---> AACW 1.04 Public Beta Patch <---

[Pocus]

hi all,

This is the first public release of patch 1.04, so it is still under testing. Do not download it if you don't want to experiment from an unexpected bug. Give some more days for the patch to finalize.

Betas are working on it, I'm sure some willing players will also be happy to play and report issues too, so be patient in this case.

link: http://ageoddl.telechargement.fr/patch_AACW_v1.04.zip

last note: Don't hesitate to correct typos in the readme. We are also in search of a French-speaking man of goodwill to do the translation in French, this will save me sometime for others things.

Now, the readme:

==============================================================================
AGEod's American Civil War Update 1.04 Readme
wednesday, June 6, 2007
==============================================================================

This patch contains all changes since the start.
You can continue a saved game created before the patch. Most entry will apply, but not all.

==============================================================================
Bugs Fixes
==============================================================================
fixed: Units won't be disbanded (partisans and militia), if they have a leader embedded (Quantrill + 1 partisan for example)
fixed: A corps loaded on a fleet will revert to independent status.
fixed: Besieged units can't destroy rails in the region they are in.
fixed: Bombarding an unit will unfix them.
fixed: Norfolk harbor could not be blockaded (erroneous calculation in the blockade algorithm)
fixed: Some brigades would not split correctly if they had a leader.

==============================================================================
AI
==============================================================================
AI processing time has been reduced by 40% !

==============================================================================
User Interface Improvements and Additions
==============================================================================
The frozen swamp image did not appears.
Militia upgrading to regular will show the correct unit image.
Divisions now remember for each embedded brigades what was their initial regiments allocation.
Bombardment now shows the real number of hits inflicted upon the other side, not the base number.

==============================================================================
Game Play, Rules Additions and Changes
==============================================================================
Elements now lose 2 cohesion points when firing, not 1 (units will be exhausted sooner)
Retreat path calculation improved, taking account military control and the presence of friendly structure. (to be further improved)
Wounded leader can take from 1 to 6 turns to recover, not just one (they are locked to show they are recovering)
Units inside structures are always considered gaining cohesion as if they are in Passive Posture.

New set of options for the Delayed Commit Rule (Options|Gameplay window), you can now tweak from 'no delay' to 'long delay'. A long delay can means that two forces meeting in offensive posture in a region can be unable to trigger combat for the whole turn (with some bad dice rolls...). Ask if you want the variables exported for modding.

New set of options (Options|Gameplay window), called Naval Boxes Handling, which can allow you to play a simplified blockade game with less micro-managing. The standard (and default option) don't change anything. The others options will let the ships stay at sea indefinitively unless damaged by the opponent, but they will have a reduced effectivness while in the naval box (abstracted way to show the need to go to an harbor for resupplying purpose).

Ships now cost conscript, money and war supplies to repair. No more free, abusive, bombardment of CSA forts...

All artilleries firing on ships will deal +33% damages, while ships while do -25% damages. All coastal artilleries hits doubled, with 1 added protection point.
Further improved weather pattern. Higher elevation terrains will now always be as colder as a lower terrain, for the same area (ie if there is snow in plains, there can be only snow or blizzard in mountains).

CSA now has a slight VP advantage per turn in 1861, forcing the Union to act to quell the rebellion. Reminder: Having more VP than the other can favor Foreign Intervention (as having a morale higher than the opponent).

Each unit and leader in a battle can now gain some experience, depending of the duration of the battle. Hitting an enemy regiment will also give some experience. Generals can also gain some seniority just by being present in several battles.

==============================================================================
Scenarios/setups Additions and Changes
==============================================================================
The Confederate Savannah (big) garrison is not longuer fixed permanently.
Buell event had a bug in the script.
Partisans will not longuer be dismissed each turn. The roll is now at the end of the year.
US Garrison are now full from the start.
Three harbors added in Arkansas: Little Rock, Smith, Malvern.


