GAME CHANGES
1. A bug in the calculation of retreat priority has been fixed.

2. Certain units have been upgraded and now have more steps and tougher defense values.

3. ARM regimental units can now leave strong points. 

4. Defending strengths of all units is now the value that they start the turn at. If a three step unit has a ‘10’ defense strength then it will defend at ‘10’ even if it has been reduced to one or two steps. This makes it harder to eliminate units by attacking them multiple times within the one turn. 

5. If a combat is carried out on the 10-1 table against a one step unit then all attacking units will not lose their combat capability and may attack again. This reflects overrun attacks.

6. Some new graphics have been added to the system.

7. The supply system that is indicated on the right hand side as being between 25% and 100% has been simplified. Now if a side has 25% each supply truck starts with a resistance of 5, 50% with 3 and 75% with 1. This restricts the radius that each supply truck can act.

8. Elite units, units that are surrounded by a gold rectangle, now gain +1 to the leadership shift in any combat. That means that if the general is also added a +2 leadership shift is possible. Any elite unit that is defending gets a –1 leadership shift. The word Elite appears at the bottom of the combat dialog when this benefit is being given. Elite units are worth 150% of the standard VP’s in the victory dialog. 

9. Sub standard units do not trigger the shift bonus for attacking in a particular direction in combat so only add their strength points to the battle. Sub standard units are worth 50% of the standard value in the victory dialog. 

10. The End Turn button can be programmed to have an ‘okay’ dialog appear before it actually ends the turn, a feature often requested for email games. If the file, options.txt, is opened there are two lines that can be changed. The first line indicates whether the player wants longer delays for combat displays during replays, although the ‘d’ key still switches this on and off during the turn, and the second line indicates whether you want the end turn dialog always, during email games or never. 

11. Capturing key towns activates the axis reserve divisions and the allied player can suppress the reserves by holding key towns in the early part of the game. Each reserve division is activated when the number of axis points exceeds that of the allied player. When a division is activated three rounds of replacements are also activated but these will be held back until the normal replacements falls below 4. Activation of the British now plays no part in activating the reserves, only being in the vicinity will do that. This means that if an allied player abandons the south of the map the axis player can gain 3 reserve divisions by capturing Luxemburg and Arlon before turn 12. 

If you are having MIDI music problems, email Steve Hand (shand@ssg.com.au) and he will send you a new Ardennes Offensive game.