Attention, Generals!
During the following weeks and up to the official release, we will showcase some of the game features in order to best prepare you for the battles to come. The focus of today's news will be on the tech tree and the implications this will have for the general gameplay.
Instead of every regular unit having multiple research levels that would continuously buff their statistics in a very linear way, we want to break this dynamic and make research decisions more meaningful.
Regular units have a total of 9 research steps, where every step will buff a single stat that is beneficial to the combat role of the unit. By not simply buffing multiple stats at once, individual upgrades will have different effects and therefore be more or less advantageous in different combat scenarios.
The most impactful change however is the introduction of 3 major unit levels that will be unlocked after specific research steps. A majority of units will unlock their 2nd and 3rd major levels with the completion of their 4th and 7th research step. For a few units, this will vary, however, every major level will offer a significant buff to the unit type or even unlock additional combat capabilities.
Standard infantry will start with the ability to capture provinces at level 1 and receive additional body armor, increasing their maximum health points at level 2. At level 3 they will receive improved rifle designs, slightly boosting their damage output against enemy infantry. At level 4 however, infantry will unlock the ability to utilize cargo planes, allowing them to be airlifted from and to friendly airstrips. According to these changes, a level 3 infantry will still beat a level 1 infantry in single combat in most cases but the unlock of level 4 will add a strategically important capability to the unit, allowing a general to relocate troops much faster in order to outmaneuver the enemy.
Following this example, you should be able to get an idea of how important it will be to plan ahead of time. While you can always research earlier levels later in the game, unlocking major upgrades as soon as possible can put you in a significantly advantageous situation for multiple days.
Of course, we also want to showcase a new unit today that will no doubt be a regular sight on the battlefield. Hot-headed aggressors and defensive masterminds alike will want to utilize the firepower a company of Siege Mechs offers, in order to achieve their goals.
A few things stand out right away when taking a look at the Siege Mech. It fields a long-barrelled, high-caliber gun, allowing it to bombard enemy positions with precision and from a safe distance. In order to do so, it must first deploy and assume its firing stance, as its main armament can not be fired on the move. Both stances are shown in the picture above.
Compared to regular field artillery the Siege Mech offers another obvious advantage in the form of significant armor plating, allowing it to withstand small arms fire and even some amount of counter-battery fire by enemy artillery.
In regards to the tech tree changes and major unit levels, you might be wondering what kind of additional ability can be unlocked for the Siege Mech. When unlocking its 2nd major unit level, it will gain access to phosphorus grenades, allowing it to lay down a Firestorm barrage, effectively covering a wider area of the battlefield in flames for some time. Your adversaries will have to think twice about continuing their attack if it means having to literally walk through fire.
This concludes today’s feature showcase of the research and unit levels.
We’re hoping you're as excited about the new strategic possibilities Iron Order 1919 will bring and their implications on the gameplay. Let us know what you think about the designs of the Siege Mech and stay tuned for additional previews in the near future!
Will you be ready? Add Iron Order to your wishlist now!
Your Bytro Team