Isonzo News

With Movember drawing to a close and our focus on facial hair this month, Isonzo Intel number eight is all about character customisation, though gun lovers will enjoy reading about two notable Steyr handguns! In Isonzo, customization is spread across five categories: uniforms, headgear, mustaches, faces, and facial accessories. But first…

[h2]Isonzo Beta News![/h2]
Following the end of the alpha tests, a beta is planned. If you're interested and don't want to miss any news, sign up here.

[h2]Movember[/h2]
November is the month of Movember - a charity for men’s health that encourages men to grow mustaches to raise awareness. Since 2003, Movember has funded more than 1,250 men’s health projects around the world! You can donate here!

If you look at photos from the World War One period, you’ll find a lot of mustaches, some of them very impressive indeed. Several members of our community were inspired to join in!

Just two of the many community members who joined Movember sharing their ‘staches.

We also asked the world (well, the world of Discord, Reddit, Facebook and Twitter) which mustache was their favorite from a wide selection of well groomed individuals who had a significant impact on the war. Different communities had different favourites - Reddit enjoyed Wilhelm II’s mustache, while Twitter favored Von Hindenburg. However, the winner (from a pool of eight magnificent mustaches) was Paul von Rennenkampf! To celebrate, we will be implementing von Rennenkampf’s excellent mustache as an option for players to choose from in Isonzo! Take a look…

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
Glorious “Rennenkampf” style moustache

[h2]Character Customization[/h2]
For Isonzo we are introducing a new and extensive character customization system. Whereas in previous titles your uniform and appearance was based on the squad type and squad rank, in Isonzo the uniform is foremost decided by player class and the player themselves! As with Verdun and Tannenberg, the focus is on historical authenticity and an accurate depiction of the troops found on the front. So without further delay, let's dive a little deeper into the different customization options available!
Do note that the UI may be subject to some changes however - this is WIP stuff.

[h3]Uniforms[/h3]
With a class type selected you will now have the option to choose a uniform variant attached to that class. The uniforms for these classes are based on the unit and historical variations of these units, as they may have been seen on the Italian front. We’ve already taken a brief look at the available classes in a previous Isonzo blog entry and will elaborate more on what each class entails in future dev blogs.

While in previous games it was squad level that dictated your uniform, in Isonzo things are different. The Italian and (especially) the Austro-Hungarian armies sported an enormous variety of non-standard fabrics, dyes and uniform styles across the years, so we decided that it was both more liberating and more representative of what soldiers would have actually experienced to let player veterancy in any given class be the primary influencer of uniform selection. In particular, the unique combination of different ‘ersatz’ materials such as corduroy or linen in summer tunics gave an interesting contrast to regular uniforms when it was used.

Swapping between various Italian infantry Uniforms.

Uniform options for different units are only available to the class that makes sense historically. For instance, ‘Arditi’ uniforms are only available for the Italian assault class. Furthermore, as the player gains experience in the game, uniform options will become far less pristine - some outright filthy - depending on the deployment of the unit and player veterancy. In this way, every player has the opportunity to give themselves a truly unique appearance, while remaining historically authentic. How all of these variants will be made available to players, in-game or via DLC, is something we’ll explore further in a future blog.


Headgear
With historical accuracy in mind, you can choose headgear from a range of items that are appropriate for the uniform + class type you have selected. For instance only Italian Mountaineer class “Alpini” can wear the Alpini “Capello” cap variants, officer caps are only available for officers, and so on.

Selecting Alpini-specific headgear for the Italian Mountaineer class “Veteran’’ uniform.

This system is deeper than just linking items to classes though: for instance, should you have an Arditi officer uniform variant selected, Arditi specific headgear will also be available to that loadout.

As we did research and studied historical photos and footage, we noticed a variety in the shapes of things like soft caps, with the Austrian “Feldkappe” being a prime example. These many shapes, which usually alter the silhouette drastically, are something we have looked to replicate in many of our headgear variants. For further indulgence, the Austrian forces of the time carried a tradition of ornate cap badges, many of which have been included in our artwork. We hope to go into detail about these in a future Isonzo Intel instalment - they’re quite fascinating!

