Offband offband-v0.18.0-rc1

(No CHANGELOG entry for v0.18.0-rc1.)

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Which file do I download?

File	What it is	When to use it
*-merged.bin (ESP32 — Heltec V3/V4, XIAO)	Full image — bootloader + partition table + app in one, flashed at 0x0 after a chip erase. Self-contained, works on a blank chip.	First install / clean setup. In a web flasher this is the "Full Firmware" option.
*.bin (ESP32)	App only — flashed at the app offset (0x10000); the bootloader must already be on the chip.	Updating an existing node — OTA / "Update Only." Keeps the device identity + WiFi/MQTT config.
*.uf2 (nRF52 — RAK, T-Echo, XIAO nRF52)	Complete self-contained image.	First install and updates — double-tap reset, then drag-drop onto the USB drive. (nRF52 has no merged/app split.)

⚠️ ESP32: the app-only *.bin will not boot if flashed at 0x0 — use *-merged.bin for a fresh install. A full erase / "Full Firmware" wipes the device's identity + saved config, so use it only for a first install or recovery, never a routine update.

What's Changed

• docs(#127): MeshCore 1.16.0 base-update merge plan by @Strycher in #133
• feat: Heltec V4 TFT observer build (always-build) + flash docs & tooling by @Strycher in #138

Full Changelog: offband-v0.17.0...offband-v0.18.0-rc1