The highlights of this update are the first versions of Planar Invasions and "Goody Huts". There is also the usual mixture of bug fixes and misc. content/minor features. I am somewhat exhausted from the final testing of the build, so will leave you with the patch notes for now, and post a development update tomorrow.
- Planar Invasions have been added. If enabled in the game setup they will spawn at random intervals (based on the chosen setting) and send invading armies of increasing strength. Defeating their armies and closing their portals will reduce their momentum. If the invaders succeed in a current objective, the invasion has a chance to progress to a new stage and gain momentum. If momentum becomes negative, the invader armies will suffer attrition, and the entire invasion will eventually end. This is the first iteration of the invasions, so the rewards for defeating the invaders are very limited, and there are not yet mechanics to handle a succesful invasion transitioning into a permanent "regular" world faction.
- Planar Invaders are based on the cosmology generated for the world, and various planes have different army compositions. Some invaders are also more likely if certain alignments are dominating the world.
- Mysterious sites (aka 'Goody Huts') have been added. These will be explored by any major power army entering the hex. They can result in various events, which I won't spoil here, but some are good and some are bad. Having a Scout Captain in the army will increase the chance of a positive outcome in many cases. Some events have different effects for Wizards and Warlords respectively. The game settings will affect what kind of events occur at these sites - the "Magic" setting for the world in particular.
- Minor realms will now mobilize armies to handle threats near or in their territory. The AI will estimate the strength of the threat and recruit additional forces if required. 'Threats' include invading armies, wandering monsters, marauders, etc, but some types will only be attacked if at war/hostile.
- Implemented special battle mechanics for attacks with Poison primary damage type, a secondary Poison damage component or delivered by a unit with the Poison Attacks special ability. Depending on whether the target can be affected by Poison, the amount resistance/vulnerability, whether the attack penetrated (if non-primary), a hit unit member may become poisoned. This has a chance of killing it outright every round until resisted.
- Greatly reduced the chance of Marauder events in provinces with non-abandoned Fortresses.
- Fixed Marauder frequency setting not being applied to a specific source of Marauder events.
- Fimbul Winter event is now only valid for provinces with or adjacent to a province with arctic/ice terrain/climate/dungeons.
- Reduced the event chance impact of Massive Mana Nodes as they were causing other factors to be insignificant.
- Greatly increased the variety of units in event armies.
- Improved the event army generation code to better reflect intended power level (from game settings, event data, etc.)
- Independent non-tribal chief nomad faction names are now less generic.
- Fixed culture names being generated with realm-type suffixes.
- Fixed organizations and nomads not having tooltips for culture in the Diplomacy window faction overview.
- Fixed an issue where Tribal Chief Warlords were not always identified as major powers when relevant.
- Fixed the "Hero For Hire" event not updating the UI when a choice is made and a confirmation not being shown.
- Fixed a bug where some AI-controlled armies would get stuck unable to calculate a route to the intended destination hex.
- New Unit: Crystalfolk. Elemental humanoid infantry with physical ranged and melee attacks. Unlocked by Earth 3.
- New Unit: Stonepeople. Tough slow elemental humanoid infantry with physical melee attacks. Unlocked by Earth 4.
- New Unit: Arcanosaurian Hatchlings. Fast lizards with weak arcane and physical attacks, but strong magical resistance. Research to unlock summon requires Arcane 2, Beast 2.
- New Unit: Arcanosaurians. Swift lizards with somewhat weak arcane and physical attacks, but very strong magical resistance. Research to unlock summon requires Arcanosaurian Hatchlings, Arcane 3, Beast 3.
- New Unit: Eshim Mourners. Elite medium infantry with a powerful combined physical/fire/cold melee attack and a radiant/dark ranged attack.
- New Unit: Dream Leeches. Eldritch worms with feeble physical stats, but a moderately strong arcane/psychic attack which has the Weaken and Unsettling abilities. Research to unlock summon requires Illusion 2, Arcane 2, Blood 1, Eldritch Lore 2.
- New Unit: Reality Thieves. Semi-corporeal eldritch insectoids with relatively weak attacks: one physical and one true damage. They have decent defensive stats. Research to unlock summon requires Illusion 3, Darkness 1, Time 1, Eldritch Lore 3.
- New Unit: Fleshflects. Eldritch humanoid shapeshifters which can regenerate and have two attacks: a physical Flesh Weapon and a poison/corrosive Vile Vomit. Research to unlock summon requires Darkness 2, Transmutation 2, Blood 4, Eldritch Lore 4.
- New Unit: Eldritch Brachyurans. Gargantuan crab-like monsters with powerful defensive stats and several attacks, including a combined true/darkness damage ranged attack. Research to unlock summon requires Darkness 8, Arcane 6, Blood 3, Eldritch Lore 8.
