Armored Brigade: Free and For Your Approval

[KG_Jag]

A free (unlike CMSF) beta and here's the poop:

"Here's freeware wargame I've been developing for some time now. Before
somebody says anything about spamming I say this is the first place
where I mention this after the release. It's 2d top-down with real-
time engine, main influences are Steel Panthers, Armored Task Force
and Combat Mission among others. Basic idea has been to combine
elements for games I like into something that hasn't been done
before... It's still in beta stage and far from complete but playable.
If you are interested I'd like to hear some comments how to make this
game better."

Link to Usenet discussion:

http://groups.google.com/group/comp....6362d2c3ea83c7

Link to game page and download site:

http://www.armoredbrigade.com/download.html

[KG_Jag]

The game is improved (in beta) and still free. Here are some AAR's:

http://www.armoredbrigade.com/forums...618c639b866cb9

[KG_Jag]

Version 0.495 is now available. This free game has received an excellent response from the Usenet crowd.

v0.495 available!

by Veitikka on Sat Nov 01, 2008 10:58 pm
Now here it is:

http://www.armoredbrigade.com/aBrigade0495.zip

I've had no time to play it by myself yet. It would be nice to hear comments, or if you notice errors in data etc. I should have done more testing and tweaking but decided to release it here because I know some people have been waiting for this

Here are the most critical changes since the last public release:

==Version 0.495==

* Road march formation with a reverse order works now as intented
* Fixed: In some cases vehicles without a stabilization would not enter the scanning-mode
* Improved graphics performance

+ Two new nationalities and many new units. Most of the old data is revised
+ New vehicle and aircraft graphics
+ Morale System: Units can retreat and possibly become routed (routed units disappear for the rest of the battle) after being suppressed, taking casualties or seeing friendly units fleeing or killed. At the moment only non-vehicle units can retreat or rout. Stationary and immobilized units cannot retreat, only rout. Retreating units suffer several penalties: cannot be controlled by the player/AI opponent, cannot hold or capture objectives, spotting ability is minimized, cannot fire, cannot mount, cannot act as a HQ etc.

- Vehicle hull and turret have separate dimensions. Dug-in vehicles use only turret dimensions to calculate a size-factor. If the dug-in vehicle has no turret then only 1/3 of the hull is visible
- New armor model based on RHAe values and abstracted armor face types, different armor types and slopes are no longer used. Armor faces can be either "Simple" or "Complex". "Simple" uses a standard impact angle calculation while "Complex" adds some randomization: 1. A number between -30 - 60 is added to the impact angle. 2. If the resulting angle is less than zero, it will remain zero. 3. If the resulting angle is greater than 89 degrees, it won't do any damage.
- Vehicles can enter "In defilade" state. This means that the vehicle is hull down if the opponent is within +/-45 degrees of the defilade vector. The defilade vector is calculated using the last hull angle when moving OR using the "Defend" vector. The probability for entering "In defilade" state is calculated using terrain "Relief" value and unit training
- Dug-in troops/mortars/guns can hide in any terrain. All dug-in units have green borders around NATO icon
- RPGs and LAWs are less accurate and can be used while the squad is moving. Movement reduces the accuracy and rate-of-fire as usual
- Infantry units can use reverse waypoints
- Artillery: Different adjust delays, gun cost and ammo levels depend on nationality. Guns are purchased in platoons/batteries/battalions. Effectiveness vs infantry is reduced
- Mortar smoke rounds generate less smoke than arty smoke rounds
- Recon units can be placed halfway to the no man's land but cannot be used to capture objectives
- Projectile impact graphic positions for misses are randomized
- Adjusted turn/traverse/acceleration/reverse values for every vehicle and aircraft. The reverse speed is now visible in the unit specs window
- Improved helo behaviour
- Most aircraft have no longer night vision capability
- Vehicle hit messages next to the unit icon
- A message when the unit is taking indirect fire or hits an obstacle for the first time
- A sound effect for the messages
- AAR replay tool
- "Unload" waypoint
- Zoom in/out buttons and a zoom slider
- More keyboard shortcuts for zooming. Shortcuts for setting rate-of-fire
- Mech and tank forces have infantry (again). Infantry force has more "leg" infantry and less tanks
- Unused purchase points decrease the effect of casualties on the victory Points
- Autopurchaser & mortars: When advancing with an infantry force only portable mortars are selected. When advancing with a mechanized/armor force only vehicle-mounted mortars are selected. All mortar types are selected when defending
- Autopurchaser & air-defenses: If the "Air Superiority" variable prevents the opposing side from having aircraft, the autopurchaser won't select air-defense formations
- Autopurchaser tries to spend only the "last few points" for non-mechanized infantry if the force type is Mechanized or Armored
- Autopurchaser favors dismounted recon units if the force type is Infantry
- Added more company and HQ formations
- Company formations have 20% discount. All HQs are a bit cheaper
- Objective locations are more varied

==Version 0.450a==

* Fixed: Non-spotted aircraft engine sound was audible after resuming a saved game
* Fixed: All ammunition with "LOW" soft damage value was too accurate

+ Adjustable pathfinder: Unit/Formation can be set to use the shortest(default)/quickest/covered path. Road march column uses always the quickest route

- Improved contour map
- Rate-of-fire can be toggled between Fast(default) and Slow
- Adjusted the cost calculation for all units. Company formations cost 10% less
- Improved Unit-AI target selection
- An estimated battle time limit, based on the Victory Points, is shown in the Battle Generator
- Default Victory Point values increased +50% so battles last longer. Battle Generator remembers the previous amount of Victory Points
- Small arms ranges reduced
- New units: Grenade MG teams, LAW/RPG teams, SPG-9 recoilless rifle
- New infantry weapons: hand grenade, grenade launcher, Dragunov SVD
- T-72s and T-80s: New ammo loads, T-72M1 has no missiles
- M1A1 has no mine plow
- Shading and new colors for elevation map mode. Colors can be switched by pressing shift+"H", sensitivity is adjusted by pressing ctrl+"H"
- A line is drawn between a transport and it's passenger unit if either one is selected. If the passenger is within mounting-radius the line is yellow, otherwise red. There are also other additional lines to provide help when adjusting arty or setting waypoints
- Mechanized and armor force types have no more "basic" infantry. Mechanized force has a bit less armor points than before
- Tracers generate smoke on ground impact
- Extreme temperatures increase the fatigue growth
- Illuminated non-destroyed units are drawn in a full color brightness
- Tanks are more vulnerable to DPICM
- Fire Mission "Done" and "Firing" messages can be clicked
- Paved roads do not generate dust in a desert
Elämä on nauris


Veitikka Site Admin Posts: 189 Joined: Thu Mar 27, 2008 9:14 pm Location: Finland


Links:

http://www.armoredbrigade.com/forums...c.php?f=2&t=68

http://www.armoredbrigade.com/aBrigade0495.zip

http://groups.google.com/group/comp....8af47e8d?hl=en#

[KG_Jag]

Still in "beta" and still free, version 0.710 is now available.

Link:

http://www.armoredbrigade.com/download.html