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Today, were doing things a little differently than the usual expansions. This is for good reason, as we have a very exciting announcement to make that were sure will make you even more eager for the upcoming cosmetic DLC pack. Well also give you a little sneak peek of what you'll be getting. Lets get into it!
Its time to talk about the second half of Moschin! Lets not dawdle and start things off with the big announcement.
We just released a small update: - [LINUX] Fixed Linux users sometimes not hearing game audio or not being able to start the game - Improved internal error code reporting Download is expected to be around 80mb.
While we already explored the Austro-Hungarian assault at Montello and Nervesa della Battaglia, the Second Battle of the Piave River featured many battles along the river. One of such battles was the battle at Col Moschin where the Austro-Hungarian 11th Army, led by Generaloberst Scheuchenstuel, pushed in the direction of Bassano del Grappa.
Its the late Spring of 1918 when the Austro-Hungarian 10th and 11th Armies moved from the north through the Grappa massif along both sides of the Brenta river. The goal was to breach the Italian defenses at the western and eastern end of the massif. Once through, they could outflank the Italian deployment along the Piave river.
Italians pulling a field gun up Col Moschin.
In the middle of the night of June 15th, the Austro-Hungarians commenced a heavy bombardment on the Italian defenses on the Grappa massif to follow up with an infantry assault. However, having gathered intelligence on this plan, the Italians bombarded the approaching infantry while they were still moving into position. This proved particularly effective on the eastern side, severely weakening the 11th Army.
Col Moschin forest, or rather what was left of it.
Early in the morning, the infantry assault commenced. The 10th Army had great successes on the western side, but the weakened state of the 11th Army on the eastern side meant they had a much more difficult time getting through the Italian defenses at Col Moschin.
You all really seemed to enjoy getting to know Seyfettin in the last blog and we have a ton more peculiar characters in the team for you to meet!
If you're eagerly awaiting to learn more about what's next for Isonzo, you won't have to wait too much longer! We'll have exciting news to share come March.
We announced the winners of the WW1 Memorabilia contest! Find them here.
As a final point, the behind the scenes gifs you'll see below were recorded during the development of Isonzo prior to launch. Now, let's get started!
The weapons of the Great War were more than tools of conflict, they are symbols of an era that reshaped the world. We invite the collectors and enthusiasts of our community to participate in our WW1 Game Series Field Rations Pack Giveaway!
Before we get into the return of Meet the Dev, be sure to check out the new update for Isonzo that dropped earlier today. It comes with some highly anticipated fixes as well as a toggle for bipods!
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1556790/view/532089704231731768
It's been a while since the last Meet the Dev, so it's about time we introduce another person from the team and get to know their story!
We released a patch for Steam and Epic today, which includes the long-awaited bipod toggle!
Today we released a small patch, these are the changes.
Hope you had a great holiday period! Most of us took some well-deserved time off and are currently working on some exciting new updates. It's still a bit early to start revealing things so don't go into this blog expecting grand new reveals, but let's discuss some of the things you can expect for Isonzo in the new year!
This year was definitely one of the years of all time. For the WW1 Game Series, it was a great one! We released a ton of content that we feel really pushed the envelope in terms of quality. We really hope you've been enjoying everything this year and are looking forward to what's in store for 2025. For now, let's walk down a year's worth of memory lane, which includes:
Today we released a small patch, these are the changes.
Can you believe it has been over 10 years since the first game of the WW1 Game Series? As some may already know, we have briefly celebrated this occasion last year. This year however we wanted to put a spotlight on you, the community.
We want to thank all our soldiers who have joined the fronts over the years. From the Verdun Early Access veterans to the newly enlisted Italian recruits. We can wholeheartedly say that we couldn't have gotten to where we are today, without everyone's continued dedication, support and interest in the WW1 Games.
We're super excited to announce that, to celebrate 10+ years with our amazing community, were collaborating with Makeship to bring you special limited edition Anniversary Pins!
Makeship.com/products/WW1GameSeries
[url=https://www.makeship.com/products/ww1-game-series-10-year-anniversary-pins]
To celebrate the new Adamello expansion, we're live right now together with Flakfire, showcasing the new map and weapons!
The stream is expected to be around 1 to 1.5 hours long.
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Were super excited to announce that Isonzo is free to play for everyone on Steam & PlayStation until Monday, November 18th! Whether youve been meaning to give the game a go or are looking to introduce your friends (or foes) to Isonzo, this is the perfect time! All non-DLC content is available, including everything in this update.
Were super excited to announce that Isonzo is free to play for everyone on Steam & PlayStation until Monday, November 18th! Whether youve been meaning to give the game a go or are looking to introduce your friends (or foes) to Isonzo, this is the perfect time! All non-DLC content is available, including everything in this update.
This November, we've teamed up with the Movember Organization to bring you the Movember Handlebar DLC for Isonzo! Unlock the Handlebar Moustache and fit it on your upper lip to impress your peers.
Here we are, the second part of Adamello! The release is close, so let's dive into it right away.
Did you enjoy the Montello Cycling Tour? Wait, you missed some stops? Well no worries, we got you covered. Welcome to the Montello Cycling Tour Recap, where you can find every stop of the Tour in a handy overview!
As an extra bonus, we made an extra stop at a local airfield where they display a ton of replicas of historic aircraft, from the very first bombers to more modern fighter jets. If you're not interest in the recap, you can skip ahead to the Jonathan Collection here!
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The Montello Cycling Tour was a collaboration with local organizations. We'd like to thank them for helping us out with information about the region, the history and photos they provided. The Prosecco area is a wonderful area to explore with tons of history, great food and beautiful sights. If you're looking for a new holiday destination, be sure to check it out.
These organizations can be a great help to get the most out of your visit, so be sure to reach out to them and tell them we sent you.
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For bike renting and a historic tour with possibility for a meal.
To celebrate the release of the Montello Expansion, we bring you the Montello Cycling Tour! Just a little bit further, almost there.
It has not been long since the release of Montello, but were already getting ready for the next new map. Grab your thickest coat and sturdiest snow gear youll need it for the second part of the White War campaign.
To celebrate the release of the Montello Expansion, we bring you the Montello Cycling Tour! You'll likely see people here, act natural. In the Cycling Tour, we'll be exploring the area represented in the Montello map. There's a lot of history to be found here, from the very structures that played a role in this battle to the monuments erected in memory della Grande Guerra. Every Friday we'll make a new stop at one of these historic locations until we arrive at our final destination: The Nervesa della Battaglia train station.
To celebrate the release of the Montello Expansion, we bring you the Montello Cycling Tour! Time to pay our respects. In the Cycling Tour, we'll be exploring the area represented in the Montello map. There's a lot of history to be found here, from the very structures that played a role in this battle to the monuments erected in memory della Grande Guerra. Every Friday we'll make a new stop at one of these historic locations until we arrive at our final destination: The Nervesa della Battaglia train station.
Today we released a small patch, these are the changes.
To celebrate the release of the Montello Expansion, we bring you the Montello Cycling Tour! Prepare for inclines. In the Cycling Tour, we'll be exploring the area represented in the Montello map. There's a lot of history to be found here, from the very structures that played a role in this battle to the monuments erected in memory della Grande Guerra. Every friday we'll make a new stop at one of these historic locations until we arrive at our final destination: The Nervesa della Battaglia train station.
To celebrate the release of the Montello Expansion, we bring you the Montello Cycling Tour! Please don't get lost in the woods. In the Cycling Tour, we'll be exploring the area represented in the Montello map. There's a lot of history to be found here, from the very structures that played a role in this battle to the monuments erected in memory della Grande Guerra. Every friday we'll make a new stop at one of these historic locations until we arrive at our final destination: The Nervesa della Battaglia train station.
To celebrate the release of the Montello Expansion, we bring you the Montello Cycling Tour! Clear skies and a light breeze not included.
In the Cycling Tour, we'll be exploring the area represented in the Montello map. There's a lot of history to be found here, from the very structures that played a role in this battle to the monuments erected in memory della Grande Guerra. Every friday we'll make a new stop at one of these historic locations until we arrive at our final destination: The Nervesa della Battaglia train station.
We arrive at the second stop of the tour after a short 5 minute cycle through Parrocchia Santa Croce. It gets quite steep here, so I hope you haven't been skipping leg day.
The route on Google Maps
Oh and by the way, happy anniversary! Isonzo released exactly 2 years ago, so we'd like to thank you for being here with us! We couldn't have gotten this far with you, and there's plenty more on the way! Now, onto the tour.
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Today we released a patch with fixes to some bugs. Thank you for your reports!
To celebrate the release of the Montello Expansion, we're bringing you the Montello Cycling Tour! Don't worry, you won't actually have to do any of the cycling.
In the Cycling Tour, we'll be exploring the area represented in the Montello map. There's a lot of history to be found here, from the very structures that played a role in this battle to the monuments erected in memory della Grande Guerra. Every friday we'll make a new stop at one of these historic locations until we arrive at our final destination: The Nervesa della Battaglia train station.
We kick this tour off at the bank of the river Piave, where the Austro-Hungarian forces collided with the Italian bunkers marking the start of the battle.
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To celebrate the new Montello expansion, we're live answering your questions about Isonzo & the new update and give you a little tour through the new map! The stream is expected to be around 1 hour long.
Welcome back to another dev blog! We're thrilled to say that the long wait is almost over, and we can officially announce when you'll be able to jump into the battle for Montello yourselves. Make a note in your calendars...
We've already shown a bit of Montello, the next free map for Isonzo. Today, we dive deeper into the first half of the map: the beginning of the Austro-Hungarian assault. At the end, you'll also see a little bit of the next cosmetic Units pack.
We released a small patch with some minor changes, including the Film Memoir mode popup appearing every time you launch the game during the event... which has concluded earlier today. Better late than never!
This Sunday 110 years ago, the first World War had officially begun. At the time, no one could've predicted just how large and significant this conflict would become, how many lives would be lost or changed forever. Every year we commemorate this day, and as customary we've enabled the Film Memoir mode for free on PC. While normally exclusive to the owners of the Supporter Pack DLC, everyone on PC can now enable the Film Memoir mode in the popup window or by going to the Options, then Graphics. It'll be available until August 5th! [previewyoutube=U_tVvpUxUKw;full][/previewyoutube]
Last time on the blog we only saw the very start of the battle represented in our upcoming free Montello map: the Second Battle of the Piave River.
Leaked Austro-Hungarian battle plans meant that the Italians were able to bombard them just before they began their assault, while they were still packed together in forward trenches. Casualties were heavy, and in places even led to the attack being cancelled or delayed. For the most part though, the Austro-Hungarian soldiers went forward and aggressively crossed the river to engage Italian positions on the other side.
