Call to Arms - Gates of Hell: Ostfront News

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Dear community,

One week has passed since the start of Phase 2, but we collected a lot of feedback and a lot of improvements and fixes are underway. We have decided to update the test with some of the changes that have been finalised last week. As you can see, the work is going at full speed. There is still plenty of work going on to address all of the feedback, and the entire package of changes and new additions will arrive for the release.

• Added session view Chat
  
• Added new model to game and multiplayer: Gaz-AAA 72K
  
• Added Zis-5 into MP to replace Gaz-AAA (more capacity)
  
• Slowed down the accumluation of points from captured flags to increase total game time
  
• Increased DP cost of Doctrine unit Panzer38t_g (15 to 20) and increased cooldown time (240 to 300)
  
• Increased standard resources from 2500 to 2800
  
• Reduced cost of armoured cars
  
• Reduced cooldown time for Airstrikes in Doctrines in MP (480 to 240) (cooldown = time to rebuy)
  

• Added fuel trucks to both nations research tree
  
• Increased GlobalMaxCP. Allows for more units in the veterans section (reserve)
  
• Increased ammo points (AP) earned for wins
  
• Increased attacking AI CP limits so they can field more units at any given time, when player is defending
  
• Increased point collection rate when player controls all flags as defender in Conquest: 20min game instead of 25min
  
• Fixed crew count for flak36
  
• Fixed cost of sdkfz_flak18
  
• Fixed humans spawning on fire and uncontrollable
  
• Fixed vehicles that had been burned from fire or engine destruction from being recoverable and spawning in next match on fire/setting crew of fire.
  
• Fixed scripts that were causing all vehicels to spawn sandbags shortly after mission start
  
• Fixed pz38t_A CP for conquest
  
• Reduced MP and CP cost of Kubelwagen variants
  
• Reduced cost to repair vehicles. Should be closer to the cost of buying a new vehicle.
  
• Reduced cost of T37a
  
• Removed mining teams from AI bot buy menu
  
• Removed tier 1 infantry from AI Bots menu after first few rounds (partisans, osttruppen, etc)
  
• Removed ability to crew enemy AI defender MG empalcements to prevent them from being captureable.
  
• Removed medics from bots buy menu in conquest
  

• Updated explosion sounds from HEAT shells
  
• General sound mixing and adjustments
  
• Fixed Sdkfz 10 w/ Pak38 to have rotate sound
  
• MG 34 & 42 sound revision
  
• MG Interior sound adjustment
  

• Many minor fixes for most maps: tex mods, terrains, some pathing
  
• DCG Pinsk: fixed pathfinding and ocean issues.
  
• Updated environment/weath setting's sounds to match on-screen FX (i.e. Rain)
  

• Added veterancy icons 6-8 for unit icon small
  
• Updated bt2 icons
  
• Updated cursors
  
• Updated Veterancy icons for conquest
  
• Updated localization for A19 cannon (mid doctrine)
  
• Fixed human at rifle icon for conquest
  
• Fixed roman numeral from VI to IV for stage 4 icon in conquest
  
• Fixed several localization issues
  

• Added better randomization to off map artillery barrages
  
• Added RUS V3 Voice Lines
  
• Added fire damage radius around flamethrower stream
  
• Added armor volumes for T34 Hull MG and Driver hatch
  
• Added support for BR-350B 76mm shell (aphebc2)
  
• Added support for HEAT HL/A/B/C shells
  
• Added APCR ammo to sdkfz8_flak18
  
• Added blitz truck engineering version x and xx models
  
• Added sandbags to all Mortars and DSHK AA stand
  
• Fixed net code sync with fire damage on ground and object
  
• Fixed net code sync with humans being revivable from bullet death
  
• Fixed net code sync with vehicles crews being killed from damage to vehicle
  
• Fixed syncing of various interaction events for multiplayer/coop
  
• Fixed shell casings from howitzers and guns to dissapear in fog of war
  
• Fixed rotation of LOD's for shell_cannon_auto
  
• Fixed flamethrower containers to on the back of humans
  
• Fixed portraits
  
• Fixed obstacles for several cannon x models
  
• Fixed firing angle/gravity for bm13 (katusha) so it can fire its full range even on varying terrain
  
• Fixed localization for soviet MG ammo
  
• Fixed visual bug with IL2 destroyed model
  
• Fixed goliath crater spawning
  
• Fixed awkward line on dust fx
  
• Fixed stug3g not being able to reload main gun, when MG gunner is told to hide/close hatch
  
• Fixed vehicle engine sound still playing when engine toggled of while moving
  
• Fixed armor for t26_39 turret
  
• Fixed Auto Cannons HE shell to cause as much damage on a direct hit to human health as AP ammo does. (It was causing only blast damage before)
  
• Fixed 20mm_flak30 sometimes not wanting to fire after reload or ammo type switch
  
• Fixed fences to be destructible by auto cannon HE shells
  
• Fixed pz1B enumerator problem after repairing turret
  
• Fixed vehicle view for kv85
  
• Fixed pz4 variants enumerator "direction of numbers"
  
• Fixed pz35t x and xx model winter textures
  
• Fixed dshk_stan armor, volumes, components, break/repair animations
  
• Fixed panzer4f2 Hull and Coax MG's being reversed
  
• Fixed sdkfz8_flak winter texture
  
• Fixed direction that sandbags built by cannons face. Still have rotation issue on uneven ground.
  