As will hopefully become evident when you try it out, we spent a lot of time making sure that we offer cosmetic freedom whilst at the same time ensuring we don’t end up with any historically incorrect setups - or indeed anything which looks like it belongs in the realm of fantasy.

Selecting headgear for an “Arditi officer” uniform. Note how some of these are dirtier than others!

[h3]Faces[/h3]
Character faces are also something the player can now select. We have a fair number to choose from, and we have paid attention to accentuate where possible the subtle differences you might notice in troops from either side - e.g. the Italian faction faces will generally sport a more Mediterranean appearance in terms of skin tone and darker hair colour.

A selection of Italian faces.

[h3]Facial Hair[/h3]
With facial hair we knew from the start we had to do something special. Doing justice to the sheer quantity of different facial hair that was worn during the great war is no small feat! As it’s Movember, now is the perfect time to share our special Isonzo mustache showcase:

A selection of over 45 facial hair styles - can you identify their historic owners?

Our approach has been to model our facial hair assets from images of famous generals, cultural figures and charismatic individuals from the period. We started the blog of course with the introduction of the “Rennenkampf” style (which is also mentioned in this Great War channel episode). The current list consists of 50 unique styles, and it may grow. From the thin pencil-like moustache worn by Emperor Charles I of Austria, all the way up to large, bushy, and extra bristly ones such as that sported by German General August Von Mackensen.

[h3]Facial Items[/h3]
Along with editing faces, uniforms, headgear and facial hair, players are also able to choose from a vast list of facial items to add even more character. This list spans a range of historically inspired eye-wear, tobacco accessories, and bandages. Equip spectacles such as the pince-nez style worn by many famous figures from around the turn of the century. Choose from some of the many tobacco smoking items from the period, with many different smoking pipes and cigarettes available. For alpine units, there’s even a range of snow and ski goggles that can be selected.

Battle worn Bersaglieri Ciclisti veteran wearing “Chekhov” style pince-nez and a “Cadorna” style moustache.

[h3]The Barracks[/h3]
The barracks, accessible from the main menu, is where you can prepare yourself before battle! You’ll be able to see all the available uniform types and variants for each class of soldier for each nation, and customise the above options from there. A variant of the barracks will also be available during a game, this way you can customise your appearance when there is a lull in the fighting...

[h2]Steyr, Steyr, Steyr[/h2]
The Steyr Mannlicher AG is a 157 year old Austrian arms company, which was at the forefront of auto-loading pistol technology in the early 20th century. The Austro-Hungarian military made use of several Steyr firearms, including the two we’re going to look at today: the Roth-Steyr Model 1907, and the Steyr-Hahn 1912. We’ll start with the Roth-Steyr...



This was the first semi-auto pistol adopted by the land army of a major power: it was issued to the Austro-Hungarian cavalry. Because of this, it has a heavy trigger pull to prevent accidental discharge - you don’t want a hair trigger on a pistol to be used by mounted cavalry!



The Steyr-Hahn is based on the mechanism used by the Roth-Steyr. It was initially issued to the Austrian Landwehr (remember that Austria-Hungary had effectively three armies - the Austrian Landwehr, the Hungarian Honvéd and the Common Army - with the Austrian and Hungarian armies generally being better equipped than the Common Army).

The Steyr-Hahn was a popular enough weapon that Germany would place orders for 10,000 during WW1, and years later the Wehrmacht would order 60,000 after annexing Austria in 1938. These aren’t the only weapons manufactured by Steyr Mannlicher AG that feature in Isonzo, though. Can you guess what the other(s) might be?

[h3]So ends another Isonzo Intel...[/h3]

Wishlist Isonzo and follow the page so you don’t miss an Isonzo Intel drop!



[h3]Meanwhile on the Eastern Front...[/h3]
Wolves are on the hunt in Tannenberg!

Until December 5 you can be part of the Wolf Truce event in Tannenberg, our Eastern Front game! Packs of hungry wolves may invade your battles, giving both sides a choice - team up to fight off the canine foe, or just try to take advantage of the chaos. For those who succeed in maintaining a truce until the last wolf is dealt with, a special medal is available! Handily, you can get Tannenberg for 65% for a little longer as part of the Steam Autumn sale:

https://store.steampowered.com/app/633460/Tannenberg/

[h3]Until next time![/h3]

In today's development blog we will take a first look at one of the classes we are introducing in Isonzo. In a previous blog we gave an overview of our new approach to classes and their balance. Today we will focus on the officer.

[h2]Role[/h2]
“No force should be without a leader. The Officer issues orders, inspires those under his command, and can request support at command posts.”

The officer in Isonzo is the core of the team. Unlike in Verdun & Tannenberg where every squad had a commander with the ability to call support, in Isonzo there can only be a very limited number per faction. The officers in Isonzo are also of a slightly higher rank (commissioned officers, or COs) - this is clearly distinguishable visually thanks to their uniforms.

A typical Italian infantry officer on the Carso frontlines, 1916.

An Austro-Hungarian officer in front of the Schonburg Tunnel, 1916.

The duties of the officer are to call in divisional resources and provide direction for the team. We’ve seen in our playtests that a competent officer, especially for the attackers, can turn the tide of battle. Don’t worry, we’re well aware of the risks that a less capable officer can pose, so we’re looking into systems to check that officers are making use of the resources available to them.

The standard officer equipment includes a pistol, a trench whistle and a unique way of calling in off-map support. Many of you have already guessed it based on teasers from previous blogs…

Italian officer firing a flare gun.

[h3]The Flare System[/h3]
In the last dev blog we confirmed the Hebel Model 1894 flare gun was in the game - so what role do flares play in Isonzo?

We’ve developed a unique flare system based on historical flare usage. Many people are familiar with the use of flares to provide light at night - even though these lights would often be artillery shells (‘star shells’) rather than flares fired from flare guns. However, flares were also used for signalling.

This photo from the Imperial War Museum shows a soldier firing a flare gun in 1917.

A flare could signal both location and intention, and this is how they function in Isonzo. After shooting a flare, the location will be marked on the command map viewable by officers, and can be used to target support. Firing two flares in quick succession signals a request for stronger support, and then there are colours to consider… but that’s for another time.

Up to six flare markers can be present on the map - any more than that and the oldest flare marker will be removed to make way for the new one. There’s no timer on the flare markers, which allows for more strategy.

Flares must be physically fired by an officer (or another class with a flare gun, which we’ll reveal later). The flare provides information to rear line observers, which the player officer can then make use of by making their way to a command table and using a field telephone to call in support. What kind of support, you ask?

A wide range of choices! Low-res image is intentional: we’re still finalizing all the options.

We’re still nailing down the details of what each support type will cost and what you get for each call-in, but as you can see there will be plenty to choose from, in the areas of artillery, chemical weapons, and aviation. Some different support types offer degrees of power - field guns hit harder but cost more than mortars, for instance. Aviation leans towards recon and information gathering, as it did historically. But some support types are a little more involved - the creeping barrage for instance, which requires the officer to indicate the direction of the barrage. Very powerful if used correctly.

Loading a flare gun.

We mentioned cost - it won’t work like Verdun and Tannenberg where you would call in a support power, and there would be a cooldown before you could use any kind of power again. We’re still finalizing the details, but officers will be able to call in multiple support types at once - as you can imagine, this opens up some real possibilities for strategy.

You can keep enemies suppressed over longer periods by using lots of relatively cheap mortar barrages, or hammer them with a simultaneous combination of heavy artillery and gas barrage… but you won’t be able to afford to keep that up for long, so you’d better have a big push planned to follow right away. Luckily, in Isonzo the officer has a great way to bring about such a coordinated assault...

[h3]Whistle While You Work![/h3]
The officer can use the trench whistle to both set an order to players or to temporarily reduce the spawn wave timer to zero, meaning all players on your team will immediately be able to respawn. An obvious way to use this is to call in artillery on enemy positions, then use the whistle to bring your whole team into action, and finally use the whistle again to indicate where the assault should go to follow the artillery.

An officer directs his men with the whistle.

But such a use invites the opposing team’s officer to wait out your assault, and use their own whistle to call in a devastating counter-attack, so it might be smarter to hope they use their whistle when your artillery comes in, and then in the event your first wave suffers heavy losses (surely not) use the whistle to bring in a second wave immediately...

[h3]Officer Perks[/h3]
Every class has a number of perks to choose from which influence how they play. Here are a couple of the options open to officers:

Frontline Officer: Gains the ability to spawn on all squad leaders, and all squad leaders are able to spawn on the officer.

Staff Officer: Gains the ability to draw Orders on the map. Rather than placing general command markers, you’ll be able to draw arrows to give specific guidance to your troops.

[h3]Very nice[/h3]
We’ll close this blog out with one of the flare guns available to Italy: the Lanciarazzi Very.

Can you figure out what the handle on top is for? This flare gun has a horizontally rotating barrel!

Very doesn’t sound especially Italian, right? If you read more about flares, Edward Wilson Very will come up. He was an American naval officer who developed a single-shot breech-loading snub-nosed flare gun and flares to go with it (Very lights). These ‘Very guns’ became very popular, and the name became common - so much so that British soldiers tended to call every flare gun, enemy or allied, ‘Very lights’ - even though their own flare guns were probably made by Webley & Scott.

[h2]That’s all for today![/h2]
Look forward to more class deep-dives in future Isonzo Intels, and of course we’ll share more about the different kinds of support call-ins when the details are ironed out. Lots to look forward to...

[h3]Wishlist now![/h3]

Today’s blog unveils a few more of the weapons you’ll get your hands on in Isonzo, and we’re also excited to explain how the new rifle grenades work!

We also have some news to break about Isonzo’s release date. Encouraged by some great feedback from the alpha testers (remember you can still sign up for alpha testing as well) we decided internally that we could make the game even better with a little more development time, meaning we will release the game in Early 2022. Don’t worry - there will be some new footage these upcoming months to keep you just as excited for the game as we are!

Now onto the rest of the blog!

[h3]Rifle Grenades[/h3]
Rifle grenades are a new feature in Isonzo. Prized for their ability to launch grenades farther than they could be thrown, the designs most commonly used in the First World War had some drawbacks - the biggest being that the rod design (where rifle grenades had a rod that was inserted into the barrel of a rifle, and then launched out with a blank cartridge) caused excessive wear on the rifle itself, making it more inaccurate when firing normal rounds. Rifle grenades were also often complex and slow to manufacture.



In-game, using rifle grenades is simple. Pick a rifle with grenades for your loadout, and you’ll be able to equip those grenades by using the 5 key (by default). This involves loading a blank cartridge, and sliding the grenade into the barrel. Your crosshair will change to a ranging indicator, and you’re ready to fire. If you change your mind, just hit 5 again and you’ll remove the grenade from the barrel and eject the blank cartridge.

While you don’t have grenades loaded, the rifle will serve as a regular weapon. Naturally you can’t have a bayonet fitted, since those don’t play nicely with rifle grenades, but you can still use the rifle butt in close combat if it comes to that.

#1: Italian Benaglia Rifle Grenade, #2 Austro-Hungarian Zeitzünder Gewehrgranate, 1st Variant.

The Benaglia Rifle Grenade makes use of three delicate looking tail fins to stabilize it in flight - a concept you most often see applied to aerial bombs, but which did see use on some specialist grenades, from the US Civil War to WW2.

The Zeitzünder Gewehrgranate shown above is a first variant - the second variant was smooth, without the strongly serrated sections of the version you see above. The goal was probably to achieve more range, but it seems likely that in muddy conditions that smooth version might just bury itself into the ground before detonating.

An interesting piece of trivia - we’ve read that the Zeitzünder might also have had the nickname of Guguruz, which is apparently an Austrian (or possibly Hungarian) word for corn. Assumably the nickname is based on appearance, like calling grenades pineapples. Can any locals confirm or deny this possibility?

[h3]Frommer Stop[/h3]
Those of you who have played Tannenberg you may be familiar with this one. The Frommer Stop is a 7 round Hungarian pistol that served way beyond the First World War, but was designed two years before it started. It was a solid design, with the only quirk being an unusual long-recoil operation that you more often see in shotguns. This didn’t seem to have much effect on the performance of the gun in combat, however. The name comes from its designer Rudolf Frommer - who would be elevated to the ranks of the Hungarian nobility by Emperor Franz Joseph in recognition of his weapon designs.



