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Balance Update - 1.1.4

2023-04-21 · RE_Gabby · Steam original ↗
We are excited to release our first major balance update in 1.1.4. In this update, our team has focused on several key areas to tone down oppressive strategies and increase unit and strategic diversity. We will continue to monitor unit/faction performance for future updates. In this Update you can expect: Check out our livestream where we discuss the objectives of this update with our Gameplay Designers and what we're keeping an eye on.

GENERAL GAMEPLAY CHANGES

Anti-Tank Rifles Afrikakorps Panzerjager Panzerbusche & British Corps Infantry Section Boys Anti-Tank Rifles Anti-Tank rifles are overperforming in their ability to shutdown vehicle play and engage targets while under suppression. The following changes address these cases and allow vehicles to kite Anti-Tank Rifle Units. Auto-Reverse Distance Auto-reverse distance is being increased to reduce how often a player needs to use the Reverse ability and make it easier to back vehicles up during the heat of battle. Barbed Wire Bunkers Wehrmacht Bunkers & Afrikakorps Heavy Machine Gun Bunker Button Abilities Flak 30 AA Gun, M16 Multiple Gun Motor Carriage & M1919 Heavy Machine Gun Team Button has been overhauled to be less punishing. Buttoned vehicles can now fight back and will no longer be immobilized, allowing them to maneuver or retreat. Forward Reinforcement Times We have adjusted forward reinforcement to lessen the power of front-line reinforcement, especially during combat. This should dramatically lower the efficiency of forward reinforcing, making it less oppressive in larger games. Mobile Anti-Tank Guns Anti-tank guns are seeing improvements across the board, increasing their reliability and performance against vehicles. Additionally, we have implemented key adjustments to minimize the frequency of shells striking the terrain ensuring a more consistent performance at long ranges. Mobile Heavy Machine Guns Heavy Machine Guns are seeing improvements across the board to address their unreliability in their anti-infantry / or “anti-blob” role. Smoke Snipers We are reducing the effectiveness of snipers when operating independently. They will now require spotters to utilize their full range and are more vulnerable to incoming fire. Furthermore, these units will now fire marginally slower.

FACTION CHANGES

US Forces

US Forces continues to struggle in team game modes where many of their advantages are less pronounced. Our focus for this patch has been to improve their mid-game options, reduce the price of certain upgrades, and strengthen their light vehicle play. 4x4 Truck Advanced Logistics Assault Engineers Bazooka Team Engineer Grenade Package High Velocity Armor Piercing Rounds M4A3E8 Sherman & M18 Hellcat M3 75mm Gun Motor Carriage We have adjusted the M3 75mm Gun Motor Carriage to be geared to destroying lighter vehicles and providing fire support against units like dug-in infantry and Heavy Machine Guns. M3 Half-track M4 Sherman 105mm Dozer M8 Greyhound These changes are intended to increase the Greyhound’s performance against infantry in open terrain. M8 Scott M16 Multiple Gun Motor Carriage M24 Chaffee Light Tank These changes will make the unit more effective at hunting down other light vehicles, give it better maneuverability to flank heavier vehicles, and disengaging from enemy threats. M1918 Browning Automatic Rifles M1919 Heavy Machine Gun Team Riflemen Pour it On’Em has received a heavy adjustment to its suppression. Previously, it allowed Riflemen to win all infantry engagements through suppression while also receiving a damage boost. Browning Automatic Rifles have also had their accuracy slightly increased to improve their effectiveness at range. Pour it On’Em Survival Training M4A3E8 Sherman To differentiate the Easy Eight from regular 76mm Shermans, the High-Velocity Armor Piercing Rounds ability now comes as default, while also retaining the regular Sherman veterancy abilities, giving the tank excellent flexibility and options. Sherman Whizbang

US Forces Battlegroups

Armored Battlegroup Field Repairs Field Repairs has been reworked to be easier to use and have a greater impact. M4A3E8 Sherman Combat Group The cost of the combat group has been significantly reduced to better reflect the capabilities of the Sherman Easy Eight, its timing, and its position in the Battlegroup. Special Operations Battlegroup

