Sorry I am a little late with the news. This was released June 13, 2014 and contains the following:
Strategic Command WWI Breakthrough! patch 1.05 contains numerous bug
fixes, game enhancements and even brand new Decision Events!
Players can now form the Polish Legion in Austrian service, and
General Haller's Polish Blue Army in France, as well as enjoying
numerous other improvements. As always, player feedback has provided
much of the inspiration for these changes.
All previous improvements are of course included as well, such as
numerous improvements to the new 1870 Franco-Prussian War campaign to
increase its historical accuracy and playability, as well as
significant changes to game balance in 1939 Storm over Europe to give
the Axis a much better chance of victory.
Compatibility Note
Save games created with earlier versions of the game are NOT
compatible with this patch. Please finish your in-progress games
before applying this patch. This patch is for the Breakthrough!
expansion only. The WW2 The Great War base game is patched separately
(see below).
Download Links: (~549 MB)
Battlefront.com
<https://battlefront.sharefile.com/d/s04c9677b70540968>
As thousands of Prussians mass near the French frontier, can Bazaine,
MacMahon and Napoleon III do better than they did in real life under
your inspired leadership? Or will Otto von Bismarck and von Moltke the
elder storm to victory against Imperial France?
Even with Napoleon III and his meddling wife, the Empress Eugénie,
out of the way, Prussia will face the potential of a resurgent,
republican France, under the youthful leadership of Léon Gambetta.
With the Gardes Mobiles taking up arms to provide France with new
forces to take the field, international volunteers like Garibaldi
arriving to aid the Republic, and the strong defences surrounding
Paris, this campaign need be no walkover.
Will history repeat itself, or can France be saved from a humiliating
defeat? Now is your chance to find out! Re-fight this great historic
19th century campaign that saw the rise of Germany to imperial power
status, and the final overthrow of the Bonapartes from power in
France. It comes complete with many decisions to make, both on and off
the battlefield, and you can follow an After Action Report by two of
our beta testers here:
http://www.battlefront.com/community/showthread.php?t=110366
v1.05
GAME ENGINE CHANGES
- fixed an Auto-Assist HQ attachment error that was detaching units
that were not out of range (Dan Fenton)
- fixed a National Morale Bonus error that did not take into account
destroyed Transport units (Dan Fenton)
- fixed an Upgrade dialog error that sometimes set a unit to 0 Action
Points even if no upgrade option had been selected (Dan Fenton)
- fixed an ANNEXATION script error that did not update the new owner
to the various supply and secondary supply locations (Dan Fenton)
- fixed an HQ attachment error that did not immediately add the HQ
rating of a recently attached HQ to a unit (Furchtlosundtrew)
- fixed an AI unit purchase placement error that placed Artillery
units adjacent to enemy units (Furchtlosundtrew)
- maximum unit morale is now capped at 125%, down from 150%
- fixed a unit movement error for some territories where they were
unable to move once they had entered (Falk)
- fixed a recon attack error for Airships that did not launch
defensive anti-air or intercptor fire (xwormwood)
- fixed an Engineer fortification completion report and popup that
was under some circumstances not firing (Dan Fenton)
- fixed a FoW spotting error for some double strike units after
they've moved and attacked (Dan Fenton)
- fixed a morale bonus reporting display error for when sinking
transports (Dan Fenton)
- fixed a TCP/IP game error that was that was causing a CTD for one
side and not the other (Ray Speight)
CAMPAIGN CHANGES
1870 Franco-Prussian War
- Grammar corrected in one Decision Event.
- The National Morale value of Villages has been decreased from 1 to
0, of Cities from 25 to 20 and of Fortresses from 25 to 15.
- France will now receive 75 National Morale points per turn from the
1st October 1870 reflecting her continuing resolve to fight on, and a
further 50 per turn from the 1st November 1870.
- Prussia will now lose 50 National Morale points per turn from the
1st October 1870 reflecting increasing frustration in Germany with the
length of the war, and a further 50 per turn from the 1st November
1870.
1914 March on Paris
- The German artillery now arrive on the 4th August at Essen rather
than in the Deployment Phase (Peter Palchinsky).
1939 Storm over Europe
- Road at 296,22 in Finland corrected (Dan Fenton).
- Roads amended near the ports of Cattaro and Dubrovnik
(Furchtlosundtrew).
- Removed the town of Scutari from Turkey (Furchtlosundtrew).
