While we progress on a new game of the Ultimate General series we offer to you another update, in order to polish and improve the gameplay and AI. As you have asked, now the game should be equally challenging by playing with both sides. One reason for this is that melee and charges are far more decisive.

Furthermore, with all the new changes, the battles tend to play more dynamically as well as realistically, so virtually anytime you play the battle campaign may continue much differently, according to the tactics involved and the AI opponent. And of course the multiplayer battles got extra care in balances that you requested. So finally, here it is the patch v1.6 and its contents.

Ultimate General: Gettysburg v1.6 rev.1185 (Single Player) / rev.11181 (Multiplayer)

Gameplay & Other

• Stronger charge. It should be more powerful now so that the cost vs benefit of a charge is balanced especially against artillery defensive positions.
  
• Stronger melee.
  
• Canister damage reduced slightly. It will help brigades to take down artillery batteries more easily and discourage players to bring cannons too much in front.
  
• Increased damage of some large artillery battalions (It was too low).
  
• Fine tuned morale so that units retreat not so often as before.
  
• Units retreat less far behind.
  
• Balanced Calef (It was an overpowered unit).
  
• Balanced CSA Artillery to be a little more effective overall.
  
• Fixes in targeting and LOS. Units now should make auto-lines, spot and target nearest threat without excessive micromanagement.
  
• Better visual appearance of brigades as soldiers scale and bend formations on the terrain.
  
• In both Multiplayer and Single player mode, units will shutter out of the map after more losses (previously maximum losses were 66% now are 80%).
  

Scenarios

• Fixed artillery units positions that were too in front in some scenarios.
  
• VP balances in "Conquer the Map" so that the Confederates can win by acquiring more locations excluding Cemetery Hill and Culp's Hill.
  
• In "Union attacks Benner's Hill" scenario CSA got one extra battalion of artillery and Smith starts closer to Wolf's Hill. Additionally Benner's Hill is valued more so that the Union is forced to take it in order to win.
  
• Balances of reinforcement arrival times in the multiplayer scenario "The Battle of Devil's Den". Now the CSA get early their units so that if Union overstretches too much is in danger to be flanked and crashed early on.
  
• "Pickett's Charge" Scenario has more duration so that the Confederates have enough time to efficiently bombard the Union.
  
• Reinforcement time tweaks for the first battle.
  
• CSA reinforcements may arrive sooner so that forces fight with each other with a way closer to history but also without large pauses of action.
  

AI

• AI improvements so that it is better overall. Especially when it attacks it should concentrate forces more and be more decisive.
  
• AI units should leave better distance from player and make effective fire lines that player will have difficulty to withstand.
  
• AI should desire to flank and execute pressure on weak points more successfully.
  
• AI will play more cautiously and engage its forces only at weak points of player's formations so that it has enough army throughout the whole battle campaign.
  

Confederate "Cautious" AI personality surrounding the player, making artillery lines and probing for formation weaknesses to attack.


Confederate "Determined" AI personality rushing to attack Peach Orchard with many strong brigades while the Union is vulnerable...


...Because the AI doesn't hesitate, the result is devastating for the player...


...Continuing the attack, the Determined AI keeps several of its units at safe distance while it concentrates at Cemetery Ridge.


Assaulting fortified positions such as Cemetery Hill is still very risky and can lead to enormous casualties, especially if the attack is executed vs a well prepared "Cunning" AI personality.

We would like to thank all volunteer testers who participated in the beta process of this patch and especially the following players:

Koro & YueJin: Both of them helped enormously to shape up the gameplay of multiplayer
1st.TN.Reg.Watkins: As usually he provided detailed reports and guidance for realistic gameplay
HammuRobby: Occasional feedback and rightful requests for a better balance overall
XCLBR: Reported some inconsistencies that were fixed
OLee O'Hara: Some very helpful reports about AI inconsistencies that were addressed
FraGG: Unfortunately he did not participate much as he would like but still was very helpful in all his reports and general opinions

We hope you really enjoy this update that was made to please your latest requests.
If you want to share your feedback then please write to us in our forums:
Game-Labs forum
Steam forum