Strategic Command WWII: World at War version 1.03.00

[Daniele]

Hi everybody,

Strategic Command WWII: World at War has been updated to version 1.03.00, and its huge!

This update brings many improvements and changes to the game mechanics, making the gameplay experience better than ever!

Some of the improvements you'll find within the update:
- fixed a combat calculation error that in some cases incorrectly boosted attack result values too high against zero supply or zero morale units.
- fixed an issue where under supplied Air units were in some cases incorrectly being indicated by a purple hatch despite being unable to attach to a more optimal HQ in the area.
- optimized several AI US/UK GUARD, AMPHIBIOUS, FLEET and TRANSPORT event scripts for better handling in the Atlantic and Pacific.

You can download the update from here

Update v1.03.00 Changelog

GAME ENGINE CHANGES/FIXES
- fixed a combat calculation error that in some cases incorrectly boosted attack result values too high against zero supply or zero morale units.
- fixed an issue where under supplied Air units were in some cases incorrectly being indicated by a purple hatch despite being unable to attach to a more optimal HQ in the area.
- fixed a CTD error when selecting naval units within a campaign that has no set weather zones.
- fixed a CTD when entering a PURCHASE screen for a Major that has no available unit types to build for itself or for an applicable Minor.
- fixed a FoW reveal error during the last turn replay for some players when they switched computers between turns.
- fixed a Transport naval cruise, controlled path, and end move in a Port but no disembarkation CTD error when attempting to scroll the map after that.
- fixed a spotting issue under fog of war that did not have Amphibious Transports reveal hidden enemy adjacent land unit targets, after they have moved to a coastline, in some cases.
- fixed a rare AI Carrier combat error that led to a Carrier restrengthening itself prior to a follow up strike if intercepted and it had acted as its own escort.
- fixed a minimum shell reloading for artillery error at the start of each turn.
- fixed a rare AI naval combat error that led to a CTD.
- fixed a rare AI naval combat error that did not have AA guns or regular interceptors activate against some Carrier attacks.
- fixed an error that led to zero strength units not being destroyed in some rare cases.
- fixed a spotting error that did now allow units to have a proper FoW shroud reveal at sea relative to their spotting range.
- fixed a spotting error that allowed some units such as Carriers to have a full range shroud reveal as well as spotting within rain/storm hexes.
- fixed a Carrier movement issue that set Carrier strikes to 0 when full AP had been expended under FoW.
- fixed an end of game error that would lead to a CTD when navigating sub menus after the game has ended.
- fixed a MOBILIZATION#4 DECISION linking error that did not properly fire linked events from other scripts.
- fixed a MPP losses calculation error for when the defender was a Transport, actual unit type MPP losses were not taken into account.
- fixed and better optimized several issues related to AI transport escorts and screens with naval units.
- fixed a combat error that applied a weather penalty to Coastal Guns attacking naval units in frozen coastal waters.
- fixed an attrition loss error that did not properly occur for land units isolated on a single land hex in some cases.
- fixed a CTD error when selecting naval units within a campaign that has no set weather zones.
- fixed a HOTSEAT password issue that kept asking for a NEW PASSWORD.
- fixed a STRENGTH script handling error that did not reduce unit morale as expected.
- fixed a PBEM++ resign game error that did not allow their opponent to subseqently view the turn.
- optimized AI land combat calculations to dramatically improve AI speed here by up to 75% when there are a lot of land units on the map later in the war.
- HOTSEAT games now have the option to view a replay of your opponent's last turn.
- HQ units, after amphibiously unloading, start at 10 supply and maintain supply for up to 5 turns with a drop of 2 supply points per turn. This is similar to Special Forces, and allows the HQ to act as a Mulberry for an initial landing until further supply sources are achieved.
- HQ distribution supply has been changed to the following:
- HQ supply = 0 will have a distribution supply value of 3 (previously it was 5).
- HQ supply 1 or 2 will have a distribution supply value of 5.
- HQ supply 3 or 4 will have a distribution supply value of 6 (previously it was 8).
- HQ supply 5 will have a distribution supply value of 8.
- HQ supply > 5 will have a distribution supply value of 10.
- HQs (boosting recap) can now only be linked if the first HQ has a supply value >= 3.
- the HQ to be linked must have a supply value < 5 and is now automatically boosted to a supply value of 5 which caps its distribution supply at 8.
- this will improve distribution supply for boosted HQs that were at 3 or 4 supply (from 6 to 8), and more importantly, will allow them to 'operate' and 'upgrade' now that they are at 5 supply.
- SUPPLY SCRIPT events such as the Malta Supply Reduction event for Axis resources in North Africa, will require #SOURCE_POSITION units to have a strength >= 5 or the event will not fire. Suppression as opposed to outright capture of locations such as Malta will now be possible in order to negate the supply reduction effects.
- Subs that dive from an attack will no longer pass through an enemy Land + Sea hex.
- Research/Diplomatic investments will now highlight which country you are purchasing for when the investment confirmation question screen displays.
- intelligence spotted units will now report a little quicker with only the first spotted unit playing the report sound effect, and the subsequent spotted units in the same sequence will be revealed quicker on screen.
- players can now de-select a unit by pressing the space bar on their keyboard.
- friendly non cooperative majors will now provide a maximum supply of 3 to friendly units from resource supplying towns, cities and ports. Previously it was 0 supply.
- double strike naval units such as Carriers will now only lose 0.5 supply per attack instead of a full supply point as was previously the case.
- players now have the option to play past the default end date via the OPTIONS->ADVANCED screen. All victory scripts designed to run only at the end game date will also be automatically skipped, however those that are set to run at any time once in game conditions are satisfied, will still fire as expected.
- Amphibious Transports will now display the number of 'strikes' available when selecting or mouse hovering above the unit.
- Amphibious Transports will now automatically re-calculate and re-highlight any available unload hexes after moving adjacent to a shoreline as well as after attacking a coastal defender.
- improved AI HQ landings which now better attempt to consider adjacent enemy units before landing.
- improved AI Amphibious landings in general.
- Fortifications that have a lower defense value than the terrain they are located on, will now adopt the terrain defense value + 1. Otherwise the regular Fortification defense value will apply.
- National Morale losses and bonuses due to naval combat will now be doubled for all naval units except for Destroyers, Subs, Motor Torpedo Boats and Transports.
- NEW UNITS screen will no longer be displayed unless there is at least one new unit that can be placed on the map.
- Intelligence spotting of hidden units under FoW now capped at 5 units per turn.
- new units that cannot be placed on the map will now have the OK button shown as disabled, with a tool tip over the OK button providing further information.
- tile_highlights_sprites.png file amended to add an extra highlight which separates the ZoC highlight, 7th sprite, from the sometimes used extra attached HQ highlight.
- a more informative ZOC highlight is now visible on the map when a unit is selected and enemy ZOC hampers forward movement.
- added a load and apply custom MOD screen under the SETTINGS screen, allowing players to turn on or off installed graphical MODS at anytime in game.
- mods must be installed in the USER folder for the game, typically Users\<username>\Documents\My Games\Strategic Command WWII - World at War\Mods
- mods must be installed in the following format:
Users\<username>\Documents\My Games\Strategic Command WWII - World at War\Mods\<modfoldername>
Users\<username>\Documents\My Games\Strategic Command WWII - World at War\Mods\<modfoldername>\Bitmaps
Users\<username>\Documents\My Games\Strategic Command WWII - World at War\Mods\<modfoldername>\Interface etc.