They made it over the river and were able to advance 5 miles (8 km) further before the attack ran out of steam. The Austro-Hungarian commander Boroevi attempted to restart the assault in the following days, but the destruction of bridges and high water levels made resupply across the river a nightmare, with some troops even drowning as they tried to cross.
A screenshot of the Piave river in Isonzo alongside reference materials. You can easily imagine how long those pontoon bridges would last under artillery fire.
On July 19th, four days after the attack began, the Italian General Diaz launched a counterattack into Boroevi's flank which inflicted significant losses and further degraded their ability to attack. By the next day, Emperor Karl had taken personal command and ordered a retreat. Three days after that, the Italians finished recapturing all the lost ground on their side of the river. Italy's allies encouraged them to keep up the offensive and chase the Austro-Hungarians across the Piave, but General Diaz figured that the same supply issues that had hindered the Austro-Hungarian operations would block effective Italian attacks as well - not to mention the fact his forces were still scattered and not ready for an offensive. Instead smaller actions were taken to secure useful ground and prepare for a future offensive. Italy would be at no further risk of attack from the thoroughly exhausted Austro-Hungarian military.
The town of Nervesa della Battaglia in-game, as seen from the defender's perspective looking towards the Austro-Hungarian advance.
Fans of Italian poetry who follow our roadmap might already have guessed which battle is the focus of the new Offensive map. The battle has two names, one of them coined by famous Italian poet Gabriele D'Annunzio: The Battle of the Solstice. Hence the name of the Offensive which will feature the next new map (and later the final new map) on the roadmap.
The less poetic name is the Second Battle of the Piave River. On June 15th 1918, the Austro-Hungarian army gathered their strength for a massive assault on Italian positions. Russia had been out of the war for some time, and the Battle of Caporetto in 1917 had been a great success for the Central Powers, moving the frontline up to the Piave river. This new offensive was aimed at breaking through the Italian defense on the Piave. Our upcoming map is named after a hill that would stand at the center of this battle: Montello.
Almost 100,000 men and 7,000 artillery pieces were mustered for the attack, with many of the Austro-Hungarian formations having been trained in the highly effective 'infiltration tactics' used by German stormtroopers. A major victory here could effectively take Italy out of the war, allowing the Central Powers to focus more resources on the troubled Western Front.
The battlefield around an early objective location.
However, the Italians had not been idle since their defeat in the Battle of Caporetto. Of particular note was the removal of the incompetent General Luigi Cadorna and his replacement with General Armando Diaz as senior commander of the Italian Army. Under his leadership, Italian morale was stabilized and more flexible defensive tactics were developed, allowing for more independence for troops at the frontline - including giving them freedom to retreat or counterattack as needed, in sharp contrast to Cadorna's often bloody and ineffective determination to hold ground at any cost. During the Battle of Caporetto, he initially denied a request to withdraw from a commander on the ground, which led to Italian soldiers having to fall back under constant harassment from Central Powers troops instead of being able to make an orderly retreat.
A drawing of General Diaz on his 60th birthday in 1922, 4 years after the Second Battle of the Piave.
The battle started poorly for the Austro-Hungarians, as Diaz had intelligence on the exact starting time of their attack. Half an hour before they were due to go 'over the top', a heavy artillery barrage struck the Austro-Hungarian forward trenches and caused heavy casualties. Despite this, the attack mostly began as scheduled and the Piave river was crossed. This is where the battle begins for the players - one obstacle has been dealt with, but now there will be hard fighting as they must first climb and then descend Montello. On the other side lie the final objectives for this map.
The river crossing where the Austro-Hungarian players begin.
Join us for the next blog to learn more about the terrain you'll be fighting over in the first few sectors, and find out how the battle went historically.
The next free update for Isonzo is coming in Q3 of this year, and we're ready to start sharing some teasers. First up are a few glimpses of the new Offensive map which will headline the update. As we mentioned in the roadmap update, you can expect to be fighting on an overcast summer day - but merely calling it 'overcast' doesn't do justice to the hard work our mappers have put in. Get a load of these skies!
We released a small patch with further fixes for gore sticking around on alive players and a fix for sky visuals issues on Xbox.
The Isonzo roadmap is changing - just a touch. We're changing the order of the next two free map releases, meaning that snow will be traded for a stifling overcast summer day. The first map from the Solstice expansion will now be released next, expected in Q3, while the third map from the White War expansion will be released in Q4.
The first Solstice cosmetic DLC will still arrive alongside the first Solstice map, meaning it will also be launching in Q3 - expect teasers for that coming soonish! We can't wait to show off what we've been working on with the new map and visual customization options.
Here's the new roadmap!
We've written bits and pieces about the light machine guns in Isonzo (as distinct from the heavy machine guns which are static weapons placed by the map designers) but never brought them all together. If you haven't tried them out, you can unlock them by completing Assault class missions.
We're hard at work on the second Offensive map for the White War expansion, and we hope to have something to share with you all soon! In the meantime, just this Wednesday we released a small update with the following features:
We released a small patch fixing a couple of general issues, alongside the return of snow goggles!
Well done, mountaineers! The mountain was conquered many times - overall the Austro-Hungarian defenders won more often than the attacking Italians, but not by as much as you might think. A mountain is a big place, and it's not easy to observe the entire cliff face from above, or to spot individual Alpini against the rock. For most of the event the Italians managed around to win around 40-45% of the time. A very respectable success rate.
On the other hand, it seems that for all their elegant simplicity, rocks are actually not the most effective weapons. Only 1% of players earned the Rock 'n Roll achievement for killing someone with a rock. And considering how many rocks we've seen in our matches, it wasn't from lack of trying!
There's a wealth of fantastic FPS games out there these days. If you're looking for a serious WW1 shooter set on the lesser known Italian Front, we've got you covered! Mountain warfare with First World War technology is an intense experience. But what else makes Isonzo stand out?
We released a small patch fixing a number of issues across the game. Adjusted challenge requirements After player feedback, we decided to adjust the requirements of some of the more grindy challenges to better fall in line with the others. This only affects players who have not completed these challenges yet. Other fixes:
This update includes the following fixes and improvements:
This hotfix deals with the stability issues introduced by last week's update, as well as some visual issues.
With the arrival of the frozen mountainside and ice tunnels of the Marmolada map we also released the Glacial Units Pack to provide improvised clothing for the extreme cold. But as the fighting continues with no sign of the conditions improving, its time to offer something a little more heavy-duty.
Today were excited to officially announce our next cosmetic DLC: say hello to the Altitude Units Pack!
Everything youll find in the Altitude Units Pack!
We released an update today that makes several improvements to voice chat and allows Steam and Epic players to communicate with each other. Additionally, there's a host of additional fixes across the entire game. Please keep in mind that people on different versions of the game cannot play together, so player numbers may be lower than usual shortly after the update. The download size is expected to be around 1 GB.
You get an extra blog this week, thanks in part to the tireless efforts of the fighters on the Western and Eastern Fronts in Verdun and Tannenberg. Last weekend we ran one of our multi-front Campaign events where battle casualties for both the Entente and Central Powers are tallied up, with the side taking the least losses winning. The result means that we are sharing a mini-teaser about the upcoming new game mode in Isonzo. But first we have news of a small but significant feature update that will be arriving sooner.
Its a very special day today, as we mark the anniversary of the start of the Battle of Verdun. Our very first game in the WW1 Game Series was named after this massive clash between the French and German armies, and it can certainly be considered one of the most significant battles of the war.
As well as looking back at the Battle of Verdun, we also have a new campaign event with the possibility to win a teaser reveal, another image from the upcoming Isonzo cosmetic DLC, and we compare the types of weapons you can use in each WW1 Game Series title. Off we go!
A map of the Verdun area.
The team is hard at work on the new special game mode right now, and were hoping to share more about it with you as soon as possible! Alongside that release will be some new weapons and a new cosmetic DLC pack and we do have a teaser about that. Of course, all our cosmetic DLCs use real uniforms and equipment which we strive to reproduce accurately, the same as our weaponry and battlefields but how do you properly recreate a setting from more than 100 years ago?
Weve talked before about how we use references and try to walk the line between making realistic content which is also fun to play for instance our second ever Isonzo Dev Blog from before the game was even released!
Heres a comparison image from our blog about the creation of the Gorizia map. Things like trenches, barbed wire, and constructions like those seen here might seem less exciting than big-ticket items like the train station that serves as an objective but theyre much more common and getting them right is vital to establishing an authentic atmosphere.
And heres the aforementioned train station alongside a reference photo. You can see there have been some adjustments made to the in-game version to support better gameplay (e.g. trains and wagons provide cover along with added visual interest, and the station isnt quite so long.
When it comes to getting the lay of the land, photographs are helpful but usually not enough. Especially with the rough terrain in Isonzo, even a series of photographs is unlikely to capture every ditch and rocky ridge, or clearly identify whats a safe mountainside path versus a mere goat trail.
Luckily we can often find trench maps from the exact battles were working with! Its also possible to use modern satellite imagery but you have to be careful, because places change over time, sometimes much more than you might think. For instance, the GIF below shows just such a change in the landscape.
Photographs and drawings from the First World War might catch the eye, but the letters and diaries of the participants can give a far more detailed understanding of how it felt to actually fight under the grim conditions of 1914-1918. Letters and diaries allow us to reconstruct battles like the fighting for the Castelletto a fortified Austro-Hungarian position with a commanding position over strategically important supply routes. Despite the strength of the position, it was exposed and Austro-Hungarian commanders felt it was only a matter of time before the Italians took it.
Following multiple failed attacks, the Italian Alpini resorted to mining into the mountain below the Austro-Hungarian positions, first using picks and eventually pneumatic drills. The Austro-Hungarian commander of the Castelletto at the time was a 19-year-old given the posting because he was young with no family. Hans Schneeberger wrote letters describing the fighting around the position. Eventually the Italians finished their tunnel, which the Austro-Hungarians learnt about from an intercepted transmission. Schneeberger wrote: Everything is like yesterday, except that another 24 hours have passed and we are 24 hours closer to death.
A mine detonated beneath a mountain position, from Itinerari Della Grande Guerra. They include it with an article about the Castelletto, but it seems more likely to be an Austro-Hungarian mine at Monte Lagazuoi.
Miraculously, Schneeberger would survive having 35 tons of explosions set off beneath him while he slept in the Austro-Hungarian barracks on the Castelletto, fight off an Italian assault, and then eventually withdraw under cover of night. War diaries like those of Erwin Rommel, who was a young officer during WW1 and fought on the Italian Front, often go into great depth about the challenges of battle in the mountains.
