GHPC Early Access has been updated to version 20241223.

This is a regular update, introducing new features, adjustments, and bug fixes.

We've got plenty more in the works for GHPC! As always, you can get additional info by visiting our Discord server and YouTube channel. Links are on the GHPC website.

NEW MISSIONS

This month, we added four new missions, all in the "Eastern Hills" map. These missions feature a wide range of situations, ranging from combat recon to fighting retreat to mechanized assault. As usual, each scenario can be customized to swap unit and ammunition types once you've completed it at least once.

New missions in this build:

• Bounding Overwatch
• Eastern Scramble
• Gunnery Duel
• Prying Eyes

ANTI-TANK GRENADES

A relatively unique tool in the Warsaw Pact soldier's kit is the RKG-3 anti-tank grenade. This grenade contains a HEAT warhead capable of penetrating a respectable amount of armor, and it relies on the user's throwing arm to get on target. An onboard parachute helps orient the nose in the right direction.

In GHPC, driving close to Soviet or East German infantry (entrenched or otherwise) now carries a significant risk of getting these chucked at your vehicle. Their range and number is extremely limited, owing to the weight of the grenade, but complacency is not advised!

INFANTRY BEHAVIOR CHANGES

With the initial debut of the infantry feature taken care of, we had time this past month to make some improvements to the way troops look and act in the game.

Most of the AI changes are designed to make the troops less "robotic" and better at self-preservation. In particular, they now take cover if they see a threat they can't deal with, and when they are forced to change stance, they have more individuality in their actions.

INFANTRY INJURY VISUALS

Though we didn't comment publicly on it much, we've been preparing enhanced injury modeling for infantry for some time. This feature is now ready and has been included in the update. Limbs and heads that take a certain amount of blast damage or a direct impact from a certain caliber of projectile can now be blown off. This visible damage is also tracked in AAR mode, and blood effects are now synced there as well.

It's likely that there will be continuing small changes to the visuals for infantry injury, such as adjusting the amount and coverage of blood soak, as well as allowing vehicle crews to use the blood and dismemberment systems. Like always, we will release changes when they are ready.

DON'T BE A HERO

GHPC features several "panic" systems, such as the extra urgency in crew voices during dangerous situations or the fact that solo ATGM operators can flinch and dump the missile if fired upon. One of those systems is based on fighting compartment incursions: if the enemy is poking holes through the crew's workspace in a non-player vehicle, they have an escalating chance to decide the best move is to bail out. Up until this update, that system was only active for light vehicles such as APCs.

Now, tanks that have lost at least one crew member will have the compartment pen panic system activated. This will help prevent a situation where the gunner stubbornly sits in a tank and keeps it "alive", surrounded by dead and wounded compatriots, while the enemy shoots holes through the compartment. The Abrams, due to its ammunition isolation and unusually large internal spacing, will likely be most affected by this change.

For information on the multiple other improvements found in this update, check out the full change log below.

CHANGE LOG

NEW CONTENT

• Added four new Instant Action missions to Eastern Hills section: Bounding Overwatch, Eastern Scramble, Gunnery Duel, and Prying Eyes
• Added infantry to the mission customizer
• Added anti-tank grenades to Pact infantry loadouts
• Added close air support and smoke shell fire missions to campaign mode
• Added more detailed visible injuries to infantry
• Added armor to infantry helmets

FEATURES AND ADJUSTMENTS

• Troops in cover will now try to stay hidden if they see a target they can't engage
• Troops using anti-tank weapons will now resist suppression while preparing to fire
• Reduced synchronization of infantry behaviors such as changing posture
• Tank crews now have a chance of bailing out due to compartment penetrations, like APC crews already did, once they start losing members
• Made small optimizations to visual effects
• Infantry injuries are now recorded and restored properly in AAR mode
• Wounded crew members left in burning vehicles will now die after a short time

FIXES

• Fixed an issue that caused some troops in foxholes to shoot their buddies in the face
• Fixed an issue that led to vehicles shooting through objects blocking their line of sight
• Fixed an issue that caused tanks to see through walls and terrain if their gun barrels were clipping through
• Fixed a ghosting issue seen when looking at skylined objects with an optical coincidence rangefinder active

Thanks for playing!