"Super Patch" for Strategic Command 2 released!

Wednesday, November 22st, 2006

Battlefront.com and Fury Software are thrilled to announced that the v1.05a Super Patch for Strategic Command 2 Blitzkrieg (Armchair General Magazine: 4.5 stars out of 5!) is now available for download.

We are calling the new v1.05a update a "Super Patch" because it not only fixes the few remaining reported bugs, but it adds a ton of new features and functionality to the AI, the Editor and game itself. One of the biggest improvements has to be with the AI, which will now much more intelligently use the special abilities of its units (like Paratroopers and Engineers) to prepare for, launch and even defend against attacks. Newcomers and veteran players alike should find the AI much smarter, and tougher from this point on.

A wealth of additions were also incorporated into the Game Editor which will allow much more freedom to create complex unit behavioral and add situational condition scripting into your own campaigns. If that wasn't enough, some new multiplayer enhancements are also being rolled out in this update to make those sessions a lot easier to manage and play.

Along with the v1.05a Super Patch, we have also released an updated game demo with the same v1.05a enhancements and fixes applied.

Strategic Command 2 Blitzkrieg

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Here are the details to download the files. Patch and Demo Specifics are also included below.

Direct link to v1.05a Super Patch download page:

http://www.battlefront.com/products/sc2/downloads.html

The Full Patch Notes are copied below.

Direct Link to the Strategic Command 2 Blitzkrieg v1.05a updated Demo Page:

http://www.battlefront.com/products/sc2/demo.html

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Patch Notes:

SAVE GAME COMPATABILITY NOTICE

Strategic Command 2 Blitzkrieg v1.05a is NOT compatible with older save games from ANY previous version of the game. If you wish to play multiplayer with someone else, make sure that they have upgraded their game to version 1.05a.

NOTE ABOUT SCRIPT EDITOR UTILITY FROM VERSION 1.04

The v1.04 game patch included a user created Script Editing program located in the 'Extras' folder. That program is NOT compatible with version 1.05a of Strategic Command 2 Blitzkrieg and should no longer be used.

NOTE ABOUT CUSTOM CAMPAIGNS AND GAME MODS

Prior to installing this patch over your current files, use the Export Data feature to save all of your existing data for a custom campaign(s). We suggest you also zip up all of your custom files just in case so you can go back to them if necessary and rename your custom campaign as campaign_old. You should also rename your templates directory to templates_old so you can check for changes.

Once you've followed the steps above apply the patch and then do the following:

1) Open a new campaign using File->New

2) Set the new campaign map size to match the map size of your previous pre patch campaign.

3) Select File->Import and select the folder for the campaign in which you would like to import data files from. If you do not have the correct map size the Editor will inform you and you can then repeat step 2)

4) At this point, select Save and select the name of the older campaign you wish to update. This assumes you still have the original 'Campaigns' folder intact with the pre patch campaigns and subfolders. For example, let's say you had a file called '1939 Fall Weiss Custom'. Simply select this file when you are going to save.

WARNING: It will ask you if you would like to overwrite the scripts. Make sure you click "NO".

NOTE: If you click "YES" it will overwrite the existing scripts with the Template scripts. If you click "NO" it will use the existing scripts which is what you want here.

V1.05a Change Notes

GAME ENGINE CHANGES

- fixed an AF interceptor bug during AI turns

- fixed an entrenchment bug

- fixed a Fortess/Fortification destroy on overrun bug

EDITOR RELATED CHANGES

- fixed a FREE UNIT script error

V1.05 Change Notes

GAME ENGINE CHANGES

- fixed a customization issue where some custom Interface bitmaps were not ever displayed. For example, now if you specify a

custom 'main_screen.bmp' it will display this Interface bitmap once the custom campaign has been selected

- fixed a unit silhouettes bug

- fixed a bug where unassigned AI units would attempt to attack enemy territory through an inactive major

- fixed a unit mode display replay bug

- fixed a few animate replay bugs

- fixed a SURRENDER script error

- fixed an engineer unit error that allowed them to be transported while fortifying

- engineers that are not fully active can now fortify when adjacent an enemy unit