==============================================================================
Data tweaks and changes
==============================================================================
All infantry brigades can now accept a leader.
Confederate side had duplicate ships entry in the buying interface.
AP Hills rank was erroneous in the database
Naval Artillery strengthened much (see Gameplay changes)
Canton MS, had a linking bug.

==============================================================================
Modding support
==============================================================================
3 variables exported to the ACW\Settings\Combats.opt file, so to tweak battle results:
cbtHitCoef = 150 is the % chance, in 1/100 (meaning 1.5% here) to hit the enemy, for each final firepower point.
cbtAsltCoef = 50 same, but for assault
cbtMinToHit = 5 is the minimum % to hit someone (rising this value help the side with the lower quality units)



******************************************************************************

[runyan99]

Lots of good changes in this patch. I'll start a new game with this patch today, and see how it plays compared to 1.01a-1.03. Thanks for listening to all our feedback.

CSA now has a slight VP advantage per turn in 1861, forcing the Union to act to quell the rebellion. Reminder: Having more VP than the other can favor Foreign Intervention (as having a morale higher than the opponent).

Well, what do you know? I guess keeping the South together is worth something after all.

[Doomwalker]

Looks amazing Pocus, now I just can't wait to get home to try it out. Hmm, I am not feeling too well all of a sudden. I think I may be coming down with a case of ACW-itis. (cough cough)

[Ian Coote]

I was hopeing to get the rest of the Generals faces in this update,but it doesn't seem to be.I realize it does not effect game play,but to a civil war nut like me this is not a game but a labor of love,and from a visual point of view kinda of important.Except for that this is the best wargame I've ever played,and I go back to Avlon Hills Blitzkreig.So to not sound too much like a crybaby how long will it be to complete my civil war fantasy?

[mikee64]

Awesome - you folks are amazing!

Question: will the abstracted blockade setting apply to the CSA blockade runners as well or is it just for the blockading ships?

Again, many thanks for the almost unbelievable level of support.

[Spharv2]

Not too sure about this one:

fixed: Besieged units can't destroy rails in the region they are in.

Seems like if the units are besieged in a city, they would still be able to tear up the railyards at least, which would cause a lot more delays than just tearing up some track somewhere along the line.

[Doomwalker]

Awesome update. I can see serious improvement in the "speed" category. I praise you again.

[Mike]

Looks like some good upgrades.

[Doomwalker]

One question though. Should I be supporting the Mexican army with replacements? I just finished my first turn under 1.04 and now in the replacements window I have options for 3 Mexican army units.

[Fouche]

It works fine. However I noted in the case of a brigade of militia or irregulars it does not work. Is that intentional or is it suppose to work for them as well.

Thanks...

Keep up the excellent support...

[Spruce]

still too few militia for TN - really low figure and hard to garrison the state of TN. Most states have more militia.

[Doomwalker]

Winter weather is still too rough in the deep south. I saw most of Texas, all of the Mississippi river, and too much of Alabama with snow and frozen ports.

[Doomwalker]

The garrison unit: B Supply in Ft Monroe is still getting units at scenario start.

[Jabberwock]

I was hopeing to get the rest of the Generals faces in this update,but it doesn't seem to be.I realize it does not effect game play,but to a civil war nut like me this is not a game but a labor of love,and from a visual point of view kinda of important.Except for that this is the best wargame I've ever played,and I go back to Avlon Hills Blitzkreig.So to not sound too much like a crybaby how long will it be to complete my civil war fantasy?

http://www.ageod-forum.com/showthread.php?t=4336

[runyan99]

All infantry brigades can now accept a leader.

Any reason to do this, rather than just leaving them in a stack?

[Pocus]

One question though. Should I be supporting the Mexican army with replacements? I just finished my first turn under 1.04 and now in the replacements window I have options for 3 Mexican army units.

you should not see them, only native CSA replacements should appears. Do you see any other MEX replacements?

