Americans
--------------

- Cleaned up unit display ordering in the HQ building menu when Armored Company is chosen.

- Fixed a bug where Armored Company players couldn't requisition Armored Rifle Squads to support their tanks.


Germans (Westfront / OKW)
--------------------------------------

- Increased targetting reticle of Sturmmörser Tiger from 20 to 40m.

- Increased recharge time of Sturmmörser Tiger's rocket launcher to 9 minutes.*

- Increased cap for Sturmmörser Tiger to 4 vehicles.**

- Significantly reduced Sturmmörser Tiger's XP requirements.***


Designer Notes
---------------------

* Some research has revealed that even with the help of a roller-assisted, hinged loading tray and an internal lifting hoist, it took 3-4 people at least 9 minutes to prep and transfer a single 345 kg round from the internal rack it was stowed on to the breach.

** Due to the lengthy reload time of the 38 cm launcher and the tendency of the rockets to scatter at long range, the Sturmmörser was usually committed enmasse as a battery of 4 vehicles to increase the odds that long range targets could be actually hit. Point of note: When trying to counter the U.S. Army river crossings at Remagen in 1945, the 7 vehicles of Sturmmörserkompanies 1000 and 1001 were unable to hit the Ludendorff Bridge through indirect fire.

*** Considering the (arguably deserved) nerf to the Sturmmörser rocket attack's recharge time, this felt like a reasonable thing to do.

British
--------

- Revised Airborne Rifle Section slightly. The squad loadout is now comprised of 3 Sten SMG's, a Lee Enfield rifle fitted with a scope, a Bren Gun and 5 regular Lee Enfield rifles.


Germans (Ostfront / Wehr)
------------------------------------

- Updated unit formations for Jager squads to match that of Grenadier squads.


Germans (Westfront / OKW)
--------------------------------------

- Added a second platoon HQ squad type for Volksgrenadierkompanie.*

- Fixed a few display / unlock requirement bugs pertaining to Volksgrenadierkompanie.

- Fixed a bug where the StuH 42 lacked a dismountable crew.

- Reduced sizes of Volksgrenadier rifle and assault squads from 9 to 8 men.**

- Removed the K43 Carbine upgrade from Fusilier squads. Instead, the squad is treated as having the weapons already equipped. In addition, the NCO's StG 44 has been exchanged for an MP 40. Cost revised to 252 MP.***

- Replaced the Volksgrenadier LMG Sturmgruppe with a Volksgrenadier Feuergruppe. Squad loadout is comrpised of 6 StG 44 assault rifles and 2 MG 42 machine guns.**

- Updated unit formations for Fusilier squads to match that of Grenadier squads.

- Updated unit formations for Jager squads to match that of Grenadier squads.


Designer Notes
---------------------

* The HQ section for the Volks rifle platoon had a somewhat different loadout compared to that of the assault platoons, swapping out the StG 44's for the MP 40.

** Between September and November 1944, it was realized that the newly forming Volksgrenadier divisions would need to economize much further in terms of manpower. Even with the reduction from 9 to 6 frontline battalions (compared to regular Infantry divisions), there would be barely enough men to properly meet the 9-man requirement for each rifle / assault squad in those battalions, so the squad sizes officially dropped to 8 men. The assault platoons were revised slightly to use a modified Sturmgruppe that was equipped with a pair of MG 42 machine guns. This Feuergruppe (Fire Squad) was intended to provide covering / supporting fire for the rest of the platoon as it advanced and had somewhat better firepower than the hybrid Grenadier / Sturm squad that it replaced.

*** The term Fusilier is more of a honorific title to promote an elite status than anything else. Fusilier squads were essentially Grenadier squads (they were equipped as such) and were used much like normal infantry, although with more of an emphasis on recon / scouting and comprised of more experienced soldiers, with one squad member being a designated marksman / sharpshooter.

Americans
--------------

- M10 and M36 Tank Destroyers now have an ability that extends sight range for a short period of time. Note: Only available if the vehicle is not moving.


British
--------

- Achilles Tank Destroyers now have an ability that extends sight range for a short period of time. Note: Only available if the vehicle is not moving.

Americans
--------------

- Added an A&P Anti-Tank Section to the HQ.*

- Increased far accuracy of Tank Destroyers by 50%.**

- Replaced the HQ .50 cal HMG team with a Dodge 3/4 Ton truck armed with a .50 cal HMG.*


Designer Notes
---------------------

* The A&P Platoons sometimes had a dedicated Anti-Tank section (comprised of two 2-man bazooka teams) and a transport armed with a .50 cal to give the 3 A&P rifle squads some added security. The transport vehicle more often than not was a Dodge WC series 3/4 ton truck. Note: These two units are available REGARDLESS of the Company chosen.

