Men of War II news & patch notes

Hi everyone! 

About a month ago, we made a poll about the ranked rating reset. To quickly refresh the memory, the idea was to reset everyone’s points back to the starting position to refresh the race to the top and how many points you get for every win. This was never done before, which made rankings a bit stale, especially for those who populate the top spots.

The results of that poll were overwhelmingly in favour of such a reset, 89% in favour, in fact! But we do not wish to create a band‑aid, one‑time solution, as it will eventually lead to the same problem after some time.

So what will be done? Now, the rating will be reset every 3 months, at the same time as the new league season starts. The first reset will be conducted on the 1st of March and will continue to be done every 3 months. So the 1st of June, September, etc.

This will allow for a far more dynamic environment and create new races for the top spots for those who are ready to face such a challenge.

And if you are interested in finding some partners for PvP battles, join our Discord server, where you can discuss all things MoW 2 or any other game from the series. See you there!

Hi everyone! Let’s talk about the League Points in Men of War II.

Since the release, there has been no reset of those, which led to a stalemate in the ladder. The top cut became permanent, and no amount of games by players from the middle of the pack could change that.

This is why we are thinking about resetting those points for everyone back to zero every three months, to add motivation for those who are striving to get higher.

But we need your feedback on this decision, as there was nothing like this previously in the game, and we do not want to add too much unwanted disruption.

Here’s why we created this poll: a simple yes or no question. Tell us what you think and help us shape the future of MoW II. link to the form.

While Christmas is already behind us, that doesn’t mean we can’t give you some presents!

Yes, this is a giveaway, soldier — with three copies of Men of War II up for grabs.

How do you get this present? Simple: just leave a comment! Tomorrow, I’ll pick three winners and contact them via Steam DMs.

Happy Holidays, everyone!

Full Change Log:

Critical Fix

• Fixed a bug causing the local server to not launch when it could not register with Steam. This prevented some players, especially in China, from starting games (both single-player and multiplayer).

Balancing Changes

• Pz.Kpfw. II Flamm Ausf. A "Flamingo": A 10-second cooldown has been added for reusing smoke grenade launchers.
• FOG Flamethrowers (including those mounted on the T-34):
  • Flamethrower range was reduced from 70 to 60 meters.
  • Reduced damage against medium and heavy armored vehicles.
• Single foxholes now take twice as long to dig and can collapse from seismic damage, similar to trenches.
• Reduced the maximum accuracy penalty for the Willys AT jeep's grenade launcher when firing through smoke.
• Reduced the damage of machine guns (without AA mode) against aircraft.
• Adjusted the calculation of crew efficiency effects on accuracy and reload speed for various vehicle weapons.
• Fixed flamethrower usage by soldiers — now they fire from a distance as intended.
• Reduced the distance at which infantry decides to engage in close combat.
• Vehicles now travel at maximum speed without requiring a double-click.

UI

• Fixed a rare bug that caused game loading to stop.
• Improved the responsiveness of the selected unit panel.
• The hotkey for direct control by holding a button (default: CTRL) is now rebindable.

Mod Support

• The game will insist on adjusting mod order if mods are enabled but set in the wrong order.
• The default_disabled flag is now ignored in the .info file—all packages are disabled by default (except those with the activate_always flag).
• Some resources related to humans and their animations have been moved to a different .pak file.

Editor

• Disabled recalculation of SceneExplorer lists after loading a map and when changing screen resolution.
• Clearing the road list now works correctly.

General Fixes

• Fixed a rare crash that could happen when dropping items.
• Fixed damage calculations for units removed from the map.
• Fixed loading of infantry units without suppression parameters.
• Fixed a vulnerability that allowed direct control of airstrike planes.
• Fixed a bug which allowed the M4A4 Crocodile to continue using the flamethrower with a broken fuel trailer.
• Anti-tank hedgehog debris no longer bounces when dismantled.
• Fixed an issue where all grass could suddenly rotate in the same direction upon location loading.
• Optimized the fuel tank explosion effect.
• Fixed the exhaust effect position for the KV-85 tank.
• Fixed the model of a destroyed KV-1S tank.
• Minor fixes in the "Death from Above" mission.

Firestorm Update

New Battalions

• Each playable nation now has access to the 235th Flamethrower Brigade. This battalion specializes in flamethrower-equipped vehicles and incendiary weapons. It features unique units not available in other tank regiments, such as flamethrower infantry in the first echelon or combinations of vehicles and Molotov-wielding troops.
• New battalions are also available for bots. Special bot configurations can be selected in the lobby settings.
• The new battalions are accessible in Raid mode after restarting the campaign.

New Units

• FOG-2: A flame-throwing support weapon that projects pressurized streams of fire.
• 125mm Ampulomet (1941): A lightweight launcher that fires incendiary ampules.
• T-34-76 M1941 flame-throwing tank with FOG-1: A medium tank equipped with FOG flamethrowers. Includes an option to fire from individual sides or unleash all at once with a special command.
• OT-34-85: A modified T-34-85 featuring a flamethrower mounted in the hull.

• Pz.Kpfw. II Flamm Ausf. A "Flamingo": A light tank with dual flamethrowers mounted in front.
• Pz.Kpfw. III (Fl): A flamethrower tank based on the Ausf M model.
• Flammpanzer 38(t): A flamethrower tank based on the Hetzer chassis.
• StuG III Ausf. F (Flamm): A flamethrower variant of the StuG III Ausf. F.
• Flamm. Pz.Kpfw. B2 740(f): A heavy flamethrower tank with an external fuel tank for added durability.
• Riflemen with Abwehrflammenwerfer 46: Infantry equipped with disposable flamethrowers. A new UI command, “Flamethrower Shot,” has been added for convenience, functioning similarly to grenade launcher commands.

• M3A1 "Satan": A flamethrower version of the M3A1 light tank used by the Marine Corps.
• M4A4 "Sherman Crocodile": A medium flamethrower tank with a separate fuel trailer (non-detachable for improved realism).
• T33: A prototype flamethrower tank based on the Jumbo chassis, equipped with the long-range E12R4 flamethrower.

New Map

• A new map, Sandy Path, has been added to Frontline, Combat, Assault Zones, and Tanks Only modes.
• The map is set in an African biome featuring new assets, updated environment models, and completely redesigned audio for the biome.

Classic Men of War Features

• Stamina is back. Now, the infantry uses the stamina reserve as in the classic games of the series. In terms of controls, the hotkey or a button on the Hotbar to speed up is still available, but for fans of classical mechanics, the good old double click will work as well.
• Added mechanics of the influence of the number of crew on the effectiveness of a unit. Even though in previous games of the series, only an indicator in the interface was shown, and there were no gameplay penalties. In Men of War II we have now made it into a flexible parameter system that allows to influence the characteristics of units depending on the number and quality of the crew. Crew efficiency is shown by the average efficiency percentage on the unit's structure diagram. It now influences:
  • Movement speed (Fewer gunners push a gun more slowly);
  • Gun pointing accuracy (Lack of specialists in the crew causes a gun to fire less accurately);
  • Gun reload speed (An incomplete crew and lack of a specialist results in a slower reload speed).

New Gameplay Mechanics

• Fire Extinguishers: Flamethrower-equipped vehicles now include fire extinguishers, allowing players to extinguish fires during combat.

Audio Updates

• Redesigned sounds for flamethrowers and incendiary weapons.
• New sound effects for MG-34, MG-42, Browning M1919, and DT machine guns.
• New movement sounds for the Pz III vehicles family.
• Added sound effects for fire extinguishers.
• Overhauled environmental audio for the African biome.
• Wind sound effects added to other weather settings.

Scorched earth

• Added applying soot to the surface of the ground after fires and incendiary ammunition explosions. Now the battlefield changes even more noticeably.

Visual Effects

• Optimized flamethrower fire and object-burning effects.
• New effects for ampulomet incendiary rounds and Molotov cocktails.

Animations

• Added death animations specific to fire-based fatalities.

