As tradition dictates, Santa will make a surprise appearance in your AO during one of your fights. Seize the opportunity to gib the old man and bag yourself a stylish ribbon that enhances your max Tactical Point potential.
Trench Combat Mode for Classic Warfare:
Imagine yourself as the commander, stationed in the front-line trench. Here, the usual 6-man rule takes a back seat, allowing for a more substantial deployment. The catch? Waves of enemies won't yield Tactical Points (TP). How do you earn them, you ask? Well, strategically retreat to the next trench and pocket 20TP. You can repeat this tactical withdrawal up to 5 times. Tempting as it may be to rush to the rear trench for a quick 100 TP, consider the finer points. Without specific ribbons, your TP maxes out at 20, necessitating thoughtful spending during retreats. Moreover, the farther you retreat, the fiercer the Germans get. Trench warfare demands a delicate balance—hold the line as long as possible, then strategically retreat before the inevitable collapse. It adds a unique twist to the economic dynamics in a game of Mud and Blood, offering creative players a canvas for experimentation.
Rush mode with its unique enemy AI
Rush mode unlocks after achieving your first promotion in classic, resembling the latest special event. This mode introduces a significantly reduced time between waves, creating a heightened sense of urgency. Notably, the enemy matches the speed of your soldiers. However, the key feature of Rush mode is the integration of its own AI system. The primary goal is to enhance the believability of enemy actions, with AI employing tactics such as utilizing cover, strategically holding and regrouping in staging areas, and occasionally advancing as a cohesive unit. This mode aims to improve overall maneuvering, emphasizing tactics like leveraging concealment for flanking maneuvers and employing mutual cover during movement. The dynamic shift is evident, as the enemy becomes a formidable force early in the game, adopting an aggressive approach. This alteration transforms the focus from building strategies to prioritizing rapid and effective fire output in the short to medium term. It will be interesting to see some of you breaking the puzzle on this one.
Introducing the Churchill:
The Brits are entering the fray (albeit selectively) with the robust Churchill tank. This beast boasts heavy armor capable of deflecting incoming AT fire, similar to the formidable Tiger. Armed with a fast-firing 6-pounder, it packs a punch against armored targets. The Churchill, though slow, proves difficult to eliminate, offering a nice option to commanders in classic mode. Priced at 20 TP, future upgrades include the fearsome crocodile variant equipped with a flamethrower.
In campaigns, the Churchill becomes an unstoppable force due to its outstanding armor. However, speed is its Achilles' heel. Deploying a Churchill past the midpoint becomes a gamble, as it may not reach the frontline before being redirected elsewhere. The crew inside enjoys a 4% performance boost, reflecting in the coax and high rate of fire of its main cannon. Overall, the Churchill adds a nice twist for commanders seeking to experiment with a heavy tank.
New Battle Conditions:
Butter Bar:
A greenhorn LT straight from the depot has joined a frontline platoon. Inexperienced and tactically challenged, your mission is to safely escort this rookie to the end line. Succeed, and earn x2 XP. Fail, and there's no XP for the day.
Secondary Duties:
Supply headaches persist as they abandon crucial provisions at our lines. Every section must contribute, designating one member to hand-deliver the supplies. Successfully crossing the end line grants x2 XP, but if the supplies are lost, captured, or destroyed, you leave with nothing.
No Brief:
Your mission is clear, but intel on the battlefield is scarce. The other two battle conditions remain unknown. A sharp commander may decipher the current conditions over time and adjust strategies on the fly.
Here is the list of the changes I've made to this version:
Changed the horse cart to stick around less when empty.
Horsecarts can spawn on roads in the campaign now.
Fixed non-Gold wing holders having the vet save in classic.
Enemy AI can start switching seats in a vehicle now.
Fixed an issue where the rifle grenades would not face the direction they are shot at.
Made the Goliath mines more of a threat. They will now detonate closer to you and can hide when detected.
Altered the deployment options for Enemy AI when an ambush is sprung.
SDKFZ222, which has no gunner, will go back from the front line in an attempt to find a qualified gunner as a replacement.
Reduced Rifle Grenade and Faust morale hit by 5 (from 15 to 10).
Fixing an issue with flamers not facing the right angle on multiple enemies flamer shot.
Fixed an issue where the voice lines of some troops would not match the level of tension related to nearby explosions.
Modified and added some cue tips to improve onboarding.
Fixed an issue where the original 6-ribbon (campaign) wouldn't provide the advertised bonus.
Deuces will spawn on roads in the campaign.
There is now smoke above light mortars upon firing. This is helpful when looking ahead to locate the mortar crew.
New classic mode: Trench warfare.
Rush mode is now a permanent unlock with an AI that will hide in the trees more and work as a group.
New Campaign Battle Condition: Bad Intel (unknown BCs!!).
New Campaign Battle Condition: Secondary duties (delivery mission).
New Campaign Battle Condition: Butter Bar (Escort mission).
Lowered the creep for infantry on classic (Germans gain +1 weapon skill per 20 waves).
Xmas lights will be deleted if the trench is removed by the map engine.
Churchill tank, crocodile soon.
M10 rate of fire slowed down.
Fix for the counter artillery for the Halftrack 105mm.
Taunt ribbon timer fixed.
Created new AI behaviours for Rush mode.
Adjusted some of the priorities in the decision-making tree for the AI in campaign mode, using the new heatmap concept.
Added a function that will remove Xmas lights if there is no trench or if it has been moved by the map maker.
I'm Following closely the adventures of Tutle the first documented Campaign Master Mode player. It is always very instructive to watch him play the game with such speed and skill.
And of course, our local bruiser MT, which is in my opinion, makes the game look so good with his play style. With Mt it's always hard-hitting gunfights, copious amounts of explosives and straight-up aggression.
Check out Kronos landing on DDay and finishing with 6 men in under 20 min. Good to check out if you want to get in the fight in Campaign and see how to tackle the beach. In the campaign, this fight is very important to finish with all your men and under 20 min as it will give the DDay ribbon with honour which gives 5xp to all your recruits. A substantial advantage in the long run.
That's it for me folks, I appreciate you all and am thankful you took the time to read my patch notes. Let me know in Discord if you have suggestions, or pop over if you have questions we're always happy to help. I Wish you all a great Christmas and will catch up with you in the next update.
Respectfully, urb
0.4.5, a little bit of polishing
Good day folks, urb here.
Today, version 0.4.5 has landed, primarily a polishing update. In 0.4.4, we introduced a heap of new features, and we've taken the time to observe how everything interacts, resulting in a handful of cool fixes to make the fight more impactful. This step is crucial for maintaining a robust foundation for Mud and Blood's future patches and content drop.
While this update may seem a bit light on new content, it boasts a substantial list of fixes, addressing some of your long-standing requests.
Here's the list of changes for this quick patch:
Added a morale bar to the soldier portraits in Campaign.
Fixed a crash that occurred when a tip bubble popped up for a bunker.
Corrected an issue where the guerrilla warfare ribbon would not be granted.
Fixed an issue where a fault occurred at the scoreboard in the classic mode during an early retreat.
Addressed an issue where allied howitzers would leave the map during the Battle of the Titans' battle condition.
Germans will no longer place TNT in deep craters.
Germans on fire won't pick up loot.
Removed the error bleep in some distance checks.
Removed the "animal sound" debug cue.
Removed the "lightning!" debug cue.
Fixed an issue where roofless ruins stopped airburst (they now provide 41% cover).
Lootable toolboxes now expend more conservatively.
A soldier with a toolbox can cut wires like an engineer.
.50 cals and Bofors will engage more frequently now.
Goliaths blitz in Classic mode will be properly announced.
Prevented some occurrences where the EW equipment would deploy in water during D-Day.
Bronze para wings will spawn the correct amount of troopers (4 instead of 6).
Resetting the campaign won't take your wings away.
Deaths occurring in 1945 will be properly dated in the memorial and during death floaty text.
Fixed an error that occurred when players attempted to fortify city blocks in Brest.
Frangible ammo will now cause bleeds for up to 5 + (weapon.damage/10) seconds.
Frangible bleeds can be cured with a first aid kit, a med kit, or, according to experience, if a medic is nearby.
Primarily fixed airborne troops dropping all at the same place when called in classic with a Drop Zone on the map.
Increased chances for a non-experienced siggy to make a call at 15% per action cycle. These antennas might come in handy for quicker calls.
Increased the cam net detection effect of sdkfz222 by 8%.
Increased the rate of fire for Nebels.
Mobile artillery on both sides now come into play without being flagged. (They must fire a shot to become targetable by enemy units, unless spotted.)
Interrogation won't reveal dead enemies anymore.
Fixed typos.
Normalized some instances in which vehicles can or can't destroy large objects while moving.
Counter-artillery is back in classic.
Added a deviation in the rifle grenade projectile relative to the range of the shot.
Having a Stuart called by an officer destroyed in your AO will reset your officer's Stuart skill to 5 min.
Added an initial fix that prevents knocked-out vehicles from being announced as "leaving the AO."
Airborne troops from both sides will start laying down when out of their parachutes.
Fixed a possible crash that occurred when two supply boxes were opened at the same time.
Dead or gibbed troops are unaffected by frangible ammo due to their unfortunate condition of being unable to bleed anymore.
Vehicles will be limited to their spotting ranges when it comes to detecting infantry or unstealthy troops.
French clown cars will have their own name, thanks to LTHunter for the research on that.
These are the fixes for this integration gents, if you find something wonky let me know in our discord. It is important to mention I received a nice batch of new voice lines from Lance (for the Germans) and Yusti and ST for the Allies. I'm currently mixing all that and will drop it once it's done in a hotfix or the next patch.
Community highlights:
A wave 114 game by Kasper
Proper use of field arty by MT
Tutle our "almost Mud and Blood Master" fighting SS troops in Hurtgen forest
formerlychucks overcoming an absolute slug fest in one of the most lethal AO, Vire.
