The Swarm

[Oblivion]

"UltraDB.zip" can be downloaded at:

http://www.ultradbsite.com/EDEE/

or

http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/EDEE-MOD/files/

(Check the installation instructions file "UltraDB_Installation.txt" in the "docs" directory for information on how to install UltraDB)

(UltraDB is intended to be used with Patch 4.010+)
(You can use "UltraDBSmall.zip" if you don't want the extra sounds)

THE UNIT DOCUMENTATION IS NOT UP TO DATE AND IS INCOMPLETE

ULTRADB IS INTENDED TO BE PLAYED WITH EACH HUMAN PLAYER
STARTING WITH AT LEAST 3 CITIES AND 6 BUY POINTS FOR
PURCHASING A RECON DRONE AT THE START TO HELP EXPLORE THE
MAP.

THERE IS NO NEED TO JACK UP UNIT BUILD SPEED IF YOU START
WITH THESE SETTINGS BECAUSE YOU CAN PRODUCE EVERYTHING
YOU NEED AT THE START WITH YOUR 1ST UNITS: 1x GROUND ATTACK
UNIT, 1x TRANSPORT UNIT, 1x AIR DEFENSE UNIT, 1x RECON UNIT
GIVEN FROM BUY POINTS.

DO NOT SET THE UNIT PRODUCTION HANDICAP LESS THAN 85 UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES.

IF YOU DON'T WANT TO PLAY WITH AT LEAST THOSE SETTINGS, DON'T PLAY ULTRADB.



<<< 01/31 >>>

<<< New Units >>>

Missile Satellite (SI):
- Hit points 1, drain 0, speed 3, unlimted range
- Carries 3xAnti-Orbital Missiles (VO)
- spotting of -1 Sub, 0 Gnd, 3 Air, 6 Orb
- spotted by other units equal to Scout Satelitte
(This unit is the cheapest build cost anti-orbital orbital-level unit. Its mediocre spotting radius means you are advised to have an Armed Sat spotting for it. This unit provides a means for a player who is behind in the space race to get a relatively low cost and mobile defender up into space to protect their cities.)

<<< Balance Changes >>>

VTOL Fighter (FV):
++ can now move-bomb Cities (70% base hit chance)

Fighter Bomber (FB):
- bomb/hit chance against Cities, Fortifications and Forts lowered by -5% (it is still better than the FV by +5% to hit in addition to flying faster and having a much longer movement range)

Mechanized Artillery: Target Search Mode (TY):
+ fire range increased from 2 up to 3
- can no longer defensive fire in this mode

Destroyer (DD):
++ can oncd again range-bomb Cities (30% base hit chance)

Frigate (DE):
++ can range-bomb Cities (20% base hit chance)
+ can carry all types of small missiles

Mine Sweeper (SW):
+ ranged fire radius increased from 1 up to 2

Corvette (CV):
+ can carry all types of small missiles

Gunboat (GB):
+ drain lowerd from 5 down to 4

Patrol Boat (PB):
+ torpedo ranged fire range increased from 2 up to 3
- can no longer defensive fire

Infantry (IN):
+ build time lowered from 10/9 down to 10/8 (better "production gearing" bonus makes them more spammable)

Light Infantry (LI):
+ can spot Commando's at a distance of 1 sqaure when "dug-in"

Commando's (CO):
- movement range reduced from unlimited down to 60 (Can be refuelled by any combat unit that can carry it as well as Trucks)
- no longer at 90% to kill any/every mechanized indirect fire unit (80% vs ZF, ZY; 85% vs rest except 90% vs ZB)

Arty Brigade (EA), Light Artillery (LA), Heavy Artillery (HA):
- siege defense odds lowered by -5%

Heavy Helicopter (HH):
+ can carry all non-mechanized indirect fire units again except Heavy Artillery

Interceptor (FN):
+ drain lowered from 7 down to 6

Torpedo Bomber (BT):
+ build time lowered from 20/17 down to 18/15

Strategic Bomber (BO):
- drain increased from 12 up to 13

Advanced Bomber (BA):
- drain increased from 14 up to 16

Weapons Depot (WD):
- drain increased from 3 up to 4

Warehouse (WH):
- drain increased from 6 up to 8

Missile Factory (MF):
- drain increased from 9 up to 12

Heavy Missile Factory (HF):
- drain increased from 12 up to 16

<<< General Changes >>>

1) Supply model changed again:
- Cities provide 10/12 supply up from 9/11
- Methane Plants provide 15 up from 12
- Oil Platforms provide 18 up from 15
- Oil Facilities provide 20 up from 18
(Things got overly constrained with the previous settings once a player had a large number of cities cranking out units)

