Operation: Firestorm
Gameplay - Changelog
This list includes most gameplay-related (not visual) changes in Operation: Firestorm.
General Changes
All Tanks – Rate of Fire halved, damage doubled
All Missile infantry – Rate of Fire halved, damage doubled
AA units have been re-balanced. Damage and range values should be more equal now. Also a new T3 AA vehicle will be added for each faction.
Additional Tech building added for each faction.
Aircraft has been re-balanced. Damage, speed and HP balance has been improved.
Rank limit is lifted. After rank 5 players can rank up to rank 21, which allows to unlock everything at max rank.
Rank limits for generals powers are set to 1-2-3-4-5, instead of 1-3-5
Neutral tech buildings (Oil Derricks, etc.) will rebuild themselves, after being destroyed.
Scout unit (Listening Outpost, Radar van) - vision ranges increased.
Fighter Jets – vision ranges increased.
USA
The basic USA faction – which is not playable, but on which all Generals are based – has received a number of gameplay changes from Zero Hour:
Completely new additions:
Tech Center – requires Airfield or War Factory. Provides various upgrades.
Hunter Artillery – available at T2 (Tech Center), basic artillery
Apache Gunship – attack helicopter. Fills Comanche's role.
Advanced Missiles – Upgrade. Increases Avenger and Patriot damage.
<classified> - T3 Anti-Air vehicle.
<more to come>
Changes:
Rocket Avenger – Airforce and SOCOM generals only. Less damage and cost; reduced PDL rate of fire.
Patriot Battery – increased damage and range
Firebase – increased damage and range
Strategy Center – requires Tech Center to be built. Increased HP
Paladin Tank – increased HP, damage and costs.
Aurora – increased AoE
Raptor – changed to a pure AA unit.
Stealth Fighter – uses bombs instead of missiles, increased damage.
Comanche – exclusive for Airforce; stealthed; stealth-detection; AA missiles. No rocket Pods
Colonel Burton – increased explosives damage. Armed with an OICW (very original :P)
Pathfinder – damage reduced. Available at rank 2.
Supply Drop Zones – HP increased, bugs fixed.
Ambulance – Replaced with a different vehicle that fills the same role
Spy Drone (Generals Power) – this unit is now constructed at the Command Center.
MOAB – exclusive to Airforce General
<much more that I can't remember>
CHINA
Changes to the (non-playable) basic China faction:
New Additions:
Hacker Outpost – 4-slot Internet Center. Provides protections for hackers.
<T3 Tech building> - unlocks additional upgrades. For now each General has a unique one.
Mortar Infantry – this never before seen unit serves as light artillery.
<T3 Heavy Tank> - unique for each General
Tornado Missile System – Heavy AA vehicle
Chimera Bomber – T2 Bomber. Creates Firestorms.
Iron Dragon – T3 Gunship-Jet, effective vs. ground units.
Spy Plane ability – available in Propaganda Center
Changes:
Redguard – received QBZ-95 assault rifles
Battlemaster – added machine gun
MiG – No longer fires napalm missiles. Gets Thermobarical missiles with upgrades.
Helix – Napalm Bomb upgrades is global
Gattling Cannon – damage increased
Overlord – damage, HP increased, requires Rank 3 unlock. Build limit of 6
Troop Crawler – now comes with a speaker tower
Black Lotus – can now kick (and kill) infantry
Nuclear Missile – increased damage and radius
Carpet Bomb – now a 3-level power delivered by 1, 2, or 3 Badger-Bombers
GLA
Changes to the (non-playable) basic GLA faction:
New Additions:
AT-Gun emplacement – new defense building, effective vs tanks (you don't say)
Secret Lab (name might change) – T3 tech building
Chameleon SAM Launcher – T3 Anti Air vehicle
Airfield – do I really need to explain this?
Hind – Transport and Attack Helicopter
MiG 29 – multirole fighter
Su-25 – buildable carpet bomber
New aircraft weapon upgrade
New aircraft armor upgrade
Salvage Upgrade – You can buy 1 salvage upgrade manually per unit (requires Junk Repair)
Jihad – new ability, works like boost.
G6-Howitzer – medium artillery unit.
Molotov Cocktails – Ability for Rebels and Technicals
Changes:
SCUD-Launcher – Rank 3 unlock, increased damage, decreased mobility
Stinger Site – increased damage
Tunnel – increased damage
Technical – salvage upgrades replaced with larger machine guns; decreased cost
Rocket buggy – added salvage upgrades
Quad Cannon – reduced damage
Bomb Truck – Disguise ability removed; added camo nets upgrade for permanent stealth.
Jarmen Kell – added Sabotage ability (works like a multi-use Saboteur)
Rebel Ambush – added RPG troops.
Black Market – money output reduced
Radar Van – Camo Nets upgrade added.
Note that this list is probably incomplete and also does not include each general's unique units and buildings yet.