Lastly, our boy Caramida having fun with the new stuff in 0.4.4
That's it for me folks. If you have some Mud and Blood videos let us know in the Discord we love to watch glorious acts of heroism and crippling misfortunes equally. Thanks for playing Mud and Blood and I'll see you in the next patch notes :)
Respectfully, urb
Mud and Blood 0.4.4 hotfixes
Good evening folks, I hope your week is alright.
I'm just going to drop a quick hotfix and also a list of the changes and fixes that have been added to the game since the release of 0.4.4, thanks for taking the time to read this and let me know if you find something funky in the game I'll do my best to fix it promptly.
0.4.4a
-- Remove debug message Shrek -- para challenge credits are now taken after a try -- Nebel not having a function when destroyed fixed (temporary exploding as a pak40) -- Removed an exception that would not grant the keener steam achievement -- fixed an error occuring when in a very unlikely occasion you are above rank 13 as a player (bro..) -- Weasel will now drive behind the frontline instead of right on it -- Fixed the steam achievement for finishing the campaign -- Gave a name to Weasels -- fixed free para wings on wave 50 outside of the para challenge -- disabled a debug key that would shorten the map -- Soldiers super close to an enemy will unstealth themselves on the next action unless they are commando -- soldiers engaged in hand-to-hand will cancel their bipods, and soldiers being swung at will also cancel their bipod. -- R key quick reset functional again -- Changed the chunky salsa achievement description on steam
0.4.4b
- Removed some sanity check errors in classic for third-party AI - Fixed the memorial hotspots not panning with the camera for headstones - Rallying a panicking soldier, cancels the panic and restores the morale of the soldier to 25 - Enemies spawning with a Shreck will have 50% to have a shot in it. - Animals take damage from airbursts and fire - reduced the speed of soldiers carrying a panzer Shreck by 10% - reduced cover for tank traps to 40% - Detector Range reduced to 500 - sappers with a mine detector can flag mine at 10% + (xp/3) when pigned - engineers increase the detector range by xp * 2 - You can now use the hotkeys in the campaign even when the ui is disabled - added an exception caught in the weaponfiring() function, which will proc a debug message if true. - Soldiers can now reload their Shreck from nearby ammo boxes on the ground. - Added VictoriaCross specific stats to the classic post-game menu for ease of tracking - Fixed the broken xp bonus display in the classic
** Known issue, medpacks (white ones) don't drop detectors.
0.4.4c
- Preliminary fix for the sanitiyCheck() fault function - Big Red one skill has proper text when activated now - Fixed combat jumps and para challenge credits numbering issues - Fixed the Deuce dropping too many guys from the 1rst
0.4.4d
- Officer orders don't require officers in airborne challenge - fixed a rare occurrence where vehicles could be called off your lines in classic - fixed an occurrence where you would be able to spawn more than one sarge
0.4.4e
- fixed a fault with the panzershrek and ammo crate functions
0.4.4f
- Removed the 3 DDay air strikes from classic - Added the lil intro jingle to the classic mode - Fixed an issue with roads being too numerous in Vire
0.4.4g
- Second fix to Vire roads - Fixed an issue where promotions in classic would not give Airborne challenge credits - Lowered the chances of getting counter artillery by 20% in classic. - fixed a crash occurring when a passenger in a clown car would switch to the driver position. - fixed a crash when Germans would loot a weapon off a Weasel truck - Increased the reload timer of armoured Cannons in Vire. - btw there is a new BC in campaing called tank hunters. It has chances to spawn a team of panzershreck based on the amount of tank fire your AO produces. - Added historical names to our First Infantry division guys. (Thanks LTHunter for the research)
Take care guys. I'll see you in the next update.
respectfully, urb
Mud and Blood 0.4.4 has dropped!!
Good evening, folks! It's Urb here with a beefy update to share.
But first thanks for playing and checking out on MNB. It warms my heart to know that Mud and Blood is appreciated and it's really cool to watch or hear about some of the crazy fights you guys got yourselves into.
Version 0.4.4 has been in the works for a while, and it's jam-packed with exciting content and changes. Let's dive right in:
Trains and Railways:
Train wagons can now appear on any railway track in the game, and there are five types:
Regular Flatbed: These standard wagons don't obstruct line of sight and offer no cover. Keep an eye out for crates with interesting items.
Reinforced Flatbed: These wagons have been retrofitted to provide protection for infantry units. They can house plenty of enemies and are ideal for defensive purposes.
Box Car: Box cars offer decent cover and block line of sight. You can fortify them with a sapper to create impromptu strong points.
Tanker: These generic tankers carry flammable substances and block line of sight. Be cautious—destroying them can set the area ablaze.
Armored Wagon: By 1943, the Germans had developed the BP42 armored train, equipped with AAA capabilities and a mounted Panzer4 turret. These wagons often house infantry and spell trouble.
Memorial: Fallen soldiers from your campaign will be honoured in the memorial, allowing you to pay your respects.
UI Changes in the Campaign: The soldier portrait now provides more information, including the number of veteran saves and Ranger training.
Particle Engine Improvements: Particles now interact with the ground, producing realistic sounds when shells hit different surfaces.
Airborne Challenge: In the classic mode, players can now attempt the paratrooper challenge once per promotion. Reach wave 50 with airborne troops to succeed and earn silver wings, increasing the number of troops in an airdrop from 4 to 6. Accumulate enough combat drops, and you might earn rare gold para wings, but remember, you must meet the 82nd's high standards to keep your wings.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8CeQ28Igxc
Gunners and Assistants: Qualified gunners can now be assisted by nearby soldiers when reloading or fixing jams, making efficient squad placement crucial.
AI and Loot: Enemies can now pick up items from the ground and use them, creating dynamic situations on the battlefield. The enemy AI also cooperates more, such as assisting Panzershreck soldiers or providing first aid.
Hardcore D-Day: This mode intensifies the D-Day experience, removing nerfs on beach troops, adding more defenses, and enabling all enemy support options.
Classic Rush Mode: Rush mode shortens the time between enemy waves, creating frantic battles and memorable comebacks.
Sarge Returns: The grumpy old Sarge is back, ready to kick some more butt. He now has increased hit points, deals more hand-to-hand damage, and can unpin nearby troops automatically.
Land Mattress: The Allies get a new rocket artillery that can fire a volley of 16 rockets every 2 minutes, making it a powerful asset but also a potential hazard if used incorrectly.
M1A1 155mm Gun: You'll now have access to the Long Tom, a 155mm artillery piece with the ability to switch between different ammunition types, adding versatility to your artillery tactics.
Nebelwerfer: The Germans had a new 6-tube artillery piece for countering enemy artillery, capable of causing chaos on the battlefield.
Deuce: A 2 1/2-ton service truck delivers Allied troops through the "big red one" command ability, and you might encounter them on roads during open warfare.
17 cm K 18 in MrsLaf: This artillery piece fires slowly but packs a punch, making it a significant threat to your artillery units.
Messerschmitt Me 262: The enemy has a new plane that flies incredibly fast, called in by firing a red flare. It performs rocket runs, and you can't prevent it with air superiority.
Flak 38: A static 20mm flak cannon manned by a single enemy can be found in campaigns and classic mode, often seen in circular trenches.
Kettenkrad: This German light-tracked vehicle helps transport troops and supplies, and if the driver is killed, your men might loot its contents.
Weasel: The Allies have their frontline supply vehicle, which delivers supplies directly to your front lines.
These are just some of the changes in this update, and you can find the complete list below:
Stuka sprite added; Germans can call in Stuka airstrikes using pink smoke.
NebelWerfer added for Germans to counter enemy artillery.
Paratroopers receive a combat skill increase in NG+ challenges.
SS soldier and FJ soldier art and animations are completed.
Fixed bullet trajectory issues.
Improved walking sounds on wood and metal surfaces.
Introduced the Red flare: ME 262 for campaign and anti-tank measures.
Fixed German arty support range issue.
Fixed Victoria Cross ribbon rewards in classic runs.
Improved Ambulance AI in the campaign.
Fixed a typo regarding vehicles leaving the area.
Added heavy tracers for vehicles with heavy calibers.
Debuff text no longer appears for dead soldiers.
Officer tier 1 skill Rally now affects all allies.
Fixed terrain discrepancies in Hurtgen and Ardene.
Axis flares no longer affect allied bomb runs.
Panthers can spawn on roads in the campaign.
Added Flak 38, 20mm cannon for Germans on maps.
Fixed road placement issues.
Reduced repair distance for engineers on vehicles.
Airborne troops can take damage when landing in trees.
Reduced soldier hotspot size when dead.
M10 explosions create more unexploded ammo.
Improved mouse-over text for lootable ammo.
Increased variety of wagons on railways.
Added new wagon types, including armored ones.
Flak 38 AAA cannon can be deployed in the field.
Soldier icons display veteran saves and Ranger training in classic.
Fixed bipod bug and AI usage.
Round trenches have a chance to spawn Flak38.
Fixed medic picture in campaign class descriptions.
Soldiers create ripple effects when walking in water.
Shells create ripple effects when falling in water.
Added props in OG ruins and houses.
Allied airborne troops have a saving throw vs. small arms.
Increased AI airborne troops' combat skill in NG+.
Pak 40 range reduced.
Land Mattress rocket launcher added to allies.
Fixed special ammo labelling in classic.
Added voice lines for crate soldiers in classic.
Removed "debugUiOff" message from hotkey.
Removed glancing blow sounds for vehicle collisions with pillboxes.
New sound for the Stuart main gun.
Stuart coax now fires at the proper rate.
Added obstruction for hand-to-hand combat.
Gunners with LMGs can be assisted for reloads.