2) The "production gearing" bonus was improved for all units with a starting build cost of 10 or 9:
- any unit that previously had a starting build cost of 10 or 9 now is 2 turns faster to produce the next identical unit up from 1 turn faster
(A gearing bonus of only 10% is not good enough to be very noticeable)

<<< Other >>>

Many other subtle balance tweaks and defintion fixes. (+/-5-10% here and there)



<<< 12/21 >>>

<<< Bug Fix >>>

- Fixed a definition error with Corvettes that made then unable to attack deep units even when they were spotted. (Corvettes CANNOT spot deep units on their own and it is correct behavior for them to sail right over deep units without attacking them if they haven't yet been spotted.)



<<< 12/20 >>>

<<< Balance Changes >>>

Corvettes (CV), Frigates (DE), Destroyer (DD):
+ ranged fire range increased from 1 square up to 2
(radar fire control!)

Patrol Boat (PB):
+ no longer has -10% to hit targets in "Deep" water
+ hit odds increased vs CV (+10%), DE / SW (+5%)

Battleships (BB):
+ immune to Corvettes and Surfaced Subs, both ranged fire and move attacks.

Arty Brigade (EA), Light Artillery (LA), Heavy Artillery (HA):
+- recent changes reverted except they still keep lower drain.
(cost more to build but EA and LA can once again defenive fire)

<<< General Changes >>>

1) Naval Combat mechanics have changed to make it more move-attack and range fire-attack vs missile based:
- all ships in general are harder to hit with ranged fire. Many hit odds were lowered... a LOT. (-5% to -35%) All ships, the smaller ships in particular, have been made harder to hit. (For example: BC hit chance vs CV lowered from 80% down to 45%) While it may seem counter-intuitive to encourage ship combat by weakening their fire, the reality was that previously it was too risky to venture into an opposing ships fire radius, so ships would just retreat once they ran out of anti-ship missiles. The lower hit chances mitigate some of this defensive fire risk.
- the difference in ranged fire hit chance between the most powerful guns (BB) and the weakest guns (CV) was "flattened". If you take the hit chance of a BB against a DD compared to a CV against a DD, the difference between the BB and the CV is much less now. (40% before vs 20% now)
- the difference in attack odds between the most powerful ship (BB) and the weakest ship (CV) was "flattened". In other words ship fight each other with less deviation away from 50/50 odds than before. (For example CL and DD move-attack each other at 50/50 now as do BC vs CR)
- the screening ships (CV, DE, DD) now can exert a real "zone of control" thanks to their new fire range of 2 squares.
- all of the "large" ships that get slowed down in shallow water have a new -10% ranged fire defense penalty when they are in shallow water.



<<< 12/13 >>>

<<< Balance Changes >>>

Mech AA (ZF), Mech SAM (ZZ):
+ movement speed increased from 2 up to 3
- can no longer move attack most air units
- snow terrain now cost 2 movement points up from 1
- their "target search" mode consumes 1 less drain up from 2 less drain
- ZF siege defense ratings lowered by -5%

Torpedo Fighter (FO), VTOL Fighter (FV), Fighter (FI):
- supply drain increased by +1 for all

Advanced Fighter (FA):
- attack odds vs fighter aircraft of all types lowered by -5%

Anti-Ground Missiles (VG):
+ are +5% to hit all types of Patrol boats compared to anti-ship missiles up from -5% compared to anti-ship missiles. (net change is +10% more to hit)
(Anti-Ground Missiles are optimized against 'dispersed' targets and all of the Patrol boat types lack a CIWS as well)

Arty Brigade (EA), Light Artillery (LA), Heavy Artillery (HA):
+ supply drain for all lowered by -1 in ranged fire modes



<<< 12/05 >>>

<<< Balance Changes >>>

Fighter Bomber (FB):
+ attack odds vs Cities, Fortifications and Forts increased by +5%

Corvettes (CV):
+ can now attack "deep" level units (still CANNOT spot them)



<<< 12/04 >>>

<<< Balance Changes >>>

Torpedo Fighter (FO), VTOL Fighter (FV), Fighter Bomber (FB), Torpedo Bomber(BT):
- build time increased by 2 turns

Torpedo Fighter (FO), Fighter Bomber (FB):
+ AA fire defense odds increased by +5%

Fighter Bomber (FB):
+ "rifle attack" defense odds increased by +5%

Stealth Fighter (FX):
+ ranged increased from 7 turns aloft up to 8

Anti-Ship Missiles (VS):
- attack odds against ships armed with a CIWS decreased by a furthur -5%

Corvettes (CV):
- no longer immune to attack from torpedo armed aircraft
(such aircraft have marginal attack odds against the Corvette)



<<< 12/01 >>>

<<< Bug Fix >>>

- Fixed a unit definition bug allowing Heavy Missile Factories to see many units they should not be able to see.



