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Squad's Holiday V2.12 Playtest Event



Hey Squaddies,

With the Squad team’s focus on releasing the V2.12 Update early in 2022 we will be running an extended playtest over the holiday break, as a method of obtaining details on how the update runs in a live environment and hopefully uncovering any significant issues prior to launch.

We have partnered with a number of our Licensed Servers to provide an opportunity for players to experience the new Squad V2.12 build from December 17th to January 4th.

Already we have confirmation that one of our Licensed Servers is planning to have events over the holidays on the [|56|] Canadian Gaming – Advanced RAAS Update – V2.12 Test Bonanza.

They have provided us with these details about their events:

  • Description: Squad Playtest Special Events.Test out all of the forthcoming V2.12 Features and provide helpful information to OWI and help with the testing of their next update. Join us while we play all the new layers of Yeho, Goro, Kohat, Narva and we might even throw a new lighting Basrah in there. Months worth of free whitelisting will be given out.
  • Dates: December 18th, 25th, and January 1st
  • Time: Event starts 11am EST (Server Seeding Starts @ 10:40am)
  • INSTRUCTIONS
  • These playtests will occur on the “Squad
– Public Testing” application, so players will need to have the “Squad – Public Testing” application.

To get the best results and to be able to join the playtest, follow these guidelines

  • The “Squad – Public Testing” application will be available in your Steam Library ONLY if you own Squad. It can be found by searching for “Squad – Public Testing” within the Steam Library search bar.
  • Downloading the “Squad – Public Testing” application is equivalent to downloading another copy of Squad, so please ensure you allow yourself enough time to download it and enough HDD space to have it installed.
  • The build(s) we will be using during the playtests are not currently available. This means if you install the “Squad – Public Testing” application now in preparation for the tests, there will be an additional (smaller) download closer to the time of the tests. Please keep that in mind, and set your Steam Library to auto-update if possible.


[h2]RELEASE NOTES[/h2]

This latest V2.12 Playtest is similar to the previous versions (Link URL) with the addition of the following changes:

  • Added some holiday spirit, in the form of deployable Christmas Trees, snowmen, and throwable snowballs in the v2.12 build. These deployables are available on all Belaya, Goose Bay, Gorodok, Mestia, Manic-5, Skorpo, Yehorivka map layers.
  • Removed the “Ultra Low” option on Low Setting – this will degrade performance for players running on low, especially with min spec hardware. This is because we are using a build built from the Content stream rather than the “Shadows Fallback” stream
  • Adjusted forced settings to work with particle scalability and texture mips bias – This could potentially bring further optimization for users running on LOW.
  • Added binoc zoom in/zoom out sounds – minor Quality of Life improvement
  • Added mechanical jostling sounds for Rifles/MGs when soldiers are sprinting – minor Quality of Life improvement
  • Anvil minor optimizations and bug fixes. Lighting layers now use HDR skies. – minor Quality of Life improvement
  • Playfab Client Performance Stats – This is the big one which will give us more data to potentially use in decision making and troubleshooting remaining issues blocking the release of v2.12


Let us know what you think of V2.12 and share your experiences with this forthcoming Update in our forums (URL Link) which we’ll be checking in January. Thank you for your support and we’ll see you on the field this holiday season!

- Offworld Industries

SQUAD V2.12 PLAYTEST THIS SUNDAY

Hello Squaddies,

Offworld Industries will be holding an additional public playtest on Sunday, December 12th at 16:00 UTC.

These playtests will be a chance to give feedback on the performance of the upcoming v2.12 update, which includes the following features:

Shadows & lighting overhaul
  • Buddy boost (being able to jump on your teammates to get over walls)
  • Capture zone scaling (capture speed will now scale with the number of players in a capture zone)
  • Joining the public playtest will help us see how these changes perform. It is also a chance to try out upcoming gameplay changes and fixes for v2.12.
  • We are looking to get a broad range of players so that we can be sure that the shadows and lighting overhaul will work for players on all types of systems. The performance of V2.12 on lower end hardware is a potential blocker for its release and we want to confirm that it will perform to an acceptable level.


These playtests will occur on the “Squad – Public Testing” application, so players will need to have the “Squad – Public Testing” application.

