Update 5.3 is now live!

This update features a global restructure of AI difficulty scaling, further improvements to the game lobby, unit and faction balance and design tweaks, the return of in-combat repairs and camouflage, campaign improvements, new infantry skins and more!

Company of Heroes: Back to Basics offers 8 possible CPU Player difficulty levels:

Easy → Normal → Hard → Adept → Expert → Master → Brutal → Insane

Due to game engine limitations these are bound to the 4 available slots inside the game lobby. Each CPU player slot contains 2 possible AI difficulties that interchange depending on the Win Condition that is selected. [AI+] win conditions enable the more difficult CPU player difficulty inside each player slot.

Previously, [AI+] win conditions were listed as default. This meant that without changing anything, players would face the higher range of AI difficulties, with CPU - Adept being the lowest difficulty. These are designed for competitive play and are meant to offer a real challenge for even the best players out there. When more casual and slow paced games are desired, playing against the lower range of AI difficulties is therefore recommended.

Starting from Update 5.3, [AI+] win conditions are no longer the default. The default settings now mean that players will face off against the lower range of CPU player difficulties, with CPU - Easy being the lowest available. [AI+] win conditions remain available for you to select like before.



We decided to remove the very high VP ticket count options. Really long drawn out games with many AI opponents tend to have subpar performance in team games. Offering these game modes thus adds a risk of yielding subpar gaming experiences. As developers we rarely play beyond the 500 VP count, which regularly turn into long games when playing against suitable AI opponents.

• Default Win Condition: [AI+] VPC 400 → VPC 300
  
• [AI+] Win Conditions are no longer the first listed alternatives.
  
• Removed the following Win Conditions: VPC 1500, VPC 2000, [AI+] VPC 1500, [AI+] VPC 2000

We continue to read concerns on the overall CPU player difficulty, and we hear them. Starting from Update 5.3 we have shifted the bonus baseline from CPU - Easy to CPU - Normal.

This means that from now on CPU - Normal will have no bonuses at all, and that CPU - Easy is penalized compared to the player. CPU - Easy will thus receive less income and starting resources than the player, and will also scale slower throughout a game due to producing units at a slower pace, receiving less experience, and having higher unit upkeep costs.

Additionally, due to new AI functionalities, general improvements, and bug fixes we tweaked and tuned down most AI bonuses across the board.

• AI max resource bonuses:
  
  • Munition income addition (after multiplier): 12 → 9
    
  • Starting manpower addition: 350 → 300
    
  • Production rate multiplier: 2.19 → 2.0
• AI min resource bonuses:
  
  • Manpower income multiplier: 1 → 0.88
    
  • Munition income multiplier: 1 → 0.86
    
  • Fuel income multiplier: 1 → 0.96
    
  • Upkeep penalty: 0% → +2%
    
  • Starting resources multiplier: 1 → 0.94
    
  • Starting manpower addition: 0 → -50
    
  • Base munition income addition (after multiplier): 0 → -2.0
    
  • Base fuel income addition (after multiplier): 0 → -0.5
    
  • Production rate multiplier: 0 → 0.84
    
  • XP gain multiplier: 1 → 0.95
    
  • Command Point gain multiplier: 1 → 0.96
    
  • Repair rate mutliplier: 1 → 0.97
• Reduced sniper base demand and its randomness.
  
• Slightly reduced cover search radius.
  
• Increased enemy avoid radius when searching for cover.
  
• Tweaked distance and other modifier values for searching for cover.
  
• Adjusted team weapon setup and safety thresholds.
  
• Reduced calliope base purchase demand.
  
• Disabled USF WSC first opener build order as it sacrificed too much tempo for the AI.
  
• Reworked AI targets-choice-logic-related aggro toggle:
  
  • Will now depend on current AI total military strength as compared to the opponents'.
    
  • The duration of one state before toggling to another is now much shorter.
    
  • The non-aggro part of will also reduce AI's aggressiveness.
    
  • Slightly reduced how much the aggro portion of the functionality increases AI potential recklessness (to prevent situations where it pushes enemy base quite early).
• Further reduced AI structure demand and duration of the effect if a spawner structure was purchased recently.
  
• Fixed a reference issue with Wehrmacht Improved Equipment
  
• Updated several grenade ability references
  
• Added PE personality builds:
  
  • "T1 → T3"
    
  • "T2 → T3"
    
  • "T1 → T4"
• Removed certain unfavourable command tree progressions from all factions
  
• Tweaked PE suggested command tree progression paths
  
• Tweaked PE T1 and T2 class ratings
  
• Increased base demand for Incendiary Grenades, Anti-Tank Grenades and Defensive Operations
  
• Fixed incorrect reference for Improved Equipment in tech purchase rules
  
• Fixed incorrect reference for Anti-Tank Grenades in tech purchase rules
  
• Lowered base AT value for Sticky Bombs, Anti-Tank Grenades, Improved Equipment
  
• Fixed AT values for squads that no longer have access to AT capabilities at all
  
• Added CCKW Truck to AI & enabled call-in ability
  
• Fixed a critical bug with the Hummel barrage ability that caused the AI to continuously dump its munitions without actually barraging.
  
• Improved Kettenkrad/Universal Carrier usage
  
• Improved mobile artillery unit usage (Mortar Halftrack, Nebelwerfers, Stukas, etc)
  
• Added USF Armor Skirts upgrade to tech purchase rules
  
• Fixed an issue where AI would spend ability munitions before abilities were actually used.
  
• Optimized ability monitor functionality slightly, now using squad events functionality instead of checking for unit state every tick.
  
• Optimized AI script data structures with to be much better packed in memory.
  
• Optimized average grid cell position cache:
  
  • No longer rebuilding the table every tick (expensive operation), now reusing existing allocated space instead.
    
  • Reserving table size preemptively, table no longer resized dynamically.
    
  • The cache is now valid over multiple ticks (for up to 0.375s).
• Implemented artillery demand rules for pack howitzer call-in. Lack of munitions will now result in reduced demand to purchase the pack howitzer.
  
• Fixed an issue where two point abilities did not work if AI couldn't find a second concentration point near the first one. The second point will now be chosen arbitrarily in such circumstances, as intended.
  
