The Close Combat Mega Update Is Now Out!

[SeanD]

Fantastic improvements to the venerable Close Combat engine plus a sale for newcomers to the series!

Matrix Games, Slitherine and Black Hand Studios are thrilled to announce that the long-awaited re-launch and mega update of the Close Combat series is now available! These new releases mark a fantastic overall improvement to the gameplay of the Close Combat games and show the astonishing distance the series has come since its original form many years ago. Be sure to check out the video on YouTube and the preview article at The Wargamer to see what everyone is so excited about!

There’s never been a better time to get in on the famed Close Combat action, especially with our new $5 off promotion! When you buy any of the Close Combat titles you will be able to purchase another game in the series at $5 off. This sale excludes Close Combat – Modern Tactics and the $5 promotion is only valid for games purchased together in the same order.

Also, don’t forget that our Hoffa’s Body Easter Egg Contest is now starting! For all the veteran Close Combat commanders out there who remember finding Hoffa’s body in the classic Close Combat games, we’ve placed Hoffa’s body somewhere on the battlefields of Close Combat – Last Stand Arnhem. The first person to find Hoffa’s body and send us an in-game screenshot of his location along with their serial key will win a free digital copy of any game in the Matrix Games or Slitherine store!

Relaunch and Mega Update Improvements (CC: Cross of Iron, CC: Wacht am Rhein, CC: The Longest Day)

• Major improvements were made to the way vehicles and soldiers travel to way points and reach the end destination of both simple and highly complex, unhindered paths with a very high degree of success.
• Soldier pathfinding was improved so that when soldiers fall behind (heavy weapon or momentarily lost) they plot their own path to successfully rejoin their team.
• Vehicle driver and soldier decision making was improved to help them deal with unexpected obstacles (vehicle moving into their way , or wreck that was knocked out in the course of battle to block a path that was already determined), and get out of dead-end locations.
• AI improvements were designed in concert with the re-designed pathfinder.
• The "Bee Dance" of CC2 that was related to conflicts between the AI for the vehicle driver and the AI that tried to keep the team moving along the team's path that would result in a conflict about which portion of the AI to follow or "which way to go” is resolved.
• Many other minor improvements were made and reported bugs were fixed.

CC: Last Stand Arnhem-only Relaunch and Mega Update Improvements

• The mechanism for borrowing teams from the reserve battlegroup was redesigned.
• The Grand Campaign was redesigned for improved play balance

The update is comprehensive and will bring all previous versions of the Close Combat games up to their latest and greatest version. Get the updates here:

• Cross of Iron
• The Longest Day
• Last Stand Arnhem
• Wacht am Rhein

Get more information on Close Combat - Cross of Iron, Close Combat – Last Stand Arnhem, Close Combat – The Longest Day, and Close Combat – Wacht am Rhein from their official product pages and be sure to check out the new video!

[STIENER]

will there be a list of all the changes / fixes for this LSA ver.? and if so, where might we find it?

[berndn]

Thanks for the CC updates! Downloading now

[xe5]

ORIGINAL: STIENER
will there be a list of all the changes / fixes for this LSA ver.? and if so, where might we find it?

Every patch has included a change list.

Change History:

V5.60.51 – June 15, 2011

• Bug Fixes

o Fixed multi-player bug where client could get out of sync with host.
o CRLF 'box' characters should no longer show in briefings on Windows XP
o VLs on Eindhoven map re-organized -- "To Nederwetten" moved north.
o Some Battlegroup entry locations corrected for Arnhem Sector campaign, Veghel and Best of Best ops.
o Panzershreck accuracy increased to match bazooka
o BG purchase point calculation algorithm tweaked. Max pts now based on what it would take to refill your BG based on current slots and FP. Thus BGs with expensive teams (i.e. tanks) will recover more points per turn. Resting doubles points gained for a turn. Resting overnight gives you roughly half the points you’d need to refill your BG.
o Calculation of team quantities for the FP now rounds off, instead of down. Teams with 2 in the LSA FPools.txt will have 1 in the FP at Line difficulty, rather than 0, now.
o Fixed a bug where purchase points could go negative when a shot up team were returned to the FP at the end of the turn.
o Fixed a bug with timed reinforcements not always being added to the FP until the next day.
o UI-displayed ratings of cover (map examination text, soldier and team outlines) now using the same algorithm.
o Reduced the distance for an HE round to be considered a ‘direct hit’ on a vehicle from 3m to 2m.
o Reduced the effect of a blast hit against an unarmored part of a vehicle.
o Greatly reduced the chance of a gun itself being knocked out by a blast hit. It can still be damaged or have crew killed at the same rate, however.
o Soldiers with a weapon that can damage a vehicle (i.e. panzerfaust) will no longer choose to close assault the vehicle even at close range.
o Formation points no longer return to initial value when viewing opponent BG and returning, or editing two BGs in the same formation.
o Fixed bug with crews (who have lost their vehicle or gun) remaining in the battle group roster.
o Fixed a bug where you could blow a bridge during deployment phase if the timer was down to 0.
o Vehicles that moved in reverse sometimes rotated to face the direction they had been moving once stopped at their final destination.
o Entry setup zone can no longer change VL control of an enemy BG's original entry VL.
o A BG that enters play onto a map containing friendly static troops and remains on that map to fight a battle on the same turn it entered play no longer loses the previous map control from the (now absorbed) static troops.

• Grand Campaign:

o Arrival of XXX Corps elements pushed back to closer to their historical time line: Guards Armored arrives late 17 Sept – early 18 Sept. 43rd Division arrives late 19 Sept-early 20 Sept. 50th Division arrives late Sept 20-early Sept 21. So during 17-19 September, Guards Armored are the only XXX Corps BGs present.

• FPool.txt:

o Added panzerschrecks to 107.Pz.Bde, 10.SS KGs Rheinhold, Brinkmann, Euling, and 9.SS KG Graebner.
o Added PzJg (panzerfaust) teams to 9.SS KGs Spindler and Harder.
o Added a 4 additional Ersatz teams to KG Goebel (to bump it up to 9 BG slots).
o Removed 0 quantity LW teams from KG Chill.

• Elements.txt:

o Pushed vehicle move rate set very high for small and large hedgerows, to allow guns to setup in hedgerows.

• Maps:

o LOS on Arnhem Rail Bridge improved around the bridge landings.

[Andrew Williams]

A quick first report

I'm getting

1. 1/3 default deploy zones (exe error)
2. Bridge under repair/ not under repair cycling
3. BG's that can't move with no explanation.
4.

o VLs on Eindhoven map re-organized -- "To Nederwetten" moved north.

Still easily taken to avoid bridges and quickly drive north.
NOTE: If the map can be taken in one battle moving the VL 1 block north has negligible to nil effect.


5. I just clicked begin and straight away the axis morale failed awarding me 3 VL's (all VL's were shared) - less than 1 second into the battle.

[RD Oddball]

Thanks for the report Andrew.

*EDIT*

I see your initial post changed after I posted.

[Andrew Williams]

NP

Had a spare hour so started a campaign  

[Andrew Williams]

Sdkfz 250/1

wiped out 4 teams equipped with Bazooka and rifle grenades... didn't suffer 1 injury while under constant fire from 6 teams (2 across the river).

I thought HT's were stand off weapons, is this working as designed?

[RD Oddball]

Not sure I understand the question (re: stand off weapons.) but while talking about HT's there were some adjustments made to their integrity so they weren't so invincible. Not sure your report would indicate the adjustments were enough. Will try to replicate your results. Anyone else finding HT's are invincible or not easily damaged?

[Sapa]

Please tell me when the final patch is done so i could start using the "mod maker improvements" [&:]

[STIENER]

i am also finding H/T's some what invincible.

im also finding Mortors are still too strong VS guns and inf ...and gun crews being killed very easily by small arms fire.

i also find the german LMG ammo load to be too low......450 rds is not enough......have made a good argument for a great compromise....based on historical info. see other post.

the crawl of death is still very prevalent and damn annoying. 1 rifle shot in a squads direction can cause a squad to go to ground and turn around and crawl back to percieved safety.

anyone else feel like chiming in on the H/T issue etc?

