1.02 patch for Panzer Battles Normandy - Released

[Strela]

Announcing the release of the 1.02 patch for Panzer Battles Normandy.
Download Link; http://www.johntillersoftware.com/updates/BattlesNormandy_102_upd.exe


The 1.02 version is the launching of the game as a Wargame Design Studio (WDS) release and to celebrate this we have included two new optional ‘start-up’ covers for each game. The intent is to standardize the look and feel of the Panzer Battles series going forward so that the titles are easily identifiable.

Normandy includes an American paratrooper and a young Hitlerjugend grenadier;






The changes are pretty extensive for Normandy.
 
These features include improved user interface, new terrain graphics and simplified folder structures. For Normandy, many of the scenarios have been revamped based upon player feedback and further research and the map has had an extensive review by a dedicated member of the team – Chris Haigh. Chris has added over 3,000 new labels to the map as well as correcting terrain errors and inaccuracies. Many more points of interests are named and players will really notice the difference. The full list of changes is below;


Normandy Patch 1.02 Changelog

Bug Fixes
•   Units could use a bridge while in travel mode to enter an obstacle and then exit the hex, rather than lose their whole movement allowance. This has been corrected and units will now lose all their movement points if they move into an obstacle hex
•   Engineer units were in some cases isolated when in a minefield - this should no longer occur
•   Engineer units will not clear a minefield in a turn that they recover from disruption
•   Adjacent engineers no longer remove isolation for units in minefields
•   Off map artillery was not firing during the defensive fire phase - this will now occur at the same frequency as on map artillery
•   Engineers that attempt to damage a bridge or AT ditch will reveal themselves if currently concealed
•   Units can no longer combine if in mismatched travel modes
•   File mismatch due to different encryption setting during PBEM - fixed
•   Campaign auto-advance on wrong password entry – fixed

Enhancements
•   Newly implemented:  View > Map Elevations, View > Map Coordinates, View > Map Combat Modifiers.
•   Optional Zoom to hotspot – Settings > Center Zoom on Hot Spot
•   New parameter file entry - Fatigue factor. Used for scaling fatigue accumulation. Set at 2.0 for Normandy & Kursk. Will be 3.0 for future titles to match the fatigue calculations in Panzer Campaigns. 3.0 is the more appropriate value to use, but none of the Kursk & Normandy scenarios were tested with the higher value
•   New on counter broken and disrupted markings - visible when stacked and unstacked.
•   New Getting Started documentation, including Campaign Primer and Terrain & Combat tables
•   Updated General Help guide with a revised layout and additional information.
•   Updated User guide with a revised layout and additional information. All manuals are a work in progress and will continue to be rationalised over time.

Order of Battle
•   Added additional fixed German guns as pre research by Chris Haigh
•   Changed the organisational structure of the German Coastal guns (Kustenartillerie) to allow Corps Attachment

Graphics Changes
•   Small terrain features as provided in Patch 1.01 has become the new default version
•   New breakwater graphics
•   New Cover art. Various versions available in the \Screen directory

Map Changes
•   Map has been extensively updated by Chris Haigh. Nearly 3,000 new names added taking the total to over 4,400
•   Small font is now the default due to the addition of named locations
•   Height levels and other natural features such as cliffs have been adjusted
•   Significant changes to map features and heights. For example, Omaha beach has been extensively remodelled
•   Alternate small map graphics included   

User Interface Changes
•   New Shortcut keys
•   New Toolbar Icons in traditional and standard configuration. Small, Medium and Large versions also available for each.
•   File/folder reorganization, with creation of the following new folders:  Data (.oob & .pdt files), Logs (.log files), Manuals (.pdf files), Saves (.bt? files), Scenarios (.scn, .map files etc.), Screens (various game .bmp files).
•   New logging system (with various .log files in the new Logs folder), to assist in game testing, and identifying and fixing bugs.

