Patch Notes 2.3

[LeflairKunstler]

UPDATE 2.3 NOTES:

FIXES:

• Fixed a script issue from 40k that caused STR_GENE_HIVE GSC Hive map base to never spawn. It can now be spawned during the first 7 months of the year with a 25% chance. Several ones can spawn. Once spawned the base will generate GSC related missions at a low frequency.
• Fixed Commands linking and activating the wrong command type and benefits, or no command at all.
• Fixed Hunker Down protection not carrying over into enemy turn.
• Fixed enemies also benefiting from Fix Bayonets.
• Abhuman Strategy can now buy medic carapace for Beastguard as intended.
• Inquisition Multimeltas no longer recoverable/removable.
• Fixed Juggernaut and Valkyrie Leeroy AI issues by removing the ranged aspects of their melee weapons.
• Removed a low object blocking a corridor on certain Space Hulk part 1 maps.
• Solved a glitch with the GIBS system for the non-standard Gretchin spritesheet.
• Fixed some bugs with the Tzeentch corpse system, correct names and reward should now be showing.
• Geoscape silenced Deathwatch and new Crassus craft.
• Added height values and deathSound to &STR_TURRET_DEFAULT that could cause some LOS issues.
• Fixed some multiplication error Kill Token rewards for certain mission types.

CHANGES:

• You now unlock Chaos Path research option by interrogating Alpha Legionnaires.
• Added code infrastructure for shield breaking/penetration traits/tags. Exitus shield breaker rounds now break shields.
• KHORNE: Made Valkyries slightly better and more aggressive.
• TRAITOR GUARD: Made the Chaos Sentinel Rocket pods different; Incendiary pods are longed ranged. Krak pods have an 8 shot burst.
• TZEENTCH: TZ Inquisitors now have some Tzeentch magic at their disposal, replacing their previous guns.
• Early Tzeentch cultist/mutant lists have been pruned of Blue Horrors and Witches. Still some around in leader roles in certain lists, but their numbers are greatly reduced. Other daemons have taken the terror slot. You should encounter fewer psyker attacks in month 1-2 of fighting Tzeentch as a result.
• Early Tzeentch Traitor Guard lists can now show up for Tzeentch terror missions.
• Updated Tzeentch bird-mutant battlesprite to be closer to its inventory art.
• Basic flamer and incendiary grenades now do some item damage for destroying bodies and other things.
• Tweaked some weapon visual effects.
• Photon grenades use the new grenade standard throw range and TU costs.
• Added movement and aggro sounds for certain units.
• Added infrastructure for Flat and Percentile dodge reduction tags.
• Removed copy pasta from Eldar Grenade.
• Standardization of krak explosives RE: Item and Tile damage.
• Enemies can now surrender if all surviving units are panicking.
• Accuracy 50% penalty added for most weapons that don't have LoS on their targets. Weapons that are meant for indirect fire have a reduced penalty.
• DAEMONS: Standardized Daemon senses to be minimum 40 darkness visibility, 33 heat vision and 5 psi vision.
• Enemy Weapon Tech Levels/Loadouts: First months changed to be exclusively tier 0-1 and then tier 2 starts creeping in for the midgame, late game it's all tier 2-3. Previous setup was like OG X-Com where heavy plasma has a 10% chance of appearing in month 1 and the lowest tech keeps appearing late game. This means a cleaner ramp, easier early game and harder late game. You'll also find plasma weapons rarer in early game (3-6 months).
• Token cost for Orbital Strikes increased from 200 to 400. Monetary cost increased to 1 million.
• Gas (stun) Shotgun shells now ignores 75% armor instead of 40%.

NEW ABILITIES:

• Integrated Filips DIG IN submod for Guard. Most guard units (exception Penitent/Ogryns) get the "Dig In" ability button (top right in the UI). At the cost of 50% of a units TU, this grants them a bonus while KNEELING similar to DODGE, where a FRONT "hit" does no damage if the Dig-In bonus is triggered (50% chance for first "hit"). Follow up hits that trigger the bonus reduces the chance to trigger it by 10%, until it no longer grants the bonus.
• Dig In does NOT protect against melee or rear attacks. The bonus is lost if the unit moves.
• Units that have the ability activated display little sandbags (Red Alert 2 style) when kneeling.

NEW TURRET RELOAD SYSTEM:

• Turrets now have a reload system. Most turret weapons expend the Munitions resource; when this resource is completely exhausted they will require a variable number of turns to reload and restore their Munitions (usually 2 but can be longer; typically higher for more potent weapons). A turret can be reloaded manually with their reload ability which zeroes out their Munitions; useful during a break in the action.

NEW WEAPONS:

• Imperial Navy Auto(gun)carbine: Carbine version of the Hi-Grade Autogun, requires STR_BALLISTIC_WEAPONS_HIGHGRADE.
• Autoshotgun: High-Quality Automatic shotgun, lighter version of a ripper gun. Buyable at the Trade Market.
• Combistub-plasma Pistol: Plasma pistol with underslung stubpistol.
• Heavy Bolter Solar Pattern: Hand-held "light" heavy bolter without a bipod for arbites/guard at Ceramite tier.
• Hybrid Stubber: Kombistubber, heavy stubber + underslung grenade launcher
• Jawsnapper: Powered Knuckles, early powerfist/for normal humans.
• Plasma Rifle Sequana pattern: House Escher Plasma rifle that serves the DMR role. Higher ammo consumption, lower rate of fire but better accuracy at range vs the normal Plasma rifle.

