DoW mods and expansion

[Fez]

You can do Eldar vs. Insane Ork Computer using only warp spiders. Two haywires can destroy any Ork light buildings. WS also pound Ork buildings hard just shooting.

Eldar are the Ork's worst nightmare. Just keep the Avatar away from the Ork heroes.

Don't forget the platforms, they are very cheap for the firepower. Brightlances make short work of wartracks and other light vehicles.

Once you can, spam Fire Prisms for the win.

Only go Dark Reapers when you know the other team has Marines out as they are only strong against heavy infantry. Scouts will rape them. Banshees or Guardians are a safe choice at the start, if you are not sure what you will meet, then go DR when your ready.

Fleet of Foot will let you run down or from any other troops.

The Eldar walker is great against infantry, you just have to make sure nothing is hitting it before it gets to the enemy, try to tie up rocket squads beforehand. The walker is not bad, it's just overshadowed by the all-powerful Fire Prisms and Platforms.

 

[Saran]

Maybe they will add in the Dark Eldar?

They would be the perfect "Other Threat", after all they see their Eldar cousins as weak, they despise the "Mon Keigh" SM and IG, and as for chaos, well, it goes without saying that they would hate them and everything they stand for since they have to sacrifice the souls of the people they kill just to keep Slaanesh at bay.

 

[Major_Blackhart]

I wonder what the upgrades for the Captain and Commissar will be. Maybe they both start out with Bolters and Power Swords, and can be upgraded to stuff like plasma pistols and i dunno, something hero specific? For the Captain maybe something like some sort of an arcane energy axe and the Commissar maybe a Thunder Hammer or even some sort of a whip (for IG moral purposes).

 

[Fez]

Relic have given out this news on the patch due out any day now:

Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War -- Patch 1.3 Release Notes

New Features

- Added an Observer Mode to the game to support the professional games circuit.
- Added a Friends List feature to support the growth of the Online community.
- Added an Arranged Teams Automatch feature to simplify the process of automatching games with Friends.
- Added Mod Manager to facilitate switching mod versions from the Main Menu. Mods are now also listed in the Join Game screens.
- Added support for Lobby News messages in non-Latin character fonts (full unicode support).

Improvements

- Game performance has been improved through the use of the Intel Performance Primitives library
- Enemy detection code has been improved for better performance in the late game on large maps.
- Selection focus key (') has been added to the defaul keybindings. NOTE: The keybindings file has been changed and is no longer compatible with previous versions.
- Improved the targeting priority system for vehicles and units with multiple weapons.
- Major update to game camera system, including fixing many bugs.

General Fixes

- Fixed several bugs with the Automatch system.
- Thorough overhaul of the Stance system which fixed many bugs with the Melee and Ranged stances. Overhaul includes the removal of Versatile Stance.
- Fixed several minor issues with the game camera, including increasing the default range for the limited camera so it matches the distance of the free camera.
- Fixed several minor issues with save games and playback files. NOTE: The save game format has been changed and will no longer be compatible with previous versions.
- Fixed several minor issues with the playback mode.
- Fixed several infrequent crash bugs in Online screens.
- Fixed rendering issues with the Intel 915 IGMA.
- Fixed Mission 4 bug where third Whirlwind disappears.
- Fixed bug where Toth was damaging himself with special attacks.
- Fixed occasional SCAR crash in Mission 7 when capturing bridge.
- Fixed NIS cameras for all missions.
- Fixed various bugs in game chat system.
- Fixed various bugs in Army Painter.
- Fixed bug where NIS speech wouldn't play under Windows 98 (unsupported OS).
- Fixed various bugs in Multiplayer Game setup system.
- Various cosmetic fixes to various screens.
- Fixed bug where the Ork Wartrack Twin Rokkit Launcher upgrades will get stuck in an infinite loop when overwatching the upgrade.
- Fixed bug where a Shroud button which has no function would appear in the build-menu of a Webway Gate while it is being built.

Ability Fixes

- Fixed bug where Word of the Emperor ability would not function.
- Fixed bug where Bad Doc Healing Aura ability did not heal commander units.
- Fixed bug where Bad Doc Healing Aura ability only affected the Mad Doc and attached squad.
- Fixed bug where Exarchs could not be added to Aspect Sqauds while the squad was moving.
- Fixed bug where Exarchs could be built while the squad was moving.
- Fixed bug where Howling Banshee War Shout ability would affect friendly units.
- Fixed bug where Eldar Plasma Grenade was inheriting incorrect attributes.
- Fixed bug where Stormboyz speed research effects only the Stormboyz leader.
- Fixed a range of bugs where abilities were incorrectly affecting friendly units as well as enemy units.
- Fixed bug where Grav Falcon Brightlance was invisible.