An Italian assault on Austro-Hungarian positions on the Marmolada map in Isonzo.
Its 1916. The Austrian troops have occupied what they called Forcella Vu. Its the most strategic position, right at the top of Marmoladas glacier with a connection to the nearby bastion of Height 3153. However, the only supply route was being watched by the Italian troops situated in the Serauta bastion. Braving the trip to Forcella Vu would mean you had to not only watch out for the regular avalanches and snow storms, but also the hail of Italian lead. However, that summer Lieutenant Leo Handl had an idea. If you cant go over, why not go under?
It's been a great year for the WW1 Game Series, with special Christmas Truce and Wolf Truce events in Verdun and Tannenberg, and Verdun appearing in a French museum exhibit. The series also celebrated our 10 year anniversary, since Verdun entered Early Access! Isonzo especially has had a good year - starting off by winning the IndieDB Indie of the Year 2022 award, thanks to your generous votes! For our part, we made sure to implement masses of new content. From our first big expansion with the Piave map all the way to a snowy end to the year with the White War release, the game has grown substantially! - 4 Huge New Maps! - 8 New Weapons! - 2 Cosmetic DLC Packs! - Mac Support! - Much more! If you haven't yet felt the crunch of Alpine snow beneath your boots, Isonzo iscurrently 67% off with DLC up to 30% off until January 4th.
Hello Soldiers, During the war and especially around Christmas, there were several unofficial and spontaneous truces where armies agreed not to shoot at each other. A notable example occurred on December 1917, amidst the brutal winter in the Italian Front's mountainous areas, where a striking incident unfolded. The intense weather posed immense challenges for the Italian and Austro-Hungarian troops, subjecting soldiers on both ends to brutal conditions like frostbite, avalanches, and scarce supplies. At times, when the weather turned unbearably harsh or when both sides mutually recognized the futility of battling in such extreme environments, impromptu truces emerged. These unofficial pauses in fighting permitted both factions to tend to their injured, honor and bury their fallen, and occasionally even trade goods or share information. There are even rumours in 1916 near Lavarone and Folgaria of Italian and Austro-Hungarian singing carols to each other across no-mans land. Boosting each other morale, which can be seen as them throwing each other a life-line in their harsh living environments which they shared together. All though this wasn't an official occurence, on the Western Front there were several official Christmas Truce's taken place which we reinvisioned in Verdun. For the 11th time, you can participate in this historical event on the Western Front in our game Verdun. Starting today (Dec 21) until January 7th, you can join by simply choosing the Christmas Truce option from the Play menu in the game. [previewyoutube=LqSbWDa-RyU;full][/previewyoutube]
Hello Soldiers! Its been a month since weve released the White War expansion with the Marmolada map! We hope youve been enjoying the map, new weapons and the newest Glacial DLC as well. In case youve missed it, heres our announcement about it with everything added. https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1556790/view/3791528713027549895?l=english Now we would like you to (re)introduce you to one of our mappers, who you mightve seen before on our YouTube channel.
Today's update contains additional fixes for issues with players not having a team, which among other things lead to being able to friendly fire, as well as other game features misbehaving. This is a small update and it contains just this fix. Update also changes the network version, so please update before playing online.
Hello soldiers!
Great surprise; the Isonzo sale of 67% discount continuous into the Steam Autumn Sale!
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1556790/Isonzo/
You can also get some cosmetics if you would like, as several Units are discounted. Both the Royal- & Expedition Units for the Germans are on sale, as well as the First Wave DLC bundle
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2214671/Isonzo__Expedition_Units_Pack/
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2542160/Isonzo__First_Wave/
Hello soldiers!
It's been more than a year since Isonzo has been released. Time sure flies when you're having fun and working on a game! Over the year, we've released a new playable faction, the Germans, 5 new maps, 3 new cosmetic DLC's, several weapons and a good amount of optimizations & bug fixes that are worth an uncountable amount of coffee and sleep.
Only 2 weeks ago, we released our latest White War expansion with the new Marmolada map! In case you missed it, our mapper Kan has a video where he talks a bit more about the map creation process by looking at historical photos, references combined with current day images.
[previewyoutube=9Y1Is925m4c;full][/previewyoutube]
If you've been enjoying Isonzo and its free expansions, we would like to ask you to nominate Isonzo for the Labor of Love Steam Award!
Hello Soldiers!
As you might know, our White War expansion has been released, which takes you to Mount Marmolada and the Ice City!
[previewyoutube=0Bhh96UcM8s;full][/previewyoutube]
With this expansion, we also released a new cosmetic DLC, the Glacial Units!
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2214670/Isonzo__Glacial_Units_Pack/
The Glacial Units pack contains a series of uniforms for unprepared troops struggling to keep warm or stay concealed in the freezing conditions of the wintery Alps. Finding themselves fighting on Europe's highest peaks in frigid conditions the troops often had to scrape together whatever they could to prepare
for the extreme cold.
The Glacial Units pack contains 40+ items:
We have released a small update for Isonzo today, with the following fixed and improvements:
Today is November 11th - Armistice Day. Also known as Poppy Day, Remembrance Day and Veterans Day. A special memorial day dedicated to remember those who gave their life during WW1. Held by several countries, moments of silence fall over several areas all over the world.
As more countries follow this tradition of remembering those whove fallen in their line of duty, November 11th is known under many names, but all with the same idea in mind. This tradition grew out of Armistice Day, which marks the signing of the armistice between the Allies and Germany.
Hello everyone!
We're hope you're enjoying our free White War expansion and for our new recruits, welcome!
On the streams, you'll see some pre-recorded footage of Jos talking with Flakfire about the new map, as well as a more historical approach of Isonzo in general with Indy Neidell & Pr from Sabaton
It's lovely to see you all! If you wanna chat with us and/or mention any issues you encounter, feel free to join our Discord
Hello everyone! This small hotfix contains some internal logging and a fix for the missing Aiming Sensitivity setting. Thank you for playing, hope you are enjoying the free weekend! If you encounter any issues (or just want to chat), please join our Discord and let us know!
Hello new recruits!
Isonzo is now temporary for FREE until November 13th, 7pm CET. Right on time to experience the White War and visit the Ice City, which was released yesterday!
[previewyoutube=0Bhh96UcM8s;full][/previewyoutube]
In this new White War expansion you'll embark on the cold Marmolada mountain and explore the glacial trenches. Alongside this map, 3 new weapons have been added as well as a new strikingly cool cosmetic DLC can be purchased as well, the Glacial Units!
If you want to continue to fight on the Italian Front after your free period, you can purchase Isonzo at the 67% discount
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1556790/Isonzo/
If youre interested in getting cosmetic DLC for your game, some are currently discounted as well! Heres an overview of what is included in each edition of the game and DLC waves. If you want to get the lastest ones, you can get the Second Wave bundle or just the singular Glacial Units.
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2214670/Isonzo__Glacial_Units_Pack/
Hello Soldiers!
Its time to embark on the cold Marmolada mountain and explore the glacial trenches. The first map of our White War expansion, Marmolada, is available now! Alongside this map, 3 new weapons have been added as well as a new strikingly cool cosmetic DLC can be purchased as well, the Glacial Units!
And last but not least, for the potential new recruits, we got some extra exciting news for you, starting later today. Find more about it further down in this announcement.
[previewyoutube=0Bhh96UcM8s;full][/previewyoutube]
Want to prepare yourself for the map before jumping in? Read our devblog about the Marmolada map. So youre fully ready to explore the maze-like Ice City.
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1556790/view/3791528713024015694
To give you some information, for Marmolada in Isonzo, the Italians will be the attacking side, which means the Austro-Hungarians will be defending the mountain and their Ice City. Starting off, the Italians will be placed on the mountain side in the open, surrounded by snow. Fighting for objectives outside on the snowy mountain top, making your way through the tunnels of the Ice City to eventually make your way to the final objective; This map is unlike any other in the game.
As for the new weapons; the Vetterli Mod.1870 for Italy, Austria-Hungary gets the Repetier-Gewehr M.14 and the Germans receive the Gewehr 71/84.
Hello soldiers!
Its almost time to join the White War as the Marmolada map releases on November 9 for free! In case you missed it, be sure to check our release date reveal announcement.
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1556790/view/3737484245038187268?l=english
As stated, the expansion will include three new weapons as well! Weve seen you guys speculate on which ones it will be, and were here to put you out of your misery and reveal them!
Last but definitely not least, the Glacial Units cosmetic DLC will join Isonzo as well. This DLC will include over 40 items that you can use to dress up your Italian and Austro-Hungarian soldiers!
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2214670/Isonzo__Glacial_Units_Pack/
Now, lets take a closer look at the Marmolada map.
Hello soldiers!
Were happy to share with you all the first map in the White War Expansion
[previewyoutube=2CSDteHZjlg;full][/previewyoutube]
Marmolada will release next week on November 9th for free alongside new weapons and a new cosmetic DLC pack; the Glacial Units.
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2214670/Isonzo__Glacial_Units_Pack/
Now, we can hear you guys thinking; What about the special game mode?. Unfortunately we made the decision to postpone this event for the second half of the White War expansion. We believe we need a little bit more time to tweak the game mode and map to give you the experience you all deserve and will enjoy! We hope for your understanding.
Today's update fixes issues with players not having a team, which among other things lead to being able to friendly fire, as well as other game features misbehaving. This is a small update as it just contains this fix. This updates the network version, so please update before playing online.
Hello soldiers!
Time to experience real horrors for the spooky month, by getting Isonzo and join the Italian Front in Isonzo! The Deluxe Edition is now available with a 55% discount! Once you go the Isonzo storepage, be sure to add the Deluxe Edition to your shopping basket!
If you already own Isonzo but would like some of the cosmetic DLC's, the First Wave of Isonzo DLC is also on sale! You can get this now with 20% off. The First Wave includes the 4 DLC Units that Isonzo released with; the Reserve Units, Veteran Units, Elite Units, and Alpine Units.
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2542160/Isonzo__First_Wave?snr=1_5_9_
Both sales run until November 6, 6PM CET so be sure you don't miss it!