Miscellaneous Improvements

• New background grass render
  • The original grass didn't interact with lighting at all and looked extremely outdated.
  • Grass casts a shadow
  • Grass now supports the SSAO effect
  • Grass now supports materials including PBR
  • Grass supports rendering distance settings.
  • The grass drawing tool has been improved. You can set the density of the grass model placement grid on the land and divide the grass into pools like with water.
  • You can now specify the density and scale spread in the grass pool property
  • Grass can now adjust to the camera position so that it is more visible
  • Background grass can now also burn.
• Render
  • Added smooth fading of grass and distant objects
  • Added burning of soldiers
• Wind
  • Added wind strength in the environment settings.
  • Added gusts of wind
  • Configured realistic grass vibrations depending on the wind strength.
  • Adjustable grass sensitivity
• Penetration marker
  • Now cumulative shells have a penetration marker similar to an armor-piercing shell.
  • For a high-explosive shell, a marker was not added, but a scatter circle was made, by which you can understand how effectively the current high-explosive shell can cope with the target. Will the damage be blocked or will the target receive all the energy of the explosion.

Infantry combat fixes

• Fixed a bug that could cause cover to be displayed on the client that was not on the server. The order to move to such cover was not carried out by the infantry.
• Added reset of the reload order by the order to move.
• Added reset of the reload order by the order to throw a grenade.

Infantry Animations

• Returned the animation of changing infantry weapons.
• Reworked and added new animations for kicks in hand-to-hand combat.
• Updated the animations of bandaging a soldier lying down.

Unit settings, balance

• Reworked the occurrence of fire erupting in flamethrower vehicles. Now, it is not a random event. The higher the caliber of the shell, the greater the chance of occurrence. Penetrations with small calibers have a cumulative effect.
• BM-13 and BM-31 received realistic horizontal guidance (angle value and axis position).
• Pz.Kpfw. I Ausf. C. Command Points decreased from 5 to 4.
• Pz.Kpfw. II Ausf N. No longer unmasked when crossing the front line, as stated in the description.
• M18 recoilless rifle. Reduced the radius of anti-personnel damage of the fragmentation grenade by 33%.
• Noise level display on the icon is enabled for infantry with rifle grenade launchers.

Special Effects

• Two new "cook-off" death effects for tanks.
• Added shell casing effects for mounted machine guns.
• New mortar strike flare effects for officers.

Models & Textures

• New models for concrete walls and large fuel barrels.
• New oil pump model.
• Desert textures were added for the trenches.
• Added new asphalt decals in high resolution and PBR materials.
• Updated textures for several Soviet tanks and trucks.
• Updated textures for Ferdinand.

Sound Improvements

• Randomized pitch variation added to sound effects.
• Improved sound panning for better spatial awareness.

Modding Support

• Added a material editor that allows complete customization of material appearances and the addition of specific settings.
• New or modified materials can now be added to mods.
• Mods are now required to add their campaigns and missions by modifying offline data. See the "mod_example" as a reference.
• The package manager now allows for reordering the application sequence of mods.
• Package conflicts are no longer an issue, as they are resolved based on the order of application.
• Lobby Mod Support:
• Lobbies now support mods, and remember the mods a player uses when creating a lobby.
• Upon joining, players will be prompted to enable the required mods.
• When starting a game on a local server, mods will automatically be enabled for all players.
• A mod filter has been added to the interface.
• Full customization of the out-of-battle interface is now possible through mods.
• Mods can add unique artworks for battalions and units to the interface.
• Mods now support significantly increased particle counts.
• A new trailer suspension mechanism has been added (used for the flamethrower tank "Crocodile").
• The zone flag in the editor has been replaced with a 3D model.
• Added support for lobbies with mods and passwords simultaneously.
• You can now add labels to mods that describe their features.

Interface Improvements

• Improved the appearance of sliders in the settings menu. They are now more noticeable and cannot be mistaken for other elements.
• Removed unnecessary notifications when exiting a lobby.
• In offline mode, lobbies no longer ask for passwords or visibility settings.
• Added the ability to report another player's behavior to a moderator.
• The Code of Conduct has been added to the text of the license agreement.

Miscellaneous Fixes

• The WASD camera movement speed now uses the game settings value.
• Budget data is now included in-game save files.
• Fixed how destroyed by fire vehicles are tracked in the statistics.
• The render distance for vehicles has been increased.
• Objects at maximum render distance now fade out smoothly instead of disappearing abruptly.
• Officers and Storm Pioneer Commanders now have a special icon on the minimap.
• Bots can now effectively use officers, with the 23rd Reconnaissance Regiment bot utilizing them the most actively.
• Fixed some gaps in unit information within the battalion constructor.
• Fixed an exploit that allowed players to kill allies using a fuel truck with barrels.
• Fixed an exploit that allowed players to disembark paratroopers from an airplane via the crew panel.
• Fixed the number of crew for the M1 anti-aircraft gun.
• Added display of punishments (bans, mutes) in the game menu as a bar at the top with the type of punishment displayed.
• Fixed tracks of Sdkfz251c.
• T-34 mine trawl suspension operation has been improved.
• Minor fixes to the American campaign maps.

What’s Coming in the Next Update:

🔥 New Flamethrower Tanks for all three in-game nations:

• T-34-76 M1941 with FOG flamethrowers.
• OT-34-85

• Pz.Kpfw. II Flamm Ausf. A "Flamingo".
• Pz.Kpfw. III (Fl).

• M3A1 "Satan".
• M4A4 "Sherman Crocodile".
• And more units that will be revealed upon the update’s release!

More Than Just Firepower 🔥⚔️

Key Improvements:

• Modding Tools: A material shader editor will be added, unlocking limitless creative possibilities for modders.
• Dynamic Grass: Grass will burn, support AO shading, and feature PBR materials. The grass editor will be improved with randomized scaling and positioning, allowing for more diverse and unique landscapes.
• Realistic Wind Effects: The environment settings will feature 11 levels of wind intensity, creating more lifelike vegetation movement.
• Firefighting Mechanic: Some vehicles will be equipped with firefighting tools to prevent the loss of valuable units, with a dedicated button added to the battle panel.
• Visual Upgrades for Burned Units: Infantry units affected by fire will visually display the devastating effects, emphasizing the raw destructive power of flamethrowers.

Big Update Coming Soon!

• The number of crew members will affect the combat efficiency of vehicles
• Reworked stamina system for infantry
• New technology for rendering grass
• The ability to choose mods for a lobbies
• Improved grass editing tools and material scheme editor for the modding community
• Various bug fixes

Steam Autumn Sale & Awards Nominations

Changes Made Based on the Open Beta:

General fixes

• Moved the Steam overlay notification to the top left corner
• Fixed crashes on a specific trench action, when changing the aim mode, and various other rare instances
• Fixed an abnormal movement of steering wheels on vehicles
• Fixed an issue with the report dialog (by pressing the F5 key in UI)
• Added missing localization texts
• Game will now ignore special characters (like \n) in players' names

Offline Mode

• Fixed a missing wreath / portrait in offline mode
• Fixed issues with starting modded missions in offline mode
• Added cleanup of expired sessions in offline mode
• Fixed issues with purchasing units in offline mode
• Fixed the ability to return to a match after client crash in offline mode
• Fixed issues with offline lobbies used to run missions
• Fixed the inability to select a battalion in offline mode for the combined arms mode
• Fixed missing commanders in offline mode
• When switching to offline mode, player will be correctly redirected to a part of the menu which is available in the offline mode

Notable Changes for Modders:

• Added interaction condition game_mode
• Moved all offline settings from /interface/metagame/offline to /backend folder
• Added automatic version calculation for offline settings
• Added filtering of commanders from disabled offline packages

What is included in the update?

Offline Mode

Steel Rain Content Update

New Content

New Gameplay Mechanics

• Added game speed control in singleplayer; now this feature is available in any game where the player is alone. Including in Conquest, Raids or even a custom lobby with bots.
• Added a "turbo mode" in single-player games; now the simulation of the game world will be calculated as quickly as the computer's performance allows, significantly improving the quality of simulation, especially on powerful PCs. We expect almost everyone to notice a somewhat less “arcadey” feel of the game, however.
• Added the ability to select Competitive or Realism settings at the start of a single-player game.
• Added inventory sharing system for looting. A wide range of grenades and ammunition is shared, including disposable grenade launchers (panzerfausts). Items and ammunition are evenly distributed within one hotgroup between infantrymen within a radius of 20 meters from the looting location.
• Added inventory inspection by guns (a gun can be ordered to inspect a container).
• Artillery Spotters now give bonuses to mortar fire. The aiming bonus is not as significant as for howitzers, but it opens up new tactical possibilities.
• Orders to fire on positions now work more ammunition types; you can now order to shell enemy positions with phosphorus, shrapnel, smoke or fragmentation shells, not only high-explosive.
• Self-propelled mortars M4 and Sdkfz 251/2 received a new type of ammunition - the Illumination Shell. It has a limited range, but reveals the fog of war in a noticeable radius. We hope these units will now become useful as support in your offensive operations.
• Air defense guns now show the radius of their automatic fire on aircraft highlighted on the minimap. This will allow you to better understand what area the gun covers when choosing a position for it.
• You can also highlight the return fire radius of any selected unit on the minimap - just press down the "alt" button and look at the minimap. This is especially convenient in realistic battle settings when all guns have a limited fire radius and you need to understand how close you need to get to the front.