Scenario Updates
•   New scenario; #0606_08b_ Omaha - "Into The Jaws Of Death" by Chris Haigh Based off Rick Bancroft’s #0606_08;
o   All VP hexs remain the same
o   All supply sources remain the same, except for the source that was in 57,27 - which is  moved to 55,28
o   Artillery placement on and off board is not changed except that Werfergerat-Abt 352 is moved to a stacked position just north of St-Laurant-sur-Mer (I have archive air photos of them placed in hand dug pits in the fields here - which clearly identifies the position)
o   Vierville D-1 sector:-
   WN 72 (PILLBOX) and Inf moved to the shoreline at the bottom of the D1 exit.
   New AT ditch (was actually a wall) to the south of WN 72 blocking vehicular access to the high ground south of there.
   WN 73 (BUNKER) re-named in the OOB as WN74 but the deployment is correct
   Obstacle and mine density increased.
   WN72 unit split with WN72 becoming a unit comprising 1x88mm AT + 1x50mmAT, and a new unit WN73 created in the OOB comprising 1x75mmAT and placed in the bunker above the bluff at 32,15
   9/III/Gren-Regt 726 is slightly redeployed spread on the clifftop, but with the new cliffs preventing US exit except east of "Fortified House" (not actually fortified but attacked by infiltrating Rangers and B Co.)
   WN 72 AT guns can now fire the length of the seafront due to the change from Villages to Scattered settlements on the seafront - in reality they were a partial row of seafront villas, many demolished by the Germans.
   The low wall is moved south to represent the small sloping seawall and shingle bank along this part of the beach then.
o   Les Moulins D-3 sector:-
   Historical AT ditch added to protect the beach exit, and a second ditch across the road above Les Moulins village.
   Mine density increased
   WN69 moved to 40,22 and "bunker" placed - No other changes to unit deployment or fortifications.
o   "Le Ruquet" E-1 sector:-
   New historical AT ditch added protecting beach exit
   Mine density increased
   Due to the changes in contours here (made as part of the Main Map changes just south of the exit), there is now a dead spot in 49,23 giving historical defilade from the fire from WN 62 (Gockel et al) - which on the day allowed for infiltration up onto the plateau (where the US cemetary is now (49,25)) - WN 62 & WN 64 were later taken from the rear/flank following this.
o   Colleville/Le Cavey E-3 sector and La Revoloution F-1 sector:-
   Historical AT ditch added to protect the E-3 exit (This one was massive and is still partially visible on Google Earth !)
   Mines increased.
   The beach has been increased in width and the terrain lowered by one hex in 53,25, with additional dunes added north for cover.
   WN 61 has been moved SE one hex to 54,25.
   WN 62 and its covering MG unit have each been moved one hex east (the MG is still on the high ground due to the changed increased height), and the Inf guns of WN 62 have been moved SW one hex.
   The MG's in "Le Cavey" has been moved one hex SE
o   WN 60 was too strong previously (this was the first WN taken on Omaha on D-Day - out flanked to the east, and assaulted from the rear early in the day) so ...
o   On the Main Map the Cliffs have been replaced with Escarpments adjacent to 58,26 to allow this infiltration, and the WN60 garrison reduced to 18 MG (from 36) - the other 18 MG being relocated to 60,27 ...... this has allowed WN58/59 (Pluskat) to be relocated to its more correct position in 65,28 - above and west of Les Bateaux.

