Beyond The Wire News

In our Developer Recap for November we revealed that big changes are coming to team templates including new section types. Armies in Beyond The Wire have undergone a restructure to further enhance the variety seen across the different factions throughout World War 1. With Operation III introducing the first version of year determined loadouts, our December update will further expand on the evolution of section types and tactics throughout the years of the conflict. Our new team template makes extensive changes between each year of the war – so we’ve broken down the new section options in this article so you can see where and how factions will vary in-game.

[h2]British Expeditionary Force[/h2]
1914 – The British went into the war with fewer grenades than any other faction. As such in 1914 they will mainly be reliant on their bolt-action rifles. Only a detachment of royal engineers will have access to a limited amount of early war and makeshift grenades meaning their role should be more impactful on the frontline.

HQ Section
Rifle Section x3
Royal Engineer Section
HMG Detachment x2
Field Artillery Detachment
Construction Section


1915 – This is the first year that rifle grenades, light machine guns, and hand grenades became more widely available for British soldiers. Light machine guns and rifle grenades were still in limited numbers at this time so only a specialist section will gain access to these weapons, although some hand grenades will be available in the remaining rifle sections.

HQ Section
Rifle Section x3
Specialist Section
HMG Detachment x2
Field Artillery Detachment
Construction Section


1916 – Leading up to the Battle of the Somme in 1916 the availability of grenades, rifle grenades, and light machine guns became greater. In 1916 layers the BEF will have access to two specialist sections. This is also the first year that sniper rifles became widely circulated within the army so it will be the first year that BEF has access to their sniper team.

HQ Section
Rifle Section x2
Specialist Section x2
Sniper Team
HMG Detachment
Field Artillery Detachment
Construction Section


1917 – After the lessons during the Battle of the Somme, in 1917 the British doctrine shifted – splitting up weapons like hand grenades, rifle grenades, and light machine guns into their own sections which will put extra emphasis on team communication and coordination.

HQ Section
Rifle Section
Bomber Section
Rifle Grenade Section
Lewis Gun Section
Sniper Team
HMG Detachment
Field Artillery Detachment
Construction Section


1918 – In 1918 the BEF moved away from their previous specialized sections and instead integrated hand grenades and rifle grenades into a combined infantry section. This would be the maneuver element of the force alongside the covering fire of a light machine gun section.

HQ Section
Infantry Section x2
Lewis Gun Section x2
Sniper Team
HMG Detachment
Field Artillery Detachment
Construction Section


[h2]French Army[/h2]
1914 & 1915 – The French entered the war with outdated tactics and as such will rely mainly on their bolt-action rifle sections. However, the French will be unique in their use of tear gas grenades – which will be available to them in every year of the conflict, and will give them an edge in assaults on strong points, especially considering they lacked specialized weapons until later in the war compared to other factions. Tear gas grenades are in an early implementation state and will be developed further in the future.

HQ Section
Rifle Section x3
Grenadier Section
HMG Detachment x2
Field Artillery Detachment
Construction Section


1916 – In 1916, with the wider availability of Chauchat light machine guns and rifle grenades, the French moved away from their early war organization and split sections up into automatic rifle sections, grenadier sections, and voltigeur sections. Voltigeur sections acted as a combination of an assault and rifle grenade section. 1916 is also the first year where the sniper variants of the Lebel became widely circulated and as such will see the sniper team join the French team template.

HQ Section
Automatic Rifle Section x2
Grenadier Section
Voltigeur Section
Sniper Team
HMG Detachment x2
Field Artillery Detachment
Construction Section


1917 & 1918 – During the late war years, the French again shifted their organization slightly and split their sections into more combined infantry sections in addition to the grenadier and Voltigeur section. With a much wider availability of rifle grenades compared to other factions, the arrival of the semi-automatic RSC 1917 and their continued use of tear gas grenades, the French will be able to conduct strong attacks in the late war period. However, the tradeoff they face is with a clear inferiority in their automatic weapons and a shortage of Lebel rifles which will result in some roles only having access to the inferior Berthier 1907/15.

HQ Section
Infantry Section x2
Grenadier Section
Voltigeur Section
Sniper Team
HMG Detachment x2
Field Artillery Detachment
Construction Section


[h2]Chasseurs Alpins[/h2]
1915 – The Chasseurs Alpins appear on the Vieil Armand map, taking place during the battle of Hartmannswillerkopf. Their specialized Chasseurs section focuses on mountain warfare with integrated snipers and scouts. Their grenadier section focuses on hand grenades and assault tactics, and includes an additional sniper.

HQ Section
Chasseurs Section x4
Grenadier Section
Construction Section


[h2]Imperial German Army[/h2]
1914 – The German empire was much better prepared for modern war than the other armies in the conflict. They enter the war with a wider availability of hand grenades, rifle grenades, light machine guns, and sniper rifles. As such they will be more difficult to face in the early war years. In order to balance out the wider availability of weapons, their recon section (Spähtruppen) will only include a single sniper rifle until the mid-war years.

HQ Section
Rifle Section x3
Pioniertruppen
Spähtruppen
HMG Detachment x2
Field Artillery Detachment
Construction Section


1915 – By 1915 the German army already recognized the benefits of integrating specialist weapons such as hand grenades among the infantry. In 1915 they will begin to field more hand grenades into their infantry sections than other factions, in addition to their specialized grenadier section.

HQ Section
Rifle Section x3
Grenadiertruppen
Spähtruppen
HMG Detachment x2
Field Artillery Detachment
Construction Section


1916 – Leading up to the battle of the Somme in 1916, the German army raised several Musketen-Battalions revolving around the Madsen light machine gun. As such in 1916, the German team template will gain access to the Musketentruppen section which will field a large number of Madsens. After the battle of the Somme these units, as well as their weapons, were largely lost and thus Madsens will become much more rare after 1916 and will only see limited use in specialized assault units.

HQ Section
Rifle Section x2
Musketentruppen
Grenadiertruppen
Scharfschützen
HMG Detachment x2
Field Artillery Detachment
Construction Section


1917 & 1918 – In the late war years Germany took a hybrid approach, making use of both methods of tactical organization – integration and specialization. Their new infantry sections would integrate hand grenades and rifle grenades, and their Maschinengewehrtruppen would field the new MG 08/15 – these cumbersome weapons will not be able to aim down sights without first being supported by the bipod, and the soldiers carrying these weapons will move much slower compared to other roles. 1917 will also see the first introduction of smoke grenades. The late war also marked the first use of assault troop formations (Stoßtruppen), specializing in breaking through and infiltrating enemy lines – in 1918 this section gains access to the MP18.

HQ Section
Infantry Section
Grenadiertruppen
Maschinengewehrtruppen
Stoßtruppen
Scharfschützen
HMG Detachment
Field Artillery Detachment
Construction Section


[h2]Jäger-Battalion[/h2]
In real life the Jäger-Battalions would have been equipped very similarly to normal German infantry regiments but to differentiate their gameplay style in Beyond The Wire, this team template will focus heavily on offense.

1914 – In 1914, each Jägertruppen section will be made up of 10 troops, making use of snipers and grenadiers, but they will have to deal with a lack of rifle grenades, proper field gun support and heavy machine guns. This template will only appear on a couple Combles gameplay layers.

HQ Section
Jägertruppen x4
Field Artillery Detachment (1 gun instead of 2, limited to 2 players)
Construction Section x2


1915 – During the Second Battle of Ypres, almost each attacking German division was sent with an attached Jäger-Battalion. 1915 Jägertruppen sections will integrate special weapons such as snipers, grenadiers, and light machine guns. Their major shortcomings will be their lack of rifle grenades, a limited number of field cannon, and no ammo-bearing riflemen in their Jägertruppen sections, thereby relying on the construction section’s ammo dumps in order to resupply. As such they will receive two construction sections to help them hold ground or sustain assaults.

HQ Section
Jägertruppen x4
HMG Detachment
Field Artillery Detachment (1 gun instead of 2, limited to 2 players)
Construction Section x2


[h2]Jäger-Battalion, Army Detachment Gaede[/h2]
1915 – Jäger-Battalion, Army Detachment Gaede fought during the battle of Hartmannswillerkopf. These troops were specialized in mountain warfare and as such will be set up differently than the full Jäger-Battalion team template. The Jägertruppen section will integrate a sniper, grenadier, and assault role. Their Pioniertruppen will have access to more specialized weapons such as a rifle grenade and light machine gun.