Changes to Multiplayer and Match-making

• We have reworked the display of players in a match-making queue, now a lot of additional information will be displayed - the number of players in different geographical regions, with different MMR ratings, the ratio of different types of battalions being used...
• Reworked scoring in PVP - the amount of points for winning and losing will be approximately the same.
• Improved stability of connection with the server

Visual Improvements and New Effects

• A new air refraction effect - explosions now look more immersive due to the fact that the blast wave displayed in this way corresponds to the spread of damage. A haze of warm air is now visible above a fire.
• New technology for creating special effects of reactive gases - now, instead of individual clouds, you can make a stretched trail or a three-dimensional translucent pipe. This makes it possible to achieve a more realistic and detailed effect regardless of the camera position.
• Improved overlay of blood special effects on different surfaces.
• Added a more noticeable effect for hitting sandbags for improved feedback.
• PBR textures added to M3A1 Stuart, M4A4 Sherman, Pz I B, Pz III Ausf N, Pz B2, Marder 2, Ot-34, Stug 3F and Dodge WC family of vehicles.
• Added reflections of particles in water
• Added shadows on particles
• Fixed the imposition of shadows from the landscape
• Reworked settings for reflections and shadows in the game options
• Added smooth fading of light sources at a distance
• New piers design on the Port map.

Sound Effects Improvements

• Transport and armored vehicles have received a new sound scheme and pleasant idle sounds of the engine purr.
• New sounds of incoming artillery shells - different calibers now have different sounds.
• Sounds of incoming rocket projectiles have been added.
• New movement sound for the Sd Kfz 251 family.
• New sounds of rocket salvos for MLRS.
• Sounds of opening and closing doors have been added to cars.
• New sound of the RS-82 missile flight.
• New sounds for the Willys vehicle family.
• New sounds for the GMC truck family.
• New sounds of movement for the T-60 tank.

Unit Rebalancing

• Willys 50 cal. Combat rating increased from 17 to 20
• Flamethrowers. Combat rating decreased from 9 to 6
• American riflemen and veteran riflemen. Smoke grenade added.
• Slugger and Hellcat. Increased unmasking value after firing and the radius of the noise zone that must be left to avoid detection.
• Stug 3 Ausf B, Sdkfz 251/9 and M8(SPG). Increased accuracy at a distance of up to 70 meters.
• Regimental guns M1927, M1943, LeIg 18 and recoilless rifle LG-40 - slot capacity increased from 3 to 4
• Maxson - combat rating increased from 14 to 21
• M16 (Spaag) - combat rating increased from 17 to 24
• F-22 gun - reload time increased by 0.5 seconds.
• Browning M2 (mounted machine gun) - combat rating decreased from 9 to 6
• Sdkfz 251/16 Combat rating increased from 25 to 30.
• USSR M3 APC. Combat rating decreased from 39 to 36.
• USSR M2 APC. Combat rating decreased from 50 to 49 (Soviet APCs are cheaper due to the difference in the armament of motorized riflemen).
• Sdkfz 251 Ausf C APC. Combat rating decreased from 39 to 35.
• Sdkfz 251/10 APC. Turret rotation speed slightly increased.
• Sdkfz 221. Accuracy penalty on the move decreased.
• All rocket launchers. Accuracy penalty when aiming the gun increased. This was done to shift the role of the MLRS from killing single high-priority targets to the artillery preparation gun.
• Nebelwerfer stationary MLRS - coupling time decreased from 10 to 8 seconds.
• BS-3 Accuracy at a distance of 120+ meters decreased.
• The control radius of the wooden and concrete pillboxes has been decreased. Now it is only 5 meters larger than that of a regular house.
• The control radius of the dugout has been decreased. From 50 to 35 meters.
• Stormpioners. The discount in the engineer regiment has been reduced from 60% to 20%.
• The armor of wooden towers has been reduced so that they can be penetrated more easily by small arms.

Improvements to the Editor

• Added the ability to customize element texmods in the Folliage brush.
• Added the ability to load what you have been working on recently (Load Recent) in the map/mission loading window.
• Added the ability to cover the map with a reference decal in the landscape editor.
• Reworked the height map panel in the editor
• Added export / import of the height map with maximum accuracy for working with external programs

Various Other Improvements and Fixes

• Fixed camera rotation to the cursor when switching to the TPS mod. Now the camera after switching to the TPS mod looks either at the scatter circle or at the course of the vehicle (if there is no weapon).
• Added selection of the settings module in the mission launch window. Now you do not need to go to the options and forcibly enable or disable the package with realistic settings.
• Significantly improved fps lock accuracy in settings
• Added ability to quickly switch between game settings presets
• Added ability to load .png images with palette
• Reworked logic for applying packages
• Increased the maximum number of corpses and vehicle wrecks on the battlefield.
• Closed a vulnerability that allowed airstrikes to be carried out while flying behind the map. Now the air defense will get the aircraft there too.
• The circular menu of orders is no longer called for aircraft and supporting infantry (medics/engineers/miners).
• Fixed a vulnerability allowing infantry to walk through walls using the house entry command.
• Fixed setting vehicles on fire by penetrating the tracks with Armor-Piercing Incendiary Tracer Rounds.
• Improved the script for detonating an MLRS where launcher is not armored. If the launcher is loaded and is affected by a shock wave, or a direct hit by a shell occurs, the ammunition will detonate.
• Fixed the placement of the 5th soldier on the armor of the Sherman M4A1 for tank landing.
• Fixed a bug due to which smoke grenades of tanks could not be armed on stones.
• Fixed the effect of the course machine gun on the assault tiger.
• Fixed problems with the spawning of craters with incorrect textures or lighting for different biomes.
• Fixed hostile empty houses in the Minsk mission.
• Increased the starting CP (Command Points) in Special PVE modes.
• Raid for the USSR. Fixed a bug due to which mission branches were blocked.
• Medical equipment added to Raid and Conquest campaign technologies.
• Fixed a number of bugs with daily tasks.
• Updated league rewards
• Removed the ability to recall a unit to the rear in missions where there is no way to call them back

• 50.2% voted for releasing the update as soon as possible
• 37.6% would rather wait with the release until progress sharing is ready
• 12.2% were fine with either choice

Why an Open Beta?

How to access the update beta?

What is included in the update?

Offline Mode

New Content

New Gameplay Mechanics

• Added game speed control in singleplayer; now this feature is available in any game where the player is alone. Including in Conquest, Raids or even a custom lobby with bots.
• Added a "turbo mode" in single-player games; now the simulation of the game world will be calculated as quickly as the computer's performance allows, significantly improving the quality of simulation, especially on powerful PCs. We expect almost everyone to notice a somewhat less “arcadey” feel of the game, however.
• Added the ability to select Competitive or Realism settings at the start of a single-player game.
• Added inventory sharing system for looting. A wide range of grenades and ammunition is shared, including disposable grenade launchers (panzerfausts). Items and ammunition are evenly distributed within one hotgroup between infantrymen within a radius of 20 meters from the looting location.
• Added inventory inspection by guns (a gun can be ordered to inspect a container).
• Artillery Spotters now give bonuses to mortar fire. The aiming bonus is not as significant as for howitzers, but it opens up new tactical possibilities.
• Orders to fire on positions now work more ammunition types; you can now order to shell enemy positions with phosphorus, shrapnel, smoke or fragmentation shells, not only high-explosive.
• Self-propelled mortars M4 and Sdkfz 251/2 received a new type of ammunition - the Illumination Shell. It has a limited range, but reveals the fog of war in a noticeable radius. We hope these units will now become useful as support in your offensive operations.
• Air defense guns now show the radius of their automatic fire on aircraft highlighted on the minimap. This will allow you to better understand what area the gun covers when choosing a position for it.
• You can also highlight the return fire radius of any selected unit on the minimap - just press down the "alt" button and look at the minimap. This is especially convenient in realistic battle settings when all guns have a limited fire radius and you need to understand how close you need to get to the front.

