Here is the detail for our incoming latest update of the game engine.
NEW
Loyalty: the new loyalty System (as described in full in the latest SGS We the People update), with region loyalty split and assigned to both sides, possibility to examine enemy stacks in region heavily loyal to you, construction of units in very loyal regions even if uncontrolled, switch of region controls based on loyalty levels, loyalty score affecting region income, retreat allowed in region with high loyalty despite enemy control, etc…
Battle view: Battle location highlighted on the map for easier recognition.
Battle list: the participants appear in a popup over the battle location name in the window, allowing examination of the units involved on both sides, quite useful to make later use of battle cards, among other advantages
Ergonomics: WASD keys to move the map (is QZSD on Azerty keyboard)
Information: more detailed Terrain info now provided in region windows, dynamically calculated from map conditions.
Combat System: new feature with specific modifiers now possible for some specific units in specific rounds (e.g. in a forthcoming project, Japanese Samurai units will have a special close combat bonus in the last round of battle, or, in SGS Dien Bien Phu, VM units will have lower long-range fire but higher close-combat power with this system.)
IMPROVEMENTS
Movement: Right click move on stack with immobilized units will select only the units that can move (no longer need to split them out of the stack to activate a move)
Retreat: land retreat is now possible if the region contains only camouflaged units of the
other sides (they no longer prevent retreat)
Naval retreat and embarkation upon port capture: naval units in a just captured port
will sail away, and land units inside port will embark (loading space permitting) on the
retreating ships.
Combat: combat bonus are capped at -4/+4 (all modifiers added)
Morale boosters are capped (designer choice, in SGS Taipings this is -4/+4, as land units)
Morale can not exceed 9 (this is max cap, all modifiers added)
FoW: reconnaissance cards can only view units not under fog of war now (but may be changed by specific scenario rules), so you no longer see or select yellow spots not visible normally.
FIXES
Video Tutorials: the progress bar progression fixed
PBEM: end of PBEM games: the opponent can receive the last turn report when the game is over.
NEW RELEASES
All games that will release from now on will receive the 1.5 version. Some elements will be used depending on relevance for the game or not (e.g. Loyalty only in grand strategy simulations where it bears some significance).
UPDATE PLANNING
The improvements above will require time to implement and adapt to each of the games, when relevant. The first game to benefit from most of it will be SGS Taipings. According to our task list, other important games will benefit from it too, depending on the interest provided by the changes, the complexity of adaptation and, mostly, the availability of a major patch or update for the game. It takes at least 3-4 weeks to adapt an older game (with testing), and for some the improvement may not be crucial.
The preliminary list, not set in stone though, shall be the following
SGS Korean War (no loyalty)
SGS Afrika Korps (no loyalty)
SGS NATO’s Nightmare (No loyalty but with a Major update)
SGS Overlord (no loyalty)
SGS Heia Safari (with loyalty)
And more later on…