Western Front - 1944 Panzer Campaigns 4.05.1 Updates.

Hi All,

The rollout for the first tranche of Panzer Campaigns version 4.05.1 begins!

This week we move our focus to the Western Front. Following on from the recent First World War Campaigns upgrades we are releasing the first four Panzer Campaigns titles with the new 4.05.1 version.

The four titles updated today are Panzer Campaigns: Normandy ‘44, Panzer Campaigns: Market-Garden ’44, Panzer Campaigns: Scheldt ’44, and Panzer Campaigns: Bulge ’44.

Version 4.05.1 supplants the version 4.05 that was released with Panzer Campaigns: Smolensk ’43. A range of fixes and additional enhancements are included in the latest version. Panzer Campaigns: Smolensk ’43 will also be patched to this version at the appropriate time.

Please note that we are providing a patch to upgrade from version 4.04 to version 4.05.1; however, full 4.05.1 installation builds are available in case you prefer to do a full install. You may remember that version 4.04 was a full-installation-only build. The 4.05.1 patch will only work with a version 4.04 installation. If you already own a copy of any of these three titles, the latest full 4.05.1 game build should be available now in your Store Account on the WDS website. If you choose to not patch, and use the full installer, you will have to uninstall any existing versions and then install the latest to be up to date.

Here are the changes included in version 4.05.1 beyond version 4.04:

Panzer Campaigns Patch 4.05.1 Changelog

Bug Fixes

• Bug: Removed expired objectives that were still appearing in the Command Report.
• Bug: Prevent "super-stack" movement & assaults for the AI and player. The stacking limits were not working in all cases.
• Bug: Adjusted Withdrawal behaviour. Once a unit satisfies a withdrawal criterion, it will no longer continue to check that withdrawal.
• Bug: Prevent a crash when attempting to highlight an empty Org.
• Bug: Retain Travel Mode status when combining units.

Enhancements

• The Jump Map can now be closed by right-clicking over the map dialog box.
• The AI Orders Dialog in the Scenario Editor is now non-modal.
• AI updates
  • The AI will now dig-in based upon the values in the main.ai file.
  • AI Rail movement has been revamped and takes into consideration the values in the main.ai file.
  • Fallback code for the AI to allow units with a Hold order to move after a certain level of losses.
• The objective expiry turn number added to the Hex Info area. The word ‘Pts’ was removed.
• Font Change from MS Sans Serif to MS Shell Dlg 2. This is not a font per se but will use the MS-approved Windows default font for a particular culture/region. This change allows many language specific characters to show in game and dialogs in particular. For English, the MS-approved Windows default font is Tahoma.
• Font size increase from 8 to 10 for the Organization, Command, Strength, and AI Orders Dialogs.

Panzer Campaigns Patch 4.05 Changelog

Not Released

Bug Fixes

• Bug: Ski units will now use foot movement sound where there is no SNOW or FROZEN map condition.
• Bug: Fixed Convert to Sub-Scenario.
• Bug: Partisan units will no longer disrupt movement of units when in Travel Mode.
• Bug: AI Hold Orders will now not be cleared after one turn.
• Bug: AI Active Orders will now not be cleared after one turn.
• Bug: Units in travel or rail mode will now pass through Fortifications without vacating them and reducing their defensive values.
• Bug: Pontoon bridges built over destroyed full hex ferries can now be crossed by units.
• Bug: Fixed an AI issue where HQs moved to the front line.
• Bug: Fixed a crash when a Caller disconnected from the Host while using Direct-Play.
• Bug: Corrected command shading when a unit has zero command radius.