<<< 11/29 >>>

<<< Changes Overview >>>

1) The supply model has been tweaked down to make "spamming" Fighters and Small Missile Factories harder to do.
- Cities: Give 9 / 11 (active / no production) supply down from 10 / 14
- Methane Plants: Give 12 supply down from 15
- Oil Platforms: Give 15 supply down from 20
- Oil Facilities: Give 18 supply down from 20
- The config files have been changed to make Oil and Swamp resources slightly less common
- You are gonna want to get building resource structures QUICKLY

2) The build cost of many units were changed to have the net effect of:
- Further differentiating many units of similar type from each other
- Make the specialized infantry divisions more expensive to get relative to regular infantry so as to encourage them to be built only in the specialized circumstances they're needed and less generally produced
- Make most air combat units slightly more expensive
- Make mechanized units more attractive/viable by increasing the cost of other units slightly
- Make it slightly more expensive in terms of defender build cost to defend cities with units that have high siege defense ratings
- Making indirect fire units and other less used units more viable
- Make the better satellites not so hard to build

3) Land units (both infantry and mechanized) were yet again made more powerful against air units to furthur discourage the obnoxious and 'gamey' tactic of parking aircraft over cities so enemy land units are unable to attack / capture the city:
- Infantry now have a base move-attack of 50% vs Fighters (40% vs Fighter Bombers and VTOL Fighters) up from 40%
- All Infantry "rifle attack" vs air units were buffed by about +5% (Mininum hit chance of 15%)
- Paratrooper "rifle attack" was buffed to be equal to regular infantry
- Mechanized units can attack air units now with generally crappy attack odds but the option is there if necessary

4) Anti-Ship missile hit chances generally nerfed so as to make naval combat a little less missile based:
- hit chance nerfed by -5% vs "combat" ships considered by me to armed with a CIWS
- hit chance nerfed by -5% vs Gunboats and -15% vs Missile Boats / Patrol Boats
- hit chance was actually increased by +10% vs Transports so make sure you own the seas

5) Units that have a ranged fire torpedo attack can now hit all small ships including Patrol Boats with it:
- crappy hit chance if the small craft are in shallow water, but if they dare move into deep water, their deep water combat penalty gets added to the torpedo fire hit chance giving odds that are good enough to be dangerous to small craft
- discourages the use of swarms of small craft for long range invasions and makes submerged units / Patrol Boats more useful

6) Cities, Fortifications, Forts ranged fire (they can fire upon recon drones) radius increased from 1 to 2 squares (40%, 50%, 60% to hit respectively). All other structures have lost such a ranged attack against recon drones:
- Makes recon drones more viable in destroying Missile Factories and resource structures
- More realistically encourages players to build such structures near Cities or Forts
- Adds value to Fortifications and Forts

7) No air units participate in siege defense anymore:
- Attack Helicopters are deadly enough to ground units on the prowl that it's overkill to give them 20% siege defense as well
- VTOL Fighters are now cheap enough relative to Infantry that allowing them to retain siege defense capability would further encourage players to "spam" production of them


<<< Balance Changes >>>

Fleet Oiler (OS):
+ hit points increased from 3 up to 4
+ considered to be armed with a CIWS for missile hit odds
+ some defense odds improved
- build cost increased from 18/15 up to 24/20

Transport (TR):
- no longer considerd to be armed with a CIWS for missile hit odds

Torpedo Bomber (BT):
+ was made -1 to spot vs long range radars (4 square or more range)
+ some attacks odds increased

Strategic Bomber (BO):
+ hit points increased from 2 up to 3
+ range increased from 12 turns aloft up to 15 turns aloft
(Now the toughest air unit in the game. You're gonna wanna attack this guy with Interceptors or Advanced Fighters now. Don't be too suprised if it sometimes takes more than 1 regular Fighter to down BO's now.)