Changes to Multiplayer and Match-making

• We have reworked the display of players in a match-making queue, now a lot of additional information will be displayed - the number of players in different geographical regions, with different MMR ratings, the ratio of different types of battalions being used...
• Reworked scoring in PVP - the amount of points for winning and losing will be approximately the same.
• Updated network library. (improved stability of connection with the server)

Visual Improvements and New Effects

• A new air refraction effect - explosions now look more immersive due to the fact that the blast wave displayed in this way corresponds to the spread of damage. A haze of warm air is now visible above a fire.
• New technology for creating special effects of reactive gases - now, instead of individual clouds, you can make a stretched trail or a three-dimensional translucent pipe. This makes it possible to achieve a more realistic and detailed effect regardless of the camera position.
• Improved overlay of blood special effects on different surfaces.
• Added a more noticeable effect for hitting sandbags for improved feedback.
• PBR textures added to M3A1 Stuart, M4A4 Sherman, Pz I B, Pz III Ausf N, Pz B2, Marder 2, Ot-34, Stug 3F and Dodge WC family of vehicles.
• Added reflections of particles in water
• Added shadows on particles
• Fixed the imposition of shadows from the landscape
• Reworked settings for reflections and shadows in the game options
• Added smooth fading of light sources at a distance
• New piers design on the Port map.

Sound Effects Improvements

• Transport and armored vehicles have received a new sound scheme and pleasant idle sounds of the engine purr.
• New sounds of incoming artillery shells - different calibers now have different sounds.
• Sounds of incoming rocket projectiles have been added.
• New movement sound for the Sd Kfz 251 family.
• New sounds of rocket salvos for MLRS.
• Sounds of opening and closing doors have been added to cars.
• New sound of the RS-82 missile flight.
• New sounds for the Willys vehicle family.
• New sounds for the GMC truck family.
• New sounds of movement for the T-60 tank.

Unit Rebalancing

• Willys 50 cal. Combat rating increased from 17 to 20
• Flamethrowers. Combat rating decreased from 9 to 6
• American riflemen and veteran riflemen. Smoke grenade added.
• Slugger and Hellcat. Increased unmasking value after firing and the radius of the noise zone that must be left to avoid detection.
• Stug 3 Ausf B, Sdkfz 251/9 and M8(SPG). Increased accuracy at a distance of up to 70 meters.
• Regimental guns M1927, M1943, LeIg 18 and recoilless rifle LG-40 - slot capacity increased from 3 to 4
• Maxson - combat rating increased from 14 to 21
• M16 (Spaag) - combat rating increased from 17 to 24
• F-22 gun - reload time increased by 0.5 seconds.
• Browning M2 (mounted machine gun) - combat rating decreased from 9 to 6
• Sdkfz 251/16 Combat rating increased from 25 to 30.
• USSR M3 APC. Combat rating increased from 39 to 36.
• USSR M2 APC. Combat rating increased from 50 to 49 (Soviet APCs are cheaper due to the difference in the armament of motorized riflemen).
• Sdkfz 251 Ausf C APC. Combat rating decreased from 39 to 35.
• Sdkfz 251/10 APC. Turret rotation speed slightly increased.
• Sdkfz 221. Accuracy penalty on the move decreased.
• All rocket launchers. Accuracy penalty when aiming the gun increased. This was done to shift the role of the MLRS from killing single high-priority targets to the artillery preparation gun.
• Nebelwerfer stationary MLRS - coupling time decreased from 10 to 8 seconds.
• BS-3 Accuracy at a distance of 120+ meters decreased.
• The control radius of the wooden and concrete pillboxes has been decreased. Now it is only 5 meters larger than that of a regular house.
• The control radius of the dugout has been decreased. From 50 to 35 meters.
• Stormpioners. The discount in the engineer regiment has been reduced from 60% to 20%.
• The armor of wooden turrets has been reduced so that they can be penetrated more easily by small arms.

Improvements to the Editor

• Added the ability to customize element texmods in the Folliage brush.
• Added the ability to load what you have been working on recently (Load Recent) in the map/mission loading window.
• Added the ability to cover the map with a reference decal in the landscape editor.
• Reworked the height map panel in the editor
• Added export / import of the height map with maximum accuracy for working with external programs

Various Other Improvements and Fixes

• Fixed camera rotation to the cursor when switching to the TPS mod. Now the camera after switching to the TPS mod looks either at the scatter circle or at the course of the vehicle (if there is no weapon).
• Added selection of the settings module in the mission launch window. Now you do not need to go to the options and forcibly enable or disable the package with realistic settings.
• Significantly improved fps lock accuracy in settings
• Added ability to quickly switch between game settings presets
• Added ability to load .png images with palette
• Reworked logic for applying packages
• Increased the maximum number of corpses and vehicle wrecks on the battlefield.
• Closed a vulnerability that allowed airstrikes to be carried out while flying behind the map. Now the air defense will get the aircraft there too.
• The circular menu of orders is no longer called for aircraft and supporting infantry (medics/engineers/miners).
• Fixed a vulnerability allowing infantry to walk through walls using the house entry command.
• Fixed setting vehicles on fire by penetrating the tracks with Armor-Piercing Incendiary Tracer Rounds.
• Improved the script for detonating an MLRS where launcher is not armored. If the launcher is loaded and is affected by a shock wave, or a direct hit by a shell occurs, the ammunition will detonate.
• Fixed the placement of the 5th soldier on the armor of the Sherman M4A1 for tank landing.
• Fixed a bug due to which smoke grenades of tanks could not be armed on stones.
• Fixed the effect of the course machine gun on the assault tiger.
• Fixed problems with the spawning of craters with incorrect textures or lighting for different biomes.
• Fixed hostile empty houses in the Minsk mission.
• Increased the starting CP (Command Points) in Special PVE modes.
• Raid for the USSR. Fixed a bug due to which mission branches were blocked.
• Medical equipment added to Raid and Conquest campaign technologies.
• Fixed a number of bugs with daily tasks.
• Updated league rewards
• Removed the ability to recall a unit to the rear in missions where there is no way to call them back

New Units

Improvements to UI

• When waiting for a match-making game to assemble, you will now see information about all others in the queue - how many players are from each region, how many have selected which battalion type (infantry/tank/artillery), their MMR values and team size.
• We are also implementing a selector allowing newcomers to pick a settings profile that fits them best (competitive/realism mode), and making it easier to switch between profiles for established players as well.
• And while it won't be ready for this update yet, we are happy to announce that we are working on a significant UI overhaul - we will be ready to share more information soon!

Visual and Technical Improvements

• We are implementing enhanced particle effects, allowing for increasingly realistic visuals.
• FX Editor update, to further enhance modding capabilities.
• And even though we are focusing on the ability to play single-player offline, we are preparing improvements to the multiplayer infrastructure as well; improving speed and reliability of dedicated servers, as well as overall connection stability.

• Editor Basics and Map Creation
• Intro to Mission Scripting
• Steam Workshop and Publishing your Mods

Custom Layers and Their Functions

Custom Foliage Brush in the Foliage Editor

Land Decal

Heightmap Export

What functionality have we already developed?

• All content necessary for the offline mode to work has been moved to local storage.
• The ability to turn offline mode on and off in the interface.
• Added loading/saving player data feature from their offline profiles.
• The ability to create more serious mods for the game, including full-fledged campaigns and new content for the "Conquest" mode.

What are we still working on?

• Fixing various technical issues and bugs, implement loading and saving of all data on local computers, and polish the process to reduce loading times as much as possible.
• Once the offline mode is finalized, every single game mode, mission, and feature needs to be tested.

How will it all work?

• The game will launch and work even without internet access. You will be able to complete training, all story campaigns, and additional missions, edit available battalions and play with bots, check battle statistics, and organize a lobby for one person.
• Cooperative, multiplayer, matchmaking, and social functionality (statistics, the ability to connect to friends, dedicated servers, etc.) will normally work only in online mode. In offline mode, these elements will be blocked at the level of the general interface. In addition, some Steam achievements will be unlocked in offline mode, and some only when connected to the Internet.
• You can switch from offline to online mode directly from the game interface (by default, if you are connected to the internet, it will launch in online mode). Your offline data will be stored in your profile on your PC, so you can safely transfer your data to another computer using the same Steam Cloud, if necessary.

Full Changelog:

General Fixes

• Fixed a crash in rendering.
• Increased speed of game loading.
• Fixed an issue with Inventory - the key modifiers CTRL (one pack of items) and SHIFT (one item) now work when dragging or RMB-clicking items.
• Fixed an issue with Inventory - Items no longer break the Inventory if there is no space for them.

