Eastern Front is a free mod for Company of Heroes. Following the ethos of mimicking a Relic Entertainment expansion pack, Eastern Front has succeeded in adding two full new factions, the Soviet Red Army and the German Ostheer, packed with unique and exciting units to the existing armies - a feat never before achieved in the Company of Heroes world.

Report RSS Ostheer Update 8: Veterancy

Time to describe the Oshteer veterancy concept, hope you like it :).

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So, we have the last unknown part of Ostheer unveiled, Veterancy. Veterancy is a key part of any Company of Heroes army, making troops that survive longer being better. And Ostheer is no exception.

Ostheer has a different system than the other factions, however shares some basic principles. All troops in the Ostheer will gain veterancy in combat; by killing enemies. Infantry receive 'buffs' similar to the American and Russian Armies, however on top of this they also gain a temporary thing known as Blood Lust. Blood Lust is a short-term (10s~15s) change to stats, it's automatically activated, an indication that your squad have some lust for blood. Each time they get Blood Lust, the duration is lower to indicate that the lust is disappearing. Blood Lust has it's advantages, but at the same time it's disadvantages. Blood Lust pushes the squad to ignore all risks; dealing more damage at the cost of accuracy and allowing them to take more damage before being mortally wounded. However while the squad becomes much harder to suppress; it's lack of care for it's own safety makes it an easy target for enemy soldiers.

Meanwhile tank veterancy at first glance can be seen to reflect the Panzer Elite's veterancy, but in truth it's a lot more specific. When your thanks gain veterancy you receive the option to level up one of 3 specific crew members. Giving them unique abilities (such as HE rounds for some tanks) or passive buffs (such as increased weapon range or movement speed). In addition, vehicles also get a one-time use ability with every veterancy level.

The "Veterancy" rank "Ace" (Veterancy in quotation marks because it's not viewed as Veterancy internally) allows your tanks and marksman (only they can obtain it) to go one of two ways. One way is normally just an addition to the unit, in Panther's case increased offensive stats and in Marksman's case is the addition of some off-map artillery/smoke barrages. The other way is to twist around the gameplay, Panther's case is that it becomes a Command Tank, increasing stats of nearby friendly tank, and the Marksman can completely take a different turn, making him a proper sniper.

When an unit gets Blood lust, this icon "" will be shown on it's UI just for a few seconds, indicating that the unit has entered in that state. Blood lust should not be considered as a vet level, but as sub vet level of Veterancy 1.

Landser (Example Infantry):



* Recruit (Default)
- Decreased stats.

* Regular (Normal / "Veterancy 1")
- Normal stats.
- Medic Pack that is usable in friendly territory only.


* Blood Lust 1 (Lasts 15 Seconds)
- Increased Squad's Health.
- Increased Squad's Damage.
- Decreased Suppression Taken of the Squad.
- Decreased Squad's Accuracy.
- Increased Accuracy of Enemies firing at the Squad.

* Blood Lust 2
- Similar to Blood Lust 1.

* Blood Lust 3
- Similar to Blood Lust 1.

* Veteran ("Veterancy 2")
- Stat(s) Increased
- Medic Pack can now be used anywhere.
- Extra StG44 or MP40 (depends on initial Sergeant upgrade)

* Senior ("Veterancy 3")
- Stat(s) Increased
- Sprint Ability
- Upgrade for one LMG OR one Panzerbüchse (AT-Rifle).

Elite Units (such as Brandenburgers):
* Regular veterancy on start, does not gain Blood Lust.

Marksman:
* Recruit (Default)
- Decreased stats.
* Regular (Normal / "Veterancy 1")
- Normal stats.
- Medic Pack that is usable in friendly territory only.
* Veteran ("Veterancy 2")
- Stat(s) Increased
- Medic Pack can now be used anywhere.
* Senior ("Veterancy 3")
- Stat(s) Increased
* Ace
- Forward Observer (Artillery Barrage, Smoke Barrage and Box Barrage)
- or
- Sniper Ace (Sniper Camouflage, Best Counter-Detection, Slowest Camouflaged movement; receives a Scoped-K98; explosives; removes Hide ability)

Panther (Example Tank):
* Rookie (Default)
- Decreased stats.
* Regular ("Veterancy 1")
- Normal stats.
- Repair Critical Ability- Single Use
* Veteran ("Veterancy 2")
- Engine Overclock (Temporary Increased Movement Speed; Engine Burnout on end which results in decreased max speed and slower repairs)- Single Use
* Senior ("Veterancy 3")
- Critical Shot (Disable Turret of Target) - Single Use
* Ace
- Repair Critical and Engine Overclock available for unlimited usage, but with a munition cost. Engine Burnout no longer causes the tank to receive repairs at a slower rate.
- Stats Increased
- One of the following two upgrades:
- - Command Tank (Buffs nearby friendly vehicles)
- - or
- - Tank Hunter (Offensive stats increased)