Fixed mine and loot stash interrogation issue.
Tigers can't save against AT mine or Howitzer explosions.
Brest fortifications can't be fortified.
Added option to make dead soldiers unselectable in the campaign.
Added hardcore DDay mode.
SARGE is back!
Snipers in classic have a minimum combat skill.
29th Let's Go skill resets all soldiers' skill timers in the campaign.
Long Tom added to allies with versatile ammunition types.
Resized French clown car and Jeep.
Fixed ribbon mismatches in Brest.
Primary fix for turret "jitters."
Optimized turret angle and rotation.
Changed empty shell patterns for vehicles.
Added the Kettenkrad for supply transport.
Added a memorial screen for fallen soldiers.
Changed generic error sound.
Troops engaged in hand-to-hand combat can't break off until one is knocked.
Removed artillery vehicles after retreat or squad wipe.
Destroyed allied vehicles no longer announced as leaving your AO.
Added M29 Weasel for supply transport.
Fixed naval guns missing names.
Added Panzershreck AT rocket launcher.
Coded AI with spare ammo to assist Panzershreck soldiers.
Added mine detector with radius and durability.
Fixed roof fade timer in classic options.
Panicking troops will now be deselected.
Added med kit equipment in classic.
AI can use med kits and shovels.
Reduced Palisades target priority on Faust-wielding German infantry.
Enemy AI can pick up and use colored smokes and loot.
Added floaty text for grenade range.
Added new allied troop sprite for campaign.
Soldiers can be heard switching weapon safety.
Added a few achievements
R key can be enabled in options in order to quick reset campaign at the beach (useful for speed runners and beach enthusiasts)
Added workshop building to Vire
Added brick piles and wire coils for cover in Vire
Added German horse cart which can carry troops.
New asset large trench.
New building workshop in vire.
I also want to highlight some incredible community content, including videos showcasing the new features and challenges.
First thing first, have a look at Tulte's progress in the master mode. That's 4 times thru the campaign with increasingly difficult enemies. Pure madness.
If you wish to check out the new hardcore DDAY in action check out this vid from Zeterman. He then proceeds to the hedgerows with lots of aggressivity. Fun to watch.
We got an H-Hour fight by Lance here, pretty nasty when the two big groups collide.
We got MT starting to give another go at the beach in the older version here. MT is always fun to watch because his tactics are sound and deliberate. I find it very easy to learn by watching his stuff.
Funnies
Check these this gem by Tutles
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yUCcGUi-gc
Thank you for your continued support, and feel free to share any suggestions you have.
Respectfully, Urb
Mud and Blood 0.4.3
Good day folks, urb here welcome to another Mud and Blood patch
I'm happy to introduce one of the most significant patches to date for Mud and Blood. This update not only brings two new friendly infantry units to the game, but also a slew of exciting features, fixes and a biome upgrade. But before we dive into the specifics of these mechanics, I want to express once again my heartfelt gratitude to you guys who have been supporting Mud and Blood since its rebirth. Your support is truly motivating, and I am immensely grateful for your continued enthusiasm it makes creating Mud and Blood such a rewarding hobby.
So, this patch took a little longer to cook, as the addition of new major mechanics to the game demanded extra polishing and testing (especially the new AI) to ensure a smooth experience in line to what MNB is currently and where it is going! I believe I implemented several new mechanics that will enhance your gameplay and also reinforce what Mud and Blood is set to deliver, a ruthless experience of combat.
Now, let's delve into some of the exciting new features and how they work. There's a lot to cover, so buckle up and get ready for some epic action in Mud and Blood!
Frenchies!!
A classic soldier from the MNB2 the Frenchies are back to the front. Essentially the Frenchies are a low cost/low skill troops. Some commander consider them good meme material while others have built impressive strategies around their usage. Regardless the French resistance was active part of the of the war and now they are one more additional tactical option for creative commanders out there.
In classic the Frenchies cost 1 TP and come with a 15 combat skill. Uncommonly a Frenchy can have past military experience or be a veteran of the first war which will increase his combat skill. They are less resilient than well fed and trained soldier with only 75 hp. Their morale can be questionable at times but it is usually the task of the commander on the ground to manage that aspect. If you take care of your Frenchies, they will go the extra mile for you. I must warn the new commanders to be careful if you are tempted to group a large number of Frenchies. Large troop movement tells the enemy where to focus his own troops. (6 men rule)
In campaign frenchies can be called with a command ability. The abiltiy can call 4 frenchies +1 per rarity tier that will drive, to the best of their abilities, a marked civilian vehicle (fast QRF) to your front line. Frenchies will disembark only if they see enemies, they are like that. They just rather drive around than walk. If you think about it they kinda have a point. If the Vehicle is called and no contact is made within about 3 min the vehicle will leave your AO, probably to go seek a fight somewhere else. Due to their impressive enginuity at procuring material they come to the fight armed with a fairly exotic array of weaponry including older models such as the Chauchat and the Mas36 (see new weapons below)
Airborne
This patch also has the addition of Airborne troops to Mud and Blood. These highly versatile soldiers have always been a fan favorite due to their superior quality and value for investment. One unique aspect of Airborne troops is that they are deployed via air drop, providing a quick deployment option that carries some inherent risk. Depending on the circumstances, troops may land in unfavorable terrain or dangerously close to enemy forces. Airborne troops are equipped with their own weapons, selected from the airborne-specific arsenal. This diversity in armament may affect the squad's proficiency in certain areas, such as ranged combat or close quarters raiding. Nonetheless, the benefits of having Airborne troops as part of your force outweigh the risks, as they provide unparalleled tactical flexibility and combat prowess. Most of the airborne troops that were fighting alongside of our Division (the 29th) were from the 82nd.
In classic airborne troops can be called to your front lines in exchange for 12 tactical points, bringing in 4 troopers +1 per rarity, each with a combat skill of 40 as a standard "no hook" private. It's important to note that the drop can shift slightly to the left or right, so it's crucial to consider the timing and positioning of your front line before making the call. The commander now has the ability to draw a landing zone (LZ) on the ground using the engineer skills, which was introduced in the last patch, allowing for a more precise drop at a specific area.
In the campaign, Airborne troops are a powerful asset that can be called in using a command ability in the game. When called, a plane will drop an initial group of 4 troopers, with additional troopers added per rarity level, onto your front lines. These AI-controlled troops are known for their high mobility and preference for utilizing vegetation for cover, making them effective in various environments.
Once deployed, the Airborne troops will regroup and either hold their position or make their way towards your location if you are ahead of them. They are cautious when under enemy contact, progressing carefully while utilizing cover. However, it's important to avoid separating too far from them during sustained fights, as leaving only one group to absorb enemy fire may not be ideal.
The Airborne AI may occasionally attempt daring actions, whether rightly or wrongly, when they perceive an opportunity. They are also mindful of not staying out of the fight for too long, as they understand the risk of counterattacks. As a commander, you will need to strategically coordinate and support your Airborne troops to maximize their effectiveness on the battlefield.
The Wespe
The addition of the Wespe, a German mobile artillery vehicle, brings a new dimension to the battlefield. Designed to stay away from direct fire and the front lines, the Wespe engages with powerful HE (high-explosive) rounds against flagged units (visually identified by a friendly unit) that are located far away. The Wespe prioritizes enemy vehicles and other artillery pieces, making it a valuable asset for the Germans, typically called in for counter-battery operations.
As a player using field mobile artillery, you may need to be cautious, as the Wespe poses a potential threat to your own artillery units. Its presence on the battlefield adds a strategic dynamic, requiring players to carefully manage their artillery assets and consider the potential risk of encountering the Wespe in their operations.
In my opinion, this is where the gameplay gets interesting. While you're actively engaged in combat at the front lines, the artillery pieces on the map are also engaging in skirmishes to determine who will dominate the field and attempt to destroy the infantry. As a tactical commander, it's crucial to keep an eye on the indirect fire situation in your area of operations (AO), monitor both ends of the map, and anticipate whether you'll need to provide support to your own artillery with command abilities like precision artillery or heavy mortars, or a strategic artillery strike.
Furthermore, we plan to implement more indirect fire units to enhance the meta battle between field artillery, and add variety in artillery pieces and systems to spice up this additional layer of depth. This adds an extra strategic element to the gameplay, requiring careful coordination and decision-making to effectively manage the indirect fire assets and gain an advantage in the battlefield.
New Weapons
Our FFI allies come with an array of salvaged and captured weapons. This variety brings 2 new weapons in the that were used by the French resistance.
The Chauchat
The Chauchat is a World War I era light machine gun (LMG) that is known for its slow firing rate and less than ideal reliability. It is a relatively heavy weapon to carry, which can be a challenge for soldiers in the field. However, if used effectively, the Chauchat can deliver decent damage with its 8mm round.
After World War I, the Chauchat was either retired by France or distributed to some heavier police and security forces. In some cases, it can still be found in crates or caches. Despite its limitations, the Chauchat holds historical significance as a prominent LMG used during World War I and remains an interesting piece of firearms history.
MAS36
The Mas36 is a unique weapon that combines the design of a bolt action rifle with the compactness of a carbine. This gives the MAS a sleek appearance and lower bulk compared to traditional bolt action rifles. However, the range of the MAS may be compromised due to this design choice. Nevertheless, in the hands of a skilled user, it can be a surprisingly fast and effective mid-range secondary marksman rifle.
Despite its age and design, the MAS36 still maintains reasonable reliability and decent firepower. Its combination of unique features makes it an interesting choice for those who value maneuverability and versatility in combat.
Take charge
This ability grants the campaign commander temporary command over attached troops in the AO (Area of Operations). The duration of the ability is 1 minute, with an additional 1 minute added per rarity level (thus significantly affected by rarity). Additionally, there is a +10 second bonus length per campaign rank held.