Gameplay Mechanics

• Fixed a bug where smoke and signal grenades did not activate when hitting certain buildings and fortifications.
• Corrected damage recording in statistics for kills with an artillery strike called by signal grenades.
• Allied forces now consider occupied machine guns and observation towers when pathfinding.
• Redesigned the accounting of firing radius for soldiers with bazookas.

UI

• Fixed an error message delivery issue - previously, an error message in the match was issued only after the match was canceled.
• Adjusted the map size in Conquest on ultra-wide 32:9 monitors — now it should be possible to drag a battalion from one location to another, as previously, on such monitors, both locations did not fit on one screen vertically.

Editor

• Added a new section, Scene Explorer + Layers, for quick object search on the map and for quick enabling/disabling visibility and selection during editing - for example, you can disable all grass and prohibit selection of boxes.
• It is now possible to work with the entire scene or with individual selections of objects.
• Redesigned Foliage - Generate - now the brush will collect only within the selection, not across the entire scene.
• Added several standard brushes for the Foliage tool in the editor.

Missions

• Fixed pathfinding for the ship in the "Brest" mission.
• Fixed achievement acquisition when completing the "Ambush" mission on HARD difficulty.

Full Changelog:

General

• Fixed an issue that could cause game crashes to the desktop during game rendering.
• Fixed an issue that could cause local games to disconnect during data exchange.
• Fixed an issue where soldiers with bazookas would not interact with the target they were attacking.

Other improvements

• General texture loading optimization.
• Fixed an issue that could cause the editor to crash on the desktop when using ed_reloadBitmaps.

Full Changelog:

• Now, if there is any problem with the local game, the player will immediately receive a message about the error that has occurred; there will be no need to wait until the interface closes the game due to a timeout.
• Matchmaking for "Classic" mode now uses the "Assault Zones" mode to better align with the traditional series experience.
• Initial camera stuttering in battles has been significantly reduced.
• The ability to send commands on behalf of another player in multiplayer has been disabled.

Mod Editor Enhancements

• New Tool - Foliage: A new Foliage tool has been added to the editor, allowing custom brush creation from objects to paint maps.
• Bullet Effects: Modders can now manage flying bullets and add various effects, such as Improved shrapnel shell functionality and Sound effects for flying mines (examples can be found in: main\scene\set\stuff\shell\bullet152.sr.rus.std.ammo and main\scene\set\stuff\reactive\mortar80.fg.ammo).
• Ammo Switching Logic: Modders can enable the classic logic of switching ammunition via reload in scene\at\initialize_scene.ssq (g_ammoTypeSwitchingCancelReload).

General and Combat Interface

• The icons of thrown grenades and dynamite no longer flicker and can be disabled along with the interface.
• Added the ability to show the player the reasons for the ban if some actions have become unavailable to him.
• Added additional achievements for players for completing campaigns, for causing damage to certain battalions or units and for destroying certain units by other specific units.

Graphic Updates and Improvements

• Various updates and improvements to the Port map
• Updated some road and stamp textures
• Added a new radio beacon model
• Added a new model of a coal container on the “Port” map
• Added new shell craters
• Explosion craters no longer overlap trenches

Miscellaneous Improvements

• A bug has been fixed due to which the multiple launch rocket system (MLRS) could fire simultaneously in different directions during a salvo.
• Fixed an issue that could prevent players from receiving certain achievements.
• Fixed replenishment of 152mm shrapnel shells.
• The aiming angles of the 81mm M1 mortar have been corrected.
• Fixed a bug due to which the camouflage status icon for the camouflage net was not displayed when installed on stationary machine guns.
• A bug due to which objects remained hanging in the air when digging a trench for equipment or a weapon has been fixed.
• The location of the visors on the German Sd.Kfz 7/1 half-track tractor has been corrected.

Overall Balance Changes

Armored Cars and APCs:

• Sd. Kfz. 251/16: Battalion slot units reduced from 5 to 4.
• Sd. Kfz. 221: Battle Rank reduced from 18 to 15.
• M2 Half-Tracks: Battle Rank increased from 45 to 50.
• Gaz-67B, Willys MB with Browning, and Kubelwagen with MG34: Dynamite added to inventory.
• Willys MB with Maxim: The remote mine was added to the inventory.
• Light Tanks:
• M3A1 Stuart: Battle Rank reduced from 24 to 22.
• Pz. Kpfw. 38 Ausf G: Battle Rank reduced from 30 to 24.
• LVT A(4): Battle Rank reduced from 40 to 30.

Medium Tanks:

• Pz. Kpfw. IV Ausf G: Battle Rank reduced from 61 to 60.
• Pz. Kpfw. IV Ausf H: Battle Rank reduced from 64 to 62.
• Panther A: Command points were reduced from 15 to 13, and Battle Rank was from 85 to 80.
• Panther G: Command points were reduced from 15 to 13, and the Battle Rank was 88 to 85.
• Sherman Jumbo 76W: Battle Rankreduced from 87 to 85.
• Sherman Calliope: Command points were reduced from 14 to 13, and Battle Rank was from 102 to 95.

Heavy Tanks:

• IS-1: Command points were reduced from 15 to 14, and Battle Rank were 105 to 100.
• IS-2 Mod. 1943: Command points were reduced from 17 to 16, and the Battle Rank was from 115 to 110.
• IS-2 Mod. 1944: Command points reduced from 18 to 17.
• IS-3: Command points reduced from 19 to 18.
• Konigstiger (Henschel Turret): Command points reduced from 19 to 18.
• Konigstiger (Porsche Turret): Command points reduced from 18 to 17.
• Super Pershing: Command points were reduced from 19 to 17, and the Battle Rank was 120 to 110.

Tank Destroyers:

• Marder 2 and Marder 3: Command points reduced from 7 to 6.
• Jagdpanzer IV: Command points were reduced from 8 to 7, and Battle Rank was 65 to 60.
• Stug IV Ausf F: Battle Rank reduced from 61 to 52.
• Stug III Ausf G: Command points reduced from 8 to 7, Battle Rank from 73 to 60.
• Stug IV Ausf G: Battle Rank reduced from 73 to 63.
• Nashorn: Command points reduced from 9 to 8.
• Jagdpanzer IV 70(V): Battle Rank reduced from 75 to 70.
• Jagdpanzer IV 70(V) “Wachter”: Battle Rank reduced from 77 to 72.
• Jagdpanther: Battle Rank reduced from 114 to 105.
• Jagdtiger: Command points were reduced from 16 to 15, and Battle Rank was 134 to 130.
• SU-85: Battle Rank reduced from 68 to 58.
• SU-100: Battle Rank reduced from 85 to 82.
• M1 (T48): Battle Rank reduced from 40 to 38.
• M10 "Wolverine": Battle Rank reduced from 60 to 55.
• M36 "Slugger": Battle Rank reduced from 78 to 75.

Self-Propelled Artillery:

• Bison: Battle Rank reduced from 58 to 54.
• Hummel: Command points were reduced from 9 to 8, and Battle Rank was from 70 to 67.
• Sturmtiger: Command points were reduced from 12 to 11, and the Battle Rank was 90 to 85.
• SU-152: Command points reduced from 12 to 11.
• M8: Command points reduced from 7 to 6.
• M7 "Priest": Command points reduced from 8 to 7.
• M12 "King Kong": Command points were reduced from 9 to 8, and the Battle Rank was 67.
• Towed Artillery:
• Field Howitzer Model 1909/30: Reload time reduced by 1 second.
• Heavy Howitzer MRS 18: Health increased from 250 to 350 due to its larger size compared to its counterparts.

Anti-Tank Guns:

• Pak 38: Battle Rank reduced from 26 to 25.
• Pak 40: Battle Rank reduced from 46 to 43.
• Pak 43: Battle Rank reduced from 58 to 55.
• Anti-Aircraft:
• Sd. Kfz. 251/17: Battle Rank reduced from 30 to 28.
• 61K: Battle Rank reduced from 34 to 30.
• ZSU-37: Battle Rank reduced from 34 to 32.
• Bofors: Battle Rank reduced from 37 to 32.

Basic Infantry:

• Regular Submachine Gunners: Battle Rank reduced from 6 to 5 per soldier.
• Veteran Submachine Gunners: Battle Rank reduced from 9 to 8 per soldier.