- In France, Cherbourg, Brest and Calais are now Secondary Supply
Centers (Dan Fenton).
- The maximum strength of towns has been increased from 5 to 8.
- The UK now starts with Tanks level 1 (Dan Fenton).
- The UK starts with a chit invested in Intelligence research to
represent Ultra, and the cost of investing further has been reduced
from 175 to 150 (Dan Fenton). The cost for the USA to invest in
Intelligence has been increased from 125 to 150 so that they are now
both in tandem.
- The Decision Event for Operation Chariot will now be presented in
September 1941.
- Units' experience gains from launching a successful attack have
been reduced slightly from 0.3 to 0.25 (Dan Fenton).
- Maximum research MPP limits for the UK, USSR and Germany increased
to 1,400.
1914 Call to Arms; 1914 Ostaufmarsch
- German Deployment Phase Pop up amended (Xwormwood).
- All Minors are now able to upgrade (Erik Czarnecki).
- Road at 296,22 in Finland corrected (Dan Fenton).
- The UK now starts with 1 chit invested in Infrastructure.
- Roads amended near the ports of Cattaro and Dubrovnik
(Furchtlosundtrew).
- Removed the town of Scutari from the Ottoman Empire
(Furchtlosundtrew).
- Increased the effect of the typhus events in Serbia (Xwormwood).
- Ottoman III Corps at Gallipoli reduced in strength to 8 and
experience to 1 (from 11 and 1.5 respectively). - The earliest
theoretically possible date for the Treaty of Bucharest to occur has
been brought forward to 1st January 1916 (AshesFall).
- The options to spend MPPs to raise National Morale are now
available when National Morale falls to both 50% and 25%, i.e. at both
trigger points you can start spending to reduce the fall in National
Morale. Previously you could only invest at one or the other trigger
point (AshesFall).
- The Allied AI will now only invest new chits in Romanian diplomacy
if Russia is still in the war. (Honch). - Starting Ottoman National
Morale reduced from 20,000 to 18,000.
- The Arab Revolt now reduces Ottoman Unit Morale in Arabia, with a
big hit when the revolt starts, and small but continuous penalties
thereafter (sokulsky).
- Ottoman research into Trench Warfare now costs 75MPPs per chit, to
reflect the disproportionate cost to their limited war economy of
constructing the sort of defensive positions that were built on the
Western Front.
- The French now have the option to form a half strength Corps
representing the Polish Blue Army in the summer of 1918 (sokulsky).
- Austria-Hungary now has the option to raise a strength 8 Detachment
representing the Polish Legion in September 1914 (sokulsky).
- The National Morale value of the Galician Oilfield has been
increased from 15 to 25 NM points per turn (sokulsky). This will also
apply to the Abadan Oilfield in Iraq if the British send Indian forces
to occupy Basra when the Ottomans enter the war.
- The Strategy Guides have been updated to highlight the impact on
Balkan neutrals Greece, Romania and Bulgaria should the Entente
capture Gallipoli (Will95).
1914 Russia's War
- Road at 296,22 in Finland corrected (Dan Fenton).
- Roads amended near the ports of Cattaro and Dubrovnik
(Furchtlosundtrew).
- Removed the town of Scutari from the Ottoman Empire
(Furchtlosundtrew).
- Increased the effect of the typhus events in Serbia (Xwormwood).
- Austria-Hungary now has the option to raise a strength 5 Detachment
representing the Polish Legion in September 1914 (sokulsky).
- The options to spend MPPs to raise National Morale are now
available when National Morale falls to both 50% and 25%, i.e. at both
trigger points you can start spending to reduce the fall in National
Morale. Previously you could only invest at one or the other trigger
point (AshesFall).
- The National Morale value of the Galician Oilfield has been
increased from 15 to 25 NM points per turn (sokulsky).
1914 France's Struggle
- The UK now starts with 1 chit invested in Infrastructure.
- The French now have the option to form a half strength Corps
representing the Polish Blue Army in the summer of 1918 (sokulsky).
- The options to spend MPPs to raise National Morale are now
available when National Morale falls to both 50% and 25%, i.e. at both
trigger points you can start spending to reduce the fall in National
Morale. Previously you could only invest at one or the other trigger
point (AshesFall).
