Hell Let Loose News

Developer Briefing #173 - Update 13, Console Parity, Commonwealth Timeline

Hi everyone,

We want to thank the community for your patience as we spent the last couple of months prioritizing & finalizing console content so that it’s inline with the PC. Now this parity work is almost complete, it will make general HLL development much smoother moving forward.

Although this work has taken longer than we’d have liked, it has been a huge technical achievement for the team that enables us to deliver PC & Console updates at the same time in the future - or with minimal time between. It was also critical for us to do this work in order to streamline and best use the team’s time as effectively as possible moving into the years ahead.

After releasing a major update like Falling Dark, we take time to continue internal testing and QA. We wish to assure the community that Update 13 will bring another level of polish and improvement to all areas of the game. This means that U13 will be the last major update for the year. We feel it’ll be sure to create quite the sizzle.

Lastly, we’re thrilled to announce that our aim is to release the Commonwealth Expansion as our first major update of 2023. We will be announcing an updated roadmap to reflect this in the coming weeks. Creating an Expansion with a whole new force, suite of weaponry and vehicles, as well as new maps is a time consuming process and one that we’re keen to get right. We’re excited to share this with you as we continue to work through its creation. We’re very excited to introduce a whole new theater of war and are excited for the new maps this enables us to develop.

WIP Render of the iconic British Bren gun

[h2]Update 13: Flames, Frost and More![/h2]
We have some very exciting content currently aligned for this next update on-top of general QOL improvements. This includes but is not limited to the following.

T-70
Winter Map (TBA)
Winter Uniforms
Jeeps
Flame Throwers
RCON Improvements
New Cosmetics

We look forward to sharing more on that front in the coming weeks, as well as initial testing and return of the PTE! For U13. This update will require prolonged testing as we expect technical challenges when it comes to Flamethrowers, Jeeps and more.

We hope that you will join us when this testing begins and look forward to your support and feedback.

[h2]Soviet T-70 Light Tank[/h2]
U13 will also see the introduction of a new vehicle, the Soviet T-70 light tank. Let's take a quick glance at a brief historical summary of the T-70 class light tank in WW2.

With over 8,000 produced, the T-70 became popular during World War 2 as an inexpensive upgrade or improvement upon its predecessor the T-60. Lightly armored and equipped with a 45mm cannon and a 7.62 machine gun, it’ll take the same position as the Stuart and Luchs do on the battlefield at present.

Although not as fast or as armoured as its big brother the T34, the T-70 was a step up from its predecessor (the T-60) and featured heavily in the fighting around Prokhorovka during the battle of Kursk. The T-70 was used mainly as a reconnaissance vehicle, however if driven with skill, it was able to take out bigger rivals. Not able to keep up with its newer and bigger brethren the T-70 would often be found scouting or in defensive duties.

Historical picture of an unusual winterised T-70 painted white

Sadly after suffering heavy losses in the battle of Kursk the T-70 was relegated from the frontlines to provide a more sustainable role in convoy escorts, training and HQ defense, leaving the T-34 and IS-1 to remain more prominent on the frontline fields of battle.

The implementation of the T-70 to HLL is a further iteration of the initial roll out of assets boasting smart materials off the bat. It has been a pleasing result for both looks and performance to be using the smart materials system.

Attacking the trenches of Kursk

Pushing forwards on the frontline

Rolling to the battlefield

We look forward to watching players roll out in the new T-70 Light Tank in U13.

[h2]Silver Vanguard DLC Update[/h2]
We have been aware for some time now that the community has been asking about the M42 Helmet with goggles that appears in the ‘Silver Vanguard’ DLC. This picture was honestly a minor oversight in the artwork used for the Steam Store. The team got together and discussed two options for this, either to update the artwork in the Steam Store to be correct without the helmet or to include the M42 Helmet with Motorcycle Goggles in the existing Silver Vanguard DLC.

‘Silver Vanguard’ Store Art on Steam featuring the M42 Helmet with Goggles.

We are happy to announce that we will be implementing the roll out of the M42 Helmet with Motorcycle Goggles into the Silver Vanguard DLC pack. So all owners both past, present and future of the Silver Vanguard DLC pack will now see they also have the M42 Helmet with Motorcycle Goggles in their Barracks, ready to equip for battle on the frontline.

M42 Helmet with Motorcycle Goggles

[h2]Moving Forwards With Developer Briefings[/h2]
As more and more items and content for update 13 and onwards are reaching near finished status we intend to increase the frequency of the Developer briefings for the remainder of this year. This will allow us to, in a more timely manner, preview to all of you some of the new things coming to HLL. The increase in release of dev briefs and the associated content will commence as of now. We have a lot of information to share over the coming months and look forward to showcasing it in upcoming developer briefings.

