[b]Greetings Wielders![/b] As summer approaches here in Sweden, we're excited to bring you our first update since the 1.0 release. And what is a summer without a proper Summer Sale? We are thrilled to join up with our friends at Triumph Studios and Paradox in the Rulers of Realms bundle! For a limited time, you can get both Songs of Conquest and Age of Wonders 4 at an additional 15% bundle discount. If you already own SoC, then you’ll still get the extra bundle discount on top of the ongoing summer sale price! https://store.steampowered.com/bundle/42811/ But, let’s take a look that the new update! It includes much-requested new features, a small balance patch, and some very cool new obstacle modifications. While we've been hard at work on these improvements, we've also begun working on our upcoming DLC Rise Eternal. [img]https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images//40723472/0a5dd905e53849f1fc9b90c6d4f6bdcf516b4397.png[/img][i]In case the pixel art isn’t making it all too clear: This is a traditional Swedish Midsummers scene, with a smorgasbord, pickled herring and flower garlands on the head![/i] Our latest update introduces a new difficulty level for our Campaigns, tailored for those new to the game and the genre. We've named it "Simple," and it's perfect for when you want to focus on the story and enjoy a more relaxed playthrough. [img]https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images//40723472/ac63dd726330579961bf8125e25805f07f789599.png[/img][i]And the difficulty levels are color-coded too, for convenience![/i] Another new feature is one that hot-seat players have been eagerly awaiting. Previously, you could catch a glimpse of your opponent's tactics and the map when you pressed the end turn, but not anymore. Now, At the start of each turn, the adventure map is covered with a dark overlay, allowing you to surprise your hot-seat adversary with your brilliant tactics. [img]https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images//40723472/02cfbf2b28ba8e817680e4713d7d5e8a0d96e49e.png[/img][i]You’ve got this, your royal highness![/i] We mentioned obstacles. We've added a new feature: debris in battle. When most obstacles are destroyed, they now spawn "debris" that prevents new obstacles from being placed or summoned on that hex. However, debris can be freely moved through, clearing it as you go. And added bonus is that it looks great! [img]https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images//40723472/3ac4c727d1d06f048673d834d8ee4d2945e49327.gif[/img] [i]This new feature really is a barrel of laughs![/i] Balance is a tricky thing, especially in strategy games, and Songs of Conquest is no exception. Thanks to our active Community, we receive invaluable feedback on how to improve it. Our latest changes are steps in that direction. Rest assured, this won't be the last balance update. But this is a list of balance changes for now: [list] [*] Essence shield protection lowered to 25% / 50% [*] Rigor bonus increased to +3HP / +6HP [*] Increased Impressive bonus to 15% / 30% / 50% [*] Increased troop size research of Bones to 3 / 3 / 4 [*] Acid Cloud damage lowered to 20 / 40 / 60 [*] Rupture t3 damage lowered to 220 [*] Cost of Chain Lightning reduced to 13 [/list]And is that it? Of course not! The list of changes is a bit too long to detail here, so as always, we recommend reading the full changelog—there's something for everyone! And, if you are looking forward to some more undead experiences, don’t forget to wishlist Rise Eternal which will come out this fall! https://store.steampowered.com/app/2977430/Songs_of_Conquest__Rise_Eternal/ As you can imagine, we've been quite busy since the 1.0 launch, but soon it will be time for a brief respite. Even in the cold Swedish north, summer is a time for holidays. We'll now be taking a four-week break, so our responses may be a bit slower during this period. But don't worry, we'll be back soon and ready to dive back into development mode! /Everyone at Lavapotion [url=https://www.songsofconquest.com/changelog11]Changelog[/url] [url=https://twitter.com/songsofconquest]Twitter[/url] [url=https://discord.com/invite/soc]Discord[/url] [url=https://www.youtube.com/@SongsofConquest]Youtube[/url] [url=https://www.instagram.com/songsofconquest/]Instagram[/url] [url=https://www.facebook.com/songsofconquest/]Facebook[/url] [url=https://www.threads.net/@songsofconquest/]Threads[/url]