Hello soldiers! Your comrades need your help on the Eastern Front! Weve got intel that wolves have joined the battlefield. The German and Russian armies have stopped fighting each other to defeat their shared enemy. Are you going to help them? You can join the Wolf Truce until November 1st. [previewyoutube=5X20SeHBIUk;full][/previewyoutube] You can get Tannenberg with 75% off at 7PM CEST; join the Wolf Truce! Youll be able to earn a special medal during this period if you stay true to the truce. https://store.steampowered.com/app/633460/Tannenberg/
Hello everyone! With our latest map Piana up and running, were full steam ahead and working on the White War expansion! No news on its maps and release date, but well be sure to notify you all once were ready to do so. In case youve missed it, heres our latest roadmap. https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3032136251 Furthermore, we want to thank everyone who filled out our player survey! Were going through all your responses and analysing the data, which will be very helpful for Isonzos future. The winners will also be contacted by email before the end of the month, so please keep an eye out for your inbox (or spam folder).
Hi everyone! Fixed an issue where bots were able to interact with objectives and other buildable objects from too far away (such as defusing bombs). Thanks for the info! If you encounter any issues, please join our Discord and let us know!
Hello everyone! This small update fixes the issue where joining players occasionally were not being added to a team correctly. Thank you for playing Isonzo. Keep an eye out for future updates, which will include further AI optimizatons. If you encounter any issues, please join our Discord and let us know in our support channel! Sharing your logs greatly helps us with looking into the issues you might encounter. Thank you in advance!
Today marks the anniversary of the WW1GameSeries, as today Verdun went into Early Access 10 years ago! We want to thank all our soldiers who have joined the fronts over the years. Did you make your way from the Western Front, towards the Eastern one and ended up high in the mountains in Isonzo? Or are you a new recruit who recently joined any of the fronts? No matter what, we thank you for playing our games! Here are some fun facts for each games, that you might not know.
Hello everyone!
The new Monte Piana map is live now!
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1556790/Isonzo/
Furthermore, Isonzo & WW1 Game Series is part of the Focus Publisher Sale!
Soldiers!
Its time to join the Italian Front once again and fight on Monte Piana! The map is now available for everyone & for free!
[previewyoutube=XAWS13O7bWs;full][/previewyoutube]
Its been almost 1 year since Isonzos release. Weve released 4 additional maps, the German Empire as a playable faction, numerous weapons & consistent bugs and optimization patches.
Thank you all for playing our game. We still have a lot more in store for you on the Italian Front, as were already hard at work for a special event, similar to what you might know from Verdun & Tannenberg!
Hello everyone!
Were excited to share the Piana map release date with you all! Next week, September 7, youll be able to play on this new map!
As stated in our roadmap, this update will also come with Mac Support!
Want to know a little bit more about the historical events of the map? Be sure to read our devblog about it!
https://steamcommunity.com/games/1556790/announcements/detail/3667672110007215603?snr=2_9_100000_
Hello soldiers!
Its time for another devblog! The release of our Monte Piana map is getting closer. We cant share the release date with you all just yet, but don't worry, your wait will be over soon enough.
Before we get into the historical background of the map, we would like you to ask you all once again to fill out our player survey. This is to make sure that were putting our development focus in the right areas, and to keep our fingers on the pulse of the WW1 Game Series community.
Many of you have already done so, thank you very much! This is a reminder for the people who mightve missed it (or forgot it). You can click here to be redirected to the survey.
Weve heard some of you struggling to fill in the survey due to the Google login requirements. This is a safety precaution. Well look into other alternatives for future surveys.
Now, lets take a look at the Battle of Monte Piana.
We have a small patch today with hopefully big changes! We have a fix for the falling-through-ground issues that eliminated the issue entirely in our internal and community tests. The root cause is still elusive (and thus we can't promise a 100% fix) but we managed to prevent the consequence of falling infinitely. Again, please let us know if you still experience the issue after this patch. Other than this, the patch provides major improvements to our FSR implementation, which should improve the picture quality in the cases mentioned below! General
Hello soldiers!
As you mightve read in our latest devblog, we now have Isonzo Steam Trading Cards & Point Shop Items!
We saw in our Discord that there was some general confusion of what the cards do, how you can get certain items etc. so heres a little overview!
How do I get these cards?
If you purchase and play a game, youre automatically awarded a number of cards. For Isonzo, the max number of cards you can obtain by playing is 5. In total there are 10 cards. Once you have all 10 of them, you can craft a badge (see the image above).
You can find the cards you have in your Inventory, which you can find on your Steam profile. To view your badge progress, you can simply click on an Isonzo card you own and click the button view badge progress
If you own all 10 cards, youll be able to craft your Isonzo badge. If you do not, youll be able to purchase the remaining cards from the Steam Market by clicking on buy remaining cards on the Market.
If your Steam friends own a card that youre missing, youll also be able to ask them to trade on this screen. Just scroll further down.
What happens when I craft a badge?
Crafting a badge will reward you with some xp for your overall Steam profile/account. Additionally, you can enable the badge to be visible on your profile & you're able to gain some of the other items, like the backgrounds.
What do the different kinds of badges mean?
Each time you craft a badge, the badge will become visually more impressive and reward you with more xp. Crafting a badge each time means that youll need the 10 different Isonzo Trading Cards each time as well.
The special foil badge can only be crafted with special foil cards. Like the other cards, these are randomly distributed.
If other players put them on sale on the Market place, youll be able to purchase them, similar to the normal cards. You can find the Steam Market simply under the Community Tab (a menu will appear when you hover over it), or by clicking here. Simply type 'Isonzo' in the searchbar to see what items are available for purchase.
Please note that we're not responsible for the prices. These are put up by the sellers themselves.
What are the Point Shop Items?
The Point Shop is a special shop, specifically for Steam Profile & chat items (stickers, emotes). Youre rewarded Steam Points by simply purchasing games on Steam, so were sure you got some ;)
Here youre able to exchange your Steam Points for profile backgrounds and emoticons. Find the Isonzo Items here.
Will you add animated backgrounds, profile pictures etc.?
This is definitely something we want to look into in the future!
Hope this helps!
pizzonzo
Hello soldiers!
The devblog is arriving early this time! And besides meeting another member of the devteam, we have exciting news!
Yes thats right, Isonzo now has Steam Trading Cards & Point Shop Items! We know many of you have been asking for it, and were happy to finally share this with you. Time to Isonzo-fy your Steam profile!
Hello soldiers,
On this day in 1914, World War One had officially begun. What many initially thought as a 'short' conflict, turned into an international battlefield for 4 years and changed the world forever.
To commemorate this, we've enabled the Film Memoir mode for you all to experience for free, even if you don't own the Digital Goods. This provides a new experience in the game, so be sure to check it out! You can use this feature for free until August 4th. You can enable the feature by going to Options > Graphics.
[previewyoutube=U_tVvpUxUKw;full][/previewyoutube]
You can share your screenshots and video clips with us in our Discord or on our social media when using the filter!
Hello soldiers! Before we get into meeting a new developer, we have a small request.
Hello soldiers!
The dev team is working hard throughout the summer! While continuing to work on improvements, bugs etc. the team is also busy with the new map which will release this summer: Piana! We're currently not ready to show/tell anything about it, but we will eventually! Be sure to look forward to it.
It's time for you to meet another member of the BlackMill team. If you're part of our Discord server, [spoiler]as you should be[/spoiler], then he might be a familar face. Or should we say beak
Here's our Operations Director, Thomas!
Hello! Could you introduce yourself
Hey! Im Thomas, Im the Operations Director at BlackMill Games. Im 30 years old and Im from Groningen in the northern Netherlands. To people in Amsterdam or just not in the North in general, I live north of the wall in Game of Thrones, but honestly its been weeks since I last saw a White Walker.
Besides working in games I enjoy cooking (mostly Mexican and Chinese but you can wake me up for almost any cuisine), and the occasional board game (The Crew is one of my favourites).
What is your role in BlackMill Games and for the games?
I work at BlackMill Games as the Operations Director, although I started as a Producer almost four years ago. My task is that everyone knows what should be made next and when it should be done.
For every update, I make sure that all work is started in time, everyone is aware of deadlines and priorities, and I communicate with our lovely marketing team, external QA, localisation, et cetera. Im a bit of a spider in the web!
Where did your passion come from?
My journey in games started in 2011 when I studied Communication & Multimedia Design. I chose the game branch because of the awesome people and because the collaborative nature of game development resonated with me!
I had a small company first, made a small Steam game called Super Flippin Phones. After that I did some freelancing. Then in 2019 I wounded up at BlackMill Games! My drive is to remove planning stress from the team, so they can focus on making great code, art and more; and to cultivate a good studio culture based on trust and empathy.
What is a memorable moment in the development of Isonzo?
One of the major improvements I worked on for Isonzos development was the Closed Testing. Verdun and Tannenberg both had an early-access release, but we didnt want this for Isonzo, so we needed to make sure our initial release would be worthy of a full release. Seeing our Closed Testing community play our game for the first time was incredible!
After the first session, we updated the game 33 times pre-release and know that every release takes a lot of effort from the team, even if weve done it 1000 times all while still developing the game. We did 38 testing sessions in alpha and beta, and Im extremely happy with the results and the effort of our testing group!
Can you show off some of your work process and tell us what youre doing?
A downside of my job is that I rarely have shiny creations to show, haha. Currently I am working on managing the next couple of Isonzo updates. Every update has a big checklist that starts approximately two months before release.
We usually start planning the trailer for an update eight weeks in advance, and a map has to be ready a month in advance. This adds up, with dozens of small steps (like making store images for new DLC) that all need a time, a place and a developer. This isnt counting development, which needs to be 90% done around this time! My job here is to track all of these small steps and inform everyone if there are changes.
It isnt always chronological, either. Currently we are working hard on the special game mode that will be in the map update after Piana, while we also did a huge technical update for Isonzo two weeks ago. As you can hopefully see, this requires a lot of juggling of priorities, and its my job to make sure that the other developers can focus on their job instead of worrying which patch to focus on this week.
Which other game dev/studio inspires you?
My most played game in the last five years has been Hunt Showdown. Other than playing it, Im also watching Cryteks update strategy and how they communicate with the community. They have similar issues in that they have to stick to era-appropriate weapons (somewhat) so its interesting to see how they deal with this!
What is your favourite game at the moment?
Hunt Showdown definitely deserves a second mention here. Please check it out; it takes place around the turn of the 19th century so it has a lot of WW1 weapons. I would have previously pitched it as a small-scale battle royale, but since its release, extraction shooters have gained popularity, and Hunt is also easily pitchable as a smooth, no-nonsense extraction shooter without tedious inventory management.
Other than that, Im playing some science-fiction games currently like Citizen Sleeper, which is really special. Its a weird blend of narrative adventure and resource management, you constantly feel chased but youre also making friends along the way (who arent doing much better).