This unique command ability is influenced by factors other than rarity. AI troops (infantry) become selectable and will follow move orders given by the commander. However, they will not act as automatons and may not hold a move order for long if they judge it less than ideal.
This ability proves useful in reorganizing the structure of the advance, assigning AI squads to support specific areas, or saving the lives of allies by guiding them away from ambushes. It can also be employed to direct allies to hold a specific arc while the player's own troops progress. In essence, if the AI troops are positioned effectively and actively engaged in combat, they will tend to hold their position.
Naval Guns of Brest
While advancing towards the port of Brest, the 29th often encountered improvised gun sites consisting of naval battery guns placed on top of fortified locations made of concrete. These naval guns were initially placed to defend against attackers from the sea but were turned inland once the Germans realized the Allies would approach from inland.
The naval guns are the only neutral unit in the game, which means they can be used by both factions. Whoever occupies the bunker now has control over the artillery piece and can use it against the enemy. In testing, it was entertaining to see the gun changing hands a couple of times during particularly intense fights, creating dynamic scenarios and daring assaults to turn the guns on incoming German armor
Naval guns are pretty sturdy and at times can even still function even when the bunker is destroyed.
outskirt Brest
The outskirts of Brest are a biome that must be fought through just before entering the city in the campaign. It's a rural area with rolling hills and small hamlets, guarded by gun sites and observation positions. The Germans have dug extensive anti-tank trenches, occupied medieval fortresses, and built hasty defenses on elevated positions to delay the advance to Brest as much as possible.
To reflect the terrain changes in-game, I've added new features to the outskirts, including hills that impede movement and can cause inexperienced troops to fall. This is the first time we've introduced the Z axis in Mud and Blood, so we'll observe how it pans out and make adjustments as needed. Personally, I find it adds depth to the gameplay, as elevation of the terrain now needs to be factored into strategic decisions. Holding the high ground or covering arcs with machine guns becomes a significant factor to consider, just as the Germans will.
The map rework introduces a network of procedurally generated medieval fortifications that reflect the unique engineering of these old sites. The 175th will have to navigate and fight through these fully destructible citadels, often outnumbered, in order to clear them. These fortifications come with their own set of props for added fidelity and offer opportunities for intense room-to-room fighting or strategic positioning in an otherwise barren AO.
The outskirts of Brest are also currently the special event in classic giving the commanders the opportunity to turn captured naval artillery against the enemy. A satisfying process.
QoL stuff and functionality:
One of the features I'm proud to introduce in this patch is the new 'Halt' command for groups. This was a frequently requested feature in our Discord community and it makes perfect sense. Commanders often needed a quick way to stop the entire squad, especially in situations like minefields or nearby fire. Now you can press 'H' to halt your squad in both modes.
In addition, the tab key now hides portraits and the mini-map, which is helpful when soldiers are close to the edge of the map and you need to navigate in tight spaces without the UI getting in the way. It also allows for capturing cool screenshots.
Furthermore, individual saves are now available! This was also a highly requested feature and it makes perfect sense. You can now reset only one mode, either classic or campaign, or both. Just hit the reset button in the options menu and you will be directed to another menu where you can choose the actions you wish to take
I've made several additions to the UI, including feedback and sounds, to provide players with auditory or visual confirmation when performing actions or when the game performs certain actions. These improvements were collectively made to enhance clarity, such as the addition of icon notifications when TP is generated by the HQ and preventing system messages from overlapping.
This patch is packed with love and numerous implementations that I'd love to ramble about, but these patch notes are already extensive. Without further ado, let me share the change list.
0.4.3 change list
- Added description for the recruit class when clicked in the squad panel - Changed the scout description slightly - Added fluff with parallax for a lil more graphical fidelity in campaign mode - Found and fixed an exception that would throw a nan in the career grading averages - Increased the area of effect of antennas to 500 pixels (about 3/4 of the screen height) - Cost of snipers reduced to 5 tp - Cost of Jeeps reduced to 5 tp - Cost of greyhound reduced to 10 tp - Cost of m5 reduced to 8 tp - Cost of Bofor reduced to 8 tp - Cost of Stuart reduced to 12 tp - Cost of fifties reduced to 4 tp - LMG type of weapons accuracy is reduced by half at long ranges (effective range x 4) - Heavy machine guns (fifty cal and ZB60) pin radius has been increased - Fixed Heart of Germany ribbon not displaying right art - Reduced chance of special weaponry for Volkssturm by 15% - Cologne Back ground grass color is now the standard color. - Increased chances for Jaggers by 10% to retreat when effectively engaged - Fixed an occurrence where counter attack warning would not show up - Fixed occurrence where Germans would fire rifle grenades from non rifle grenades capable weapons. - Fixed a very rare possible false Branderburg - Springfield now added to the gun menu in classic - Resolved an issue that would make the game crash if you deployed a vehicle on close protection - Disabled inertia effect when clicking a soldier portrait in Campaign - Added a feedback sound when click mini map and soldier portrait - Fixed an issue where soldier icons names would be faded on mouse over in campaign - Camo loot items should be significantly more effective now. - Added voice cues for Rangers when they resist the morale drop of incoming fire - Added voice cues for field artillery when they receive counter battery fire - Added voice cues for Bangalore torpedoes - Added voice cues for moving armor - Added reactive voices cues when the squad is mid way depending on how well your squad is doing. - Goliaths are not visible from far and they don't produce dust when moving making them more sneaky - Goliath blitz wave in classic - Command abilities have been disabled during the boat ride in campaign. Safety first! - Air bursts should affect troops in non roofed ruins now - Stealth units will not carry over their effects in the next map - Same with headshot - Cargo crates have 5% to spawn a soldier in classic - Hand to Hand skill of Germans increased in harder modes (NG+) proportionally to their combat skill - Your troops will let you know when you are about to get flanked by Jagers in both modes now - Fixed an occurrence where Jagers would not spawn in Campaign. - Added feedback sound to menu buttons - No more "stun save" on disabled or dead soldier - Reduced coax accuracy on all vehicle by 20% for close range - Fixed hair alignment on some portrait since LTHunter told me like 2 years ago. - Hitting tab now hides all buttons and player skills and the minimap for them sexy carnage screen shots - Ordering to toss a frag to a moving soldier will not cancel the action anymore - You can now halt all infantry controlled by the player by pressing H - Reduced how eagerly the Germans would blow up your palisade in classic by 40% - Corrected the prompt text for when creating an extinguisher in classic - Increased the deploy range for low wire entanglements in classic - Fixed an instance where infantry could not target vehicle with IR weaponry - New campaign medal for soldiers EOD medal. This is given when a soldier (engineer, sapper or a soldier with a shovel) clears 25 mines. future mines cleared will automatically reveal nearby mines within 200 px - Increased engineers and sappers immobilization fix to vehicles by 100 px (300px) - In campaign players can no longer call more than one Stuart at the time. - Same for jeeps - In Classic, commanders who set up too close to the end of the map might be attacked by the German HQ - Increased the timer of Wespointer skill in campaign to 1 hour. - Added campaign command ability French Resistance. You can call in a French quick reaction force. - Added campaign Command ability Para drop where you can call in airborne troops. - Added campaign command ability take charge where you can command AI troops in your AO for a short duration of time. - Outskirt of Brest length was increased by 10 maps - Brest actual was reduced by 10 maps - New placeable in Brest "anti tank ditch" which acts as a glorified trench - New placeables in Brest "Brest Wall" procedurally citadel walls that is found in Brest outskirts with some historical artifacts - New Campaign Battle condition "H Hour" where you help a squad of the 82nd airborne face a German counter offensive. - Added a lil icon when the HQ tent generates more TP - Added spacing between screen announcement so they wont spawn on top of each others (like when you get 2 blitz waves at the same time) - Reduced the size of the destroyed trap door sprite - Tweaked German AI to have a more human like behavior in some circumstance especially when under tension (in a thick fight). - Fixed an occurrence where Branderburg troops would have more Iron Cross saves than your troops have vet saves. (Brandies are supposed to mirror your squad) - Added the new hills and Naval guns to other biomes where they applied - Added special even in classic "Outskirt of Brest" - Craters are now producing flying debris from explosions - Added a bunch of voices overs from Yusti, MT and Lance these guys are legends thank you so much. - Soldier in classic will wait to be at the front line to announce themselves - +5% (so now 10% + xp) base chances for a Siggy, without an antenna nearby to complete a call. - Added the Wespe vehicle to the German faction. This will act as counter artillery. - New command ability Meat Grinder (call in a quad 50 halftrack in campaing) - New command ability 105 ht, (call in the powerful 105mm to be fielded in your AO. Watchout you may draw the attention of counter batteries)
We will see how this patch behave, how the new systems interact with the old stuff and do a few adjustments and hot fox in the next few days. If you encounter a bug let us know in the discord so I can improve the game in the next hotfix.
Welp this is it for me folks, I thank you for taking the time to read about this patch. I hope you will enjoy the new stuff. Stay safe out there and I will catch you all in the next drop.
Respectfully urb
Mud and Blood Hotfixes for the last patch
Good day folks, thanks for reporting issues on our discord and in other means. I'll keep monitoring your experiences and fix them as we go. Cheers everyone and have a decent weekend!
- Fixed an where Germans looting allied weapons from the supply depot would reference to the wrong weapon name. - Reduced entanglements hotspots by 40 pixels - Fixed an issue where Bazooka soldiers would have their action cycle timer reset when trying to target a vehicle not in line of sight - Fixed a crash when wire or entanglement would perform a hit check while being destroyed - Moved the possible map boundaries for electronic warfare equipment - Drop zone wont be removed by cleaning function - Fixed a crash with the grease gun in classic - Fixed a crash related to a loot box - Fixed double BC effects on some occasions in campaign - Fixed an instance where HQ Halftrack would not spawn troops - Added a message for V1 blitz waves - Fixed an issue where the meat grinder wouldn't fire at infantry
Mud and Blood 0.4.2 is live!!!