1918 Russian Civil War
- LOOPs from the North to the Mediterranean are now shortened to 2
turn lengths and corrected from TYPE=1 to TYPE=2 so that they will now
persist throughout the game (Ray Speight)
v1.04
GAME ENGINE CHANGES
- fixed a unit purchase placement error that would cause a CTD (Falk)
- fixed a move and attack followed by an invalid undo move CTD error
(goochy123)
- fixed a tile control clean up error following minor country
surrenders (Kommandant)
- fixed a supply calculation error for occupied minors that were
having low supply such as 3 instead of 5 when not connected to other
friendly capitals
- fixed a TCP/IP game error that was incorrectly handling LOOP events
(Catacol Highlander)
- fixed a supply calculation error for cutoff rail tiles but still
connected via friendly tiles (Stefan Humpl, Bill Runacre)
- research breakthrough now raised to 45% from 30% (Ancient Demon)
CAMPAIGN CHANGES
1870 Franco-Prussian War
- Rémilly at 115,56 changed from a village to a town for purposes of
supply, and it is now connected by rail.
- Rail travel is now slightly cheaper for both sides.
- France's Garde Mobile Build Limit increased from 18 to 30.
- The cost of French Brigades and Garde Mobiles has been reduced.
- All parts of the Paris fortresses will now start at supply 10.
- Gambetta's Balloon flight now boosts French National Morale by
2,500 points rather than 500.
- Hunger in Paris due to the siege now only reduces French National
Morale by 25 points rather than 50.
- Ordering artillery from the UK now costs 300MPPs rather than 350,
spread over six turns.
- From the 1st September 1870 France will start receiving imports of
military supplies from the UK and USA, represented by an increase in
income of 30 MPPs a turn.
- The founding of the Republic will now boost French National Morale
by 2,500 points.
- Victory script added for a Prussian Historic Decisive Victory if
they hold both Coblenz and Paris.
- Two Industrial Centers added to Paris.
- Prussian National Morale will now be reduced by 3,000 points if
they lose Freiburg, Karlsruhe or Trier, and by 1,000 points if they
lose Saarbrücken or Saarlouis.
- The Army of Chalons now deploys later than before, so the Gardes
Mobiles de la Seine now deploy on the 11th August rather than the 1st;
the 23rd and 24th divisions on the 17th August rather than the 7th,
and the 21st and 22nd divisions on the 13th rather than the 11th.
- The scripts affecting the defenders' morale at Metz, Strasbourg and
Belfort have been switched off.
- The effect of scripted French Fortress Artillery fire has been
significantly increased to cause minor casualties to Prussian units,
and a corresponding script for German Fortress Artillery fire at Mainz
has been added. They will now fire every turn.
- The timing of one of the Empress's messages has been amended.
- France will now be charged for the Artillery ordered from the UK
(Sapare).
- Warning added to the Decision to send Gambetta to Orleans, advising
that it would be a serious mistake to say no to it (Sapare).
- Victory script added so that the French win a Decisive Victory if
they capture Koblenz (Ancient Demon).
- The French 5th Cavalry and 17th Infantry Divisions will now deploy
at Saverne 130,62 on the 1st August, rather than at Reichshoffen on
the 3rd August.
- French HQ's Action Points increased from 3 to 4 (Ivanov).
- Holding elections will now boost France's National Morale by 5,000
points.
- AI settings altered so that the French AI will now have its
required units (Ancient Demon).
- The Guide has been updated to better explain that villages do not
provide supply, mobilization costs will be charged for 10 turns, and
in line with changes to the Decision Events.
- Maximum unit experience is now 2 (Stefan Humpl).
cont.
1914 Call to Arms; 1914 Ostaufmarsch
- Grammatical errors in two National Morale scripts corrected
(Honch).
- Italian AI Garrison scripts relating to southern Italy adjusted
(Honch).
- Variable Condition added to the Treaty of Bucharest Decision (DE
629) to ensure that Russia has withdrawn from the war when it fires.
- The partisan trigger points for the Arab revolt, apart from at
Medina, Hail and in Syria, will now only be disclosed to the Ottoman
player when the revolt is due to commence, and they will vary from
game to game (Ancient Demon).
- Ottoman AI garrison scripts amended in accordance with the above.
1918 Second Marne
- US HQ attachments amended to be in line with Britain and France
(Stefan Humpl).
- Britain, France and the USA now start with two chits in shell
production (Stefan Humpl).
