Changelog posts are never the flashiest reads, but they are often the most useful. Moreover, this one matters because it folds in the new Festung Europa material while also cleaning up older entries.
So, rather than being a dramatic overhaul, this update feels like a solid maintenance pass for a game that is still expanding. That is usually a good sign for a living ruleset.
Axis
The Axis get the biggest injection of fresh content in this update, which makes sense given the new releases tied to Festung Europa. Moreover, this section is a mix of brand-new units, platoon support, and a few targeted corrections.
- Added ‘Der Erntemann’ Oberstarzt Albrecht von Zögling
- Added Specialist Officer – Totenrotte Platoon Commander
- Added Totenrotte Medic
- Added Sd.Kfz. 501/1 Nachtzehrer
- Added Sd.Kfz. 501/4 Infernospinne
- Added rules for the Totenrotte Platoon
- Updated Bolt Action integration so units from Armies of Italy: Third Edition may be used
- Renamed all “Panzerkampfgeher” / “Pzkg” entries to “Panzerkampfläufer” / “Pzkl”
- Hauptmann Heinrich Gross: Medic option increased to +41 points
- Hauptmann Heinrich Gross: Additional Soldiers option increased to +30 points
- Nachtjäger Squad: Active Rift Enhancement clarified
- Pz.Kpfl. VII Heuschrecke: Medium Anti-tank Gun option increased to +40 points
United States
The American changes are clearly built around the Firefly additions. Consequently, this looks like a proper platoon expansion rather than a minor patch.
- Added Firefly Flamethrower Team
- Added Roberta Wells – Firefly Hero
- Added Firefly Medic
- Added Firefly Air Force Forward Observer
- Added Firefly Artillery Forward Observer
- Added rules for the Firefly Platoon
- Bolt Action units can now benefit from Arsenal of Democracy
- M8A4 Bruin Medium Assault Walker retitled to M8A4 Bruin Medium Support Walker
- M9A2 Kodiak Support Walker retitled to M9A2 Kodiak Close Assault Walker
British Commonwealth
The British section is smaller, though it still includes two useful clarifications. In other words, this is more cleanup than expansion.
- Superior Codebreaking clarified so Command Vehicles cannot combine it with Snap to Action!
- British Grenadiers gain Only Human, so they can benefit from nearby Medics
- Automated Carrier now explicitly can never be Pinned and automatically passes Morale Checks
Soviet Bloc and Empire of Japan
The Soviets sit this round out, while Japan gets a modest but meaningful tune-up. So, one faction stays stable, while the other gets a few practical balance nudges.
- Soviet Bloc: no changes in this update
- Imperial Japanese Shiboru Rifle Squad gains Only Human
- Battle-frame Anti-tank Team reduced to 110 Requisition Points
- Inago Medium Battle Walker Light Rocket System option reduced to -40 points
- Type 97-Kai Shiboru Chi-Ha Medium Tank gains clarified Rear-facing Turret Mounted Machine Gun rule
- Type 3-Kai Shiboru Chi-Nu Medium Tank gains the same clarified rear-facing machine gun rule
Final Thoughts
Overall, this is a healthy update. The Axis and Americans get the flashy additions, while the British and Japanese get useful cleanup. Meanwhile, the Soviets staying unchanged keeps the patch from feeling padded.