Balance Changes

Ork Changes

- Reduced damage of Trukk Big Shoota.
- Increased population requirement for Trukk/Mekshop from 31 to 46.
- Increased population requirement for Wartrakk from 46 to 61.
- Wartrakk build time increased.
- Decreased damage of Wartrakk Rokkit against all infantry significantly.
- Increased build time of Wartrakk Rokkit and Mortar from 9 to 20 seconds.
- Put a 46 population requirement on Ork Rokkit Launchers.
- Reduced Big Mek's Mega Blaster damage.
- Increased build time of Bad Doc to 15 seconds.
- Increased cost of Bad Doc by 10 requisition.
- Increased damage output of Nob Leader Power Klaws.
- Decreased build time of Ork Nob Power Klaws from 15 to 12 seconds.
- Increased damage of Ork Nob Leader Power Klaws.
- Big Mek now takes longer to build after researching Custom Tellyporta.
- Big Mek now takes longer to build after researching Custom Force Field.
- Big Mek now takes longer to build after researching Tank Bustin' Kit.
- Reduced range on Ork Listening Posts that have the first Listening Post upgrade.

Eldar Changes

- Reduced damage of Fire Prisms Shuriken Catapult against Heavy Infantry (Medium). Also reduced damage against Medium Vehicles.
- Reduced damage of fire prism Prism Cannon vs. all buildings, all vehicles (slight), reduced morale damage, reduced minimum damage, reduced area of effect from 10-8.
- Reduced morale damage on Eldar D-Cannon Turret.
- Reduced damage of Vyper Missile Launcher against all infantry types.
- Increased time cost of Vyper Missile Launcher weapon upgrade.
- Increased vertical aiming ability of Brightlance platforms (slight).
- Increased range of Ranger Long Rifle from 32 to 35.
- Increased morale damage output of Ranger long rifle from 40 to 60 per hit.
- Removed charge modifiers from Howling Banshees.
- Created dependencies on Vyper/Wraithlord aspect stones before Fire Prism can be researched.
- Decreased time cost of Seer Council Witchblade weapon upgrade.
- Dark Reaper Exarch now does more damage to Heavy Infantry .
- Dark Reaper weapon upgrade now has the same range as its original weapon.
- Increased Time cost of Warp Spider Aspect Stone
- Increased Power cost of Warp Spider Aspect Stone.

Chaos Changes

- Reduced cost of tier 3 to 400/150 and 100 seconds. From 500/200 and 125 seconds
- Chaos Aspiring Champions and Space Marine Sergeants now benefit from the bionics upgrades (+20% health)
- Furious charge should now be giving +15% damage bonus to chaos_knife_cultist and chaos_knife_tactical.
- Chaos Heretic costs 0 supply cap, however there is a limit of 5 Heretics at any given time.
- Increased cost of Cultist, increased hit points, increased build time, decreased to starting with 4 units. Increased base weapon damages by 30%. Decreased min damage on Cultist Laspistol from 2.5 to 1.5.
- Increased time cost of Cultist Aspiring Champion.
- Reduced Cultist Grenade Launcher damage by 35%. Increased build time of Grenade Launcher.
- Increased damage output of cultist plasma gun, slightly increased cost.
- Defiler hitpoints increased from 2300 to 2700.
- Defiler now costs 2 Support cap.
- Reduced cost of Possessed marines, decreased attack/hp/build time accordingly.
- Reduced cost of Horrors, decreased attack/hp/build time accordingly.
- Reduced melee damage of Raptors against building low.
- Chaos Rhino now costs 1 Support cap.
- Smoke Grenade research time/cost reduced.

Space Marines Changes

- Reduced cost of tier 3 to 400/150 and 100 seconds, from 500/200 and 125 seconds.
- Reduced stun time of SM Force Commander from 4 to 2 seconds.
- Scouts do less ranged damage to infantry_low, infantry_med, and infantry_high.
- Reduced Scout accuracy while moving from .55 to .35. Reduced Scout morale damage.
- Reduced melee damage of Assault Marines against building low.
- Rhino now costs 1 Support cap.
- Smoke Grenade research time/cost reduced.
- Cultist reinforce time when in combat set to 12 seconds.
- Updated help text to reflect balance changes.