• Implemented a potential fix to barrage control script which could help AI properly determine when units start their barrage abilities. Previously, AI was considering units which were only moving to their AI destination as units which have already started their barrage.
  
• Minor refactors and performance improvements.
  
• Reenabled AI's forced reinforcement functionality (this will enable AI to reinforce on-field and generally speed it up).
  
• Default unit reinforcement functionality now executed once every second rather than 8 times per second.
  
• Reworked barrage control functionality considerably, now utilizing the game's ability event system and generally more solid methodology for determining unit states during barrages.
  
• Updated various barrage control unit parameters concerning their safety evaluation. Barrage units should stay closer to combat and retreat less.
  
• Reduced min threat required to use mortar, nebelwerfed and pack howitzer barrages.
  
• Implemented a new priority queue optimization where base unit priority values are calculated only once per game.
  
• Implemented captured Pack Howitzer usage for AI
  
• Tweaked barrage control settings
  
• Added Suppressive Fire usage for Infantry Halftracks
  
• Base safety required to retreat value: 2.5 → 3.5
  
• Increased the overall danger requirements for AI to pullback or retreat units. This should result in AI being more willing to commit to engagements.

• Enabled and updated visual indicators:
  
  • Up to 4 "levels" are visualized, but anti-blob penalties are not capped beyond this.
    
  • Visuals now include a colour scaling to better represent the intensity of stacking penalties.
    
  • Only the inner radius of anti-blob is visualized. Outer radius has no visualization.
• Developer note: Since the anti-blob mechanic is central for how combat pans out in Back to Basics, a visual indicator was implemented to inform the player about the mechanic's existence and rough functionality.

• Reenabled repairs during combat.
  
• In-Repair penalties:
  
  • Received accuracy: 1.2 → 1.5
    
  • Received damage: 1 → 2
• Repair rates:
  
  • Repair: 5 → 6
    
  • HQ repairs: 3 → 6
    
  • Basic Repairs: 3 → 5
    
  • Advanced Repair: 6.5 → 7
    
  • Advanced Vehicle Repair: 6 → 7
• Repair station engineers will now properly reduce manpower income during repairs (Bunker, Pioneer Halftrack, Armour Command Truck). HQ repairs remain free of charge.
  
• Developer note: While repairs during combat can be problematic for game balance reasons, disabling it proved to be very clunky and inconsistent. All-in-all it caused more player frustration than it did good. As a result the functionality is reverted to its original state that players will be familiar with.

• Healing percentage of missing health per tick: 0.2% → 0.15%
  
• Developer note: The automatic health regeneraton for Infantry allows players to keep squads on the battlefield for longer without having to force a retreat back to the base sector even for tiny health reductions. However, the healing rate was high enough that the mechanic proved to make traditional healing options somewhat redundant, especially on larger maps. This in turn allowed players to skip such tech entirely and instead focus on fielding late game units as fast as possible. A reduced regeneration rate should ensure the importance of regular healing options.

• Base munitions income (munitions/minute): +7 → +10
  
• Developer note: Munitions income was deemed too scarse which led to players often prioritizing squad upgrades over expensive abilities such as off-map artillery and airstrikes. Additionally, squad ability and artillery barrage usage was slightly too restrictive. A global income increase should ensure that abilities can once again be used at a more reasonable frequency.
  
• Fuel upkeep costs:
  
  • Light Tanks (Staghound, Stuart, Tetrarch, T17, M8 Greyhound, Puma): 0.72 fuel/min → 1.5 fuel/min
    
  • Light Vehicles (Armored Car, Recon Halftrack, Light Anti-Tank Halftrack: 0.72 fuel/min → 0.9 fuel/min
• Developer note: Light vehicles are a dominant unit class and proved to be too easy to mass compared to tanks and over heavy vehicles. An increased fuel upkeep should ensure that massing such vehicles prevents players from quickly transitioning into other tech.

• HMGs: 1 → 0.75
  
• Armored Infantry: 1.5 → 1.25
  
• Riflemen: 1.5 → 1.25
  
• Grenadiers: 1.5 → 1.25
  
• Stormtroopers: 1.5 → 1.25
  
• Obergrenadiers: 1.5 → 1.25
  
• Jägers: 1.5 → 1.25
  
• Panzergrenadiers: 0.75 → 1.25
  
• Assault Grenadiers: 0.75 → 1.25
  
• Panzerpioneers: 0.75 → 1
  
• Tank Busters: 0.75 → 1
  
• Normalized various campaign squads to have similar capture rates as their multiplayer counterparts

• Suppression multipliers:
  
  • Light cover: 0.5 → 0.6
    
  • Heavy cover: 0.4 → 0.5
• Moving accuracy of small arms weapons which had moving accuracy of >0.5 (infantry weapons) reduced by 12.5% across the board (in most cases 80% to 70%).
  
• Reduced overall durability of recon units vs small arms (Jeep, Motorcycle, Schwimmwagen, Kettenkrad)
  
• Increased the overall durability of the Sd.Kfz. 250 Halftrack series vs small arms (Infantry Halftrack, Mortar Halftrack, Recon Halftrack, Light Anti-Tank Halftrack)

• M18 Recoilless Rifle:
  
  • Scatter angle: 4.5 → 6
    
  • Distant range base penetration: 0.7 → 0.6
• M9 Bazooka:
  
  • Scatter angle: 5.5 → 7
    
  • Distant range base penetration: 0.7 → 0.6
• Panzerschreck:
  
  • Base damage: 90-100 → 80-90
    
  • Scatter angle: 4.5 → 7
    
  • Distant range base penetration: 0.7 → 0.6
    
  • Damage multiplier vs Universal Carrier: 1.5 → 2
• PIAT:
  
  • Scatter angle: 5 → 6
    
  • Distant range base penetration: 0.7 → 0.6
• Developer note: Infantry Anti-Tank Weaponry was deemed too effective at max ranges, allowing infantry to successfully trade against most vehicles. With these changes infantry will need to close the distance a bit more for optimal effectiveness against vehicles and tanks.