- When playing at Beginner's Level or above the German AI will now
better reinforce Rethel and Asfeld if they are threatened.
- French income decreased by 25 MPPs (Bob Hatcher).
- US income increased by 25 MPPs (Bob Hatcher).
1939 Storm over Europe
- AI exclusion lists improved.
- Axis AI will now attack the Brest-Litovsk Fortress (Dan)
- The cost of US research into Industrial Technology has been
increased from 125 to 175MPPs.
- The maximum number of chits that can be invested in all categories
is now 2.
- Soviet HQs Voroshilov (at Leningrad); Buddeny (at Cherkassy) and
Timoshenko (at Smolensk); now start at strength 4.
- The USSR's Oilfield now only starts producing MPPs after the fall
of France.
- Two mines in the Urals that were due to start producing after the
fall of France will now only start producing when industry is
transferred from the Ukraine.
- fixed a WAR ENTRY script error that prevented countries like
Romania, Hungary and Bulgaria from joining the Axis in some rare cases
(Michael Bailey)
- DE 403 now provides 750 MPPs to the USSR spread over three turns
when the USSR joins the Allies.
- two AI related resource scripts removed and replaced by dummy
Decision Events.
- All Garrison units now have 3 Action Points (Dan Fenton).
- Kalamata is Greece is now an Industrial Center to enable Greece to
deploy new units in Sparta if Athens is surrounded (Dan Fenton).
- Options for the Operation Chariot Decision Event made clearer (Dan
Fenton).
- The Political consequences of the Operation Menace Decision Event
made clearer (Dan Fenton).
- Failsafe Dates for the UK's Tenth Army and Western Desert Air Force
changed to 1st January 1942 (Dan Fenton).
- USSR's research limit increased to 1,350 MPPs (Dan Fenton).
- The USSR no longer starts with a chit invested in researching
Intelligence.
- Renamed duplicate 1ere French Artillery to 3eme (Dan)
1916 Jutland
- Decision Events controlling some of the Victory Conditions
corrected (Sapare).
1914 March on Paris/1918 Ludendorff Offensive
- German/Belgian frontier amended (Peter Palchinsky).
v1.03
GAME ENGINE CHANGES
- fixed a swap unit error
- fixed a naval unit movement error that would cause surprised naval
units to end their move in an enemy controlled port (Falk)
- fixed a morale drop error for forced march units that did not apply
the full morale loss in some cases (Stefan)
- fixed a supply calculation and display error
- units with limited AP due to 0 supply can now move into an adjacent
resource provided enemy zone of control is not a factor (Bill R.)
- improved AI combat algorithms
- improved 3D unit mirroring or facing algorithms
CAMPAIGN CHANGES
1939 Storm Over Europe
- Media: refugee1.bmp and the png files
- French unit morale now falls when Belgium is conquered by the Axis.
- French unit morale now falls when there are two Axis units within
four tiles of Nancy.
- Base Soft/Tank attack values for Tactical Bombers reduced from 2 to
1 (Catacol Highlander).
- The German Tactical Bomber that starts near the Polish Corridor now
starts with level 1 Ground Attack tech.
- Refugees will block roads in Northern France when Belgium falls,
reducing Allied supply in the area NE of Paris.
- Naval Loops added south west of the Azores for the Allies (The K
Man).
- Kesselring spelling corrected (Strategiclayabout).
- The Allied AI will now support the Yugoslav coup every time
(Hyazinth von Strachwitz).
- Mekili (283,93) will now be affected by the Malta Effect (Hyazinth
von Strachwitz).
- The effect on Allied naval units in Norwegian waters has been
reduced from moving Norway 15-20% towards the Axis, to 3-8% (Hyazinth
von Strachwitz).
- One Soviet mine has been added in the Urals, to start producing
when industry is transferred from the Ukraine, and the Allied AI will
receive two further mines.
- Stalino has been changed from a city to a town.
- If the Soviets carry out the Winter War then when Finland joins the
Axis some Finnish units will deploy at half strength; whereas if the
Winter War isn't fought then they will deploy at full strength.
- Soviet winter toned down (Catacol Highlander) and it will be better
targeted to avoid it having any effect in most circumstances on
Finnish units.
- Hodges added to the US HQ build list (Dan Fenton).
- Cost of the Operation Chariot Decision reduced from 50 to 20 MPPs
(Dan Fenton).
- AI's responses to Decision Events amended (Ancient Demon).