Additionally, each time your tank gain Veterancy, you can choose to level up one of three crew members (with the expectation of reaching "Ace", which isn't viewed as a Veterancy Rank).
* Loader
- Level 1: Decreased Loading Time.
- Level 2: Optional load HE (Hollow-Charge for Brummbär).
- Level 3: APCR replace AP (Stielgranate 42 ability for Brummbär).
* Gunner
- Level 1: Increased Weapon Accuracy.
- Level 2: Increased Weapon Range.
- Level 3: Increased Chance of Critical Hits (eg. Destroyed Engine).
* Commander
- Level 1: Increased Sight Range and Turret Traverse.
- Level 2: Decreased Incoming Accuracy.
- Level 3: Increased Damage.
* Driver (Replaces Commander Crew Member on commander-less and turret-less such as Marder 2 and Brummbär)
- Level 1: Increased Moving Speed and De-/Acceleration.
- Level 2: Increased Turning Speed.
- Level 3: Decreased Incoming Accuracy and Increased Health.

Post comment Comments
shortandpoor
shortandpoor - - 240 comments

Very neat!

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Sgt.Kelly
Sgt.Kelly - - 113 comments

It looks like you guys put a lot of thought into this. :) Can't wait to see it in action!

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Euphoria_21
Euphoria_21 - - 488 comments

maybe you should change the name "blood lust" to "adrenaline" or something. "blood lust" doesn't just doesn't fit right. Then again, if the name doesn't show up in-game, i don't really care what you guys call it :]

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blackbishop Author
blackbishop - - 2,156 comments

@Euphoria_21
Yeah, that's a term we use to refer those actions and won't appear in any other place than in posts discussing about it :).

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Revo1uzzer
Revo1uzzer - - 347 comments

in German: Blutrausch

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happy81
happy81 - - 161 comments

cool

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AirborneSn1p3r
AirborneSn1p3r - - 3,137 comments

very nice, also very nice flag

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QuakeRiley
QuakeRiley - - 1,853 comments

How would one get decreased veterence? Friendly fire? Call-ins? Casualties?

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blackbishop Author
blackbishop - - 2,156 comments

Decrease veteracy??? I'm affraid that's impossible for Ostheer units like any other units in this game.

Remember that this vet is individual so, if you lose a vetted unit... is gone forever.

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aidas2
aidas2 - - 3,816 comments

So it's a mmorts now?

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BurroDiablo Creator
BurroDiablo - - 1,322 comments

Unless you can find a server with 100 people on it... uh... no.

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Redskys
Redskys - - 6 comments

lolllll

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SS-Königstiger
SS-Königstiger - - 150 comments

cool Landser units =) i hope there more an new ostheer units. But the idea is really really god. Like the ostheer, cant wait for the new update with it

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LethalDosage
LethalDosage - - 312 comments

Wow, that is indeed a lot of veterancy options for the vehicles. So they can have a max of 3 veterancy upgrades, but when getting them, do you have to upgrade each category (Loader, Gunner, Commander/Driver) seperately, or is each level only available for that level of Vet?

In other words, do you always have to buy level 1 for a category before you can get level 2, or is level 1 only available for Vet 1, level 2 only available for Vet 2, etc.?

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airbornefilip
airbornefilip - - 15 comments

Very nice. It would make playing game more interesting.

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Shadowmetroid
Shadowmetroid - - 393 comments

Love this concept! Great job Devs! :D

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daaNL95
daaNL95 - - 30 comments

so when does the update with the ostheer comes? im really looking forward to it. please give us a date :P great job btw

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Dzierzan
Dzierzan - - 820 comments

15th July?

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blackbishop Author
blackbishop - - 2,156 comments

@daaNL95
Yep, that day.

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sanmark1982
sanmark1982 - - 2 comments

nice one, really looking forward to it, but back on my previous question on EF 1.40 ver, it seems that the game crashes every time i launch the skirmish or multiplayer. What can i do to plat this ver. really need help and more power to the EF developers! ;-)

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blackbishop Author
blackbishop - - 2,156 comments

@sanmark1982
Thanks for your support.

Can you post your crash files in this topic ?
Easternfront.org

Its explained how to get them in this other topic:
Easternfront.org

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rduffy88
rduffy88 - - 2 comments

hi any updates on the ostheer? just the earlier post says july 15th

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Bontyh3ad
Bontyh3ad - - 2 comments

When will it be done? There are no new comments or news to find, I just wonder how much there is still needed to be done. Is it 80% done? Or not even halfway done?

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kuldeeprox
kuldeeprox - - 1 comments

can you make an addition like after gaining 3 or 4 Veterancy badge rifleman gives an officer which increasing accuracies of all friendly unit nearby as well as the officer can recruit more rifleman squad on field where he stand. Where as when artillery barrage unit gains Veterancy give an officer(inside artillary) giving more range of site and accuracy and in 4th Veterancy gives an officer(outside) who can call artillary barrage anywhere costing less resources.
Just an idea what do you say.

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