- New Unit: Eldritch Gorgonoids. Huge monstrous quadraped beasts with strong attacks and high mobility. Research to unlock summon requires Darkness 7, Beasts 6, Blood 5, Eldritch Lore 8.
- New Unit: Umbral Satyr Guardians. Shadow melee infantry. Research to unlock summon requires Shadow 4, War 2, Race: Faerie OR Shadow 4, War 2, Binding 3, Spellcraft: Faerie Binding.
- New Unit: Penumbral Faun Raiders. Shadow light infantry. Research to unlock summon requires Shadow 3, War 1, Race: Faerie OR Shadow 3, War 1, Binding 2, Spellcraft: Faerie Binding.
- New Unit: Antumbral Giants. Giant hybrid dark/light infantry. Research to unlock summon requires Shadow 8, Summoning 4, Light 3, Darkness 3.
- New Unit: Feral Trolls. Heavy, tough, but unarmored monstrous humanoids with big clubs and some innate physical damage. Vulnerable to Fire and Radiant. Research to unlock summon requires Chaos 5, Beasts 2, Life 2, Binding 2.
- New Units: Lesser/(regular)/Greater Light Elementals. Research to unlock summon requires Light 2/5/8, Spellcraft: Elemental Summoning. Greater Elementals also require Lore: Elemental 4.
- New Units: Lesser/(regular)/Greater Void Elementals. Research to unlock summon requires Darkness 2/5/8, Spellcraft: Elemental Summoning. Greater Elementals also require Lore: Elemental 4.
- New Units: Lesser/(regular)/Greater Frost Elementals. Research to unlock summon requires Frost 2/5/8, Spellcraft: Elemental Summoning. Greater Elementals also require Lore: Elemental 4.
- Race: Faerie (Wizards) now gain special unit type unlocks from some Wizard Tower Expansions:
- Enchanted Garden: Faun Avengers.
- Barracks: Satyr Warriors.
- Armory: Satyr Defenders.
- Archery Range: Faun Archers.
- Arena: Satyr Champions.
- Race: Celestial (Wizards) now unlock Eshim Host recruitment from the Bazaar (Wizard Tower Expansion).
- Summon Landsharks can now be researched. Requires Beasts 7, Earth 4, Water 1 and Tunnel Network (Wizard Tower Expansion).
- Default unit size of several units re-balanced: Grizzly Bears (100 -> 40), Polar Bears (100 -> 40), Dire Lions (100 -> 36), Giant Scorpions (50 -> 80), Giant Boars (100 -> 80), Dire Boars (100 -> 75), Dire Rhinos (20 -> 24), Gargantuan Rhinos (4 -> 8), Fire Lizards (50 -> 64), Giant Lizards (50 -> 75), Giant Frogs (50 -> 75), Giant Crabs (50 -> 75), Demonic Siege Beasts (10 -> 16), Greater Plague Demons (100 -> 64), Elder Spawn (80 -> 64), Greater Elder Spawn (60 -> 40), Greater Golems (100 -> 50), Treant Ancients (10 -> 16), Manticores (10 -> 16), Drakes (10 -> 12), Landsharks (100 -> 50), Gorgons (20 -> 25), Hydras (5 -> 8), Jabberwocks (10 -> 16), Cockatrices (10 -> 32), Uhlebeasts (40 -> 50), Medusae (50 -> 64), Yetis (100 -> 64), Greater Archons (50 -> 64), Archons of Unity (80 -> 100), Spirit Host (100 -> 64), Ancient Spirit Host (100 -> 32), Greater Ghouls (100 -> 75), Mummies (10 -> 36), Vampires (10 -> 32), Draugar (100 -> 75), Greater Banshees (100 -> 75).
- Dire Lions: Bite damage 6 -> 9, Swipe damage 7 -> 8, additional Swipe attack added, Leap ability added.
- Dire Bears: Bear Hug attack added.
- Giant Boars: Armor 0 -> 3.
- Giant Scorpions: Hit Points 6 -> 7.
- Giant Worms: Armor 0 -> 1, Bite secondary corrosive damage 1 -> 2.
- Boars: Armor 0 -> 2
- Dire Boars: Armor 2 -> 3, Melee Shock 1 -> 2, Movement 12 -> 11, Hardy ability added.
- Giant Lizards: Armor 3 -> 4, Claw damage 1 -> 2
- Giant Crabs: Pincer damage 9 -> 7
- Eshim Host: Movement 6 -> 7, Armor 2 -> 3, Discipline 9 -> 8
- Soulgorger Vultures: Summon time 1 -> 2, Vampiric ability removed, Unsettling ability added. Peck attack now has Disease 2 secondary damage. The charge-only swoop attack is no longer exclusive.
- Demonic Siege Beasts: Summon time 1 -> 3.