Scenario Changes
#02 Getting Started: Utah Beach
•   New setup to correct initial unit placements too far north
•   HKB’s (Coastal artillery) Corps attached to LXXXIV & LXXXVI Armeekorps
#03 Getting Started: Pegasus Bridge - The Initial Landings
•   HKB’s (Coastal artillery) Corps attached to LXXXIV & LXXXVI Armeekorps
#0606_01: Calvados Coast - The Great Crusade Begins
•   Changes made to match #0606_05 Sword:-
o   Battery Riva Bella 1/HKB 1260 moved to 161,49
o   Wn18 & Wn20 moved to match Sword scenario deployment
•   Changes made to match #0606_03 Gold:-
o   1st and 2nd Co's 441st Ost Bn removed from map originally west and s.west of Arromanches - they were deployed off map to the east of the 1st and 2nd Co's.
o   HQ 441st Ost moved to Ver-sur-Mer.
o   Original Mont Fleury site 71,22 reduced to BUNKER from PILLBOX
o   Mont Fleury 3/HKB 1260 battery/Sup Source/and VP moved to 66,24 now a bunker - 3/3/441st Ost now moved into hex from slightly south of there. One mine added 65,24.
o   Wn32 Battery Vera (Mare Fontaine) battery/Sup Source/VP/defences moved to 70,30
o   Longues 4/HKB 1260 battery/defences/Sup Source/and VP moved to 17,19 - additional mines and wire placed.
•   HKB’s (Coastal artillery) Corps attached to LXXXIV & LXXXVI Armeekorps
•   The Sword - Gold - Calvados Coast - Longest Day - and German Placement scenarios now all have matching deployments
#0606_02: East of the Orne - 6th Airborne's Landings
•   HKB’s (Coastal artillery) Corps attached to LXXXIV & LXXXVI Armeekorps
#0606_03: Gold Beach - The Road to Bayeux
•   1st and 2nd Co's 441st Ost Bn removed from map originally west and s.west of Arromanches - they were deployed off map to the east of the 1st and 2nd Co's.This now matches Calvados Coast - Longest Day - and German Placement scenarios
•   HQ 441st Ost moved to Ver-sur-Mer.
•   Original Mont Fleury site 61,21 reduced to BUNKER from PILLBOX
•   Mont Fleury 3/HKB 1260 battery/Sup Source/and VP moved to 56,23 now a bunker - 3/3/441st Ost now moved into hex from slightly south of there. One mine added 55,23.
•   Wn32 Battery Vera (Mare Fontaine) battery/Sup Source/VP/defences moved to 60,29
•   Longues 4/HKB 1260 battery/defences/Sup Source/and VP moved to 7,18 - additional mines and wire placed.
•   HKB’s (Coastal artillery) Corps attached to LXXXIV & LXXXVI Armeekorps
#0606_04: Juno Beach - Canada's D-Day drive for Caen
•   HKB’s (Coastal artillery) Corps attached to LXXXIV & LXXXVI Armeekorps
#0606_05: Sword Beach - The Road to Caen
•   Battery Riva Bella 1/HKB 1260 moved to 39,34
•   Wn18 moved to hex  29,21 & 31,22
•   Wn20 moved to hexes 25,19 & 27,20
•   HKB’s (Coastal artillery) Corps attached to LXXXIV & LXXXVI Armeekorps
#0606_06: Cotentin Peninsula         
•   New setup including revised Omaha &Utah Beach
•   HKB’s (Coastal artillery) also adjusted
•   HKB’s (Coastal artillery) Corps attached to LXXXIV & LXXXVI Armeekorps
#0606_07: Utah Beach            
•   New setup to correct initial unit placements too far north
#0606_07a: Utah Beach            
•   New setup to correct initial unit placements too far north
•   HKB’s (Coastal artillery) Corps attached to LXXXIV & LXXXVI Armeekorps
#0606_08: Omaha Beach            
•   New setup to take into account revised beach topography
•   New unit WN73 in hex 32,15
•   New unit WN74 in hex 28,12
•   HKB’s (Coastal artillery) Corps attached to LXXXIV & LXXXVI Armeekorp
#0606_08a: Omaha Beach            
•   New setup to take into account revised beach topography
•   New unit WN73 in hex 32,15
•   New unit WN74 in hex 28,12
•   HKB’s (Coastal artillery) Corps attached to LXXXIV & LXXXVI Armeekorps
#0606_10: The Longest Day            
•   All adjustments from all the landing scenarios are incorporated in The Longest Day
#0622_01: Cherbourg Landfront         
•   New setup to take into account incorrect unit placements around La Gravelle de Haut
•   Le Chevres defensive position updated.
•   HKB and MAA positions updated as per German Placement scenario
•   Hamburg battery facing removed in all Cherbourg Scenarios - the battery was incomplete and had the part built roofs blown off to allow firing to the rear.
•   Various Pillboxs and Bunkers added in Cherbourg to represent old French forts incorporated in the defence.
•   Similarly the position to the west of the Hamburg battery has additional PILLBOXS - this is the Westeck defensive position and contained a very large Radar site and old French defensive positions updated.
#0622_01a: Cherbourg Landfront         
•   New setup to take into account incorrect unit placements around La Gravelle de Haut
•   Le Chevres defensive position updated.
•   HKB and MAA positions updated as per German Placement scenario
•   Hamburg battery facing removed in all Cherbourg Scenarios - the battery was incomplete and had the part built roofs blown off to allow firing to the rear.
•   Various Pillboxs and Bunkers added in Cherbourg to represent old French forts incorporated in the defence.
•   Similarly the position to the west of the Hamburg battery has additional PILLBOXS - this is the Westeck defensive position and contained a very large Radar site and old French defensive positions updated.
47DG_1: Gold Beach
•   Adjusted with all changes from #0606_03: Gold Beach - The Road to Bayeux
VII Corps Historical/VII Corps - Allied Reinforced/VII Corps - Axis Reinforced/VII Corps - Both Reinforced
•   Adjusted with all changes from #0622_01: Cherbourg Landfront

[Strela]

