or weak it should be. Mostly recently, players contended that it wasn't really useful in its current state (nerfed from being a tad too strong I believe). So the devs have made a bunch of smaller chages that have been designed to make it more useful on the battlefield while not making it oppressive to face on the opposing side. The RE Glider change was implemented with an eye towards not giving the British too much of an advantage in vehicle repair over other factions. We all remember when Blitz doctrine had those repair bunkers and don't want to repeat that painful experience.

2. RAF Changes

1. RAF can now choose in the 2nd truck if their Commandos glider is deployed with a Commandos squad for standard cost (550MP), or with no squad for 150MP.
   
2. RAF can now choose in the 2nd truck if their Commandos glider is deployed with a Sten Commandos or Enfield Commandos
   

Here, the devs wanted to give the players more flexibility with gliders. Sometimes, someone wants the glider mainly as a reinforcement point in the field, rather than wanting to drop a whole new squad. Now, they have that option.

3.Bren upgrades for Commandos now cost 40 ammo

1. You can no longer get 2 snipers as US
   
2. SAS squad no longer has inconsistent detection radius
   
3. When CW captures Pak36, it will no longer lose camo ability
   
4. Sabotage squad in SE doctrine now properly displays Teller mines
   
5. Penetration values of Bazookas and PIATs vs allied targets set to more reasonable values
   
6. Zeal now provides bonuses when Volkssturm have 7 men squad size and lose 1 man
   
7. Set the penetration of BOYS rifle vs medium tanks to 1% at any range (from 10%)
   
8. Set the penetration of BOYS rifle vs light tanks (practically just Hotchkiss) to 20% at any range (from 10%)
   
9. Lowered speed penalty to Hotchkiss after getting the Stuka upgrade to 10% (from 33%)
   

As always, we appreciate you guys continuing to play the mod and show it the love we think it deserves. Stay tuned for more announcements, in particular the next fireside chat or beta update.

All the best from myself and the dev team to you and yours!

Wald