5.1.8 Beta (Update 5, Balance Checkpoint)

[kwok]

Artillery and Munition Upkeep Changes
Based on the community poll, the vote for upkeep changes was extremely split. So, we decided to take the middle route for now.
- Removed upkeep from howitzer tanks (Scott, 105 Sherman, StuH 42, StuPa)
- Lowered the upkeep of Pack howitzer, LeiG18, Autocar to 4 ammo (from 5)
- Lowered the upkeep of Calli Jeep/Sherman, Maultier, 150mm Nebels, 95mm Cromwell/Churchill, 25 pounders to 7 ammo (from 8)
- Lowered the upkeep of 105mm arty (US/WM howitzers), Priests, Wespe, Stuka HT, Hotchkiss to 10 ammo (from 12)
- Lowered the upkeep of 210mm Nebels, Hummels, Sturmtiger, Grille to 13 ammo (from 15)
- Added a basic Ammunition income of 8 to all factions
- Calliope Jeep moved to Armor Company
- Reduced the number of rockets in Calliope Jeep's barrage to 6 (from 12)
- Added 75mm Autocar to Infantry Company
- Added 75mm pack howitzer to Airborne Company
Provide feedback at viewtopic.php?f=15&t=3365


Volkssturm Balances
Mostly took community suggestions here on how to tweak Volkssturm to be a more viable unit.
- Panzerfaust unlock now gives to Volkssturm squads the ability to fire Panzerfaust without any need to buy an upgrade first
- Volkssturm squads have their Veterancy level XP requirements lowered by 25% (a.k.a they vet up faster)
- Killing soldiers from Volkssturm squads now grants +1XP (instead of +2XP)
- Increased squad size upgrades changed from squad upgrades to global upgrades (160MP each; available in HQ)
- Increased Volkssturm health to 60HP (from 35HP)
- Volkssturms are easier to hit by 25% by default
- Volkssturm squads no longer gain +5HP per veterancy level
- Volkssturm squads become 10% harder to hit per veterancy levels 1,2,3 (from the global 5%)
Provide feedback at viewtopic.php?f=15&t=3322


Other Propaganda Doc Changes
Most doctrines have a specialized early game halftrack to help match against early allied vehicles. We decided that one of the better halftracks to include for the Propaganda doctrine would be one that has some damage but still holds true to the weaker-in-durability early game in order to make it not an obvious choice every game.
- Added Sdkfz 250/9 as a doctrine-specific halftrack for Propaganda doctrine (available immediately after building 2nd tier building; previously only available to PE as a reward unit)

Officers cost was accidentally raised when adding bodygaurd units which was a net MP increase for very little capability. Cost was adjusted back to former officer values
- Officer squad cost returned to 260MP (from 300MP)

We know that Axis has a big munition drain from arming units with needed weapons as a main reason why propaganda abilities aren’t used. What we hope is by reducing the cost of the abilities, players will be more encouraged to try them and see the potential of the abilities.
- All propaganda abilities (Officer, area, sector) costs reduce to half of their previous costs

Took a community suggestion here to address the constant question that comes up: “what’s the point of the early version of the Tiger?”
-Infantry can now reinforce around the early version of Tiger tank

Defensive doctrine
Due to some bugs with the empty emplacements and changing team units, we needed to redo some of the def doc building methods.
- Removed Healing station and Repair station upgrades from standard bunkers
- Added an option to build a Heavy Healing Bunker and a Heavy Repair Bunker as separate buildings
- Pioneers can no longer build "empty" emplacements
- 28mm Halftrack can now build various types of emplacements with AT/field guns

Blitzkrieg doctrine
Per suggestion from the community, we hope this relieves some of the extremely late game foresight planning around the Blitz doc heavy tanks to make it less punishing on reward unit choices.
- Removed the reward choice for Panther ausf.D or ausf.A (both are available in Heavy Tank Factory)


.50cal Changes
As per some of the community’s suggestions, we have tweaked the veterancy of some units in order to indirectly nerf the .50cal.
- Tweaked the veterancy bonuses of light .50cal vehicles (Jeeps, Greyhound, M20, Recce etc.) - vet2: 25% faster reloads, vet3: +12.5% accuracy (from +25% accuracy and +25% damage respectively)


Bug Fixes
- The top gunner on Sherman 76(W) should no longer display with pink texture with lower than Ultra Texture Detail settings
- Fixed wrong veterancy bonuses of .30cal and Recoilless Jeeps (used to have same as Calliope Jeep which provided bonuses that had no effect, now has same bonuses as .50cal Jeeps)
- M36 Jackson should no longer be displayed in AB Tank Depot
- Volksgrenadiers and Grenadiers now gain Suppression ability when they upgrade LMG
- All units should now be properly able to retreat to Officer squad
- Officer squad reinforcement is no longer instant
- Flame barrage of Walking Stuka no longer requires unrelated CP unlock, now gets unlocked by 3rd Phase upgrade
- Stormtroopers can no longer upgrade LMG (oversight from the last update) (for those who keep asking why the LMG was removed from stormtroopers to begin with… it’s because the name of stormtroopers means assault trooper. Assaults are usually done with smgs, not lmgs. You still have the suppression soldiers which are available earlier now for the double lmg strength)


More news on the next stages of the rework journey coming soon.

