“From this day forward, you will be a guiding light for our brothers and sisters, and an avatar of what they may one day become. Every step you take advances our evolution; each action will spread our influence; you will breathe our victories and bleed our progress.”
– Primarch Nora Therren, Horizon Division Officer
Advanced Specialization Program
Each faction has its elites, and you’ve been invited to join their ranks. The Advanced Specialization Program allows characters to unlock options specific to their playstyle, and enter a new tier of progression.
When characters reach Battle Rank 100 (or higher) they can opt into the A.S.P. by visiting the "My Character" page. Upon entering the A.S.P. the following changes are made:
- Battle Rank is reset to 1, and characters can earn up to Battle Rank 100.
- This new prestige of Battle Rank 100 cannot be reset more than once.
- Characters retain all certifications and unlocks.
- Characters gain a new Title and Rank icon.
- At BR 1, BR 25, BR 50, BR 75, and BR 100, the player will earn an A.S.P. token.
- The player can spend earned A.S.P. tokens to unlock new class permissions and benefits.
Unlocks Available through A.S.P.
Universal
- Sidearm Primaries - Allows use of sidearms in the primary weapon slot.
- Universal Smoke Grenade Access - Unlocks access to Smoke Grenades on all classes.
- Universal Decoy Grenade Access - Unlocks access to Decoy Grenades on all classes.
- Light Ground Discount - Reduces Flash cost by 50% and Harasser cost by 20%.
- Ground Transport Discount - Reduces ANT and Sunderer vehicle cost by 20%.
- Combat Armor Discount - Reduces Lightning and Main Battle Tank vehicle cost by 20%.
- Light Air Discount - Reduces ESF and Valkyrie vehicle cost by 20%.
- Heavy Air Discount - Reduces Liberator and Galaxy vehicle cost by 20%.
Engineer
- Shotgun Secondary - Allows use of Shotguns in the secondary weapon slot.
- LMG Access - Unlocks access to LMGs on the Engineer.
- Assault Rifle Access - Unlocks access to Assault Rifles on the Engineer class.
- Anti-Vehicle Grenade Access - Unlocks access to Anti-Vehicle Grenades on the Engineer.
- EMP Grenade Access - Unlocks access to EMP Grenades on the Engineer.
Light Assault
- SMG Secondary - Allows use of SMGs in the secondary weapon slot.
- Concussion Grenade Access - Unlocks access to Concussion Grenades on the Light Assault.
Heavy Assault
- Reserve Hardlight Barrier Access - Allows use of Reserve Hardlight Barriers in the Utility slot.
- Flash Grenade Access - Unlocks access to Flash Grenades on the Heavy Assault.
- Heavy Weapon Secondary - Allows use of Heavy Weapons in the secondary weapon slot.
Infiltrator
- Sticky Grenade Access - Unlocks access to Sticky Grenades on the Infiltrator.
- Flash Grenade Access - Unlocks access to Flash Grenades Grenades on the Infiltrator.
Combat Medic
- Battle Rifle Secondary - Allows use of Battle Rifles in the secondary weapon slot.
- Carbine Access - Unlocks access to Carbines on the Combat Medic.
- Concussion Grenade Access - Unlocks access to Concussion Grenades on the Combat Medic.
UI Changes
Event "Alerts"
In anticipation of the upcoming mini-alerts, you'll see any non-Meltdown alert shown as an "Event." For the time being, the only "alerts" that meet this criteria are the Warpgate Stablization alerts.
Squad Browser
The squad browser has been reformatted for better viewing. The Leader's name is now listed first, and description listed last. In a later update, a player's Mentor rating will show to the left of their name, and creating squads will allow you to list them with a default description.
In addition, players can now press the "Create Squad" button to start a squad as the sole member.
Infantry Adjustments
Engineer
A new Utility Item, the Reserve Hardlight Barrier, has been added.
Reserve Hardlight Barriers function similar to the standard Hardlight Barrier, except that you can only carry up to two before needing to resupply, and they cost 50 nanites a piece.
Reserve Hardlight Barriers may be placed in close proximity to the Engineer's standard Hardlight Barriers.
Engineer Turrets can no longer be stacked on top of Hardlight Barriers, and they are now more easy to climb over.
Pistol Changes
In light of the A.S.P. system, we've made improvements to most of the pistols in the game to keep them as desirable choices in the secondary weapon slot. The buffs primary focus on spammability from the hip, though some pistols received balances that held solidify their niche or differentiate them more from alternatives.
NS Pistols
NS-44L Blackhand
- Max damage range from 5m to 20m
- Equip time from 250ms to 450ms
- Hipfire CoF while standing and crouching from 2 to 1.75
- Hipfire CoF while walking and crouchwalking from 3 to 2.5
NS-44L Showdown
- Max damage range from 5m to 8m
- Refire rate while ADS from 500ms to 333ms
NS-44 Commissioner
- Equip time from 250ms to 450ms
NS-45 Pilot
- Hipfire CoF bloom from 0.2 to 0.15
- Hipfire CoF while standing or crouching from 1.25 to 1
- Hipfire CoF while walking or crouchwalking from 1.75 to 1.5
- Now has access to an extended magazine option that increases magazine size by 3.
