Hello everyone,
The JTS version of France '14 has now been updated to v1.06 (actually 1.06a as it got a quick update right before it was released to fix a CTD issue). Head over to the JTS website to get it.
Also, notice that this is the JTS version only. The HPS update will naturally be delayed a bit, as is usually the case. Just keep checking over there every couple of days until you find it. DEFINITELY DO NOT INSTALL THE JTS UPDATE IF YOU HAVE THE HPS INSTALLATION. Wait for the HPS version of the update if this the case for you.
Changes to the game engine:
Changes to France '14 V1.06a
- Fix for AI crash.
Changes to France '14 V1.06
- Updates to scenarios.
- Improved responsiveness in artillery resolution.
- Change in default fatigue accumulation from 2 to 1.5 due to larger battalion size.
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Changes to the resource files:
- Greatly adjusted armored car soft attack values, to disconnect them from the database used in Panzer Campaigns. The idea was to represent these vehicles with the same values there, where machinegun only equipped armored cars had limited use by World War II. In First World War Campaigns, the heavy machine gun (i.e. Maxim) have different ratings for various reasons (tactics and doctrine of target unit, time period, etc.), and in this series these different machine gun values are now used as the basis for armored vehicles such as tanks and armored cars. The result should be something that is more historical when it comes to armored car use since they are now able to harass, screen, sortie, and conduct rapid reconnaissance missions.
- Corrected an issues where Dragoon cavalry could be used in the anti-armored car role, where they were able to charge and overrun armored car units. Their hard attack strenght is now 0 to match other cavalry units, and this is of course due to the fact that although they could operate like infantry, they were essentially less supported than ordinary infantry units.
- Reduced the Allied and Central Power vehicle breakdown rate from 10% to 5% because the original value was too high.
- Created a triggered release for the German 4. and 5.Armee in the #Grand_Campaign_F14-A scenario, to prevent the French from doing a quick rush to ambush them, while they are helpless for several days. Also moved the release time of the 4.Armee up by one day, so that all German armies correctly have a staggered release one day apart.
- Corrected a problem where two German cavalry squadrons were not getting released (from HKK.1) in the #Grand_Campaign_F14-A scenario.
- Corrected an issue in the #Grand_Campaign_F14-A scenario where the German 5.bayer.Infanterie-Div was not getting fully released if the French attacked Delme early.
- Greatly updated/overhauled the #1914_0820_01s_Nancy scenario to have a more historical setup based on additional research and more accurate maps. Unknowingly, the original maps used were confused and the setup was mistakenly based on a map of the 20th August EVENING situation instead of the 20th August MORNING due to an illegible part of the map. Also increased the map size for this scenario to cover the historical starting location of the 10.Ersatz-Division.
- Overhauled the German 6.Armee starting deployment for all three war plans in the #Grand_Campaign_F14-A scenario, to reflect the same improvements made to the #1914_0820_01s_Nancy scenario.
- Added an intermittent fix and release for the French 20e CA and 2e GDR in the #Grand_Campaign_F14-A scenario, from August 15th to the 19th. The fixing and releasing of these units represents the historical situation where these two corps were tasked with keeping up with the left flank of the French Ière Armée, which was advancing very cautiously on its right (off map). If the fixes and releases were not present, then the 20e CA and 2e GDR have no reason not to blitz the German line at a completely a-historical rate of advance. As the French, you are advised to pace your advance towards Delme and Chateau-Salins off of the 20e CA and 2e GDR's rate of advance, lest you become seriously disorganized.
- Corrected the German bayer.Res.Inf.Bde.5 infantry quality levels from D to C in the "early" OOB.
- Corrected some rail bridge types from light to heavy on the main map.
- Corrected the #1914_0815_01s_Dinant and #Grand_Campaign_F14-A scenarios to add some missing French units to the Dinant area.
- Adjusted the map elevation around the Belgian town of Dinant to be more realistic (based on satellite data).
- Added the bayer.Kav.Div and 8.Kav.Div to the #Grand_Campaign_F14-A, #1914_0822_01s_Campaign_Early, and #1914_0820_01s_Nancy scenarios. The remainder of HKK.3 (7.Kav.Div) is still intentionally left out of all scenarios since it operated along or off the east map edge.
- Moved the bayer.Kav.Div outside of the HKK.3 parent organization to allow it to exist in the campaign after which the HKK.3 was historically withdrawn (essentially it became a 6.Armee level unit at that point).
- Added more town labels to the map in the Nancy area and also corrected a few missing road and rail lines around Delme and Chateau-Salins.
- Added several missing explicit supply units to the German side in the #Grand_Campaign_F14-A and #1914_0822_01s_Campaign_Early scenarios.
- Corrected a typo in all German OOBs ("Kommand" to "Kommando", as in "Höhere Kav.Kommando" and "Höhere Ldw.Kommando").
- Fixed the French 9e, 15e, and 16e CA in the War Plan Michel in the #Grand_Campaign_F14-A scenario. This was done to better place the French on a defensive posture between Verdun and Toul with that war plan selection, rather than allowing them move out immediately and go on the offensive.