- fixed a few combat bugs wrt how Transports/Amphibious Transports took losses so they should now take more damage when attacked

- elite strength is no longer included when calculating transport readiness for combat

- attacker multiplier is now increased 50% for units attacking transports

- weather no longer halves combat damage for Transport defenders

- fixed a bug relating to AF interception and the selection of those AF

- fixed a previous ALT-TAB issue that did not allow you to switch out of the game during AI, Network and E-Mail replays without

causing a crash

- Note an attempt to switch back to SC2 will only be successful when the AI or replay in progress has completed, i.e. the game

is not frozen it is just completing its task first before popping back up

- Note, if your opponent completes their turn while SC2 is minimized you will be notified via the chat 'squak' sound effect played

4 times in quick succession, otherwise it is just your opponent sending you a text message

- added an SC2 taskbar icon to the system tray (bottom right hand corner on most systems)

- Note, the SC2 icon will flash whenever ther e is a playable turn. For example, if you minimize SC2 during an AI or Network game

this can be handy to let you know that either the AI has finished its turn or that it is your turn to play during TCP/IP

- network games now also allow the inactive player to scroll around the map while waiting for the turn to start, v1.04 introduced

scrolling for the inactive player but it did not include the period between synchronizations

- added a few new network game indicators such as a message when your opponent has completed their turn and that game data is

currently being transferred

- added Research and Diplomacy to the 'Preference' options under the Options->Advanced dialog

- Note if Research and Diplomacy are not enabled in the Editor then these options cannot be changed in game under the Advanced

dialog, i.e. these options are considered locked from the Editor

- fixed a PLAN script #AC TIVATE_POSITION bug that did not properly handle multiple entries

- fixed a PLAN script bug that did not accept BUILD_UP_AMPHIBIOUS plans when the objective had already been achieved

- fixed a bug where Transport plans would lose WAYPOINTS as soon as the first unit reached that particular waypoint

- improved all AI naval movement to better avoid enemy units, i.e. under FoW recognizes spotted positions and uses them to its

advantage when moving subsequent units

- defending Rockets now include their entrenchment and defence bonuses when calculating their potential losses

- fixed a bug when attempting to switch from an E-Mail to a Network (TCP/IP) game

- fixed a convoy MPP transfer bug

- liberating countries now become the new PARENT overwriting the previous parent. For example, if the USSR liberates Iraq it will

be the new Allied PARENT overwriting previous UK PARENT relationship

- improved AI logic and sequencing for Garrison and Reinforcement.

- fixed a FoW issue during multiplayer replays where hidden moving units were inadvertently revealed through unit mirroring

- fixed a unit strike range issue that did not properly take into account land and coastal contours. For example, naval units

with a SR=1 (with the exception of Carriers) could strike across coastal tiles that were not logically connected. This also

applies to land units with a SR=1 with the exception of AF, Bombers and Rockets

- added a FoW feature for Engineers, now they will remain hidden under FoW while building a fortification unless an enemy unit

is immediately adjacent

- added a FoW feature for Paratroops, now they will remain hidden under FoW while preparing unless an enemy unit is immediately

adjacent

- fixed a bug where the AI would not go after units it could destroy, often causing all relative attackers to do nothing, i.e. not

even attack other u nits

- changed FoW for Land units spotting units at sea. Now all land units, with the exception of Bombers, will spot Naval units at

1/2 their current spotting range, i.e. AF spotting range might already be reduced due to weather effects etc., all other spotting

remains the same... should make the "cat and mouse" naval game a bit more interesting

- fixed an AI combat bug where AI submarine units attacked other submarine units

- fixed an AF interceptor bug where an AF did not intercept Bombers if 'it' was the target or if it was placed on top of a defending

resource

- fixed a bug where ineligible units remained attached to an HQ under 'Auto-Assist' or 'Manual' mode

- fixed a unit variation placement bug

- fixed a few AI combat bugs related to the optimization of Air and Naval combat for Offensive/Amphibious planning

- fixed a few land combat bugs that did not make optimimal use of attack/movement rules

- fixed a bug where the Paratroops glider was not animated as a slide from start position to end position under AI or