Normandy Patch 1.01 Changelog

Bug Fixes
•   HQ’s & Naval units will now save movement points when save movement cost is selected
•   Isolation determination phase adjusted; corrected a phasing issue for engineers clearing minefields.
•   Removed undiscovered minefields showing on the jump map.
•   Corrected railroad unit’s inability to move through stacks in a railroad hex.
•   Fixed a defensive fire issue where indirect firing units were immune to defensive fire when the artillery dialog was open.
•   Passengers that disembark from a fixed vehicle/carrier will become fixed.
•   Units could use a bridge while in travel mode to enter an obstacle and then exit the hex, rather than lose their whole movement allowance. This has been corrected and units will now lose all their movement points if they move into an obstacle hex
•   Engineer units were in some cases isolated when in a minefield - this should no longer occur
•   Engineer units will not clear a minefield in a turn that they recover from disruption
•   Adjacent engineers no longer remove isolation for units in minefields
•   Off map artillery was not firing during the defensive fire phase - this will now occur at the same frequency as on map artillery
•   Engineers that attempt to damage a bridge or AT ditch will reveal themselves if currently concealed
•   Units can no longer combine if in mismatched travel modes
•   File mismatch due to different encryption setting during PBEM - fixed
•   Campaign auto-advance on wrong password entry – fixed

Enhancements
•   Breakdown percentages quartered in the PDT file (1 for both sides).
•   AOF orders revised so that individual unit orders will always override global orders. Resetting global orders will reset all individual orders.
•   New parameter file entry - Fatigue factor. Used for scaling fatigue accumulation. Set at 2.0 for Normandy & Kursk. Will be 3.0 for future titles to match the fatigue calculations in Panzer Campaigns. 3.0 is the more appropriate value to use, but none of the Kursk & Normandy scenarios were tested with the higher value
•   New on counter broken and disrupted markings - visible when stacked and unstacked.
•   New Getting Started documentation, including Campaign Primer and Terrain & Combat tables
•   Updated General Help guide with a revised layout and additional information.
•   Updated User guide with a revised layout and additional information. All manuals are a work in progress and will continue to be rationalised over time.

Order of Battle
•   Luftwaffe 42 76mm Gun btty (hs) Soft attack value reduced to 9 from 39.
•   Corrected - Is Support- flags for heavy mortars in 5. Fallschirm-Jδger Division & FJ-Regt 6
•   American & French M-21 Halftrack 81mm mortar soft attack value reduced to 10 to align with other 81mm mortars

Graphics Changes
•   Regiments in British, British Airborne, Canadian and Polish are now show as battalions, conforming to the correct unit size.
•   Corrected incorrect alternative graphics in US airborne
•   New -small- terrain features. All files are under \Maps\Map Variants\Small. Copy all the 11 files into the map directory and overwrite the existing. To revert to the original graphics, copy the files out of \Maps\Map Variants\Original directory back into the Map directory.

Map Changes
•   Alternate small map graphics included
•   Heavy Bridge removed from hex (85,108)
•   Medium Bridges added at (242,198) and (246,197)
•   Small Bridges added at (232,199), (236,203) & (237,204)
•   All rail bridges converted to small bridges to reflect their poor ability to carry vehicles.
•   Numerous place name updates
•   Rail lines removed as per the below. Thanks to Chris Haigh who did all the research here. Most of these were tramways and were in the actual adjacent road - most closed before the war;    
o    Isigny - Grandcamp - St Laurent - Le Molay/Littry - Balleroy - (Closed 1929)
o   Balleroy - Bayeaux (only shown on map going as far as Subles) - (Closed 1930)
o   Balleroy - St Martin des Basacres (358,337) - Closed (1930)
o   Bayeaux - Ryes - Arromanches - (Closed 1930/1)
o   Ryes - Courseulles - (Closed 1931)
o   Luc sur Mer - Ouistreham - Benouville - Caen (shown only going as far as Blainville) - (Closed 1944)
o   Pont de Ranville (actually Benouville crossing Pegasus bridge!) - Dives - (Closed 1932)
o   Caen (west station) - Potigny (547,336) - Falaise - (Closed 1932/3)