Initially designed for commercial use, it was adopted by the Honvéd, which was the Hungarian army organization within the Austro-Hungarian Empire (vs the Austrian Landwehr and the Common Army overseen by the joint minister of war - remember that Austria-Hungary maintained three separate armed forces).

[h3]Goerz Wien M8 Binoculars[/h3]
An army needs more than guns to be successful, and knowledge is power. The importance of recon in combat never changes, whether it’s done via drones, aerial photography, or just with the classic Mk1 Eyeball. In Isonzo some classes (particularly Officers and Mountaineers) will be able to bring binoculars with them to get a better view of enemy positions.



This particular pair of binoculars was made by the German CP Goerz company, a leading manufacturer of military optics. In 1908 they opened a branch in the Hungarian city of Pozsony, which is where the Goerz Wien M8 binoculars would have been produced. The M8 is a reference to the year this model was introduced.

[h3]Hebel Model 1894 Flare Gun[/h3]
Also, you called it on our last entry’s teaser - it was the Hebel Model 1894 Flare Gun! We won’t reveal exactly how they work yet, but needless to say you don’t use these guns for shooting enemies.



The Hebel Model 1894 began production in (surprise) 1894, and immediately went into service. It would see extensive use by the German army until 1918, and proved to be accurate, reliable, and without excessive recoil. After the war, Belgium received a large number of Hebels as reparations, and they would go on to produce their own in the lead up to the Second World War.

Next time we’ll be telling you more about the different classes that we talked about in Dev Blog #5, with more details on each class - what their role is, and what historical units they represent in each faction. We can’t wait!

[h2]Until next time![/h2]

[h3]Wishlist now![/h3]

This is a big one! For Isonzo, we are developing an entirely new class based system for you to choose how to equip your soldier. In short, a different mix of classes will be available depending on which side you’re on. Each class can choose from a range of weapons and equipment and abilities. Read on to find out more!

[h2]Class System[/h2]
In Isonzo we wanted to tailor the class selection to the nature of the fighting on the Italian Front and to reflect the new gameplay features we are introducing such as construction. We want to put a larger focus on non-combat roles for players to shape the battlefield and help their team members fight more effectively. The focus is on working together and advancing as a team, and the selection of classes reflects this.

The classes we have follow a generic class “archetype”, but for both the Kingdom of Italy and the Austro-Hungarian Empire there will be different weapons and uniforms based on actual historical units that fulfilled these roles. There will be more info in future blogs about the specifics of each class and how these are implemented per faction.

The below images are from our brand-new UI that is still very much Work In Progress (some icons are still a bit crusty). As you can also see we’ve significantly upped the level of detail on our characters as well. We’ll go more into detail about what that means as we draw closer to launch!

All factions have classes based on historical units, such as the Italian Alpini as mountaineer versus Austrian Kaiserjagers.

[h2]Balance of Power[/h2]
The new class system has many advantages, but perhaps the most significant one is how it makes balancing certain roles easier. No doubt snipers and machine gunners come to mind - and now we can limit their numbers based on faction rather than having it based on squad types chosen by players. Obviously we cannot have the entire team be occupied with these specialized roles and their weaponry, which wouldn’t do justice to the composition of the historical troop formations on the battlefield.

Part of the work in progress class system UI.

We’ve done some experiments with how we wanted players to select their roles and how they link to the different maps. We created a system where some player classes have limited slots and we have control over how many of these roles are available for attackers and defenders. The current class types we’re working with are: Rifleman, Assault, Sniper, Engineer, Officer, and Mountaineer.

This opens up a whole range of exciting gameplay variations. Defenders and attackers can have different numbers of each class available, for instance. Launching an attack with several Assault class slots available will be very different to defenses where you have more Engineer slots, or the Mountaineer class.

It also doesn’t mean that it’ll be harder for you to play as a sniper or machine gunner if you want to - with the new system, it might even be easier for you to find these roles, since you don’t need both a certain squad and then a certain role. By the way, squads are definitely still part of the game - more about that later!

[h2]A New Approach to Loadouts[/h2]
With Isonzo we want to give the players more freedom during a match to adjust their playstyle. Instead of choosing from four roles depending on the squad type, which was the case in Verdun & Tannenberg where each role has three predefined loadouts, you now have more freedom to mix and match equipment within the bounds of your class. You can keep updating your class and loadout choices throughout the match, so definitely tailor your gear for whatever your current goal is on the battlefield!

