Future plans re a 1.05 version
Posted: Thu Aug 11, 2011 3:40 pm
This post is for those interested in what we are working on and when we’re likely to release the next public beta version. At the moment Pavel is working hard on a 1.05 version (Jim and Trey have also been making lots of data/scenario fixes and changes). As you may have seen in another thread, Pavel has already added some increased information to Battle Site reports so we can more easily look into the details of combat. Depending on what we find, a few combat changes will likely be made, but exactly what changes will be made is not yet known (this includes what will or won't change with regards the infamous Soviet Attack Doctrine rule). We do think there will be some improvements made in combat, but this is not the main focus of 1.05. Here’s a rough list of items that we expect will get some work (I don’t want to go into full details yet because it’s likely to change some from our current plan as we implement and test the changes):
1) Changes to fort building that will reduce the number of very high fort levels and make it harder to build high level forts in the rear (fortified Zone/Region units will become more important for this). Refitting units will build slower. Increase the decay rates of low level forts, and further reduce fort building during mud.
2) Static units won’t go out of static when retreated or routed, and no units may be put in static mode in 1941 (the latter should be a house rule now as far as I’m concerned).
3) Changes to national morale levels. Basically Motorized, Cavalry and Mountain units will get varying amounts of higher national morale levels. This should especially help German units retain their higher morale and experience of their Motorized formations (Panzer and Motorized Divisions). Some other changes to national morale levels and replacement morale levels, most small for the Axis, but for the Soviets a major change to have their morale slightly higher at start in 41 but declining to reach a low in 42. It will then rise again and reach higher levels by late 43 then in the current game. We think this will better simulate what happened in the war as the Soviet losses added up and they found themselves with very poor armies in 42, but by the end of the war with much more efficient armies with better doctrine. Remember, morale as used here is not like morale in a Napoleonic game, it represents the training levels and doctrine capabilities of the countries more than reflecting the willingness of the soldiers to fight.
4) A few FOW changes.
5) Lower disabled return rate for Soviets and slightly decreased Soviet manpower multiplier in 1942.
6) A few targeted changes in the air model to better reflect Soviet production issues with their aircraft and natural attrition of older aircraft for both sides due to reaching their life expectancy. Changes to the flak and CAP to reduce the effectiveness of airfield bombing missions.
7) Some additional limitations on Soviet amphibious capacity in the Black Sea.
8) Ability to prevent isolation through sufficient airlift of supplies to airbases inside a pocket.
9) Account for Hiwi’s used by Germans to fill in for support staff that was shifted to combat elements.
There will probably be other changes made, and some of these may not happen or may be different from what I’ve listed. I’m not promising that everything above will make it into 1.05. I’d say the main goal of this 1.05 is to improve the situation in 1942 to better reflect the situation of the armies at that time, and trying to reduce the large fort belts that are too easily produced. Also improve the manpower levels and abilities of the armies through time to better reflect their capabilities. Of course, we don’t want to impact 41 too much and we would like to see the Germans be able to absorb a little more punishment later on, but we also want the Soviets to be able to develop an army that doesn’t just have to bash its way hex by hex all the way to Berlin.
It will probably take several weeks for us to program and test the planned changes, and any bugs that come up (old or new) could delay things further. With that said we’d like to get a new public beta out by early to mid September. With these changes being fairly substantial, you can expect a public beta process that will take some time. IIRC, it took 2½ months from the first 1.04 public beta release until we released the 1.04.36 official version. I’m not saying it will take as long with 1.05, but it will probably take some time.
We appreciate the comments and saves of players on the forum. We try to read as much as we can and analyze exactly how the game is working out and where we can make improvements, and this takes input from players, testers and the dev team. We don’t think the game is perfect, but we also don’t think the game is broken (far from it, we think overall the game is quite good and fun to play). Discussion is healthy as long as it’s backed up with data and does not degenerate into personal attacks. We know if you are posting on this forum you are passionate about your gaming and what you want to see in a game. I hope it’s clear that the dev team is just as passionate about putting out a great product as you are about playing it. We won’t always agree with you (we often don’t agree within the team), but we are listening.
1) Changes to fort building that will reduce the number of very high fort levels and make it harder to build high level forts in the rear (fortified Zone/Region units will become more important for this). Refitting units will build slower. Increase the decay rates of low level forts, and further reduce fort building during mud.
2) Static units won’t go out of static when retreated or routed, and no units may be put in static mode in 1941 (the latter should be a house rule now as far as I’m concerned).
3) Changes to national morale levels. Basically Motorized, Cavalry and Mountain units will get varying amounts of higher national morale levels. This should especially help German units retain their higher morale and experience of their Motorized formations (Panzer and Motorized Divisions). Some other changes to national morale levels and replacement morale levels, most small for the Axis, but for the Soviets a major change to have their morale slightly higher at start in 41 but declining to reach a low in 42. It will then rise again and reach higher levels by late 43 then in the current game. We think this will better simulate what happened in the war as the Soviet losses added up and they found themselves with very poor armies in 42, but by the end of the war with much more efficient armies with better doctrine. Remember, morale as used here is not like morale in a Napoleonic game, it represents the training levels and doctrine capabilities of the countries more than reflecting the willingness of the soldiers to fight.
4) A few FOW changes.
5) Lower disabled return rate for Soviets and slightly decreased Soviet manpower multiplier in 1942.
6) A few targeted changes in the air model to better reflect Soviet production issues with their aircraft and natural attrition of older aircraft for both sides due to reaching their life expectancy. Changes to the flak and CAP to reduce the effectiveness of airfield bombing missions.
7) Some additional limitations on Soviet amphibious capacity in the Black Sea.
8) Ability to prevent isolation through sufficient airlift of supplies to airbases inside a pocket.
9) Account for Hiwi’s used by Germans to fill in for support staff that was shifted to combat elements.
There will probably be other changes made, and some of these may not happen or may be different from what I’ve listed. I’m not promising that everything above will make it into 1.05. I’d say the main goal of this 1.05 is to improve the situation in 1942 to better reflect the situation of the armies at that time, and trying to reduce the large fort belts that are too easily produced. Also improve the manpower levels and abilities of the armies through time to better reflect their capabilities. Of course, we don’t want to impact 41 too much and we would like to see the Germans be able to absorb a little more punishment later on, but we also want the Soviets to be able to develop an army that doesn’t just have to bash its way hex by hex all the way to Berlin.
It will probably take several weeks for us to program and test the planned changes, and any bugs that come up (old or new) could delay things further. With that said we’d like to get a new public beta out by early to mid September. With these changes being fairly substantial, you can expect a public beta process that will take some time. IIRC, it took 2½ months from the first 1.04 public beta release until we released the 1.04.36 official version. I’m not saying it will take as long with 1.05, but it will probably take some time.
We appreciate the comments and saves of players on the forum. We try to read as much as we can and analyze exactly how the game is working out and where we can make improvements, and this takes input from players, testers and the dev team. We don’t think the game is perfect, but we also don’t think the game is broken (far from it, we think overall the game is quite good and fun to play). Discussion is healthy as long as it’s backed up with data and does not degenerate into personal attacks. We know if you are posting on this forum you are passionate about your gaming and what you want to see in a game. I hope it’s clear that the dev team is just as passionate about putting out a great product as you are about playing it. We won’t always agree with you (we often don’t agree within the team), but we are listening.