• Fixed smoke grenades blinking light during night
  
• Updated fire fx on burning wooden objects
  
• Updated detection time (reveal time) for enemy units in fog, based on unit type and distance
  
• Updated grenade throw animation to take less time to release grenade
  
• Updated Player AI to be able to use AT-rifles against infantry. Will switch to pistol when in range.
  
• Updated German rifle grenade to have HE grenade preloaded instead HEAT grenade
  
• Updated fx choice for anti-tank rifle grenades
  
• Updated many explosion fx
  
• Updated infantry that have both a helmet and cap, to wear helmet by default.
  
• Updated loadouts of several vehicles for new HEAT or APHEBC shell types or historical loadouts
  
• Updated flag texture
  
• Updated Gebirgsjagers human skins
  
• Updated partizan headwear
  
• Updated partizan headwear textures
  
• Updated other humanskins
  
• Updated tracer fx light intensity during night
  
• Increased slightly AT Rifle accuracy and longer ranges
  
• Increased blast damage for the 300mm nebelwerfer rockets
  
• Increased accuracy of Plane MG's
  
• Increased plane forward vision
  
• Increased accuracy and damage of IL2 rockets
  
• Increased armor for T34 57 & 76 series hull nose on vehicles where it was thicker
  
• Increased base accuracy of sniper rifles to match standard rifles. Adjusted aim shot settings accordingly.
  
• Reduced Soviet 76mm HE blast damage to be more inline with German 75mm HE shell
  
• Reduced resupply cost of small arms ammunition
  
• Reduced mortar accuracy beyond max range to help prevent accurate farshooting in 3rd person mode
  
• Reduced mortar range
  
• Reduced melee range
  
• Removed sound from spheredust_wood FX because it plays way too often when wood logs break
  
• Removed feature that crew of ammo crate would leave when setting crate down. Now they will stay on, until player orders them off.
  

If you haven’t already, this is your last chance to partake in the testing as the beta is on it’s final passages. stagesSteam Store page!

You can join in 2 clicks

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Community-made screenshots from our Discord channel by Kleis, Will G and IvanFrit!

Dear community members,

It is time to release conquest and allow you to test that part of the game as we draw an end to this excellent beta. Your feedback has been plentiful and it will help us polish the game for its release coming up soon.

This version of conquest, like the multiplayer, is limited in the maps available (only 6) to you and other features. It is a taste of what is to come. The fully fledged conquest (with 16 maps, and a lot of new stuff) will be available on the release, as with all the other content. Enjoy the beta update!

You can still join the open beta, this is your last chance as the beta won't run for much longer, it’s available on our Steam Store page!

You can join in 2 clicks


Community-made screenshots by Swonki, diruscze and JägerMan!


Meanwhile, join us on our Discord server, the best place for quick answers to any questions you might have.
Good luck & have fun!

New Panther D - HD Link

Dear community members,

The next open beta phase is about to be launched. This is phase 2 of the Call to Arms - Gates of Hell project open beta.

You can still join the open beta by the way, it’s available on our Steam Store page!

You can join in 2 clicks

As we said before, Phase 2 consists of the multiplayer (PvP and PvE) with the upgraded netcode, and we will launch conquest during the weekend too.

Aside from the new areas which now open for testing, we have done significant upgrades to the visuals, sounds and performed a huge number of improvements over the content previously available in phase 1. Such novelties include many new units and models, new uniforms for better 3rd person visuals, and tons of new features, including many of those that the community requested such as increased squad selection sizes.

We are on the final stretch finishing the new soundscape, having finished work on weapon sounds and performing a global QA pass. We are confident it offers you an authentic and immersive sound experience.

Phase 2 of the open beta contains 6 multiplayer maps (full release will contain 20) and will contain 5 conquest maps (full release will contain more than 15!).

New uniforms - HD Link

As usual we include the relevant part of the changelog:

• Enabled multiplayer access for 6 maps, only mid- war period and standard game settings.
  
• Improved netcode
  
• New vehicles, humanskins, weapons
  
• Improved HDR and shader optimization
  
• Improved multiple animations
  
• Improved in-game interface
  
• Improved sounds and sound mix
  
• Increased squad selection size
  
• New special effects
  
• New fog/ un-fog timer logic for vehicles per class
  
• Added human tank gun skill and vehicle veterancy
  
• Many fixes and quality of life improvements
  
• Redesigned tank ranges and support gun mechanics, more about it here

Like with the last update, there’s no action required from you, dependent on your Steam settings.
We hope you will enjoy this phase, which combines phases 2 and 3 as we have previously announced.

Meanwhile, join us on our Discord server, the best place for quick answers to any questions you might have.
Good luck & have fun!

Hello people!

It is the 9th of May and this is a special date in remembrance of the end of WWII in Europe and it is a worthy date to announce our plans.

