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Hello fellow players! This is Kurtcos, from the DoWproC Public Relations Team.

Today, I'll be talking about Line of Sight(LoS) one of the multiple changes that DoWpro: DC to vanilla DC, aswell as other elements of the mod, as part of a series of preview articles we're doing previous to our first public beta of the mod, due for release in about two weeks.

In Dark Crusade, units tend to have a large LoS, being able to spot and/or shoot the enemy from very long distances. Also, Listening Posts have an increasing LoS with every upgrade you apply to them. This makes scouting and harassing fairly meaningless later in the game - nearly half the map will be visible with all your LP's built and 1-2 crits captured. This makes unit positioning much less important that pure massing simply because it is likely that the enemy will be able to see not only your army composition and movements, but also how you've arranged your forces. Thus it really comes down to just the unit micro once combat starts - the amount of work you need to do before combat is minimal because the requirement to scout is next to nil past t1 and the rewards of good positioning are few. The exception to this is requiring detector units to see infiltrated enemies but in many ways this is tainted by the cumbersome and at times irritating infiltration system of DC.

In short, DC's large LoS means that past early t1 and definitely by t2-3 scouting with anything but infiltrated units is a waste of time. This underplays the potential of players to explore and exploit scouting and harassment - a thrilling gameplay dynamic and also minimises the importance of positioning in full scale frontal battles.

In DoWpro: DC, this has changed. LoS has been massively reduced to a standardised viewing range for most troops. Only heroes and a select group of special units or unit upgrades have the ability to "see beyond". Not all of these troops are infiltrators and their role has been crafted to maximise this feature - their special skill of having superior LoS. This has some sweeping gameplay consequences. The established rule within DCpro is that you must PAY extra for superior LoS. LP2's have better LoS than LP1's - encouraging teching to increase your intel. To expand your knowledge of the map and the enemy you'll need to continue to invest in scouting specialists all throughout the game - failure to do so will offer your opponent more opportunities to outflank and outmaneuver you. In short, LoS matters and you'll need to think more carefully about how you expand and direct it. You'll have now more options (and indeed a reason) to scout, since they can remain unseen more time, and this, combined with DoWproC infiltration system, adds more possibilities to scouting strategies and scouting units.

Images (1 & 2): On the left, you can see the LoS of a tau LP(just built) and of a Stealthsuit (the one in the upper side) in regular DC. On the right, the same LP but in DCpro. Iit has less LoS, and the unit is a two-men Pathfinder squad (tier0 scout squad in DCpro). Also, note that that unit is in cover, and in DCpro, units in cover will have less LoS

As a special part of all the LoS dynamic, Necrons have a special feature, since many of their tactics are based around denying the enemy LoS. Some of their units, abilities and buildings (such as the all new DCpro exclusive "Pylon") project a "Blinding Aura" that reduces LoS of surrounding enemy units, forcing them to get closer to your gauss weaponry and flaying claws...Necrons indeed seem to appear out of nowhere in DCpro!

This results in a LoS vs Necron Anti-LoS match up and applies to every race, but you can guess that, for example, in a Tau vs Necron battle will be based on Tau scouting (ie with Pathfinders) to get better LoS and mark units for their artillery and long range shooters. Conversely Necrons will use their abilities(Solar Pulse) and buildings (Pylons, Generators) to counter those Pathfinder's, deny the deployed broadsides and Firewarriors a clear view of the approaching necrons, thus allowing them to get in close to the enemy with far fewer casualties and to get into melee with Wraiths and Flayed Ones

I think that covers the basics of the new LoS implementation - from personal experience it works very smoothly and naturally. You upgrade units or buy specific units to get superior LoS of your basic grunts and tanks - it definitely promotes a load more fun harassment and scouting all through the game. You'll have to believe me until you get to try it yourself

Lets move onto another DCpro feature. DoWproC's new models. As many DoWpro:WA players know, DoWproC includes some new models and some improvements, as random parts for the original models. We've got to thank and credit Closer To Codex Team for such models, and we hope to see their new creations soon (and why not, use some of them ).

And finally, to complement those superb models - extra blinged Fx's!! DoWproC has a lot of new abilities and events that need visuals to make you and your enemy aware or their use. Our guys at the DoWpro Content Team work hard to have new and cool special FX's (as well as icons!), so everything looks fine and correct. You can enjoy the experience of playing even more with many of the new features readily explained by auras and Fx's - no invisible "wtf" effects here peeps Wink! You have already seen the FX for blinding and for Necron healing by a Pylon in an earlier pic. However, there are many more: ork mob bonus, daemon morale auras, and tau shield drone aura

That's it... targettable HWT and Broadsides, with DC 1.11!! Hopefully in 2 weeks (more or less) you'll have a first public beta to play Cheers

Note: The custom maps used for screenies were: Sandstorm by Monorail and Antiga Bay and Bloody Hell by Listoric

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For more news articles like this, visit http://www.dowpro.netour website.

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