Command Ops: Battles from the Bulge Update Released

[Grim.Reaper]

Just because official updates don't get released often, wanted to make sure folks new a new patch was just released for Command Ops: Battles from the Bulge.  I believe it has been in beta mode for some time, but now it has become official.  It has been awhile since I have played this game, might be time to fire it up at some point over the weekend.  If you have the expansions, don't forget to download an install their updated packs too or I believe the scenarios won't work with this new update.


****Notes*****

Command Ops: Battles from the Bulge has just received a new update! Released in May 2010, this unique real-time operational strategy title has been improved and refined since its original launch, taking into account player feedback and ideas. Patch V4.6.279 further improves upon the game and provides a better overall experience. We are very pleased with the continued support by developer Panther Games, who keep supporting their games long after release.

V4.6.279 – July 8 2014
• Fixes
◦ Included Richard's changes to data as per RGS-update 20140614.zip
◦ Mods to Resupply code to factor in task supply priorities into the priority of requests
◦ Mods to StandardDisbandReassessment() factoring in cases where there is no AFVs left and scaling persThreshold
◦ Commented out redundant assert in CanSlipAttack()
◦ Refactored ScenDepot::AllocateAndDespatchSupplies() creating several sub functions to facilitate reading code
◦ Mods to ScenFireEvent::AllocateAPerWeaponsToRangeBrackets() - revamped allocation of weapons to range brackets.
◦ Mods to ScenFireEvent::DetermineAcquisitionAndHighExplosiveMod() - removed code that double dipped the reduction of unit density.
◦ SMScenarioStatisticsDialog::OnInitDialog() now tests to see if we have and reinforcement schedules before trying to access them

Up to date fully converted data packs for Battles for Greece and Highway to the Reich are available in the Members Club for registered owners.

[Bletchley_Geek]

As I am not sure if people here visit very often the Slitherine forums at matrixgames.com I'd like to attract some attention over the impressive work that Chris Maiorana has been doing working out several very innovative scenarios for Command Ops:

http://thesharpendgaming.blogspot.com.au/search/label/Command%20Ops%3A%20Highway%20to%20the%20Reich

with forces being modeled at the platoon level, scenarios covering some episodes of the Eastern Front, Tunisia, as well as maps and estabs so people can make their own scenarios.

[panzerde]

Seconded. Chris is my frequent PBEM gaming partner. He has a number of other great plans up his sleeve, and runs a nice gaming blog to boot.

I'm trying to get him to hang out here more.

[Bletchley_Geek]

And let me synthesize the major new features, reviewed parts of the engine and major big fixes that we have been making during the quite long beta patch process. Some of them are quite big (which I mark as underline).

ADDED

• Combat Models

Tank crews will now pop out their heads (and get them blown, occasionally)

We introduced the possibility of target overkill (i.e. unless a vehicle brews up, it's still considered a valid target).

Small arms and HE weapons fires now only affect the closest enemy unit rank, firing to the rear ranks only possible if there's a significant elevation difference.

• User Interface

Supply Routes used by active supply columns are now shown on the map.

F6 will change the Unit Info Box to display whether or not the unit is capable of making assault. This cycles with the other F6 states (morale, cohesion and fatigue).

Added Defend In-Situ check-box option to the orders view for attacks. When checked the force will stay put when it tries to defend after the final reorg.

REVIEWED

• AI

Overhaul the Firepower Influence code. This involved using higher fidelity influence maps. Previously these were a 300m grid. Now they area a 100m grid, the same size of the terrain grid. It also involved writing separate influence calc code depending on whether it was called from the path finding or the actual route values. This has improved avoidance routes, the way enemy firepower is heeded when retreating and numerous other code.

Overhauled the Control maps, increasing the fidelity and improving all AI ode that uses map control as an input such as: computing supply routes, movement in the attack, retreating or delaying.

Prevent sending supply columns to location where previous columns have been wiped out.

Ensure Open spacing is used for all formations except in urban terrain.

Ensure no delay between preliminary Move and subsequent Defend tasks.

Reworked AFV targeting routines so "most threatening" hard targets are called first. This assessment depends on crew training, experience and fatigue.

Mods to the code determining whether line units are Assault Capable to differentiate between inf and armour, to use gung-ho factors - units ignoring basic self-preservation - and small unit status to modify the recent casualties threshold.

Mods to the Retreat code that reduce the probability of a unit staying put rather than running. It now checks to see if the time last suffered casualties is greater than the time last retreated and if so applies a reduction in retreat probability based on recent casualty counts.

Mods to Movement planning routines to ensure that Move tasks conducted within an attack after the final reorg now check to split the force if units are already at the objective. Previously, this wasn't happening and the assault units could move about even though they were on the objective.

