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Dev Brief #205 | Patch 17.1 Changelog | QOL Changes

[p][/p][p]Hello Everyone,[/p][p][/p][p]Patch 17.1 has been deployed on all platforms![/p][p]We’re excited to release Patch 17.1, featuring a range of highly requested Quality of Life improvements and a variety of bug fixes.[/p][p]This update targets several key areas from our 2025 roadmap, aiming to enhance the overall gameplay experience while the team continues work on the next map and major content update. Stay tuned for more details soon![/p][p]Patch 17.1 is just the beginning. We’re committed to bringing even more improvements in upcoming updates throughout the year. Thank you for your continued support![/p][p][/p]
New Features
[p][/p][h2]Medic Improvements[/h2][p]As part of the ongoing effort to improve Medic gameplay, the Design team has tuned several in-engine values to improve both both performance and playability. As a result of this, the following values now apply:[/p]
  • [p]Full HP on revive[/p]
  • [p]Medic bandage speed is now 2s (this also applies to self bandaging)[/p]
  • [p]Revive speed for all Forces has been reduced to 2s[/p]
  • [p]Medic revive XP increased from 30 to 75[/p]
  • [p]Being revived by Medic XP increased from 30 to 75[/p]
[p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p][/p][h2]Call & Response[/h2][p]Patch 17.1 also introduces the Medic ‘Call & Response’ system, a two-way feature that allows downed players to request a revive. [/p][p][/p][h3]Downed Players' Perspective[/h3][p]When downed, players can now request a Medic using the \[PING] keybind. The UI will update to confirm that this request has been sent.[/p][p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p][/p][h3]Medics' Perspective[/h3][p]Medics can respond using the radial ping marker system, helping prioritise revives and reduce unnecessary journeys across the battlefield.[/p][p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p][/p][h3]UI Icon Updates[/h3][p]The following UI Icons have been added to facilitate this new feature:[/p][p][/p][p] - Friendly player is injured[/p][p] - Friendly player is downed[/p][p] - Medic has been requested[/p][p] - Medic is en-route[/p][p][/p][h2]Medic Loadouts[/h2][p]The loadouts for the Medic role have had a balance pass for the following factions:[/p][p][/p][h3]US Forces[/h3]
[p]Standard Issue[/p]
[p]Weapon/Equipment[/p]
[p]Ammo Count/Capacity[/p]
[p]Adjustments[/p]
[p]M1 Carbine (Semi-Auto Rifle)[/p]
[p]x3 (45)[/p]
[p]+1 clip[/p]
[p]M18 Smoke Grenade[/p]
[p]x4[/p]
[p]+2 Smoke Grenades[/p]
[p] [/p]
[p]Corpsman[/p]
[p]Weapon/Equipment[/p]
[p]Ammo Count/Capacity[/p]
[p]Adjustments[/p]
[p]M18 Smoke Grenade[/p]
[p]x6[/p]
[p]+2 Smoke Grenades[/p]
[p] [/p][h3]German/DAK Forces[/h3]
[p]Standard Issue[/p]
[p]Weapon/Equipment[/p]
[p]Ammo Count/Capacity[/p]
[p]Adjustments[/p]
[p]Kar98 (Rifle)[/p]
[p]x8 (40)[/p]
[p]+4 Clips[/p]
[p]Nebelwerfer B39 (Smoke Grenade)[/p]
[p]x4[/p]
[p]+2 Smoke Grenades[/p]
[p] [/p]
[p]Sanitater[/p]
[p]Weapon/Equipment[/p]
[p]Ammo Count/Capacity[/p]
[p]Adjustments[/p]
[p]Nebelwerfer B39 (Smoke Grenade)[/p]
[p]x4[/p]
[p]+2 Smoke Grenades[/p]
[p] [/p][h3]Soviet Forces[/h3]
[p]Standard Issue[/p]
[p]Weapon/Equipment[/p]
[p]Ammo Count/Capacity[/p]
[p]Adjustments[/p]
[p]Mosin 91/30 (Rifle)[/p]
[p]x8 (40)[/p]
[p]+4 Clips[/p]
[p]Nagant 1895 (Pistol)[/p]
[p]x7 (49)[/p]
[p]+1 clip[/p]
[p]RDG2 (Smoke Grenades)[/p]
[p]x4[/p]
[p]+2 Smoke Grenades[/p]
[p] [/p]
[p]Standard Issue[/p]
[p]Weapon/Equipment[/p]
[p]Ammo Count/Capacity[/p]
[p]Adjustments[/p]
[p]Nagant 1895 (Pistol)[/p]
[p]x18 (126)[/p]
[p]+2 Clips[/p]
[p]RDG2 (Smoke Grenades)[/p]
[p]x6[/p]
[p]+2 Smoke Grenades[/p]
[p] [/p][h3]British 8th Army / Allied Forces[/h3]
[p]Standard Issue[/p]
[p]Weapon/Equipment[/p]
[p]Ammo Count/Capacity[/p]
[p]Adjustments[/p]
[p]SMLE (Rifle)[/p]
[p]x4 (40)[/p]
[p]-2 Clips[/p]
[p]Webley (Pistol)[/p]
[p]x8 (48)[/p]
[p]+4 Clips[/p]
[p]No.77 (Smoke Grenades)[/p]
[p]x4[/p]
[p]+2 Smoke Grenades[/p]
[p] [/p]
[p]Standard Issue[/p]
[p]Weapon/Equipment[/p]
[p]Ammo Count/Capacity[/p]
[p]Adjustments[/p]
[p]Webley (Pistol)[/p]
[p]x21 (126)[/p]
[p]+4 Clips[/p]
[p]No.77 (Smoke Grenades)[/p]
[p]x6[/p]
[p]+2 Smoke Grenades[/p]
[p] [/p][h2]Bipod Rework [/h2][p]The bipod system has been significantly overhauled for more flexible and realistic deployment, improving the overall gameplay experience.[/p][p]The system now detects objects in the player’s deployed path, rather than relying on hardcoded limits. This reduces instances of clipping into static objects. Deployment inside objects is no longer possible.[/p][p]Pitch angles now reflect the height of the surface, allowing a wider range of weapon rotation. You can aim lower from low surfaces and higher from elevated ones.[/p][p]Server-side checks now ensure valid deployment surfaces, fixing issues where deployment would cancel mid-animation. Standing and crouching now share the same deployment limits, eliminating the need to change stances to check for valid deployment surfaces properly.[/p][p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p][/p][p][/p][h2]Explore Mode[/h2][p]Based on feedback from the Explore Mode PTE, we've made adjustments to how Explore Mode is accessed, allowing players to launch it in a true offline environment without needing to connect to the Enlist screen.[/p][p]On the main menu, “PRACTICE RANGE” has been renamed to “BASIC TRAINING”.[/p][p]Explore Mode - Main Menu[/p][p][/p][p]Within the Basic Training menu, a new “EXPLORE” tab has been added.[/p][p]Explore Mode - Basic Training Tab
[/p][p]Within the Explore tab, players are now presented with an alphabetical list of all current maps in the game. Selecting one of these will load the player into that particular map.[/p][p]Explore More - Map List
[/p][p]In Explore Mode, the player can:[/p]
  • [p]Explore every section of the map[/p]
  • [p]Play as any role[/p]
  • [p]Use faction/role appropriate vehicles[/p]
  • [p]Use faction appropriate artillery[/p]
[p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p][/p][p]In Explore Mode, the player cannot:[/p]
  • [p]Gain XP[/p]
  • [p]Win/Lose Matches[/p]
  • [p]Capture any Capture Points[/p]
[p][/p][h2]Post Match VOIP[/h2][p]Players can now retain voice communications on the Leadership and Squad channels during the post-match flow, allowing a grace period to discuss the match or plan next steps for the upcoming game.[/p][p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p][/p][h2]Admin Camera Features[/h2][h3]First Person POV Snapping[/h3][p]Players in Admin Camera can now target lock and snap to a player in which they can view their first person perspective:[/p]
  • [p]Player movements are tracked in real-time[/p]
  • [p]Players can be target locked regardless of faction[/p]
[p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p][/p]
  • [p]If a target locked player is in a vehicle, the camera will follow the vehicle from a 3rd person perspective[/p]
[p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p][/p][h3]Lighting Effects[/h3][p]Following recent updates to the admin camera, there has been a request to introduce filters. The Technical Art team has explored various existing filters used by the community and has created a set of presets designed to enhance the overall experience. Below are examples using Colour Look Up Tables (CLUTs).[/p][p][/p][p]2 Strip Colour Treatment[/p][p][/p][p]Bleach Bypass[/p][p][/p][p]Black and White (Red Filter)[/p][p][/p][p]Black and White (Blue Filter)[/p][p][/p][p]Modern 35mm[/p][p][/p][p]1940’s Colour [/p][p][/p][p]1940’s Colour (Variation)[/p][p][/p][p]These are then combined with additional post pro settings available in the engine, such as shadow intensity, bloom, chromatic aberration, film grain and vignetting. Below is a demonstration of these camera effects.[/p][p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p][/p][h3]Default Keybinds[/h3][p]The default keybinds have been updated to accommodate these new Admin Camera features:[/p][h3]PC[/h3]
[p]Admin Cam Action[/p]
[p]Key[/p]
[p]Toggle Auto Move[/p]
[p]1[/p]
[p]Toggle Auto Rotate[/p]
[p]2[/p]
[p]Toggle Camera Roll[/p]
[p]3[/p]
[p]Toggle Filters[/p]
[p]4[/p]
[p]Cycle Filters[/p]
[p]5[/p]
[p]Lock to Target[/p]
[p]G[/p]
[p]Toggle POV[/p]
[p]6 (only when in target mode)[/p]
[p] [/p][h3]Console[/h3]
[p]Admin Cam Action[/p]
[p]Key[/p]
[p]Toggle Filters[/p]