To get the best results and to be able to join the playtest, follow these guidelines

  • The “Squad – Public Testing” application will be available in your Steam Library ONLY if you own Squad. It can be found by searching for “Squad – Public Testing” within the Steam Library search bar.
  • Downloading the “Squad – Public Testing” application is equivalent to downloading another copy of Squad, so please ensure you allow yourself enough time to download it and enough HDD space to have it installed.
  • The build(s) we will be using during the playtests are not currently available. This means if you install the “Squad – Public Testing” application now in preparation for the tests, there will be an additional (smaller) download closer to the time of the tests. Please keep that in mind, and set your Steam Library to auto-update if possible.


Take your chance to leave an impression on v2.12, and we’ll see you on the field.

– OWI

Upcoming Public Playtests & SquadChat

Hello squaddies,

Today, we’re dropping in to let you know of some upcoming playtests the team has planned to run V2.12 through its paces before release.

Before that, we’d like to thank those who joined us in the previous playtests to look at the upcoming Shadows & Lighting changes. We hope you’ll be joining us again (along with some squadmates who may have missed their chance) to give these new changes plus many others that are part of V2.12 a run for their money and to help the development team with any bugs/issues you may uncover while taking part.

NOTE: These playtests will occur on the “Squad - Public Testing” app.
  1. The “Squad - Public Testing” app will be available in your Steam Library ONLY if you own Squad. It can be found by searching for “Squad - Public Testing” within the Steam Library search bar.
  2. Downloading the “Squad - Public Testing” app is equivalent to downloading another copy of Squad, so please ensure you allow yourself enough time to download it and enough HDD space to have it installed.
  3. The build(s) we will be using during the playtests are not currently available. This means if you install the “Squad - Public Testing” app now in preparation for the tests, there will be additional downloads closer to the time of the tests. Please keep that in mind, and set your Steam Library to auto-update if possible.

Currently, we are planning for these tests to run on these dates:

Saturday 2nd October 2021 - Sunday 3rd October 2021

During this, we will provide the means for you to provide your feedback and any bug reports, which the team will then utilize to give a new build for a further test on:

Saturday 9th October 2021 - Sunday 10th October 2021

We’re very excited to see the community taking these builds for a spin in at least one full server so the team can see any issues which may occur at max server capacity, which is why we’d love to see you encouraging everyone you know who plays Squad to get involved so we can observe any issues at total capacity or within niche squad types.

We will also be holding a V2.12/Shadows & Lighting specific SquadChat on Wednesday 29th September 2021. We will be sitting down with some of the Designers and Level Design team to discuss the upcoming update and tests. We can’t wait to see you there.

Keep an eye out here and on our social channels for further information before these events, and we’ll leave you with this little teaser.

The Wrench - September 2021

Danish Armed Forces Mod (by Viktor)


This mod aims to represent the armed forces of Denmark as they stand today. The mod will include custom rifles, vehicles, and custom-ish soldier models.



Better Armor Layers (by Zezacle)


Better Armor Layers catered to the hearts and minds of all those armor squads out there. (And sadly, to all the AT players too.) Sometimes, you just want an armor-focused match, but there isn't quite the Layer you're looking for. BAL aims to scratch that itch with RAAS layers with brand new layouts and vehicle-centric gameplay. Rarely should a crewman be aimlessly wandering around Main Base without a chariot to ride into battle. This also means that Infantry players are going to have to play smart and coordinated, feeding ammo to their ATs, and placing those ever pesky ATGMs. Ever wanted a Tank on Kokan? Yeah. We've got Tanks on Kokan.

Additionally BAL has brought the 6v6 Tanks game mode to your favorite maps like Gorodok, Yehorivka, Narva, Mutaha, and more, while also spicing it up by making it Random Advanced and Secure (RAAS Tanks).

Whether it’s Events, Memes, or general variety in the layer rotation, BAL can provide a fun experience to all. This Layer Pack is in its early days, and that means there is much more content planned for it, including brand new Invasion, AAS, and RAAS layers, eventually covering every map in Squad.

See you on the battlefield. (Don't Ammo Rack me please) - Zee, Mod Author.

For a complete overview of Better Armor Layers, join the Discord: https://discord.gg/KqCgSpqD2v
For a better marketing schpeel, check out the Steam Workshop page: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2583205870



Japan Ground Self Defence Force (by Gunslinger and the JGSDF Mod Team)


We are creating the JGSDF as a playable Faction in Squad. Our goal is to make a faction that is balanced but feels different enough to be worth the effort. We want the JGSDF to be fun to play but also fun to play against. We're still looking for Blueprint Specialists, Modding Experts, Animators, and 3D Artists, especially for environment Art. If you want to know more or support us please join us at our discord.

