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, 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 the interior.
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 fixes 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.
Community highlights:
Check out RinPickles running thru his first few fights
MT is has been going thru the campaign in hard mode check out this very tough but meticulous urban fight in Brest.
Check out Lance slugging it in AAchen
The unfortunate Jah Wuh fighting the good fight until a pillbox Nuke
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
Changed files in this update