[p]Y / Triangle[/p]
[p]Cycle Filters[/p]
[p]X / Square[/p]
[p]Lock to Target[/p]
[p]A / X[/p]
[p]Toggle POV[/p]
[p]Left Thumbstick / L3 (only when in target mode)[/p]
[p] [/p]
Gameplay Adjustments
[p][/p][h2]XP Changes to Promote Positive Play[/h2][h3]Increased XP for Destroying Spawns[/h3][p]Previously, players received a base reward of 5 XP toward their level and role for destroying an enemy spawn. However, there was also no way to differentiate between destroying and dismantling. Since dismantling is a riskier move, it did not have a suitable reward to reflect this. This has now been addressed by the following XP buffs:[/p][p]Destroying Spawns[/p]
  • [p]Destroying Garrisons: 100 XP[/p]
  • [p]Destroying Forward Positions: 100 XP[/p]
  • [p]Destroying Airheads: 150 XP[/p]
  • [p]Destroying Outposts: 50 XP[/p]
  • [p]Destroying Nodes: 100 XP[/p]
[p]Dismantling Spawns[/p]
  • [p]Dismantling Garrisons: 150 XP[/p]
  • [p]Dismantling Forward Positions: 150 XP[/p]
  • [p]Dismantling Airheads: 200 XP[/p]
  • [p]Dismantling Nodes: 150 XP[/p]
[p]This data is also broken down on the post-match screen. All XP is applied to both the players' career and role levels respectively.[/p][p]*Note: We are continuously monitoring the XP balance in the game, so while patch 17.1 introduces these XP buffs, we will also be considering buffs to other actions in the game for future patches.[/p][p][/p][h2]Engineer Node Dismantling Behaviour[/h2][p]Previously, Engineers could not dismantle their own Nodes once built, which was inconsistent compared to other deployables like Hedgehogs.[/p][p]This behaviour has now been changed to allow Engineers to dismantle their own Nodes.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Note:[/p]
  • [p]Friendly Commanders/Officers can also dismantle friendly nodes[/p]
  • [p]No other roles than those listed can dismantle friendly nodes[/p]
[p][/p]
Map Improvements
[p][/p][h2]Tobruk Improvements[/h2][p]In response to community feedback regarding the stepping effect of the VFX around large buildings, the Technical Art team has developed a new system to enhance VFX occlusion.[/p][p]This improved system applies volumes around large structures and has now been implemented in Tobruk. Below, you will find a comparison showcasing the improvements made before and after the implementation. [/p][p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p][/p][p]The environment art team has made some visual improvements to the building exterior textures to add more bullet and shrapnel damage giving the town area a more war torn look. Also more ground scatter has been added where it is possible without affecting performance.  The town building interiors have had more muck and scatter added to make it feel more lived in.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][h2]Winter Camo Updates[/h2][p]Following the overwhelmingly positive reception of Elsenborn Ridge, we're bringing the same winter tank camo style to the tanks in Foy and Kharkov.[/p][p]The following features on those maps now have winter camo applied:[/p][h3]Foy[/h3][p]U.S. Forces[/p]
  • [p]Ammo Depot[/p]
  • [p]Repair Station[/p]
  • [p]Sherman Jumbo 75mm (Heavy Tank)[/p]
  • [p]Sherman Jumbo 76mm (Heavy Tank)Sherman M4A3 (Medium Tank)[/p]
  • [p]Stuart (Light Tank)[/p]
  • [p]M8 Greyhound (Recon Tank)[/p]
  • [p]M3 Half-track (Half-track)[/p]
  • [p]Willy’s Jeep (Jeep)[/p]
  • [p]GMC Transport (Truck)[/p]
  • [p]GMC Supply (Truck)[/p]
[p]Foy - U.S. Forces Winter Variants[/p][p][/p][p]German Forces[/p]
  • [p]Ammo Depot[/p]
  • [p]Repair Station[/p]
  • [p]Panther (Heavy tank)[/p]
  • [p]Tiger I (Heavy tank)[/p]
  • [p]Panzer IV (Medium tank)[/p]
  • [p]Luchs (Light tank)[/p]
  • [p]Puma SD.KFZ. 234 (Recon tank)[/p]
  • [p]SD.KFZ. 251 Half-track (Half-track)[/p]
  • [p]Kubelwagen (Jeep)[/p]
  • [p]Opel Blitz Transport (Truck)[/p]
  • [p]Opel Blitz Supply (Truck)[/p]
[p]Foy - German Forces Winter Variants[/p][p][/p][h3]Kharkov[/h3][p]Soviet Forces[/p]
  • [p]Ammo Depot[/p]
  • [p]Repair Station[/p]
  • [p]IS-1 (Heavy tank)[/p]
  • [p]T34_76 (Medium tank)[/p]
  • [p]T70 (Light tank)[/p]
  • [p]BA-10 (Recon tank)[/p]
  • [p]M3 Half-track (Half-track)[/p]
  • [p]GAZ-67 (Jeep)[/p]
  • [p]ZiS 5 Transport (Truck)[/p]
  • [p]ZiS 5 Supply (Truck)[/p]
[p]Kharkov - Soviet Winter Variants[/p][p][/p][p]German Forces[/p]
  • [p]Ammo Depot[/p]
  • [p]Repair Station[/p]
  • [p]Panther (Heavy tank)[/p]
  • [p]Tiger I (Heavy tank)[/p]
  • [p]Panzer IV (Medium tank)[/p]
  • [p]Luchs (Light tank)[/p]
  • [p]Puma SD.KFZ. 234 (Recon tank)[/p]
  • [p]SD.KFZ. 251 Half-track (Half-track)[/p]
  • [p]Kubelwagen (Jeep)[/p]
  • [p]Opel Blitz Transport (Truck)[/p]
  • [p]Opel Blitz Supply (Truck)[/p]
[p]Kharkov - German Winter Variants[/p][p][/p][h2]LOD Improvements[/h2][p]The Technical Art team has begun addressing LOD-related issues raised by players, including abrupt LOD transitions (e.g., between LOD 0 and LOD 1), inconsistent screen size thresholds, uneven triangle density, and large assets using too few LODs.[/p][p]The initial focus is on barbed wire assets, along with the setup of optimised LOD materials for use on the lowest LODs.[/p]
  • [p]LOD 0 was already efficiently configured with minimal overdraw. However, performance decreased noticeably when transitioning to lower LODs[/p]
    • [p]The optimised LOD material is set to be opaque to reduce the fill rate of masked materials seen at a distance[/p]
    • [p]As texture mapping blurs masked textures, switching to opaque textures improves performance with minimal impact on visual quality[/p]
[p]The barbed wire assets have been updated to LOD more efficiently. Previously LOD 0 was on screen from a screen size of 1.0 to 0.1, meaning over 6,000 triangles were occupying the screen space. This has now been balanced so that LOD 0 is visible until 0.5 screen size, after which it transitions and to a model with 50% fewer triangles, remaining until 0.1 screen size.[/p][p] [/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p]Barbed Wire - LOD Updates[/p][p][/p][p]Another issue affecting distant objects is the use of Hierarchical Level of Detail (HLOD) systems, which optimise performance by merging meshes into lower-detail proxies. These clusters reduce triangle count and material complexity, allowing many objects to render at distance without a performance hit.[/p][p]However, problems arise when HLOD transitions occur too early, as the system relies on player to object distance without accounting for zoomed views through binoculars, scopes, or tank optics. In these cases, higher-detail models are not restored when expected.[/p][p]Barbed wire assets, in particular, did not benefit from HLOD passes and appeared overly low poly at distance. The Technical Art team has addressed this by removing barbed wire from HLODs, allowing them to LOD more effectively on their own.[/p][p][/p][p]Original Barbed Wire HLOD Proxy[/p][p][/p][p]Barbed Wire Removed from HLOD Proxy[/p][p][/p][h2]Flare Illumination [/h2][p]In response to community feedback, the Technical Art team is working to enhance flare gun effectiveness in night-time scenarios. We’re currently exploring ways to improve the spread of the particle light associated with the gun's visual effects (VFX) to increase its reach. Feedback is welcome as we continue refining this effect.[/p][p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p][/p][h2]Practice Range Improvements[/h2][p]The Practice Range now allows players to sample all available loadouts, regardless of their current in-game role rank. This enables testing of every weapon within a safe, controlled environment.[/p][p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p]Practice Range - All Loadouts Unlocked[/p][p][/p][h3]New Maps with Dynamic Weather[/h3][p]Dynamic weather has been integrated into several legacy maps. The Technical Art team is currently evaluating appropriate lighting and weather conditions to incorporate effects such as snow, rain, and sandstorms across these maps. The new weather manager allows each map to deliver a distinct and immersive experience due to its flexibility. [/p][p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p][/p][p]The technical art team has now updated the Mortain overcast scenario from the older rain VFX to the newer dynamic rain.[/p][p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p][/p][p]Please note that server owners will have the option to disable dynamic weather with the launch of version 17.1.[/p][p][/p][h3]Improvements to Fog[/h3][p]Community feedback highlighted concerns over excessive fog and difficulty with sightlines on some of the newer night maps. It was found that Elsenborn Ridge (night) had an acceptable level of fog and lighting exposure which the team are using as a basis for improvements.[/p][p]Based on evaluation and feedback, El Alamein, Omaha Beach and Hill 400 were found to have acceptable intensities of fog, with El Alamein’s fog intensity being welcomed in addressing overly long sightlines.[/p][p]Kharkov, Sainte-Marie-du-Mont, Driel, Carentan, Sainte-Mère-Église, Utah Beach, and Stalingrad were found to be excessively foggy.[/p][p]These have all been updated to leave longer sightlines.[/p][p][/p][h3]Kharkov[/h3][p]Kharkov - Original Fog Settings[/p][p][/p][p]Kharkov - Updated Fog Settings[/p][p][/p][h3]Sainte-Marie-du-Mont[/h3][p]Sainte-Marie-du-Mont - Original Fog Settings[/p][p][/p][p]Sainte-Marie-du-Mont - Updated Fog Settings[/p][p][/p][h3]Driel[/h3][p]Driel - Original Fog Settings[/p][p][/p][p]Driel - Updated Fog Settings[/p][p][/p][h3]Carentan[/h3][p]Carentan - Original Fog Settings[/p][p][/p][p]Carentan - Updated Fog Settings[/p][p][/p][h3]Sainte-Mère-Église [/h3][p]Sainte-Mère-Église - Original Fog Settings[/p][p][/p][p]Sainte-Mère-Église - Updated Fog Settings[/p][p][/p][h3]Utah Beach[/h3][p]Utah Beach - Original Fog Settings[/p][p][/p][p]Utah Beach - Updated Fog Settings[/p][p][/p][h3]Stalingrad[/h3][p]Stalingrad - Original Fog Settings[/p][p][/p][p]Stalingrad - Updated Fog Settings[/p][p][/p][p]Stalingrad - Updated Fog Settings[/p][p][/p]
Additional 17.1 Features
[p][/p][h2]Official DX12 Support[/h2][p]Hell Let Loose on PC platforms now uses DirectX 12 as it’s rendering API, offering performance gains during gameplay. Due to the variety of PC setups, we understand that issues may arise with this change. Therefore, an option to switch back to DirectX 11 will be made available in the Video Settings section of the Settings menu. [/p][p]Note: This update is for our Steam and Epic Games Store players. Since initial launch WinStore has been working on DX12.[/p][p][/p][h2]New RCON Abilities[/h2][p]New features have been added to RCON for Update 17.1. Server owners will now have the ability to change the following parameters for their servers, note that the changes will not be applied until the next match takes place, or the current map is reset:[/p][p][/p][h3]Match Timer[/h3]
  • [p]The overall match timer is now more flexible, with server owners allowing them to be adjusted within the following ranges based on game mode:[/p]
[p]Mode[/p]
[p]Current Timer (Minutes)[/p]
[p]New Timer Range (Minutes)[/p]
[p]Warfare[/p]
[p]90[/p]
[p]30 - 180[/p]
[p]Offensive[/p]
[p]150[/p]
[p]50 - 300[/p]
[p]Control Skirmish[/p]
[p]30[/p]
[p]10 - 60[/p]
[p]Note: The new timer range for Offensive mode is divided by 5 for each Capture Point phase, so a match timer of 300 minutes would give each Capture Point a 60 minute timer for example.[/p][p][/p][h3]Warm-up Timer[/h3]
[p]Mode[/p]
[p]Current Timer (Minutes)[/p]
[p]New Timer Range (Minutes)[/p]
[p]Warfare[/p]
[p]3[/p]
[p]1-10[/p]
[p]Control Skirmish[/p]
[p]3[/p]
[p]1-10[/p]
[p]Note: Due to the way that Offensive mode “Warm-up” periods are dictated by its global spawn wave system, we have not yet added the ability to control this but it is something we are open to exploring with future RCON quality of life features.[/p][p][/p]
New DLC
[h2]Operation Overlord Units[/h2][p]Steam DLC Store[/p][p]German Forces - Field Division Uniform [/p][p][/p][p]German Forces - R.O.A Uniform [/p][p][/p][p]U.S. Forces - Rangers Uniform[/p][p][/p]
Bug Fixes
[p][/p][h2]General[/h2]
  • [p](Admin Cam) The UI element from Admin Cam is not assigned while having a controller plugged[/p]
  • [p](Practice range) The loading screens for the practice range don't have fully visible characters when playing on a Ultrawide (21:9) resolution[/p]
  • [p]The M1943 Winter Uniform is missing for US Automatic Rifleman[/p]
  • [p]Skirmish Map Objective text appears very small[/p]
  • [p]Freelook options are not translated in any language[/p]
  • [p]The Heer Schneetarnjacke Winter Smok has the wrong name for the Support role[/p]
  • [p]EGS - Achievements give the incorrect amount of XP upon unlocking[/p]
  • [p]The queue position is not longer shown when a player enters or leaves[/p]
  • [p]MG's camera movement reduced or locked on bipod deployment and clipping through terrain[/p]
  • [p]Bottom left UI click targets are not centered with the rest of the UI on ultrawide's & super ultrawide's.[/p]
  • [p]Loading screen's for the Practice Range on super ultrawide are cut off incorrectly.[/p]
  • [p]The 'Leave Queue' text is not localized in any of the supported languages.[/p]
  • [p]TPP flamethrower's range does not match its fire stream VFX[/p]
  • [p]Freelook will remain active after the user returns to the game from Alt+Tab[/p]
  • [p]VOIP input is interrupted after death on keyboard.[/p]
[p][/p][h3]Practice Range[/h3]
  • [p](Practice Range) (RUS) Poor blending between snow texture and environment[/p]
[p][/p][h2]Map Specific [/h2][p][/p][h3]Sainte-Mère-Église[/h3]
  • [p](F6) Invisible wall present on Sainte-Mere-Eglise in sector F6[/p]
  • [p](B5) Road asset in sector B5 is visibly misaligned[/p]
[p][/p][h3]Driel[/h3]
  • [p]Trees present extended collision across the map[/p]
[p][/p][h3]Purple Heart Lane[/h3]
  • [p]Rain SFX Plays on Specific Asset around the map in Non-Rain Map Variants[/p]
[p][/p][h3]Utah Beach[/h3]
  • [p](F3) LOD issues can be observed when looking at a house from 250m distance[/p]
[p][/p][h3]Kharkov[/h3]
  • [p](F1) Floating grass and plants in F1 sector on Kharkov[/p]
  • [p](F1) Assets are misaligned from terrain in Soviet HQ #02[/p]
  • [p](E6) Debris mound has incorrect collision and textures[/p]
  • [p](H10) Misaligned terrain near German HQ#3[/p]
  • [p]A gap in the horizon is visible when looking through the binoculars[/p]
[p][/p][h3]Foy[/h3]
  • [p](F4) Shack building appears to be missing on tactical map[/p]
  • [p]Building roofs change texture at a short distance[/p]
  • [p](D7) Roof changes appearance at a certain distance[/p]
  • [p](D1) Barrel assets present stretched textures[/p]
[p][/p][h3]Elsenborn Ridge[/h3]
  • [p](F2) Tree collision extends too far[/p]
  • [p](D10) Snow misaligned with the ground has no player collision[/p]
  • [p]Floating chest at German HQ #03[/p]
  • [p](D6) Misaligned snow asset on oil tank[/p]
  • [p](D2)(E2) Extended collision on broken stone fence sections[/p]
  • [p](16.0)(EBR) Small barn asset presents LOD issue from around 15m across the map[/p]
  • [p](C3) Snow bank laid along a trench is floating and the user can see through it.[/p]
  • [p](C9) Tree presents extended collision[/p]
  • [p](G6) Fallen tree moves and overlaps with the ground texture[/p]
  • [p](E10) Snow asset is misaligned with the ground[/p]
  • [p](E6) Floating tree asset[/p]
  • [p](C4) Floating assets near the road[/p]
  • [p](H3) Visual gap in trench wall texture[/p]
  • [p](H1) Partially missing collision on snow pile.[/p]
  • [p](G4) Slightly floating tree is present.[/p]
  • [p](C7) Couple of floating trees.[/p]
  • [p](E8) There is a well that the user can see doesn't connect to anything in the ground.[/p]
  • [p](E8) Missing polygon face on a snow mound by a farm house.[/p]
  • [p](E8) The user can see underneath a part of the road at a farmstead.[/p]
  • [p](E10) Backface polygon is missing on a couple of small roadside snow mounds.[/p]
  • [p](G9) Slightly floating boxes on pallets.[/p]
  • [p](F9) The user can slightly see underneath one of the shell holes in this field.[/p]
  • [p](F9) The user can see underneath a few snow mounds.[/p]
  • [p](D9) Floating snow pile misaligned with the ground.[/p]
  • [p](G9) The user cannot properly deploy an MG on sandbags (BP_Pillbox_Snow_D3) that overlook the Foxholes CP[/p]
  • [p](H2) Floating pair of tweezers[/p]
  • [p](F9) Sandbags floating.[/p]
  • [p]HedgeBocageSolid BP placed on top of an SM_Embankment asset will block bullets from a variety of angles.[/p]
[p][/p][h3]Hill 400[/h3]
  • [p](G5) Barbed wire does not render past properly 80 meters[/p]
  • [p](J5) Large gap in the map next to German HQ Spawn #2[/p]
[p][/p][h3]Carentan[/h3]
  • [p](G8) Destroyed building has pink edges around windows[/p]