Mod Support

- Mods can now disable tutorials by leaving a blank field in the FEDefaults.lua file.
- Multiple fixes in the Attribute Editor.
- Game now validates more fields from the attribute files. Also validation of starting units and buildings has been removed.
- New binary file format for all attribute files.
- Added support for exclusive win conditions.
- Several unused attribute fields have been removed.
- Added flag for weapon line-of-sight being blocked by entities. We recommend not using it, as it is terribly slow.
- Added multiple flags to Scenario files in the Mission Editor, including being able to turn off sky, terrain and water rendering.

Quite a list. The balancing will make some major changes in skirmishes. Much wailing and gnashing of teeth over who got nerfed and who got buffed is mandatory - repeat - mandatory.

I am pleased to see them adding in the friends lists and other features to help online play. It's been a frequently requested feature for quite some time.

The new additions for mod makers is a pleasant surprise too, especially "Added flag for weapon line-of-sight being blocked by entities", as this is one feature that the mod teams have been asking for and was previously thought "impossible". However, I have no idea how useable it will be in-game.

The odd errors such as the cultists being listed under Space Marines instead of Chaos was Relic's, not mine. I left it as received.

Commence whining/jubilation.

 

[Greatatlantic]

Man, thats a lot of changes. You'd think with only four civs they'd have them balanced well enough... oh well.

 

[Fez]

This could be part of the groundwork for the expansion, which will add in the IG.

Chaos got a double strength dose of viagra in that patch list. I can't wait to see the rape begin. The tactics in the game will have to mould around these changes.

 

[Fez]

More WA Expansion info:

• Imperial Guard will be based around long range and defense.
• There are tunnels mentioned - it isn't clear if they can be entered and if that is going to have an impact on gameplay, however.
• There will be more interactivity in the SP missions and warcraftish "side-quests". Before the last mission of each campaign, the player will get to make a decision that might drastically change the end.

That'll be the "RPG elements" getting added to this then.

 

[z3r'0']

Jesus... the Orks are getting nerfed. Damn.
Especially the changes to the Wartrakks. Use them alot mid-game.

Guess I'll just play harder, faster, better. WAAAGGHH!!!

 

[Fez]

Chaos is going to be much more fun to play with this patch. They can have 10 defilers on the map, rather than the previous 6, and they have more HP. The guns might work better too.

The cultists will be used as meat shields in skirmishes, due to them requiring 0 population, which will make it hard for the Orks to engage. This is much closer to the purpose they were meant to serve.

 

[Fez]

If you were annoyed at the uselessness of the Rhino transport in DoW, you might want to try the Rhinoz v1.6 mod.

Screenshots:




The above show the new range of troop transports available to the Space Marine race. The mod also includes a new infantry unit - a half size SM squad made to fit inside the Razorback (shown in screen shots two and three). The Razorback can have bolters or be upgraded to lascannons. The assault Rhino (in screen shot three) is the standard Rhino with two new upgrades - the front-mounted blade and the gun mount on top. It carries the same units as the normal Rhino. The last vehicle, the Vindicator, is a mobile siege gun, similar to the Leman Russ battle cannon.

You can download the mod here, it's 5Mb and comes with its own installer.

I've been trying it in the skirmish battles and it's pretty fun. The Rhino is now something I use, especially on the bigger maps. Before I'd never build it.

 

[Fez]

The patch has finally been released after yet another delay:

Relic Announcement – Patch 1.3 is now LIVE!!

The day you’ve all been waiting for with eager anticipation is finally here. After many, many weeks of work by the DoW team, Patch 1.3 is now live!!

Couple of things to keep in mind…

- a gazillion people will be trying to get this patch at the same time, so don’t freak out if it takes a bit of time to download it*
- try to keep your balance discussions to the appropriate forums here (the moderators will help you find them)
- post your technical support queries in the appropriate forums here so that we can track the issues and post responses
- modders, as said before this patch will break your work, but don’t worry because help is on the way

You can get the patch through the Autopatcher (just log in to Dawn of War Online), and we’ll add links to direct downloads in this post as they become available.

That’s about it. We hope you enjoy the results, and happy gaming.

The patch will likely break any mods you have installed, so you'll have to wait for updates of them if you wish to use them with the patch.

If you don't want to use the auto-updater, you can also get it via bittorrent:

Patch 1.3 - this one will update version 1.2 to 1.3.

Comprehensive ENGLISH Patch Pack - this contains all patches from 1.01 to 1.2 in one zip file for the English versions of DoW. If you have not patched the game to 1.2 already, you will need this before applying 1.3.

Comprehensive INTERNATIONAL Patch Pack - this contains all patches from 1.01 to 1.2 in one zip file for the non-English versions of DoW. If you have not patched the game to 1.2 already, you will need this before applying 1.3.