Anything else you wanna share?
No, but I would be very grateful if you (the reader) would please send me their favourite comfort food recipes in the comments or in the #food channel in Discord! Thanks for reading :)
Hello soldiers!
The Steam Summer Sale has begun! You can now find Isonzo with a 45% discount and additional cosmetic DLC with 30% off.
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1556790/Isonzo/
This small update fixes issues you may have experienced after our big technical update from last week.
Hi soldiers!
We hope youve all been well and enjoying the game! Its been about a month now since we released the Monte Grappa map and recently we also released a big patch with several new implementations and fixes. You can find the patch notes here. Thank you for your reports & patience! Well of course keep an eye out and continue on optimising the game, as well as adding new content thats still coming!
Now, instead of only talking about the game, lets talk about the people who create them as well! Come on in and meet some members of the BlackMill team! First up is one of our animator's Guido!
Hello! Could you introduce yourself
Hi! My name is Guido, Im 33 years old and Im from the Netherlands. I studied 3D Computer Animation and worked mostly in film in the past. An animation project I did which you may know is a short film called Mac n Cheese.
[previewyoutube=MUwnVA6GNXo;full][/previewyoutube]
Ive been a part of the WW1 Game Series for over 5 years now. Besides being an animator, Im currently finishing a Masters in Biology where Ive focused a lot on working with microbial fuel cells. So if there are any biology geeks, you can hit me up if you ever want to talk about powering small devices using bacteria
What is your role in BlackMill Games and for the games?
My first job for Blackmill Games was editing for the game trailers, starting with Verdun. When the studio was looking for an animator, I applied and took on the role of the First Person animator. Since then Ive been responsible for everything that moves on your screen! I also do a lot of work on the trailers where I get to make a short film every few months to showcase new maps and weapons.
Where did your passion come from?
I started doing 3D modelling when I was about 14 years old. Ive always enjoyed using my PC for more than just playing games and Im terrible at drawing, so 3D allowed me to tinker away at things. I found out during art school that animation is really what I enjoy most, so ever since then I've been doing just that. While I really loved making films, the switch to games made me realise how much fun it is to make something, coordinate and brainstorm with programmers to integrate my work into the game and really bring everything to life.
What was the first thing you made in Isonzo?
Oof! Thats a long time ago. I think one of the first things I worked on were the animations for the Carcano M91 rifle, because the Italians needed something to work with! But since then, its received a few more passes so Im not sure if what I did then is still in the game as it is!
What is a memorable moment in the development of Isonzo?
When we started out, gunplay and the way we handled animations was still similar to Verdun and Tannenberg. We really wanted to bring something new to the series, so we brainstormed with game designers and programmers about what gunplay should be. Our programmer Ben (who you get to meet in a future devblog) then came up with a way to handle movement and recoil procedurally. That has really changed my workflow and made gunplay in Isonzo unique. It was literally a game changer.
Can you show off some of your work process and tell us what youre doing?
Besides working on the first-person animation and the trailers, I also try to continually improve character animations in the game. Currently I've been given the task to change the way you see other players aim.
In the past we had 5 directions (forward, up, down, left, right) and we would blend between them, limiting the movement to just the upper body. We currently have 9 directions and movement of the entire body is being used.. This looks a lot more natural.
Oh and heres a clip of what the animation for the Dreyse pistol looks like from my side!
Which other game dev/studio inspires you?
Theres so many first-person animators out there sharing their work and its been a great inspiration. For instance, Haydn Cooper makes the craziest, most creative animations. There are many more like her out there that I try to learn from and get inspired by. Although I always have to tone it down a little bit, because were trying to be realistic here
Favourite game at the moment?
Lately Ive been really enjoying the co-op experience of playing Valheim. A good friend of mine built the sickest treehouse ever and we cleared the Mistlands. Pretty proud
Anything else you wanna share?
I just want to take a moment to thank all the fans that have been with us for so long. Were closing in on 10 years as a series and Ive been here for about half that time. Im also very curious to hear what you guys enjoy about Isonzos animation, but also what you would like to see as were always trying to improve upon what we have. See you on the battlefield!
Hey everyone! We have list of patch notes here for you! Thank you for your patience and support!
This bug fix patch for the Grappa Update includes the following fixes:
Hello soldiers!
Your battle for the Sacred Mountain starts now!
[previewyoutube=QKW15_J7ENQ;full][/previewyoutube]
The Monte Grappa map is now available for everyone to play for free!
Be sure to update your game and join the battle.
Additionally, we have new weaponry for you to try out! In case youve missed, you can check our devblog about them.
https://steamcommunity.com/games/1556790/announcements/detail/6977806508505445576
We also got new cosmetic DLC for the German Empire! This cosmetic DLC contains over 40 items, including the famous Pickelhaube!
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2214671/Isonzo__Expedition_Units_Pack/
Hello soldiers! Monte Grappa's release is tomorrow, but to give you some extra insight, there will be dev stream live tonight at 8PM CEST/11AM PDT/2PM EDT Additionally, this will be combined with an AMA, so if you have any questions, be sure to leave them in our Discord! https://store.steampowered.com/app/1556790/Isonzo/ We hope to see you there!
Hello soldiers!
Since its finally May, we got the release date for the Monte Grappa map for you all!
[previewyoutube=WgX_ECJolLU;full][/previewyoutube]
Yes, on May 17th, youll be able to play on this new map! This update will also include new weapons & new cosmetic DLC.
You can now wishlist the new Expedition Units Pack here on the store page! The price will be around $9.99, similar to the Royal Units DLC.
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2214671/Isonzo__Expedition_Units_Pack/
Yes, youre seeing that correctly! The Pickelhaube will be one of the items available in this cosmetic pack.'
Remember that these items are purely cosmetic visuals for the players characters and do not provide any game advantages like buffs or perks. We hope youll enjoy this DLC pack for the German Empire.
Hello soldiers!
Today marks the release anniversary of Verdun! You can now find the game with a 70% discount, the soundtrack with 50% off & the Film Memoir mode is available for all for a timely period.
https://store.steampowered.com/app/242860/Verdun/
Be sure to share your screenshots and footage in Discord or on Twitter with the #Verdunversary hashtag.
You can also find a special Verdun Bingo card in the Verdun announcement.
See you at the Western Front!
Hello soldiers! Its almost time to get your assault on Monte Grappa started! Dont forget, alongside this update will come the new weapons, Mac support and the Expedition Units Pack DLC. Be sure to check out our previous devblogs on these as well in case youve missed them. https://steamcommunity.com/games/1556790/announcements/detail/6977806508505445576 https://steamcommunity.com/games/1556790/announcements/detail/5513009457817733187
This update adds more logging and potential fixes for cases where players would fall through the ground. We are still actively working on the remaining issue, but it should improve your experience in the meantime. We apologise for this ongoing issue and we will keep you posted as we have more news.
Hello soldiers! It is time for another devblog. May is slowly approaching, but to ease the pain a bit, well take a look at some upcoming weapons. In case youve missed it, the Monte Grappa map will be released in May! Be sure to check our updated roadmap as well. https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2957046383
This update provides several bug fixes, but also extra tracking and logging for the falling through ground issues. We understand this is very frustrating and it is a priority for us to fix these issues. Thank you for your patience! This update is about 130 MB. We increased the network version, so make sure you update before playing if you want to play online. Fixes:
Hello soldiers !
Its April Fools but this is all but a joke.
Breadsonzo is a reality! This weekend, you can find special pieces of bread on Dolomiti & Piave.
Your goal is to find 10 different pieces of bread at the end of the event. If you do so, youll obtain a special medal and you can call yourself a breadwinner!
Hello soldiers !
As you know, the new upcoming map in Isonzo will be Monte Grappa! Along with this new map will also be new weapons and a new DLC pack for the Germans - the Expedition Units Pack !
And theres more news! Weve finally updated the roadmap, and as you can see, you can expect to conquer Monte Grappa this May! And what's that; do you spy the new addition as well? Yes, a special Piana map will come to Isonzo as well, with even more content !
But thats news for a later devblog. For now lets take a closer look at the Expeditions Units Pack DLC ! And remember, these DLCs are purely cosmetic and DO NOT impact the game at all with perks or buffs.
We have a small update with fixes for you today. It also contains some preparations for a starchy surprise this weekend. Keep an eye out for the next blog for more info!
Hello soldiers ! We hope youve been enjoying Isonzo and the latest Piave map ! Were aware that with this update, a new fall through map issue has arised. Please know that were aware of this and looking into solving this issue (alongside other reports). Here you can find an overview of Known Issues and the FAQ if you have any questions. Besides this, were currently also working on bringing you the final map of the Caporetto expansion, the well-known (and requested) Monte Grappa map ! We cant give you a release date yet, but what we can do is provide you with some information on the Battles of Monte Grappa.
Today we present a hotfix for issues related to our latest release. This should mostly smooth out performance on Piave and in general. Full changes below. This update increases the network version, so make sure to update before playing online again!
Hello soldiers !
The Piave map is now available for you to play for free !
[previewyoutube=mqy6Jeu6CiI;full][/previewyoutube]
Alongside this release, we added more custom match options and new weapons for you to play with ! If you would like to read more about the map and its historical background, you can read our previous devblogs:
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1556790/view/3632752093411262805
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1556790/view/3641760560649857977?l=english
Hello soldiers !
As you might know, the upcoming Piave map is releasing on February 28! This is the second map of the Caporetto expansion, meaning this will be another map for the Italians & Germans to fight on. Of course, this a free new map, alongside the new weapons and more custom match options youll be getting as well.
The battle for Piave is only a few days away, so what better way to prepare yourself is some in-depth information about the map and your objectives !
Hello soldiers !
Currently our games Verdun & Tannenberg are on sale with 75% off!
Experience the Western- and Eastern Front of the Great War in these previous two games.
https://store.steampowered.com/app/242860/Verdun/
https://store.steampowered.com/app/633460/Tannenberg/
See you at the fronts soldiers
Hello soldiers !
Were excited to share with you all what the new upcoming map is going to be! Only a few of you have guessed it correctly; the new map is going to be Piave !
The release date for this map is February 28 and will release alongside more custom match options (more bot options, cooldown timers, ticket timers & more) and new weapons
For now, lets talk about the Piave battles.
Hello soldiers !
The dev team is working hard on the upcoming map that was teased in the last devblog!
We cant reveal yet what the map is going to, but some of you have guessed correctly. Do with that information what you want ;) Once we get more information for you to share, well be sure to post a devblog about it as well. For now, we want to dive into some of the items that are included in the Royal Units DLC, which is the cosmetic pack for the German Empire.