Weapon choices in the work in progress UI.

If you play an Assault class, you may well have limited access to light machine guns… but perhaps a rifle with bayonet will do better if you’re assaulting a well protected trench line? As an Engineer, alongside your trusty rifle do you want to take grenades to clear enemy positions, or a pistol sidearm so you can better defend your carefully laid dynamite in close quarters? Depending on the map, Mountaineers will have to make tough choices about their secondary equipment: binoculars for scouting or the brutally effective ice pick for a melee advantage?

Swap easily between weapons!

Next to that, some classes can have equipment that is given to them by default. Most classes for instance will carry a shovel for basic construction or a wire cutter for cutting wire, as these are essential for the core gameplay to function. We found quickly in our playtests that given the chaotic nature of the close-quarters trench-warfare, where wire and deadly traps are everywhere, players must be able to aid the advance of their team unobstructed by extremely arbitrary limitations.

Customize your loadout with multiple pieces of equipment, as you have multiple slots.

Things get even more interesting when you consider the new class-perk specialization system. Alongside your physical equipment, perks represent a certain skill set of the class, or additional support abilities. As an Assault class, you could aim to support your allies by carrying a grenade ammo crate you can place down, or you can specialize as a saboteur so you need half as many vital seconds to knock out enemy heavy weapon positions. Snipers could choose from reduced weapon sway when crouched or prone for superior marksmanship… but if your opponents keep hitting your position with rifle grenades or mortar fire, maybe taking sentry’s body armor is a wiser choice to keep that suppression from explosives under control. Each class has up to 6 of these they can unlock and you can change when respawning, allowing you to adapt your playstyle to the changing conditions on the battlefield. All of these fit the general class archetype they are associated with.

[h2]Intel Report Complete[/h2]
That’s it for Isonzo Intel #5! We can’t wait to share more about the game with you soon. Here’s one last teaser for today - can you ID it?

All will be revealed in a future dev blog...

Until next time, soldiers!

[h3]Wishlist Isonzo on Steam![/h3]

Today’s Isonzo Intel blog goes into more detail on the Offensive game mode, the history of the first Battle of the Isonzo, and describes how we tailor the gameplay in Isonzo to match the historical challenges soldiers faced on the Italian Front.

[h3]Offensive - Mechanics[/h3]
We described the basics of the Offensive game mode in our first Isonzo Intel - in short, one team will be attacking while the other team will defend. The attackers will need to capture points and demolish key objectives, while the defenders have to stop them. Additionally, offensives are split into multiple battles, where the success or failure of early fights can influence later ones. There’s more to it than this though!

For instance, both attackers and defenders can establish forward posts which allow respawning closer to the action, and the forward posts of the defenders can be demolished by attacking troops. This demolition applies to other aspects of the defence too - heavy machine guns causing trouble? Storm the position and sabotage them to take them permanently out of play!

Building a forward post.

Demolishing objectives is done by the attackers using dynamite - gelatin tubes with a timed fuse. This means there is a possibility for the defenders to defuse them, creating very tense moments with planting and defusing. Objectives include enemy artillery positions and large bunker fortifications as well as ammo dumps, all based on the historical context of the map.

A forward post, established by the attackers.

Another objective type is capture points, which will have to be conquered by the attackers using sheer weight of numbers and a firm presence. This will follow similar rules to what we have done in Tannenberg, where the more people are in a capzone, the faster the capture will go. Objective capture points can however be re-captured by defenders, unlike demolition objectives, and can be spawned on by the attackers if captured. This leads to some interesting strategic decisions for the attackers about which objective to attack first. Permanently destroy difficult demolition objectives, or the more exposed capture points which offer a new spawning location, but are vulnerable to counterattack. Of course you also have to bear in mind that if you take the capture points first, the defenders will naturally concentrate around the demolition objectives - maybe it’s smarter to try for the demolitions earlier? We’re curious what strategies players will come up with!

An artillery piece is demolished in a victory for the attackers.

