For this week’s update will focus on a balance update for both points and combat stats like Shooting & Evade. There is also one new unit added to the roster, the GM Land Combat type as well as two GM Kai variants. Next week we’ll be releasing more Zeon amphibious units. All unit profile updates can be found on the downloads page here.
New Unit
The GM Land Combat type served as the basis for the Desert GM, both of them sharing the model number RGM-79F and the few MS in the Universal Century to use railgun weaponry which was later made obsolete with the advent of mass-produced easily maintained beam weaponry. The Land Combat type had an impressive six thrusters on its back and with it’s equipment loadout could easily switch between long range and close range combat. As a result we gave it the new “Attacker” combat role.
New Combat Role added: Attacker
In the past we’ve experimented with the Raid role, wanting to give it a bonus to movement, evasion then deciding whether it’s final bonus would be to shooting or melee. Since there were many MS that could lean either way we decided to split the role, with Raid focusing on Shooting and Attacker focusing on Melee. Several units were changed to the Attacker type. Additionally, all roles received a +1 Shooting across the board.
Points Update
Frame 2 & 4 received a 10pt cost increase. Many of the existing Frame 2 units received an adjustment to their equipment loadouts, either -1 Frame, Speed, Sensors or something else to maintain their previous cost while others simply went up by 10pts. For those who enjoy the Co-op Campaigns the noticeable changes will be the Gouf available earlier at Cost 50, Dom available later at Cost 60, the GM Kai and GM Command swapped positions points wise, the GM Command Space will be the Performance 4 Battler representative of the OYW.
Another major points change will be the Newtype trait. Since Newtypes often take the center stage in the Universal Century (UC) we’ve adjusted their abilities to be more potent but also more costly, so you’ll see the points for Amuro and Char’s units increase by 50, 100 or 150 points. Newtype II & III now give an Intuition ability based on the precognitive like instincts that Newtypes develop in life threatening combats. This ability reduces the Momentum cost to use Skill Defense but still has a minimum cost of 1, so it takes effect when you are spending 2 or 3 Momentum to Block or Evade. A similar cost increase was applied to the Evangelion units with the “High Sync Ratio” ability.
Balance Update
High frame units apply a bonus to combat stats (i.e. Shooting, Melee & Evade), the formula has been adjusted that the Frame bonus does not kick in till Frame 3. For most Frame 2 units you will see a -1 to either Shooting & Melee or Evade & Move, however, some of the Frame 2 units experienced a weight reduction so it will be a wash for them.
Across the board all units received +1d10 Melee which should add more excitement to both the Attacker & Defender. Weapons range 20″ or higher received a 4″ range boost. Additionally, the Missile Pod / Micromissile profile received a range boost.
For Titans weapons that were Power 3 (Beam Cannon, Plasma Caster, Sniper Rifle) are now Power 2. Titans also had their formula for Evade and Movement adjusted, many will have no change to Evasion but almost all of them will have an improvement to Movement. Unit profiles were adjusted for Pacific Rim & Neon Genesis Evangelion (TV). The biggest Titan overhaul was the Big Zam. As always if you’d like to share your experiences using or fighting against that unstoppable Tyrant please let us know.
Misc Updates
-Corrected error on Bigro Melee, GM Intercept Custom Shooting Accuracy, Guntank Evade stats
-Corrected errors on Beam Spotgun, Heat Lancer.
-Adjusted Gatling Gun, Incinerator, Raketen Bazooka, Long Barrel Zaku Machine Gun & Chain Mine.
-Adjusted Grenade launcher to have lower shots but an Overwatch ability
-Twin-Linked weapons give +1 to Overwatch Shots
-Lowered HP Bonus for Frame 5 units (Big Zam, Slattern)
-Removed the +2 Move bonus for Assault Frames 3+
-Added a note specifying that certain units can only be deployed in Space
MechaStellar 