Good day, folks urb here,
I hope you guys are having a decent start to the year. It's with a certain amount of excitement that I drop 0.4.2 in the open branch. This patch was heavier on the back end, focussing on how to onboard new players, and some new content while laying the foundation for in-map heavy indirect fire. So as per usual, let's use the first part of this patch note to go over the new mechanics implemented.
The four pillars and their importance in Campaign!!
To many, the campaign is arguably the hardest but most rewarding Mud and Blood experience out there. We have this wild concept in the Mud and Blood community that firefights in this game are essentially successful (or not) based on 4 principles. Basic stuff that you should do well in order to win the fight. Arguably these "pillars" of combat might be abstract to some of our new players and leave them sometimes guessing what they should emphasize on.
Introducing the combat grades engine. In its simplest form, it's a tool that measures how easy or hard you are making it on yourself by doing or not doing certain things. In more detail, it essentially measures your actions while you fight and quantifies their effectiveness, timeliness and payoffs. Ultimately my intent with this is to give a personalized mentor to you guys out there interested in more tailored feedback on how to improve. It is important to note right away that this grading system is not linked to any scoring or ribbons. It's just a learning tool. It looks at what you did and tells you if that will make you successful during Mud and Blood combat.
The four principles are explained on your profile when you click on them to review your grades. At the end of a campaign map, you get your analysis and how it is different from your average play. This helps you understand if you are improving or not in certain aspects of Mud and blood. Hopefully, it makes new players understand how much they can have agency over the outcome of a fight.
Panther Tank
This patch brings in the Panther tank to the German army. This vehicle has some distinctive pros and cons that can turn pros into cons. One of the ambivalent features of the Panthers is they are well known for their very slow reverse speed. This means that technically you can bypass a Panther that is cut off its infantry, but at the same time if it holds the ground it might take you a while and a few counterattacks to get to see it leaving. Something to keep in mind.
Additionally, the Panther can switch ammo depending on what target it is firing at. This tank might even shoot a WP at your soldiers in certain conditions. It has coax and a decent amount of armour but won't deflect a shot like the Tigers.
Half Track
Celebrated for its modularity the half-track was the workhorse of the mechanized effort of the Allies on the western front. The half-track is a MNB2 classic and I'm pretty happy about how it will bring different mechanics into the game that represents just as much support as offensive capability.
It comes in classic and campaign. In classic, the Halftrack cost 6 tp which brings in the vehicle as an early-game option potentially. Once you get your basic Halftrack, it will be a spawn point for all your reinforcements. You can also upgrade it with the module of your choice.
Ambulance, 3 TP: The Ambulance HT will not flee if engaged by the enemy. It is also pertinent to note that all ambulances' abilities in the game have been doubled.
HQ, 4TP: The HQ HalfTrack will give to any nearby soldier the ability to act as a signaller. it also act as a regular HQ with 10% per wave to generate an extra TP. It also increases your chances to get a cargo Drop by 3% per wave. It also has a .30 machine gun.
M21 Heavy Mortar 5TP: A heavy mortar is mounted in the half-track and will shoot 3 rounds per wave. This is 81mm the same calibre as the signaller call. Heavy mortars hit hard and affect large infantry numbers due to their wide fragmentation blast.
T19 Howitzer 6TP: It's all fun and game until someone has the idea to mount a 105 in the back of one of those things. The T19 brings the indirect fire support mechanic into the game. Essentially these are powerful weapons that can fire at targets beyond their own line of sight. In order for indirect support weapons to fire the target has to be flagged (visually identified) by any allied troops. The target also has to be more than 2000 pixels away (about two screens wide) from the weapon system in order for the support to fire.
The meat Grinder 8TP: Welp it wouldn't be a half-track without the quad fifties. This brings 4 heavy machine guns onto the field which cranks the fire rate of this thing to something scary. Since we are talking about .50 going against infantry mostly you can see where that name comes from.
P47 strafe
A new command ability available in classic and campaign is the p47 strafe. This calls in a Thunderbolt to perform a strafe with its impressive 8 HMgs. This results in 35 rounds hitting a circular area around where you are designated. It is a more concentrated attack than the normal strafe representation of the natural abilities of that particular plane at supporting ground troops.
New Weapons:
G98
with the implementation of the Volks in the game there were certain weapons that needed to come in as well. It is mentioned that the volks would, at times be armed with older weapons such as the G98 which is a good bolt action but showing some age.
ZB26
The ZB is a very good Czechoslovak LMG that got adopted by the Wehrmacht. It is also what inspired the Bren gun. The Zb26 is very rare and mostly if ever, found in the hands of Branderbergs which affectionated the weapon for its firepower and reliability.
Supply Depots
These are stashes of supplies that bring new mechanics in both modes. In classic, the commander can build a supply depot for 2tp and it will have 5% per wave to generate loot and +1% per wave to get a cargo drop. Multiple supply depots can be built and their value will stack up to 5 times.
In the campaign, these are German supply dumps. German that goes to the depot can get new weapons and stock up on support items such as coloured smoke (which calls in support) and Molotov or Fausts. It is important to notice these early in the game or Germans that crate can have a field day and don't hesitate to use the good stuff. Destroying a supply dump in Campaign will spawn up to 3 items.
Electronic Warfare Equipment
EW was in its early stages during this period of time. However, both sides were actively trying to jam radio signals or intercept communications. To represent this in MNB the EW kit can be deployed in classic mode for 2tp. When the enemy is calling support the EW kit has 10% to cancel that request. Every wave the EW has 5% of revealing all enemies. This can be very useful with indirect weapon systems such as mortars or howitzers that can fire at any target and any range as long as the target is identified.
In the campaign, EW kits are deployed by your enemy. When you call anything with a radio and there is an Ew kit deployed in your AO, the Germans now have 10% of jamming that signal. A sharp commander can try to locate the EW kit and hit it with support or the kit itself can be rigged by either a signaller or an intel. Rigged EW kit will now have the potential to jam support calls made by the enemy.
Drop Zones
DZ can be built in classic in order to indicate allied cargo drops where to land. This is good if you are seeking to have maximum precision as to where you are getting your supplies, especially useful if you have other units and assets that increase your chances to get cargo drops such as an HQ Halftrack and supply depots.
In the campaign drop zones have 25% to spawn in when the battle condition "drop zone" is active. This will be used by enemy para drops as a DZ. Being in the AO where there is an active DZ can be a blessing or a curse depending on what you are fighting and where it is located. This said nothing prevents you to be tactically humourous and mine a DZ if you have the capabilities.
Anti Tank mines
AT mines can be deployed in classic for 1 TP. They can only be detonated by vehicles or by secondary explosions. They pack a good punch and are intended to kill up to the strongest enemy armour. They deploy in the same pattern as the normal mines.
Extinguisher in classic
A popular request since some defensive positions were often interdicted by fires. Now commanders can request an extinguisher for 1 tp. The extinguisher can be placed anywhere but will despawn after 3 min. (damn expiration dates).
Classic Special event: Plains of Cologne
if you get there late in the war, right after the Roer are the plains of Cologne. This area intends to be farmland with pockets of trees overlooking small hamlets. The Germans have built their defence amid this mixture of open and closed ground with everything they could muster. Even their horse wagons. Expect trenches and wire to be present. They also use barrels to construct defensive positions. The buildings present are farmhouses and barns. Nothing too sturdy but better cover than nothing. This map rework is also available in the campaign.
Class descriptions in squad panel
If you hit the squad panel and click the icon of one of your soldiers a class description will appear and tell you what this class is about and how to use it with maximum results. This combined with the weapon description added recently should be useful if you are looking to get extra details about your squad's capabilities.
This is the highlight but there is more stuff in the patch, so here they are in their entirety:
Patch 0.4.2a change list
- Fixed some of the tank attacks not being registered properly by the soldier's psychological state engine (mostly tension) - Added description for all classes in Campaign - Added grading system for missions (kinda of a big deal as far as backend stuff, the game will analyze your tactical data and pop a grade) - Prevented an instance of duplication in battle conditions - Disabled a dev key that flagged all enemies :) - removed the BC set conditions in the touchdown sequence in order to clean up the BC generation - Reshuffled the spawn locations for the enemies in Brest proper to alleviate enemies bunching up in the last house. - Decreased the chances of 88s and pak 40 spawning in Classic - Spaced up mines by 40 pixels - Classic new item: Anti-tank mines, comparable to the same mines in MNB2, these bad boys pack an extra punch against vehicles and will not be detonated by infantry. Can still be detonated by fires or secondary explosions. - Germans will now use the Anti Tank mines when laying minefields as well. - Removed placeholder sounds for burning men. - Added 1 sec of delay to WP and smoke impact so they match the sounds. - Significantly increased accuracy of coax guns against vehicles and infantry at short ranges - Half-Track added in classic and campaign with full modularity!!! - Added P47 air strike to classic and Campaign - New enemy weapon ZB26, very rare and mostly carried by Brandies. - New enemy weapon, G98, an old WW1 rifle that has a decent punch but less than ideal bulk and jam chances. Carried mainly by Volks. - Removed the funny names and added historical 29th div names to the name generator for soldiers. Thanks to LTHunter for collecting all that. - Doubled the healing powers of Ambulances and Medic Halftracks - Added 2 more rockets to the lightning strike - Extinguishers can be procured in classic for 1 tp - New placeable Supply Depot, can generate items for both factions - New placeable Electronic warfare equipment, this can cancel support calls and reveal enemies for the faction that deploys it - New placeable drop zone: this will make friendly cargo plane drop their package or troops on that mark. - New German vehicle the Panther Tank. - If you beat the game and hit DDay with your experienced squad it won't reassign new weapons to them. - Roads will now grow trees at their sides instead of just destroying them during map generation - New Biome, Cologne Plains. This is a heavily defended farmland area where the Volks and the remnants of the Axis are mounting their last-ditch defence. - New obstacle in classic and campaign. Low wire entanglement. Soldiers that walk in the entanglement will have to do a roll against their experience or fall down. - Tweak the procedural generation to catch some exceptions such as trees inside houses. - Prevented some placeables from spawning slightly off the map during map generation. - Fixed an issue where the ribbon for Heart Of Germany would not be issued in the Campaign - Fixed an issue where the Anti-tank ribbon from classic would send Rhine ribbon messages to the player - Flamer infantry will not shoot at vehicles with their main weapon anymore - Enemies will not attempt ultra-long shots with their support calls when alerted by players rustling the trees - Gunners can't be flamers in classic - Eyes in the sky BC will now flag unhidden enemy vehicles, convenient for spotting PAKs in advance. - Tombstones now delete their relative covers if they are destroyed - Fixed the flak30 sometimes shooting way above their calibre when targeting enemy armour. - Added a few more sections of the Roer river in order to avoid the river running short on particularly long maps - Fixed an issue where Goliaths would stop when spotting an allied vehicle - Fixed an issue where Germans looting allied weapons from the supply depot would refer to the wrong weapon name. - Reduced entanglements hotspots by 40 pixels. - Fixed an issue where Bazooka soldiers would have their action cycle timer reset when trying to target a vehicle, not in the line of sight - Fixed a crash when wire or entanglement would perform a hit check while being destroyed. - Moved the possible map boundaries for electronic warfare equipment.