Realistic Settings

• The concussion time of a tank when penetrated by a cumulative projectile (including from grenades and RPGs) has been increased to 5 seconds
• Increased chance of turret components breaking
• Increased damage of autocannon anti-aircraft guns to aircraft
• For artillery, the maximum firing distance has been displayed in the form of a radius similar to the radius of grenade launchers
• Increased reload time for mortars by 1 second
• Increased spread on moving targets when firing from a mortar
• The time spent in light exposure for vehicles has been increased.
• Increased the rate of accumulation of general noise emitted from units, reduced the rate of noise reduction
• Increasing the required radius for noise reduction (from 15 to 50 meters)

Vote on the future game mode in Classic PVP Match-Making!

Full Changelog

General Fixes and Improvements

• Fixed an issue where noise markers from enemy artillery (flashes indicating approximate artillery positions hidden by the fog of war on the map) would disappear too quickly.
• Vertical synchronization (VSync) is now enabled by default in the game's graphics settings. The option to remove FPS limits was causing interface slowdowns on some PCs. We are looking into more permanent solutions for future patches.
• Removed damage to vehicles from ramming machine guns and other small guns.

Changes to Individual Missions

• Mission "Vanguard" (campaign "Operation Overlord"): Fixed the task condition for holding the highway.
• Mission "Brest" (campaign "Operation Overlord"): Fixed the condition for obtaining the "Valuable Cargo" achievement.
• Mission "Death from Above" (campaign "On Their Own Soil"): Fixed an issue where the retreat task was not given to the troops.
• Mission "Operation Lüttich" (campaign "The Falaise Pocket"): Fixed the condition for obtaining the "Smoked Eel" achievement.
• Mission "Through the Snow" : Fixed the condition for completing the final task.

Fixes and Improvements to Maps

• Fixed an issue where tanks could not pass over bridges on the "Dead River" map.
• Enhanced various textures.

"Conquest" Mode

• The maps "Village," "Saint-Lô," and "Volokolamsk Highway" are now available in "Front Line Defense" mode (to activate them, restart the campaign by pressing the "Restart" button in the menu).

Editor

• Fixed an issue that caused the game to crash on the desktop when importing heightmap.

Miscellaneous Fixes and Improvements

• Fixed a bug that caused the game to crash to the desktop when opening the inventory, if no hotkey was assigned for the pause function.
• The durability of wooden bridges has been increased.

Full Changelog:

Main

• Additional achievements have been added, for completing various challenges or exploring the map in missions (Complete a bonus task, find something in a mission, destroy a non-essential enemy, etc.).
• Added an option to remove/set FPS limit.

Stability

• Fixed a rare crash when moving a medic with a wounded soldier to the rear.
• Fixed a crash when attacking with a lost weapon.
• Additional error message output in case of DirectX device loss.
• Fixed a crash when playing broken audio files in mod Voice lines.

UI

• Certain options from the GAME section have been moved to a new INTERFACE section for easier navigation in the multitude of settings.
• Settings for work packages have been moved from the GAME section to PACKAGE.

Competitive Setting

• The number of armored Willies in slots has been reduced from 5 to 4.
• Pz 4 F2: Health increased and sandbags for reinforcement added.
• Crab minesweeper flail tank: Slightly increased health, added an incendiary projectile.
• OT-34: Added armor-piercing projectile.
• Rebalanced the penalty for grenade launcher proficiency: Now non-specialists do not suffer a range penalty against AI, but accuracy, including AI, is significantly increased.
• Added damage to light vehicles when ramming massive guns.

Realistic Setting

• Increased anti-tank rifle damage against light vehicles.
• Wooden bunker construction time doubled (120s with 5 engineers) and tower construction time increased (80 seconds with 5 engineers).
• Increased seismic damage to trenches. Now a trench should be filled in with the first hit of 85mm+ HE round, and with the second hit of 75mm HE round.
• Fixed inventory disappearance for destroyed tanks without an explosion or ammo rack fire.
• Decreased armor penetration at medium and long distances
• Added a hint about a damaged hull when hovering over a vehicle with a damaged hull.
• Visor rework to increase unit detection range.
• Increased damage from 75mm+ HE rounds to static guns.
• Reduced engine durability of car vehicles.
• Reduced machine gun damage at close range and medium distance.
• Reduced maximum zeroing value for howitzers. Spotter bonus reduced.

Classic Mode

• Slightly reduced the cost of top-tier heavy tanks.
• Increased the price of top-tier AT guns.
• Increased the price and timer of mortars, AT guns.
• In the Sturmpioniere Infantry squad, the commander with a signal pistol is replaced by a sapper.
• Increased victory point gain for capturing territory along the initial front line.

Models

• Fixed display of leading rollers on pz38t.
• Adjusted visors on sturmboot42 boat.

Miscellaneous

• In the editor, obstacles now scale with objects.
• AI will no longer move players' infantry in trenches while they are using direct control.

Maps, Missions

• Updated the Dead River map: Added 2 bridges and more large rocks for armored vehicle cover.
• Improved certain map models of Port (columns, crates, fences, water tower, loading crane).
• Improved textures and materials of rail and railroad props models.
• Updated "Overcoming Difficulties" map of the Soviet campaign.
• Removed extra crates from missions "Through the Snow" and "Scorched Earth".
• Minor improvements in the mission "Towards Freedom".
• Changed placement of defenders in the map "Death Valley".
• Minor fixes on the maps "Hunt", "Chapel".
• Road improvements in maps "Airfield", "Champagne".

Conquest

• Outskirts, Coast, Sawmill, Port, and Checkpoints can now be defended in Frontline Defense mode.

Pitting high-ranking against low-ranking players

Uneven teams matched against one another

Issues with the MMR (ranking score) calculation

• if XP is equal to the enemy’s XP, then the correction will be 0.5 for victory and defeat
• if the enemy’s XP is 4 times greater, then the correction will be 0.2 for victory and 0.8 for defeat
• if your XP is 4 times greater, then the correction will be 0.8 for victory and 0.2 for defeat

• MMR change step initially = 40, after 30 matches it becomes = 20, when reaching 2400+ MMR step will be = 10
• The boost range from 1000 to 1400 is no longer valid
• Minimum MMR is now 1000
• There is no longer any difference in calculating MMR between playing in a team and playing alone

A New Patch is Coming Next Week

• Additional Steam Achievements - A significant amount of new and varied Achievements will be added. These will not just be awarded for completing missions and campaigns, but also for reaching milestones such as inflicting a set amount of total damage with certain units, completing optional tasks in missions or challenges such as killing a B4 Goliath. The total number of Achievements will grow to include more than 10 times what is currently available.
• FPS Limit Unlock - It will be possible to set or remove an FPS limit in Settings.
• Various Stability and Balancing Improvements - We have managed to fix several unpleasant crashes, and balancing tweaks to both Competitive and Realistic Settings.
• Map Updates - As part of an ongoing process, various visual and functional upgrades will be implemented to several maps. As a small example, here is a new screenshot from the updated version of the Dead River Map. Can you guess what's new?

New Update - Full Patch Notes

General changes

• Increased connection speed and performance for dedicated servers.
• Added Steam Achievements.
• Added the ability to rebind the Pause key in-game.
• Added an option to scale the combat UI in the game settings.
• Infantry is now undetectable after throwing a grenade in single-player missions.
• Infantry will no longer automatically select a pistol if they have more powerful weapons in their inventory.

Stability

• Improved and refined the unit selection system.
• Fixed a crash when moving vehicles without chassis.
• Fixed a crash when saving a unit’s inventory.
• Fixed a crash when a Soviet KV-8 tank explodes.
• Fixed a crash when throwing a unit strictly vertically upwards.
• Improved server connection stability for players from China.
• Enhanced the in-game battle results calculation system and access to battle history. The rare possibility of losing statistics and battle results is now completely eliminated.

Mod Editor

• Added sample models in 3dsmax format. They can be found in the modeling/models_samples folder.
• Added an export plugin for all versions of 3dsmax (2017-2025). It can be found in the modeling/plugins folder.
• Fixed an issue where the campaign mod could remain in the main interface after being disabled.

Interface

• Fixed an issue where the entire infantry squad would go to check the inventory of another object or unit when multiple units were selected and given the inventory command (now only the closest unit will do this).
• Fixed the display of changes in the overall player rating obtained in matchmaking (MMR or Matchmaking Rating).

