Angels Fall First 1.01 preview: new melee, faster tanks, 64-player tests

The Angels Fall First team has posted a preview for patch 1.01, dubbed "The Fight Goes On," covering map overhauls, vehicle and weapon balance, networking improvements, and a new melee addition for Heavy suit users. Some changes are already on the closed test branch, and the devs note there may be more content included in the patch than what's listed.

Players who want to help test can join 64-player stress tests on the closed test branch during the usual Saturday Community Event time, around 7pm Eastern Time (UTC-4). From Steam Library, right-click Angels Fall First → Properties → Game Versions & Betas, then enter code saltmustflow in the Private Versions access code section.

A new melee addition is being built to improve Heavy suit users' ability to retaliate against knife play, with "more counterplay and adjustments" in the works. It may not be present in the closed test build.

Other combat changes:

• Respawning is restricted for 2 seconds after taking damage.
• Light Suit acceleration reduced from 1.17 to 1.1.
• Agility spec now runs on 3 charges, recovering one every 2 seconds.
• Assault spec is rebalanced as a general nerf with slower-decaying stacks: roughly 3 hits = 20% damage reduction, 9 = 40%, 21 = 50%, max 60%.
• Infiltrator spec one-shot protection now forces at least 5 seconds of armor recovery on break, and armor must fully regenerate for another charge.
• Leveling spec equip cost reduced to 0/0/0.

Handling and top speed changes target slower vehicles:

• LAV top speed: 100 → 120 km/h
• Turtle: 60 → 86 km/h
• Basta: 60 → 72 km/h
• Dhaka: 43 → 57 km/h
• Partisan: 57 → 64 km/h

LAVs are less slippery, less bouncy, and less prone to flipping, with slightly weaker boost power, higher boost consumption/recharge rates, and a small turn rate reduction. Tanks and IFVs get a 12.5% increase to base EHP before armor plating:

• Basta: 3600 → 4050 total HP
• Dhaka: 4300 → 4850
• Partisan: 5800 → 6500
• Turtle: 4600 → 5200

Dropship mines are now the anti-fighter variant. The Sturm gunship's main guns no longer penetrate surfaces. AIA PD drones can now target mines. Mine base damage drops from 300 to 250, and frag payload damage from 225 to 200.

The C30i gets a much stronger anti-vehicle role: max proxy damage 160 → 180, min 143 → 150, vehicle damage multiplier 2.0 → 3.0, and shell speed 4000 → 4400. Total damage per magazine vs. vehicles rises from 2,240 to 3,780.

The MLI's lock-on time drops from 1.5s to 1.25s, dumbfire missile speed rises 2000 → 2250, submunition speed rises 3000 → 3500 with tighter deviation, and the third mod slot is removed. The RID charges 4s → 3s, max base damage 200 → 150 and min 160 → 135, with the anti-vehicle multiplier raised to 3.0 so a full charge still deals 900 damage — a 25% DPS increase vs. vehicles. Its third mod slot is also removed.

Detpacks are nerfed: proxy arming time 2s → 3s, frag charge damage 800 → 600, ammo 4 → 3. Pistols get accuracy, damage, and reload buffs across the SM54, EVP, and UDP.

Lukather gains six new underground maintenance tunnels — five infantry-only, plus a large vehicle route connecting the grav cradle under the Griphon Corvette to the cradle under the new Y13 Novagare Civilian Transport (a static prop that blocks line of sight). Other additions include new cover near the main concourse, a maintenance path into the ATC tower, a route to the baggage area, and more spawn points.

In Incursion, the ATC tower is out of bounds until Phase 3, a second AIA drop pod arrives in Phase 1, ULA gets a Turtle, both teams get an extra Phase 3 gunship, and new doors mark the blocked tower until it opens. Territories gets relocated objectives and drop pods, extra spawn rooms, an IFV per team, and a second gunship per team.

• Irega Incursion: Phase 3 tank blocks LoS to LZ C2, interior lighting improved, stairwell near LZ C2 reopened.
• Territories maps: Errah, Fortress, and Irega gain secondary spawns, safer landing zones, extra cover, and anti-spawn-camping passes. Fortress gets two more capturable sensors (3 → 5).
• Majuro: Added fish, two new spawns, field gun emplacements, a new garage tunnel path, and improved bot navmesh.
• Meudeverre: Rejkhart Destroyers swapped for Heimdall Lineships to match Chons Lineships in combat.

The patch also includes numerous networking optimizations under high player counts, improved bot targeting and firing, reduced default match times, a Profanity Filter toggle, a Random Map option in map votes, tacmap orders now using command-wheel voice lines, and hints about muting players through the scoreboard.