"Recent changes" ?

[Wdll]

Hello everybody.

I have been away from winspmbt since v8. Well since v7 when I actually played games from what I remember.

Apart from the usual (and important) oob changes, any serious game mechanics' changes I should be aware of? I have the CD version.

[jivemi]

Well if you've been absent since before April 2013 there have been at least two main gameplay changes from that year's patch:

"[1]Artillery overload has been added. Over-spending on artillery will now credit your opponent with extra Victory Points as a penalty for doing so. When the artillery value of a force exceeds a specified amount ( see below ) the arty percentage on the purchase screen is shown in yellow as a warning that you have entered artillery overload. If this happens an amount of the overload is allocated to your opponent as Victory points, specifically 50% of the excess amount of points spent on extra artillery. (Hover your mouse over the Artillery Mode change button to see what free VP you have granted to your opponent should the percentage value go yellow due to artillery overload.)

In an assault your artillery points spend is unlimited. The advancing side in an advance/delay can have 30% of his points as artillery before overload applies. In a meeting engagement, both sides are allowed 20% of total points as artillery. All others are limited to 15% of total points to be spent on artillery before overload penalty.

Campaign cores do not limit artillery bought, but if you overload on it then you may well be handing points to the enemy especially when defending. Air units or ADA do not count as artillery points, only mortars, howitzers etc. that can fire indirectly. Ammo resupply units do count as artillery points, as they are a human use only unit against the AI. Artillery overload points are reported at the end of the first turn, and also on the totals screen at end game.

Artillery can no longer be plotted (including air transports and spotters) on turn 0, or 1 if the battle is a meeting engagement or you are the delayer or defender. A scenario designer can still plot artillery as he desires in his scenario, however. The AI may still plot fire as before. This is deliberate to penalise a human player who packs the approach roads. Note that the bombardment screen may still be entered to plot FDF gold spots, or toggle the blast radius display. The arty units just will not show up till post turn 1 if unavailable in the scenario for pre-game bombardment

[2]Infantry assaults now require 2 free MP. If there is insufficient MP the unit fires at the tank instead of close assaulting. As well, a failed infantry assault on armour can now result in casualties to the assaulting infantry element."

Welcome back Wdll and happy gaming!

[Suhiir]

Not sure if this was a pre v8 change but "Area SAMs" no longer waste their missiles on spotter aircraft.

[Wdll]

Those are some sweet changes. I think I remember the artillery limits. Wish they were even harsher lol.
Thank you guys.

[IronDuke99]

Originally Posted by Suhiir

Not sure if this was a pre v8 change but "Area SAMs" no longer waste their missiles on spotter aircraft.

Does that apply to unmanned drones?

[Suhiir]

Originally Posted by IronDuke99

Does that apply to unmanned drones?

Sure does IF they are Unit class 50, Air Op Aircraft (as all of them are).
This is the main reason for the change actually, no one is likely to fire an area SAM at a UAV.

[IronDuke99]

But they will fire at a Hellfire armed drone yes?
Also sometimes it seems Hellfire armed drones will turn up before SEAD aircraft. Anyone else had this happen?

[shahadi]

Originally Posted by IronDuke99

But they will fire at a Hellfire armed drone yes?
Also sometimes it seems Hellfire armed drones will turn up before SEAD aircraft. Anyone else had this happen?

Suhiir is correct, the UAV is sparred from area SAM fire, according to the game guide we read:

"...SAMS are now filtered on warhead size versus spotter planes and UAVS. Large SAMs will no longer needlessly engage small spotter aircraft or UAV's. These will be left for the smaller SAMs."

However, armed drones are classed as fighter bombers, as such area SAMs will fire on them.

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[Imp]

Originally Posted by IronDuke99

But they will fire at a Hellfire armed drone yes?
Also sometimes it seems Hellfire armed drones will turn up before SEAD aircraft. Anyone else had this happen?

Units in the bombardment menu perform thier action in unit order so from top to bottom of the bombardment screen. Therefore buy your SEAD after artillery but before other air assets.

[shahadi]

Originally Posted by Imp

Units in the bombardment menu perform thier action in unit order so from top to bottom of the bombardment screen. Therefore buy your SEAD after artillery but before other air assets.

Yeah, that's the ticket. At least before any strike elements.

Also, it is literally top to bottom within formations, N0 before N1, N2.

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