[Andrew Williams]

Not sure I understand the question (re: stand off weapons.)

Historically HT's dropped their team and supported their advance from a distance.

not drive up to point blank range, with impunity, and wipe out a score of heavily armed and highly trained men.

[Andrew Williams]

can the Germans repair bridges and counter attack now?.... or are they still stuck on the wrong side of rivers?

[PzSniper]

Thank you, *****************

Your order was successfully completed. Below you will find the activation code(s) needed for software activation.

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Close Combat: The Longest Day Promo Download: ************** Click to Download

Close Combat: Wacht am Rhein Promo Download: ************* Click to Download



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Great news, finally i have bought all 4 Close Combat titles today to support further development, keep it up Matrix!
We love you... let's hope in Close Combat 6 news now hehe [&o]

[silverarrows]

Hello PZSniper

Did you downloads work? I purchased Last Stand Arnhem over a week ago and have had no luck downloading it.

Regards

Silverarrows

[PzSniper]

ORIGINAL: silverarrows

Hello PZSniper

Did you downloads work? I purchased Last Stand Arnhem over a week ago and have had no luck downloading it.

Regards

Silverarrows

yes mate, they worked great.. i have downloaded them with IDM anyway.

[STIENER]

close combat 6??? [:D] LSA still needs a wack of work IMHO

[Priapus1]

Very impressed with the patch. A few comments:

As mentioned above the crawl of death is still very prevalent even under extremely light rifle fire.
Ersatz units are absolutely useless. Some Ersatz variety would be appreciated too. Perhaps a smattering of SMGs or even an assault rifle in some units.
With the current set up it is impossible for the allies to capture either of the Arnhem bridges or Nijmegen bridge. Many other bridge maps have such short timers that, even if your units weren't being shot at, they would not have enough time to reach the bridge VL.
My only experience of H/Ts so far was at Nijmegen bridge where I entered the map in an terrible position (my own mistake) and was promptly wiped out. I did manage to take one out with a bazooka. My small arms fire had no effect.
Mortars are the biggest killer of troops. I'm still undecided whether this is historically accurate or not. However, they are so accurate and react so quickly that troop movement is minimal. It can be very frustrating. I'd like to see a minimum distance from a target that many CC5 mods use which ensures accuracy isn't so precise. A delay of something like 10 seconds between picking a target and the commencing of firing would be great so an assault over a short distance or even movement between buildings would be possible without a 50% casualty rate due to immediate mortar bombardment.
Very few people who play online choose to end battles by morale. Please make retreat possible after disbandment if your BG was in supply before the battle began.

These are experiences of playing online.

[RD Oddball]

Thanks for the feedback!

ORIGINAL: Andrew Williams

Not sure I understand the question (re: stand off weapons.)

Historically HT's dropped their team and supported their advance from a distance.

not drive up to point blank range, with impunity, and wipe out a score of heavily armed and highly trained men.

Thanks for clarifying. Good suggestion of a possible enhancement.

ORIGINAL: Andrew Williams
can the Germans repair bridges and counter attack now?.... or are they still stuck on the wrong side of rivers?

Bridge repair is not available to the German player. Within the game design it's the motivation to keep the bridges intact in order to be able to achieve a complete victory. I understand that historically the Germans didn't have bridge repair capability in the area. At least a capability that would allow a sizable or effective force to cross the rivers within a timeframe that would have bearing on a game GC.

[blastpop]

I'm am not trying to be critical about the sale- $5.00 off when one purchases a second game is not too much of an inducement... It would even be better if you didn't have to do both purchases at the same time... from my perspective.

YMMV- but for me at least buy one now- and get $10.00 off the second purchase within say 3 months (or other reasonable time frame). It would be enough of a discount to encourage a player to get a second game in the series within a reasonable time if they like the first one.

Personally I have CoI and love the East Front- so I am unlikely to buy any of the West Front ones, so I have no dogs in the game, so to speak.

Thanks for the mega update!