• Reduced tank gun damage RNG from ±10% to ±5%
  
• Main gun range brackets:
  
  • stationary at: 24/43/51/60 → 17/29/40/60 (88mm Flak 36, 17-Pounder, 3" M5)
    
  • at guns: 24/41/49/57 → 17/29/40/58 (Pak40, Pak38, 6-Pounder, 57mm M1)
    
  • tanks 1: 24/38/43/48 → 17/25/33/48 (King Tiger, Marder III, Nashorn, Geschützwagen)
    
  • tanks 2: 24/36/41/46 → 17/25/33/46 (Firefly, Jagdpanther, M3 GMC)
    
  • tanks 3: 24/33/39/42 → 17/25/33/42 (Sherman, M4A3(76)w Sherman, Pz IV, Pz IV IST, Panther, Tiger, M10 Wolverne, M18 Hellcat, M36 Jackson, M26 Pershing, Puma, Achilles, Bofors, Flakvierling, StuG IV)
    
  • light vehicles: 19/26/33/40 → 17/25/33/40 (M8 Greyhound, T17, Staghound, Stuart, Armored Car, Sd.Kfz. 234, Recon Halftrack, Light Anti-Tank Halftrack, Ostwind, Wirbelwind, Crusader AA, StuH 42, Assault Sherman, AVRE, Hotchkiss)
• Developer note: Vehicles and tanks had very little penetration and accuracy fall-off over distance due to the range bracket distribution. This change is aimed to making vehicle combat more dynamic and also prevent tanks from sniping infantry too effectively at max ranges.

• Infantry base camouflage detection radius: 7 → 12
  
• Vehicle base camouflage detection radius: 0 → 9 (excluding detector units that have a much higher base detection radius)
  
• Building base camouflage detection radius: 3 → 9 (excluding defenses such as sand bags, barbed wire, mines, that have 0 detection by default)

• Changed construction functionality; mines are no longer automatically constructed in a line (like sandbags/barbed wire), and are now placed individually. To queue the construction of multiple mines, it is possible to queue construction orders by holding down the SHIFT key.

• Initial delay: 5s → 4s
  
• Affected abilities: Rocket Artillery, Airburst Artillery, Firestorm, Howitzer Shoot, Long-Tom Barrage, Light Artillery Barrage, Land Mattress Bombardment, Railway Artillery

• Plane flight speeds: 120 → 160
  
• Initial delay: 5s → 3s
  
• Affected abilities: Typhoon Airstrike, Strafing Run, Rocket Run, Stuka Bombing Strike

• Vehicles are now affected by smoke cover:
  
  • Received damage: -50%
    
  • Main gun scatter: +100%
    
  • Main gun range: -85%
    
  • View range: -5

• Veteran Rank 1: 1.1
  
• Veteran Rank 2: 1.25 → 1.2
  
• Veteran Rank 3: 1.5 → 1.3

• Base range: 54 → 59
  
• Initial firing delay after movement: 5.5s → 4s
  
• Fire aim time multipliers (short/mid/long/distant): 0.25/1/1.75/2 → 0.25/1/1.25/1.5
  
• Added visual UI to indicate when rate of fire is decreased/increased (moving/stationary)
  
• Reimplemented Camouflage:
  
  • Minimum detection radius: 12 → 1 (fixes mines and other played owned objects spotting snipers)
    
  • Reveal time: 9s
    
  • Reveal time on detection: 9s
    
  • Revert time: 9s
    
  • Revert time on detection: 9s

• Setup time: 2s → 3s
  
• Base accuracy (short/mid/long/distant): 0.425/0.385/0.168/0.085 → 0.42/0.39/0.17/0.11
  
• Cooldown multipliers (short/mid/long/distant): 0.7/1.1/1.3/1.4 → 0.7/1/1.1/1.2
  
• DPS change (short/mid/long/distant): -1%/+5%/+8%/+38%
  
  • multipliers vs suppressed targets:
    
    • Accuracy multiplier: 0.5 → 0.6
      
    • Damage multiplier: 0.75 → 1
      
  • multipliers vs pinned targets:
    
    • Accuracy multiplier: 0.25 → 0.4
      
    • Damage multiplier: 0.5 → 1
      
    • Suppression multiplier: 0.3 → 0.5
      

• Setup time: 2s → 3s
  
• Armour-Piercing Rounds ability:
  
  • Munition cost: 35 → 25
• Base accuracy (short/mid/long/distant): 0.56/0.5/0.215/0.115 → 0.57/0.32/0.23/0.14
  
• DPS change (short/mid/long/distant): +1.5%/+3.5%/+7%/+21%
  
  • multipliers vs suppressed targets:
    
    • Accuracy multiplier: 0.65 → 0.7
      
    • Damage multiplier: 0.75 → 1
      
    • Suppression multiplier: 0.6 → 0.7
      
  • multipliers vs pinned targets:
    
    • Accuracy multiplier: 0.35 → 0.4
      
    • Damage multiplier: 0.5 → 1
      

• Duration: 15s → 20s
  
• Added an additional suppressive bonus at 10s after activation
  
• Cooldown multiplier: 0.5 → 0.3
  
• Accuracy multiplier: 0.4 → 0.1
  
• Reload multiplier: 1 → 0.5
  
• Developer note: Suppressive fire proved to be very inconsistent, often not inducing enough suppression when not all squad members were firing at the same target. With these changes, suppressive fire should now work as an effective tool to suppress infantry.

• Reenabled and tweaked overall infantry squad AI behaviour:
  
  • Infantry may once again go prone at the start of, and during skirmishes.
    
  • Infantry will no longer randomly fall back to cover (to prevent anti-tank weapons from becoming unresponsive)
    
  • Snipers will leapfrog significantly less for the initial shot.

• Now a requires Supply Yard to be built once.

• Free-Fire delay between shells: 4s → 5s
  
• Minimum range: 25 → 30

• Observed Fire:
  
  • Munition cost: 80 → 60
    
  • Barrage salvo: 8 → 6
    
  • Barrage radius: 15 → 13
    
  • Adjusted barrage UI constraints to better represent the barrage area.

