## Post 1.1 Micro updates ##
Since the 1.1 release we've had two micro-updates to the game. They've been content additions mostly in preparation for upcoming Steam sales.

Here is what has been added in the past 5 days:

+ New Mission: Rigel III (campaign mission between missions 1 and 2)
+ Nexus Armor increased from 12 to 16
+ Armor build time reduced from 45 seconds to 40 seconds
+ Quantum Relay radioactive cost reduced from 350 to 300
+ Nova bomb Armor piercing reduced from 16 to 8
+ Punisher Hedavy Plasma cannon Armor piercing reduce from total to 8
+ Call Probing Force rate increase changed from 10% to 20%
+ Sensor drone rate increased changed frfom 25% to 10%
+ Couple minor bug fixes
+ Balance update to the Slow and Steady map
+ Reduced creep HP slightly
+ Moved the planets around to fit the new campaign mission.
+ Sentinel Armor increased from 8 to 12
+ Repair Bay armor increased from 4 to 12
+ Drone bay HP increased from 1500 to 4000

These are all data changes so it's still 1.1.
## New Units Incoming ##
https://draginol.stardock.net/images2016/Eradicator-Concept_AA2E/Eradicator_Concept_002.jpg
Both the PHC and the Substrate need more tools to execute more types of strategies.
The first two coming out will be the Athena and the Eradicator.
Right now, Substrate players end up massing Maulers. But Maulers are horrendously poor at the job they're being used for. Archers, which are cheap screened by some Brutes will wipe the floor with them. The problem is, the Substrate have limited options for trying to get through to deal with those Artemi and the odd Nemesis.
The Eradicator has a ranged beam weapon on it that is primarily there to take out at range Cruisers. It's not a sniper so it's not as good as the Nemesis for long range sniping. It is fairly poor against Frigates and its main weapon has no armor penetration so it's not great against Dreadnoughts either.
The Athena has a somewhat different purpose. It's short range but designed to deal with cruisers as well. If it can get up close to a Dreadnought it can do real harm but it's not so good against frigates.
The Athena has 3 different weapons but only one of which is accurate enough to target a frigate.
We expect these two guys to show up this Spring.
BTW, they'll be free.

## Building the Community ##
Steam reviews matter now. A lot.
They determine whether a given game will be promoted or shown to other gamers. If a game falls under 70%, it disappears from visibility on Steam unless you explicitly search for it.
If you read the negative reviews of Ashes they are mostly from people who feel Ashes isn't Supreme Commander. They are right. It's not. It's not supposed to be.
But, unlike Supreme Commander, Ashes is being actively developed and I hope people feel like we're listening to their input. Effectively trying to bury our game won't summon a new version of Supreme Commander. It just makes the game mostly likely to succeed it in the large scale RTS genre have a harder time.
That doesn't mean people should give the game a good review or refrain from giving it a bad review. Rather, it is to make sure people understand that on Steam, these reviews do matter and there are real consequences to them.
We had a game called Sorcerer King which has its fans. It's a good game. But some of our own fans who loved Fallen Enchantress nailed it because they wanted a Fallen Enchantress 2 not a different fantasy game. They got the game's review score under 70 and sales evaporated (because you couldn't find it). That was the end of that game. Now, some of those players have changed their review to positive (it's at 70% now) because they now see that SK could evolve into a bigger game than Fallen Enchantress given the time and resources. But it's too late. That ship has sailed.
Ashes is selling reasonably well and its daily player base is slowly creeping up. It'll probably take until the end of Summer for it to catch up and surpass the average player base of SupCom: FA provided that the SupCom fans give Ashes an opportunity and don't bury it before.
Even SupCom isn't SupCom after all. They aren't referring to SupCom 2 or SupCom 1. They're specifically referring to SupCom: FA which came out 6 months after SupCom shipped. Let's see where we are in 6 months.

## Overlord DLC given away coming to an end soon ##
In about a week the Overlord DLC and maps that come with it will no longer be free to new buyers.
Right now, when you buy Ashes, you get Overlord for free. It's added to your account.
In multiplayer, as long as the host has the DLC it'll be available to play. This is the plan for all future DLC and expansions. I.e. Someone who buys Ashes base and zero DLC should be able to hook up online with someone who has Ashes:Forged Void Alliance Wars or whatever and be able to play the game with them using all the units that the host has.
This will do two things: One, keep the multiplayer community from splintering and two, encourage people to play the game multiplayer.
## Single Player Content Discussion ##
Since release, we've added two new missions to the campaign.
When we see feedback on the game, particularly from those who just don't find the game fun, what would be your recommendation to win them over?
Please discuss in the comments. Thanks!

See you next week!