SC: WWI - Update v1.15.00

[NotTooBad]

Hi everyone,

we've just released a new update for the game, with a lot of balancing tweaks and bug fixes, here is the changelog:

GAME ENGINE

• Fixed a SURRENDER_2 error that did not properly fire FREE_UNIT events (Lothos).
• Fixed a resource strength display error when using the 'Show Upgradeable Units/Resources' option for ports that have the possibility of Naval Construction being applied (Mithrilotter).
• Fixed a 'range' determination error for range checks at sea that did not properly take into some rare coastal formations (Bill R.).
• Fixed an in game interface crash when navigating from the Production screen to the Purchase screen during a specific mouse click sequence (El Condoro).
• Fixed a unit attrition loss error when units have been set to no action points, e.g. no attrition was calculated for these unit types such as pill boxes (gigiduru).
• Fixed an issue with the PBEM autosave saving right after your opponents replay, and increased the time slightly between autosaves as well (MJY).
• Fixed an issue where an Engineer that was preparing a fortification, that then Operated to protect a capital, did not lose its fortification preparation status (FOARP).
• Fixed capital transfer issue (Zuxius).
• Fixed a movement path calculation error when mulitple high penalty zones of control are in play (MrOrange).
• Fixed a VICTORY screen issue when the message was too long to fit (rhaltigan).
• Fixed a max zoom refresh error when switching from scenarios to a main campaign and vice versa (abchambe).
• Fixed a SAVE GAME screen issue where selecting the second page of saves would overwrite the the potential save 'file name' with the first selection on the second screen (achambe).
• Fixed a Motor Torpedo Boat reinforcement error that allowed it to reinforce > 5 at understrength ports (Tigertony).
• Added a SCORECARD which can be accessed using the 'L' key to view the campaign summaries. The scorecard will also appear after the VICTORY screen at the end of a game.
• Added ultra widescreen support for 21:9 and 32:9 resolutions such as 3840x1440 and 5120x1440.
• Coastal Guns will now exert a zone of control not only on land hexes, but over sea hexes as well (Elessar2).
• HQs with the highest rating will try and attach to the most units possible superceding other HQs when in 'Auto' (Mithrilotter).
• Subs in Silent mode no longer spot along their movement path, only their from their final moved to position.
• Partisans no longer suffer any possible attrition as their minimum supply should always be >= 3 (Mithrilotter).
• Turn counter added as a tool tip highlight if you mouse hover over the in game date in the upper right hand corner (Simicro).
• Victory scripts connected to dummy Decision events set to Type= 2 should now fire as intended (Mithrilotter).
• Paratroops can no longer prepare if they have 0 action points.
• Amphibious Transports can no longer unload from a neutral sea coastal hex.
• Interceptors that receive attacks from an escort will no longer suffer morale loss from the attacking Escort, e.g. even if Fighters are set to inflict morale losses on defenders (Lothos).
• Abandoned port control with an adjacent enemy unit will flip to enemy control at the end of your turn, e.g. previously it would flip end of the follow up enemy turn (Mithrilotter).
• Defending Carriers that already start at 0 strength for their aircraft wing will no longer report 'shattered' when attacked, e.g. if they were to take further damage to their aircraft wing (rjh1971).
• AI planning and organization optimized/fixed for OFFENSIVE, DEFENSIVE, TRANSPORT and AMPHIBIOUS TRANSPORT plans.
• AI Maritime Bombers now fly recon missions at sea if they do not have a visible target to engage (Mithrilotter).
• AI Carriers will no longer prioritize subs in first strike attacks, but may target a sub if it has been already attacked by other units or if it can be potentially destroyed.
• AI Subs in Silent mode will no longer be affected by enemy naval unit Zone of Control.
• AI naval units that pass through enemy units and take damage will now temporarily reveal itself when taking damage (Mithrilotter).
• AI air and naval will no longer attack/prioritize empty enemy resources on the very first turn of the game unless it is a mine or oil resource.
• AI air and naval units will be much less likely to attack an enemy resource unless the attacking unit has a resource attack value > 0.
• AI Destroyers and Motor Torpedo Boats should no longer attempt to shore bombard land units (Mithrilotter).
• Airfields can now be set as an ADVANCED campaign option where air units can only operate to and from AIRFIELD or adjacent to AIRFIELD hexes.
• Airfields provide supply to both land and air units.
• Air units can operate to airfields even if the 'Airfields' option is not selected.
• OFFENSIVE, AMPHIBIOUS and AMPHIBIOUS MINOR events can now all be scripted to target airfields.
• UNIT scripts can now be set to deploy units at airfields, e.g. the same as cities, capitals etc.
• Production/Deployment Queue now includes 'Airfields' as destinations for air units.
  