Wehrmacht

The Wehrmacht is receiving boosts to its early game with improvements focused on the Panzergrenadier Kompanie to increase build and composition diversity. We are also addressing the dominance of Jägers across all game modes. 251 Medium Carrier Armored Car 221 Fallschirmjaeger Fallschirmpioneers Flak 30 20mm Anti-Air Gun Grenadiers Grenadiers have received several adjustments to slightly improve their performance, so they are in-line with other early game infantry. Hulldown Ability This ability now has a delayed activation to prevent immediate defensive boosts. Jäger Light Infantry The Panzerschreck Jägers high flexibility, powerful base stats, and superior anti-tank capabilities have made them dominant in all modes. We are shaving off a significant amount of power from the unupgraded Jäger and Panzerschreck Jägers, emphasizing tradeoffs when opting out of the Reconnaissance Package. Panzerschreck Marder III M Tank Destroyer MG 42 Heavy Machine Gun Team Officer Quarters Upgrades Infanterie Kompanie, Luftwaffe Kompanie, Panzergrenadier Kompanie & Panzer Kompanie Panzer IV Command Tank Panzergrenadier Squad StuG III G Assault Gun We have made major changes to the StuG III to make the vehicle more attractive in larger and later games where it was unreliable at fighting enemy armor. Stosstruppen Stosstruppen have received a number of improvements to make them the premiere anti-infantry squad for their cost and timing. StuG III D Assault Gun (Short Barreled) Stummel Half-track The Stummel has been adjusted to make it a more effective fire-support unit against infantry through increased range and area of effect damage. Sturmpanzer IV Brummbar Wespe Self-Propelled Gun

Wehrmacht Battlegroups

Breakthrough Battlegroup Panzer IV Command Tank Luftwaffe Battlegroup Fallschirmjager Paradrop Fallschirmpioneer Paradrop Mechanized Battlegroup Mechanized Assault

British Forces

The British Forces’ dominance with massed infantry backed by powerful upgrades led to oppressive gameplay and reduced build and unit diversity. We have significantly reduced the effectiveness of these strategies, requiring the faction to rely on combined arms to get the most out of their units. Bishop Self-propelled Gun Centaur The Centaur has been improved to push the unit towards a mobile anti-infantry vehicle that deals steady damage to infantry, while being able to disengage from most threats. CMP15 CWT AA Truck We have adjusted the CMP15 CWT AA Truck to primarily be geared to shooting down aircraft. We will be revisiting this unit in future updates. Commando Light Machine Gun Section Commandos Crusader II Dingo Infantry Section The following change now forces Infantry Sections to be in cover to gain their veterancy 1 ability bonuses, making them less effective when in the open. Matilda II Heavy Tank Royal Engineer Section Training Center Upgrades The Training Center provided excessive value for its cost, could be confusing forplayers and enabled Veteran British units to heavily out scale their opponents. We have streamlined the combat bonuses to only apply once and removed the damage bonus. This significant reduction should maintain British units’ early-to-mid game power but result in a noticeable drop in late-game scaling. Vicker Heavy Machine Gun Team

British Forces Battlegroups

Air and Sea Battlegroup Naval Blockade British Armoured Indian Artillery These changes to the Battlegroup better reflect the power of Volunteer Infantry and its role as a middle to late game option that requires the player to commit to the end of the Battlegroup tree to obtain. 4.2 Inch Heavy Mortar Perimeter Monitor

Afrikakorps

The Afrikakorps were oppressive in its middle and late game while also being overly vulnerable early on. We are making minor adjustments to even this out by strengthening its early game and reducing the power of their Armory upgrades. 250 Light Carrier These changes should allow Afrikakorps players to delay building dedicated healing. Advanced Field Repairs   Booby Trap Emergency Repair Kits   Fire Support Elements Flak 36 88mm Anti-Tank Gun Flakvierling Half-track The Flakvierling Half-track is having its effectiveness increased to better reflect its timing and role as a low durability, but high firepower unit. Guastatori Guastatori have been adjusted to remove their anti-vehicle snare, focusing their role as an anti-infantry and anti-garrison unit. Their cost has been reduced to reflect this. Kradschutzen Motorcycle Team Build times are being reduced to improve the standard Afrikakorps openings, that include Panzergrenadiers. L6/40 The armor of the L6/40 has been increased, pushing this unit towards a low health vehicle that is immune to Heavy Machine Guns and small arms. Le.IG 18 Support Gun MG 34 HMG Team Pak 38 Anti-Tank Gun Team Panzerjaeger Panzerjaeger Tear Gas Shot ability no longer creates a White Phosphorous Cloud explosion effect. The performance is unaffected. Panzergrenadier Squad Build times are being reduced to improve the standard Afrikakorps openings, that include Panzergrenadiers. Rapid Advance StuG III D Assault Gun Tungsten Rounds Tungsten Rounds is having its damage bonus removed as they added too much passive power for Afrikakorps vehicles against infantry and vehicles. Penetration bonuses have been slightly increased to compensate. Vehicle Survival Package We are lowering the durability bonus so most vehicles, when combined with Emergency Repair Kits, can survive one additional hit rather than two.

Afrikakorps battlegroups

Armored Support    Italian Combined Arms 

Bug Fixes