Total War: Warhammer Update 4 patch notes released

In the usual manner, Total War: Warhammer will accompany a DLC release (The King and the Warlord) with a sizeable update for the game. Update 4 will be released on the same day, 20 October, along with the free Wurrzag Legendary Lord (and a few new Chaos units).

This update brings the much-requested feature of AI factions being able to recruit Regiments of Renown to their forces. It is noted that the AI “will still be able to recruit them even if you do not own The Grim & The Grave or The King & The Warlord DLCs”. The front end Campaign UI has been given some kind of makeover too, “to account for new playable minor factions”.

As tends to be the case, there are a vast array of other tweaks and alterations listed in the patch notes. Here’s what to expect from Total War: Warhammer on 20 October. Also released today is a look at Skarsnik’s Legendary Lord skills.

UPDATE 4: NEW FEATURES

• AI controlled Empire, Vampire Counts, Dwarfs and Greenskins factions will now recruit Regiments of Renown (as well as other DLC units) in the Grand Campaign. The AI will still be able to recruit them even if you do not own The Grim & The Grave or The King & The Warlord DLCs.
• Added the Entrenchment ability to Dwarf Master Engineers. This increases armour piercing missile damage and physical resistance for the target unit, however it also prevents them from moving for the duration of the ability.
• Frontend Campaign UI has been renovated to account for new playable minor factions and improve user experience.

CAMPAIGN

• Fixed a bug that caused the Beastmen event offering a Gorebull or Bray-Shaman to not fire.
• Volkmar the Grim’s Staff of Command quest chain will now count both Temples and Cathedrals of Sigmar.
• Enabling AA on the campaign map no longer causes reflections in water to turn red.
• Pressing [TAB] on the Diplomacy screen now switches between the Strategic Overview and Campaign map.
• Fixed a softlock that could occur if the diplomacy menu was opened at the same time as a settlement is attacked.
• Fixed an issue that could cause single entity units arriving as reinforcements in Campaign Battles to automatically die post-battle.
• Fixed an issue that could cause a significant delay before the post-battle results appeared after Campaign Battles.
• Tooltips for AI Beastmen factions using Beast-paths no longer refers to them as using the Underway.
• Torches for units in raiding stance no longer flicker every few seconds.
• Removed ‘Zoom to’ button from the Confederation event, as the target faction no longer exists.
• Renamed settlements will now have the correct name on the pre-battle screen in Campaign Battles.
• Settlement buildings can now be repaired if a Hero or scripted event damages them again whilst they are already under repair.

BATTLE

• Improved attack animations for Volkmar on the War Altar.
• Spellcasters riding Corpse Carts are now able to fire Magic Missile spells.
• Activation audio now plays when targeting units with spells via their Unit Card.
• Improved several battlefield decals and textures.
• Unit HP comparison is now accurate when viewing a unit with a different unit selected.
• Corpse Carts no longer lose their passive abilities when near other allied Corpse Carts.
• Snow covered trees are no longer partially transparent.
• Maximum potential health on UI for units in battles now adjusts according to available replenishment cap.
• Water effects on roads no longer disappear when zooming in on them.
• Added text for a missing description of Mace Infantry class units.
• Throwing Axes now have projectile trails.
• Black Knights lances no longer fall out of their hands when charging or attacking
• Fixed an issue with Greenskin units getting stuck in gatehouses whilst routing in the Empire Prelude Battle.
• Flagellants’ weapons no longer disappear during their celebration animations.
• Beloved Son of Bretonnia and the High King abilities will no longer persist after death.
• Vlad von Carstein no longer uses shield-specific animations.
• Units can now use abilities on destroyed walls in Siege Battles.
• Corpse Cart loading screens now accurately describe their abilities.
• Units can no longer attempt to place ladders on destroyed sections of walls in Siege Battles.
• Improved the visual impact of breath weapons for Dragon units.

OTHER

• Improved audio for several units in both Campaign and Battles.
• Fixed an issue that caused flickering VFX after changing graphics settings.
• Fixed various flickering issues with portholes, shadows and unit cards when running in DX12.
• Improved quality of shadows when MSAA is enabled.
• Cursor focus is no longer lost in Multiplayer chat when clicking on another player’s name or when typing their name.
• Several minor text fixes and improvements in all languages.

GENERAL BALANCING

• Slightly improved the mechanics and strength of Frenzy.
• Increased the global healing cap.
• Tweaked custom battle selectable abilities (potions and costs).
• Crown of Domination and Hold the Line improved.
• New targeting system for Night Goblin Fanatics. They are now fired manually, and have increased numbers and damage output.
• Improved AI’s usage of abilities.

UNIT BALANCING

Empire

• Arch Lector -5 A
• Karl Franz -5 A
• Spearmen (all) -2 MA
• Greatswords -5 A, -2 CB, -1 Bonus vs Inf, -3 HP

Chaos Warriors

• Chaos Lord (all) -50 MP cost
• Chaos Lord (Manticore, Dragon) +6 MA
• Chaos Sorcerer Lord (all) -100 MP cost, +10 DMG, +10 AP DMG
• Chaos Sorcerer Lord (Manticore, Dragon) +4 MD, +100 HP
• Chaos Sorcerer Lord (Manticore) +10 missile resistance
• Archaon +100 HP
• Kholek +100 HP, +20 Armour, + interrupt ignore chance
• Exalted Hero (Manticore) +6 MA, +10 missile resistance
• Exalted Hero (all) +2 morale
• Marauders (all) +2 Morale
• Marauders GW – attack interval
• Marauder Horsemen (Javelins) -100 cost, -4 MA, -2 CB, +5 range, -4 HP
• Marauder Horsemen (Throwing Axe) -25 MP cost, +5 range
• Chaos Warriors (all) -25 cost, +2 HP
• Chosen Halberds -50 cost, – attack interval
• Chosen Great Weapons -50 cost
• Warhounds (all) +2 speed, +3 MD, + mass, -25 cost
• Warhounds -25 cost
• Dragon Ogre Shaggoth +20 Armour
• Dragon Ogre +10 Armour

Greenskins

• Goblin Wolf Riders (all) -4 HP, -1AP damage, – mass
• All Goblin Wolfs (Mounts & Chariot) -2 speed
• Orc Boar Boy Big Uns -4 HP

Beastmen

• Warhounds (all) +2 speed, + mass, -25 cost
• Warhounds -25 cost
• Ungor Herd +2 AP DMG
• Ungor Spearmen (both) -1 Bonus vs L
• Centigor Throwing Axe +5 range
• Cygor -5 Morale

Vampire Counts

• Direwolves + mass
• Fell Bats +projectile collision size (making it a bit easier to be hit)
• Grave Guard (all, incl. Sternsmen) -2 CB, -1 Bonus vs Inf
• Terrorgheist +10 AP DMG, +5 DMG, +hit reaction immunity
• Hexwraith +6HP
• Black Coach -100 MP cost
• Blood Knights -2 Bonus vs L, +2 MD, -4 MA, -2 CB

Dwarfs

• Artillery Crews +3 MA
• Irondrakes (all) removed 2s pump animation, shortening time to fire

Bretonnia

• Pegasus Knights -50 mass, -6 CB