Scenario Changes
#01 Getting Started: Hill 192 - Kraut Corner
•   Missing entrenchments in hex (5,8) added. All entrenchments now halved in value i.e. marked as vacated.
#02 Getting Started: Utah Beach
•   Erroneous reinforcements and releases removed. Game length extended to 12 turns. Selected defences now begin disrupted.
#0607_02: Authie - 12th SS Riposte
•   Corrected scenario name
#0614_01: Return to Carentan
•   Tweaks for balance
#0622_01: Cherbourg Landfront
•   Corrected scenario name
#0622_01a: Cherbourg Landfront
•   Corrected scenario name
#0622_02: Cherbourg - The Right Flank
•   Corrected scenario name
#0626_01: Operation Epsom - Day One
•   Replaced DD tanks with standard Shermans
#0629_01: Operation Epsom - Day Four
•   Corrected scenario name
#0711_01: Le Dezert
•   Added a supply source in (48,16)
•   60th Regt, 9th Infantry added
#0711_01a: Le Dezert
•   Added a supply source in (48,16)
•   60th Regt, 9th Infantry added
#0711_02: Hill 192 - Battle in the Bocage
•   Missing entrenchments in hex (5,11) & (6,10) added
#0718_03: Operation Goodwood – Fifes
•   Corrected -fixed- reinforcements
#0719_01: Goodwood Day 2
•   Corrected scenario name
#0803_01: la Bistiere - Tigers Marsch!
•   Removed redundant British smoke
•   3 turns added for HTH play
#0803_01a: la Bistiere - Tigers Marsch!
•   New vs AI scenario
#0803_02: Les Grands Bonfaits – Nedforce
•   Updated description
#0808_04: Gaumesnil
•   Corrected scenario name
#0808_05: Cauvicourt - Blooding the Polish
•   Corrected scenario name
#0809_01: Worthington Force
•   Corrected scenario name
#0811_01: Barenton - V Corps Strikes
•   Corrected missing stream hex sides in hex (11,220 & (11,29)
•   II SS Pzkorps HQ now off map
#0812_01: Forκt d'Ecouves
•   Corrected scenario name
#0820_01: Falaise
•   Corrected scenario name
CG_2US_Armd_6: Barenton
•   II SS Pzkorps HQ now off map
CG_2US_Armd_6a: Barenton
•   II SS Pzkorps HQ now off map
CG_2US_Armd_6b: Barenton
•   II SS Pzkorps HQ now off map
CG_2US_Armd_6c: Barenton
•   Corrected ownership of trenches

Normandy Patch 1.00 Changelog

Bug Fixes
•   Adjusted reporting for air attacks
•   AA range calculation fixed – it was quartering the impact
•   Corrected hex stack reporting when a wreck is in the hex   
•   Corrected a crash bug when the last man/gun/vehicle is destroyed by defensive fire
•   Corrected a fog of war bug when right clicking
•   Included a check that all off board artillery is not placed on the map.
•   Any fixed unit that is fired on will now instantly un-fix
•   AA range calculation fixed – it was quartering the impact

Enhancements
•   Hard Fire modifier added to the PDT to allow scaling of combat results
•   Elevation modifier in the PDT additionally has an inverse relationship when a unit fires at a unit at a lower elevation. Please note this modifier is per elevation differential.
•   Ability to highlight reconnaissance units. Menu View\Highlight\Recon units
•   Revised Fog of War. The first X strength of an enemy unit’s strength is shown if they are in a clear hex (or hex with + defensive value such as beach, shallow or water). Showing the first X means single value units would show their exact strength, double digit; #X and triple digit; #XX. The rationale is at this scale unit numbers would be able to be approximated in hexes without cover. Fortifications (IP, Trench, Bunker, Pillbox) are considered cover for the purposes of this rule.

Appendix – Changing Terrain Graphics

New terrain graphics have been provided with this patch. Two new directories are now present under the ‘MAP’ directory. They are ‘Terrain - Original’ and ‘Terrain - Small’. Small contains the new terrain graphics while Terrain-Original contains the originally released game graphics.
There are three different terrain graphics;
•   Base terrain graphics; these are used for the base hex graphic with differentiation for elevations and ground condition. There are 12 files in all with Normal, Soft, Mud and Snow included with three zoom levels of 100, 50 & 25.
•   Hex Features; these files include in hex features such as villages, towns, woods, fields etc. Items that are within a hex are usually within this file. There are 3 files in total covering the three zoom levels.
•   Hex Sides; these files include all graphics that impact hex sides such as streams, rivers, bridges, cliffs etc. There are 3 files in total covering the three zoom levels.
•   Symbols; these files include all graphics that modify hexes or are game markers such as fortifications, air strikes, supply sources, arrows etc. There are 3 files in total covering the three zoom levels.
•   Primary; these files are darkened primary roads as compared to the original release for better visibility at lower elevations. There are 3 files in total covering the three zoom levels.

This patch will automatically replace the originally released graphics. If you would like to restore to the originally released graphics just copy the contents of ‘Terrain-Original’ back into your Map directory. This can be done selectively if only certain elements are to be changed. For example a player who wanted the original fortifications would have to restore only the Symbols files - the remainder of the new terrain would remain in place.