• Base damage: 65/70 → 70/75
  
• Range: 57 → 58
  
• Inner range brackets: 17/29/40/57 → 17/32/46/58

• 75 mm M1897A4 Field Gun:
  
  • Range: 42 → 46
    
  • Inner range brackets: 24/33/39/42 → 24/36/41/46
    
  • Base penetration (s/m/l/d): 1/0.85/0.78/0.67 → 1.1/0.93/0.82/0.73
    
  • Base damage: 60/70 → 70/80
    
  • Base accuracy: 1/0.9/0.79/0.58 → 1.1/1/0.9/0.85
    
  • Fixed weapon coordinates
    
  • Significantly improved penetration capabilities vs heavy armor

• Hitpoints: 300 → 350
  
• Armor Skirts hitpoint bonus: +100 → +70

• Hitpoints: 300 → 350
  
• Armor Skirts hitpoint bonus: +100 → +70

• M16 MGMC Maxson M45 Quadmount:
  
  • Base penetration (short/mid/long/distant): 1/0.71/0.45/0.25 → 1/0.75/0.45/0.4
    
  • Base accuracy (short/mid/long/distant): 0.425/0.385/0.168/0.085 → 0.42/0.39/0.17/0.11
    
  • Base cooldown: 3.5-4.5 s → 2.7 s
    
  • Cooldown multipliers (short/mid/long/distant): 1/1.4/1.5/1.5 → 1/1/1.2/1.3
    
  • DPS change (short/mid/long/distant): +15%/+13.5%/+70%/+162%
    
  • Scatter angle: 3 → 5
    
  • Max scatter distance: 2 → 7
    
  • Penetration modifiers:
    
    • Sd.Kfz. 234 Puma: 0.1 → 0.6
      
    • Sd.Kfz. 22x: 0.1 → 0.7
      
    • Sd.Kfz. 251: 0.1 → 0.7
      
    • Marder III: 0.2 → 0.5
      

• Fixed invisible shell projectile (bad shell marker)
  
• Scatter angle: 4.5 → 5.5
  
• AoE inner radii: 0.5/1.5/2/2.45 → 0.5/1/1.5/2.45
  
• Damage multiplier vs Infantry targets: 1 → 0.9

• Hitpoints: 760 → 860
  
• Base penetration (s/m/l/d): 1/0.87/0.72/0.67 → 1/0.91/0.78/0.69
  
• Penetration multipliers:
  
  • Panther: 0.8 → 0.9
    
  • Tiger: 0.7 → 0.85
    
  • King Tiger: 0.6 → 0.75
    
  • Jagdpanther: 0.7 → 0.85

• Removed default Tank Commander
  
• Added Tank Commander upgrade.

• Recharge time: 75s → 30s
  
• Minimum range: 10 → 4
  
• Smoke projectiles: 4 → 6

• Now a requires Mills Bombs upgrade, available in Company Command Truck

• Added Expert Engineers upgrade

• Fuel cost: 40 → 50

• Removed Expert Engineers upgrade
  
• Added Mills Bombs upgrade (unlocks Grenade ability for Sappers, Tank Hunters, Vanguard, and Highlanders)

• Population cost: 3 → 4

• Manpower cost: 180 → 200
  
• Vastly increased durability against small arms
  
• Added Wasp Carrier upgrade:
  
  • Replaces the hull-mounted Bren LMG with a powerful Flamethrower.
    
  • Increases hitpoints by 10%
    
  • Cost: 60 munitions
    
  • Disables troop transport
• Added Mortar Carrier upgrade:
  
  • Mounts a 2" light mortar to the vehicle, capable of free-fire, barrages, and smoke barrages.
    
  • Cost: 75 munitions
    
  • Disables troop transport

• Observed Fire:
  
  • Munition cost: 80 → 60
    
  • Barrage salvo: 8 → 6
    
  • Barrage radius: 15 → 13
    
  • Adjusted barrage UI constraints to better represent the barrage area.
• Artillery Strike (requires Forward Observation Officers):
  
  • Munition cost: 80 → 60
    
  • Barrage salvo: 8 → 6

• Observed Fire:
  
  • Munition cost: 80 → 60
    
  • Barrage salvo: 8 → 6
    
  • Barrage radius: 15 → 13
    
  • Adjusted barrage UI constraints to better represent the barrage area.

• Hitpoints: 300 → 350
  
• Armor Skirts hitpoint bonus: +100 → +70

• Free-Fire delay between shells: 4s → 6s
  
• Minimum range: 25 → 30

• Munition cost: 110 → 80

• Ready aim time: 0s → 1s (delay before the first shot is fired)
  
• Fire aim time: 0s → 2s (added delay in between the two shells of the salvo, including reload the delay is now 3.5s → 5.5s
  
• Max scatter distance: 7 → 8

• Now also boosts officer sight range (+5)

• Fixed several bugs that would limit the amount of planes being spawned (this fix effectively doubles the amount of planes participating in the overwatch).
  
• Removed planes with machine guns only.
  
• All planes now target all visible enemy targets with RP-3 Rockets.
  
• Total overwatch duration: 40s → 45s
  
• Overwatch area radius: 30 → 32

• Manpower cost: 180 → 160

• Population cost: 3 → 4

• Free-Fire delay between shells: 4.6s → 5s
  
• Minimum range: 25 → 30

• StG44 mit ZF-4:
  
  • Reload time: 4.9-5.1 s → 3.6-3.8 s
    
  • Base damage: 15/16 → 16/17
    
  • Base cooldown: 1-1.2 s → 1.2-1.3 s
    
  • Cooldown multipliers (short/mid/long/distant): 0.8/1.3/1.7/1.9 → 1/1.2/1.5/1.7
    
  • Tweaked accuracy parameters
    
  • No DPS change

• Range: 57 → 58
  
• Inner range brackets: 17/29/40/57 → 17/32/46/58

• Vastly increased durability against small arms (most notably rear armor).
  
• Manpower cost: 250 → 280
  
• Fuel cost: 25 → 35

• On activation, Infantry will now sprint for 10s.