[h2]Community Update - HLL 18 vs 18 Competitive Tournament[/h2]
The 18vs18 format was introduced to the Hell Let Loose Community by Abinus & the HLLTC in the Summer of 2020. The format is designed to encourage FPS skills and teamwork by compacting the team and map size. 18vs18 is played on a single strongpoint and the 2x2 around it, with 18 players per side. Each match is 30 minutes in length, but can continue if the central strongpoint is contested. These matches are designed to be fast-paced, action packed insanity - where individual efforts can be the difference between winning and losing.

You can check out past matches here https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-shUPWKE5AsMAD5CcSgm0A/videos

Streaming will be here from October 10: https://www.twitch.tv/hll18vs18 .

More information on this can be found in the HLL Discord in the ‘Event Announcement’ channel.

[h2]War Correspondent, Content Creator and Community HLL Videos[/h2]
Time for some more community highlights from the below creators. We highly recommend giving them a watch. This week we have decided to showcase some of the larger content creators that have featured HLL in their streams recently.

If you see an interesting Community Content Video or make one yourself, make sure to post in the Discord #hll-videos channel.

Only A Miracle Will Save This Team - Hell let Loose - Nano

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9pyX1CZrpj8

REALISTIC NIGHT WW2 WARFARE! - Hell Let Loose Update 12 Gameplay - OperatorDrewski
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDLbRMm1OCw

I defended Omaha Beach with a Sniper Rifle…- Jackfrags
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onCxr5vEP_o

Don’t forget that if you haven’t checked out the other Hell Let Loose socials you should do so. Like our discord, you will find them great places for information and community interaction.

Join the Discord here https://discord.gg/hellletloose

Our other social platforms can be found here:

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/HellLetLoose/
Twitter https://twitter.com/hell_let_loose
Youtube https://www.youtube.com/c/HellLetLoose
Reddit https://www.reddit.com/r/HellLetLoose/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hellletlooseofficial/
Steam http://steamcommunity.com/groups/HellLetLoose

Well, it's time to wrap up today's Dev Brief. See you all on the frontline!

Update 12 ‘Falling Dark’ - Hotfix Live Now!

Hey everyone,

We are pleased to announce that a hotfix for Update 12 ‘Falling Dark’ is now live. Over the next several weeks our focus will turn to continued optimization, bug fixing and ongoing polish.

For a comprehensive list of changes for this hotfix please read the changelog below.

In future Dev Briefs will be announcing what the next content update will bring, along with parity for console players. This will be a huge milestone for the game and the community as a whole. This means that future updates across platforms will be released at the same or similar time, and allow us to work far more efficiently.

We want to thank the entire community for your ongoing support, and extend this to our own team who work very hard to put out these updates and fixes. We are extremely excited for the future of HLL, and we hope you are too.

See you on the frontline! o7

Hotfix Changelog

[h2]Gameplay/Features[/h2]
Reduced Precision Strike cost from 500 to 250 munitions

[h2]Sound[/h2]
Adjusted volume attenuation of the Stuka Siren

[h2]Bug Fixes[/h2]
[Fixed] Vehicles can easily get stuck or struggle to drive over and on train tracks across multiple maps
[Fixed] Flare gun does not reveal the enemy players if the shooter is within in its radius
[Fixed] Soviet Mosin Sniper doesn't 1 shot kill above 200m
[Fixed] VOIP channel volumes are reset after the map change
[Fixed] Half-Track deployment text fails to update it’s state correctly
[Fixed] The "Back" button located in Barracks is not functional if the player has the Favorite role selected
[Fixed] The "Welcome to Hell" achievement does not unlock
[Fixed] The "Commend and Conquer!" and "War Hero" achievements are not incremented correctly
[Fixed] The "Iron Cross" and "Medal of Honor" achievements are not incremented correctly

[h2]Foy[/h2]
[Fixed] Craters have sharp transition and look not up to standard

[h2]Carentan[/h2]
[Fixed] Town center strongpoint has a closed building, needs a open building

[h2]Utah Beach[/h2]
[Fixed] Hedge Collision is extending in E6

[h2]Remagen[/h2]
[Fixed] Tanks can get stuck on the train tracks near and on the bridge
[Fixed] Players can not walk in first floor of bridge tower when barbed wires are placed
[Fixed] Cliff missing collision allowing vehicles to hide
[Fixed] Embankment in H4 is floating
[Fixed] Location with Soviet graffiti on walls
[Fixed] Players are able to spawn inside of the bridge tower walls
[Fixed] Garden in C9 has open garden, trapping players inside unable to get out
[Fixed] Road texture is stretched in E2

Known Key Issues

- Some assets are known to be switching LoDs at shorter distances than intended. In future updates we will be looking to improve these visually

- Steam server browser and direct connect links fail to connect to the server if the game isn’t already running

Don’t forget that if you haven’t checked out the other Hell Let Loose socials you should do so. Like our discord you will find them great places for information and community interaction.

Update 12 ‘Falling Dark’ Is Now Live!