  EDITOR
• All AI scripts that have an #ACTIVATE_POSITION field, now make use of [<] as well as <unit_id, ...>. See Templates\AI for more details in the NOTES section of the header of the applicable files.
• All AI scripts can now have an optional #ALIGNMENT_POSITION field added. See Templates\Events for more details in the NOTES section of the header of of the applicable files.
• Added new functionality for any EVENT script that uses the #CONDITION_POSITION field, e.g. the use of [<] as well as <unit_id, ...>. See Templates\Events for more details in the NOTES section of the header of the applicable files.
• MOBILIZATION_1 and MOBILIZATION_4 events have added functionality for the #CONDITION field, see the applicable Templates\Events files for more details in the NOTES section of the header for these files.
• Enabled the options to edit the Resource attack/defence research upgrade increments for Fighters (Lothos).
  
  1914 Call to Arms, 1914 Triple Alliance, 1917 Fate of Nations
• German DLC translations greatly improved (Lukas Lohmann).
• Increased Naval Zone of Control effects and moved Subs so that single Submarines will not exert a Zone of Control (redrum68).
• Restricted diplomacy affecting Spain so that now, no Major can invest more than 2 chits in it (mdsmall).
• Updated the Strategy Guide so that DE 625 now gives the correct information on the bonuses to be gained from Ukrainian grain supplies (Maddin25).
• Increased the chance of naval units retreating to 50% (100% for Carriers) with their maximum retreat ranges set to 4 hexes (2 for Motor Torpedo Boats).
• Increased the retreat range for all naval units apart from Motor Torpedo Boats to 4 hexes, and increased the chance of a Carrier (either type) retreating to 100%.
• If Germany says no to Brest-Litovsk via DE 620 then Russian National Morale now increases by 25,000 rather than 15,000 points (tage2).
• A loop script has been added to remove Russian troops from Finland after it declares independence (havoc1371).
• Added a new Diplomacy script to encourage the German AI to invest in the Netherlands if it swings to a pro-Entente leaning (Mithrilotter).
  
  1914 Call to Arms and 1914 Triple Alliance
• Fixed a typo in DE 401 (BNC).
• Corrected part of the description in the Mobilization_2 script Romania is Impressed by Entente Successes (1) (mdsmall).
• Improved the Ottoman, Russian and US AI Research scripts (Mithrilotter).
  
  1916 The Big Push
• Increased the HQ command limit for German HQs from 25 to 30 (Mithrilotter).

[mdsmall]

I see from this update that the change in silent sub spotting already introduced in WiE now applies as well to SC WW1. This is a pretty significant change - especially for Germany which is the only power in any of the SC games that uses subs as its primary naval weapon. It will make it much harder for the Germans to scout the Entente blockade lines and counter-attack using other subs, and if they chose to risk it, surface ships. Seven of the nine major powers in the game have subs and spotting in silent mode is one of their major uses.

I would be interested in knowing what the rationale was for making this change at this point in the evolution of the SC series. How do other players think this will affect play by both sides in this game?

[gamerdude]

well... small bummer for me, as I have 3 active SCWW1 games going.... all as CP. Two of which are waiting for the subs to achieve upgraded status before venturing out. ... oh well.

?... what was the historical use of uboats during this period. Surely they were frequently used for spotting/recon. And if so, then why is that option taken away from them in this game? Especially since it has been okay for so many years.

....the whole naval portion of the game could probably be re-tooled ... some thoughts:
Large capital ships sitting in one hex, at sea, for months without using up any supply?;
No way to remove mine fields (by either side) (or is there a way...and I dont know it?);
Movement blocked by a mine field when "supported" by adjacent ships/subs... no way to get thru at any cost?
...I'm sure I can think of a lot more questions, and you all probably have a lot more...

so question... which I will probably just have to go with trial and error (or spend a lot time testing this w/hot seat)...
if a sub in silent mode moves one hex and stops...is that the "final" location?... or can player go to other ships... then back to the sub and move more?
Regards to all....and love this game.

[OldCrowBalthazor]

I see from this update that the change in silent sub spotting already introduced in WiE now applies as well to SC WW1. This is a pretty significant change - especially for Germany which is the only power in any of the SC games that uses subs as its primary naval weapon. It will make it much harder for the Germans to scout the Entente blockade lines and counter-attack using other subs, and if they chose to risk it, surface ships. Seven of the nine major powers in the game have subs and spotting in silent mode is one of their major uses.

I would be interested in knowing what the rationale was for making this change at this point in the evolution of the SC series. How do other players think this will affect play by both sides in this game?