• Manpower cost: 180 → 160
  
• Added Light Anti-Tank Halftrack

• Fuel cost: 50 → 70
  
• Removed Light Anti-Tank Halftrack
  
• Added Hotchkiss Light Tank
  
• Advanced Support Kommand upgrade:
  
  • Fuel cost: 60 → 40

• Default weapons: Gewehr 43 → Kar98k
  
• Squad DPS change (short/mid/long/distant): -20%/-18%/-5%/0%
  
• Added Gewehr 43 upgrade:
  
  • Cost: 60 munitions
    
  • Unlocks Volley Fire
    
  • Equips the squad with 3 Gewehr 43 Rifles
    
  • Increases squad DPS (short/mid/long/distant): +25%/+23%/+5%/0%
    
  • Volley Fire now requires Gewehr 43 Package instead of Veterancy Rank 1

• StG44 mit ZF-4:
  
  • Reload time: 4.9-5.1 s → 3.6-3.8 s
    
  • Base damage: 15/16 → 16/17
    
  • Base cooldown: 1-1.2 s → 1.3-1.5 s
    
  • Cooldown multipliers (short/mid/long/distant): 1/1.3/1.7/2.1 → 1/1.3/1.6/1.9
    
  • Tweaked accuracy parameters
    
  • No DPS change

• Reimplemented passive camouflage (enables automatically in light, heavy, and garrison cover)

• Added active camouflage ability

• Field Craft:
  
  • No longer applies to Heavy Machine Gun Teams.
    
  • Panzergrenadier/Assault Grenadier/Panzerfüsilier capture rate bonus: +67% → +20%
    
  • Panzerpioneer/Tank Buster capture rate bonus: +67% → +25%
• Removed Scavengers
  
• Added Advanced Repair: upgrades Panzerpioneers and the Kettenkrad with Advanced Repair

• Hotchkiss Rocket Launcher call-in removed
  
• Hotchkiss Rocket Launcher now unlocks Wurfrahmen 40 Rocket Launcher upgrade for Hotchkiss Light Tank

• Minimum range: 25 → 30
  
• Fuel cost: 20 → 30

• MG42 Light Machine Gun:
  
  • Rebalanced weapon profile.
    
  • DPS change (s/m/l/d): -14%/-25%/-16%/-28%
• Funkwagen upgrade munition cost: 50 → 35
  
• Observed Fire:
  
  • Munition cost: 80 → 60
    
  • Barrage salvo: 8 → 6
    
  • Barrage radius: 15 → 13
    
  • Adjusted barrage UI constraints to better represent the barrage area.
• Removed Radio Interception ability
  
• Added Suppressive Fire:
  
  • While active, the MG42 LMG induces strong suppressive capabilities, at the cost of accuracy and vehicle mobility
    
  • Cost: 35 munitions

• Renamed from Supply Halftrack
  
• Advanced Vehicle Repair removed
  
• Set-Up/Mobilize Repair Station added:
  
  • Once deployed, specially trained Pioneers will automatically repair vehicles within the vicinity of the Pioneer Halftrack
• Healing and Munition resupply now requires the vehicle to be set-up
  
• Updated vehicle icon, symbol and unit description

• Removed Focused Firing ability.
  
• Fuel cost: 30 → 40
  
• 37 mm Pak 36 weapon range: 46 → 40
  
• Stielgranate 41 ability range: 40 → 36

• Manpower cost: 300 → 260
  
• Fuel cost: 35 → 40
  
• Stuka Zu Fuss and long-barrel upgun upgrades no longer come by default
  
• Updated long-barreled 37 mm SA18 tank gun stats; performance-wise it is now similar to the Puma's 50 mm main gun.

• Base damage: 100/110 → 90/110
  
• AoE inner radii: 0.5/1.5/2.5/3.25 → 0.5/1/2/3.25
  
• Reduced shell explosion FX size.
  
• Damage multiplier vs Infantry targets: 1 → 0.8

• Radius: 10 → 12.25 (matching outer radius of anti-blob).
  
• Changed visual indicator to a white outline.

• Fixed several bugs that would limit the amount of planes being spawned (this fix effectively doubles the amount of planes participating in the overwatch).
  
• Total overwatch duration: 40s → 45s
  
• Overwatch area radius: 30 → 32

• Fixed duplicate tank traps for Engineers when defensive operations is unlocked.
  
• Fixed several scatter bugs with scoped StG44, causing the weapon to underperform significantly
  
• Fixed Kettenkrad being able to repair itself.
  
• Fixed a bug that caused the Kettenkrad to take excessive damage from small arms
  
• Fixed Hetzer gun traverse arc misaligning with the animation limits.
  
• Fixed Raiders (Blitzkrieg Doctrine) capture rate bonus for Grenadiers.
  
• Fixed Flakvierling 38 vertical placement inside the emplacement.
  
• Fixed missing sound cues for Wehrmacht Skirmish/Assault/Battle phase upgrades.
  
• Fixed leFH18 firing animation (bouncing barrel).
  
• Fixed leFH18 and M2A1 Howitzer vertical placement inside the emplacement.
  
• Fixed an issue with M1918A2 BAR pick-up weapon that resulted in broken weapon visuals and firing animations.
  
• Fixed leaderboards "Rank/Name" UI.
  
• Fixed Commonwealth tank trap construction time to 12 s (was 9 s), now matching other factions as intended.
  
• Fixed that Road Blocks could not be crushed by the Sherman Bulldozer.
  
• Fixed broken MP40 SMG tracers
  
• Fixed For The Fatherland cooldown (0 → 100 s)
  
• Fixed game lobby faction flag graphic size.
  
• Fixed Panzer Elite captured Pack Howitzer UI.
  
• Fixed several issues that made it impossible to complete the Commonwealth tutorial.
  
• Fixed deployed veteran squads being able to repurchase additional weapon upgrades (campaign only).
  
• Fixed engineer units not stopping repairing reenabled strategic points after completing scorched earth repairs.
  
• Fixed an issue where some base structures were lacking a reinforce radius altogether (Triage Center, Supply Yard, Kampfkraft Centre).
  
• Fixed M26 Pershing shell spawning marker.
  
• Fixed coaxial MG42 tracers.
  
• Fixed Supercharged Artillery Shells not applying to the Mortar Emplacement free-fire weapon.
  
• Fixed bugged infantry models during Panzer Elite campaign M01 cutscenes.

https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1527290/view/5695381784179507264

Update 5.3 is live now! Here’s a list of the changes coming in this update.

https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1527290/view/3113680716513833963

• Replaced all infantry models and skins with new, more optimized and higher quality versions.
  
• Some highlights:
  
  • All uniforms are historically accurate.
    
