Loving the added depth in BA2 from partial damage and smoke. The missions are all fun (so far - about one campaign to go).
Just thought I would add my list of discovered bugs and flaws that have annoyed me on playthrough:
- Anti-tank guns. All it takes is one or two mortar shells, sometimes a couple of tank shells, and any AT placement is gone: guaranteed, fortified or not. This makes them almost useless except for ambush and I keep all AT guns hidden well, well away, only expecting them to destroy maybe one armoured unit (with several exceptions). This has been mentioned before on the forum but I have really noticed it throughout the campaigns. It also makes attacking missions easier than they should be.
- Achievements. About a third of missions I have played so far have got something wrong with an achievement - either I have been given it when I did not fulfil the criteria, or I did not receive one that I earnt, and even (in the first mission on campaign 4) saw the mission failed for losing an achievement. It's a reasonable criteria for failing, but It's only listed as a secondary objective, so it came as a surprise! I will start listing them as I find them from now on.
- AI. I remember the first mission in defending Kharkov (I think) that, although my forces are spread very thin, and my enemies numerous, the enemy just simply didn't bother advancing and any enemy can be distracted with a simple infantry ambush and retreat, as sometimes 5-6 units will obsessively blast a single square suspected of having a hidden unit in it. It's good for them to be cautious but it seemed a little excessive. Of course, being equipped with a measly 3 or 4 anti-tank guns which immediately get popped on the front line, I was expecting a very different result. On most missions though, the AI seems acceptable, and really - it's all about the multiplayer
- LOS. I've seen a few tanks firing over the other side of hills and such. This is discussed elsewhere on the forum in more detail.
- Skins. All Matilda Lend Lease units have been a blue, wire-frame, sci-fi looking thing going on. I saw it on another tank once but didn't take much notice. This remains when the unit is destroyed.
- Balance - though this may be down to realism. The Germans have a huge armour advantage, and sometimes in numbers too. Almost always strictly side/rear armour shots on any late-war German tank. If you're soviet on SP you'll win on bad AI. On MP, I lost my first unit (King Tiger!) by recklessly throwing it out after mincing about 20 soviet units. But also have won as soviet on an early-war game.
- cover and spotting - sometimes it's confusing as to which tiles can hide infantry and not. If a unit can see the tile, you get a question mark. But it you approach it, there is no way of knowing. The real problem is that I've had enemies spot me from cover (no scouts or firing). Enemies can always see an elite unit after a sniper attack too.
Of course, this is only 1.0.1, but the combined issues really show when lined up against the more polished BA1.
I hope this is of help, and keep up the good work on this incredibly addictive game.
With regards,
djddalton
p.s. really liked operation castle - the point-scoring system may be a way to add depth to some MP missions, as it has a great arcade-y feel to it.
Anyway, thanks for the link