Fixes for Build 4.6.269

[Arjuna]

The fixes for Build 4.6.269 are:

[b]Engine[/b]
• Ensure Static Units not exempted from disbandment. Fixes a problem were and a depleted static garrison could linger at an objective denying the other side victory.
• Overhaul the Firepower Influence code. This involved using higher fidelity influence maps. Previously these were a 300m grid. Now they area a 100m grid, the same size of the terrain grid. It also involved writing separate influence calc code depending on whether it was called from the path finding or the actual route values. This has improved avoidance routes, the way enemy firepower is heeded when retreating and numerous other code.
• Overhauled the Control maps, increasing the fidelity and improving all code that uses map control as an input such as supply routes.
• Fix IsEqual() bugs. This function is part of the ForceGroups class and is called when comparing forceGroups throughout the code. There were several bugs inside this which often meant that two different groups were deemed equal and vice versa. Once this was corrected we had to substitute the IsEqual() for IsEquivalent() in some cases. This fixed a number of issues including some cases where a force would fail to get an order.
• Tweak Fire Accuracy code
• Ensure GetValueInRange()_ not called where min and max values are zero.
• Ensure attack force group is populated before assigning to reserve task
• Reviewed Inderdiction of Supply Columns. This involved reducing the constant kFPperHitOnTransportColumn to reduce kills on the transport columns. But the most significant change was increasing the fidelity of the influence, concentration and control maps. This has improved the supply routes being used.
• Prevent sending supply columns to location where previous columns have been wiped out.
• Display Supply Routes
• Ensure units do not draw from zero priority SEPs
• Reviewed how Bases draw their own supply. This is now done using the same rationing mod as the rest of the forces drawing from the base. Fixed a couple of minor bugs which meant that the fuelQty was being used instead of the ammoQty in some cases.
• Ensure Open spacing is used for all formations except in urban terrain.
• Fix double counting of pers cas in StandardDisbandmentReassessment()
• Ensure consistent use of fuelThreshold throughout scheduling and reaction code
• Ensure fireLoc is not the same as targetLoc before calling ATAN2() - prevents crash.
• Fixed bug in mapCache generation code.
• Keep enemy units spotted for longer
• Ensure GameAnimTask data saved properly. Fixed issue where facing changes not saved.
• Ensure no delay between preliminary Move and subsequent Defend tasks
• Fix bugs in CreateAdvanceToReserveTask(). This included ensuring that the approachRoute was being used rather than the truncated route and preventing the duplication of the join loc when joining the joinRoute to the truncatedRoute.
• Ensure inside CalcValues() it avoids PodDouble overflow when determining modified ticks.
• Vehicles in mixed formations (i.e. Armoured infantry, Cavalry Squadrons, etc.) were being allowed to take fire from a longer range than when they engaged the enemy (that is, they're considered to be deployed 'behind' the infantry and now this is done consistently).
• Marginal penetrations resulting in outright destruction too often (Lieste proposed a simple model that didn't give the 37mm Recon gun a disproportionate killing power at longer ranges).
• The ability to use terrain for cover depends now on crew training and experience.
• Reworked targeting routines so "most threatening" targets are called first. This assessment depends on crew training, experience and fatigue.
• Accuracy of direct fire weapons was being affected by height differences too much, now it gracefully increases or decreases with the angle between firing and fired units.
• We introduced the possibility of target overkill (i.e. unless a vehicle brews up, it's still considered a valid target).
• In some circumstances, not all shots fired (and hitting) were checked to see if they were penetrations (this affected high-ROF weapons).
• Green crews will now be exposing their vehicles sides and rear more often, than more experienced crews do.
• Now exposed personnel will duck for cover when receiving fires.
• Reduced target overkill by small arms fire.
• If units have the chance to use crew-served heavy weapons, they will always take it.
• Burst radius has now a greater effect when mortars and guns are fired against personnel.
• Suppression from small arms and direct fire HE increased substantially.
• Small arms and HE weapons fires now only affect the closest enemy unit rank, firing to the rear ranks only possible if there's a significant elevation difference.
• Tank crews will now pop out their heads (and get them blown, occasionally)
• Vehicle passengers are now more exposed to enemy fires.
• Fixed lock-up problem in Road Column formation. Now the advance guard won't be waiting for an infinitely long time for the task boss to move forward (and the other way around).
  
  Map Maker
• Now it's possible to adjust weapon and visibility reduction effects corresponding to "Open" terrain. In order to use this, you need to export to a spreadsheet the map effects, change the values corresponding to the "Open" entry and import it back.
  
  Estabs (BFTB)
• Sdkfz 251 didn't come with a mounted machine gun
• Greatly reduced range and accuracy of tank bow-mounted machine guns, lesser reduction of accuracy for pedestal mounted machine guns
  
  ScenMaker
• Fixed bug that prevented the creation of new scenarios in the ScenMaker.

[navwarcol]

Awesome work Dave! [:)]

[Arjuna]

Take a bow Miquel. [&o]

[dazkaz15]

It looks like a lot of work has gone into that patch, especially with the fidelity influence maps.

Thanks guys [&o]

[BletchleyGeek]

My pleasure

[Phoenix100]

Looks superb. Many thanks Miguel and Dave, and anyone else involved. Really look forward to playing with it.

Now. Where is it?.....

[Perturabo]

Sounds good.

[Mahatma]

*hugs whoever is responsible*

[Remmes]

Now that is one good looking patch. The support for this game has been second to none. Thanks guys!

[Renato]

It seems very good. Thanks.

[ChrisMaiorana]

Thank you!

[decaro]

I have a new Athlon dual core X 2 accelerated desktop w/a Win 8.1 OS and I'm eager to see how this upgrade will work with all the improvements.

After all, the proof of the pudding is in the "processing".

[pekische]

Will this patch influence also saved game?

[mb4329]

Wow, a fantastic level of continued support guys. Wish more software development teams were like this. Looking forward to installing and playing it.

[ulisin]

I love you
[:D]

[chemkid]

.

[mst007]

As a relative newcomer to the series (only purchased in the Xmas sale) - I`m hooked! Thanks for the continued support and great work!

[downtown]

I just picked up the Battles for Greece pack to go along with the release of this patch. Now it's on to some new and improved conflict. Thank you to all who put in such a great effort on this game! [&o]

[BletchleyGeek]

ORIGINAL: pekische

Will this patch influence also saved game?

Yes it will - terrain grids will be recalculated as well with many other map-related data. Yet maybe you get a crash. If so, post the Saved Game on the Tech Support forum so we can take a look into it.

In any case, these changes shouldn't be killing your existing saved games.

[BletchleyGeek]

ORIGINAL: Perturabo

Sounds good.

Pertu, since you're running CmdOps on Linux, maybe you could help us with something that it's quite easy to do under Linux.

Could you run CmdOps through the Valgrind tools memcheck and callgrind? The former is a memory profiler/checker, and I trust it very much as it is very good noticing untoward things done by the code. callgrind is a CPU profiler, since the code is optimized we won't be seeing much, but I hope we'll get to see enough so as to a get a decent picture of impacts in performance due to the latest changes.

You can find directions on how to use memcheck here

http://valgrind.org/docs/manual/quick-s ... tart.mcrun

and here directions for callgrind

http://valgrind.org/docs/manual/cl-manu ... manual.use

Cheers!