E-Mail/Network replay turns

- fixed a bug where the AI was not replacing some heavy GARRISON units by a Corps when it should have been doing so

- Note, added the replacement of non City/Capital/Fortress GARRISON positions to the AI. For example, when the AI has a GARRISON

unit located in the Yugoslavian mountains, a nearby Corps will now replace an Axis Army or Tank Group if applicable and if

available to do so

- lowered land unit morale bonus/decrease for when a country surrenders or is liberated from 25-40% to 20-30%

- capped morale bonus increase to only those units that are below 150% and morale bonus decrease to only those units that are

above 50%

- Paratroops within 'Operational Range' of an Offensive target and without any adjacent enemy units will now auto matically 'Prepare'

to be used in air drops on subsequent combat turns. This is simply generic AI behaviour that is being added not something that

can be controlled via scripts

- Note the AI will make every attempt to perform air drops under *ideal* conditions. AI will look for vacant cities that it can

reach via air drop or for offensive/amphibious targets that will also be supported by friendly units

- added additional AI debug features that can be accessed while in game:

- press the 'F1' key and this will generate a DEBUG subfolder under the 'SAVE' directory storing each 'autosave' by current

campaign date. This will make it easier to reference something the AI did on its last turn (now repeatable with the

stored save) under DEBUGSAVE mode

- press the 'F2' key and this will generate a DATALOGS subfolder within the SC2 installation

&nb sp; directory. This folder will generate files keeping track of WEATHER as well as AI PLANNING, RESEARCH, and DIPLOMACY

- improved restrengthening/upgrades algorithms for AI units

- fixed a bug where naval loop units were not accounted for under 'Hard Limits' games

- fixed a Purchase Unit dialog bug

- AI now includes Fortesses in automatic Offensive/Defensive planning with an override possible via scripting

- bumped sub raiding experience gain from .1 to .2 per convoy raid

- fixed a strike range intercept bug for snow conditions

EDITOR RELATED CHANGES

- adjusted some of the dates for the WAR ENTRY additions

- changed the UK moves government to Canada script back to simply moving to Egypt as you will still be able to force a UK

surrender this way. UK moves Government to Canada is now a selectable script option but not the default

- bumped IT range from a max of 25% to 100%

- added an ACTIVATION#1 event for Allied DoW on Denmark

- added an #AI flag for EVENT scripts to give modders the ability to specify scripts for

either an Allied or Axis AI game

- added a time stamp check to AI and EVENT scripts so that the Editor can now keep track of changed files. This dramatically

increases the processing speed of campaigns after the initial save. The Editor also now keeps track of changes and which Script

files require re-checking/re-compiling only as needed

- added an 'Update All' button for both the Edit AI/Event Script dialogs. This was simply added in order to force a manual update

of all scripts, i.e. a re-verification and re-extraction since this is now handled automatically by the Editor

- fixed a spelling error in the SURRENDER script for 'Independence'

- changed diplomatic effect range to 7-10%, Germany and the UK were still at 8-15%

- changed the diplomatic cost to influence a friendly minor to 75 MPP from 50 MPP and the cost to influence a friendly major to

150 MPP from 100 MPP

- fixed a #COUNTRY_ID= 0 for generic popup error

- fixed an Editor unit movement/placement bug

- Amphibious Transports can now also use WAYPOINTS when using the PLAN script similar to regular Transports. See PLAN script notes

for further details

- Note, using WAYPOINTS will also speed up AI movement of Transports

- when using WAYPOINTS for either Amphibious Transports or regular Transports the game engine will consider any final movement

position that is within 3 tiles of a WAYPOINT as a success and subsequently plot for the next WAYPOINT in the list. This helps

keep a group of scripted transports together much more than in previous versions. Also if one of the WAYPOINTS set is a

Naval Loop position the game engine now recognizes this and attempts to spread out transports amongst any immediately adjacent

Naval Loop tiles in order to maximize the number of transports that will proceed along that naval loop in a single turn. For

example if you set a WAYPOINT as #GOAL_POSITION= 35,35 i.e. the center Naval Loop position for the South Atlantic Naval Loop, up

to 5 transports may proceed along that naval loop if the adjacent tiles are unoccupied and 5 transports can reach the relevant

positions

- added BUILD_UP_AMPHIBIOUS_MINOR and BUILD_UP_SEA_TRANSPORT_MINOR flags for PLAN scripts. Now BUILD_UP_AMPHIBIOUS and