  • Infantry squads in general feature dynamic skins/visuals.
    
  • Armored Infantry now have a more distinct look.
    
  • Vanguard now feature Marine Commando uniforms.
    
  • Commandos now once again feature their iconic red béret for all squad members.
    
  • Vehicle crews are now much more diverse across all factions.
    
  • Jägers are now visually distinguishable from Wehrmacht Snipers.
    
  • Some Axis squads may now wear Zeltbahn covers.
    
  • Commonwealth and Panzer Elite weapon crews are now visually more distinguisable from other squads.
    
  • Wehrmacht Grenadiers now finally have shoe soles.

• Reimplemented the original khaki green canvas style for all American structures.
  
• Reenabled territory sector lines and map border limits with new, updated visuals.
  
• Implemented a proper Stielgranate 41 projectile model.
  
• Updated Nashorn vehicle icon.
  
• Updated Hotchkiss vehicle icon.
  
• Updated Schützen symbol.
  
• Improved several unit portraits (minor tweaks).
  
• Updated Highlanders symbol.
  
• Updated all faction flags displayed in the game lobby.
  
• Fixed misaligned faction flags in the game lobby UI

• Implemented new unit voice lines:
  
  • Recon Element
    
  • Panzerfüsiliers
    
  • Panzerpioneers
• Added sound cue to Field Craft (Breakthrough Tactics).
  
• Added sound cue to Improved Equipment (Wehrmacht Headquarters).
  
• Added sound cue to Level 1 & Level 2 Logistics (Logistik Kompanie).
  
• Enabled new voice lines for Grenadiers upgraded with Panzershreck and LMG42.
  
• Panzer Elite Tiger now has proper Tiger voice lines.
  
• Reworked StG44 Assault Rifle firing sound.

• New 2-player map

• Area southwest of the western Victory Point:
  
  • Removed the fuel tanks and stone walls.
    
  • Reworked terrain texturing and visuals into a grassy green area.
    
  • Added a defensive location for the western players.
    
  • Removed a rocky outcrop towards the Strategic Point in the the ravine for better passability and overall map flow.
• Central industrial area:
  
  • Opened an additional ramp towards the high-ground with the aim to reduce the funnel effect around the medium munition point.
    
  • Reorganized objects around the munition point for better passability.
    
  • Removed the small building ruin.
    
  • Removed a stone fence directly south of the industrial area towards the ravine to reduce the funnel effect around this area.
• Eastern Victory Point:
  
  • Swapped the location of the Eastern Victory Point and Strategic Point.
    
  • Reorganized objects around the munition point for better passability.
• Factory west of the southern Victory Point:
  
  • Removed the a building near the map border.
• Flakvierling site:
  
  • Removed some hedgerows.
    
  • Removed some tank traps and other objects that were hampering vehicle movement.
• Central sawmill:
  
  • Removed train locomotive.
    
  • Removed the large lumber stacks.
    
  • Moved the garage to the opposite side of the complex (where the lumber stacks were previously).
    
  • Replaced the factory building with a smaller brick-tile variant.
    
  • Replaced the small one-story building with a taller version with multiple doors and more windows.
    
  • Opened the stone fence leading towards the ravine.
    
  • Reorganized objects for better passability.
• Area around Power station:
  
  • Added additional terrain cover/craters.
• Added additional terrain cover/ditches adjacent to many major roads throughout the entire map.
  
• Updated preview and tactical maps.

• M02 - Wolfheze: September Snow:
  
  • Locked Machine Gun Emplacement and Aid Station.
• M03 - Oosterbeek:
  
  • Starting Munitions: 1000 → 150
    
  • Manpower income multiplier: 1.05 → 1
    
  • Commando squad size increased from 3-4 → 6
    
  • Replaced all Infantry Sections with campaign-unique Airborne Commandos.
    
  • Replaced all Sappers with campaign-unique Commando Sappers.
    
  • Applied random squad upgrades to various Commandos squads (PIATs, Bren LMG, Boys AT Rifles, Rifle Grenades).
    
  • Replaced some starting Panzergrenadiers with Panzerpioneers.
    
  • Fixed 25-Pounder Howitzer emplacement not being constructed (thus making it impossible to initiate the secondary objective).
    
  • Fixed 25-Pounder bonuses being applied to the player instead of the Commonwealth.
    
  • Fixed several script bugs.
    
  • Significantly improved various areas of the map to ease light vehicle usage.
    
  • Fixed a plethora of script bugs
    
  • Fixed a fatal scar error that was triggered by an incorrect squad upgrade.
    
  • Added additional defensive units and trenches around the Westerbouwing Heights, making the secondary objectives of capturing the Heights and destroying the Artillery significantly more challening.
    
  • Added a wide array of squad upgrades to Commandos, Airborne Commandos, and Sappers. Squads are now much more capable of engaging the player's light vehicles.
    
  • Locked Machine Gun Emplacement and Aid Station.
• M04 - Highway 69:
  
  • Replaced starting Panzerpioneers with Tank Busters.
    
  • Replaced one of the starting Armored Cars with Pioneer Halftrack.
    
  • Starting Panzergrenadiers now come equipped with a Panzerschreck.
    
  • Removed the Scout Car that was granted to the player.
    
  • Locked Panzer Support Kommand, Machine Gun Emplacement, and Aid Station.
    
  • Fixed incorrect construction menu being highlighted to construct the Panzerjäger Kommand.
    
  • Fixed Panzerpioneer construction menus not being locked until the Forward Barracks is established.
    
  • Fixed hints about using Booby Traps and Scorched Earth.
    
  • Fixed hints about deploying Tank Busters.
    
  • Fixed hints about constructing Road Blocks.
    
  • Church Forward Headquarters now has the Defensive Operations healing and munitions recharge aura.
• M05 - Arnhem:
  
  • Locked Machine Gun Emplacement and Aid Station.
• M07 - Return to Valkenswaard:
  
  • Added functionality to remove Observation Posts that were constructed by the player during M04.
    
  • Locked Machine Gun Emplacement and Aid Station.
    
  • Tank Destroyer Tactics is now the forced command tree.
    
