After agreeing the terms of the armistice at the Forest of Compigne.
One hundred and one years ago today, the Armistice was signed between the allied powers and Germany. Earlier armistices had already been signed with German allies, and the Armistice of November 11th, 1918 finally ended fighting for good. It would be extended three times before the Treaty of Versailles officially ended the war.
In Verdun (and our Eastern Front WW1 game Tannenberg) there is an optional two minute silence to commemorate this important day in history. Those who observe it will earn a medal in-game. For those of you on Facebook, we have created an overlay which you can apply to your profile picture. Just follow this link.
The lasting costs of war
Today we celebrate the end of World War One which lasted more than four years. But we also commemorate the 15-19 million who died, and the over 20 million wounded that survived the war - although with a cost. Wounds could be physical or mental; shell shock being perhaps the most well known mental effect of the war. Shell shock encompassed a wide range of mental reactions to the horror of combat, which were poorly understood at the time. What soldiers in WW1 were experiencing would likely be classified as either combat stress reaction (for temporary effects), or if it was a longer term effect, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
A soldier captured by the Germans in 1918, who was diagnosed with shell shock. The term shell shock was coined because early analysis suggested that mental disorders might be caused by shockwaves from shells. Of course, this was not the case - physically uninjured soldiers could still suffer posttraumatic stress disorder. War correspondent Philip Gibbs wrote of soldiers suffering from shell shock: [quote=Philip Gibbs]Something was wrong. They put on civilian clothes again and looked to their mothers and wives very much like the young men who had gone to business in the peaceful days before August 1914. But they had not come back the same men. Something had altered in them. They were subject to sudden moods, and queer tempers, fits of profound depression alternating with a restless desire for pleasure. Many were easily moved to passion where they lost control of themselves, many were bitter in their speech, violent in opinion, frightening.[/quote] The breakdowns which could be caused by experience of war were often conflated with cowardice or a 'lack of bravery'. During the First World War, this was encouraged by some leaders due to an increasing shortage of manpower and also the unforeseen costs of disability payments to all those suffering mental injuries. After all, if a man was 'only suffering from a momentary loss of heart' he could be sent back into battle. A dismissive attitude towards shell shock could also be caused by simple ignorance. Royal Fusilier William Holbrook said: [quote=William Holbrook]I was reading some time ago where some general said, Theres no such thing as shell shock. He ought to have, he should have been there. I mean its ridiculous to say things like that. You get a man, even if he was a strong man, you get a terrific burst from a shell within say three or four yards of you, you know. It does, it does upset them. Shell shock, oh my god yes.[/quote]
Some doctors advocated the use of cruel 'treatments' like electric shocks to attempt to bring shell shock victims back to fighting condition. The Cambridge History of the First World War estimates that 20% of soldiers may have been affected by shell shock - but these numbers are uncertain, in part because the doctors at the frontlines may have avoided labelling injured men with psychological conditions that would not be considered worthy of a disability pension. One man who did receive a pension was Thomas Olive: [quote=Thomas Olive]I used to have little breakdowns now and then and my wife used to be very frightened. It more or less used to happen at night, when I was in bed. I used to spring up off the bed, you know; it used to frighten her. My daughter, incidentally, is terribly nervous, shes terribly nervous. My wife says its all my fault. Well I had shell shock, you see. I got blown up, you see, and it affected my whole system. I got a pension for about oh, what was it, about 9 shillings a week.[/quote] Its worth noting that the 9 shillings a week was roughly equivalent to about 26 pounds / 30 euros / 33 dollars today. As mentioned before, many of those who suffered mental disorders as a result of their wartime experiences wouldnt even get that. When you pause to remember the Armistice today and think back of all those who fell during the war, also remember those who survived but were still scarred by their experiences, whether physically or mentally.
Lest we forget...
[ 2019-11-11 10:12:04 CET ] [ Original post ]
🕹️ Partial Controller Support
- WW1Series_LinuxPlayer [1.98 G]
- Verdun - Supporter Edition Upgrade
The game takes place on the western front between 1914 and 1918, in one of the bloodiest conflicts in world history. The developers were inspired by the infamous Battle of Verdun in 1916. The game offers 4 distinct game-modes: Frontlines, Attrition, Rifle Deathmatch, and Squad Defense. There are also many historically accurate features such as realistic WW1 weaponry, authentic uniforms, horrendous gore, and maps based on the real battlefields of France and Belgium.