[p][/p][h3]Tobruk[/h3]
  • [p]Firing arcs are severely restricted when deploying a Machine Gun on town house roofs with sandbags[/p]
  • [p](G6) Visible gap in the floor of a building[/p]
  • [p](A3) Rock asset is missing a face[/p]
  • [p](B3) Misaligned rock asset is present in sector B3[/p]
  • [p](F8) Visibly misaligned terrain near mud-pile.[/p]
  • [p](E5) Visible seam on the road.[/p]
  • [p](D4) Road spline is visibly misaligned.[/p]
  • [p](A3) Multiple assets are floating[/p]
  • [p](G8) Reinforced concrete wall near the sea has extended collision[/p]
  • [p](F3) Misaligned grass asset[/p]
  • [p](C6) A rock asset is misaligned[/p]
  • [p](A5) Misaligned rock asset[/p]
  • [p](J5) Misaligned grass asset[/p]
  • [p](H5) Two destroyed tanks present stretched textures[/p]
  • [p](C5) Floating palm trees[/p]
  • [p](B7) Misaligned rock asset is present on a cliff.[/p]
  • [p](C4) Grass clipping with a building's floor[/p]
  • [p](F7) Grass clipping with a building's floor[/p]
  • [p](B4) Visible seam in a road[/p]
  • [p](C7) Misaligned rock asset is present on a cliff.[/p]
  • [p](D4) Floating palm tree asset[/p]
  • [p](C7) The bottom of a sandbag is see-through.[/p]
  • [p](C4) Rock asset missing faces[/p]
  • [p](E5) Rock asset has extended player collision[/p]
  • [p](C3) Rock asset missing a poly face.[/p]
  • [p](A4) Visible seam at the left edge of the Tobruk map[/p]
  • [p](B8) Small section has collision issue[/p]
  • [p](F4) Misaligned stone asset is present in sector F4 of the Tobruk map[/p]
  • [p](E7) Visible seam present South-West Church Grounds CP[/p]
  • [p](A4) A plane is marked on the tac map despite not being present in the environment[/p]
  • [p](F8) Visible seam present on the road[/p]
  • [p](C7) See-through cliff terrain is present in sector C7 of the Tobruk map[/p]
  • [p](B7) See-through cliff terrain is present in sector B7 of the Tobruk map[/p]
  • [p](E3) Misaligned terrain is present on a cliff in sector E3 of the Tobruk map[/p]
  • [p](F6) Sandbags under bridge are clipping with the ground[/p]
  • [p](E7) Visible seam is present on the ground.[/p]
  • [p](E7) Visible seams are present on the ground[/p]
  • [p](E5) A seam is present on the ground.[/p]
  • [p](D6) LOD issue present on the shadow of the barrel[/p]
  • [p](B3/B4) Gaps remain beneath the road[/p]
  • [p](A8) Sandbags are floating[/p]
  • [p](E7) Extended collision on church window[/p]
  • [p](B4) Floating bush in the sector[/p]
  • [p](C3) Visible seam between Dev Sectors A2 and B2[/p]
  • [p](A5) The road is misaligned with the ground in sector A5[/p]
  • [p](A6) Small rock has missing meshes on one face[/p]
  • [p](F5) (F6) The lighting of the lamp inside the house presents LOD issue[/p]
  • [p](I3) Road spline floating above ground[/p]
  • [p](H5) A visible seam in the terrain can be observed in sector H5[/p]
  • [p](J3) Truck asset is clipping with the ground.[/p]
  • [p](C3) A few assets are clipping with the ground.[/p]
  • [p](B4) Small rock formation is misaligned with terrain[/p]
  • [p](B4) Grass asset is floating, clipping with a tree.[/p]
  • [p](D7) Multiple assets next to a wall are floating[/p]
  • [p](A6) Wheelbarrow slightly floating[/p]
  • [p](D7) Box asset can be observed floating[/p]
  • [p](A3) Floating crates near the German HQ 1[/p]
  • [p](B4) A specific barrel is clipping with a wall in sector B4[/p]
  • [p](G8) Pile of boxes asset has collision issue[/p]
  • [p](J7) Sandbag assets clip through a building[/p]
  • [p](D7) Stone assets next to a wall are floating[/p]
  • [p](A7) Sandbag wall clipping north of German HQ 3[/p]
  • [p](D5) Foliage is present inside a house[/p]
  • [p](D7) Sandbags assets are clipping into a building[/p]
  • [p](B5) Floating box pallet near Guard Room[/p]
  • [p](C3)A wooden crate is floating above the ground in sector C3[/p]
  • [p](H8) There are sandbag assets clipping with window frames[/p]
  • [p](D6) Visible seam on the ceiling inside a house[/p]
  • [p](D7) Visible seam present on a ceiling[/p]
  • [p](A6)(B6) Multiple wood piles clipping through fence and terrain[/p]
  • [p](E3) Box asset is clipping with the ground[/p]
  • [p](D6) Player clips through floor while deploying MG inside house in D6[/p]
  • [p]Missing Decals on staircase from the watch tower asset[/p]
  • [p]Sand VFX can form a checkered pattern on user's screen when observed along jagged building edges.[/p]
  • [p](17.0) (TOB) (I3) Distant LODs of a tower asset are corrupted.[/p]
  • [p](E8) Sandbags clipping into a house wall slightly.[/p]
  • [p]Crates nearby the docks have low shadow LOD[/p]
  • [p]Barrel assets across the map have low shadow LOD[/p]
  • [p](D6) Sandbag clipping into the cement walkway.[/p]
  • [p](B6) Two floating tent pegs.[/p]
  • [p](J6) Part of the trench in the area appears low poly[/p]
  • [p](A6) Terrain layer & asset clipping.[/p]
  • [p](J6) The edges of the trench in the area has low poly textures[/p]
  • [p](D5) Terrain bump present.[/p]
  • [p](F7) There are power cable poles with no connections to houses in the area giving them no purpose[/p]
  • [p](J5) The user can see the road leading out of the map floating.[/p]
  • [p](F8) Seam is visible on the sea wall top texture.[/p]
  • [p](D6) Few building assets are slightly floating in a few places.[/p]
  • [p]Allied Ammo, Vehicle & Fuel depot BPs have German set dressing[/p]
  • [p](E6) A building's interior has multiple texture seams in it[/p]
  • [p](I4) The trench in the area has blending issues with surrounding environment[/p]
  • [p]Multiple places with misaligned terrain are present on the right edge of the Tobruk map[/p]
  • [p]Jagged occlusion on Tobruk around various assets during sandstorm[/p]
  • [p](D6) Stone asset is floating above the ground surface[/p]
  • [p](F5) There is a visible seam in the middle of the map[/p]
  • [p](F8) The door frame is flickering in sector F8[/p]
  • [p](F8) A part of the wall presents missing player collision[/p]
  • [p](J5) Misaligned terrain is present near a trench.[/p]
  • [p](J5) Misaligned rock asset is present on a small cliff.[/p]
  • [p](J5) Visible seam on the road.[/p]
  • [p](A5) Fuel Can is clipping through the tent.[/p]
  • [p](I8) Small rock asset does not have player or bullet collision[/p]
  • [p](H8) Rock asset does not have player or bullet collision[/p]
  • [p](A5) A small gap is present in a rock.[/p]
  • [p](A4) Floating bush present in sector A4[/p]
[p][/p][h3]Mortain[/h3]
  • [p]There is a seam that the user can see between sectors F&E.[/p]
[p][/p][h3]Hurtgen Forest[/h3]
  • [p]Barrel stack has an incorrect texture[/p]
[p][/p][h3]Kursk[/h3]
  • [p](D5) Invisible collision on wooden planks[/p]
[p][/p][p][/p]
Community Updates
[p]Hey everyone, Ben back with some community updates for the coming week ahead! [/p][p][/p][h2]Livestream - Thursday 26th June[/h2][p][/p][p][/p][p]We are back with another livestream on our Hell Let Loose Official Twitch Channel on on Thursday 26th June. Starting at 8am PST | 11am EST | 4pm BST, we will kick off with the developers answering your questions & feedback on Patch 17.1 & our recent PTEs in a live Community Q&A.[/p][p]This will be followed by 'Best of the Community - Episode #3', co-hosted by the wonderful; TheFreshBakedGoods. [/p][p]Don't worry if you miss the stream whilst it's live, as we'll be sure to upload both the Q&A and Best Of episode directly onto our YouTube channel.[/p][p][/p][h2]DraftHaus Tank Event - Saturday 28th June[/h2][p]Coming this Saturday, the DraftHaus server are throwing a 'Tank Only' event that will be livestreamed on RazBora's Twitch channel. No infantry. No distractions. Just armor, firepower, and chaos in the cold. It should be a blast to watch! [/p]
  • [p]Start: 10am PST | 1m EST | 6pm BST[/p]
  • [p]Map: FOY — snowy streets, narrow flanks, and brutal tank engagements[/p]
  • [p]Watch live: RazBora's Twitch[/p]
[p][/p][p][/p][h2]War Correspondents[/h2][p]And as always, our War Correspondents have been creating some videos for us all to enjoy. Be sure to be on the lookout in the coming days as we're sure they'll be cooking up some excellent content for Patch 17.1.[/p][p][/p][p]Alpine Sniper[/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p][/p][p]TheFreshBakedGoods[/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p][/p][p]DasAltberg[/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

Hardcore World War 2 shooter Hell Let Loose is free to play all weekend, and on a 50% discount for the next two weeks




Call of Duty and Battlefield may only occasionally dip into the Second World War these days, with CoD's most recent Nazi battering entry being 2023's Call of Duty: Vanguard, while Battlefield hasn't so much as sniffed an M1 Garand since 2018's Battlefield 5. But there are plenty of other shooters dedicated to replicating history's most destructive conflict in virtual form. One such example is Team17's well-regarded 2021 shooter Hell Let Loose, which is letting players enlist for free over this weekend...
Read more.

Brutal but brilliant WW2 shooter Hell Let Loose is free to play, if you're quick

Multiplayer shooters often motivate you with the promise of more - more kills, more XP, more levels, more perks. It means games like Battlefield, Delta Force, and Escape From Tarkov are inherently selfish; it's all about what you can get as an individual, rather than what might be better for your teammates or companions. Hell Let Loose is different. Death is almost instant; whether you're dealing it out or on the receiving end, a single well-placed bullet means the end of life. On the contrary, the maps are large and each match is long. The goal here is to eke out marginal territorial gains through team play and tactics - if you go it alone, and try to be the one-person army, you'll get nowhere. If you haven't experienced Hell Let Loose before, now's the time.


Read the rest of the story...


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Dev Brief #204 | PTE for Objective Mode | Live June 6th-9th

Hello all,

Welcome to our maiden PTE of Objective Mode in Hell Let Loose!



Before we dive into the modes, let’s take a moment to provide some context around this content.

Members of the community may recall the original 2023 roadmap which featured Objective Mode. These maps were a series of prototypes that differed from the standard Hell Let Loose Warfare and Offensive modes. However, following the release of the 2023 trailer, development priorities shifted, and Objective Mode was temporarily deferred to align with the new direction.

As promised in a previous Q&A, we’re now excited to share the progress made before that shift by bringing you two completely new, work-in-progress maps. Each are at a different stage of development, as well as one map being a solo project that utilises the promising gameplay opportunities presented by Objective Mode.

Note: These are test maps, so you’ll encounter known issues such as placeholder UI, incomplete tactical maps, and unfinished game logic.

With that said, let’s take a look at the new mechanic, and dive into three different scenarios.

New Mechanic - TNT


We are testing a new mechanic in these modes - TNT. This mechanic will be used by the attacking factions on each map to achieve the objectives. When the player is using the supported role listed below, they will have a TNT weapon in the weapon slot.

Note: The TNT can currently only be used for planting on the objective, it will not work on vehicles like satchels.

[h2]TNT - Planting[/h2]
  • The attackers can access the TNT via the weapon wheel when they are playing as the appropriate role
  • When the TNT is selected, pre-set points will flash up on the object
  • When a pre-set point is unreachable, it will be greyed out
  • When a pre-set point is reachable, it will turn green


[h2]TNT - Defusal[/h2]
  • The Defenders must defuse the TNT to keep the Plane intact
  • They can do this by locating the TNT device, then holding interact [F] to defuse it
  • This can only be achieved when in range
Note that any role can do this.

The following attributes are consistent across all 3 maps:

[h3]Details[/h3]

Plant Time: 5 seconds

Detonation Time: 60 seconds

Disarm Explosive Time: 3 seconds

Supported Roles:
  • Commander
  • Officer
  • Engineer
  • Support
  • Anti-Tank
Map #1 - El Alamein

The theme of El Alamein is destruction, the British Forces control the Airfield and the German Forces' operation is to destroy the Lancaster Bomber planes to effectively halt the British advance in N. Africa.

Therefore the British Forces have the advantage, the planes are in their territory, and are closer to their HQ. The challenge is for the DAK to break British lines, and destroy their planes.

Notes:
  • All forces can build OPs/Forward Positions in “neutral territory”
  • The British Forces have 3 pre-placed Garrisons
  • Each Plane has 100 pre-placed supplies at each Plane to aid defence during the warm-up period
  • Territory will never change hands
  • Turn-back volumes are added so players cannot enter enemy territory - all gameplay should take place within neutral territory


[h3]Map Setup[/h3]

Map Size: Custom



Player Count: 100 players - 50 v 50

Game Mode: Destruction

Match Time: 33 Minutes - 30 Minutes Gameplay

Warm Up Time: 3 Minutes



Forces:
  • British 8th Army (Defenders)
  • German DAK (Attackers)
Win Conditions:

British 8th Army (Defenders)
  • Allow the 33 minute timer to elapse with at least 1 plane intact

German DAK (Attackers)
  • Destroy all 4 planes within the allotted match time

[h2]Gameplay[/h2]

The British 8th Army have 4 pre-placed planes that they must protect:



Note: As all 4 planes are active from the start, they can be destroyed in any order.

Map #2 - Brécourt Battery


The theme of Brécourt Battery takes heavy inspiration from Band of Brothers, and is the content that we were working on at the time of the 2023 trailer. This is a small map where the U.S. Forces must destroy the 4 Gun Batteries placed near Brécourt Manor. The goal for the German Forces is to protect those guns at all costs. With that in mind the German Forces have the advantage of territory, which is representative of the real life battle.

Notes:
  • The map size/territory is fixed, and won’t change hands
  • The grid setup is a test of how we can free up our reliance on it as a system
  • The U.S. Forces do not have access to any vehicles
  • The German Forces have access to vehicles but they cannot be respawned
  • Neither forces have any tanks
  • Commander abilities are limited

[h3]Map Setup[/h3]

Map Size: Custom



Player Count: 50 players - 25 v 25

Game Mode: Destruction

Match Time: 33 Minutes - 30 Minutes Gameplay

Warm Up Time: 3 Minutes



Forces:
  • German Forces (Defenders)
  • U.S. Forces (Attackers)
Win Conditions:

German Forces (Defenders)
  • Allow the 33 minute timer to elapse with at least 1 gun intact

U.S. Forces (Attackers)
  • Destroy all 4 guns within the allotted match time

[h2]Gameplay[/h2]

The German Forces have 4 pre-placed guns that they must protect:



Note: As all 4 guns are active from the start, they can be destroyed in any order.

Map #3 - Danzig Post Office


The Danzig Post Office is a historically sympathetic Hell Let Loose map based on a true story. The Objectives are two fold on this map, and as such, are split into two different phases.

Notes:
  • As we don’t currently have Polish forces in the game, we have used the British (Allies) for players to use their Polish Airborne DLC Uniform
  • Neither Force has access to any vehicles
  • Commander abilities are restricted

[h3]Map Setup[/h3]

Map Size: Custom - 400m x 400m



Player Count: 50 players - 25 v 25

Game Mode: Phased

Match Time: 33 Minutes - 30 Minutes Gameplay

Warm Up Time: 3 Minutes



Forces:
  • British Forces (Defenders)
  • German Forces (Attackers)
Win Conditions:

British Forces (Defenders)
  • Allow the 33 minute timer to elapse with the generators intact (Phase 1)
  • Prevent the Danzig Post Office Capture Point from being captured within the allotted time (Phase 2)

German Forces (Attackers)
  • Destroy the generators within the allotted time (Phase 1)
  • Capture the Danzig Post Office within the allotted time (Phase 2)

[h2]Gameplay[/h2]

[h3]Phase #1 - Generators[/h3]
There are 2 generators placed in the Post Office and adjacent Police Station. In the first phase, the attackers must destroy both of these. It is left up to the players to decide how to achieve this, as both generators can be destroyed in any order.

[h3]Phase #2 - Danzig Post Office Capture Point[/h3]
For phase #2 the objective for the German Forces is simply to capture and secure the Danzig Post Office, whilst the British must defend it. The Capture Point behaves like Offensive, once it is captured, the match is over.

What Objective Mode is
  • A series of tests to play Hell Let Loose matches with mechanics that don’t revolve around Capture Points and territory control
  • An opportunity to delve into the code base of Hell Let Loose and experiment with different map sizes and dimensions and even player counts
  • An opportunity for the community to see what game development is really like, to see maps at various stages of development and completion
  • A “what if?” scenario which is not necessarily based on historical events but is historically sympathetic within the Hell Let Loose space
  • A mode that can be explored further if there is enough community appetite for it
What Objective Mode is Not
  • Final content that will be released in Hell Let Loose in the near future
  • A mode that could be released after addressing 25 v 25 player count issue
  • Finished mechanic logic such as: tanks and bombing runs being unable to destroy the planes in El Alamein being unrealistic
  • Completed maps/modes in terms of visual fidelity - Danzig in particular is still in early blockout
  • A mode that prioritizes territory control in order to win - The 2nd phase of Danzig is the only time that a Capture Point is the objective
  • Work that has come at the expense of the 2025 roadmap - Since the direction was pivoted back in 2023 these maps have had only one person working on the prototypes
    The Purposes of Objective Mode and this PTE

      To dive further into the scope of what Hell Let Loose could be, by utilizing mechanics that aren’t centred around Capture Points and territory control
      To gauge community interest in the mechanics and setups of the maps presented in these modes. We are particularly keen to hear your thoughts on:
  • A 25 v 25 environment
  • The map sizes
  • The TNT mechanic
  • The destruction gameplay loop


[h2]Known Issues[/h2]
For today’s session, there is a list of unfinished items/bugs that we’re aware of, including:
  • Placeholder icons
  • Unfinished game logic - i.e. bombing runs, satchels, tanks cannot destroy the objectives


[h2]Streaming & Recording PTE Sessions[/h2]

You are welcome to both stream and record PTE footage, but as these sessions are showing unfinished work, it’s always good to let your individual communities know that the footage is from a PTE session, where you might encounter unfinished items, bugs and other issues.

[h2]Feedback Questions[/h2]
Once you have completed a game and are ready to provide feedback, please use the forms below!

How to Take Part


Check your Steam Library for the Hell Let Loose (Public Testing) application, or re-download it from the Steam store, you’ll want to boot this version up to take part in the PTE!

Once you’re in and have selected a server, you’ll be able to test out the new game mode!

[h2]Submit Feedback[/h2]
[h2]Share Bug Reports[/h2]

[h3]Please note:[/h3]
Because PTEs are run on development servers that have logging activated, you will experience a slight decrease in performance. You will also not earn any XP and your progress will not be carried over to the live game.


Community Events:

A number of our War Correspondents will be running community events over the course of the weekend. This includes RazBora, TheFreshBakedGoods and SoulSniper who are doing a joint event for the PTE.

The event is open to everyone so be sure to check out the details below so that you don't miss the action.

[h3]Draft Haus / SoulSniper Objective Mode PTE Event [/h3]
Date/Time: Saturday, June 7 2025 1:00 PM EST
Where: Hell Let Loose PTE Application
Maps: Danzig Post Office & Brecourt Battery
Teams: 25v25 (50 Players)
Format: Play 2 rounds of each 50 player map so each team gets a chance to defend and attack

Notes: There will be no password for the server or assigned teams. Just join at the posted time and play!

Dev Brief #203 | PTE for Patch 17.1 | Live all weekend for testing!

Hello Everyone,

Welcome to the PTE for Patch 17.1, this patch will come with quite a few Quality Of Life improvements which we hope you will all appreciate!

Please find below a list of extensive changes that have been made / are currently being worked on by the team, we’d love to get your feedback on all of this prior to the release to make sure we can evaluate and make changes based on your feedback!

At the bottom of the sheet you will find a feedback form that we’d appreciate if you filled out.

The map rotation for this PTE is going to be:
  • Kharkov - Offensive - RUS
  • Foy - Offensive - US
  • Kharkov - Warfare - Night
  • Mortain - Warfare - Overcast

This rotation should allow you to experience all the changes that have been made, also feel free to use the new Explore menu to test out changes made to the bipod and any other weapons!

Along with this patch will come a lot of general bug fixes and improvements! A full list of which will as always be delivered to you with the final changelog when the patch goes LIVE in the near future!

New Features


[h2]Medic Improvements[/h2]

As part of the ongoing effort to improve Medic gameplay, the Design team has tuned several in-engine values to improve both both performance and playability. As a result of this, the following values now apply:
  • Full HP on revive
  • Medic bandage speed is now 2s (this also applies to self bandaging)
  • Revive speed for all Forces has been reduced to 2s
  • Medic revive XP increased from 30 to 75
  • Being revived by Medic XP increased from 30 to 75

This PTE also introduces the Medic ‘Call & Response’ system, allowing downed players to request a revive. Medics can respond using the radial ping marker system, helping prioritise revives and reduce unnecessary journeys across the battlefield.

It’s important to note that this feature is still in development and will not be included in Update 17.1. Player feedback during testing will help shape its final version.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

[h2]Bipod Rework[/h2]

The bipod system has been significantly overhauled for more flexible and realistic deployment, improving the overall gameplay experience.

The system now detects objects in the player’s deployed path, rather than relying on hardcoded limits. This reduces instances of clipping into static objects. Deployment inside objects is no longer possible.

Pitch angles now reflect the height of the surface, allowing a wider range of weapon rotation. You can aim lower from low surfaces and higher from elevated ones.

Server-side checks now ensure valid deployment surfaces, fixing issues where deployment would cancel mid-animation. Standing and crouching now share the same deployment limits, eliminating the need to change stances to check for valid deployment surfaces properly.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

[h2]Soviet Winter Camo - Kharkov[/h2]

Following the overwhelmingly positive reception of Elsenborn Ridge, we're bringing the same winter tank camo style to the tanks in Foy and Kharkov.





[h2]Winter Camo Updates - Foy[/h2]







[h2]LOD Improvements[/h2]

The Technical Art team has begun addressing LOD-related issues raised by players, including abrupt LOD transitions (e.g., between LOD 0 and LOD 1), inconsistent screen size thresholds, uneven triangle density, and large assets using too few LODs.

The initial focus is on barbed wire assets, along with the setup of optimised LOD materials for use on the lowest LODs.

LOD 0 was already efficiently configured with minimal overdraw. However, performance decreased noticeably when transitioning to lower LODs
  • The optimised LOD material is set to be opaque to reduce the fill rate of masked materials seen at a distance
  • As texture mapping blurs masked textures, switching to opaque textures improves performance with minimal impact on visual quality

The barbed wire assets have been updated to LOD more efficiently. Previously LOD 0 was on screen from a screen size of 1.0 to 0.1, meaning over 6,000 triangles were occupying the screen space. This has now been balanced so that LOD 0 is visible until 0.5 screen size, after which it transitions and to a model with 50% fewer triangles, remaining until 0.1 screen size.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

Another issue affecting distant objects is the use of Hierarchical Level of Detail (HLOD) systems, which optimise performance by merging meshes into lower-detail proxies. These clusters reduce triangle count and material complexity, allowing many objects to render at distance without a performance hit.

However, problems arise when HLOD transitions occur too early, as the system relies on player to object distance without accounting for zoomed views through binoculars, scopes, or tank optics. In these cases, higher-detail models are not restored when expected.

Barbed wire assets, in particular, did not benefit from HLOD passes and appeared overly low poly at distance. The Technical Art team has addressed this by removing barbed wire from HLODs, allowing them to LOD more effectively on their own.

Original Barbed Wire HLOD Proxy

Barbed Wire Removed from HLOD Proxy

[h2]Post Match VOIP[/h2]

Players can now retain voice communications for the Leadership and Squad channels during the post-match flow, this allows players a grace period to discuss the match, or plan out next steps for the upcoming match.

Players will notice that a “MUTE ALL” button has been added next to “PERSONAL STATS”, this allows the player to quickly mute all players in the team.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

[h2]Flare Illumination[/h2]

In response to community feedback, the Technical Art team is working to enhance flare gun effectiveness in night-time scenarios. We’re currently exploring ways to improve the spread of the particle light associated with the gun's visual effects (VFX) to increase its reach. Feedback is welcome as we continue refining this effect.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

[h2]Admin Camera Lighting Effects[/h2]

Following recent updates to the admin camera, there has been a request to introduce filters. The Technical Art team has explored various existing filters used by the community and has created a set of presets designed to enhance the overall experience. Below are examples using Colour Look Up Tables (CLUTs).
2 Strip Colour Treatment

Bleach Bypass

Black and White (Red Filter)

Black and White (Blue Filter)

Modern 35mm

1940’s Colour

1940’s Colour (Variation)

These are then combined with additional post pro settings available in the engine, such as shadow intensity, bloom, chromatic aberration, film grain and vignetting. Below is a demonstration of these camera effects.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

[h2]Practice Range Improvements[/h2]

The Practice Range now allows players to sample all available loadouts, regardless of their current in-game role rank. This enables testing of every weapon within a safe, controlled environment.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

[h2]New Maps with Dynamic Weather[/h2]

Dynamic weather has been integrated into several legacy maps. The Technical Art team is currently evaluating appropriate lighting and weather conditions to incorporate effects such as snow, rain, and sandstorms across these maps. The new weather manager allows each map to deliver a distinct and immersive experience due to it’s flexibility.

Below are short videos showcasing the transition of light to extreme snow both in Foy (available to play in the PTE) and Kharkov (available to play on release).

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

[h2]Improvements to Fog[/h2]

Community feedback highlighted concerns over excessive fog and difficulty with sightlines on some of the newer night maps. It was found that Elsenborn Ridge (night) had an acceptable level of fog and lighting exposure which the team are using as a basis for improvements.