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2197970/Isonzo__Royal_Units_Pack/
We released a small update for Isonzo today. It contains small fixes while we're working on the next big update. The patch weighs in at 2.3 GB. It updates the network version, so make sure to update before playing online.
Hello soldiers !
You can now get Isonzo with a 25% discount!
Additionally, you can find the Alpine-, Reverse- and Veteran Units Pack with 10% off as well.
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1556790/Isonzo/
Hello soldiers ! We want to wish you all a happy 2023! Hope you all had happy holidays and a wonderful New Year's Eve. The WW1 Game Series is fully recharged and ready to work on upcoming updates/expansions for Isonzo! A small note regarding the devblogs - from now on the devblogs will be posted bi-weekly. This gives everyone a bit more time to work on content for the devblogs, to provide you with some nice information and images. We hope you understand and keep looking forward to these Isonzo Intels.
Hello soldiers ! Were slowly making our way towards the end of 2022. A lot has happened for us. On September 13, Isonzo released after announcing it back in March 2021. We want to thank you all for your support. Long time veteran of the series or new recruit, we appreciate your excitement for the game and we hope youll look forward to future content !
Today we have a small Isonzo update with fixes before the holidays. Our work on the game isn't done, of course; besides the roadmap we are also aware that bots don't always have their priorities straight, so this will be addressed in a future update. We have heard decreased reports of the "ghost bug" in which invisible players can sabotage matches, but are keeping a finger on the pulse. Enjoy! This update weighs in at ~180 MB. Fixes:
Hello soldiers, It's been a week since our Caporetto Expansion went live! Many of you have joined the Battle of Caporetto already and fight in (or against) the German Empire army! We hope youve been enjoying the new map and faction so far. [previewyoutube=s2V38TymG34;full][/previewyoutube] In case youve missed the latest devblog, we provided some information about the new map in this Isonzo Intel. Be sure to read it if you havent already. https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1556790/view/3632745751430993795?l=english Since Caporetto's release, we've also released a patch addressing some issues that occcurred with the game and the Caporetto map in general. You can find the patchnotes here. We continue to work on the game, so please make sure that your game is always updated o7
This first patch after Caporetto brings some fixes, both general and relating to the new content. We also made the Caporetto offensive appear in the rotation more now, since we know a lot of you are excited about it and want to play as the German faction. We are fully aware that the "ghost bug" (players turning invincible/invisible and being able to stall matches this way) is still present. If you encounter it, please report it using the /reportbug function in chat. For more information, take a look at our community Discord. This update weighs in around 1.1 GB and it updates the network version.
Hello soldiers! It is finally time to fight the Battle of Caporetto - the expansion is out now ! Be sure to update your game and start playing! [previewyoutube=s2V38TymG34;full][/previewyoutube] With this new expansion comes:
Today we are releasing the first huge Map Update for Isonzo, introducing the infamous Battle of Caporetto on the Kolovrat Ridge, and the German Empire faction. The update weighs in around ~1.2 GB.
Hello soldiers !
Its almost time for the Caporetto Expansion! On December 5th, well release this free expansion that will include several things, but most prominent will be the Caporetto map and the German Empire faction (along with their own weaponry)!
Since our announcement, weve updated our roadmap, so be sure to take a look to know when you can expect the other maps and additional content from this expansion and the upcoming ones !
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2891901825
Additionally, the German Empire will have their own cosmetic DLC pack! The Royal Units pack will include over 40 cosmetic items that you can use to customise your soldier! Remember that this is only purely cosmetic and wont give you any in-game advantage. The price will be $ 9.99. Not available for pre-order but you can wishlist it!
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2197970/Isonzo__Royal_Units_Pack/
Hello soldiers ! In celebration of the Caporetto Expansion release, founder Jos and producer Thomas will host an AMA! Join the stream were they will answer the questions you've submitted in our Discord and maybe even your questions in chat. They will take you through the new Caporetto map and German Empire faction and share some interesting insights. Be sure to tune in!
Hello soldiers! Have you been enjoying Isonzo so far? Was Isonzo the game you've been looking forward to play this year? Are you loving the game despite getting shot all the time? Blown away by the amazing original soundtrack that greets you in the menu? Well, if you answered 'yes' to at least one of these questions, it's your chance to support us by nominating Isonzo for the Steam Awards!
Hello soldiers, Were happy to share with you all that the free Caporetto Expansion is next month! On December 5th, Isonzo will get a big new update with the new Caporetto map, the addition of the German Empire faction, new weapons and the Prestige levelling for our veteran soldiers, combined with fresh challenges! [previewyoutube=w58hPwegk1I;full][/previewyoutube] Additionally, there will be cosmetic DLC available for the Germans! The Royal Units Pack will be available on the same date and includes a diverse set of items; the distinctive uniforms of 2 major states within the Deutsches Reich: Bavaria and Wrttemberg. It contains 2 sets of uniforms for all classes, plus a special officer uniform. The Royal Units Pack contains 40+ items:
Hello soldiers! Thank you all for your participation during the Armistice Day silence. We loved seeing and reading your comments in Discord as well. Additionally, we shared a devblog about the German rifle . We would like to continue this trend and shed some light on a different German class for this week.
Hello soldiers,
Today is November 11th - Remembrance Day. Also known as Poppy Day, this memorial day is observed by Commonwealth members since the end of World War One. A special day to remember those who have fallen in their line of duty. Other non-Commonwealth countries started to follow this tradition and have their Remembrance Day on November 11th.
In Isonzo (and our other games), youre able to participate in 2 minutes of silence and be rewarded with a special medal afterwards. Additionally we have enabled Film Memoir mode for all for a limited time.
Lest We Forget
Today is November 11th - Remembrance Day. Also known as Poppy Day, this memorial day is observed by Commonwealth members since the end of World War One. A special day to remember those who have fallen in their line of duty. Other non-Commonwealth countries started to follow this tradition and have their Remembrance Day on November 11th.
This tradition grew out of Armistice Day, which marks the signing of the armistice being signed between the Allies and Germany.
In the United States, this day is better known as Veterans Day.
The common British, Canadian, South African, and ANZAC tradition includes a one- or two-minute silence at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month (11:00 am, 11 November), as that marks the time when the armistice took effect (EU time).
The signing of the Armistice
As stated previously, this day is also known as Poppy Day. The poppy flower is a common symbol of Remembrance Day. It became the symbol of the Royal British Legion, a veterans organisation. They sell paper Poppy flowers which one can wear on their clothing, in memory of those whove fallen. The proceeds will go towards supporting war victims and families whove lost a family member during war.
This update for Isonzo addresses many visual issues, but also raises player height to hopefully improve sightlines and make it more intuitive to see who can see you, and fixes team mates looking like enemies and therefore being susceptible to friendly fire. The update weighs in at 1.4 GB. It increases the network version, so take care to update in order to play with the majority of players!
Hello soldiers ! We see youre enjoying the teaser for the upcoming Caporetto update, so how about some more? As stated before, were aiming to release it this year, but thats all the info we can share for now. Please enjoy Isonzo and look forward to the updates and expansions! As always, if you want to chat with fellow soldiers, you can join our Discord . Here you can also report any issues you encounter in the game!
Hello soldiers !
We know youre all excited for our upcoming, free update for Isonzo: the Caporetto Expansion! This update will include 3 new maps, the addition of the German Empire Faction and many other things ! In case youve forgotten, heres our roadmap overview
For the release date, we cant say anything for now, but were aiming to release it this year! Besides the expansion, we continue to work on further improving and fixing issues you encounter in the game. Thank you for your reports and patience. We recently released a new patch , be sure to update your game !
For now, lets learn a bit about the Battle of Caporetto. But first, here's a screenshot that shows a bit of the Caporetto map in Isonzo
This Isonzo update reverts TAA back to its initial settings, adds an option for autobalancing to Custom Matches (with advanced options), fixes numerous audiovisual issues and offers some quality of life fixes in the UI and gameplay departments. We are working on artillery balancing and effectiveness, as well as on voice chat not behaving as it should. You can expect improvements for this in upcoming updates. We are also investigating the issues with players turning invincible. This update raises the network version, therefore you need to update to play online with the majority of players! It is a ~600 MB download.
Hello soldiers!
Another week, another dev blog! Meanwhile, were working hard on the upcoming Caporetto update and of course, monitoring issues youre encountering with the game and releasing patches! Dont forget to check if your game is updated; we recently released a new patch that addresses several aspects. You can reach all the patch notes here.
Now as the days are getting colder and we're (hopefully) going to be seeing some snow, its time we take a closer historical look at the Alpine Pack!
This update potentially improves issues with players being outside of a faction and therefore unkillable. It also addresses issues with periscopes, some UI improvements and a fix for the esteemed achievement "Sacro Egoismo". This update raises the network version, therefore it is necessary to update to play with the majority of players. It should be an ~80 MB download.
Hello soldiers !
How have you been enjoying Isonzo so far! We enjoy watching the clips of your gameplay and screenshots you share with us on social media and in our Discord, keep it up! Of course, were also monitoring issues you encounter with the game and we keep on fixing these and further improving the game! Dont forget to check if your game is updated; we recently released a new big patch that addresses several aspects. You can reach all the patch notes here.
Now for this weeks devblog, were taking a closer look at one of the cosmetic DLC packs for Isonzo: the Veteran Units Pack and its historical background.
Fixes some issues present after the last patch:
We are back with another bigger patch for Isonzo, addressing several achievement and progression issues; better handling of grenade crates; memory and connection stability improvements; and better handling of LMG deploys, which no longer interrupt your firing! This update is a 780 MB download.
Hello soldiers! Its been almost 1 month now since Isonzos release! Were overwhelmed with the amount of praise and love weve received for our latest game in the WW1 Game Series! Thank you all so much! We hope youll continue to play and enjoy your battles on the Italian Front! A week before Isonzos release, we had a special play session for press and influencers to play together with devs and our beta testers to experience the game alongside other players. This way, reviews and videos containing content with real players would be available upon release for you all to read and watch! Now, lets see what some press and content creators thought of Isonzo!
Hello soldiers! This week, its time to put on your listening ears! If youve played the game or watched our trailer, you mightve heard it before. Isonzos main theme: Rinasceremo Insieme (We will be Reborn Together). Looking on the internet for the original song or just asking around if someone knew who the singer was, often left you guys with empty hands (or ears), as it is an original song made for the game! Our componist, Bart Delissen, has been with us from the very start and also worked on the music for Verdun & Tannenberg.
We return to the Cengio map in this week's Isonzo Intel. Don't forget that Isonzo has been released and you can join the battle yourself right now! Thank you for your support so far! It's been very fun seeing you all enjoy the game!
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1556790/Isonzo
As we prepare to attack the second line, it's worth noting that Fort Corbin, the capture objective of the first line, maintains some value as a spotting position for Officers and Mountaineers or a sniping nest for Marksmen. This said, never forget the value of being near the frontline - be ready to move on and join the assault ASAP if you don't find juicy targets.
There are two objectives for the Austro-Hungarians in the second line: sabotaging a gun position in a forest clearing and taking a capture point in a forested cliffside camp. The route to these leads from the fortress complex through a rural mountain settlement plus a shell cratered fields and forest. There is little in the way of chokepoints in this area, meaning youll need to maintain good situational awareness in case enemies are trying to sneak around your flanks. Recon flights and spotting can both help here. It also poses challenges for the Engineers of both teams, since there arent obvious locations for barbed wire and sandbags - lonely strips of wire out in the forest will be easily cut, so it makes sense to either plan to stand watch over your impromptu defenses, or build close to the objectives where you can be sure other players will always be present.
Sabotage Objective
When approaching the gun pit both sides will need to be wary of heavy machine guns positioned on banks of earth that can easily hide more enemies behind them. Visibility is often interrupted by trees or sunken lanes, so you need to keep your wits about you. The gun pit itself has plentiful stores of ammunition and other supplies, giving plenty of opportunity for people to hide. Bring close combat weapons or clear the place out with an artillery barrage before going in.
The tent encampment on the forest slopes is more open, running almost to the edge of the cliffs. Defenders should watch out for people shooting from Fort Corbin, and would probably be advised to keep the tents between themselves and the fortress complex. The Austro-Hungarians can try a frontal assault along the main road, or they can flank around from near the gun position objective.
If the Austro-Hungarians succeed, they are on to their penultimate objective: an Italian base on Monte Cengio itself. After crossing a picturesque mountain stream the route leads upwards to a series of winding cliffside paths reinforced with wood and wire.
The goal is a single capture point in a cluster of wooden shacks. Even after establishing forward spawn points there is still quite a way to go for the attackers to reach the capture point, and there are only so many routes up there. The Austro-Hungarians will need to make good use of grenades, officer call-ins, and a mortar at one the forward spawns if they hope to take this Sardinian command post. Assault classes with light machine guns can also be invaluable to suppress Italian reinforcements.
The forested cliffside camps and huts that you'll be able to enter
A tight and rocky path up the hill
Assuming they manage it, the final objective is a single capture point at the peak of Monte Cengio. The terrain for this final push is similarly rocky, but has less of a height difference, allowing longer range engagements. Without the brutal uphill assault and better sight lines from the forward spawn points to the objective, the Austro-Hungarians may well find this last push easier than the previous one.
That said watch out for the tunnels running below this sector and the capture point! Enemies can and will emerge from unexpected places. Learning the layout of the underground passageways will give you an edge. It won't be an easy battle, but overall the landscape is less unusual than the previous sector - except for the tunnels. Well close out with the complete flyover video!
[previewyoutube=rYsKk5pgtbg;full][/previewyoutube]
Hi everyone. We hope you have been enjoying Isonzo so far. We are still actively monitoring your input and today, we present the second bigger update addressing several topics like saving stability and bots. This patch raises the network version, which means you should update before playing online, in order to play with the majority of players.
This patch helps everyone who has experienced seeing different challenges on spawn, that didn't seem to track and stayed at 0. You should now always see the challenge with the lowest level prerequisite, in the widget when spawning. For more info, open the Progression Screen, which can be found on the Spawn Menu (or when pressing Escape during play) between the backpack icon and soldier customisation button.
Since Isonzos release earlier this week, we have actively been listening to your feedback, including bug reports and concerns about balancing, progression and features. Today, we are addressing the first of these issues.
Hello soldiers! Isonzo released last tuesday ! We're so happy and excited to see you all play and enjoy the game ! Thank you so much for your love and support for the series!
This small patch for Isonzo fixes issues regarding: - Launching the game at all (Steam saying "Running) - Launching the game repeatedly within one Steam session - Possibly also lessens the game staying running after closing it - Fixes black scopes on the Linux version We are actively monitoring other issues, expect more patches/hotfixes to follow!
This small 40 MB patch for Isonzo fixes black (non-transparent) sniper scopes! We are actively monitoring other issues, expect more patches/hotfixes to follow!
Hello soldiers!
We had some issues with our Steam store regarding our special Editions for Isonzo.
Luckily these issues are now resolved and you can purchase your Deluxe & Collector's Edition!
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1556790/Isonzo/
Thank you for your patience !
Soldiers!
Your duty at the Italian Front starts today! Isonzo is OUT NOW!
[previewyoutube=LYmuhQmRb4M;full][/previewyoutube]
The Italians or Austro-Hungarians, who will remain victorious in these historically accurate Offensive battles? Scenic mountain peaks, rugged valleys and idyllic river-side towns, your battles for the Isonzo Valley are never the same !
The movement system and associated animations have all received some extra love in the making of Isonzo. With steep slopes and height differences being more common, it's an important part of the overall atmosphere. Here's what we've been doing
Updated movement & vaulting
The ability to vault over low obstacles and more effectively clamber up on low rises gives everyone more tactical flexibility in their movement. The Italian landscape is filled with all sorts of hard obstacles, walls, cliffs thus being able to quickly navigate these was key in the design. Therefore we have introduced a vaulting & mantling system.
Ubiquitous stone walls like these can be quickly vaulted over
Unlike the western front trenches which allowed us to create smoother entrances, the trenches and cliffs of the Italian front are unforgiving and require a system to help the player move around. The ability to vault over low obstacles and more effectively clamber up on low rises gives everyone more tactical flexibility in their movement.
climbing (mantling) out of trenches is important when going over the top!
Updated movement locomotion
Above all we wanted to improve the base walking animations, making everything feel more weighty and grounded. Putting extra emphasis and weight into the character when walking regularly, really showing that the soldiers carried around heavy equipment and therefore had a strong impact when planting their feet. To complement this, characters now also kick up dirt and dust depending on the surface they walk on, grounding the character more.
Soldier carrying his heavy rifle lower, heavily stepping from side to side, kicking up dirt
Additionally, we made many adjustments to the prone animations. When prone, your body is dynamically aligned with the ground. The image below shows you how the game now prioritizes keeping your head (as the player) exactly where the first person camera is. This feels more natural and leads to fewer glitches.
Connected to this, the aiming has improved as well. In Isonzo, you no longer rotate your entire body when aiming to the side (which was the case in our previous two games).
Aiming is now much smoother and dynamic
We've also made the regular movement tighter, whether you're crossing rocky uneven ground or moving steeply uphill. When walking up or down hill the cadens and point of weight of the character is adapted, only for the steepest of cliffs.
Here you can see the special animation for walking up and down a mountain
Third person foot placement and IK
Inverse kinematics (IK) is a fancy technical solution to the problem of getting characters to position their limbs appropriately for the terrain and situation without contorting themselves into inhuman shapes, or requiring thousands of bespoke animations! This also appears in first person - you're enjoying IK when your character reloads close to a wall, for instance.
Reloading while sheltering behind rocks, as seen in the gunplay blog.
IK in combination with further technical tweaks from our coders allows for soldiers in Isonzo to keep their feet more firmly planted on the ground, even when scaling steep slopes.
This can give quite dramatic poses as soldiers look to physically be leaning on the sides rocks, putting their weight onto it, while shooting. Foot-placement in general is now procedural with the soldiers now accurate stepping back after moving.
Alpini dynamically placing feet on the rock surfaces
Updated third person animations
We have also overhauled a lot of our third person animations. There are lots of new ones for the new actions you can take in Isonzo (like construction, operating mortars and mountain guns, wire cutting), but that didn't stop us going back to the basics and adding even more polish where necessary.
The most dramatic of which is changing stances from sprinting directly to sighting. This actually maintains player weight momentum a little and thus the character will lean back to compensate as he comes to an abrupt standstill. We wanted to give specific love to this as this is one of the most common actions players take and would look unnatural otherwise.
Sprint to sight, the body leaning back, feet sliding a little
In a future post we will look at how death animations and ragdolls were improved.
Firearms Expert Reacts To Isonzos Guns!
Jonathan Ferguson, a weapons expert and Keeper of Firearms & Artillery at the Royal Armouries, breaks down the weaponry of Isonzo. Have a look at the arsenal and all its details.
[previewyoutube=WqwQ767avbM;full][/previewyoutube]
Hello soldiers! Our WW1 collab video is out now! Together with our friends from well-known metal band Sabaton and historical expert Indy Neidell, we took a look at Isonzo gameplay together! You can find the video here on our YouTube channel! [previewyoutube=cZKegBMBWCA;full][/previewyoutube] This was a lot of fun to create together! With our shared interest in the First World War, it was interesting to see how we both look at elements of this big historical event and apply that to our media creation! Thank you for joining us Pr and Indy!
Hello soldiers!
Were super excited to share with you that we have even more new footage of Isonzo soon! To make it an extra exciting event, we called in our friends from well-known metal band Sabaton and historical expert Indy Neidell to take a look at Isonzo footage together with us! The video will release in 3 days, August 30th, so be sure to keep an eye out on our YouTube channel for the video!
Hello soldiers!
Today marks the anniversary of The Battle of Tannenberg, which took place in 1914 on the Eastern front, present day Poland. To commemorate its memory, Tannenberg will be free to play starting today, August 26, for an entire week!
Furthermore, Tannenberg & Verdun will be on sale as well with a steep discount! Be sure to grab your copy so you can continue to play after the free trial, or continue your fight on the Western front!
https://store.steampowered.com/app/633460/Tannenberg/
https://store.steampowered.com/app/242860/Verdun/
Welcome back to part two of our look at the new Fior map! Last time we followed the Austro-Hungarian attackers as they broke through the heavily defended forest near the base of the mountain, and they had just reached the Citt di Roccia - unusual formations of limestone rocks.
One of our reference photos for the forest trenches which feature heavily in the first two defensive lines of the map. Theyre also the jumping off point for the attack on the third line.
Their objective here in this third line of defense is to sabotage a major supply dump, which lies higher up the slope past the Citt di Roccia. Getting up there is itself a challenge, since there is open ground to cross before reaching the limestone, and then the Italian trenches and heavy weapon positions atop the rocks will need to be cleared out. As always, smoke called in by an officer is a useful way to screen an advance in these situations.
The Citt di Roccia in-game!