Ditto.
I really do not like this change and wonder why it was made?
Using the CNTR key while in Silent mode to stitch Waypoints and execute the patrol to spot enemy ships was an essential part of the game, particularly with SC-WW1.
It isn't like the Subs/U-boats were submerged the entire length of the turn. They surfaced or came to periscope depth every day/night during the period of a turn to spot targets or do recon.
No one that I know complained about this method of moving subs in this fashion..at least I don't remember reading about it or hearing a complaint from fellow players about this since SC-WW1 was released.

[BillRunacre]

so question... which I will probably just have to go with trial and error (or spend a lot time testing this w/hot seat)...
if a sub in silent mode moves one hex and stops...is that the "final" location?... or can player go to other ships... then back to the sub and move more?
Regards to all....and love this game.

You can go back to it until it has used up all its Action Points.

[BillRunacre]

I see from this update that the change in silent sub spotting already introduced in WiE now applies as well to SC WW1. This is a pretty significant change - especially for Germany which is the only power in any of the SC games that uses subs as its primary naval weapon. It will make it much harder for the Germans to scout the Entente blockade lines and counter-attack using other subs, and if they chose to risk it, surface ships. Seven of the nine major powers in the game have subs and spotting in silent mode is one of their major uses.

I would be interested in knowing what the rationale was for making this change at this point in the evolution of the SC series. How do other players think this will affect play by both sides in this game?

Do you mean this one?

Subs in Silent mode no longer spot along their movement path, only their from their final moved to position.

If so, in testing it felt that it was giving away too much information, and IIRC there was a lack of consistency/something odd about the way it worked.

[BillRunacre]

We appear to have inadvertently placed a lot of changes further down in the Version Notes file, which means they aren't included in the original post above.

These are:

1912 The Balkan League & 1913 The Broken League
- Corrected discrepancies between names of Salonika and Monastir on the map and in events for German translations (piasecznik)

1916 Lion of Africa
- Added settlements of St Lambert, Mulongo and Baudouinville in the Belgian Congo, as well as associated roads and supply capture events
- Kiambi and Mulongo are now Industrial Centres
- Albertville reduced to a Primary Supply source
- Fixed hex reference for the Elisabethville supply capture event (OldCrowBalthazor)
- Reduced Portugese industrial modifier to 45% (was 85%)
- Removed Portuguese Regiments that start in Mwembe and Quelimane for human players (Allied AI will still receive these units)
- Mafia Island now core British territory (OldCrowBalthazor)
- Jungle movement cost reduced to +1 (was +2)

