Apropos this:
https://www.matrixgames.com/forums/view ... 2#p5060631
Some recent (selected) additions to the ChangeLog (not in chronological order):
- Implementation of the new Slow Time system (at the cost of slower movement, helps to avoid mine/IED attacks; and if they happen, reduces their effects).
- Units moving DoubleTime will be more likely to lose concealment. And Units moving SlowTime will be more likely to remain concealed.
- Overhaul of the mine/IED system, with improved DoubleTime/normal/SlowTime effects; addition of night and enemy proximity effects; delayed side awareness; and several bug fixes.
- Updated game engine Toolbars, with addition of the new Slow Time button, also more prominent placement of the Jump Map button.
- Added code to support the new DoubleTime and SlowTime Unit List sidebar icons.
Some further reflections on the new Mine/IED Model.
In general, the chance of triggering mine (or IED) attacks is substantially reduced, dramatically so when side aware.
- Somewhat less frequent, not so automatic, mine/IED attacks.
- Somewhat less mine/IED attack impact.
- With the "somewhat" becoming quite a bit less if you SlowTime. And quite a bit more if you DoubleTime.
Even when a mine-laying side enters its own minefields (or IED fields) with side awareness, there is a small chance it will trigger an attack. This is substantially reduced if Slow Timing, or when the SAI employs the new move_slow() CSEE function, for instance. When departing your firebase and venturing across the encircling minefield/IED belt, better to SlowTime outward through your own minefields, so as to reduce the risk to near zero of blowing up your own mineds/IEDs. Never DoubleTime across your own minefields/IEDs! Not as bad as being side unaware, but still bad. Unless you normal or better SlowTime across them.
At night, there is greater risk of succumbing to Mine/IED attack. Enemy proximity will also affect such risk (where when engaging the enemy, friendlies will be distracted, thereby reducing their mine/IED awareness). Compared to previously, there will be significantly fewer mine/IED attacks out in the field on patrolling and search & destroy missions.
In any of this, there is never 0% risk or 100% risk. Rather, a continuum affected in appropriate ways by side awareness, movement speed, and other mentioned factors.
There are new XAlliedAwarePending etc. hex flags. If a single unit enters a minefield, followers will not suddenly have side awareness instantly. Rather, the pending awareness will become established awareness at current phase's end. Otherwise, with the former instant established awareness, one can game the old system too easily, for example sending in a lone sacrificial lamb unit to take the minefield hit, then move the followers into the minefield hex on the very same turn (phase), now with instant side awareness, and much less chance of triggering the mines (IEDs). No, with the new arrangement, there is no benefit moving a sacrificial lamb unit in first. Any units moving into a minefield etc. in the same phase, individually or all at once, are all treated equally.
Some interesting new tactical decisions:
- Do you move into a minefield at normal (or even DoubleTime) speed, with substantial minefield trigger risk and damage, to immediately assault the enemy in the hex just beyond?
- Or do you SlowTime into the minefield hex, substantially lowering your minefield risk, but possibly shorting your APs making immediate assault that very same phase impossible? And thereby exposing your forces to added counterfire -- opfire this phase, direct fire in the subsequent enemy phase, either of which might Disrupt your troops, nullifying their participation in the assault -- before the actual assault in the next friendly phase.
And other tough choices. No longer will clicking the DoubleTime button be quite so automatic. You will be forced to think, weigh in the balance the various tradeoffs.
The Mine/IED mini game is much more realistic and nuanced. Especially compared to legacy, the Mine/IED mini game is way more interesting now!
Er,
will be, in the next and later releases.
Thankfully, the PBEM night turn replay bug has been squashed, and we are waiting for confirmation from other team members. With that, we should be able to ship the update package for Public Beta #2 by the end of this week.