If the attackers can take control of the Citt di Roccia, its not too much further uphill before they reach the supply dump. Its a large dugout with plenty of stacked crates and ammunition creating short sight lines and ample melee opportunities.
Next to the objective is an unusual kind of dug out: rocky underground tunnels. They have one entrance from the objective itself, and others on the lower side of the slope - meaning that they make a good covered route for attackers. Of course its fairly easy to camp the narrow entrance, build barbed wire, or throw grenades inside, so it works best for the attackers if they use it as an extra line of attack alongside a more conventional assault rather than committing too many people there.
Exiting the tunnels towards the supply dump.
Once the supply dump has been dealt with, there is one final objective: the mountain peak. The mostly bare ground doesnt offer a lot of cover for either side, making the trenches and shell craters highly contested real estate. They also contain the forward spawn points which are vital to establish, to avoid each new wave of attackers or defenders having to keep crossing the open landscape. Of course, those are also the spots which are the best targets for enemy officers
The mountaintop trenches.
The trench lines which are present are long, without too many winding corners - communication trenches rather than front line positions - meaning that melee weapons wont be as useful here as you might expect. That changes once the attackers reach the peak itself, where artillery damage and rocky outcrops create a confined space where enemies could lurk behind every boulder or stack of crates.
The Fior mountain peak.
The battle for the peak will be bloody, and theres effectively nowhere to hide from artillery or biplanes striking from above. Try to spread out as much as you can, lay down new sandbag positions to create better cover, and hope your riflemen lay down ammo crates and are generous with the refills. Having more grenades and more ammo for rapid fire weapons like semi-auto pistols and LMGs might just give your team the edge they need to hold the peak.
Hello soldiers!
We can't believe Isonzo's release is less than a month away! We're still busy with a lot of different actions relating to Isonzo and its launch, and one of those is the WW1 Game Series team going to Germany! From August 24 until the 26th, Isonzo will make an appearance at gamescom in Cologne, Germany!
You can find us at the Netherlands Pavilion | 4.1 A021g - B030g! This time, the game will be available for press/media and content creators at the B2B hall, so if youre visiting gamescom on business related matters and youre interested in Isonzo (or just want to say hi), be sure to visit us!
For our community players, dont worry! We got some exciting things happening during gamescom, relating to Isonzo and our other games, so be sure to keep an eye out for the gamescom live streams, Steam store and our social media!
In May 1916, Austria-Hungary launched a large offensive operation attacking across the Vicentine Alps into the Autonomous Province of Trento (known as Trentino). Despite their German allies refusing to assist with the attack - and even going so far as trying to dissuade General von Htzendorf from carrying out the plan - the Austro-Hungarians massed thousands of guns and hundreds of thousands of men. If they managed to break through they would be in a position to outflank all the Italian troops fighting along the Isonzo river. This was called the Strafexpedition - punitive expedition - intended to punish the Italians for their betrayal of the Central Powers when they went against an earlier defensive agreement to join the Entente instead.
Facing them was the Italian First Army. Low on manpower and lumbered with some poor quality officers, the Italian defenders did not see the attack coming. The Strafexpedition did not come as a surprise to everyone though! The Italians did have intelligence suggesting a major offensive aimed at Trentino was in the works a month ahead but General Luigi Cadorna refused to consider the possibility since it went against his own thinking.
Many WW1 generals get sometimes unfair criticism for their performance when you consider the unprecedented scale of the war and the new technologies used. Luigi Cadorna was not one of them, and can be criticized for a great number of things.
In Isonzo the Strafexpedition is a two map offensive, of which Fior is the second map, named after the mountain which is the focus of the attack. The final objective is the Fior Peak, which stands at 1824m high (5984ft). An interesting feature of the area is the unusual limestone formations called the Citt di Roccia (or city of rock). The Austro-Hungarian attackers will need to fight their way through these to reach their final objective at the peak of the mountain. But climbing a mountain takes time, and before they get anywhere near the Citt di Roccia there are two other defensive lines to break
Photograph of the Citt di Roccia today.
The Austro-Hungarian attackers must first storm a forest to sabotage a gun position and capture a command post. The attackers begin sheltered in a treeline, but will need to force their way across a road and strip of grass before they can reach the shelter of more trees. Fortunately (for some) a convoy has been ambushed and destroyed on the road, providing useful cover in addition to the low stone walls running along the road.
The devastated convoy - the attackers are coming from the left side of this view.
Trenches and barbed wire positions lie throughout the forest on the other side of the road - some are proper dugouts with weapon emplacements and forward spawn points, while others are little more than rows of sandbags piled atop banks of dirt. The forest and undergrowth present on Fior mean its important to understand the distinction between cover and concealment: rocks, sandbags and fallen logs provide cover that will protect you from bullets, while the tree leaves and plants will conceal you from the enemy but not save you from gunfire or shrapnel.
Some of the Italian defensive positions in the forest.
One objective calls for the Austro-Hungarians to sabotage one of those forest defensive positions, but the other is a capture objective set among a trio of houses on the wooded slopes. The houses and stone walls are potentially a major challenge for the attackers, especially since the buildings are intact and will offer good shelter from artillery and aviation call-ins.
The hillside houses - the one on the right contains the command post.
However, should the attackers gain a foothold it may not be easy for the Italian defenders to counterattack. The main house has two stories, with the top story including windows facing towards the Italian positions - an excellent spot for an LMG! Additionally defending reinforcements are forced to route around the side of the house, or go down a narrow set of steps which could easily be blocked by wire or become a killing zone if a few enemies are watching it.
Viewed from above - you can see the narrow stairway down between the two closest houses.
The second defensive line also has one sabotage and one capture objective. Before reaching those is more forest, much of it heavily shelled and devastated (including a ruined building) and a series of forward spawn points. As always, its up to you and your team how much effort you want to put into dominating the forward spawn points - if the defenders are putting too much manpower into holding their forward spawn point, you might be able to sneak past and hit the main objectives while facing less resistance!
Defensive positions overlooking a shelled area of the forest.
If the Austro-Hungarians conquer the first two lines, before them lie those distinctive limestone cliffs, the Citt di Roccia. Well get to them along with the final two defensive lines in our next blog post, and you can see them at the end of this first half of our Fior Flyover video!
[previewyoutube=lPS-Hul12AU;full][/previewyoutube]
Bayonet charges are a staple image associated with the First World War, and while they rarely took the form of wild unsupported charges over No-Mans-Land, melee combat remained a key element of WW1 combat until the end of the war. It was partly a holdover from older military doctrine that had bayonet drill as a basic skill for soldiers, but also still proved useful even in the age of artillery and the machine gun.
Soldiers showing off trench clubs.
Close combat was so important that many soldiers carried or improvised dedicated melee weapons. Raiding parties,and later specially trained stormtroopers, would use melee weapons (alongside guns and grenades) when infiltrating enemy lines both to stay quiet as long as possible and because it was practical in the close confines of the trenches. When your only gun is a long and heavy rifle with just five shots before you need to reload - not to mention working the bolt between each shot - you can see the appeal of a dedicated melee weapon if youre planning to assault and enter an enemy trench.
An army is nothing without weapons, and while weve looked at individual guns here and there throughout our previous blogs, we thought it would be valuable to bring them all together in a single post. Today were going to look over a number of the Austro-Hungarian weapons that will feature in Isonzo, with a few new images and gifs added for good measure!
As weve explained before, Isonzo has a different progression system to our previous games. In Verdun and Tannenberg you gained points as you fought which could be used to unlock new loadouts for any role or squad. So how does it work in the new Isonzo class system?
Today were looking at the third set of support options available to officers in Isonzo: the Aviation Corps! We explained artillery support available and the Chemical Regiment options for gas and smoke in previous dev blogs. The Aviation Corps has the same format of five options, with each tier being relatively more powerful but also having a longer cooldown before it becomes available. Lets jump in!
As we explained last week, the Dolomites map officially has two defensive lines, each with a single capture point objective. In reality, however, the attacking Italians will need to break through more than just two lines of defense - they just dont all have objective points. To illustrate, the first thing attackers will see on leaving their jump-off points is a strip of barbed wire along the length of the rocky hillside ahead of them. Theyll need to cut the wire and climb the slope while under fire from the Austro-Hungarian defenders.
The first line of wire the Italians must breach.
If they make it up there, theyll find a second line of wire and another steep and rocky hillside to scale. Its at the top of this slope that the first capture objective lies: the Dreizinne Hutte refuge. The ruins of it, anyway
Some of the trenches that must be conquered.
There are multiple heavy machine gun positions amidst the remains of the refuge, and enough of the building is still standing to provide a little cover from artillery. It is also used by officers to call in support - first the Austro-Hungarians, then the Italians once they take control. As you can see from the gif above, there are multiple routes up to the objective: you should avoid getting tunnel vision and only attacking or defending one route. The strongest defensive position can crumble when attacked from an unexpected angle.
The Dreizinne Hutte is a capture objective, so the Italians will need to take and then hold it for some time, while taking fire and facing counter attacks from the Austro-Hungarian positions higher up the mountain. The good news is the slope doesnt offer a lot of cover for such counter attacks. The bad news is, as the attackers youll have to be crossing that dangerous slope on your way to
The Dreizinne Hutte - the capture zone is in the main cluster of ruins.
Hello soldiers!
Were happy to share with you all that our 3rd game Isonzo will be released on September 13 ! On this day, youll be able to fight on the Italian Front up in the mountains, alongside the Isonzo river and in rural areas! Luckily you wont have to fight these battles with a vast group of players, since each map will have room for 48 PC players (in total).
[previewyoutube=bhPPeJi4ehE;full][/previewyoutube]
Along with the release date, were revealing the 4th map youll be able to play on in Isonzo; the Dolomites! During World War One, the frontline ran right through these mountains. Will you be able to conquer the mountain along with your fellow Italians? Or will you stand high and mighty on the top as an Austro-Hungarian?
This new trailer shows off the Dolomites map! Youve seen a bit in the trailer, and now you can read all about it in tomorrows dev blog !
We covered artillery support options in a previous dev blog, and the Chemical Regiment follows the same format with five choices, with later options having increasingly long cooldowns. The chemical warfare options have a slightly longer cooldown than the artillery and aviation call-ins, because gas and smoke remain on the battlefield for longer.
Barbed wire is one of the most common battlefield obstacles youll find in the WW1 Game Series, whether youre fighting in France and Belgium with Verdun, on the Eastern Front with Tannenberg, or here in Isonzo. It slows you down, tangles you up, and will cause injury with potential death if you dont free yourself.
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