This sums up the changes for this patch folks. I hope you like the new stuff and can find creative ways to hurt the enemy.
Community round up
If you are looking for tips on how to finish DDay with 6 men, check out this vid by MT playing 0.4.2 and finishing with Honours.
Zeterman here hitting DDay but this time in the unfair mode NG+, the highest difficulty Mud and Blood has been played so far. At this level every single decision is crucial. Very fun to watch high-level play.
check out ssteppa__ pulling a 59 waver in the new version's special event.
That is all for me today folks, I hope you are going to enjoy your weekend and the new patch. I will catch you on the next drop.
Respectfully, urb
Xmas patch and Mud and Blood is one year old!!
Good day folks urb here,
A year ago, it all started with a few lines of code written by a GWOT veteran, to help purge his demons. To bring up some firefight scenarios on demand, with a bunch of mechanics merging together to create an emergent and evolving fight. No one would know what happens next. No heroes, no bull$hit power fantasy. Just combat. Raw, violent, unceremonious and comical at times. Some sort of way to celebrate the gold ol' days while paying the rightful respect to modern conflict lethality. You know, that despite the losses and the size of the $hit sandwich, at the end of the day must you fight on.
And to this, I say thank you to the 7000 of you out there that were willing to back this thing out. I'm grateful for all of you and feel very fortunate that you were willing to pick a rifle and venture into this valley of death with the rest of us. Hearing about your tales of bravery, sacrifice, loss and victory was a pure blast. I'm 100% all about building my dream game and having you guys along for the ride.
This patch brings a few new elements and paves the way for what is ahead which is third-party AI such as the Frenchies and allied units. It brings in the special event for Xmas in classic and some new Battle conditions for the Campaign mode.
New campaign battle condition: Crucible
This battle condition spawns a group of 6 Branderburgs that are an even match for your squad. This is the closest thing to a boss fight you can get in Mud and Blood. The Brandies will be modelized after your own squad matching your experience level, combat skill and veteran saves. They will fight dirty and hit you as hard as they can. They work very well as a team and maintain cohesion at a higher level than normal units. Almost like you are fighting another player if you will. The good news is that you only have to face 6 enemies on this map mostly. Counterattacks are still active so you must push your squad into contact earlier than later.
Visual fidelity
Some of the battle conditions such as rain and heavy cloud were just notional up to this point. I was initially hesitant to add the rain effect since the addition of particles could affect some of us, keeping the lower-end rigs in mind. The solution I found is to tie the rain effect to the particle settings set by the player in the options panel. Now the rain is very present but in proportion to your settings. Honestly quite relaxing at times in between sessions of high-intensity murdering.
Forest fires
In earlier versions, the fire was spreading to everything besides trees. I now added a two-stage tree-burning mechanic which will spread fire to trees and around if the fire is big enough. This can lead to some pretty uncontrollable situations where the vegetation is pretty dense and all the factors are lined up properly. One more thing to pay attention to. Setting a forest on fire can also be an available option to deny the enemy. Just remember, if it is hard to get in, it'll be hard to get out.
Intel can now interrogate
The Intel has a new passive ability which is interrogate. If there is a bleeding German just place your intel nearby and your soldier will attempt to extract information once per action. This is an xp driven action so the more experienced your soldier is the faster this will be accomplished. Upon success, the intel will reveal all hidden mines, crates and enemies with 500 px from the bleeding German.
Night Raid
It is now possible to have a battle condition that will make you fight the map at night. It is often mentioned that the 29th was often confronted with what seemed impossible grounds to take. Sometimes the only option to break the stalemate was to use unorthodox tactics. Night fighting at that time was not as common as today. but when carefully employed on an unsuspected enemy this could change the dynamic and tip the balance in your favour. In order to represent this the game now rolls in night fighting Battle conditions. quite naturally when you roll that battle condition it'll be darker. The detection range will be halved for all troops. Although the engagement range has not been reduced so once the fight has started it'll get pretty hairy like most night fights. they start close up and end up involving more people in the party that was not initially invited. The enemy since generally not expected to get raided at night will have a 10% reaction malus. I've built an in-house dynamic lighting system for this. Currently, it changes the exposure based on how close the camera is to fire. This will ultimately also affect nearby soldiers' ability to detect enemies if close to a light source. Note that You can turn on the muzzle flash effect in the options panel.
Xmas special events!!
We're going to Bastogne for Christmas boys! It was requested by many, the classic gib Santa special event is back. For a limited time, there is a chance that Santa take a stroll in your AO if you deploy with the Xmas special event. If Santa is gibbed you will get the special ribbon which gives a pretty cool reward. There are also a few gift boxes around the map that offer minimal cover and may contain surprises if blown up! Bastogne is a pretty messy place to fight with widely dispersed LOS blockers which are mostly trees. This usually means a pretty tight early game with close encounters until the map gets destroyed which turns the entire thing into a WW1 scenario.
This is pretty much the highlights of this patch folks, but here all the details:
0.4.1 patch notes
- Fixed a crash induced when a soldier was tossing an empty Faust - Fixed some turret logic that was making the turrets shake or not engage on some occasions - Supply crate won't be capturable by the enemy in the campaign anymore - Increased the healing speed of medics by 5% - All sectors have their proper picture in the briefing panel now - Fixed an occurrence where the river sound in Roer would still play after a game - Fixed an occurrence where the sdkfz222 turret sound would not load correctly - SS, Volks, and some Wehrmacht gunners would not get the correct specialty - Bofor explosions buffed considerably - Changed the rocket sounds for the P38 - Added new sounds for destroyed trees - Added Santa and his gibs - Increased slightly the density of fire smoke - Added an additional option panel for future implementation - Rejiged the timings for the P38 animation to match the sounds better - Changed the AI to be more conservative with maneuvering when holding an MG - Dead trees will have a significantly smaller line of sight block area - Officer skill rally in the campaign also cancels panic - Intel can now "interrogate" bleeding Germans to reveal nearby enemies, caches and mines. - Added clouds animations for when Dark Clouds BC is active - Added rain effect for when the rain BC is active - New BC, Night Raid which makes your team conduct this attack at night. This involves a few new mechanics and a dynamic lighting system. - New BC: Crucible, kill a squad of 6 heavy Branderburgs in your AO. Pretty much a boss fight. - Trees can now spread fire.. oh boy. - Gunners will receive a BAR when caught with non-standard guns during a standardization battle condition - Firing a flare will now stop the soldier - Soldiers who are tossing grenades will stop their movement before the throw. - Third tier weapon for heavies in the campaign is the now t20 - Night-Ops medal for soldiers who survive 3-night missions - Shock Trooper Medal for particularly competent shooters with shotgun-enabling slam fire - Dead and German soldiers don't complain about back blasts. They lost that privilege. - Fixed the München-Gladbach ribbon - Adjusted some of the German weapon tables to be more realistic.
Community round-up:
Here's a over view of what happened in the community in the last few weeks.
Check out Masked Terror (which beat the campaign lately congrats buddy!!). I personally really enjoy watching MT's mission since his fire and movement is deliberate and make it easy for the new players to catch a notion or two about when and where to move next in a fight. In this particular vid the fight at the end of Brest gets pretty personal.
Check out this hilarious clip by Mentally where his squad gets flamed right off the starting line but luckily his troops were knee-deep in the Roer.
Zeterman is back with a full Hurtgen pass in one vid. There is a lot to learn in this vid since, as you may know by now Zeter pioneers some of the most daunting tactics with his fast micro squad composed of commandos. It creates pretty exciting assaults to watch with an insane amount of unforeseen events. Who dares wins!!
Check out Comtastic killing it (and also getting killed) in the Hedgerows.
With all this folks, I thank you for taking the time to read these patch notes. I hope you guys will have a good holiday season, good coffee, late mornings and decadent foodage if possible. I'll catch you in mid-January for the next content drop and until then stay safe out there.
respectfully, urb
Mud and Blood 0.4.0 has dropped!!
Good day folks, urb here,
Hope you guys are having a decent Saturday, plenty of coffee and some free time to fire up some of your favorite indie games. And perhaps even maybe that obscure WW2 game about maneuvers and tactics.
