WinSPMBT version 8.0 Upgrade(R) patch
15.4 MB
21 New Scenarios
40 Revised Scenarios
2 New Campaigns
4 Revised Campaigns
120 Revised Campaign files
14 New or Revised Map files
87 New or revised Photos
66 New or Revised Icons
92 Updated OOB Files
14 New or Revised Icon Graphic files
14 New or Revised Text files
108 New or Revised picklists
Upgraded Game Options
Upgraded MOBHack
Upgraded Cost Calculator
Upgraded ScenHack
Upgraded Camo Map Editor
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PLEASE NOTE: the WinSPMBTv8_(2014)_Upgrade(R) patch that is currently available for DL contains a graphics file that was missed in the original v8 patch. That file ONLY affects CD owners who use the Opfire filtering feature of the game. This error was found and corrected early but if anyone does try to use OPFire filtering and they notice buttons are missing it means you have the original V8 DL and need to DL the (R)evised version of the V8 patch that is available at shrapnel now ( see the " click here" above.) We apologize for this inconvenience
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All 15 levels of terrain are now represented by different colours on the mini map. Previously only the first 10 levels were with level 11-15 the same colour as level 10.
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MOBHack has been improved to work with most of the commonly used integrated database checks. For example, if you select "Unit Checks" and " Find units *" and you, for example, clicked on 01- Infantry you would see a message to the right that reads " Searching for Units of class 1 Infantry" and under that would be a list of units that use that unit class. In the past you would then have to open MOBHack manually and scroll to the unit you were interested in. Now you can click on that unit in the database and it will automatically set MOBHack to that unit ( or formation if you select formation checks..... the tabs marked with an asterix ( * ) will do this
MOBHack now has a "paste icons only" check box to allow pasting of only the 3 icon fields from the paste buffer.
Units of class 180 Artillery Prime Mover will now offer crew protection if the front armour is >0
A bug was fixed in the AAA reaction fires routines if weapon 1 is turned off or damaged. This mainly affected dual gun/SAM systems in MBT
AAA gun accuracy has been reduced at long ranges (>50% range) Non specialist AAA units with warhead 1 weapons ( AAMGs ) are also less effective (at ranges >5. Specialists with radar control are not particularly effected (>85% range).
Rifle fire base hit chance has been reduced slightly at ranges of 6+ hexes and Self-Loading Rifle type weapons chance to hit has been increased slightly. SMG to-hit chance at 2 hexes or less has been increased slightly. This code was already in WW2 is now applied to MBT as well. An "assault rifle" is treated as an SMG at 2 hexes or less, and as an SLR at 3+ hexes. In addition, sections with more than 13 men have an additional to-hit based on the excess remaining men over 13 for any infantry prime class weapons. This code was also already in WW2, but is now applied to MBT as well. None of the above apply to indirect fires - only to aimed direct fires. In these examples a "Rifle" is an Infantry primary class (weapon class 1) weapon with a HEKILL =1 and a range >4. An SLR is a Infantry primary weapon class (weapon class 1) with HEKILL>1 and range >3. An "Assault Rifle" is an Infantry primary weapon with HEKILL of 3+ and range 5+ and a SMG is a Infantry primary weapon with HEKILL of 5 or more and range <4 hexes.
If Kenyas opponent is Mujahideen the default maps are Northern Kenya or Southern Sudan instead of Afghanistan. Mujahideen here represents Al-Shabab, Al-Quaeda, or Sudanese bandits and local warlords
Mine sweeper tank and engineer tank classes now protect any passengers as if an APC unless front armour is 0. This is for engineer type APCs. It is normal in the game now to give engineer and mine clearing tanks zero carry capacity but this penalized vehicles that had facilities to carry troops inside while the engineering / mine clearing work was being done so something like a M1A1 MCBS will still have a zero carry capacity but something like a M113A1 Dozer can have a carry capacity and protection for those passengers and something like the Merkava mine clearing tank can carry it's passengers under armour
New Battle locations have been added when the two opponents are Japan and China
73 pages of suggested OOB changes and/or corrections have been reviewed , researched and applied to the game along with a number of changes we made to enhance OOB accuracy and / or completeness. The USMC OOB and picklists have been redone completely and all game scenarios and campaigns have been corrected keeping them in sync with the new OOB's
Extended features ( CD ) version only additions
- A larger text option has been included for the extended features version only. This uses a new font we developed for many of the screens that makes them easier to read in many cases. This new feature can be switched on or off though GameOptions / Misc and needs to be turned on manually by the player. The spin off effect of this was many screens needed slight adjustments to allow both the old and new font to work equally well which lead to further adjustments that balance text display better in either mode
Here is an example of the standard and larger font as they appear in the game. The larger font works out to 25-30% larger when specific words are compared
- We have added a programmed barrage option for owners of the extended features ( CD ) version. This new feature is only available as a pre first turn set-up option so is only available when the player is advancing or assaulting . It can be set up to start at any time from initial bombardment to the limit of the turns set for that battle. Programming is easy. Assume for this example you want to set up an pre game bombardment with any number of guns that would deliver artillery just in front of a planned advance. You would choose the hex you want to start the bombardment just as you normally would then , once that was done you would advance the Artillery bombardment turn button ( the one with the large + ) to the next turn you wanted bombardment from that gun to land. It could be the next turn or it could be any number of turns in advance. When you click on the map for the next bombardment hex the first one you placed will disappear but be assured it has not been lost. You can continue on for as many turns as the guns have ammo for and it can be used by scenario designers as well. The AI will will sometimes use this feature in the attack and assault in the extended features version.
Please note that once a pre-planned bombardment has been set it cannot be stopped until complete, and
any guns assigned on a programmed task are not available to the player until their part of any programme is complete but the entire programme may be cancelled by pressing the "cancel Programme" button on the bombardment screen. This button is provided to free game users as well, since they may want to do so in a scenario with an advanced programme that was made by a CD owner. The cancel bombardment button is also the only way to clear any programme you are creating (in the setup turn 0 of an advance or assault, or in the scenario editor) - it's all or nothing. Therefore plan your programme and plot it with care as this is the only way to cure a mistake!.
- General support and direct support artillery now have a bit more delay when adjusting fire due to the longer communications delay with their HQs
- Full map editor functionality is now made available on the "View Map" Screen, for any desired tailored tweaks of a randomly generated map for the extended features version only.
| As usual we remind everyone that on going secure PBEM games WILL fail if this patch is applied while they are being played. |
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PLEASE NOTE. Both Andy and I are taking a sabbatical from the game and development after this patch is released. We are NOT giving up on the games but we both feel that we need some extended time away from them. It may not be obvious to some but each one of these patches require hundreds of hours to prepare and we have been doing that nearly every year, sometimes twice a year, since 1998 and for both games since 2001. This last year game development and patch preparation have also competed for time related to both personal and family heath issues which left us both on the verge of burn out so we are not planning on releasing another patch in the spring of 2015 which has been the usual pattern for the past few years. Therefore, we will be monitoring the forums to answer questions but not on a daily basis. We encourage players to report any problems they may find with the game but massive re-writes of the OOB's will NOT be recorded for investigation as has been Standard Operation Procedure for over the last decade and a half. Anyone feeling an OOB needs to be re-written can do so themselves and post them to the MODs forum and if the changes are fully documented and acceptable to us then we may use some or all of them in the future to update the official OOB's.
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We would also like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has supported development of the games by purchasing the Extended Versions and to everyone who may do so in the future.
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WinSPMBTv8_(2014)_Upgrade
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Linear Mode