  • Unlocked the entire right branch of the commander tree by default.
• M08 - Der Hexenkessel:
  
  • Fixed 25-Pounder Howitzer emplacements not being constructed (thus making it impossible to initiate the medal objective).
    
  • Starting resources:
    
    • Manpower: 3000 → 500
      
    • Munitions: 1000 → 200
      
    • Fuel: 20 → 50
      
  • Replaced several starting Panzergrenadier units with Panzerpioneers, Tank Busters, and Assault Grenadiers.
    
  • Replaced all Infantry Sections defending Oosterbeek with special Airborne Commandos.
    
  • Applied random squad upgrades to Commandos defending Oosterbeek.
    
  • Applied random squad upgrades to Commandos crossing the Rhine.
    
  • Commandos crossing the Rhine squad size: 4 → 6
    
  • Added mines scattered around Oosterbeek.
    
  • Luftwaffe Command Tree no longer fully unlocked by default.
    
  • Breakthrough Tactics is now the forced Command Tree.
    
  • Advanced Repair and Butterfly Mines unlocked by default.
    
  • Jagdpanther not available until after it is granted through off-map reinforcement, after which it unlocks automatically.
    
  • Removed all Panzergrenadiers from off-map reinforcements.
    
  • Added 1 Panzerfüsilier squad to off-map reinforcements.
    
  • Panther is now locked.
    
  • Commandos will now properly retreat to Oosterbeek once the timer for defending the Rhine runs out instead of moving towards the city at a normal pace.
    
  • Significantly increased Raft durability; rafts will now have a good chance of reaching the shoreline.
    
  • Fixed several script bugs.

• M06 - Caen: Into the City:
  
  • Replaced Commandos with Vanguard
    
  • Replaced B-Coy Infantry Sections with Highlanders.
    
  • Reduced B-Coy Infantry spawn frequency to reduce the constant carnage going on.
    
  • Fixed a bug where the player would sometimes be granted additional infantry squads.
    
  • Fixed a bug where the initial Infantry Section squad could not use smoke rifle grenades.
    
  • Anti-Tank Grenades and Grenades are now unlocked by default.
    
  • Armour Command Truck is now locked until B-Coy is rescued and the Armour Command Truck is granted automatically.
    
  • Fixed several bugs with the Churchill Crocodiles.
    
  • Majority of B-Coy squads will now move to the edge of the map and despawn instead of being granted to the player to not overpopulate the player with additional units.
    
  • Map design pass:
    
    • Widened several streets and passageways to ease vehicle pathing.
      
    • Reduced terrain elevations to improve overall pathing.
      
    • Terrains smoothing pass for better map aesthetics and pathing improvements.
      
    • Added shot blockers and terrain impassability where deemed necessary; fixing numerous instances of units getting shot through large piles of rubble and tall walls.
      
    • (Re)moved cluttering objects and tank traps for improved overall pathing.
      
    • Cleared Chateau area from cluttering objects for better vehicle pathing.
      
    • Opened several passageways previously impassable for vehicles.
      
    • Improved visuals around the main Headquarters.
      
    • Replaced Fortified Bunkers with another model.
      
• M07 - Caen - The Crucible:
  
  • Fixed an issue where the main HQ would sometimes not get assigned to the player on mission start.
    
  • Fixed invincible Flak 36 88 mm.
    
  • Fixed Hauptmann (propaganda officer) invisible weapon.
    
  • Map design pass: See M06 - Caen: Into the City
    
  • Fixed several map pathing issues.
• M08 Caen - Storm Front:
  
  • Fixed an issue where the main HQ would sometimes not get assigned to the player on mission start.
    
  • Map design pass: See M06 - Caen: Into the City
    
  • Fixed several map pathing issues.

• M08 - St. Fromond:
  
  • Changed forced Command Tree from none to Mechanized Strategies
    
  • War Machine and Crocodile Shermans are now unavailable
• M09 - Hill 192:
  
  • Changed forced Command Tree from Combined Arms Strategies to Mechanized Strategies
    
  • CCKW Truck and Long Tom Barrage are now unavailable
    
  • Armored Infantry unlocked by default
    
  • Two of the starting Riflemen squads changed to Armored Infantry and Command Squad
    
  • Fixed Maximum Command Point gain
• M10 - St. Lô:
  
  • Fixed maximum Command Point gain
• M13 - Mortain:
  
  • Fixed maximum Command Point gain
    
  • Fixed invincible M2A1 Howitzer

The game is now available for download on PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox (One and Series S|X) in multiple languages (English, French, German, Spanish, and Japanese)

Some useful store links:

https://www.xbox.com/en-us/games/store/long-live-the-queen/9pm1c5m5w8fm

https://www.nintendo.com/store/products/long-live-the-queen-switch/

https://store.playstation.com/en-us/product/UP0891-PPSA08322_00-RGLONGLIVETHEQUE

https://store-jp.nintendo.com/list/software/70010000054491.html

(Or just check the relevant store for your region)

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2060330/_Soundtrack/

We greet you. In this update, we have fixed minor bugs related to the optimization of our game and added a major gameplay element.
Now you can speed up the extraction of the necessary resources and pass the time in the mini-game. Dodge programs that want to remove your virus and get the resource you need for it.
We hope that the addition of mini-games could diversify the gameplay and allow you to upgrade your shelter not only by the monotonous accumulation of resources, but also by their extraction in a real battle.
See you in the next update. Good luck to you.

Hello there!

Thanks to your awesome feedback, I have fixed a lot of the issues with the game. Expect even more updates soon!

Here are the patch notes for 2022-07-16:

- Fixed a crash when going to a battle after inspecting a spell in the character UI in the map scene
- Fixed a crash when you took cover behind the same Highwayman that targeted you
- Fixed sound settings not being saved
- Fixed mana icon not appearing when a spell was infected
- Improved the resolution settings viability and full screen for some resolutions (still in beta)

- Changed the FEARFUL effect so that it more accurately resembles enemies giving up
- You can no longer get as combat rewards options for spells you already have
- Improved clarity of the Bubak healing spell
- Golden statue can now no longer upgrade items with no stats
- Removed the [-1] icon on Move because it was confusing
- Storm Spear can no longer damage you if you're too close to the target
- Spells now display "any class" instead of "all chars" to clear some confusion

- Mage Magic Arrow range: 3 -> 4
- Dig range: 1 -> 2
- Blind Execution hit chance now scales with your ARMOR (100% hit chance at 50% ARMOR)
- Adjusted resistances and weaknesses for many enemies - they now have more resistant resistances and weaker weaknesses
- Adjusted the HP of a few enemies

More to come soon!