Mud and Blood patch 0.4.0 is essentially an effort to close the game loop in the campaign in order to have a fully supported 333 days combat experience with ribbons and varied map generation. I would say I am almost there. Regarding classic mode, at this stage, I'm looking at what can be added to have a solid and nostalgic experience (Sarge, Frenchies and such). There is currently a healthy amount of variety in both modes and now we narrow down to the milestones required for full release.
Let's take a look in detail at what the patch brings and the new mechanics.
Coordinated movement order
A nifty alternate movement mechanic has been implemented where you can press the alt key and then assign moving orders. When you let the alt key go all the movement orders will be executed simultaneously. This is very useful when timing is everything such as when crossing a hedgerow in the example above. Note that movement speed still applies to slower soldiers such as Gunners and Signallers.
V1 Blitz waves
In classic, there is a possibility of a V! blitz wave. it is essentially a volley of 5 V1s flying at your defence lines. I can almost hear some of you sharp commanders out there thinking about air superiority. Will it work in the case of the V1 blitz? The short answer is yes, air superiority has indeed 50% chances intercept V1s. A dice roll is made for every rocket of the blitz.
P38 Lightning air strike: rocket run
During the Brest offensive, the 29th critically lacked artillery in order to conduct their advance. A supply issue was at the root of the cause and nothing could be done about it. In order to move ahead with the operations the 29th came up with very intuitive ways to integrate the air force into their tactics. The result brought the P38 into the fight with the aid of USAF liaison officers attached to Gerhardt's HQ.
The P38 offers an air strike that has a tight and mostly horizontal spread. The P38 will fire at least 6 rockets in a fairly accurate fashion. The rockets have limited frag spread but pack decent anti-tank capabilities. Since vehicles are usually moving horizontally in the game world, this strike add one more tool in your arsenal to deal with this potential enemy. Currently, the P38 is 2 tp in classic. In campaign, the P38 has a minimum of 6 rockets but will increase by 1 per card rarity level.
Trap Doors
Once you start rolling in German cities expect the enemy to use trap doors and various tunnels in order to circle around your troops and perform hit-and-run tactics on you. Luckily, you can still mine or destroy the trap doors preventing their future use. They are also fairly noisy so you will hear a distinctive metal door sound when the enemy is using them. Trap doors will spawn in the current special event so make sure there is none behind your position or the enemy will simply have a shortcut to your end line. Something to keep in mind.
In the campaign, trap doors bring in additional troops over time. This makes static fights increasingly challenging with the real possibility of being bogged down in a 2 fronts fight.
Trap doors tend to appear in an urban area, most commonly within Germany itself. Be advised that there is a rare occasion where a trap door could be inside a building in some rural areas such as St-Lo.
New Biome Aachen
Aachen was a map I wanted to redo for a lil while and I'm very happy I had the chance to tackle this one in this patch. It is essentially a dense urban map filled with ruins and treacherous angles. Aachen was a nasty fight with Germans holding large buildings in number delaying the advance with a fair amount of tenacity. In order to reproduce these street-to-street quick and deadly fights I've designed Aachen to be grid-like and entirely roofless. It resulted in narrow city blocks in quick succession peppered with few standing trees and back alley streets. Germans can shift forward really fast and often out of the line of sight creating these impromptu vicious fights where the outcome is decided on who is caught off position.
Aachen comes at the middle of the campaign some time after Brest. It is also the current special event in Classic.
New Biome Roer River
After the big fight of Ardennes, the Allies needed to reorg in order to roll in Germany enforce. While this happened the 29th was tasked to patrol the banks of the Roer river in order to prevent Germans to take back some of the ground left by other divisions. This area gives a very unique map layout since it is traversed by a large river. Allies or enemies end up maneuvering either on top or the bottom of the map. This transversal dynamic makes planning a fun process as you try to anticipate where the enemy will be in the limited terrain. The river also gives emplacement and vehicles a fair amount of range if they occupy the center.
Squad panel weapon inspection
In the squad panel now you can click weapons in order to access their hard specs. The user will be able to see info on the specific weapon carried by this such as range, damage, rate of fire and recoil. Let me know what you think about being fed weapon data. In my opinion, this can help some folks out there learn about specific weapons' pros and cons.
There is also some fixes and tweaks in this version so let's take a look at all the patch notes.
4.0 complete change list
- Fixed an issue where WP, heavy mortars and air burst attacks from Germans would not be redirected by counter intel - V1 blitz in Classic mode (hey don't look at me you guys asked for it) - Air superiority has 50% to stop a v1 (in case of a v1 blitz an individual roll is made for all 5 rockets) - Fixed spirit of the 29th text - Fixed an occurrence where Commandos would deploy and announce themselves as medic (aint that the furthest you can be from the truth) - First stab at preventing some vehicles to see stealth units across LOS blockers. not that 222s are very good at spotting hidden troops and retained that ability. - Cleaned up the code for loot pick up, sometimes the soldiers would not pick up loot they are walking towards. - Bodies will now burn if exposed to fire with a nice bacon sound (Please send help. This is a cry for help.) - Build preview for antennas, tank traps and dragon tooth added - Antenna build zone reduced by half - Camouflaged individuals (soldiers who are using the camo loot drop) and does hand to hand attacks will reveal themselves - Fixed some parts of the game where the "no music" option wouldn't affect the tunes - Fixed a display error when showing the progression in Heart of Germany in campaign - Rhine, Roer, Ardenne, Cologne, München-Gladbach, Hog ribbons added to the game. We now have 105 ribbons. - P38 rocket run added to campaign (as a command ability) and classic (2tp) - Sdkfz 222 will now spawn on roads - Fixed a fault where enemy trucks would group up at the end of a map in the campaign - Added trap doors, this is used by Germans to spawn behind your lines. Destroy it with TNT or Bangalore or booby trap them with mines for best effects. - New Biomes, Aachen which is a grid-like city full of ruins and nasty surprises. This biome offers tight fighting spiced up with large open areas at times challenging close and long firefight strategies. - New special event in Classic will play the map of Aachen this could help some folks trying to get the Guerrilla Warfare ribbons since it is fairly well populated with defences already in map. - Germans spawning in ambushes (under a camnet) will react a little faster simulating they were on overwatch and waiting for your squad to walk in their kill zones. - New asset, Waco CG-4 glider that crash landed behind enemy lines. These can be seen in Aure and in the Hedges. Gliders give cover save and block line of sight. they can often contain some useful items. - Fixed a fault where the track sound for the Sherman would not fade over distance - Exploding vehicles have increased chances to burn for some time now. - Fixed some ricochet effect when it hits the water - New Biome, Roer river. this is an interesting map with a river crossing from left to right. opening long-range shooting in the middle and tight close quarter battles across the water. - New in-water bleed effect - Fixed in water ricochet - Added water drips when explosions hit the water - Added voice-over on hand-to-hand kills - Added voice-over for ambush detection - Added voice-over for Ambush triggered - Added voice-over for when a soldier is hit by a backblast - Added the hilarious flamer voiceovers for classic - Added voice-over for when the armour leaves - Added long-awaited tank radio chatter when moving and leaving - QoL/Game Mechanic: Coordinated movement. Press Alt and assign movement orders to your troops. When you release the alt key they will perform the actions. Perfect for synchronized assaults and attacks. - Fixed Spirit of the 29th timer not being affected by its rarity levels. - Classic Ribbon medal of honour requires now to have an average of 75 waves anytime after the 5th game. - In the squad panel you can click a soldier's weapon to inspect it. This will display the weapon specs such as range damage and such. - Some AI polishing was done in order to make some behaviours more human-like. Notably how Germans are affected by the tempo of the fight. A variable named tension is keeping a record of how heavy the fight is and adjusting the enemy's behaviour for greater or worst accordingly. - Classic [1 tp] and Campaign as a new lootable. Toolbox. This for now adds 5 to 25 hit points to a damaged vehicle. It has the potential to repair critically damaged parts after the vehicle's mechanics get further implemented. 0.4.0c - Fixed a drift issue with the particle system - Trap doors are destructible now - Fixed an issue where Batttle conditions would reset upon launching a mission. 0.4.0d Fixed an issue where soldiers called in hasty defence and would not refund TP when dismissed. Fixed commandos having their max health not set to 120 on hasty defence.
This resumes the patch for now folks. We will catch you very soon in the one-year anniversary of the Steam MNB patch with a few surprises :)
Community highlights
Very good fight by MT. This is a good video to learn about maneuvering and reacting to hard losses in the middle of a fight.
That is it for me on this patch folks, hope you enjoy the new stuff. Let me know what you think on discord or here my DMs are open and I'm always happy to hear about cool stuff you would like to see in MNB.
Stay safe and warm, catch you all guys at the Christmas patch drop.
Respectfully, urb
Mud and Blood Mighty 0.3.9 Patch!!
Good day folks urb, thanks for your patience on the patch and without any further delay here goes another fairly beefy monstrosity full of violence and goodies. This one was a little bit of work since it was related to some back-end mechanics and AI. Let's have a look at some of the good stuff.
Squad rearrangement:
Kind of a big deal, code wise it definitely was interesting to tackle on a custom engine. You can now drag and drop soldiers' portraits in campaign mode. This was a highly requested feature. Commanders can now on the fly rearrange their squad's shortcuts by right-clicking and dragging the portrait of their men into a new position. This helps the micro tremendously and speeds up squad management. Very happy to have been able to crack this one up.
Forest warfare AI upgrade
I've spent a fair amount of time re-arranging the AI in order to navigate forest fights better. In a nutshell, the enemy will simultaneously move in and out of contact and keep a general SA (situation awareness) on how their squadmates are doing. Depending on their TTPs (tactics, techniques, and procedures) either SS or FJ or Wehrmacht, will behave with various degrees of aggressiveness and cohesion in order to match their archetypes. My goal is not to make the AI perfect woodland assassins, however, but rather to simulate soldiers attempting their best to win a fight. This was the hard part because it was easy to code the perfect solution but rather challenging to code human-like behaviour and plausible tactical mistakes in a high-stress situation. The result is very satisfying and also makes the Germans more aware of your troops while you are trying to be cute in the trees.