Visits our Discord for more information on the Mod: https://discord.gg/UCZZ5Kt3B8



Raid Mod (by [RWR] Robez)


Raid Mod is a brand new PvPvE game mode for Squad that features a hardcore ruleset, full kit customization, and a dynamic, mission-based gameplay loop. In this mode you will become the soldier you idealize, taking into the game whatever weapons and equipment that you need to complete diverse missions to gain tickets and personal currency that can be used to buy even better equipment and assets. However, when you die out in the field you lose anything that you brought in with you, any reward you gained, and are sent back to main to join a new squad and try again. Compete against members of the other team to complete the AI/PvP based objectives and then return to main to collect your reward. Raid Mod is currently in Alpha status so join the discord to see updates and be informed when we hold future playtests: https://discord.gg/Wx9ss89t.



French VBL (by Tactical Collective)

BORIS is currently working on the texture of the Véhicule Blindé Léger for the French Faction. This will be our recon amphibious vehicle, and different versions will be available:

  1. VBL Mag 58/AANF1
  2. VBL Milan
  3. VBL .50 Cal
  4. VB2L Mag 58 with turret

Discord: https://discord.gg/ZCCYEFx

Website: https://smf.tactical-collective.com/

Steam Workshop: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2198088821



Brazilian Armed Forces Mod (by Smoking Snakes Dev Team)


Hey guys we are here once again to showcase another WIP, this time we have the EE-9 Cascavel a Brazilian made reconnaissance vehicle, equipped with a 90mm cannon, capable of firing multiple projectiles such as:
APFSDS, HESH, HEAT-T, HE rounds.



Treason (by JJ)


TREASON is a game mode inspired by popular games like Mafia, Secret Hitler, and Trouble in Terrorist Town. Commissars and Comrades work together to uncover the treasonous comrades. The Traitors work in secret to kill all innocent players and carry out their plot!

Featuring a variety of unique custom maps and tools to play, TREASON will be a great mode for taking a break from the stress of leading those blueberries into battle with something a little different :-)

The mode is still in development, but expect to see a playtest soon!

https://discord.gg/uH8pUBYhWe


Hawk’s RAAS Rework (by EyeOfTheHawks)


Now with more layers than ever!

Hawks RAAS Rework looks at tackling the predictability of laned RAAS, redesigning from the ground up how point selection works. Its been dubbed "GRAAS" or "Good-RAAS".
With this new generation method, you'll experience point configurations and areas of the map that you may have never seen before.

Now with well over 100 distinct layer configurations, Hawks RAAS Rework is the perfect supplement to any server, giving you a classic Squad experience with a new twist. Don't bother loading up Squadlanes, because it won’t work, it’s the RAAS experience we always wanted.

Some of the changes since you last saw me on the wrench:
- Added standardized CAF faction templates
- GRAAS Layers on Goose Bay, Manic-5, Anvil, Fools Road, and more!
- Point balance changes to help speed up the early game, so there's less waiting around
- A bunch of new experimental Invasion and TC Layers

Did I mention it’s only 40MB and has workarounds for the "infinite running man" bug that's bothered us all since day 1?

Be sure to check out the workshop page (https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2442357787&searchtext=hawks+raas+rework)
and the Discord (https://discord.gg/mCEH6xZW6M)
and the google doc with more layer information (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1y_OZTQ9n-tIxoJ3beW9umqOQ2DuakL1vzvvN2AV2CZI)

Keep an eye out for a server near you running it!
And as for that last screenshot, some things are best left a surprise



Grand Falls (by BaronVonBoyce and Gunslinger)


Located on the US-Canada border, Russian forces are approaching from their previous victories during their amphibious landing in Labrador and seizure of the Manic-5 dam, Canadian and NATO forces will have to hold them here or risk Russian infiltration into the American homeland.

Grand Falls is a 4x4.5km map with the goal of capturing the feeling of a North American suburb and small town. It is in an early-playtest stage and remains unoptimized. Some small optimizations have been made in the most recent updates, including an erosion pass on the terrain courtesy of Wunda to help reduce the feeling of the landscape being ‘too smooth’.

