Task Force Admiral News

[p][/p][p]Note & credit: Action screenshots were provided by players on the game’s Discord — today featuring Ferda1947, TyGamer, TWC Walmart, Spicywolf, Munchlol & Ram399. Big thanks to them![/p][p][/p][h2]Greetings, admirals — and welcome back![/h2][p]Thank you again for joining us. As you know very well by reading the patch notes, we are not there just yet, and I am afraid we might disappoint when it comes to the contents of what is to follow - still, as you can see, we have hardly been idle, and we've been progressing as much as possible on as many fronts as possible. Still, we will focus soon our attention on a central gameplay mode in the days to come so as to satisfy the needs of those who crave for more varied tactical situations (we can't blame them for sure). This should buy us a little more time while you're busy managing your heroic pixel guys over Midway.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Another week, another round of fixes pushed to the public branch. Crash reports have decreased very substantially but we're still tracking down the odd issues, while trying to make sure we're not creating new ones, which is easier said than done. Indeed, some of these patch notes might be summarized in a couple lines, but truth be told, the work behind the scenes can take the better part of a long day of work, independently from the actual issue.[/p][p][/p][h3]Midway[/h3]

• [p]Added AAA defenses on Midway.[/p]

[p]Midway Island is supposed to be a bastion, but until now, attacking aircraft had a rather more relaxed time over the target than they historically should have. Ground-based Marine anti-aircraft fire is now active over the island. This makes land strikes a genuine proposition requiring proper approach planning, and gives the island's defenders something to say about the Kido Butai birds buzzing around. This is also the first step toward broader land-based defensive systems — relevant for Henderson Field and for future scenarios beyond the current Midway theater. It was at any rate one of the missing pieces when it came to prepare the ground for damage persistence, as a non-trivial number of aircraft assigned to these missions, on recovery, would prove to be unusable in a hurry, or even totaled. This will happen eventually.[/p][p][/p][h3][/h3][h3]Air Operations & Aircraft Issues[/h3]

• [p]Fixed SB2U defensive turret.[/p]

[p]The Vindicator's rear gunner was, until now, essentially decorative. This has been corrected. He will now do his job — which in a slow, underpowered dive bomber against a Zero is still not going to end well for him, but at least he'll go down fighting. [/p][p][/p]

• [p]Reworked attack patterns for ground strikes.[/p]

[p]Ground attack runs were previously using approach logic tuned primarily for ship targets — which produced some visually and tactically awkward results when applied to fixed land positions. Attack patterns for ground strikes have been reworked accordingly, giving your pilots more sensible behavior and improving the overall effectiveness and legibility of land attack missions. The AAA addition above will ensure they still have to earn it. That is bringing us closer to player-managed ground strikes too, of course.[/p][p][/p]

• [p]Fixed planes crashing at takeoff & landing from Midway.[/p]

[p]Aircraft operating from the island's airfield were experiencing a variety of departure and arrival accidents entirely unrelated to enemy action — which is not the kind of attrition we want to be simulating. The runway logic has been corrected. Midway's air group can now take off and land without the field itself claiming more victims than the Japanese.[/p][p][/p]

• [p]Fixed bombs remaining attached to a broken invisible wing.[/p]

[p]That has now been properly resolved — without introducing new crashes this time, we are pleased to report - at least from the feedback we could collect. If you still see it happening or came across a strange CTD, please tell us more.[/p][p][/p]

• [p]Fixed crashes when moving planes to and from storage.[/p]

[p]A related stability issue around the storage transfer system. The conditions that could trigger it overlapped with the multi-wave scenario above — moving aircraft in and out of the pool while missions were in various states of planning or execution. This has been addressed alongside a hangar/deck scheduling fix.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p] [/p][p][/p][p]Not everything in this update is about things blowing up — though we appreciate that this is a large part of the appeal. This week, we'd like to turn the spotlight over to our composer Aleksi Aubry-Carlson (and his partner in crime Jonathan Figoli) who sat down to walk through his work on the TFA soundtrack in detail. If you have ever found yourself pausing to listen to what's playing beneath the surface of a carrier strike, this one is for you.[/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p]The session Aleksi presents centers on three main pieces: the introduction track, the main combat track, and the conclusion, which are put together by code so as to dynamically switch according to action, à-la-Tie Fighter — and it is worth noting that what you are hearing in the video is still very much a work in progress, with orchestration ongoing and mixing not yet done. [/p][p]We have always believed that the score is one of the less-discussed but genuinely important elements of what makes TFA feel like more than a wargame. Hearing the construction behind it makes that case more clearly than we ever could. Go have a listen — it is about five minutes well spent. As you might know, one of our Kickstarter goals was to fund an actual orchestral recording of said OST, and this is what Aleksi is prepping himself for. More about that later, as he starts to show more of what lies under the musical hood.[/p][p][/p][p] [/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]We owe you a candid update on where the new scenarios stand, and on a decision we have made this week.[/p][p]The honest situation is this: the three scenarios announced in previous SITREPs each depend on gameplay functions that are still in development — expanded strategic objectives, AI behaviors for more complex air ops, multi-force setups.... These are not optional embellishments. They are structural requirements, for without them, those scenarios either don't work properly or they work in a technically functional but experientially flat way. We have maintained from the beginning that we would rather keep you waiting than ship something that leaves a bad first impression.[/p][p]That position has not changed. But we are players too, and we are aware that "the scenarios are coming, be patient" is a thing that might start to wear thin when you have content — ships, aircraft, the full Midway order of battle — sitting in the game right now with nowhere to deploy it.[/p][p]So this week, we are making a short course correction.[/p][p]Rather than waiting for the full new mechanics to be ready before delivering any new gameplay, we are going to focus immediate effort on a Midway-focused branch of the battle generator. The goal is straightforward: give you access to the larger current arsenal through a generated mission format that doesn't depend on the new functions still in development.[/p][p]This means introducing meaningful variability into the generator itself: starting positions for both forces drawn from a wider range of possibilities, uncertainty about what you'll be facing and where, and enough variation between runs to make each engagement feel distinct rather than scripted. It is not a campaign. It is not the deep battle generator rework we have planned for later. But it will put some of the new assets in front of you now, and it will give you something to come back to while we continue building the larger pieces behind the scenes.[/p][p]It is not the ideal solution — we want to be clear about that. The proper treatment of these scenarios, with all the new mechanics they deserve, is still coming. But it is a bridge we think you will find useful, and building it will not delay the work already underway on the bigger picture.[/p][p]Hopefully results will be visible and give the game some more depth of contents.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p] [/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Until we get stuff ready on our end, another reminder about the modding discord here:[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THE BUORD DISCORD[/p][p][/p][p]And as you know Task Force Admiral also has its own server. For any in-depth, direct support for technical issues, please do pay our tech support section a visit.[/p][p][/p][p]CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THE OFFICIAL TFA DISCORD[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p] [/p][p]Thank you all for your time and your patience - as always, it means the world to us. Hopefully the next update will be a bit beefier. Until then, thank you for sticking around![/p][p]Cheers,[/p][p]The TFA Team[/p]

[p][/p][p]Note & credit: Action screenshots were provided by players on the game’s Discord — today featuring Ferda1947, Hood & Ram399. Big thanks to them![/p][p][/p][h2]Greetings, admirals — and welcome back to the bridge.[/h2][p]Six weeks in. The coffee is cold, the paperwork is stacking up, and JB's screen has probably forgotten what sunlight looks like. But the ship is still underway, and that's what matters.[/p][p]Before we dive in: we know some of you are waiting for new scenarios. You've been patient, and we owe you both an explanation and an honest accounting of where things stand. We'll get to that. First — the recent patches, the pretty things, and a few words about what's been happening below decks.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Two more beta builds went out this week and were consolidated in a public release. Here's what was in them, with a bit of context for each entry.[/p][p][/p][h3]Midway Map – Sand Island & the Surrounding Atolls[/h3]

• [p]Improved Sand Island topography.[/p]
• [p]Added Kure, Pearl and Hermes atolls.[/p]

[p]We've pushed the Midway theater closer to how it actually looked from above. Sand Island's topography has been reworked to better reflect the real terrain — which matters more than it might seem once land-based elements come further into play. But the headline here is the addition of Kure, Pearl and Hermes atolls, lying to the northwest and to the east. These are not mere decorative additions: PBY crews and long-range patrol operations used these landmarks as reference points, and Kure in particular was to become a floatplane base for the Japanese following the invasion of Midway, as a support hub of the expected "Kentai Kessen" event. They'll be relevant once we push further into extended area operations. For now, enjoy the view from altitude — it is, we think, rather beautiful.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][hr][/hr][h3][/h3][h3]Deck & Air Operations[/h3]

• [p]Fixed bugs with multiple wave strikes.[/p]

[p]This one was a proper edge case, and a nasty one. The scenario goes roughly as follows: you have a strike mission already scheduled for a future launch window. In the meantime, you pull aircraft out of storage — reassigning them, repositioning them, whatever the reason. The system, at that point, was not correctly accounting for the fact that those aircraft were already spoken for by the upcoming mission. When you subsequently planned a new strike using the available pool, the scheduling logic would get confused about what was actually available, leading to conflicts, phantom assignments, or outright broken strike packages. It is exactly the kind of bug that only surfaces when you are doing three things at once — which, in a serious game, is more or less constantly, but needs precious user feedback to get resolved. Fixed.[/p]

• [p]Fixed damage detection code being too sensitive and sometimes preventing air operations on carriers.[/p]

[p]This one was subtle but maddening. Under certain conditions, the damage system was interpreting minor hits — or even near misses — as sufficient grounds to lock down flight deck operations entirely. In other words, you could take a single 100 lb bomb glancing blow and find your entire air group grounded as if the ship had just taken a Nagumo-style funeral pyre to the face. That is no longer the case. Damage thresholds have been recalibrated to behave more sensibly. This might affect the AI too, which might strike back on a more regular schedule.[/p]

• [p]Fixed aircraft sometimes circling forever above an airbase during landing ops.[/p]

[p]An somewhat embarrassing infinite loiter problem. Some aircraft, having been recalled, would simply orbit their destination airbase indefinitely rather than committing to a landing — apparently unable to decide whether they wanted to go home or keep flying until the fuel ran dry. We have resolved this identity crisis. They will now land.[/p]

• [p]Fixed CAPs taking off after sunset if takeoff had been delayed because of deck operations.[/p]

[p]Let's say that night CAPs were not something the Imperial Japanese Navy or the US Navy were eager to improvise in 1942 — and they shouldn't be something TFA cheerfully generates on your behalf because of a deck scheduling conflict.[/p][p][/p][hr][/hr][p][/p][h3]Other bugs[/h3]

• [p]Fixed crash in the FDO screen.[/p]

[p]Short entry, important fix. The FDO screen is central to your fighter direction and CAP management — a crash there at the wrong moment was, to put it diplomatically, suboptimal. Consider this one plugged.[/p]

• [p]Fixed planes clipping through Akagi's hangar.[/p]

[p]Akagi has enough problems in most of our scenarios without her aircraft deciding to phase through the hangar deck like ghosts in a carrier-themed haunted house. Fixed.[/p]

• [p]Improved turns for non-circular formations.[/p]

[p]Forming up in a non-ring configuration and executing a course change should now look — and behave — a bit more like a proper naval maneuver and less like a loose collection of ships each going broadly in the same direction but with their own individual opinions about the matter.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p] [/p][p]This has been a heavy modeling week, and we have quite a bit to show. Grab a seat.[/p][p][/p][h3]The Imperial Japanese Navy Battleline is nearly there[/h3][p]We have been at this for a while, and the results are beginning to speak for themselves. Below you will find the current state of our IJN capital ship roster — quite the family portrait. Pagodas, pagodas everywhere![/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Getting that right required no small amount of research, and the credit goes entirely to the team members who spent their evenings squinting at grainy wartime photographs to settle arguments about the exact placement of a rangefinder or the profile of a fire control director.[/p][p][/p][hr][/hr][h3][/h3][h3]Ryujo – Internal Module System[/h3][p]Now for something rather different. Those of you who've been following development know that ship survivability in TFA is not a simple hit point system — it is driven by internal modules, each representing a functional compartment of the vessel. Here is a look at the current internal layout of Ryujo, our next carrier addition to the Japanese order of battle. She still missed her "guts" in the previous update incarnations, here they are. A coat of paint, and she should be able to take her place by Junyo's side in Kakuta's "baby KB".[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Ryujo was a peculiar ship by any measure — originally overloaded, rebuilt, and perpetually underpowered relative to her air group ambitions — and her internal layout reflects that somewhat improvised nature. Modeling her accurately means her survivability profile will feel appropriately different from Shokaku or Hiryu. She is not a ship you want absorbing a concentrated strike, and the module system will make sure your AI opponent feels that acutely.[/p][p][/p][hr][/hr][h3]Yokosuka D4Y1-C "Judy" — Reconnaissance Configuration[/h3][p]Introduced in the last round of news, she is very nearly ready for her operational debut and now requires integration and a proper coat of paint (these colors are just placeholders to allow the initial mapping, until Julien starts to deploy his skills).[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p] [/p][p][/p][p]We had hoped to have new scenarios in your hands before this update. They are not there yet, and we want to explain why rather than offer a vague "soon™."[/p][p]The three upcoming scenarios we described in our previous SITREPs each require gameplay functions that do not yet exist in their final, stable form. We are talking about things like expanded strategic objectives, surface engagement mechanics for the coastal gun content, and new AI behaviors around multi-axis threats. These are not optional embellishments — they are load-bearing walls. Without them, the scenarios either do not work correctly or, worse, they work in a way that is technically functional but experientially hollow. A scenario that fires and produces a result is not necessarily a scenario that is worth playing.[/p][p]We have seen what happens, in our own game and in others, when new mechanics ship before they are ready. A buggy feature does not merely inconvenience the players who encounter the bug — it colors their entire perception of the content built around it, sometimes permanently. We would rather keep you waiting an additional week or two than hand you something that makes you come away thinking the content itself is bad, when the problem is simply that a function was not ready.[/p][p]We know this requires patience. We sincerely thank you for it, and we will not take it for granted. The scenarios will arrive when they are ready to make a proper first impression — which is, we feel, the only kind worth making. Rest assured that we are trying our best to bring you more gameplay contents ASAP, and that we're not resting until then.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Until then remember that new gameplay experiences are accessible on the modding discord, link below. [/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THE BUORD DISCORD[/p][p][/p][p]Besides, as you might know, Task Force Admiral also has its own server. Support is being provided 1-1 over there in our dedicated support section, so if you encounter any issue with the game, feel free to come and say hi.[/p][p]It works for us too if you don't have issues, obviously ^^[/p][p][/p][p]CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THE OFFICIAL TFA DISCORD[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p] [/p][p]That's all for this week. The battle group remains at general quarters — new scenarios are coming, the battleline is forming up, and the Judy is about ready to go wheels-up. Thank you, as ever, for staying the course with us.[/p][p]Until next time,[/p][p]The TFA Team[/p]

[p]Note & credit: Action screenshots were provided by players on the game’s Discord — today featuring Ferda1947, Rookie Chauffeur, Nafeij and Marlock. Big thanks to them![/p][p][/p][h2]Welcome back, admirals![/h2][p]It’s been a month today since we released Task Force Admiral.[/p][p]It’s been wild.[/p][p]We even managed to feature on Steam’s Best Seller list for the month of January. That was not something we took for granted. Thank you for your trust and support over these past weeks.[/p][p]We are fully aware that the game is still in a rough state in several areas, and we sincerely thank you for your patience. We are pushing forward with new content while continuing to refine the mechanics based on your feedback.[/p][p]Also, shameless reminder: if you like our work as an owner of the game, please consider dropping a positive review, it will always help to get to that psychological 90% level. We're that close (hand gesture (c) Dir. Krennic).[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]The coming days will focus on the following:[/p][p][/p][h3]Midway – Final Polish[/h3][p]The Midway map is receiving a last round of improvements before we leave the area and head back to SOPAC. Coastal guns are of particular interest, as they will possibly enable some rather… spirited surface duels in future scenarios.[/p][p][/p][h3]Aircraft Doctrine – “Second Wave” Instructions[/h3][p]We’re discussing a second wave of new aircraft instructions. The following features are under consideration:[/p]

• [p]Expanded search doctrine options (offensive loadouts, flying in pairs, etc.)[/p]
• [p]Expanded strike doctrine options (target prioritization, post-IP search behavior, possibly in-mission recalls & retargeting, etc.)[/p]
• [p]Expanded CAP options, including long-range variants that will later be useful for other patrol types[/p]

[p]These additions would significantly expand tactical flexibility for players while also giving the AI clearer behavioral guidelines — particularly in situations where it fails to immediately locate the player’s task force.[/p][p]Enjoy your “lucky” free meals while they last — in the future, we do not expect lost KB air strikes to give up so easily. Likewise, KB responsiveness will improve. As long as there’s a functioning flight deck, they won’t stop shooting back without a fight.[/p][p]After that, we’ll likely turn our attention to weather systems and fog-of-war improvements.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p] [/p][p]Two new patches were pushed to the public branch this week. A lot of work went into the fixin', thanks to the hard work of all the players & beta testers involved.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][h2]Deck Operations[/h2]

• [p]Reworked the Clear Deck function: it can now use multiple elevators simultaneously to move aircraft to the hangar when needed.[/p]

[p]This is the first step toward improving overall deck-to-hangar flow. Releasing it is phase two of an ongoing experiment: our developer has ideas to streamline aircraft transitions between deck and hangar. For now, we are testing it specifically through the Clear Deck function. If it performs well without creating new issues, we may implement a broader system-wide version. Feedback is very welcome.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][h2]Air Operations[/h2]

• [p]Updated damage models for most carrier-based aircraft[/p]

[p]Some aircraft were missing properties or behaved inconsistently. Zeroes, for example, should now catch fire properly like other aircraft.[/p]

• [p]Fixed an issue where the PBY did not land correctly.[/p]

[hr][/hr][h2]Naval Operations[/h2]

• [p]Fixed a bug that prevented a ship from turning when only one rudder was destroyed or disabled[/p]

[p]You may see less of the “eternal circling” behavior. Let us know.[/p]

• [p]Fixed edge cases when a carrier attempted to face the wind while in circular formation.[/p]
• [p]Minor improvements to ship avoidance behavior.[/p]
• [p]Fixed a bug preventing fleets from proceeding to the next waypoint if the flagship was damaged during surface combat.[/p]

[hr][/hr][h2]GUI[/h2]

• [p]Added a repair countdown in the damage panel[/p]

[p]This should help you better anticipate when systems will come back online.[/p]

• [p]Fixed an issue where old ghost contacts were incorrectly marked as new after loading a save file.[/p]

[hr][/hr][p][/p][h2]Bugs, Crashes & Performance[/h2]

• [p]Fixed crash in Fleet Defense level.[/p]
• [p]Fixed an issue with planes colliding with ships.[/p]
• [p]Fixed numerous other crashes.[/p]
• [p]Minor optimizations.[/p]
• [p]Improved performance in long-running sessions.[/p][p][/p]

[p] [/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]We are now digging deeper into both early and mid-war Japanese OOB elements to complete our early 1942 setup.[/p][p][/p][h3]Nakajima E8N “Dave” (Type 95 Reconnaissance Seaplane)[/h3][p]A much-needed addition: the Nakajima E8N “Dave”, an early-war fleet reconnaissance floatplane that was still very much around at Coral Sea and Midway both.[/p][p]Think of it as the Japanese equivalent to the SOC Seagull — a biplane scout optimized for fleet work. In several early-war configurations, it will replace later types such as the Jake, which are currently acting as placeholders, and were not yet universally deployed at that stage of the conflict.[/p][p]And yes — we all enjoy seeing biplanes buzzing around (well… except our dev, who still has to fine-tune the flight model for the stringbag category — but it’s coming).[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][hr][/hr][p][/p][h3]Yokosuka D4Y1-C “Judy” (Type 2 reconnaissance aircraft Model 11)[/h3][p][/p][p]On the other end of the spectrum, work has begun on the Yokosuka D4Y "Judy".[/p][p]Less widely known: at Midway, Kido Butai carried a few experimental (and somewhat engine-troubled) D4Y airframes in their reconnaissance configuration.[/p][p]We’ll need to adjust the AI so it can properly exploit their excellent performance — enough to give your Wildcats a serious headache. In 1943, when they start facing F6Fs, the balance will shift — but until then, if implemented correctly, they should prove elusive and dangerous in that "catch me if you can" sort of adventure. Obviously, it will open new options for the future - can you imagine Santa Cruz being fought against an early Judy production run? That would hurt, I am sure...[/p][p](And yes, if you enjoyed using Dinahs and Babs in WitP to spy on your friends, you know exactly what we mean.)[/p][p][/p][p][/p][hr][/hr][p]Ship objects are also being improved. Early U.S. radar mattress antennas are being refreshed. We’ll soon begin work on land-based radar as well, which will be required for both Midway and Henderson Field. Right now, radar is more of a trigger mechanic — that will evolve.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Following last week’s update, many players asked us how to access the modded U.S. and Japanese scenarios.[/p][p]It appears some people skim these updates rather quickly — we encourage you to read them carefully and not focus solely on the pretty pictures ^^[/p][p]As mentioned previously, these mods are available through the TFA modding section on the BuOrd Discord server. Please go over there, check their boxes carefully, and you'll access the dope in no time.[/p][p]By the way, a few new scenarios are available, and make use of models we haven't included in the existing battles yet. Go have some (unsupported) fun![/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THE BUORD DISCORD[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p] [/p][p]That’s all for now.[/p][p]Thank you again for your continued support — one month into the shelf life of Task Force Admiral, there's still a lot yet to do, but knowing we can count on you makes our ultimate success a certitude. Thanks for sticking around![/p][p][/p][p]With gratitude,
The TFA Team[/p]

[h2]27/02/2026[/h2]

• [p]Updated the damage models for most carrier-based aircraft.[/p]
• [p]Added a repair countdown in the damage panel.[/p]
• [p]Reworked the Clear Deck function:[/p]
  • [p]It can now use multiple elevators simultaneously to move aircraft to the hangar when needed.[/p]
• [p]Fixed an issue when planes collide with a ship.[/p]
• [p]Fixed edge cases when a carrier wants to face the wind while in a circular formation.[/p]
• [p]Fixed a bug that prevented a fleet from proceeding to the next waypoint if the flagship was damaged during a surface engagement.[/p]
• [p]Fixed a bug that prevented a ship from turning when only one rudder was destroyed or disabled.[/p]
• [p]Fixed an issue where old ghost contacts were incorrectly marked as new after loading a save file.[/p]
• [p]Fixed an issue where the PBY did not land properly.[/p]
• [p]Minor improvements to ship avoidance behavior.[/p]
• [p]Minor optimizations.[/p]
• [p]Improved performance in long-running games.[/p]