We also got new sounds and effects when bullets hit the trees making the forest fight colourfully and snappy. Soldiers that are moving within trees will also generate noise and leaf particles. This will help players determine where sneaky Germans hide in that hedgerow. It will also help the Germans know where you are so careful disturbing the vegetation too much you might catch a Faust!
Explosion mechanics rework
The way explosions worked in MNB was satisfying but not to the level I wanted in order to simulate warfare AND be a factor for emergent gameplay. With this latest patch, we get exactly that. There is a lot of back-end stuff going on but for the commander the most noticeable aspects of how troops are now affected by explosions especially when it comes to buildings and cover. A grenade that gets through a window of a house and land inside becomes a real threat now. Mortar shells that land on the roof of a house are not directly threatening but will shake your guys up a lil bit. Fragments from an incoming 88 shell that hits right outside of a defensive position will come straight at your soldiers if it doesn't get stopped by the cover. Overall it doesn't make the game harder but rather makes deflagrations behave in a more authentic fashion.
Volkssturm
Germany late in the war losing the fight progressively had to come up with fresh troops. The Volkssturm (People’s Militia) represents its last line of defence. The Volks were drawn from ranks of the population previously considered unfit for military service, including younger boys (aged 13-18) and older men (many of whom were veterans of World War I).
To reflect this in the game the Volks will have half the skill and health as regular forces. Since they show up late in the game however they have a little perk. When sustaining a casualty a Volks unit has 10% to bring in 4 more soldiers into the fight. If unlucky a commander can all of a sudden find him/herself rolled into a mini Gettysburg.
Volks will spawn as a boss wave in Classic bringing 20 soldiers on the map for 10 tp. In the campaign, they will progressively start appearing as you get closer to Germany in groups of 8 to 16. Volks have their own equipment table with a preponderance for late-war armament such as the VG1-5.
In terms of tactics, the militia will do very basic maneuvering but will shine if they attach themselves to experienced troops. This was particularly impressive to see in action when during testing a Volks squad was led by 3 FJs into a formidable maneuvering scheme (typical for the FJ). On the tactical spectrum, I see the Volks willing to fight but lacking the know-how. In-game mechanics, it translates into this very dynamic outcome where Volks will try to imitate or support (to the best of their limited abilities) the toughest guy around.
New Biome: Heart of Germany
Heart of Germany or HoG as we call it is one of the final stretches in the campaign mode and lasts for 30+ days. I felt it was important to inject some love in the late game in order to create incentive in fighting the long fight. The HoG has been coded to generate some of the most intricate terrain so far with a mesh of rural, open lands bordered by light forest and road works. New assets include farmland, tractors and dead cows, and some new haybales. We got a well that is destructible, and 2 new cottage houses with 20 abandoned domestic props. It also introduces procedurally generated cemeteries which offer some pretty cool tactical nightmares right in time for Halloween. HoG is also available in the special event in classic so you guys try it out.
New vehicles: M10 and Ambulance
Last time the Germans got some new vehicles now it's our time. Introducing the Wolverine M10 tank destroyer. This is a long-range (longest effective range of all allied vehicles) hard punching AT vehicle. It is also quite maneuverable for a thing of this size. Its turret is open top which in a sense is good because it gives the crew a 360-degree vision arc. However, it makes the crew more vulnerable. The tank will fire as long as there is at least one crewman in the turret. Speaking of the turret, that thing is hand cranked so absolutely slow to traverse. The M10 is not made for quick and agile engagement and will get entangled in managing its arcs of fire if not protected appropriately from infantry. M10 is beefy but its armour is not the best so keep an eye out for damage sustained. This said the Wolverine absolutely shines at taking out emplacements and vehicles from far, it is the vehicle sniper if you will.
Next, we got the ambulance which brings in new mechanics. This vehicle is a soft-skin-wheeled truck that when deployed will heal fairly fast any soldier that is severely wounded (under 50 hp). The ambulance is a non-fighting vehicle however which means as soon as it's sustaining damage it will leave the battlefield. In classic, that means you just lost that 3 tp. So commanders have to either keep it in the back at a rear medical station or roll the dice and accept the risk of bringing it to the front. The challenge in the campaign is that while your guys are being treated by the medical crew, counterattacks are still a thing and an acute sense of momentum will be required to not get caught with your pants down.
German Airborne drops
German AI commander can now call in fallschirmjagers drops on your position. They will drop straight onto your frontlines in section-size groups. If they land on trees they will sustain some damage but expect them to be ready to fight shortly after they hit the ground. In classic, FJ drops will come as a blitz wave. In the campaign, the drops are a battle condition in the same pattern as Panzer Grenadiers (1% to spawn in on German casualty) If you are about to get assaulted by FJ you will hear in the distance the distinctive sound of a JU52, at this point, it is advised to grab some walls and brace for a tough fight.
I also want to point out the excellent work from LTHunter our local historian who dug up the names of the 29ers who fought in WW2 which were added to the game naming function for your soldiers. Sounds like a minor thing but this is important for me and the MNB community. The 29th took part in some of the toughest fights out there and always with an impressive level of professionalism which in return made them less flamboyant than other outfits. As November approaches, this is our humble contribution to immortalizing their names and hopefully helping the legacy in ways we can.
This said good folks here is the list of all the changes in this patch:
0.3.9 change list
- In classic Germans will adapt if you have too many of a certain unit type. Post wave 100 difficulties has been increased. - Smoke screens used by Germans will be more strategically used. - All soldiers when done moving will turn towards the nearest threat. - Bikes AI modified so they are more reactive to their environment and exfil when required. - Reload time for 88s and M5 has been increased by 5 sec - AT gun reload time will also be affected by the number of guns present on the map. Sharing ammo is hard. - new mechanics for explosions: Explosions that fall inside buildings with no roof will now damage occupants Explosions that fall outside buildings can potentially hurt the occupants depending on the protection value of the building. Explosions from grenades or rifle grenades or mines that are inside a building will damage the occupants Explosions that are damaging occupants will leave a crater in the building. Craters that are on wooden surfaces will spawn wooden plank particles. Trenches although roofless offers an additional 50% saving throw to nearby explosions Any troops pinned inside a trench or a building or behind a defence structure will be immunized to fragmentation (but still be stunned) Stun value for all explosions has been reviewed - Troops being shot will turn for a few degrees alive or not. - Lootable med kits fixed - Germans with radio capabilities will now have Radios on their backs for better identification. - Buildings can save the occupant from outside shockwaves created by the explosion resulting in some protection versus stuns - Bonus of OG troops fixed in the campaign (+2% bonus to combat skill to all the squad per surviving original six soldiers) - Another attempt was made to fix an occurrence where the end of the map is empty in the campaign after a hail Mary battle condition. - Air dropped Supply crates now have 10% chances to drop random allied weapons. - Standardization now takes all the German weapons off your squad. - Speeded up the Beach cut scene a lil bit so the sand hits faster. - Vehicles now have their names just like soldiers and they can be viewed with a mouseover. - Fixed menu rage quit option shadow's miss alignment. - Pimped the White Phosphorus explosions effects - QoL: You can now right-click and drag soldiers' icons in the campaign to change their positions and shortkey - Soldiers that are very close to each other will see others in a los blocker (such as inside a smoke or a tree) - M5 and 88 range dropped to 2000px - Added carriage return on long ribbon descriptions - Added a cool lil particle effect and sound when tracers hit trees - Changed sounds for far explosions to something beefier - Added a chance for soldiers to comment after a veteran save (thanks Yusti for the voice lines) - Troops that don't have weapons that are capable of firing rifle grenades (like SMGs) will not fire grenades. - Players can now choose how long the roofs will remain transparent on a mouse over - Drop Zone Battle condition added, 1% chances per enemy killed that they drop a section of FJ in the AO - Compromised Lines Battle condition, 1% per German killed to spawn a section of Jager behind your lines - Added warning voice lines for Jager spawns. This is a preemptive call so vigilant commanders will be able to prepare for a rear flank. - Added high tension Jager detection lines for allied troops - Germans with shovels will now be able to detect and clear players' mines. Mines must be within line of sight so hiding mines under trees or behind the line of sight blockers can work well. - Changed the mine deploy disposition in Classic. Additionally mine deploy spawns 2 mines now. - Reduced the engineer build range to 100 px - Fixed wrong prompt for Bofor placement in Classic - Pretty substantial AI rehaul for dynamic forest fighting. Germans will peak and move more aggressively, especially if they feel they are winning the fight. - Fixed an occurrence where Germans could fire mortars inside of a building - Reduced the detection range of most vehicles to half the previous values - Detection range for ZB60 is now 800 px - Added stars under the command abilities in the campaign to indicate rarity tier - Added new music for Mission success and mission fail in the Campaign. - Intels now clear propaganda in Campaign - Added air drop FJ blitz wave in classic - Added Flak panzer, Greyhounds, Shermans and M10 Wolverines to the roads spawn tables for more chaos. - New enemy, VolksSturms added to classic and campaign. These are low-skill and morale militiamen that start to appear more and more as you get closer to Germany. they are weak but they have a little something something to help them :) - New Biome reworked, Heart of Germany (HoG) with multiple assets such as buildings, farmland wells and cemeteries. In terms of tactics, it should be taken as a low-intensity rural area with partial hedgerows. A lot of line of sight blockers. It has quite a variation in engagement range which vary from short to medium and often, long range.
Community highlight
Also, check out some of the good stuff from our community if you got time:
