Tannenberg News

Our new in-game campaign begins part way through the real offensives that inspired it. The Brusilov Offensive began more than two and a half months before this date in 1916, and had another month left to go. The main successes of the Brusilov Offensive were seen early in the battle, following General Aleksei Brusilov's initial attack on June 4th.

Innovative tactics led to a major breakthrough, and the Austro-Hungarian defenders were forced into a hasty retreat. Unfortunately Brusilov's attack was only meant to be a diversion from a separate main attack, which was to be led by General Evert. This main attack was not nearly as well prepared as Brusilov's effort, and Evert was a naturally cautious leader. His part of the offensive began too late and quickly became bogged down as the Germans rushed reinforcements to the Eastern Front to support their beleaguered Austro-Hungarian allies.

Worse still, after the battle ended the Russians failed to learn the lessons of Brusilov's success. While German, French and British commanders would independently develop and improve the kind of breakthrough tactics Brusilov employed, Russian commanders never did so.



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As the campaign runs we'll be posting updates along with some history facts, but in Tannenberg and Verdun you can see current casualty rates in the main menu and after each battle ends.

Good luck!

The summer can be a good time for launching an offensive. Dryer weather and less harsh conditions make supplying your forces and maintaining morale easier. Which is not to say that summer in the trenches was by any means pleasant. The summer of 1916 saw an Entente effort to relieve pressure on the French at Verdun with two major offensives, and we will be running our own campaign event this summer as well...

[h2]A new campaign...[/h2]
This campaign is inspired by the Battle of the Somme on the Western Front, and the Brusilov Offensive on the Eastern Front. These were major operations for the Entente forces in 1916, and had mixed results. While the Brusilov Offensive was a great success, smashing the Austro-Hungarian army and gaining territory, the Battle of the Somme was a bloodbath that didn't lead to any major change to the front lines. There's more to it than that, of course - but we'll get into details later this week.



[h2]How does it work?[/h2]
Every fallen soldier on the Western and Eastern Fronts will be tracked. If you fight in a public Frontlines or Maneuver match, your actions will contribute to the campaign casualty totals. While the campaign is running, you will be able to see whether the Central Powers or the Entente are currently faring better. The campaign begins on Thursday.

Earn a campaign medal!
Everyone can earn a special campaign medal by fighting in battles during the event. You can earn a bronze, silver or gold medal. To get gold, fight in five battles on each front - five battles on the Western Front, and five on the Eastern front.

In our last campaign the Entente suffered slightly less casualties, but the difference was so minor as to be effectively a draw - like many major battles of the First World War, in fact. Perhaps this time will be different?

We'll be running a giveaway during the event and posting some interesting history facts. You can read the Steam news right here on the hub, or follow our Twitter, Facebook or Discord!



Check your gas mask and attach bayonets... the battle begins soon.

The battle for Przemyśl begins today! This intimidating brick fortress boasted numerous gun emplacements, bunkers and barracks. Austro-Hungarian defenders held the fort in the face of Russian assaults and siege for 133 days. They were forced to surrender, but German troops recaptured it later with the aid of super-heavy artillery pieces that left the fortress a broken ruin with minimal strategic significance.



Surrounding the town of the same name, the Przemyśl fortress was a series of defenses originally planned to include 41 distinct fortifications. However, construction proceeded in stops and starts depending on the diplomatic relationship between Austria-Hungary and the Russian Empire from 1854 until the start of the First World War.

Nonetheless it was still a formidable position, as the Russians found when they tried a direct assault on October 7, 1914. Ten thousand of the attackers became casualties, with around 3,500 killed. The Russian siege held until March 22, 1915, when the remaining defenders chose to surrender. As food ran out and morale plummeted, 119,000 men were taken prisoner after a failed breakout attempt - though not before destroying the remaining artillery.



Now you can explore some parts of this famous fortress yourself, as you fight for control of two key forts along with their surrounding trenches and gun pits!

There’s more…
Although the highlight of this update is the free new Przemyśl map, there is more. Read the full changelog on the Steam Hub. A few things of particular note:

• Przemyśl map added!
  
• Updated sandbags to have more accurate colliders.
  
• Improved checks to limit climbing exploits.
  
• Fix for instant respawning bug.
  
• Fix for HMG desync issue.

Share your experiences with the new map on our Discord or in the Steam hub! 

And even more… Tannenberg has been released for consoles!
You can now get Tannenberg for Xbox One and PlayStation 4! We can't wait to see what console fans make of Eastern Front warfare. The development of the console versions has been done entirely in-house, like the Verdun Remaster. Everything has been optimized and adjusted for consoles, and the game will make the most of the Xbox One X and PlayStation Pro for those who have them.

If they might be interested, don't hesitate to share the word with your historically inclined console pals ;)

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

[h2]That’s all the news - now time to hold that fortress![/h2]

The new map is almost here! We're really looking forward to seeing what you think of this one. It's been fun watching everyone's guesses as well. Some of you guessed it, as always!

[h2]Przemyśl[/h2]
Our console release date trailer shows off the new map - check it out...

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
The new map is called Przemyśl!

Przemyśl was a fortified town that was the site of the longest siege during WW1. For 133 days the defenders held out against the Russian army, but were ultimately forced to surrender. In-game, you'll be able to fight around the bunkers and gun positions of the fortress.

[h2]Tannenberg on consoles[/h2]
We can announce the release date for Tannenberg on Xbox One and PlayStation 4: July 24th. Like the Verdun Remaster, we've handled the development of Tannenberg for consoles entirely in-house, and it's shaped up very nicely. If any of your console owning friends might enjoy some WW1 action, let them know!

The release will also be optimized to make full use of the extra power offered by the Xbox One X and PlayStation Pro. You can already pre-order Tannenberg for Xbox One.

[h2]Steam Summer Sale![/h2]
Tannenberg is 60% off, and Verdun is 65% off! If you’ve been waiting to complete your WW1 Game Series collection, or introduce a friend with a gift, now is the perfect time.



Come discuss the new map on our Discord!