Competitive Settings

• Reduced howitzer accuracy at maximum range of each subsequent shot for sub-caliber cartridges.
• Increased the overall time in reserve for all aircraft after rocket strikes from 150 to 180 seconds (except for the American fighter P-51D Mustang), and after the best air bombs for American aircraft P-51D Mustang and Douglas A-20 Havoc from 230 to 300 seconds.
• Reduced the accuracy of shells for the German sPzB. 41 artillery system at distances over 50 meters (also reduced accuracy against infantry).
• Reduced the likelihood of snipers hitting targets through a smoke screen for all available factions.
• Increased shell range by 30 meters for 37-40mm anti-aircraft guns (to 210-230 meters).

Realistic Settings

• Reduced shell accuracy for the German sPzB. 41 artillery system at distances over 50 meters (also reduced accuracy against infantry).
• Reduced rate of fire and accuracy at medium and long distances for the American T34 (MLRS) "Calliope" tank.

Conquest Mode

• Added "Frontline Defence" mode support for maps "Nameless Height", "Kursk Fields", "The Estate", and "Marl".

Single Player

• "Landing" mission: Redesigned impassable slopes and terrain to make them more visible to players.
• "Landing" mission: Additional enemy units were added at checkpoints and near the mission objective.
• "Landing" mission: Reduced the number of mission hint markers, and players will now have to search for enemy artillery on the map themselves.
• "Landing" mission: Added more enemy reactions to player actions in the mission.
• Updated the "Death from Above" mission map.
• Minor fixes and improvements for multiple maps.

Miscellaneous Improvements

• Damage to infantry trying to storm houses is now accounted for.
• Updated and enhanced sound system for large-scale fire scenes.
• Added localization for orders to disembark passengers on the spot/at a specified point.
• Fixed an issue where infantry armed with Solothurn S18-100 anti-tank weapons could not use fragmentation rounds against enemy soldiers.
• Fixed an issue where unarmed infantry close to an enemy could not attack in melee.
• Fixed an issue where AI-controlled grenadiers in cover could not attack enemy infantry within grenade launcher range.
• Added new images/artwork when unlocking unique battalions for the "Raid" mode.

Update Incoming

• Server infrastructure is being reinforced - you might have seen the effects of this as it is an ongoing process. It should already be much rarer to see units moving in "slow motion" than before.
• Steam Achievements will be added.
• The issue preventing users from rebinding the Pause key will be fixed.
• Combat UI scaling will be added as an option in Settings.
• Infantry will be undetectable after throwing a grenade in single-player missions.
• Infantry will no longer automatically select a pistol if they have more powerful weapons in the inventory.

News from the Modding Scene

Where to find help

• General Introduction provides a brief overview of the fundamental elements of the game, such as basic controls, types of units, combat interface, available game modes and more.
• Game Modes video guide provides a deep dive into the different game modes you can enjoy in Men of War II.
• Campaigns, Conquest and Raid Modes describes all single-player campaigns available in the game, and explores the dynamic Conquest and Raid modes thoroughly, as new features for the franchise.
• Game Mechanics takes a closer look at some of the game's cool features such as direct control, inventory management, ammunition/fuel resupply and last but definitely not least, the stealth mechanics.
• Fortifications video shows you how to build different types of defensive structures, dig trenches, lay landmines, and much more.

Today's Update - Full Change Log:

Newly Added since Previous Announcement:

• Improved stability of sound playback
• Fixed a crash happening for some players after selection change
• Fixed causes for crashes in rendering code
• Fixed an issue causing the 'withdraw' action to not check its conditions when activated via hotkey
• Fixed an issue with pause in inventory for multi-player

Previously Announced Changes

Critical Fixes:

• AFK is no longer used in single-player mode (players will no longer be kicked out of single-player games for inactivity).
• Game pause and save functions now work in all game types if only one player is present.
• Fixed an issue causing the game to crash to the desktop when manipulating towers.
• Fixed an issue causing incorrect detection of unresponsive dedicated servers, leading to server crashes.

“Classic” Mode Changes:

• "Test" mode: All unit limits have been removed.
• "Front Line" mode: For the AI defensive units, accuracy and overall health was reduced by 50%.

“Realistic” Game Setting Changes:

• Increased fragmentation damage to infantry.
• Increased suppression time for infantry in trenches under autocannon fire.
• Improved accuracy of anti-tank rifles at a range of 80-100 meters.
• Increased component damage for armor-piercing shells.

Missions Fixes:

• "Operation Lüttich": Fixed a bug where some units were invincible. Additionally, the retreat zone has been refined.
• Historical campaign "Operation Overlord": Added the LVT1 amphibious vehicle to the tech tree.
• Fixed minor bugs in the missions “Vanguard”, “Funeral Alarm”, and “With Fire and Steel”.
• Fixed an issue where players might not receive rewards for completing one of the dynamic campaigns.

Interface Improvements:

• Fixed an issue causing the maximum territory control numbers to be cut off in the main combat interface.
• Fixed an issue causing the interface to not display upon loading a game after a mission failure/victory.
• Disabled the "Restart" and "Load" buttons in the mod editor's game menu.
• Fixed an issue where long chat messages would extend off the screen.
• Added images/artworks for some battalions.
• Added a special window with useful tips.
• Added the ability to scroll through the list of invited players in multiplayer mode.
• Refined and improved the "Vacate Slot" button functionality in custom lobby.
• Added an animation to the bell icon to highlight incoming team invitations.

Other Fixes and Improvements:

• Fixed an issue causing artillery spotters' flare not working when it hit a trench.
• Fixed the hatch on the KV-1 tank being always open.
• Added increased accuracy of each subsequent shot for sub-caliber ammunition.
• Disabled ammo resupply for unmanned vehicles.
• Fixed the sound for the GAZ-AA truck (supply).
• Fixed the battalion composition for a Soviet AI-controlled battalion, which could field German units instead.
• Fixed the armor value of the T-95 tank's command turret.
• The crew size for the T-34 minesweeper, Piper L-4 Grasshopper plane, and The Fieseler Fi 156 plane has been corrected.
• Fixed camera position after exiting first-person view.
• Rebuilt the shader cache for Linux/Steam Deck, fixing several crashes.

Full Change Log:

Critical Fixes:

• AFK is no longer used in single-player mode (players will no longer be kicked out of single-player games for inactivity).
• Game pause and save functions now work in all game types if only one player is present.
• Fixed an issue causing the game to crash to the desktop when manipulating towers.
• Fixed an issue causing incorrect detection of unresponsive dedicated servers, leading to server crashes.

“Classic” Mode Changes:

• "Test" mode: All unit limits have been removed.
• "Front Line" mode: For the AI defensive units, accuracy and overall health was reduced by 50%.

“Realistic” Game Setting Changes:

• Increased fragmentation damage to infantry.
• Increased suppression time for infantry in trenches under autocannon fire.
• Improved accuracy of anti-tank rifles at a range of 80-100 meters.
• Increased component damage for armor-piercing shells.

Missions Fixes:

• "Operation Lüttich": Fixed a bug where some units were invincible. Additionally, the retreat zone has been refined.
• Historical campaign "Operation Overlord": Added the LVT1 amphibious vehicle to the tech tree.
• Fixed minor bugs in the missions “Vanguard”, “Funeral Alarm”, and “With Fire and Steel”.
• Fixed an issue where players might not receive rewards for completing one of the dynamic campaigns.

Interface Improvements:

• Fixed an issue causing the maximum territory control numbers to be cut off in the main combat interface.
• Fixed an issue causing the interface to not display upon loading a game after a mission failure/victory.
• Disabled the "Restart" and "Load" buttons in the mod editor's game menu.
• Fixed an issue where long chat messages would extend off the screen.
• Added images/artworks for some battalions.
• Added a special window with useful tips.
• Added the ability to scroll through the list of invited players in multiplayer mode.
• Refined and improved the "Vacate Slot" button functionality in custom lobby.
• Added an animation to the bell icon to highlight incoming team invitations.

Other Fixes and Improvements:

• Fixed an issue causing artillery spotters' flare not working when it hit a trench.
• Fixed the hatch on the KV-1 tank being always open.
• Added increased accuracy of each subsequent shot for sub-caliber ammunition.
• Disabled ammo resupply for unmanned vehicles.
• Fixed the sound for the GAZ-AA truck (supply).
• Fixed the battalion composition for a Soviet AI-controlled battalion, which could field German units instead.
• Fixed the armor value of the T-95 tank's command turret.
• The crew size for the T-34 minesweeper, Piper L-4 Grasshopper plane, and The Fieseler Fi 156 plane has been corrected.
• Fixed camera position after exiting first-person view.
• Rebuilt the shader cache for Linux/Steam Deck, fixing several crashes.