- Demonic Footsoldiers (Light/Medium/Missile): Renamed to Demonic Grunts (and appropriate subtype). Movement 5 -> 6, Shock 0 -> 1.
- Demonic Footsoldiers (Heavy/Superheavy): Renamed to Demonic Brutes (and appropriate subtype). Movement 5 -> 4, Toughness 6 -> 7, Shock 0 -> 2, Discipline 3 -> 2, Hit Points 5 -> 6.
- Imps: Summon time 1 -> 2.
- Greater Imps: Summon time 1 -> 3.
- Lesser Plague Demons: Summon time 1 -> 3.
- Greater Plague Demons: Summon time 1 -> 4. Hit points 6 -> 9.
- Lesser Elder Spawn: Summon time 1 -> 3. Armor 1 -> 2. Movement 3 -> 4. Lost 'Consume' attack. Feast ability added. 'Psychic Wail' attack added, 3 psychic damage, usable at range and in melee, cooldown 4.
- Elder Spawn: Summon time 1 -> 5. Hit points 9 -> 10. Lost 'Consume' attack. Feast ability added. 'Psychic Howl' attack added, 5 psychic damage, usable at range and in melee, cooldown 4.
- Greater Elder Spawn: Summon time 1 -> 7. Hit points 15 -> 16. Lost 'Consume' attack. Feast ability added. 'Psychic Scream' attack added, 7 psychic damage, usable at range and in melee, cooldown 4.
- Redcaps: Hardy and Ambush abilities added. Bite damage 3 -> 2, bonus vs unarmored 0 -> 2. Discipline 2 -> 4.
- Pixies: Movement 10 -> 12. Fay Bolts can now be used in melee.
- Dryads: Now have Amber Spear and Living Bow instead of puny natural attack. Vulnerability: Fire 0 -> 2.
- Mutants: Toughness 8 -> 7, Armor 3 -> 2, Courage 5 -> 6, Discipline 2 -> 3. Weapon damage 5 -> 4.
- Troglodytes: Toughness 7 -> 6, Limited Regeneration and Limited Mind abilities added.
- Lesser Golems: Discipline 3 -> 5.
- Golems: Discipline 3 -> 6.
- Greater Golems: Shock 2 -> 3, Discipline 4 -> 8.
- Lesser Ice Golems: Shock 0 -> 1, Discipline 3 -> 5, Time to build 5 -> 3. Impale attack 2 cold damage added to the 4 physical base damage.
- Lesser Shades: Essence Drain renamed to Shadow Strike and +2 cold damage as secondary damage, base damage 2 -> 3 dark damage.
- Wisps: Toughness 6 -> 5, Hit points 2 -> 3, Courage 5 -> 8, Discipline 8 -> 5. Arcane Charge attack no longer exclusive. Ambush and Limited Flight abilities added.
- Treant Saplings: Added Limited Regeneration ability. Smash damage 8 -> 4.
- Treants: Armor 2 -> 4, Shock 0 -> 2.
- Treant Ancients: Toughness 9 -> 10, Hit points 25 -> 32. Additional Smash attack added.
- Lesser Scarecrows: Shock 0 -> 1, Melee Skill 3 -> 4. Ambush ability added.
- Scarecrows: Shock 0 -> 1. Ambush ability added.
- Greater Scarecrows: Shock 0 -> 2. Toughness 9 -> 7. Ambush ability added. Scare attack +2 psychic damage as secondary damage. Physical resistance 1 -> 2.
- Grey Oozes: Hit points 2 -> 3, Movement 1 -> 2. Limited Regeneration ability added.
- Manticores: Armor 4 -> 3. Pounce attack removed. Unsettling ability added.
- Landsharks: Hit points 9 -> 10, Shock 2 -> 4.
- Hydras: Hit points 30 -> 32, Shock 1 -> 4, Discipline 5 -> 4. Number of Bite attacks increased from 4 to 5.
- Jabberwocks: Armor 6 -> 7, Toughness 7 -> 8. Disturbing Mewling damage changed from Dark/True to Psychic, and max usage of 1 removed.
- Swamp Horrors: Armor 0 -> 2. Plain natural attack replaced by Smash (Physical 8, Armor Penetration 2) and Swarm of Vermin (Physical 4, Bonus Dmg vs Unarmored 2, Poison 3, Cooldown 2).
- Yetis: Frenzy ability added.
- Greater Archons of Retribution: Shock 0 -> 4.
- Greater Archons of Unity: Hit points 7 -> 8, Shock 0 -> 1.
- Archons of Unity: Shock 0 -> 1.
- Mummies: Hit points 8 -> 9.
- Mudmen: Movement 3 -> 4, Time to summon 3 -> 2. Mana cost 40 -> 30. Mana upkeep 3 -> 2.