- Weather in Flanders and the UK amended (Strategiclayabout).
- The cost of Production Technology for the UK reduced from 175 to
125 MPPs, and for Industrial Technology from 150 to 125 MPPs and the
UK now starts with 1 chit invested in Production Technology (Dan
Fenton).
- France now starts with level 1 in Advanced Aircraft
(Strategiclayabout).
- De Gaulle raised from a rating of 4 to 5.
- Greenland will now transfer to US control in April 1941 providing
there are no Axis land units in the country (Ancient Demon).
- The maximum number of chits that can be invested in Infantry
Warfare is now 2, and the cost for the USSR of researching this has
been raised to 225 MPPs.
- Duplicated French unit names removed (Dan Fenton).
- Disruption range of Soviet partisans amended (Strategiclayabout).
- The effect on Soviet mobilization of an Axis landing in the UK has
been decreased from 20-25% to 10-15%, so that this is in line with the
effect it has on US mobilization (Strategiclayabout).
- Pop up amended for Operation Mercury so it will fire when Greece
falls provided there are no Allied units in Crete (Strategiclayabout).
- The cost of Infrastructure research has been reduced from 100 to 75
MPPs.
- France will now receive 50 MPPs to help reform the army when it is
liberated (Dan Fenton).
- Images added to the Victory reports at the end of the war (Dan
Fenton).
- The Axis AI will now automatically take Luxembourg after France and
Belgium have fallen, if it has not done so before (Dan Fenton).
- German Tank build limit increased from 9 to 10.
- Increased Italy's Occupational Efficiency to 100%.
- Reduced the Operational Air Minimum Connection Supply value from 5
to 3.
- Decisions 303 & 616 corrected, relating to the US opportunity to
ask Germany for surrender terms.
1870 Franco-Prussian War
- Added this campaign, please refer to the Player's Guide for more
information (Bill R.).
- Wörms renamed Worms (Xwormwood).
- The Eifel Tower has been removed from Paris (Xwormwood).
- Siege Artillery's movement sound file corrected (Xwormwood).
- Prussian Metz pop up corrected.
- The Player's Guide has been updated to explain when the French
will be charged for the Northern Expedition (Ivanov).
- The Player's Guide now mentions the utility of the H Hotkey to
determine whether or not units are on the trigger points for besieging
Metz and Paris (Xwormwood).
- Scorched Earth turned off and both France and Germany's
Occupational Efficiency set at 80%.
- National Morale value of Ports, Towns and Villages reduced
slightly.
- Saarunion renamed Sarre-Union (Xwormwood).
- Metz surrender script fixed (Xwormwood).
- The Empress Eugénie is now mentioned in the guide (Ivanov).
- Strengthened the French Garrison units (Ivanov).
- Sound files corrected (Ivanov).
- A French Medical script corrected (Ivanov).
- Pop Up Message for Napoleon's abdication/surrender corrected so
that if he has returned to Paris then he will abdicate and leave
France, whereas if he remained with the army then he will surrender.
- Unfinished road corrected near Belfort.
- Strength scripts amended to speed up the end of turn process.
- Some French Franc-Tireur scripts added/increased in effect.
- French AI forces at the highest level boosted slightly when
Gambetta arrives in Orléans.
- Road and railway fixed at Chaumont (Ivanov).
- Flanders weather zone increased slightly in size.
- Victory Conditions amended to give the French a better chance
(Ivanov).
- Von Moltke's Pop Up advising how to capture Metz corrected.
- Victory images added.
- Some of the Empress's pop ups amended, so they won't all appear in
every game, and also to improve the text of one relating to the
Emperor's ill health.
>
1918 Russian Civil War
- Media: WhiteSituation1.bmp
- Bolshevik Horse Army decision event text corrected
(Strategiclayabout).
- White Objective Announcement added for capturing Perm
(Strategiclayabout).
- River added near Perm (Strategiclayabout).
- Lithuanian army deployment changed (Strategiclayabout).
- Makhnovist unit script relating to the use of guerrilla warfare
corrected (Strategiclayabout).
- Garrison script added for Ufa (Duke of York).
- AI purchase scripts amended (Duke of York).
- White AI offensive scripts added (Duke of York).
- Fixed two British Decision Events that weren't charging MPPs for
long enough (Xwormwood; Admiral Hipper).