Immediate Plans (May 2024)

Short-Term Goals (June 2024)

• Fix of a bug that can sometimes prevent you from playing single-player ("Local server connection error")
• Fix of an issue preventing players from pausing in some single-player games

• Make camera movement smoother (removing "camera stuttering")
• Introduce a feature to easily switch the overall game setting between Competitive and Realism, and allow players to create a Custom setting
• Implement Steam Achievements
• Allow key rebinding for the Pause function
• Implement additional UI scaling options
• Include the option to adjust or disable the 100 FPS cap
• Provide modders with a 3ds Max exporter, plugins, and sample files
• Further improve the stability of multi-player servers and fix various bugs reported by players

Mid-Term Strategy (more than a month)

• Offline mode for single-player will be finalized as the highest priority
• UI for selecting mods for single-player/co-op games will be added; it will also become possible to choose mods in a custom lobby
• Difficulty for certain missions will be overhauled based on player feedback - please keep letting us know of any missions you find too difficult or too easy, and on which difficulty!
• Different game speed options for single-player will become available
• Modders will be able to create full dynamic campaigns in the editor, and will receive a new tool: an editor for material schemes

Ongoing & Long-Term Projects

• Improved pathfinding for vehicles
• All game textures, as well as all grass and trees models adapted for PBR technology
• Improved infantry models and textures
• Improved rewards distribution in cooperative playthroughs
• New, more detailed damage system
• Improvements to atmosphere and immersion, such as additional sound effects (including soldier shouts and voices), the feeling of weight for tanks and other vehicles (and improved suspension mechanics), UI overhaul, and more
• Improvements to battle controls - including distribution of loot within infantry squads, changes to formations system and customization options for all keyboard shortcuts
• Various upgrades to the engine, such as support for multiple screens, HDR screen support, or permanent lobbies (lobbies will no longer disband after completing a match)
• Additional modding features and improvements, including but not limited to: Support for running popular mods on official (dedicated) servers, support for Blender, various improvements to the Editor based on modders' feedback and continuous expansion of documentation for the Editor
• Quality of life and balancing improvements for competitive gamers - for example support for clans, penalties for toxic player behavior, better match-making for 5-player teams and CP mechanics redesign

More Updates Coming Soon

Highlights of the update:

• Reduced server wait times
• Fixes to several crashes reported by users
• Increased AFK timeout limit
• Fixes to the flow of several missions
• Additional button slot in the central hotbar
• Improved visuals for various maps in the game
• Design and animation improvements for various unit and weapon models
• Localization fixes

Major Modding Update Coming This Week

Full Change Log:

Servers

• Reduced player connection time on login.
• Increased AFK timeout duration by one minute before kicking the player from the match.

General fixes

• Fixed a crash during mission loading.
• Fixed a rare crash that could occur after playing for an extended period (1 hour or more).
• Fixed the issue where the main.pak package wouldn't load due to modifications.
• Engineers would not dig if there was a shell crater in a destroyed trench.
• Sometimes tractors could move with deployed guns.
• Correctly set the position of objects immediately after they appear in multiplayer.
• Restored inventory viewing for destroyed vehicles.

Balance

• Reduced the probability of ammo explosion in the realism package.
• Increased shooting range in the mod example if the realism package is enabled.
• Fixed point scoring in "Tanks Only" mode on the Marle map.
• Fixed shooting range of the M1 Carbine.
• Adjusted bot behavior in flag capture mode.

Missions/Maps

• Fixed the flag issue in the "Rur Bastion" mission.
• Improved soldier behavior in the "Safe Route" mission.
• Fixed mission failure when destroying a Sherman in the "Safe Route" mission.
• Corrected sapper hint texts.
• Fixed triggering of the KV-1 story in the mission.
• Fixed incorrect setting of the enemy tankers' and artillerymen's nation in Conquest mode.
• Mortars in the training mission "Counter-Battery Fire" fired too frequently.
• Fixed errors found on the Falaise Pocket map.
• Corrected training maps.
• Fixed issues on the Crossroad map.

Improved visuals in the following campaign maps:

• Bobruisk
• Minsk
• Vitebsk
• Vanguard
• Bunker
• Bridgehead
• Before the Storm
• Storm Fel
• Dagger Strike
• Outpost

Improved visuals in the following multiplayer maps:

• Suburb
• Chepel
• Town
• Airfield
• Winter Crossroad

Editor

• The 'map' debug in the editor now shows terrain height.
• Added 'include_inactive_linked' option for the 'all' selector.
• Fixed mission logic in "mod_example."
• Updated maps in the "mod_example" package.

UI

• Menu UI: Fixed overlapping elements in the battle list.
• Combat UI: Disabled boarding icons above vehicles that cannot be boarded according to the scenario.
• Combat UI: Added one more slot to the central button block.

Models

• Redesigned the flare gun ammo model.
• Fixed seating positions and animations on some vehicles.
• Corrected path obstacles on the mounts of some guns.
• Improved textures of some slopes.
• Added desert camouflages for the T34 flamethrower tank, M1 anti-aircraft gun, and Soviet captured Pz3f.
• Fixed the deployment animation of the Browning M2 and MG34.
• Corrected the destruction of the Windmill.

Music / Sound

• Improved the main theme track of the game.
• Removed placeholder Russian voiceover in the "Counter-Battery Fire" training mission.

Localization

• The Self-Destruct button has been renamed to prevent soldiers from being disembarked by mistake.
• Minor fixes in Polish localization.

• Reduced server wait times
• Fixes to several crashes reported by users
• Increased AFK timeout limit
• Fixes to the flow of several missions
• Additional button slot in the central hotbar
• Improved visuals for various maps in the game
• Design and animation improvements for various unit and weapon models
• Localization fixes

The Importance of Your Feedback

• In single-player, the 3 narrative campaigns work differently than the 2 historical campaigns, which are different from the dynamic Conquest campaign mode; we have posted all the details here.
• In multi-player, Battalions, Combined Arms and Classic Mode offer vastly different experience, as you can learn here.

• Competitive Setting (default for all single-player, and for Battalions and Combined Arms multiplayer match-making) if you prefer faster-paced, more action-oriented and accessible gameplay
• Realism Setting (default for Classic Mode multi-player match-making and accessible through custom lobbies for all other multi-player modes) if you are a fan of more hard-core RTS gameplay, reminiscent more closely of Men of War: Assault Squad 2.

Frequent Concerns

• The game is always on-line - That is true for now. Repeated connection to game servers is necessary to ensure all progression rewards (including for single-player actions) are being awarded, and that no-one can cheat in multi-player matches. However, we have heard your concerns, and we have started developing an off-line mode for single-player even before the release, but it will take some time to implement. We have been open about this, the "always on-line" requirement is clearly stated in the system requirements and elsewhere; we absolutely understand it might be an insurmountable obstacle for some players and if you are in such a situation, we humbly ask for your patience to wait and buy the game once we have implemented it.
• I keep getting disconnected or experience other technical issues - We are sorry you are experiencing such difficulties. We are working on patches to fix all the bugs and are constantly working on the server infrastructure to improve stability - but in order to achieve this, we need your help. Whenever you run into any problems, report them on the Men of War II Discord server or here in Steam Discussions, but to give us the most information to work with, please upload your game logs to a file-sharing service of your choice and share the link with us. These files can be found in: C:\Users\%username%\AppData\Local\Men of War II
• The game is too different, it should resemble another game more - It is of course perfectly fair to compare Men of War II to different RTS games. However, it is its own game; we feel like developing a clone of already existing games perhaps with just a few more units, maps or even game modes, would do the community a huge disservice. We hope that other titles in the genre continue being successful, doing their own thing and releasing more content - the more variety of games there is, the more choice, the better!
• The game has health-bars on tanks - All games made in some version of the GEM engine use a HP system to determine when a vehicle is completely destroyed + damage system for individual parts. The only difference is in the fact that in the Competitive setting, Men of War II displays this information, to be accessible to more casual players. If you do not like this feature, the Realism setting might suit you better, or you can turn off this part of the UI in Settings, the choice is completely up to you!
• The graphics are outdated, they look like old Men of War games - The engine powering the game (GEM RTS) has been significantly upgraded since the first time we’ve shown you Men of War II, features such as improved lighting using Physically Based Rendering and improved aquatic spaces have been implemented; if you are interested in details, you can read up on the topic in our devlogs here and here!

Joining the Community

Have Fun!