BUILD_UP_SEA_TRANSPORT will include HQs by default while BUILD_UP_AMPHIBIOUS_MINOR and BUILD_UP_SEA_TRANSPORT_MINOR will not

- added BUILD_UP_FLEET flag for PLAN scripts. This allows for organized naval FLEET movement via scripting. See PLAN script notes

for further details

- updated, revised and edited all PLAN script reference notes

- fixed two PARTISAN script errors, Norway and the USSR

- adjusted the northern coastline of France near Brest in order to take into account new strike range rules

- adjusted coastal tile for Kronstadt port so that Finnish ground units cannot attack Soviet navy (in port) unless they control

Leningrad, also takes into account new strike range rules

- changed the Swedish MPP Convoy destination port to Konigsberg from Kiel

- reduced Engineers, Paratroops, and Rockets to 200MPP

- reduced Tank Groups to 250 MPP

- reduced Air Fleets and Bombers to 300 MPP

- reduced Battleships to 400 MPP

- reduced Cruisers to 300 MPP

- reduced Carriers to 450 MPP

- reduced Subs to 200 MPP

- added Riga as a GARRISON position once the USSR becomes fully active

- added Voice of Reason's "Science of SC2" Guide to the 'ExtrasDocs' folder

- removed the PLAN script and replaced it with separate scripts to cover the following:

- GARRISON

- FORTIFICATION

- OFFENSIVE

- AMPHIBIOUS

- TRANSPORT

- AMPHIBIOUS_MINOR

- TRANSPORT_MINOR

- FLEET

- for FORTIFICATION scripts you ca n now see the 'edge' info when viewing available Fortification sprites in the Editor, i.e. shown

when moving the mouse over the sprite in the lower left corner of the status bar in order to ease the writing of FORTIFCATION events

- tweaked some of the Allied GARRISON, OFFENSIVE, AMPHIBIOUS, TRANSPORT, PURCHASE and RESEARCH scripts

- tweaked some of the Axis GARRISON, OFFENSIVE, AMPHIBIOUS, TRANSPORT, PURCHASE and RESEARCH scripts

- reduced Italian Army SA to 2 and TA to 1

- changed South African UNIT event to arrive at Cairo instead of Alexandria

- changed 1st FSJ to arrive off of a UNIT script event on December 31, 1939 close to Hamburg

- added Soviet Partisans for the Caucases flagged for Allied AI games only

- removed 3 Corps from the Siberian Transfer event

- bumped maximum German Submarine builds from 6 to 8

- added several WAR ENTRY (AI) events

- bumped Germany IT increments to 15%

- Fortresses can now be specified as a #DEST INATION_RESOURCE for UNIT scripts

- added optional Victory scripts to check for a 1945/08/31 end date, original 1947/01/01 Victory scripts are still default

- added a UK Engineers unit to arrive in Egypt March 1, 1940 via the UNIT script for Allied AI games only

- added El Alamein fortification tile to Egypt

- added a UK moves Government to Canada SURRENDER event (selectable with default still Egypt)

- added required Convoy adjustments for a UK moves Government to Canada event

>>Game Info<<

Strategic Command 2 Blitkrieg is the new grand strategy masterpiece from award winning game designer Hubert Cater! Combining the ease of play, accessibility and addicting gameplay of the original Strategic Command, Strategic Command 2 Blitzkrieg adds tons of new features including many player submitted suggestions. Bigger, better and expandable, Strategic Command 2 Blitzkrieg is an evolutionary, as well as revolutionary, new grand strategy game.

The Strategic Command 2 Blitzkrieg demo features all of the same gameplay as the full version but includes special demo versions of two campaigns, Fall Weserübung (Axis invasion of Denmark and Norway 1940) and D-Day (Allied invasion of Europe 1944). Purchasing of new units has also been disabled as has the save game function and multiplayer support.

Game Features:

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