GUARD:

• Crassus heavy transport craft from 036 integrated, updated speed, refueling and availability values. Available at mid-tier for guard. Can bring 4 large units like the Sentinels.
• Changed the starting Boltpistol (Ceres) to a Light Boltpistol (and ammo).
• Kriegers now have additional psi resistance in proportion to current morale and higher low end recruit Bravery.
• Kriegers starting max strength and training cap upped to match normal guardsmen (+5/+10).
• Kriegers now get higher initial Bravery and all Krieg armor types get Krieger Mind Control resistance as they should.
• Mortar nerfed; reload TU cost increased to 30% up from 15%. Firing TU cost increased to 55% up from 35%. Gets nifty loading sound.
• Officer promotion now requires "Battle Tested" (1 month service, 3 missions, 1 kill) commendation and bravery 50+. Token cost raised to 200.
• Other commendations updated to require ENEMY kills rather than... any kills.
• Battle Cannon will no longer reaction fire (partially a nerf, and partially to keep you from blasting your own dudes in the way).
• New Cybernetic Bone 'ead Ogryn armors (see bellow for details).
• Abhuman Strategy now have access to Veteran promotions for any rescued guardsmen at mid-tier + their Officers.
• Abhuman Strategy now have access to Penal Troops.
• Beastman infection/corruption resistance reduced from 50% to 33%, but now have 33% faster wound recovery time.
• Felinid Flak/Medic and Carapace armors TU nerf reduced.
• Psyker Token Cost increased from 120 to 500.
• Veteran promotion Token Cost decreased to 50 from 60, buying a new Veteran costs 100 and 150k cash now to make it more rewarding to train and promote your own guardsmen.
• No more free Honor Tokens just for researching Psyker Requisiton.
• Added Harakoni Jump Carapace armor
• Added Carapace Scanner Armor with improved night vision and motion detection.

ADVANCED CHIMERAS/LEMAN RUSS

• Initial integration of Filips Advanced Chimeras submod. Only applies to standard Guard Chimera convoys and the Tank Convoy.
• Note: Does not include rear doors (due to normal AI not being able to handle them).
• Note: Used the new turret reload system, so the sponsons are not as powerful as in the submod.
• Chimeras now have a working front sponson bolter that can be destroyed.
• Chimeras now default to a gun-less turret type and can be outfitted with a number of different turret types. You buy and equipping (in the craft inventory) different turret types. Multilaser, Heavy Bolter, Battlecannon Chimedon, Heavy Flamer and autocannons are the current turret types. If the turret is destroyed in mission, you lose it (cash loss! and a reason to not camp too hard inside your transports).
• Note: All such turrets will show up in end mission stats as "Equipment/Allies of Man Lost" for 0 score even if they aren ot destroyed.
• Leman Russ now have side sponsons (heavy bolters, heavy flamers or heavy meltas) and a front sponson (lascannon or heavy bolter).
• Leman Russ can now swap its main turret type between Battlecannon, Twin lascannon, Punisher Cannon and Heavy Plasma (the later two restricted to ceramite+ tech).
• The Twin Lascannon power output has been standardized to other mounted lascannons vs the submods higher value.
• As all the new sponsons add a lot of firepower and additional targets for the AI to focus down, the armor/health values of the sponsons have been reduced from Turret Level to be easier for the enemies to destroy.

BONE'EAD OGRYN

1. Added Bone'ead Sergeants. These are Ogryn squad leaders and provide 4 Ogryn specific buffs with targeting similar to the Commissar's Inspire. The power of these buffs scales with the Bonehead's Bravery and Devotion: Get Em!: Improves the target's Strength and Melee Accuracy until the start of your next turn. Gotta Go Fast!: Reduces by up to 50% the Energy and TU required to move into a tile until the start of your next turn. Getta Grip!: Restores Morale and may increase the target's Bravery until the start of your next turn. Shrug It Off!: Removes Fatal Wounds and grants % damage reduction until the start of your next turn. Effectiveness scales with target's Morale.
2. An Ogryn must be Battle Tested and have 50+ Bravery and 30+ Psi Strength to be a viable candidate for the BONE Surgery. This Surgery takes 1 week to complete. An Apothecary Bay facility is needed at the base where the surgery is to be performed.
3. The Bonehead Surgery requires Mid Tier Guardsmen, Apothecary Bay, Ogryn Requisition, Imperial Guard Operations. Ogryn Bonehead surgery requires the Veteran commendation instead of merely Battle Tested.
4. Added some TU damage scaling to the Ogryn Slab Shield to reflect its stopping power/disorientation it imposes.

FELINIDS Armor Expansion

• Added Felinid versions of the new Scanner/Auspex Carapace, Advanced (light) Carapace/Medic, Close Assault Armor and Powered Armor. The Felinid Assault armor comes with integral frenzon inhaler combat drugs and disruption field gauntlets (power claws) to rip into armored targets in melee.

SQUATS:

• Stun recovery scales with current Energy and current Health.
• Energy recovery scales with current Health.
• Squats now have mid level resistance to GSC infection.
• Squats now have halved wound recovery time.
• Squat Health and Stamina training maximums improved.
• Squats now yield +1 command point.
• Added TU, Stamina and Reaction penalties to Medic variants of armor.

IMPROVED PSYKERS

• Biomancers now have passive regeneration that scales with Psi, bonuses to Health, Stamina and Strength, carapace level natural armor. Mend Wounds changed to Mend/Inflict Wounds. Heals friendlies of health, stamina, stun and wounds and does the opposite to enemies, opposed by PsiDefense. Cannot heal friendlies above half of maximum HP.
• Diviners now have 40/40 normal and night vision, 25 anti camo, 10 psi vision, +30 Firing, Melee and +60 Reactions and 1x 100% dodge.
• Telepaths now have 15 anti camo, 5 psi vision, +15 Firing, Melee and +30 Reactions and 1x 50% dodge.
• Thunderclap balancing: Decreased armor penetration from 75% to 60%, changed damage scaling from PsiStrength to Psi * 0.001. Increase cast cost by +5 Stun and +5 Morale.

VINDICARE:

1. Vindicare ammo is now made in bundles of 5, is more expensive and requires 20 Honor Tokens per batch. Requires 200 man hours per batch up from 100.
2. Vindicare starting min/max, cap, training stats all increased substantially (this is a Temple Assassin).
3. Vindicare monthly salary/upkeep cost increased to 500k
4. Vindicare recruitment cost increased to 2 mil, and 1500 Honor.
5. Vindicare Assassin now has 50% dodge with 4 dodges; he's a proper temple assassin with Invul 4+.
6. Exitus Rifle has 100% dodge reduction; no one can dodge a Vindicare.
7. Added Infiltrator mechanics and code infrastructure to the game. Currently only the Vindicare has this ability (will be expanded later). Infiltrating units will not be detected by enemy units for 2 turns, or until they attack, and can re-enter stealth after achieving 6 kills.

ARBITES:

• Integrated Arbites version of the Crassus 35-slot heavy transport from 036.

DEATHWATCH:

• Fixed repair/refuel rates of some Deathwatch craft.
• Updated Deathwatch Thunderhawk to mid-tier.
• Updated Deathwatch Landraider convoy to ceramite-tier.
• DW Dreadnoughts now Buildable. 300 Honor points and require 10 Ceramite.

THE SKAVEN OF OLD HRUD

• Added 7 new enemy units based on the (Skaven version) Hrud. They are a squishy enemy with high reactions and very good nightvision. They use a myriad of common imperial and tainted weapons, improvised explosives and pipebombs. At late tech levels their Stormvermins can wield some weak plasma-like energy weapons.
• Hrud warriors and Armored Hrud. Squishy, cowardly and low accuracy. Found in early months of the game.
• Hrud Snipers, stealthy and armed with Long rifles, they are the real threat in most Hrud groups.
• Hrud Verminkin and Festerkin. Nurgle cultists, have a little more HP than their common kin. Wields Nurgle weapons.
• Vermin Plague Monks, mutated creatures who wield low level Nurgle warp magic.
• Stormvermin and Fangleaders. The elite of the Hrud, with carapace armor and better statlines. Favors close combat weapons and are more aggressive.
• Hrud have their own GIB animation.
• Hurd are sometimes allied with, or used as mercenaries, with chaos cults and traitor guard.
• Hrud appear in the first half of the year, either mixed or in their own formations. They'll try to loot Imperial armories, exploit riots and even be crawling through Space Hulks.

NECRONS

• Standardized Necron stats; Deathmarks now have high aim like they're supposed to.
• Necron Scarabs spawning from Necron grenades have 75% of max TUs up from 25% so they're actually dangerous.
• Necron Gauss Reaper weapon added. A CQC Assault weapon utilized by Necron Warriors.
• Increased Necron Immortal stats to be more tabletop appropriate.

NURGLE

• NURGLE: Several plague weapons now do less infection damage in exchange for improved debuffs/armor ablation.
• Early Nurgle cult lists pruned of Plaguebearers and the ratio of normal pox zombies increased vs boomers. This will make month 1-2 encounters easier as a result.
• Added (human) Plague Monks. They have not yet recieved the blessings of the Horned rat but knows some nurgle sorcery.
• Added Verminkin, Festerkin and Vermin Plague Monks blessed by papa Nurgle to certain Nurgle cult lists.

GENESTEALER CULT:

• Added new Acolyte Hybrids enemy variants & Leader, new battlesprites and inventory art. Mixed into existing mid-late game GSC lists. They are tough (high hp/mid armor), fast, have a special melee grapple attack and use a variety of civilian/imperial weapons.