1919 Shadow of the Tsars
- NW Whites are now a major nation, with the Baltics and Finland as minors under them
- Reduced British starting MPPs to 50 (was 80)
- NW Whites 1st Corps now begins deployed on the map at Kuressaare
- Pskov is now an industrial centre for the NW Whites (though still begins the game controlled by the Bolsheviks)
- Added a convoy between the UK and NW Whites, allowing up to 75% of British income to be sent to the NW Whites
- Enabled display of the convoy map in this campaign
- Removed DE 101 (British Support to NW Whites). The associated units will now be automatically provided to the NW Whites
- NW White AI will attempt to diplomatically influence Finland in some games
- NW Whites build limit for Fighters and Recon Bombers increased by 1
- Removed the port of Narva (Beriand)
- UK, Poland and Germany limited to 2 research chits per tech (was 3) (Duedman)
- Removed income DEs for Baltic States following British withdrawal, and Romania following French withdrawal
- Reduced UK starting FS to 5000 (was 12000), and base FS to 10000 (was 12000)
- UK war weariness adjusted to the following: -50 FS/turn throughout 1919, increasing to -100/turn from 1920/01/01
- UK FS penalties for maintaining forces near Murmansk and Arkhangelsk reduced to -125/turn, but will fire every turn. This also now applies in both AI and multiplayer games. (Nutshell in a Nutshell)
- UK FS penalty for moving units deep into Russia reduced to -750/turn
- Removed British aircraft from production queue
- Replaced British Gough HQ with Estonian Laidoner HQ, which now begins deployed on the map
- Persia is now neutral
- Removed UK unit spawns in Persia
- British 27th Division will now begin deployed in Poti
- Improved British AI garrison behaviour
- UK industrial modifier reduced to 75% (was 100%)
- UK FS penalty from saying NO to DE 106 reduced to 800 (was 3000)
- France and the USA can no longer conduct research or build new units
- Removed AI script encouraging French units to advance into Russia
- Reduced French starting FS to 1000 (was 5000), and increased base FS to 10000 (was 5000)
- French war weariness reduced to -150 FS/turn, however this will now fire every turn
- French intervention force begins the game deployed around Odessa. Their strength has also been significantly reduced.
- French industrial modifier increased to 15% (was 5%)
- Reduced US starting FS to 3000 (was 5000), and increased base FS to 10000 (was 5000)
- Reduced US starting MPP to 20 (was 60)
- US war weariness reduced to -150 FS/turn, however this will now fire every turn
- US industrial modifier reduced to 25% (was 100%)
- UK, French and US FS penalties associated with Bolshevik propaganda removed
- Removed rare events causing France and the US to withdraw from the war at 25% FS instead of 0%
- Greece is now neutral and cannot build units nor enter the war (Duedman)
- Polish units that cross the Berezina or Ukrainian border will now suffer 1-3 points of damage to desertions each turn (OldCrowBalthazor)
- Polish desertion FS penalty now -125/turn, removed the one off penalty the first time this is done (OldCrowBalthazor)
- Reduced Polish starting and base FS to 57500 (was 40000) (Klydon)
- Poland now controls Lwow on turn 1 (artak1998)
- West Ukraine now has an alternate capital in Stanislaw (artak1998)
- Reduced cost of DE 303 (Ukrainian Division) to 50 MPPs (was 75)
- Added a Tank to Polish production queue, to deploy in Tarnow on 1919/03/01 (Jazon)
- Improved Polish AI garrison behaviour
- Reduced German starting and base FS to 10000 (was 40000)
- Improved German AI garrison behaviour
- Murmansk no longer an alternate capital for Northern Whites
- Reduced starting strength of some Northern White units
- White units within 2 hexes of Arkhangelsk will now suffer desertions if two Bolshevik units are within 2 hexes of Arkhangelsk
- Removed DE 5 (Shenkursk revolt)
- Reduced the per-turn chance of the Karelian Revolt firing in line with other minor revolts
- Reduced Northern White starting FS to 2500 (was 30000) and base FS to 5000 (was 30000)
- Reduced Northern White FS benefit from the Bolsheviks accepting the Czech deal to 250 (was 5000)
- Reduced Northern White FS penalty from US withdrawal to 250 (was 5000)
- Reduced Northern White FS penalty from the British pulling forces out of northern Russia to 250 (was 5000)
- Reduced Northern White FS penalty from British withdrawal to 500 (was 5000)
- Reduced Northern White FS penalty from defeat of the Southern Whites to 500 (was 5000)
- Northern White industrial modifier reduced to 75% (was 90%)
- Northern Whites starting MPP increased to 50 (was 15)
- Added a road in the vicinity of Shenkursk
- Reworked terrain and infrastructure of Ural region (Tendraline)
- Reworked deployments of units (Bolshevik and White) throughout Ural region
- Ural Whites build limits for HQs increased by 2, and for Corps by 4
- Ural Cossacks build limits for Divisions and Corps reduced by 1, and increased build limit of Cavalry Divisions by 2
- Orenburg Cossacks build limits for HQs reduced by 1, and for Corps by 2
- Removed Perm Captured MPPs event
- Ural Whites starting MPP increased to 250 (was 30)
- Krasnovodsk now begins the game controlled by the Ural Whites
- Added the port of Shevchenko
- Removed Ural White FS scripts associated with the capture of Ufa (which begins in Bolshevik hands) and Ekaterinburg (as this will cause Ural Whites to surrender)
- Fixed FS event for Ural Whites upon withdrawal of the UK
- Ural White industrial modifier increased to 150% (was 35%)
- Removed hidden mines for Ural Whites
- Ural Whites now begin the game with 1 chit invested in Infantry Weapons
- Southern White FS penalty for the UK failing to garrison Baku and Batum will now correctly fire every turn provided the UK is in the war