The Wrench - August

Hello squaddies,

We’re back again with another version of The Wrench, your number one source for knowing what the modding community has been up to, and to get updated on how their work is progressing.

Oh boy, have the modding community come through with some delightful-looking mods for y’all to admire.

As always, if any of these mods catch your attention, be sure to join the mod teams Discords, or provide feedback via their Steam Workshop page (if available)

Now, on to the creations!

PGM HECATE 2 by Tactical Collective




Titoonet is presenting us the PGM Hecate 2, a long-range precision rifle chambered in .50BMG (12.7mm), used by snipers in the French army. The rifle is equipped with a Scrome J10 (x10 zoom) scope that will allow shots from 500 to 1800 meters. We are thinking of a few ideas to balance this rifle in-game, for example, reduce standing accuracy a lot, low ammo, or a lack of short-range ranging options on the scope



Discord: https://discord.gg/ZCCYEFx

Website: https://smf.tactical-collective.com/

Steam Workshop: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2198088821

Squad Masters Mod by Mjölnir Husky




The Squad Masters Mod started as a small mod for the Squad Masters BLITZ tournament.
But it grows fast into a caster/streamer-friendly system with alot of features.

Now the mod should be a system for better squad streaming for caster and viewer.
Every AAS vanilla layer is added to the mod to be usable for nearly everyone.
Every Event that wants to use vanilla AAS or RAAS layers should be able to use this mod.
So the caster and the viewer have a much more friendly system to understand what happens on the map.

Caster Cam Features:
- Kill feed
- Radio built and proxy ranges
- Radio health info
- HAB Siege Status, sphere, and ranges
- Rally point siege ranges
- Rally point spawn timer
- Flag Info with capture status
- Kill/Death/Downed info
- Vehicle health info
- Add/Change team logo (128x128px)
- Add/Change event logo (64x64px)
- Add/Change team names
- Teleport by clicking on the Spawnmap
- Stick with the cam on players/vehicles
- Change the stick height and range

And more is being currently worked on.

View more here: https://streamable.com/n3afgr
Visit the Steam Workshop page: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2504260929

Dutch Armed Forces by Victor


A Squad Mod that aims to add an accurate representation of the Dutch Armed Forces into the game.
Read more on their progress over on their site here: https://sites.google.com/view/dafmod1







Visit their Discord: https://discord.gg/FaSEnuc79v

Squad_JO by LaughingJack

https://youtu.be/lad7qYkEKDs

Steam Workshop link: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2240351000

Squad_JO is a Gameplay modification of Squad, based on the classic game Joint Operations from 2004 - "western democratic" coalition forces versus "rebellious anti-western" allies.
It retains Squads' organization & communications but removes much of the structured role-playing elements required by players, allowing for a more accessible playing style that highlights 'playing the objective'.

With headshots and knife attacks killing outright and no rally points, this makes for a more deadly game that puts a greater value of life on the player and encourages smarter play, with plenty of room for tactical styles that don't rely on the 'FOB-crafting' meta.
The Mod includes Multi-faction teams, modified Gamemodes for AAS, PAAS & TKOTH, and numerous new assets. It also includes numerous gameplay layers for a bunch of Squad-vanilla maps as well as two classic Joint Operations maps; Black Rock Beach and Dormant Volcano Isle.
The mod is now in its final stages of completion of all the basic changes to gameplay and visual elements. The mod will be updated to v1.0 very soon but is totally playable as it stands and is cooked for Windows and Linux servers. Future additions will be the CAF and Aussie factions when they are available within the SDK.

For more in-depth details, please see the description and change notes on the Steam Workshop page.

Grand Falls by BaronVonBoyce and Gunslinger




4x4km

Grand Falls is a town located in Victoria County, New Brunswick, Canada. It's situated on the Saint John River. The town derives its name from a waterfall created by a series of rock ledges over which the river drops 23 meters.

Located on the US-Canada border, Russian forces are approaching from their previous victories during their amphibious landing in Labrador and seizure of the Manic-5 dam, Canadian and NATO forces will have to hold them here or risk Russian infiltration into the American homeland.



Squad: Vietnam by the Squad: Vietnam Team

Squad: Vietnam update time!