Edit: The patch is ~45MB, a warning for any dial-up users about.

 

[Astromarine]

just saw a preview at Gamespot. There will be a Chaplain for the SMs, and Khorne Berzerkers for Chaos.

Looks pretty neat

 

[Trash]

Just a thought, wouldn't it be great to have a turn based combat pcrpg set in the 40k universe. Inquisitor (it was called that right?) would be a supurb port on the pc...make a neat campaign set in a hive city, an invested hulk or whatever, use the inquisitor game system and go. With some great graphics, a faithfull conversion and plenty of action it would be a great hit. (+ it might spark some more interest in the inquisitor tabletop game when you finish the pc game)

 

[Saran]

With a TBS, i doubt it, how well do you think DOW would have done if it was a TBS?

(Dont get me wrong, i think a TB system would suit it perfectly, but i just dont see it selling that well in the current market, does anyone know if there is an indie WH:40k or WHFB CRPG out there?)

I wonder how the news of a Khorne Beserker is going down with Chaos players, one of the complaints about DOW was the lack of God specific units (Noise Marines, Great Unclean One e.t.c...), now that it has been made pretty clear that Khorn is going to be represented in the expansion i wonder if Nurgle, Slaanesh and Tzeentch lovers are a bit pissed.

 

[Greenskin13]

DrattedTin is an Orky Weirdboy.

Haven't had a chance to patch, but anyone want to comment on the new balance? The nerfing looks pretty harsh for the orks on paper, and I never felt that they were overpowered in the first place. At least it will take longer for those lousy WS to get on the field.

Puny Eldar taktiks....

 

[Shagnak]

Slaanesh.

Mmmmmmm...boobies...

 

[Fez]

The tactics have changed a bit now. I can't give specifics as the dust is still settling from the changes, but basically the Orks seem to be even more fucked when they fight Eldar than they were before, due to their vehicles being pushed back. The mob bonus being fixed does help them in battles against other races though when they use mass infantry, and if you can reach tier 3 the Ork have had a boost there. The Ork Looted Tank has an extra bolter in this version, which makes them slightly more effective against infantry and gives them better coverage. The Eldar are still top dog for now, the changes to them have not harmed them that much. The boost to Chaos means they have an easier time of it now. The old problems with the population cap for them are now a thing of the past. The nerf to the cultists barely matters considering they were mostly used for capping at the start and as a meatshield. The Horrors are much more useful as on larger maps now they are a cheap, long-range, teleporting support unit. The SM came out pretty much where they were before.

 

[Fez]

Some more screenshots from the WA expansion:

Some more images from the WA expansion:







The new units in WA for the current races that are known so far are the Fire Dragon for the Eldar, Khorne Berserkers for Chaos, Mega Armored Nobz for Ork and Chaplains for Space Marines.

The Khorne Berserkers being included seems to have annoyed some fans, as the Chaos army in Dow was claimed to be neutral and not slanted to one of the Chaos Gods. This was done so people could play them in whatever livery they wanted. I doubt it'll be a big problem, but it has been suggested that they may as well brand them properly and drop the pretence. I doubt any non TT players would ever notice or care about it though. Perhaps it is fans of the other Chaos factions that are making the fuss, in the hope of getting what they would want instead.

Also, a preview of WA from Gamespy.

 

[Shagnak]

I must say it is sounding splendid.
I had a bit of a LAN session with this game a while back, and it was great fun. Looking forward to the expansion.

Fez:
You mention above about the 1.3 patch breaking mods. Is there a handy comprehensive list of mods affected? Or are all?
Was thinking of trying out the Rhino one you mentioned above, and any others I find...

 

[Fez]

All mods are broken by it, that was the promise from Relic and after trying Rhinoz and some others, it seems they were right. They changed some of file formats and added in some other changes to prepare for WA, hence the large filesize. It will take a while for all the mod makers to catch up, I'll post any updates if I see them. It's a shame as the Rhinoz mod is a good one, and there was a good crop of other mods available.

 

[Major_Blackhart]

Incase noone has seen it yet.
http://forums.relicnews.com/showthread.php?t=64646
Friggin awesome. IMPERIAL GUARD FOREVER!

 

[Shagnak]

w00t
etc

 

[Atrokkus]

How are things with balance?

 

[Major_Blackhart]

I havent seen anything by way of stats, so I got no clue.

 

[Atrokkus]

What about the actual game, without mods, but with patches?
I jsut haven't played it yet.
I heard that the balance is shit.