Cheers,
Dave

For video-based devlogs see my YouTube channel. The updates will also be published in written form here in Steam. These updates follow approximately every 4 weeks.



I have been actively working on the dungeon since the last devlog. From the planning the dungeon is finished and I started with the effective implementation.



As you can see in the background, I started with all the details and the implementation of the concepts.
It is planned that except for the main room and the entrance, the complete layout of the dungeon can be changed by the player. The player is also given the opportunity to activate and deactivate energy fields using special crystals. This gives the opportunity to explore new areas.
The boss of the dungeon is roughly sketched, but not yet final. What do you think could be a typical boss for the dungeon?

I can't and don't want to spoiler more at this point. This is because I still want to give you the opportunity to explore this dungeon for yourself later, once the game is released.


From a comment from a colleague, I improved the visual feedback when an opponent is hit.

Since I don't want to show blood in my game, I decided to make the enemy flash red briefly when damaged. This is visually very recognizable. I think at a later stage when I make the combat system more complex, I will add some additional effects.
Furthermore, the shader for this representation is designed so open that I can also change the colors and intensity so that I can also represent poisoning or burns visually better.


What has been missing from the worlds so far are NPC's. They are essential not only to liven up the world, but also to get quests or to create a certain bond between player and NPC.
Therefore I have created various concepts of NPC's. Important here was for me that these are very individual and playful. This is something that always excites me in Legend of Zelda, anime or JRPGs.
Still briefly in advance I would like to mention that these are only concepts. I deliberately decided against designing the face or adding colors. I do this so that I can freely express myself in 3D modeling according to my abilities and imagination.

Now let's take a look at the concepts.



As you can see, all NPCs have their own traits and characteristics, which makes them special.
However, I would only like to go into detail about the last concept: Ryan's soul.
As already mentioned, there will be a more complex combat system later on. It is important to note that not all abilities are available at the beginning. This is where Ryan's soul comes into play, which is supposed to teach and unlock these abilities.

That's why the soul also has its own sword, which is important. This is similar to Twilight Princess, where you are also trained in a separate world by the Hero's Spirit. Since it is the representation of the soul and therefore does not fit directly into the main world, it is only visible in the shadow world.
Additionally, the soul is Ryan's companion, similar to Navi, Fi or Ezlo from Legend of Zelda. However, I don't want to make him as intrusive as the mentioned companions. It is only necessary to learn the skills with him. Otherwise, it is up to the player to decide how often he wants to receive tips.


As we already know, new alphas of Godot keep coming out. This time it was Alpha 11 and Alpha 12, both of which are very important and bring us closer and closer to a beta.

Let's take a look at Alpha 11 first. This one had problems again and showed me a blank page with errors on startup. After browsing the files, I found that a lot of the UI was corrupted. Godot changed the hierarchy to a flat one and gave me strange names. I was then allowed to redo the complete UI based on the previous alpha and the state in GIT.
Still, this alpha brought many fixes and a cool new movie maker mode. I used it directly for the recording in the dungeon. This is not recommended for live gameplay, because it is very laggy even in lower resolution and you have no sound during playback. This is of course in the video then no problem, there you have the set FPS and audio.

An Alpha 12 has also been out for a few days now. This has changed the way fonts are handled. Therefore I had to re-import my fonts. After that I had to reimport them into my theme. Unfortunately it kicked out the theme everywhere in the UI, so I had to go through all the elements with UI and relink the theme. Starting the game was not possible before and there was no error message.
According to the news from Godot, we are getting closer and closer to a beta. This also means that we are getting closer to a feature freeze. So it is then also clear that all features are added and you can work with them. Since more developers will then try out the engine, it can be assumed that afterwards mainly bug fixes and optimizations will come.


Further I would like to announce here a new series with the name "Rework 3D". Namely, I have taken the approach to improve the game visually again and again with the current know-how of me. Also there are currently some placeholders, which are not really nice to look at. For example all the vegetation, chairs, benches, tables, houses and NPC's. Instead of doing this secretly, I would like to document this on YouTube as well. I think it will be mainly uncommented videos, where in faster playback time the 3D models are created or revised. I will also try not to include spoilers here.
Due to transparency, I would then always briefly show at the end in the devlogs which 3D models were changed.


The following things are planned to be implemented in the coming weeks.

• Continue with the Library Dungeon
  
• Implement the shadow world with Ryan's soul. Both for cutscenes and a learning area where you can later learn the new skills.
  
• Create possibility to load scenes in the background
  
• Implement cutscenes, which can be loaded dynamically

Survivors!

It's time to announce the winners who will receive the "Ohtake" decor part for write down a time when a pink car firstly appears on the truck monitor in the video.
And the winners of the contest are:

• moriarty_vip
  
• _GOKER86_
  
• TawyNaEasy
  
• unluckystrike444
  
• Faded_2501
  
• SmoKER1
  
• _SunStone_
  
• Br_28
  
• MEKABY
  
• Matron666

Remind you that the winners were chosen randomly.

For more information on Crossout, follow these channels:

• Twitter
  
• Instagram
  
• Youtube
  
• Facebook
  
• Discord

Having received numerous requests for longer testing periods, we are now able to provide them.

Here are the key infos:

Start: Sunday, 17th of July at 4PM CET
End: Monday, 25th of July at 9AM CET

SOLO, DUO, and SQUAD are the available game modes.
There will only be one mode active at a time, resulting in a shorter queue time.
The first day will be Solo, followed by DUO and Squad. We will then iterate through all modes again.

Access can be requested through the Mini Royale Steam page.
Make sure you join our Discord channel to get the latest news.
For the latest status updates on fixes, etc., check our public Trello board.

If you have any additional suggestions, please let us know.

We are looking forward to seeing you all soon.

Greetings from the Mini Royale team

[https://discord.gg/dNSUjtw8UM][/url]

The third ZPlague's map will introduce new features, such as teleport and interactable buttons.