Enhancements

• Remove the Spotted icon from the Unit card and add "Spotted" as the first line on the Terrain Box.
• Show Organization Enhancements (Alt-Q)
  • Is now a non-modal dialog and can be left open during play. It can be placed on a separate monitor if desired.
  • The ‘Show Organization’ (Alt-Q) will now both highlight the selected organization and move the map to centre on the selected formation/unit.
  • If an organization is highlighted on map (shortcut key ‘Q’) and then the Show Organization dialog opened (Alt-Q), the dialog will now expand the Org Tree to show the selected Organization.
  • Selecting units on map with the Show Organization Dialog open will update the dialog view.
  • Formations may show if they are ‘Not Present’ or ‘Reinforcements’ in the scenario being played.
  • Strength values are shown for each formation.
  • Show Organization icon added to the toolbar.
• The Jump Map (shortcut key ‘J’) is now a non-modal dialog and can be left open during play. It can be placed on a separate monitor if desired.
• The Command Report (Alt-K) is now a non-modal dialog and can be left open during play. It can be placed on a separate monitor if desired.
• The Parameter Data (shortcut key ‘F3’) is now a non-modal dialog and can be left open during play. It can be placed on a separate monitor if desired.
• All non-modal displays can be placed on screen as desired and their positions and sizes will be remembered. Under Settings there is a ‘Clear Settings’ choice that will reset all positions and sizes to default. Please note this resets all your settings as previously played.
• Fatigue accumulation code is now based on ratio of losses to full strength.
• Morale checking code. Determining whether morale checks are applicable is now based on ratio of losses to current unit strength.
• Upgraded functionality for Armoured Trains.
  • Armoured trains cannot change into rail mode. They can only move deployed.
  • Armoured trains are exempt from the night move disruption rule. They normally would be exempt when in rail mode, but as they move deployed, they need to be set as an exception.
  • Armoured trains use the Artillery Hard Target Modifier in the PDT when firing into an adjacent hex only (usually a value of 2.5x). This is for both hard and soft fire. This represents the attached infantry and other close weapons such as MG’s.
  • Armoured trains have patrolling capability, just like infantry units. These were used for track protection and anti-partisan duties and adding this allows that.
• Area Boundaries setting is now saved in the registry.
• The spotting range for patrolling is now in the PDT.
• A* Pathfinding added.
• AI updates
  • Improvement to movement scripts including start and end turns.
  • Improvement to hold orders including start and end turns. Units are discouraged from leaving fortified hexes.
  • Changes to assault initiation and targets
  • Changes to night movement behaviour
  • AI offensive and defensive fire takes into account the state of the firing unit. Fatigued units will fire less with a priority to rest and recover.
  • Adjusted the behaviour of units directly attached to corps and armies.
  • Indirect fire will now prioritize units that are in hexes with have lower defence benefits such as clear hexes. Hexes with entrenchments will be a lower priority. This is to prevent the AI from ignoring priority targets such as engineers in minefields and hitting bunkers instead.
  • Revised movement rules for HQs and artillery to ensure they did not move to close to the frontline, but still supported their units.
  • ai file added to the Data directory. This controls common parameters used by the AI. Scenario specific AI files can be created and are selected through the scenario header dialog.
  • Active Order Expiry added to cater for legacy AI scripting.
• Wireless intercepts have been added. These will reveal HQ locations based upon radio direction finding and wireless analysis. Values in the PDT for each side determine the percentage chance and whether the report is detailed (the level of HQ – Division, corps etc) or generic. HQs that have been found can be targeted by both artillery and air units.
• A new optional rule was added to prevent units with low ammo from firing.
• Window Edge scrolling added (Settings\Scrolling).
  • This is to support multi-monitor support when using the new non-modal dialogs such as the Organisation display.
  • To scroll using Window Edge, place the mouse cursor near the edge of the game window (not menus or unit boxes). The map should scroll in that direction.
  • The default area to determine scrolling is 48 pixels within the edge of the game screen. The active area can be adjusted to be larger or smaller by changing the value in Scrolling Buffer under the Scrolling menu.
• Limited time objectives enhancements.
  • These objectives now show on map in the format VP: Turn. For example, a value of 100 : 10, would be 100 victory points, expiring on turn 10.
  • Objectives expiring in the next 10 turns will show in the command report and can be clicked to go to the location.
• Clearing rubble has been changed. Engineering battalions or equivalent can get up to 3x the rubble clearing value per turn. Each eligible engineer in a hex will roll to clear rubble, allowing multiple attempts if multiple engineers are present.

Content Changes

• Support the use of a colon in the Unit Component Name (to differentiate units but use the same picture).
• Changed Editor icons to be like the Panzer Battles ones (coloured differently).
• The Scenario Selection dialog has been updated to include artwork.
• Tooltips added to Optional Rules dialog.

We expect to follow-up with further games very soon.

Here are a few sample screen shots:

Panzer Campaigns: Normandy ‘44

Panzer Campaigns: Market-Garden ’44

Panzer Campaigns: Scheldt ’44

Panzer Campaigns: Bulge ’44

You can grab the new updates from the Support Page for the Panzer Campaigns series when you are ready. Alternatively, you can login to your Store Account and download a fresh installer with the update included.

And in case you missed it, the 4.05.1 update for El Alamein '42 was released this week as well as part of the Game of the Week post. This is also on the Support Page.

We plan to continue to migrate the remaining Panzer Campaigns and Modern Campaigns series across to version 4.05.1 over the next month or two.

Please keep visiting the WDS site for the latest news, or make certain you are subscribed to our email updates to stay current with the latest developments on the WDS front.