If the attackers capture a line of defences, there’s a pause in the fighting before the next sector opens up, giving both attackers and defenders a chance to reorganize and prepare for the next onslaught. Defensive engineers can repair gaps in the barbed wire defences, construct additional heavy machine gun nests or add other defensive measures. More about that in a later update!

The Attackers get a fixed number of reinforcement tickets at the start of each sector that is replenished once they have captured all their current objectives, to allow them to renew their attack on the next sector. If the attacker's reinforcement tickets run out but they are in the process of capturing or a dynamite destruction objective is counting down, overtime is triggered: both sides frantically try to win the battle, everything hinging on the active objective. During our developer playtests this has caused some very tense moments!

[h3]Gameplay and Reality[/h3]
Where Verdun and Tannenberg feature battles where both sides attack and defend, for Isonzo we decided that it made more sense to create a game mode where there is one attacking team with multiple objectives to take. We made this decision for a few reasons. Firstly, on the Alpine Front (other than the caporetto breakthrough) there wasn’t a lot of space for massive maneuvering, so anything like the Maneuver mode from Tannenberg wouldn’t make sense.

Look at the work going into moving this gun - and it’s not even a particularly large one!

This means that you don’t get the deep, intricate trench networks of the Western Front, and the back and forth attack-counterattack between trench lines. The amazing landscapes of northern Italy provide a wide range of battlefields with a lot of variety to them - fighting uphill to assault a bunker in the side of a mountain is very different to battling through ruined towns or attempting to cross a river under fire, all of which will be part of Isonzo.

We were drawn in by the fascinating challenges of conducting Alpine warfare with WW1 technology, as well as the sheer variety of different battlefields - everything from the mountains to colorful Italian towns and hard-fought river crossings. We hope our new Offensive game mode will give players more respect for the incredible feats achieved by soldiers on both sides in these enormous battles.

[h3]The First Battle of the Isonzo[/h3]
106 years ago today, the First Battle of the Isonzo was raging. Italy had declared war on Austria-Hungary on May 23, about a month before the battle began on June 23. There were around 225,000 Italian Army soldiers massed to assault the positions of 115,000 Austro-Hungarian troops, who were dug-in on high ground along the Isonzo river (also known as the Soča river). The Italians also had 200 artillery pieces - though many were old or obsolete - which put down an intense but short barrage leading up to the attack.

However, the Italian numerical superiority would not be enough. Their commander, Luigi Cadorna, followed a familiar playbook to the early attacks by Western Front commanders, launching a large-scale infantry assault without adequate artillery support once the initial barrage was done. The attack mostly failed to achieve its objectives in the face of determined Austro-Hungarian resistance and counter-attacks. In particular, the Italians made it into the city of Gorizia’s suburbs, but couldn’t break through in the street-to-street urban fighting and had to withdraw. The arrival of Austro-Hungarian reinforcements put an end to the operation on July 7.

Luigi Cadorna, Chief of Staff of the Italian Army. His actions during the war were so controversial that present-day Facebook flagged our post of him as “offensive”!

One silver lining was fairly low casualties for both sides, considering that it was a brute-force frontal assault against prepared positions. The Italians lost in the region of 15,000 troops, while the Austro-Hungarians saw around 10,000 casualties. For context, that’s around a 7% casualty rate, compared to the First Battle of the Marne which saw a roughly 22% casualty rate for both sides. The British casualty rate for the first day of the Battle of the Somme - the deadliest day in the British Army’s history - was close to 50%, with roughly 35,000 wounded and 20,000 dead from the 100,000 or so attacking troops.

Unfortunately the death toll in future battles of the Isonzo would climb steeply, given the rough terrain and the poor leadership of Cadorna. We’ll return to Cadorna another time, but his harsh, often brutal leadership had a severe impact on the morale and effectiveness of the Italian Army. Casualties often forced offensives to be called off early, and this is reflected in the tickets system in Isonzo, just one of many ways we recreate the nature of warfare on the Italian Front.

[h3]And so ends another Isonzo Intel...[/h3]
That’s all for today, but we have lots more details about the game to share, don’t you worry!
And if you would like to help get this game ready, make sure to sign up for the Isonzo Closed Alpha Testing on PC.

There seem to be new recruits on the horizon as well, more about that in the future...

We’ll see you next time for the next Isonzo Intel!