Based on evaluation and feedback, El Alamein, Omaha Beach and Hill 400 were found to have acceptable intensities of fog, with El Alamein’s fog intensity being welcomed in addressing overly long sightlines.

Kharkov, Sainte-Marie-du-Mont (SMDM), Driel, Carentan, St Mere-Eglise (SME), Utah Beach, and Stalingrad were found to be excessively foggy.

These have all been updated to leave longer sightlines.
Kharkov - Original Fog Settings

Kharkov - Updated Fog Settings

Sainte-Marie-du-Mont - Original Fog Settings

Sainte-Marie-du-Mont - Updated Fog Settings

Driel - Original Fog Settings

Driel - Updated Fog Settings

Carentan - Original Fog Settings

Carentan - Updated Fog Settings

Sainte-Mère-Église - Original Fog Settings

Sainte-Mère-Église - Updated Fog Settings

Utah Beach - Original Fog Settings

Utah Beach - Updated Fog Settings

Stalingrad - Original Fog Settings

Stalingrad - Updated Fog Settings

Stalingrad - Updated Fog Settings

[h2]Explore Mode[/h2]

A new “Explore” tab has been added to the Enlist screen. This section allows independent exploration of each map at a player's own pace, separate from standard gameplay.

In Explore Mode, the player can:
  • Explore every section of the map
  • Play as any role
  • Use faction/role appropriate vehicles
  • Use faction appropriate artillery

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

In Explore Mode, the player cannot:
  • Gain XP
  • Win/Lose Matches
  • Capture any Capture Points


[h2]Official DX12 Support [/h2]

Hell Let Loose on PC platforms now uses DirectX 12 as it’s rendering API, offering performance gains during gameplay. Due to the variety of PC setups, we understand that issues may arise with this change. Therefore, an option to switch back to DirectX 11 will be made available in the Video Settings section of the Settings menu.

Additional Upcoming 17.1 Features


Here are some additional features coming to 17.1 that won’t be in the PTE but are scheduled for the full release:

[h2]Tobruk Improvements[/h2]

In response to community feedback regarding the stepping effect of the VFX around large buildings, the Technical Art team has developed a new system to enhance VFX occlusion.

This improved system applies volumes around large structures and has now been implemented in Tobruk. Below, you will find a comparison showcasing the improvements made before and after the implementation.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

The environment art team has made some visual improvements to the building exterior textures to add more bullet and shrapnel damage giving the town area a more war torn look. Also more ground scatter has been added where it is possible without affecting performance. The town building interiors have had more muck and scatter added to make it feel more lived in.







[h2]New RCON Abilities[/h2]

New features have been added to RCON for Update 17.1. Server owners will now have the ability to change the following parameters for their servers:

[h3]Match Timer[/h3]
The overall match timer is now more flexible, with server owners allowing them to be adjusted within the following ranges based on game mode:
Note: The new timer range for Offensive mode is divided by 5 for each Capture Point phase, so a match timer of 300 minutes would give each Capture Point a 60 minute timer for example.

[h3]Warm-up Timer[/h3]
Note: Due to the way that Offensive mode “Warm-up” periods are dictated by its global spawn wave system, we have not yet added the ability to control this but it is something we are open to exploring with future RCON quality of life features.

[h2]New Maps with Dynamic Weather[/h2]

[h3]Mortain[/h3]
The technical art team has now updated the Mortain overcast scenario from the older rain VFX to the newer dynamic rain.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

Please note that server owners will have the option to disable dynamic weather with the launch of version 17.1. However, this feature is not available in the PTE.

Work In Progress


These PTE sessions are a way for you as a community to feedback on Hell Let Loose work in progress, which means we can look to implement your feedback before a patch or update is released. Although we can currently only hold public testing sessions on Steam, we encourage everyone to take part to be able to share feedback.

You may encounter some placeholder assets / areas that do not look completely finalised, this is still work in progress but should give you a good idea of how the final map will look / feel

[h2]Known Issues[/h2]
  • Mute All is present on the scoreboard during gameplay
  • Explore Mode has placeholder UI
  • R.O.A uniform's Third Person Perspective hands are missing

[h2]Streaming & Recording PTE Sessions[/h2]
You are welcome to both stream and record PTE footage, but as these sessions are showing unfinished work, it’s always good to let your individual communities know that the footage is from a PTE session, where you might encounter unfinished items, bugs and other issues.

[h2]Feedback Questions[/h2]

Once you have completed a game and are ready to provide feedback, please use the forms below!

How to Take Part


Check your Steam Library for the Hell Let Loose (Public Testing) application, or re-download it from the Steam store, you’ll want to boot this version up to take part in the PTE!

Once you’re in and have selected a server, you’ll be able to test out the new game map!

Submit Feedback
Share Bug Reports


[h2]Please note:[/h2]

Because PTEs are run on development servers that have logging activated, you will experience a slight decrease in performance. You will also not earn any XP and your progress will not be carried over to the live game.


Community Updates


Hey everyone, Ben back with some community updates.

Firstly, we want to give a huge shoutout to everyone who has been submitting clips for our 'Best of the Community' series. It's been great to see so many phenomenal entries, and we loved being able to do an episode all about the Competitive Scene in Hell Let Loose. From admin cam casting, to clutch plays, enjoy our latest episode, co-hosted by the voice of comp DasAltberg, over on our YouTube channel.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

If you would like to be featured in future episodes, be sure to submit your videos, artwork, or clips via our Discord server.
https://discord.gg/HellLetLoose

[h2]Community Events[/h2]

[h3]D-Day Event - 6th June[/h3]
Alongside events that we are throwing, we wanted to once again shoutout BR1 Gaming who are back with another 'Road to D-Day' event. This year's event will bring together both PC and console communities, with matches set for both platforms. If you're interested in taking part or want to donate to their charity of choice, be sure to visit their website and register today. 



[h3]Testimonial Event - 7th June[/h3]
Another incredible event happening next weekend will be the testimonial event between 82AD and ESPT.

For those who may not have heard, Myrk — a former member of 82AD and ESPT — tragically passed away in an accident earlier this month. His legacy within the competitive HLL community, particularly in these two teams, is profound. His unmatched passion, sharp tactical mind, and genuine willingness to help others left a lasting mark on everyone who had the privilege to play alongside him. Myrk was instrumental in shaping how 82AD and ESPT approached arty and arty defence in past metas, long before the strategies we use today came into play.

Inchon captured his essence best:
"I first started playing with Myrk back in 2021 and quickly realized I needed to spend as much time with him as possible. His passion for HLL was infectious, and more importantly, his approach to helping others — always positive, never judgmental — was something rare. Whether you were a veteran or brand new, he'd jump into comms, pull up Stratsketch, and send a password for a private server. Time flew by as he shared his deep knowledge, great humour, and most importantly, his time. From 2022-23, Myrk helped us grow structurally as a team and introduced ideas that still shape our gameplay today."

To honor his memory, we’re hosting a testimonial match between 82AD and ESPT. We’ll start with a fun arty phase — all guns firing, defences built — before going into current meta rules. The match takes place on HLL’s newest map, Tobruk.

If you would like to donate, the group's have set up a fundraising page to help support Myrk's family.
https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/myrk-gaming-event

The event will be livestreamed on DasAltberg's Twitch channel on Saturday, 7 June 2025.
Games starting at 11am PST | 2pm EST | 7pm BST | 8pm CEST



[h2]War Correspondents[/h2]

And as always, our War Correspondents have been creating some excellent content for us all to enjoy. Here's what they have created recently:

Alpine Sniper
[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

Soul Sniper
[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

RazBora
https://www.tiktok.com/@raz_bora/video/7507794988332322091

DasAltberg
[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

PTE Reminder


As a final reminder, please ensure that you share all feedback and bugs from this weekend's PTE via the below forms:

Submit Feedback
Share Bug Reports


Thank you all and enjoy the PTE!