Mods to the Split Forces planning routines (within Movement planning routines) so that units deployed or better are now considered for possible inSitu defends if near to objective. Previously they were required to be dug in. This makes it more likely that assault units at the end of a final reorg will stay put.

Mods to Movement planning code to remove road column formation as an option if the unit is near to the objective and there are enemy threats within 2000m. This mitigates against units going into road column on the objective after an attack.

• Combat Models

Vehicles in mixed formations (i.e. Armoured infantry, Cavalry Squadrons, etc.) were being allowed to take fire from a longer range than when they engaged the enemy (that is, they're considered to be deployed 'behind' the infantry and now this is done consistently).

Curbed the effect of marginal penetrations that resulted in outright destruction too often (David King "Lieste" proposed a simple model that didn't give guns like 37mm Recon gun on the M8 Greyhound a disproportionate killing power at longer ranges).

The ability of AFVs to use terrain for cover depends now on crew training and experience.

Accuracy of direct fire weapons was being affected by height differences too much, now it gracefully increases or decreases with the angle between firing and fired units.

In some circumstances, not all shots fired (and hitting) were checked to see if they were penetrations (this affected high-ROF weapons).

Green AFV crews will now be exposing their vehicles sides and rear more often, than more experienced crews do.

Now exposed personnel will duck for cover when receiving fires.

Reduced target overkill by small arms fire.

Burst radius has now a greater effect when mortars and guns are fired against personnel.

Suppression from small arms and direct fire HE increased substantially.

Vehicle passengers are now more exposed to enemy fires.

Tweaked the AArm Fire code to provide a more realistic casualty rate for crew based on historical research. Previously we were using a simple random number based on the crewCount. This resulted in an average of 50% casualties each time an AFV was destroyed. Historically it should be around 26%. The new algorithm delivers on that.

Anti-Armour and Anti-Personnel direct fire accuracy reviewed to provide with more varied outcomes (to-hit probabilities were quite "binary").

Weapons are now allocated to range brackets in a way that takes into account the expected effect of the weapon at a given range. This makes unit commanders to use mortars and machine guns in a more intelligent way.

Weapons fire resolution algorithm reviewed so weapons with higher firepower are fired always first. This avoids certain (random) situations where HMG crew were shooting their side-arms rather than the machine gun.

• Supply System

Reviewed Interdiction of Supply Columns. This involved reducing the constant kFPperHitOnTransportColumn to reduce kills on the transport columns. But the most significant change was increasing the fidelity of the influence, concentration and control maps. This has improved the supply routes being used.

Reviewed how Bases draw their own supply. This is now done using the same rationing modifier as the rest of the forces drawing from the base. Fixed a couple of minor bugs which meant that the on-hand fuel amount was being used instead of the on-hand quantity of ammo in some cases.

• Intel & Fog of War

Keep enemy units spotted for longer

FIXED

Ensure Static Units not exempted from disbandment. Fixes a problem were and a depleted static garrison could linger at an objective denying the other side victory.

Fix IsEqual() bugs. This function is part of the ForceGroups class and is called when comparing forceGroups throughout the code. There were several bugs inside this which often meant that two different groups were deemed equal and vice versa. Once this was corrected we had to substitute the IsEqual() for IsEquivalent() in some cases. This fixed a number of issues including some cases where a force would fail to get an order.

Ensure attack force group is populated before assigning to reserve task, this caused rare CTD's.

Ensure units do not draw from zero priority SEPs, this was causing untils to choose as their supply source locations farther than it is reasonable.

Ensure consistent treatment of on-hand fuel levels throughout scheduling and reaction code, this was causing weird behavior on motorized/mechanized units at times.

Ensure GameAnimTask data saved properly. Fixed issue where facing changes not saved.

Fix bugs in CreateAdvanceToReserveTask(), which caused the AI to assign crazy approach routes to parts of the attacking force. This included ensuring that the approachRoute was being used rather than the truncated route and preventing the duplication of the join loc when joining the joinRoute to the truncatedRoute.

Fixed lock-up problem in Road Column formation. Now the advance guard won't be waiting for an infinitely long time for the task boss to move forward (and the other way around).

Fixed bug in the Intel and Fog of War routines where spotted units were consistently reported as infantry.

Fixed double-counting of casualties.

Fixed several issues in the code scheduling the sub-tasks assigned to units in an attacking force, that were getting wrong the start times. This has improved greatly the ability of the AI to coordinate complex - i.e. multi-HQ - attacks and has side-effects on the likelihood of a force on the move launching an attack on nearby enemy units, as now the code assessing the feasibility of the attack works in a broader number of situations.