EDITOR CHANGES/FIXES
- fixed a CTD when attempting to zoom in on small map sized custom campaigns.
- fixed an issue where minor nation HQ flag bases were not being properly shown when displaying 3D units.
- added a load and apply custom MOD screen option, allowing editors to turn on or off installed graphical MODS at anytime in the Editor.
- mods must be installed in the USER folder for the game, typically Users\<username>\Documents\My Games\Strategic Command WWII - World at War\Mods
- mods must be installed in the following format:
Users\<username>\Documents\My Games\Strategic Command WWII - World at War\Mods\<modfoldername>
Users\<username>\Documents\My Games\Strategic Command WWII - World at War\Mods\<modfoldername>\Bitmaps
Users\<username>\Documents\My Games\Strategic Command WWII - World at War\Mods\<modfoldername>\Interface etc.

STRATEGY GUIDES
- Mention of Resistance Activities that can’t be prevented by occupying forces has been added to all Strategy Guides (Christolos).
1939 Strategy Guides
- A note has been added to mention that non-French Allied units in Algeria, Tunisia or Syria will be interned and lost when Vichy France is formed (Protosszocker).

CAMPAIGNS
- Fixed Norway’s convoy from Narvik so that it won’t travel through ice (sschnar1; pjg100).
- fixed several German MAP translations (ha-voc).
- optimized several AI US/UK GUARD, AMPHIBIOUS, FLEET and TRANSPORT event scripts for better handling in the Atlantic and Pacific.
- Reduced the cost of Anti-Tank research for Germany and the USSR from 150 to 125 MPPs per chit.
- Spelling of the Tyrrhenian Sea corrected (Philippeatbay).
- Erzurum added as a third Capital and Industrial Center for Turkey (Markiss; gamer78; ewr).
- Air Op. Restriction for Iceland set to be Home Country Only.
- Map Text saying Aitape in hex 212,89 changed to Hollandia (Robert24).
- Fortification’s Maximum Entrenchment increased from 3 to 4.
- Patton’s base rating increased from 6 to 7 (ElvisJJonesRambo).
- Soviet Shock Army Build time increased from 1 to 3 months (sschnar1).
- Curaçao is now a UK Minor and it starts the 1942 and 1943 campaigns fully mobilized (Robert24).
- The chance of storms in the Atlantic and Mediterranean has been reduced (Bylandt11).
- Brazil can now build a Motor Torpedo Boat (Mithrilotter).
- Anti-Tank units’ Light Armour and Tank attack values increased from 4 to 5, and their Light Armour Defense Value increased from 5 to 6.
- Historical War Entry scripts added for Ecuador and Paraguay (Robert Carver).
- The mention of Benghazi in the French Decision text for the Afrika Korps has been corrected, as it should have said Italy (anton.verniol).
- Surrender_2 script headings updated to bring them in line with the template (Robert24).
- The P Hotkey now correctly shows that Tbilisi 135,52 will deploy a Partisan unit rather than just disruption (Mithrilotter).
- Scripts for Turkish Partisans added (Markiss).
- Added a dirt road from Wewak to Lae (Mithrilotter).
- US convoy added via Archangelsk for if Murmansk has fallen to the Axis, and the UK has moved its capital to Canada or Australia (Xenocide).
- The surrender of China, the UK, India or the USSR will now boost Japan’s National Morale (rob89).
- The surrender of the UK or USSR will now boost Germany and Italy’s National Morale (rob89).
- The surrender of India will also boost Germany’s National Morale.
- Text added to Decision Event 623 to make it clear that the game only ends when the player hits end turn (Mithrilotter).
- Pop Up added to advise when Axis vessels are impeding the flow of US supplies via Vladivostok to the USSR (Spartacus).
- The USSR now has a fully uncooperative setting.
- German National Morale now falls by 10,000 points if Berlin is captured (Mithrilotter).
- All Major HQs can now command Minors in line with their cooperative settings (Mithrilotter).
- Additional FREE UNIT scripts added so that units belonging to Communist China will, if it surrenders, be more likely to reassign to a Major that is fully mobilized and belligerent with Japan (FearlessLeader).

1939 World at War & 1939-45 Race to Victory
- Poznan Army strengthened (LuciusSulla).
- The Red Army now deploys 2 Corps at Moscow, Stalingrad and Rostov when it mobilizes, whereas previously it was only 1 at each location (Pocus).
- Reduced a US mobilization penalty from 40-50% to 8-15% for Allied pre-emptive attacks on Japan.
- Reduced Axis AI unit bonuses for Barbarossa at the Veteran level, these bonuses are now only applied at the Expert level.
- O’Connor’s starting strength increased from 5 to 8.
- War Entry scripts for Thailand no longer contain any references to Malaya’s political status.
- Mobilization_2 scripts responding to Axis Advances in Siberia reduced in effect.
- Nigeria will now automatically join the Allies providing it has a pro-Allied leaning and both India and the USA are fully mobilized (Easter80).
- Mobilization_3 scripts added for New Guinea and the Solomons so that they can enter the war (elxaime).
- Corrected Mobilization_1 scripts affecting the USSR if the Axis declare war on Mongolia.
- Mobilization_1 script added so that an Allied Declaration of War against Mongolia will swing the USA 5-12% towards the Axis (MrLongleg).
- Burma’s starting pro-Allied leaning increased from 25 to 65% so that Allied investment in diplomacy can lead to supplies being via the Burma Road to China before Japan attacks the country (Ancient One).
- Unnecessary Surrender_2 script for Operation Countenance removed (Kipsta).
- USSR’s starting MPPs increased from 75 to 125.
- DE 602 for Germany to form Vichy France will no longer fire if there are any Axis units within 2 hexes of Algiers (David Stoeckl).
- The cost of Decision 105 to prepare Singapore for war corrected so that the cost is 200 over 4 turns as per the text. (crispy131313).
- Spain will now swing 20-25% towards the Axis when France surrenders; 8-15% towards the Allies if France is liberated, and 8-15% towards the Allies if Italy surrenders (pjg100).
- Increased starting entrenchment for French units in the Maginot Line, and also increased the starting strength and experience of the French Army in Strasbourg (Taxman66).

1942 Axis High Tide & 1942-45 Race to Victory
- fixed a GUARD event for the Leclerc Corps in French West Africa.
- optimized several AI UNIT event scripts.
- Nigeria now starts fully mobilized, though the UK’s starting MPPs have been decreased from 375 to 355 to go towards offseting the benefit of this.

1943 Allies Turn The Tide & 1943-45 Race to Victory
- fixed a GUARD event for the Leclerc Corps in French West Africa.
- Railway added between Bangkok and Moulmein (Mithrilotter).
- Entrenchment values of the US Garrisons at Honolulu and Hilo increased, and these units now start with Anti-Aircraft Defense level 1 (Mithrilotter).
- Japan now starts with an Engineer unit arriving in the first turn (Mithrilotter).
- Japan starts with a strength 5 Tank unit in Manchukuo (Mithrilotter).
- Nigeria now starts fully mobilized, though the UK’s starting MPPs have been decreased from 375 to 355 to go towards offseting the benefit of this.
- Increased China’s starting MPPs from 150 to 200 MPPs.