- Reduced the starting fatigue of the German 6.Kav.Div. in the #Grand_Campaign_F14-A scenario. The previous amount of fatigue was an over estimate and rendered the division useless to help the 3.Kav.Div. in an emergency.
- Added decoy HQs to the German and French side in the "early" OOB. These are used in the #Grand_Campaign_F14-A and are present as reinforcements that will never arrive. Their purpose is to mask the protected hexes in the Nancy area, so that neither side knows exactly if or where enemy forces will arrive on the map edge. This keeps both sides from gaming the arrival, and also prevents both sides from immediately knowing what war plan the other side has selected (the lack of protected hexes was a tip off that either the Germans chose Plan 1905 or the French chose Plan Michel). Note that as the French, if you have chosen a war plan that will give you reinforcements in the area, then you should frequently check their arrival locations and be sure to secure those areas so that they can arrive and egress from the area safely, or they may be destroyed.
- #Grand_Campaign_F14-A scenario, adjusted German 6.Armee reinforcements in some Strategy | Operations selections so that they will break any allied units that attempt to defend the edge of them map in front of their arrival, since the Germans were in persuit of the French at that point, the French did not turn around and attempt to defend on the map edge. With this in mind, the French units that arrive a turn before the Germans are advised to continue retreating back by some 4 hexes or more from the map edge (the French are in retreat when they arrive as reinforcements) or be broken. Also, it may turn out that some units cannot get avoid being broken, but the French commander will just have to pull those units back to recover. Note that it would be a gamble for the French to remain and defend with broken units since good condition units (units with no fatigue) could recover from broken status fairly quickly, while units in bad shape may be broken for some time. In other words, the French commander can be risky and still try to defend, but at least now the historical result of the Germans being on the advance and the French on the retreat is actually possible now (rather than the map edge fight that occurred before).
- Increased Central Powers artillery stockpiling probability from 5% to 15% in the "early" period only (pre-Race to Sea, post-Mobilization periods). This was done because the Central Powers were on the offensive and were devoting their full emphasis in stockpiled artillery ammunition to defeating the French, so this comes into play if/when there is a period of stagnation on the Western Front during this period (which didn't happen much). This mechanic realistically helps the Central Powers out if the offensive stalls because, for example, the Allies have decided to hold at all costs.
- Increaed the artility stockpile modifier from 150% to 200% for both sides since, historically speaking, the Western Front was known to operate in excess of other fronts when artillery ammunition was abundant (stockpiled). This change is intended as a standard for the Western Front, and a unique characteristic that sets it apart from other fronts.
- Removed an erroneous release for the 10.Ersatz-Division in the #1914_0822_01s_Campaign_Early and #Grand_Campaign_F14-A scenarios (0600 80%T on 25 August).
- Corrected a minor error in the German 21cm Moerser 10 soft attack rating (its soft attack is now changed from 22 to 25).
- In the #Grand_Campaign_F14-A scenario, added a triggered release to a Belgian infantry regiment located at Namur in order to allow them to get released more intelligently in certain unique situations.
- Corrected the hard attack value of the Belgian and French 155mm de Bange 1877 siege guns from 5 to 11. These guns are unique in that they have the hard attack rating of a siege gun but are not classified as true (modern) siege artillery such as Big Bertha.
- Removed the withdrawal of the Belgian Namur Fortress HQ from the #1914_0822_01s_Campaign_Early and #Grand_Campaign_F14-A scenarios, because it has now turned into a negative thing if the Germans decide to ignore the fortress.
- Placed three German 4.Armee level pionier units up front with the HKK.4 in the #Grand_Campaign_F14-A scenario, to give the HKK.4 some historical rail line demolition capacity to help prevent a French "rail blitz" towards Luxembourg. The German commander is advised to balance demolishing key rail junctions immediately, or to wait until French rail movement is detected (because these junctions could be used later by the Germans if they are not damaged).
- Added a note about to the #Grand_Campaign_F14-A scenario's section in the notes document discouraging Allied Power players embarking units into rail mode until the 27th of August to prevent unrealistic and unintended behavior, i.e. from "rail blitzing" an immediate attack on Luxembourg before the German 4.Armee finishes mobilizing. At some point we will officially look into adding a rule in the next FWWC title (which will get ported into an F14 update) that handles varied rail capacity so that both sides will begin the campaign with no capability to embark units into rail mode, but will acquire it later on near the end of the campaign. Until then, this house rule is in effect.
- Based on feedback, adjusted digging-in parameters to standardize the behavior and to represent a change in design rationale; now the change of digging-in is higher, but the benifit of digging-in is lower. Originally the idea was to have the benifit higher, but the probability of digging-in was lower. Hopefully this will help provide a fine balance between being able to dig-in quicker, but at the same time not quickly turn the battlefield into stagnation.
- Updated #1914_0823_01s_Mons and #1914_0823_02s_Mons so that the previously dug-in units now have TRENCH instead of IMPROVED positions due to the change mentioned above (this scenario was balanced when the old IMPROVED positions provided as much protection as the current TRENCH positions do).
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Enjoy!
(and yes, you should be able to apply the update to games in progress)
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France '14 update 1.06 now available! 
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