It was this day 105 years ago that Bosnian Serb Gavrilo Princip fired two shots that would be the spark to ignite the First World War. His first shot hit the Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria in the neck, his second hit the Archduke's wife Sophie, Duchess of Hohenberg, in the abdomen. Both died. It was June 28th, 1914. A month later, the Austro-Hungarian invasion of Serbia on July 28th would mark the start of the First World War.
Painting of the assassination. Princip only had the chance to attack the Archduke because of a series of unlikely coincidences. He was one of six assassins organized by a secret society called the Black Hand. They were posted along the route of Franz Ferdinand's drive, which was published beforehand, and armed with pistols or bombs. The first two assassins that the motorcade passed chose not to try an attack. The third assassin was Nedeljko abrinovi, who threw a bomb. It bounced off the roof of the Archduke's car, disabling a car behind and injuring about 20 people. The Archduke disembarked to examine the damage before the motorcade continued. abrinovi took a cyanide pill and jumped into the Miljacka river, but the cyanide was expired and the river was shallow - he was apprehended by police shortly afterwards.
Colorized photograph of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. From this point the speed of the car prevented any further attempts, including from Princip as the motorcade passed him. Even with blood from the injured still on his clothes, the Archduke proceeded to give a speech as planned at the city hall, but then decided to visit those injured by the attack in hospital. His driver was not properly informed however, and took a wrong turn leading down a street where Princip was still standing. Even this might not have been fatal, but on being informed of his mistake the driver stopped the car, then stalled it while trying to reverse... practically in front of Princip, who drew his pistol and opened fire. His third shot was intended to kill himself, but he never had a chance to pull the trigger before being captured. Both Princip and abrinovi suffered from tuberculosis, and had already known they didn't have long to live before joining the assassination attempt. After his capture, Princip said: "I am a Yugoslav nationalist, aiming for the unification of all Yugoslavs, and I do not care what form of state, but it must be freed from Austria."
Gavrilo Princip in prison. They were both were sentenced to 20 years in prison. However, their tuberculosis along with harsh prison conditions meant that abrinovi died in 1916, and Princip in 1918. Four of their co-conspirators were hanged, and others imprisoned. It seems likely that even without the assassination of the Archduke, something would have triggered the First World War. Tensions were high in Europe, and although the assassination served as a reason for Austria-Hungary to issue the July Ultimatum - a series of demands, some outrageous - to Serbia, no doubt they would have found another reason in time. The Serbian response to the ultimatum, which accepted many points but not all, led to the recall of the Austro-Hungarian ambassador and, ultimately, war.

[ 2020-06-28 13:41:04 CET ] [ Original post ]

Verdun is the first multiplayer FPS set in a realistic First World War setting. The merciless trench warfare offers a unique battlefield experience, immersing you and your squad into intense battles of attack and defense.
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.