** it would seem that U.S. TD gunners had some indirect fire training and were a bit better at putting their shells on target at long range than regular tank gunners.

Soviets
----------

- Increased rotation speed of T-70 light tanks from 20 to 30.

- Increased speed of T-70 light tanks from 6.25 to 7.

- Reduced reload time of T-70 light tanks from 7 to 5 seconds.

- Updated combat formations for Rifle and SMG squads.

Americans
--------------

- Fixed a bug where the Weapon Support building unlock wouldn't complete.


British
--------

- Added a "race" requirement for Tank Intercom upgrades.

British
--------

- Added ability to switch ammunition types to the Centaur AA Mk II.*

- Fixed requirement for building 4.5 Inch Field Guns so that they correctly require Divisional Support.

- PIAT Launcher upgrades for Paratroop Rifle Sections no longer require being in friendly, connected territory.

- Reduced Vickers K / Vickers G.O. upgrade cost to 30 Munitions.

- Removed HQ-level Nationality choices. Instead, the Company is for all intents and purposes assumed to be British.**

- Revised icons for various Commando call-in abilities for better identification.

- Revised build options for Royal Engineers so that they can build Weapon and Divisional Support structures.


Germans (Westfront / OKW)
--------------------------------------

- Fixed an issue where Fallschirmjaeger mortar teams had no speech.


Designer Notes
---------------------

* This should allow the Centaur to more effectively counter light armor and give it some added use.

** In light of the AI issues that have recently plagued Brits (possibly due to some AI tweaks Relic made to the core game), this was not a decision that I took at all lightly. Especially considering the effort that originally went into giving those options to players and that some players probably really enjoyed running as, say, Canadians. In the end, I felt that game functionality was more important than anything else. Sorry everyone :/

Global
---------

- Improved accuracy of tank guns at medium and long ranges by 10%.

- Introduced Artillery Training perk for certain vehicles and weapon teams: Direct fire at long range now only incurs a 25% accuracy penalty instead of the usual 50% accuracy penalty.*


Americans
--------------

- M7B2 Priests now benefit from the Artillery Training perk.*


British
--------

- M7B2 Priests now benefit from the Artillery Training perk.*


Germans (Ostfront / Wehr)
------------------------------------

- StuG III's, StuH 42's, and Sturmpanzer IV's now benefit from the Artillery Training perk.*


Germans (Westfront / OKW)
--------------------------------------

- StuG III's, StuH 42's, and Sturmpanzer IV's now benefit from the Artillery Training perk.*


Soviets
----------

- SU-76's, ISU-122's and ISU-152's now benefit from the Artillery Training perk.*

- ZiS-3 AT Gun Teams now benefit from the Artillery Training perk.*


Designer Notes
---------------------

* In addition to being fitted with rangefinders, the crews of these vehicles / weapons were well drilled on the concept of indirect fire and "shell drop"...and how to properly compensate for the latter via the use of rangefinding equipment. Prime example - StuG III's accounted for more destroyed enemy vehicles than any other German AFV during WW2 despite using roughly the same gun and ammunition as the Panzer IV. This is because StuG crews were considered to be part of the artillery arm of the military and their gunners generally had better long range firing skills than tank gunners due to their training.

Global
---------

- Reworked frontal armor on Medium Tanks so that they have 1.5x their historical values.*


* This is a continuation and extension of what I did with heavy tanks. The idea is that smaller caliber AP rounds (under 57mm) will have a more realistically tougher time penning medium armor frontally while leaving rear and flanking attacks more viable.

A far more realistic model for armor / pen is, sadly, beyond the scope of this mod due to Relic's hard coding of A/P rules.

Germans (Ostfront / Wehr)
------------------------------------

- Changed the loadout for paradropped Fallschirmjaeger squads to match that of ground-deployed ones.*


Germans (Westfront / OKW)
--------------------------------------

- Changed the loadout for paradropped Fallschirmjaeger squads to match that of ground-deployed ones.*

- Fixed a bug where the Special Operations Doctrine would lock out Grenadierkompanie squads.


Designer Notes
---------------------

* While having 7 FG42's in a squad is certainly fun and all, the number of FG42's actually produced and distributed was very low...less than 7000 in total. Compared to the StG44 assault rifle and the G43 / K43 semi-auto carbine, the FG42 was a rare weapon indeed.