NC Pistols
NC4 Mag-Shot
- Hipfire CoF bloom from 0.28 to 0.14
- Hipfire CoF while standing or crouching from 1.5 to 1.25
- Hipfire CoF while crouchwalking from 1.5 to 1.25
LA8 Rebel
- Hipfire CoF bloom from 0.36 to 0.18
- Hipfire CoF while walking or crouchwalking from 1.5 to 1.25
- ADS CoF while standing, crouching, walking, or crouchwalking from 0.3 to 0.1
LA3 Desperado
- Hipfire CoF bloom from 0.24 to 0.18
- Hipfire CoF while standing or crouching from 1.5 to to 1
- Hipfire CoF while walking or crouchwalking from 2 to 1.5
NC08 Mag-Scatter
- CoF bloom from 0.5 to 0
- Hipfire CoF while standing or crouching from 1.25 to 0.5
- Hipfire CoF while walking or crouchwalking from 1.75 to 1
- ADS CoF while standing or crouching from 0.1 to 0.5
- ADS CoF while walking or crouchwalking from 0.7 to 0.5
- Vertical recoil while ADS from 1 to 2
- Magscatter's Laser Sight attachment has been renamed the "MPL" and reduces hipfire pellet spread by -0.25
The Executive
- Hipfire CoF bloom from 0.28 to 0.14
- Hipfire CoF while walking or crouchwalking from 1.5 to 1.25
TR Pistols
TX1 Repeater
- Hipfire CoF while standing or crouching from 1.5 to 1
- Hipfire CoF while walking or crouchwalking from 2 to 1.5
- Hipfire maximum CoF from 7 to 2.5
- Removed the semi-auto firing mode
TX2 Emperor
- Hipfire CoF bloom from 0.24 to 0.12
- ADS CoF while standing, crouching, walking, or crouchwalking from 0.3 to 0.1
TS2 Inquisitor
- Hipfire CoF bloom from 0.2 to 0.15
- Hipfire CoF while walking or crouchwalking from 1.5 to 1.25
The President
- Hipfire CoF while standing or crouching from 1.5 to 1
- Hipfire CoF while walking or crouchwalking from 2 to 1.5
- Hipfire maximum CoF from 7 to 2.5
- Removed the semi-auto firing mode
VS Pistols
Beamer VS3
- Hipfire CoF bloom from 0.24 to 0.12
Manticore SX40
- Hipfire CoF bloom from 0.28 to 0.14
- Max damage range from 10m to 15m
Cerberus
- Hipfire CoF bloom from 0.36 to 0.18
- Hipfire CoF while walking or crouchwalking from 1.5 to 1.25
Spiker
- Hipfire bloom from 0.22 to 0.15
- ADS bloom from 0.11 to 0.1
The Immortal
- Hipfire CoF bloom from 0.24 to 0.12
Vehicle Adjustments
Galaxy
- Resistance type 12 (Flak Explosive) from -120 to -50
Dev Note: This increases kill time from a dual burster MAX from about 24 seconds to 36 seconds. For comparison, pre-CAI, the TTK of a burster max was roughly 38 seconds. An MBT/Harasser's Ranger versus the vehicle follows a similar pattern, from 26 seconds TTK to 39 seconds TTK.
Liberator
- Bottom armor from 50% to 20%
- Resistance type 12 (Flak Explosive) from -130 to -75
Dev Note: Not taking the belly armor into consideration, the new Flak resistance increases the Liberator's time to kill versus a dual burster MAX from roughly 15 seconds to 22 seconds. With the addition of default Afterburner, the vehicle's ability to get in and out of combat made it less necessary to lean on the belly armor as a defense mechanism. We've reeled in that benefit, from 50% to 20%, which also helps make air to air combat less tedious. Dalton shots to kill versus another Liberator's belly armor, for example, goes from a 9 shot kill to a 6 shot kill.
Valkyrie
- Resistance type 12 (Flak Explosive) from -126 to -100
Dev Note: Valkyrie is the vehicle most prone to keeping its belly armor facing a damage source, and most likely to break line of sight with threats due to the vehicle's agility. Even so, we wanted to give the vehicle a bit more breathing room in those close situations.
Misc. Changes, Fixes, and Additions
- Using "/squad create" will create a squad for you. You currently have access to Squad Beacons, but they will not work correctly until you have more than one person in your squad.
- Bastion Fleet Carrier's new model now has a collision mesh associated with it. (Meaning you can shoot at, and walk around on it agai... oh wait.)
- Continent Control no longer appears in the TAB menu while Warp Gates are unstable.
- Battle Rank icon descriptors now escalate every 10 Battle Ranks instead of each rank, this is only viewable on the death screen and My Character screen.
- Armistice and Hailstorm SMGs should once again use suppressed audio when a suppressor is equipped.
- Replaced the Implant Nav Menu icon with something more fitting.
- Getting within 10 meters of a Cortium vein should no longer create a hitch.
- Single Use Gold Camo's description is now more... descriptive.
- Blackhand and Holiday sidearms now count as a Sidearm for the purposes of directives and implant usage.