Good Morning, Generals!
Welcome back to the weekly update! We apologize for the tardy nature of this week's update. With the seasons changing, as are all our schedules, we ask for a bit of patience as we start to cap off the year. Although we still have a boatload of content to bring you all, the point where 1.9 becomes feature-complete is slowly approaching, so be ready for the fact that there may be a few weeks without updates as we get closer to this point.
In the meantime (as stated), we still have a boatload of content to sail into your screens. So before this metaphor starts to sink, let's go full steam ahead.
Originally when the US Drone Control Centre was added back in early 1.87, it was done so as a unique bonus for the US faction. The original thinking of this structure was that it could act as an alternative tech path that would give players more options when it came to how they wanted to specialize their build orders and what units they wanted to focus on. Watching how players adapted to this separated tech tree really interested us, and although the Drone Control Centre was still seen as the
"lesser" choice compared to the US Detention Centre (
though many would argue this was more due to the drones themselves rather than the tech structure itself), we have decided that for version 1.9 every faction is going to get alternative tier-one tech-paths that each have their own unique bonuses and upgrades. Today, we are excited to show you the new Russian Tier-One alternative, the Infirmary, and its little flying friend, the Medical Helicopter.
From fine to wounded; from wounded to gravely wounded; from gravely wounded to dead or amputee. Mere minutes between each step. The basics of first aid, which defined battlefield medicine, had been gravely neglected in Russia for decades. Stories of horrible mismanagement and callous disregard for life, with few exaggerations, plagued the armed forces - until Suvorov.
The old mantra of "spare no man - the women will birth more" was cast into the garbage heap. In modern warfare, each soldier was an investment, the bearer of training and knowledge rivaling that of officers their great-great-grandparents served under and to whom the saying was addressed. Losing such investments to an unattended shrapnel wound was unsustainable for any nation, especially Russia. Suvorov's military reforms ensured a realignment of the Military Medical Directorate to universally acclaimed standards and procedures, not unlike those of their Western rivals. One key cornerstone of such reforms was the introduction of the Infirmary.
Designed to be quickly set up on the field, the Infirmary served as the forward resupply point for combat medics as well as a stabilization point, where the wounded soldiers would recuperate before being sent further to a proper medical facility by air. The presence of Infirmaries, alongside a general improvement in first aid knowledge, meant that soldiers were better able to tend to their wounds independently, reducing the strain on logistics and allowing them to stay in the fight for longer.
Russia's renewed presence in Africa was marked by these facilities being used for the distribution of humanitarian aid and provision of basic medical services to the people displaced by the GLA, alongside their usual functions. Much of the staff of the African infirmaries were natives; this earned them great favor from the locals, who enjoyed the benefits up until the Russians withdrew from the continent.
Render Description:
hanfield
The humble workhorses of the Russian Military Medical Directorate, these helicopters fly back and forth, ferrying wounded from the battlefield to Infirmaries, working around the clock to save as many wounded as possible, as fast as possible. Fielding a variety of models, obsolete for most other tasks, the Medical Helicopters are plentiful and can carry all the necessary life-saving equipment. Their low cost and ease of maintenance make them ideal for maintaining operational pace, ensuring that even the farthest peacekeeping mission or skirmish could rely on a timely evac.
The Russian Medical Helicopter is a purely visual feature of the Infirmary, patrolling the base perimeter at its own leisure.
Render Description:
hanfield
As I'm sure you can guess with the medical theming of the Infirmary, this tech structure is based around supporting infantry. All of the upgrades that affect the Russian Infantry (like Medkits and Advanced Infantry Munitions) have been moved from the Weapons Bunker to the new Infirmary. The infirmary is also cheaper than the weapons bunker and has less power-cost, so it allows players to tech up faster, at the cost of having to rely on infantry as their core unit as opposed to Helicopters like with the Weapons Bunker. Don't worry, though. Much like with the US tech structures, there are a plethora of shared upgrades between the two structures, so although the Infirmary is themed on supporting infantry, it's not your only option.
As it says in Hanfield's render description, the Medical Helicopter is a purely cosmetic addition. Originally, when the infirmary was first added, many of the team questioned if the helipad on the roof had a purpose. This sentiment was continued when the infirmary was first showcased on one of Maelstrom's streams, where much of the community voiced similar concerns. As such, the Medial Helicopter was added as a pointless but fun way of giving the model's helipad a purpose, and thus, it has remained so ever since.
So, that's the Russian Infirmary, and that's all we have for you this week...
All right, fine. I suppose seeing the update was a little delayed. You've all earned a little teaser of something coming soon, so here you go. Once again, we shall leave you to figure out what it is.
Have a great week, Generals. We will see you next time!
And please, if you're driving out there, driving safely doesn't always cut it. Always be on the lookout for those who 
