Greetings everyone! I come with an important announcement about our first major free content expansion for Goblin Storm! The in-development name is the Winter Content Update or WCU, although a more permanent name will follow shortly. The primary focus of the WCU is improving the diversity of the human factions in game and preparing for new and exciting game modes to follow.
Here is the TL:DR for people who are in a hurry:
Objectives:
- Add the Oslid Kingdom as a new faction.
- Diversify Helsatia into 3 factions
- Diversify Westdale into 2 factions
- Add new human soldier and company types.
- Enlarge human unit rosters.
- Prepare for the introduction of a major new game mode.
When will it be released?
The Winter Content Update is planned for release in the last week of February.
New Gamemode
In addition to diversifying the human factions, this update will lay the groundwork for another free content update that will add a new game mode based upon unit recruitment throughout the game for both sides.
Faction Overhaul:
Human unit rosters will be getting significantly larger in the WCU. Including more regiments and more unit diversity; ranging from elite shock infantry, to hussars, to lowly peasant fodder. Let's take a quick look at the playstyles of each faction.
New Helsatian Factions:
Imperial Army:
Doctrine: Shock and Awe
The Imperial Army is the epitome of the shock and awe doctrine. They possess well trained and powerful heavy cavalry, but their infantry reserves are not as deep as other factions and they suffer from a severe shortage of light troops.
Grand Duchy of Otčina:
Doctrine: Decisive Battle
The Grand Duchy of Otčina is well suited for sustained, high intensity combat. Otčina possesses a tremendous variety of heavy infantry, including elite guard regiments, and very deep reserves. Additionally, their basic levy companies are larger than other Helsatian factions - although they are just as poorly trained. Otčina has the best staying power of any human faction in a protracted battle, but their mobility is limited and they lack any professional recon units.
Markgravate of Nordwacht:
Doctrine: Defensive Flexibility
The Markgravate of Nordwacht is a strong defensive faction. Nordwacht lacks the raw offensive power of imperial heavy knights, or the deep reserves of Otčina's heavy infantry, but they make up for it in other ways. Nordwacht's strength lies in their excellent recon companies, complimented by a flexible mixture of knights and specialist defensive infantry.
New Westdale Factions:
King of Westdale:
Doctrine: Jack of All Trades
The King of Westdale commands a well rounded faction, capable of performing admirably on almost any battlefield. Westdale's greatest strength lies in nearly limitless reserves of highly trained longbowmen who provide it with unparalleled fire power. These longbowmen are protected by well rounded heavy infantry and high quality levies. Westdale's greatest weakness is limited cavalry reserves.
Duchy of Dunwall:
Doctrine: Infantry Flexibility
The Duchy of Dunwall boasts excellent reconnaissance troops and a solid corps of professional light infantry, complimented by high quality levies. Dunwall's chief weaknesses are twofold. They field a fair amount of light cavalry, but they suffer from a chronic shortage of heavy cavalry. And their heavy infantry reserves are thin.
New Faction:
Oslid Kingdom:
Doctrine: Mobility
The Oslid Kingdom is distinct amongst the human factions because it lacks any effective heavy infantry. Instead, the Oslid rely on vast armies of expendable levies and archers to bog down their opponents with sheer numbers. While their opponents are busy chewing through the masses of levies, the Oslid's knights, lancers and hussars are free to encircle and destroy their opponents in lightning fast flanking maneuvers.
Tying it all Together
That will be it for today, I hope you have enjoyed this brief look at the new factions coming in the Winter Content Update and next week I will return with a dev blog about the new soldier types coming in the update.
On that note, I shall leave you all with a screenshot of the upcoming Amber Coast map with several new unit types in play. Feel free to let me know if you have any questions in the comments below!