HQ Section
Jägertruppen x4
Pioniertruppen Section
Construction Section


[h2]Canadian Expeditionary Force[/h2]

1915 & 1916 – Canada arrived at the war with similar organization to the BEF forces but eventually became known for vicious trench raids and innovative assault techniques. To differentiate their playstyle from the BEF, they will focus their strengths on offense with a wider availability of pistols and hand grenades. Canada also fielded some of the deadliest snipers in World War 1 and as such will enter the war with a larger sniper detachment compared to other teams.

HQ Section
Rifle Section x2
Assault Section
Raiding Section
Sniper Detachment
HMG Detachment
Field Artillery Detachment
Construction Section


1917 & 1918 – Following the British example, Canada shifted their section organization into specialized sections. However, they would not mimic the British changes in 1918 and would finish the war using this tactical organization on the attack during the 100 Day Offensive.

HQ Section
Assault Section
Rifle Grenade Section
Lewis Gun Section
Raiding Section
Sniper Detachment
HMG Detachment
Field Artillery Detachment
Construction Section


[h2]American Expeditionary Force[/h2]
1918 – American doctrine during World War 1 was similar to British and French organization in previous years. A platoon was made up of a rifle section, hand bomber section, rifle grenade section, and automatic rifle section.

HQ Section
Rifle Section
Hand Bomber Section
Rifle Grenade Section
Automatic Rifle Section
Sniper Team
HMG Detachment
Field Artillery Detachment
Construction Section


[h2]Harlem Hellfighters[/h2]
1918 – Joining the French in 1918, the Harlem Hellfighters uses a combination of French and American section organizations with a rifle section, hand bomber section, rifle grenade section, and assault section. Their rifle section has integrated Chauchat light machine guns, and their fearsome assault section has access to BARs, trench shotguns, as well as tear gas. They’re joined by their parent French forces in the form of a Voltigeur section giving them extra offensive potential.

HQ Section
Rifle Section
Hand Bomber Section
Voltigeur Section
Assault Section
Sniper Team
HMG Detachment x2
Field Artillery Detachment
Construction Section


The game design team have worked hard to research and implement this new expansion of team structure which will be arriving in our next update. The on-going effort to distinguish each faction and add a new level of asymmetry will have an impact gameplay and team strategy. We look forward to hearing your feedback on this new template. See you in the trenches!

The most recent community feedback survey was sent out last week and the results are in! Covering the main aspects of the update from gameplay changes to map performance we wanted to get a decent idea of how new additions and changes were viewed. We are committed to being as transparent as possible so we present the results of the survey so you can see exactly how the community feels about our most recent update.

[h2]General[/h2]
As usual our first point to address was how the community received the update in it's entirety. The first question gave us a good idea of the time players had invested in the game up to now. With 44% having less than 50 hours in the game, the majority of submissions have more than 50 hours, meaning most of the respondents have a good understanding of the game.


Question two cut right to the chase to see how you rated our most recent update. Thankfully - the overwhelming majority rated this expansion highly, as over 75% of responses stating the update was good or excellent. While there is a number who are undecided or haven't enjoyed the update, our later questions allowed us to get a better understanding of why these players felt this way and gives us an idea of areas to improve in the future.


Out of interest we asked how many hours the players had accumulated in game since Operation III release. With the intention to gauge the longevity of the content and changes recently made we can see that a large majority had players more than 5 hours in the passed two weeks. 31% had just under 5 hours, with many stating reasons such as low player numbers or personal commitments preventing them from investing more time.


An important metric for the development team is seeing if players experience in-game has improved with the update, and the responses fed-back that the direction the game was moving is in the right direction. 74% of respondents stated their experience has been better with this update, reinforcing the team's confidence that Beyond The Wire is improving with each update.


[h2]Gameplay[/h2]

The next section of the survey sought to drill down on some specific gameplay changes that were made with Operation III. The first item to address was the refactor of rally points, now called Spawn Points. These changes prompted a new interaction from players in order to disable enemy spawn points. We have been glad to see that this change is a welcome one, with 70% saying this system was better, with just 5.4% stating they preferred the old system, and 24.6% needing more time to decide.


Question two broached the subject of Main Spawn points which have been reverted to an older system where they would remain static rather than moving up with each sector won. With this change having such an impact on gameplay flow many players (35.7%) understandably need more time to decide if this was an improvement, while a larger share (36.4%) responded the previous system was better. Finally 27.9% said this was a better way to spawn. With the consensus being divided in such a way it shows the system needs more time to bed in before making any more major changes.