- All of Crimea is now considered core territory of the Southern Whites
- Added Hryhorivites faction in Ukraine and associated events
- Ukrainian Petliura HQ removed from map and will now spawn in Rovno on 1919/03/15, along with two understrength divisions
- Removed DE 8 and 9 (Green Revolts)
- Fixed Ukrainian Mines activation event
- Replaced Southern White Tank spawn in mid-1919 with an Armoured Car
- Southern White industrial modifier increased to 100% (was 5%)
- Southern Whites starting MPP increased to 200 (was 45)
- Don Cossacks now begin with two cavalry divisions in the production queue, to deploy in July 1919
- Bolshevik units within 2 hexes of Astrakhan will now suffer damage from Cossack risings if two White units are within 2 hexes of Astrakhan
- Bolshevik Seaplane Carrier build limit reduced by 1
- Bolshevik Division build limit increased by 14
- Bolshevik Corps build limit reduced by 5
- Removed three Bolshevik Corps from the production queue
- Removed DE 416 (Bolshevik Units in Kazan and Saratov), Bolsheviks now begin with these units deployed on the map
- Removed DEs 4 and 10 (Minsk and Kharkov SSR Revolts)
- Removed White FS penalties for distance to Moscow (Beriand)
- Byelorussian and Ukrainian SSRs now begin on the map as Bolshevik minors, each can build limited numbers of militia units
- Removed AI scripts made redundant by the above changes
- First Bolshevik Desertion event now tied to refusing to reintroduce the death penalty, to match the other desertion events
- Makhnovists will now surrender to Bolsheviks if DE 406 is approved
- Cost of DE 406 added to decision event text
- Plunder from Murmansk, Arkhangelsk, Sevastopol and Novorossiysk adjusted to be 250 MPP from each location
- Added DE 421, allowing Bolsheviks to sign a peace treaty with Poland if Poland has achieved all its war aims after 1920/01/01
- Added DE 422, allowing Bolsheviks to sign a peace treaty with Poland if Poland's FS is below 33% but Warsaw has not been captured (historical Treaty of Riga)
- Removed Periodic FS increases while Allied forces are still in the war
- Increased Bolshevik FS bonus from US withdrawal to 3000 (was 1500)
- Increased Bolshevik FS bonus from UK withdrawal to 6000 (was 3000)
- Corrected event text for DE 402 (Czech gold) (Nutshell in a Nutshell)
- Bolshevik industrial modifier reduced to 130% (was 400%)
- Makhnovists can no longer build units
- Removed starting research investment in Fighter tech for Poland
- Removed starting research investments in Long Ranged Aircraft and Ground Attack Bombers for Bolsheviks, Northern, Ural and Southern Whites
- Disabled redundant Heavy Bombers research for all nations (Mithrilotter)
- AI will give greater priority to Infantry Weapons research (Mithrilotter)
- Disabled diplomacy for all nations except Bolsheviks (2 chits) and NW Whites (4 chits), with Finland now the only valid target for diplomacy
- Some of the popup events (unrelated to gameplay) that appear on turn 1 have been disabled by default
- Added several popups for events during the Russian Civil War that occur outside the boundaries of the game map (mdsmall)
- Reduced FS value of Settlements for all nations to 0 (was 10) for all nations
- Increased MPP value per strength point of towns and fortified towns to 0.25 (was 0) for all nations
- Reduced MPP value per strength point of mines to 1 (was 3) for all nations
- Reduced defensive bonus of trenches against all land unit types to 1 (was 2)
- Increased Light Armour Attack stat of Divisions by 1
- Increased Soft, Hard, Artillery and Light Armour Attack, and Soft and Hard Defence stats of Corps by 1
- Reduced Soft, Hard and Artillery Attack, and Soft and Hard Defence stats of Tanks by 1. Tanks are now represented with an FT-17 icon instead of a Mark V
- Reduced cost of Cavalry Divisions to 150 (was 225) for all nations (Beriand)
- Armoured Cars may now be purchased by some nations
- Replaced tank icons for all nations except UK and Germany with FT-17s
- Removed the mountain on the hex of Stanislaw
- Strategic Advice popup text adjusted to reflect the changes above
- Updated Strategy Guide

[Christolos]

so question... which I will probably just have to go with trial and error (or spend a lot time testing this w/hot seat)...
if a sub in silent mode moves one hex and stops...is that the "final" location?... or can player go to other ships... then back to the sub and move more?
Regards to all....and love this game.

You can go back to it until it has used up all its Action Points.

So in terms of a sub moving in silent mode not spotting until it has made its final move/moved to its final moved to position, it follows that it can only spot something in its final move, if its final move uses its last action point. Is that what is meant?

[BillRunacre]

so question... which I will probably just have to go with trial and error (or spend a lot time testing this w/hot seat)...
if a sub in silent mode moves one hex and stops...is that the "final" location?... or can player go to other ships... then back to the sub and move more?
Regards to all....and love this game.

You can go back to it until it has used up all its Action Points.

So in terms of a sub moving in silent mode not spotting until it has made its final move/moved to its final moved to position, it follows that it can only spot something in its final move, if its final move uses its last action point. Is that what is meant?

No, as a sub may be able to move more than once in a turn, i.e. if it does not use up all its Action Points with its first move, and if it does move more than once, it will spot at the end of each move.

[Christolos]

Thanks Bill.

But as soon as the sub spots something, it has to stop moving, right?

If so, I think I get it.

Cheers,

C