Had some time to play, but as the next build gets wrapped up figured will leave bug hunting for upcoming version. Will give some impressions instead in the meantime, if that's ok. There were changes v21->v22->v23. We got HQs, for example. Unfortunately, can't tell apart from here, but I guess Daithi will have an idea what is or isn't a consequence of play across versions (eg. what is set at the start etc.).
1) Gang HQs 1a) In my play (started in v21), HQs weren't in gang's territories. Had one new v23 game for testing, all HQs were at home tiles (according to log).
1b) On cityscape the game presents the HQ+boss as a common lieutenant mission.
2) On bosses2a) A lieutenant becoming boss
Now this was a surprise. Thought I will put the whole church organization down in one single battle. We were letting them be, bugging other two gangs, except for a small detail of asking about the church CEO. The plan was to cut the head. All went well... and after knocking down the CEO, opened the gang intel screen expecting some congrats... Uh?!... a lieutenant promoted to a boss?!
Haha, well played!:) I suggest making post ending expansion: Shareholders DLC (cause those bastards are the real enemies)
In past there was a mention of recruiting lieutenants, I misunderstood it as specialist->lieutenant but seems it's to be lieutenant->boss. Starting to understand the gang leadership is formed by all of them. For some reason I thought we can bypass lieutenants, thus was giving them much lower intel value when musing in the past (happy to be proven wrong:)). So we have to put down all of them, right?
Went after the newly recruited boss. The game loads a common map. Makes sense, the new boss had barely time to look around, moreover to build a new HQ.
I wonder about how it's gonna differ going through lieutenants first vs. attacking HQ+boss. Guess the former is initially easier to reach and battle. On the other hand, perhaps the latter deals more harm early on. But depends on what role lieutenants play in the gang's prosperity.
In either case, am liking that we can choose our way.
2b)Sometime the game doesn't get the boss removed (and a lieutenant promoted). Guessing this was the resolved bug? I've taken down the church boss during v21 and a lieutenant gets promoted, then the next one. Tried to take down Mafia boss during v23, he stays.
2c)Interrogating boss: Right now when you interrogate the boss, it gives the same text like for a common lieutenant. Am assuming the end game is yet to be fleshed out, np here.
Though it makes sense to continue with Mafia as the underboss is up to promotion, and we all know what will happen next...
One thing: We're attacking their main facility, perhaps don't need to interrogate the boss? Can crack his safe or something... For example, boss+HQ can always give the highest intel possible on any gang we ask, like in rackets. But it's just a thought, prob. you have other plans.
2d) Interrogating newly promoted boss
Hmm, seems on the interrogation screen, the newly promoted boss is still a lieutenant. Now, either the interrogation isn't fleshed out yet, or I got it totally wrong in thinking that he got promoted:D (it may as well be like with the moving buttons, portraits just shift position up on the gang intel screen)... Anyway, if the promotion happened, shouldn't he start lvl up faster (or how the boss is) and getting bigger bonus?
2e) After certain date can't launch the battle with leadership. This goes for all the bosses, and seems for lieutenants too after certain later date (eg. Alex Mazlo, Aug 13, similar error, he is lvl31). Although we talked only the Mafia boss I guess all of them undergo the same coding, so probably it's resolved for all. Just mentioning for consistency.
2f) Specialists giving intel on boss
Recalling there were some changes, specialists starting to give intel on bosses, so unsure how it works.
Dunno if it's related to lvl or because there were no surv. lieutenants anymore, or I got lucky during v23, but was given by specialists all needed intel from 0 to 100% for the survivalist boss, 3 in a row.
The right one is probably a bug, the boss was in the offerings even after we had all pieces already.
3) RacketsInitially I wanted to see how goes targeting lieutenants so paid no attention to rackets. Battled two lvl1 lately.
3a) Gang intel screen vs. interrogation info
See pic at (2f), one facility with 50% is called "Unknown" here, while on the gang intel screen it says Training facility lvl 1. Could be handy to have this specified in interrogation too. If you have more 50% facilities - which one is which?
3b) Everyone from specialists up is willing to give info on lvl1 facilities, but I wasn't lucky at all on getting any intel on lvl2 ones.
Asked a church specialist about Mafia. He gave me only a troop lvl intel: crime info on a tile. At the time, had all Mafia leadership uncovered, but no intel known on their 3x lvl2 rackets (I know about them from the log). Then asked another specialist about survivalists (also already had all leadership uncovered) and he gave me info about their lvl1 training facility (but not about the lvl2 one). Thus am guessing specialists don't give info on lvl2 rackets?
But who does? When loaded older save and battled with the Mafia boss, you can see that he's offering me only one option on pic above at (2c). According to the log, think Mafia had 2x lvl2 and 1x lvl1 rackets. I got offered and answered only the lvl1 one (hm, what would he tell if there wasn't any lvl1 one?)
Uff, am more confusing than not. Hope there is anything useful the pile of babbling.