A topic that has been debated across the community was the inclusion of a delicate lighting effect on player silhouette's which has gone through several revisions up to now. Aiming to help target acquisition on night layers the effect has been tweaked and is now at a point where a majority find the effect to help, with just 22% finding the glow to be too bright. This shows that there may be room for more tweaking to strike the right balance.


Another hot topic has been the on-going changes to weapon handling, and specifically sway values. After recently revising the values back to an earlier build most players responded that we're in a good spot. While 35% of players said they hadn't noticed these changed, 40% prefer it while 24% preferred the old sway values. Again some changes and tweaks should be expected in order to find the right spot for the majority.


A side effect of the weapon handling changes will be the engagement distances players experience in-game. Fortunately the changes in Operation III have had the desired effect and the distances players have been engaging is closer than before. An overwhelming 81.5% of responses stated the distances had been closer since Op III release which is reassuring for the game design team and the direction of the game.


A follow-up to the engagement distances sought to survey player's usage of our melee system. As the melee system continues to be a core pillar of the game we have been encouraged to see the majority of players using their clubs, knives and bayonets. 34.2% of responses stated they use melee all the time, 54.8% said they use it sometimes while 11.1% rarely or never get into melee combat.


Another change that was introduced with Operation III was a new layout design for objectives in the Assault game mode. 59.5% of players said the changes were enjoyable while 12.5% stated they were not enjoying them. The final 28.1% said they hadn't noticed the changes to the gamemode.



[h2]Maps[/h2]

Next up we looked at the new maps as well as take another poll on the community's favourite map. Vimy Ridge and Vieil Armand were the new maps introduced with this update and we wanted to see how their performance had been. An almost even split of 51%/49% showed that each map had their own issues and would need equal attention in coming updates for optimization and improvements.


An interesting poll which we try to include with each survey is the community's sentiment towards our library of maps. The intention here is to see which Fields of Battle are favoured, meaning our level design and environment art departments can expand on the good and extrapolate certain features to new and existing maps.

1. Zonnebeke 21.8%
2. Vimy Ridge 17.7%
3. Chateau-Thierry 14.1%
4. Poelcappelle 9.9%
5. Vieil Armand 9.1%
6. Ansoncourt 8.3%
7. Frise 5.8%
8. Cantigny 5.5%
9. Sechault 4.7%
10. Combles 3%


[h2]Performance[/h2]

Lastly the topic of performance was addressed as effort towards optimization, stability and general performance are on-going. While 24.7% had noticed a decrease in performance listing issues such as game crashes and Easy Anti-Cheat errors, 33.9% had noticed an improvement while 41.4% noted the game performed the same which is somewhat reassuring given the introduction of new content and systems.



As always we are thankful for everyone who took the time to complete this survey as it gives our development team the best idea to how the community responds to all the changes and additions that are being made. With more updates and expansions on the way we will continue to survey the community sentiment on the game's direction and overall experience. See you in the trenches Soldier!

Our development recap is back for November and has some interesting items to reveal! The team have been busy establishing the foundations for upcoming updates as we cast our gaze towards the December update and Operation IV.


[h2]Team Restructure[/h2]
The design team have been looking at the evolution of armies during WW1 and how their infantry battalions changed during the conflict. Exploring more distinctions between factions and year, players can expect to see different section options across the board. We have been exploring how over time the section size and responsibilities changed, with section roles differing depending on which faction and year you’re deployed to. These new team options are extensive and we’ll be breaking these down in a following developer blog but you can look forward to new section types such as the Hand bomber, Pioniertruppen, Specialist and Voltigeur Sections.


[h2]MG 08/15[/h2]
This new German machine gun has been through the animation department and is now being put through the paces in testing. Taking the dangerous MG08 platform and turning it into a lighter, smaller unit which will give German Infantry sections an advantage of maneuverability with heavy firepower. First utilized during April of 1917 the MG08/15 would go on to be the most common machine gun used by the German Empire during WW1. Stay posted for the full reveal in following articles presenting updates to the Arsenal.


[h2]Gewehr 1888/05 & Karabiner 88[/h2]
The main frontline rifle used by the German Empire up until 1915, the G88 was widely used by all units until it was eventually phased out in favour of the newer and much improved Gewehr 98. However the Gewehr 88 remained in service throughout the war for the allies of the German Empire as well as their own second line and reserve units. You can also expect to see the carbine version of the Gewehr 88 arriving Beyond The Wire soon. Utilised by Imperial Cavalry units as well as other second line troops the carbine had a shorter barrel and saw use during the early years of the war.


[h2]Skoparette Optic[/h2]
Our latest roadmap revealed more planned factions and the Landwehr will arrive next year. The recon sections of the German nation forces will be using the Skoparette optic on sniper rifles when they deploy Beyond The Wire.


[h2]Suffocant Mle 1914, 1915 & 1916[/h2]
Tear gas grenades are on the way with the French deployment of the Suffocant Mle that was utilised throughout the war in many forms. On impact these grenades will cause pacifying blurriness to enemies caught in the radius, forcing them to deploy gas masks and vacate the area.


[h2]Passchendaele[/h2]
This new field of battle is currently in the blocking stage as our environment and level design teams look at sources and imagery from the third battle of Ypres. With aerial photography giving an idea of area we’re looking to explore, the team have also sourced references from ground level so we can ensure the field is authentic to the time. Aiming to replicate the muddy conditions and sunken trenchlines reinforced with large concrete bunkers, the level design team are aiming to create the most brutal trench warfare seen in Beyond The Wire yet.


[h2]UI[/h2]
The overhaul of the UI is still in progress and there’s changes coming to the deployment screen. Aiming for a more polished menu for section and role selection will help bring the interface together. Along with the redesign of the UI there’s been a focus on improving accessibility with spawn selection and tooltips giving you a better experience.


[h2]Player customization[/h2]
Still working on plethora of options for players to customize their soldier the art team have been working on various parts of uniform and equipment items that will give personal touches to your character in game. With spectacles, masks, pistol holsters and other tertiary items being options to customize we’re ensuring that we can offer fun choices that remain historically authentic.


The development team are continuing to work hard to deliver more content and further changes that mould your experience in-game. With an update on the horizon and our next expansion under way we'll be revealing more work before the end of the year.

The Steam Autumn Sale has kicked off and Beyond The Wire is taking part with a huge discount! Running from November 24 through December 1 Beyond The Wire will be 50% off in the store. This latest offer comes after Operation III release that brought the CEF, two new maps, a host of weapons and more sub-factions for the German and British Empire's. Pick up the game now ready for our December update where we'll be building on the most recent updates in preparation for a big year of content in 2022. For the next week Beyond The Wire will be available for $17.49 / £ 13.89 / E14.99, what are you waiting for - join the fight for the Western Front now!

Operation III released recently and with this update came our first implementation of year-based loadouts and faction uniforms. As the Great War saw advances in technologies, the armies of the time had to develop better protective equipment and more effective weapons that had a direct impact on the factions involved. From changing colours for camouflaging to redesigned weapons, the soldiers of WW1 saw one of the largest and wide spreading advancements of war.

With a priority to deliver experiences from multiple years from the war it was important we established foundations to deliver these differences and variety. From the early engagements in our 1914 gameplay layers to the massive late war advances on the Meuse-Argonne, players will be deploying with differing equipment loadouts and weapons.

For update 0.13 we have worked to have initial early uniforms for all factions which will be revised and improved upon with coming updates. Early war models for the French showcase the famous red and blue uniform with kepi hats with the Adrian helmets not being issued till the middle of the conflict. Improvements were also made to backpacks and webbing allowing the soldiers on the frontline to carry more and be better equipped for the long months on the front.

The German Empire deployed with the iconic gaede and picklehaube helmets in early war, with full helmet and cloth cover alternatives available. The famous M14 tunic with red piping is still to be crafted, but the distinguishing features of the uniform are taking shape.

Each faction has their own differences, with the divisions of the British Empire picking up the Brodie helmet over time as well. In addition to uniform changes factions saw updates to their weapons as well. With the lethality of modern combat demanding better firearms, and the environment demanding reliability rifles such as the Ross Mk III were eventually replaced by the SMLE during the conflict and our new year designations reflect these changes.

Development will continue work to accurately represent the evolution of armies over time with authentic character models present across the years of the Great War. With the new customization and progression system breaking down factions by year this work to introduce early and late war variants will stand the development team in good stead for the updates and expansions ahead.