Half Track (TW):
++ can now capture Cities withou being consumed in the process (55% base move capture chance)
+ can spot Commandos at a distance of 1 square
+ can move into swamps
+ allows units it's carrying to move off of it without needing to be "dropped" while it's in "mobile" mode
+ can launch missiles it's carrying in "mobile" mode (it still has to "deploy" to launch Anti-Orbital Missiles)
- no longer has a mortar attack
- no longer allows units its carrying to ranged fire while in its "mobile" mode
- can no longer move over rivers
- drain increased from 5 up to 6

Attack Helicopter (AH):
+ can spot Commandos at a distance of 1 square
- attack odds against infantry type units lowered by -5%
- defense odds in forest / swamp lower by -5% to be equal with terrain defense bonus of being in hills

Engineers (EN):
+ "mortar attack" hit chance increased by +5% (can bombard Cities)
- supply drain increased from 4 up to 5

Commando (CO):
+ can move at a speed of 2 in forest terrain
+ siege defense rating increased from 10% up to 15%

Light Infantry (LI):
+ can move at a speed of 2 in clear terrain
- can no longer carry Artillery Brigades
- siege defense rating lowered by -5% (base 10%)
- ranged decreased from 45 down to 30

Infantry (IN):
+ can now carry medium non-mechanized indirect fire units in their non-deployed state
(Paratroopers, Mountain Troops and Marines do NOT have this ability)

Paratroopers (PA):
+ "rifle attack" buffed to be equal to Infantry

Mountain Troops (MT):
+ range increased from 45 up to 60

Marines (MA):
+ "mortar attack" hit chances increased by +5%
+ base seige defense rating increased by +5% (base 25%)

Helicopter (HE):
- can no longer carry Brigades
- attack odds vs infantry units lowered by -5%

Heavy Helicopter (HH):
- can no longer carry medium non-mechanized indirect fire units
- can no longer carry Packed Hovercraft or Deployed Half Tracks
(Their wide variety of cargo load and their ability to insert troops on the front line was usurping the usefulness of Air Transports. They still can carry any kind of infantry type unit and Brigades)

Sea Helicopter (SH):
- build time increased from 6/5 up to 8/7
(They were too "spammable" with a 6 build time)

Anti-Tank Brigade (AT):
+ all ranged fire hit chances increased by +5%

Artillery Brigade (EA):
+ build costs lowered from 9/8 down to 8/7
+ all ranged fire hit chances increased by +5%
- can no longer defensive fire

Light Artillery (LA):
+ build costs lowered from 12/10 down to 10/9
- can no longer defensive fire

Scout Satellite (SC):
+ supply drain lowered from 1 down to 0

Advanced Satellite (SA):
+ build time lowered from 36/30 down to 30/25

Armed Satellite (ST):
+ movement speed increased from 3 up to 4

Killer Satellite (SK):
+ build time lowered from 51/43 down to 45/38
+ movement speed increased from 4 up to 5
- supply drain increased from 1 up to 2

Mechanized AA / SAM (ZF / ZZ):
+ can now "bombard" move attack all air units (ZZ cannot bombard move attack full stealth air units)

Mechanized AA / SAM: Target Search Mode (TF / TZ):
+ hit chance bonus increased from +5% up to +10% vs "low altitude" targets (Helicopters, ground attack aircraft)

Mechanized Arty: Target Search Mode (TY):
+ hit chance bonus increased from +5% up to +10% vs "immobile" targets (Cities, dug-in infantry)

Frigates (DE), Mine Sweepers (SW):
- hit points lowered from 3 down to 2
(They were making Corvettes obsolete and infringing upon Destroyers with their toughness)

Heavy Cruiser (CR):
- carrying capacity lowered from 4 down to 3
- air search radar radius lowered from 5 down to 4

Battle Cruiser (BC):
- air search radar radius lowered from 5 down to 4

Corvettes (CV), Frigates (DE), Destroyers (DD):
- had all of their ground level ranged fire attack odds lowered by -10% to hit
(This is to make it less risky for these ships to make move attacks against each other into defensive fire)

Patrol Boats (PB), Missile Boats (MB), Gun Boats (GB):
+ had their movement ranges slightly increased

Gun Boats (GB):
+ anti-air ranged fire odds increased by +10%
+ "mortar attack" increased by +5%

Fortifications (FC):
+ can now carry Long Range Nukes alone with all other types of missiles.


<<< Other Balance Changes >>>

- Mines now have an 85% hit chance up from 75% and have 3 charges down from 6.

- Many other subtle balance tweeks too numerous to remember (+5% here -5% there)


<<< Other >>>

- A few unit definition errors fixed


Enjoy!

[Oblivion]

Newer patch. Hopefully this ends the recent flurry of patched to UltraDB.

[Oblivion]

Bump for new unit and new version.