1914 Call to Arms/ 1914 Ostaufmarsch/1914 Russia's War
- Romania now swings 1-3% per turn towards the Entente from January
1916 if Belgrade is in Entente hands.
1914 Call to Arms/ 1914 Ostaufmarsch/1914 France's Struggle
- Removed Antwerp from the Belgian capital list and made it a
Secondary Supply Center.
- Capturing Mulhausen will now boost French National Morale by 500
points (Altaris).
- French Cavalry unit script text added (Xwormwood).
1912 First Balkan War
- Bulgarian Divisions' defence factors increased from 3 to 4 to
represent their larger size (Aryaman).
- Ottoman Albanian Legion Decision Event fixed (Ancient Demon).
- Ottoman at start Strategy Advice timing corrected (Ancient Demon).
1914 Call to Arms Strategy Guide
- Added an explanation of the occasional upset to the US caused by
German naval activity in the Atlantic, irrespective of whether or not
unrestricted naval warfare is used (Xwormwood).
1914 Call to Arms/ 1914 Ostaufmarsch
- Pop up text relating to the union of Bessarabia with Romania
amended.
1914 Call to Arms/ 1914 Ostaufmarsch/ 1914 Russia's War
- Media: typhus1.bmp; typhus2.bmp
- Capturing the Galician Oil fields now boosts Russian National
Morale by 1,000 points.
- There will now be a typhus epidemic in Serbia over the winter of
1914-15.
1914 France's Struggle
- French Cavalry unit script text added (Xwormwood).
1914 Russia's War
- Verdun pop up date corrected (Omegaman1).
1914 March on Paris
- Troyes and Melun Map Text Corrected.
1918 Ludendorff Offensive
- Italian Trench Warfare reduced from 4 to 3 (Ivanov).
- US Division's defence stats reduced, though their offensive power
remains higher than all other countries.
- US per turn Military Income lowered from 300 to 275 MPPs (Hyazinth
von Strachwitz).
- Three extra German Brigades deployed, and the German Brigade build
limit has been raised (Catacol Highlander).
- French Fortress defence fire added to Verdun (Ivanov).
- US army amalgamation script corrected.
- The effectiveness of the German tank unit has been reduced
(Ivanov).
- British income increased by 25 MPPs and French by 40 MPPs a turn.
v1.02 GAME ENGINE CHANGES
- fixed an AI combat error that allowed an out of range unit to
attack
CAMPAIGN CHANGES
1914 Call to Arms; 1914 Ostaufmarsch
- Ottoman mobilization scripts amended (Isnogud).
- Port sub defence bonus raised from 4 to 8 (Catacol Highlander).
1918 Russian Civil War
- Pilsudski removed from the North Caucasian Emirate's build list
and replaced with Haji (Ancient Demon).
- Terek, North Caucasian and Stavropol revolt scripts amended (Xenon
141).
- Scripts added so that if France has withdrawn from the war then she
can receive German and Romanian income if they are still in the war
(Xenon 141).
- Scripts added for the three White factions to surrender when their
Political Standing is zero.
- Port sub defence bonus raised from 4 to 8 (Catacol Highlander).
1914 March On Paris
- the German Fortress of Metz, and all the French Fortresses, will
bombard attackers
1912 First Balkan War
- Albanian Legion unit script corrected (Ancient Demon).
1914 Ludendorff Offensive
- If the Germans capture, but subsequently lose the following
locations then they will suffer a 2,000 National Morale penalty:
Ypres; Amiens; Arras; Abbeville; Soissons; Reims; Verdun; Nancy;
Epinal; Belfort
My goodness that's a big patch! Does this mean the iPad version is out?
Unfortunately, sir, I do not know the answer to that. If I ever find out, I will be glad to let you know.
Just be careful. I applied the patch and it broke the game completely, generating a licensing error. I had to contact Battlefront support who promptly fixed it with their GSClean tool. I let Hubert Cater, and Bill Runacre know so they could look into it. My crash was the first Battlefront had, so at first they wondered if it was the patch. I've since learnt there have been several more people have exactly the same problem.
This is an extremely unusual event with their patches. I'd caution you to check the tech support area on the SCWW1 website to see if the issue has been resolved, or if the v1.05 patch now is a re-release of the one originally sent out. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED! :)
While rare, it does happen with other BFC games too. Whenever I patch, I keep BFC's ticket app open just in case.
Thanks Boggit....! I'm going to ignore it.