[Pocus]

It works fine. However I noted in the case of a brigade of militia or irregulars it does not work. Is that intentional or is it suppose to work for them as well.

Thanks...

Keep up the excellent support...

on purpose

[Pocus]

I was hopeing to get the rest of the Generals faces in this update,but it doesn't seem to be.I realize it does not effect game play,but to a civil war nut like me this is not a game but a labor of love,and from a visual point of view kinda of important.Except for that this is the best wargame I've ever played,and I go back to Avlon Hills Blitzkreig.So to not sound too much like a crybaby how long will it be to complete my civil war fantasy?

There are some problems with the artist in charge, she is very busy from others work. We will take a decision soon about that.

[Pocus]

still too few militia for TN - really low figure and hard to garrison the state of TN. Most states have more militia.

We forgot to tweak that, TN will have 5 more militias soon. (from 7 to 12)

[McNaughton]

Any reason to do this, rather than just leaving them in a stack?

Before you have enough divisions, or if you just have one brigadier, and one brigade, you can make some use of them (having a leader attached to a brigade raises brigade power). I figure it is logical to have this allowed, since, you have leaders attached to brigades via event, and starting scenario. Maybe it is also the first step to having leaders make divisions without a divisional HQ?

[Pocus]

Any reason to do this, rather than just leaving them in a stack?

this has to be done so that some special brigades split correctly... but yes there is a reason: if you embed a leader in a division or any unit, he provides 3% combat bonus for each point he has (compared to 5% for the stack leader), and this cumulate with the stack leader.

[gbs]

I think that weather does need a little more tweeking. Nothing i can't live with though.

[AndrewKurtz]

I think that weather does need a little more tweeking. Nothing i can't live with though.

Why (or what you observed) would probably help

[Thales]

There still seem to be occasional problems when splitting units: If you split B. McCulloch's Division on the first turn of the 1863 campaign (CSA side) then Fagan's and Parson's Brigade automatically get split too.

[gbs]

Why (or what you observed) would probably help

Well, it's the same thing as before. Harsh weather effects in the south, deep into the spring like in April and May. Rain and mud, yes, but no Blizzard, Snow, or frozen except maybe the mountain ranges. For all non mountain regions, it should be just taken out of the game after April 1st and up until early December. Just my opinion.

[Pocus]

the 2 conscripts are extraneous to militia units, so this is normal that they are pulled out in 2 indeps regiments. Each militia brigade can have up to 2 militias, but nothing else.
There is a little problem though, these 2 conscripts should belong to McRae's Brigade, but the unit does not appears in the embedded units. I will have to check that.

[Pocus]

Well, it's the same thing as before. Harsh weather effects in the south, deep into the spring like in April and May. Rain and mud, yes, but no Blizzard, Snow, or frozen except maybe the mountain ranges. For all non mountain regions, it should be just taken out of the game after April 1st and up until early December. Just my opinion.

open a separate thread for the weather, all the data has been rechecked with the help of players and betas, so this is surely a difficult discussion

[Thales]

I found the following reproducible method to highlight the problems when splitting divisions:

During the first turn of the CSA 1863 full campaign remove Early's division and four idependent artillery units from Jackson's corps and form a new stack with them. Now split Early's division and reform it together with the additional artillery units.

If you split the division again, all 3 infantry brigades are split into single elements.

[Pocus]

patch 1.04 release candidate 1 posted, with most of the corrections reported today. (same link)

[Pocus]

I found the following reproducible method to highlight the problems when splitting divisions:

During the first turn of the CSA 1863 full campaign remove Early's division and four idependent artillery units from Jackson's corps and form a new stack with them. Now split Early's division and reform it together with the additional artillery units.

If you split the division again, all 3 infantry brigades are split into single elements.

right, I see the issue, this happen when you incorporate a lot of units into a division, some are trimmed. I will check that, thanks.