We will be starting phase 2 during the next week. Release will follow closely after.

Remember Phase 2 will consist of one week of multiplayer testing, followed by the weekend for conquest (dynamic campaign) testing.

What took us so long you may ask? Well, the most important factor was the lengthy netcode upgrades. The netcode redesign was aimed to support bigger battles and users with worse connectivity. It took way longer than expected, because we added many new features which hadn't been previously synced through the servers. The netcode is now being fleshed out in its first version. Remember this is a test, so we had to finish this first before we could ask you to test the new code.

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Conquest (dynamic campaign) also went through some important upgrades. We added features like minefields and redesigned systems such as the way in which the bots field their troops. We are now at a stage where the conquest can be tested and can therefore proceed.

We have great plans for conquest, from historical calendars to new game modes and dynamics. This is a huge investment over time and we will continuously upgrade it and evolve it. How far we can go will depend on the success of the game, as we must also focus our attention to creating new nations and new theatres after the release!

You can expect the release approximately one or two weeks or so after the end of phase 2, it will depend on how much feedback we have to process.

Thanks for staying with us, happy victory day, and see you soon!

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Hi everyone, we have some progress to tell you about.
We are currently in the final stage of preparation for the next phase. It will consist of a multiplayer test with limited content. The date is to be announced. It will give you a single war stage and a set of maps, and this phase will run for exactly one week. During the week, we will add conquest mode.
Conquest will be available for the closing weekend only. After the weekend, the open beta will end officially.
We will then take your feedback, use it for the quick final polish and prepare Call to Arms: Gates of Hell for release!

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Call to Arms: Gates of Hell is a project in which we have always been in close touch with the community, and the community has given us tremendous support and feedback over the years.
Therefore, the fact that phase 1 of the OBT gave us valuable feedback was no surprise. We were curious how you would comment on the different aspects of gameplay and the associated new dynamics, besides finding glitches.

We took your feedback about improving the logic for tank combat, and decided it should be overhauled. The result includes revised ranges at a gun-by-gun basis, adhering to how effective at longer ranges some guns were compared to each other. We also made sure that different projectiles for the same gun have longer or shorter ranges, depending on how they performed in real life.
We have redesigned our penetration curves to depict the frequent fights (Most WWII fights happened at 700-1200m). At the usual engagement distances in the game, the penetration values will be closer to those, so that the tank vs tank combat relates better to the WWII experiences.

While doing so, we have also taken steps to help reduce and limit farshooting and other exploits which could become a problem in competitive multiplayer.
Long story short; your feedback has been used to improve balance and historical use of each type of cannon, while keeping it as realistic as we can within our game’s design philosophy.


We have made an important design choice with heavy assault guns as well. We're keeping them as direct fire weapons, because that is how they were used in real life.
There is a widespread misconception that support tanks have longer ranges and operate in an indirect manner, but at the same time they used to have a flatter trajectory and accuracy, like direct-fire weapons. The result is that units like the KV-2 or StuH 42 are long range weaponry with ranges superior to that of the big AT guns. In reality, these vehicles were used as direct fire weapons only (there are exceptions like the SU152, which could do both direct and indirect fire).

Therefore, we have re-assigned these kinds of units to fulfill the direct fire role.
In reality, they were used at shorter ranges than other specialised AT guns, and this is how we will implement them in CtA: GoH. New units have been established to cover the gaps left behind by the support gun redesign.

In the future we'd like to add a switch to change between direct and indirect fire for some units. We could improvise it now but we’d rather do it in a proper manner later. It should not just change the gun's characteristics, but also third person behaviour, and AI should be able to change it too depending on range of engagement.


Our Gates of Hell soundscape is reaching the final stages of completion, and recently all small arms sounds were upgraded to the release quality. We took the opportunity to take in some of the feedback about sounds which you guys posted in our Discord server and added other improvements of our own which we decided to add for the immersion factor. For example, in third person you will now hear the bolts sliding, casings being dropped and it will feel like a more engulfing experience.

Subscribers of the open beta will also have noticed additional improvements since the latest update, including matching explosion sounds to the length and feel of the actual effect, added built-in sounds to the human animations (crouching, drinking, etc) and there are more details planned in this regard.

We hope to deliver a project of extraordinary audio quality and consistency. We raise the bar every day, so there will also be sound improvements after the release as we see fit.


We keep updating the game with new and improved models; we’re working on optimization, we’re improving missions and much, much more.

Here is a good example: our new Panther D in the works.

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We also included the 122 mm M1931/37 (A-19) cannon. This Soviet cannon, which although a howitzer-type artillery, had very good anti-tank ballistics and will certainly become a worthy contender to the Tiger’s armour from long range:

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In preparation for the upcoming multiplayer test, we’ve recorded a PvP match with some of the testers. Remember, bots will also be available for everyone during the test and you can host PvE battles as well.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

• We recommend subscribing to the youtube channels we display on our own channel for the near future
  
• Before release, we will start a “meta game” mini-game using our Discord server
• After release, we will start a “mod of the month” competition

That’s it for now, thanks for stopping by and good luck in the open beta!