We get asked on a daily, sometimes hourly basis when we’re going to be releasing our mod and we wanted to give a quick shout out to our ever-growing and patient community. We’re nearing 6k Discord members and know many of you are eager to play. We very much appreciate all the support and understanding of our focus on quality over an early release.



Those of you who have been following the mod for a while will be glad to hear that our flagship Mekong delta based map is coming along nicely. We’ve added another member to the mapping team and hope to be featuring it in a Wrench edition very soon. Until then you can catch a few sneak peeks and even a SQD:VN themed wallpaper over on our Instagram.



Recently we showed our Huey helicopter over on our discord. The Huey along with napalm and the M16 are some of the most iconic Vietnam War-era US arsenal pieces we can think of. Po our very talented Huey modeler with assistance from advisers has spent hours making sure it’s perfect and we can’t be happier with the results. So here are a few extra renders for everyone.

Join their Discord

Platoon Mod by MoiDawg


Platoon is a mod set on re-imagining the fundamental Squad gameplay loop.

In typical Squad gameplay, quite often players are subject to walking simulators, but that isn’t because Squad is a slow-paced game. Instead, this is because Squad is an incredibly fast-paced game that rewards those who capture objectives quickly, and not necessarily those who win firefights.



In many games, the most efficient way to capture an objective is usually one Squad Leader running around and placing multiple radios with a HAB on them. For an average game of Squad, this results in uncoordinated hordes of enemy attacks requiring defenders to go out and overrun HABs, play hide and seek with radios, and destroy one FOB while the three other spawn points are still allowing attackers into the objective. FOBs are glorified team spawns, wave spawns are tiresome, and many games can be won without memorable firefights all because of strategic teleportation around the map.



Platoon aims to re-imagine the FOB, create the ability to establish fire support areas around the map, re-imagine a player’s interaction with objectives, and also create more interesting unit cohesion between infantry, vehicles, command assets, and emplacements. Most importantly, Platoon hopes that every game can result in memorable and entertaining firefights.

Join us as we create new gameplay interactions, new game modes, and a new way to enjoy the game we all love.

Here is a link to our Discord server

Koshtantau by duramorph




Koshtantau is a map with high mountains, steep slopes, and dense forests. In the middle of the map, there is a radio station on a mountain top that can be reached through a long tunnel from the valley. There are several checkpoints alongside the road system. The map also contains an iron mine, a worker camp, a scrap yard, and a crash site.

Factions
-Russian vs. Militia

Current Layers
-Koshtantau_AAS_v1
-Koshtantau_RAAS_v1
-Koshtantau_Invasion_v1
-Koshtantau_Training



Check out our Steam Workshop page here.

South African Border War: Operation Savannah (Angola Map) by Springbok


A conflict theatre set during the South African Border War/Angolan Civil War of the 1960s to 1980s.



Japanese Ground Self Defense Force by JGSDF Mod Team




Hello, we are the JGSDF MOD Team and aim to create the Japanese Ground Self Defense Force as a playable Faction for Squad. Even though we are a relatively new mod, we're glad that our team already has some very talented people helping from the Squad Modding Community! We do not have any ETA on the mod yet and our main goal is to make a balanced yet fun faction while also having fun and learning while we create this faction. If you want to know more about this project or if you want to actively support and help us, please come around to our Discord.

Greetings from the JGSDF MOD Team!



VDV Russian Sub-Faction by VDV Mod Team

We first want to thank you for the interest shown in the last Wrench. For this reason, we have listened to you and have created a public discord.

In the last Wrench, we showed you the Jump Helmet and RPG-22, since that we were able to welcome new members to the team and work on new things like the SVDS and Mi-8 retexture.

SVDS

VKS Grey Mi-8
VKS Green Mi-8


If you are willing to join us, we are looking for Military Advisors, 3D Artists, UE4 Developers, etc. you can apply in #📩-apply-here.

You can also head over to our discord for any questions, will be glad to answer those.

Brazilian Armed Forces by Smoking Snakes Dev Team

Hey guys!

For you out there that doesn’t know us, we are a dev team that aims to bring a Brazilian faction for Squad with unique vehicles, weapons, maps, command actions etc.



Today we have some more work in progress to showcase for you guys, this time we brought the Guarani with actual textures, unfortunately, we didn´t have time to prepare decent textures for the other 2 models, I hope you guys can understand.





Please go check out our discord and website
http://squadbrazil.rf.gd
https://discord.gg/ucXhXEKcaT