[kwok]

Some replays on the beta already. Apologies to boba and viewers in advance for my ragey behavior in game. I work 13 hours then I come home to BK players shitposting and complaining... I was already on edge in mood before the game starts.

[Walderschmidt]

Hell yeah!

Blitz doc change is much appreciate (re: Panthers)

Wald

[kwok]

We try our best.

I better say this now even though it should be known. If you have feedback about this patch, it would help all of us (devs and players) to structure your feedback into individual topic-focused posts instead of full blocks of paragraphs about everything here.

[mofetagalactica]

- I think you forgot to add it in the changelog but the 50mm/leig choice dosn't appear anymore as reward options.
- It would be a good option to have both tigers available to build instead of reward, just like blitz doc got both of his panthers available.
- Not happy with the changes to calliope jeep, 6 rockets for 50 ammo is a joke at least change it to 25 ammo per barrage since their rockets where halved.

So far im happy with the changes, thank you guys.

[kwok]

We try our best.

I better say this now even though it should be known. If you have feedback about this patch, it would help all of us (devs and players) to structure your feedback into individual topic-focused posts instead of full blocks of paragraphs about everything here.

Stubby pz4 versions should have same price than pz4 F, since the F version got cheaper, the other stubby versions that used to had the same price in older versions than pz4 F are now more expensive, it looks and feels odd and dosn't really make you build stubby versions when you can get the long barreled one.

PzIV F2 current price : 390 MP/40 Fuel
PzIV E current price : 430 MP/50 Fuel
PzIV F1 current price : 500 MP/55 Fuel (tank hunter doc only)
Panzer IV Ausf. D : 400 MP/40 Fuel

Please maybe a standarization price for these units could be good.

- I think you forgot to add it in the changelog but the 50mm/leig choice dosn't appear anymore as reward options.
- It would be a good option to have both tigers available to build instead of reward, just like blitz doc got both of his panthers available.

[Warhawks97]

- Added a basic Ammunition upkeep of 8 to all factions

You mean income, not upkeep, right?

- Calliope Jeep moved to Armor Company
- Reduced the number of rockets in Calliope Jeep's barrage to 6 (from 12)
- Added 75mm Autocar to Infantry Company
- Added 75mm pack howitzer to Airborne Company

Nice. But the calli jeep limitation is very harsh. I would have tried 10 or 8 missiles first. They dont have a splash like nebels have. Paying 50 ammo of which perhaps one missile does something is harsh. But its just me. Missiles would have done the job or drop barrage cost to 25.

Took a community suggestion here to address the constant question that comes up: “what’s the point of the early version of the Tiger?”
-Infantry can now reinforce around the early version of Tiger tank

Well, i know you want to give players reason to use this one. But i think thats a feature that should only be held by the very specialized Churchill Infantry tank. I think the tigers were just fine. Costing less than pershings and quite early accessable now. We should have gathered ideas in a brainstorm topic about what the tiger should be able of.

.50cal Changes
As per some of the community’s suggestions, we have tweaked the veterancy of some units in order to indirectly nerf the .50cal.
- Tweaked the veterancy bonuses of light .50cal vehicles (Jeeps, Greyhound, M20, Recce etc.) - vet2: 25% faster reloads, vet3: +12.5% accuracy (from +25% accuracy and +25% damage respectively)

Thx. Glad you did that. Hopefully we will see a reworked vehicle vet system in future that is more in line with BK veterancy system. But those were the most important one.

More news on the next stages of the rework journey coming soon.

Many thanks to the work already done here. Appreciate the job you did here.

[Viper]

why panzer.iii is not fixed?

and 76 sherman not delayed?

[mofetagalactica]

why panzer.iii is not fixed?

and 76 sherman not delayed?

Then make a pool post about it and participate more in test games on beta, then maybe the ideas that you may have can be implemented, you will be surprised on how many peopple know about the current Pz3/Sherman problem.

Update 6 can solve at least one of the problems i hope.

[Michael_Z_Freeman]

Hi. what was the 2.0 GB steam update today ? I'm not signed up to the beta unless this has just come out of beta ?