The Frontlines game mode is unique in its tactical complexity. The realistic trenches are challenging to fight in and require tactical cunning to capture and defend. The Entente and Central Powers strive to gain control of frontline sectors. In one battle you’ll find yourself rushing the enemy trenches during an offensive action in order to gain ground, while in another you might be defending your recently conquered ground against a fierce enemy counter-attack.
Players can choose to be part of one of the many squad types in the game, each of which have their own distinct tactical roles. By working together with your friends, you can earn experience that improves the power and versatility of your squad. As you gain more experience fighting and get promoted in rank, you also earn Career Points which you can use to unlock specializations, weapons and equipment.
In the Attrition game mode, the Entente and the Central Powers are pitted against each other in a single battle. Each side has a number of tickets which represents the amount of manpower they have. When a player is killed and respawns, a ticket is deducted from the side they belonged to. When a side has no more tickets, players of that side cannot respawn - the last side standing wins!
The Rifle Deathmatch is a free-for-all game mode, where all players are pitted against each other in a thrilling contest of skill using only bolt-action rifles.
In the Squad Defense mode, the player along with three squad-mates will have to defend a position as long as they can against endless waves of AI controlled attackers.
Verdun key features include:
•Realistic World War 1 gameplay: Authentic weaponry with realistic bullet physics, skill based weapon handling, gore, poisonous gas with a claustrophobic gas mask experience, horrendous gore and artillery barrages
•Tactical squad-based FPS: Unique squad leveling system, distinct squad types and roles, voice chat
•True trench warfare: Real-time dynamic frontline with momentum-based attack and counter-attack gameplay
•Authentic World War 1 setting: Typical WW1 music and style, historical battlefields set on the Western Front
•Challenging game modes: Team-based Frontline, tactical Attrition, skill-based Rifle Deathmatch and desperate survival in Squad Defense
The gameplay is as immersive and gritty as it can get with elements such as realistic gore that portrays the true horror of the 1st World War Battlefield. This feature can naturally be disable if preferred. The authentic weapons need to be handled with skill, as they each feel differently and there are no floating crosshairs to aid your aim. Also, the realistic bullet physics require you to lead your shots when firing on a moving target at long range. In the event of a gas attack, you need to put on your gas mask, which impairs your view and gives you a very claustrophobic experience. And if getting shot or gassed isn’t enough, sudden artillery barrages that are called in by NCO’s can pin you down if you’re caught in the open and might obliterate your entire squad. This unforgiving war isn’t for the faint hearted!
Team play is what lies at the heart of Verdun. When you start a game, your first choice is to fight for either the Entente or the Central Powers. You can form one of the different squad types available to that side with up to three of your friends. Each squad has a specific tactic that is based on the historical units of that time. Depending on your squad’s type, players can choose a specific role within the squad, complete with historically accurate attire, weapons and special abilities. The more Co-op experience you and your squad mates earn together, the more powerful your squad will become and the better abilities will be unlocked. This progression is also shown visually as you and your squad get more advanced uniforms. You will also earn Career Points, which can be spent to unlock specializations, weapons and equipment.
The true WW1 battlefield experience has been captured in a real-time dynamic frontline, set in historically accurate locations of the Western Front. These frontline maps are comprised out of multiple sectors that can be captured by either side. Staying true to the typical attrition warfare of that time, both sides attack and counter-attack each other in turn, compelling you to defend each captured sector of trenches!
The development team has done extensive field research at Verdun and has been advised by knowledgeable historians to make sure Verdun is as historically accurate as it can get. Uniforms have been recreated to the tiniest details, the weapons are modeled to exact references and the maps use realistic World War 1 props and terrain layouts. Also, everything in the game has been tailored to recreate the grim atmosphere that is so typical of WW1; Gloomy clouded skies, an immersive interface combined with realistic sounds, accurate native voices that evoke the feeling of actually being there in the trenches, mud covered - trenches whilst peering over your rifle to spot the enemy.
- OS: Ubuntu 18.04+ 64bit only. Other distros will probably work. but are not officially supported.
- Processor: Intel CPU Core i5-2500K 3.3GHz. AMD CPU Phenom II X4 940Memory: 4 GB RAM
- Memory: 4 GB RAM
- Graphics: Geforce GTX 960M / Radeon HD 7750 or higher. 1GB video card memoryNetwork: Broadband Internet connection
- Storage: 8 GB available spaceAdditional Notes: Multiplayer only. make sure you have a stable and fast internet connection.
- Memory: 8 GB RAM
- Graphics: 4GB video card memory
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