As promised, the content train keeps chugging along!

This time, we're *finally* replacing one of the oldest and most outdated pieces of kit in the game, the trusty Opel Blitz!

With the addition of the new model, we've also added many additional different skin variants. Have a look below!

This is another step in our long quest to upgrade the quality of all the content in the game to a higher standard.

Change Log

• Updated Opel Blitz assets.

• Players can no longer fire guns (anti-tank guns, tank guns etc.) when the barrel is obstructed by solid geometry. This will stop exploits where AT guns with long barrels could shoot through solid walls.

• Downscaled and compressed a large number of textures that were needlessly large. This should reduce the incidence of VRAM related crashes that have been reported on the new Italy maps.

• Squad member numbers are now displayed next to the name of squadmates using using microphones.

• The local player's squad member number now overlays on the player's "self" icon on the map.

• Renamed "Dynamic Fog Distance" to "Dynamic View Distance" to improve clarity.

• Carentan Causeway has been reclassified as a "small" map. This should prevent it from being voted in on a full server.

Bug Fixes

• Fixed incorrect map icons for some guns and vehicles.

• Fixed a typo in the name of the Effetto Pronto shell name.

• Fixed missing localization for Soviet "Sniper" role name.

• Fixed camera clipping issues on some vehicles.

What's Next?

We've also been cooking up a new *counter-battery* system to add more depth to the on-map artillery (i.e., mortars, howitzers) system that will give more of an advantage to smart placement and use of mobile guns.

The technology to triangulate enemy heavy gun fire was developed during World War 1 and further improved in World War 2 with the use of networked listening stations. We considered adding listening stations as constructions that could increase the accuracy of counter-battery marks, but ultimately decided aginst it to keep things streamlined, since builders already have a lot on their plate.

The system is inspired by RTT games like Nival Interactive's Blitzkrieg series. When an enemy artillery gun fires, a *counter-battery mark* will indicate an approximate area that the gun fired from, with the accuracy of the mark dependent on the size of the gun (i.e., the larger the gun, the more accurate the mark).

If the enemy gun is stationary and fires enough rounds, a keen-eyed observer can develop an estimation of the gun's location and then mark it for counter-battery fire. This makes things like clumped-up mortar and howitzer batteries especially susceptible to counter-battery fire, especially when out-ranged by larger guns.

This should give more of an advantage to spreading out artillery guns and keeping them mobile when possible!

We will continue to refine and test the system, and will aim to roll it out later this month.

See you on the battlefield,

Darklight Games 🕷️