Hey everyone,

At last it's here. The team is excited to announce that Update 12 ‘Falling Dark’ is upon us. As we have mentioned in our developer briefings this update brings to all the ‘Low Light’/‘Night’ mood settings for some popular and new maps, Vehicle Updates, New Commander Abilities, Flare Guns and so much more.

We have all been working hard over the last few months to ensure that this update has been well worth the wait. Without further ado let's crunch the info on Update 12 via the full changelog.

Update 12 Changelog

[h2]Vehicles[/h2]
Added new US “M4A3 75w” medium tank
Added Machine guns to Half-tracks (M2 Browning, MG42)
Reimplemented the German “Panther” as a heavy tank with updated Smart Materials
Updated Tiger with new camo pattern
Updated Panzer IV with new camo pattern
Updated Luchs with new camo pattern

[h2]Weapons[/h2]
Added Flare Guns (LP-42, SPSh-42, AN-M8)

[h2]Loadouts[/h2]
Added Flare Gun to Spotter lvl 3 “Scout” loadout
Moved Ammo Crate from Spotter lvl 3 “Scout” to Spotter lvl 1 “Standard Issue” loadout

[h2]Cosmetics[/h2]
Added 2 new DLC uniforms for the Commander role
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1656971/Hell_Let_Loose__Upper_Echelon/?curator_clanid=34012997

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1656970/Hell_Let_Loose__Red_Marshall/?curator_clanid=34012997

[h2]Gameplay/Features[/h2]
Added the following new Commander Abilities:

Improved animations for the strafing run Commander Ability
Added separate volume controls for Proximity, Unit and Leadership VOIP channels
Added gore models for the Soviet faction (previously used US models)
Primary Weapons are now displayed on the player’s back while not equipped
Added the ability to interrupt weapon reloads
Fortifications can now be snapped together using the default “LEFT ALT” keybinding
Adjusted MG deployment logic to prevent players from hiding their model inside objects
Updated Personal Stats screen with new stats and an organized layout
Tank crews are now notified when the gunner destroys an OP
Vehicle wrecks can now be destroyed using tank shells, AT-guns, rockets and satchels
Increased AT-Gun deploy timer from 3 to 8 seconds
Reduced AT-Gun damage from 600 to 350
Added the following new Achievements:

[h2]Maps[/h2]
Added new Remagen map:

Added Night maps:

Added additional Omaha map variants:

Reworked HQs on Kursk to provide additional cover for each faction

[h2]HUD/UI[/h2]
Improved legibility of Enemy Recon Markings on the Tactical Map

[h2]Audio Effects[/h2]
Shortened incoming Artillery whistle SFX
Adjusted bullet crack SFX for the MG42
Adjusted Foy map ambience
Balanced volume of grenade throw SFX
Added sound occlusion to explosion SFX
Balanced end of round music volume
Adjusted flesh impact SFX
Adjusted wood impact SFX
Adjusted smoke grenade SFX
Additional minor sound tweaks and improvements

[h2]Visual Effects[/h2]
Updated TPP Blood Hit FX
Added lighting to the following in-game FX for better visuals on night maps:

Adjusted artillery impact and vehicle explosion FXs

[h2]Server Administration[/h2]
Added ‘Aim Laser’ to indicate where a player is aiming
[Fixed] The prompt displayed when the player is banned via Votekick mentions that the ban is from the administrator

[h2]Bug Fixes[/h2]
[Fixed] Unusual camera stuttering when vaulting over an object while the server/player has a high ping
[Fixed] Disconnecting and Reconnecting from VoIP while making Microphone check will cause VoIP to permanently stop working.
[Fixed] Soviet Recon Tank doesn't trigger any SFX when entering the vehicle or switching positions.
[Fixed] Panzer IV has incorrect armour collision
[Fixed] The player cannot be heard if they switch very fast between the VOIP channels
[Fixed] Players are unable to hear enemy Half-track SFX
[Fixed] M97 Trench Gun cannot penetrate any materials.
[Fixed] Outpost can be placed next to downed enemy but is instantly destroyed.
[Fixed] Bullet Crack Sound Plays when leaving Mounted Prone with PTRS-41.
[Fixed] Typing Y/N in chat will accept or deny UI requests
[Fixed] Deployable explosives can't be placed in an area around garrisons and airheads.
[Fixed] The player model can clip through certain building roofs by deploying LMG’s.
[Fixed] LMGs camera will lose its input when being deployed in another player
[Fixed] Some Personal Stats are not saved when the player exits and reenters a server
[Fixed] Offensive mode initial Deploy Timer counts down before any players have joined the server
[Fixed] VOIP may not work immediately after creating a unit for 20-30 seconds
[Fixed] Career and Role EXP may not correctly display in change role menu if gained just before a match ends.
[Fixed] Two players can trigger the bandaging animation if the bandage is used at the same time
[Fixed] Players do not get suppressed from bombing run fire when in artillery reload seat
[Fixed] Players do not get suppressed from strafing run fire when in artillery reload seat
[Fixed] Deploying an LMG on a wooden beam of a specific barn causes graphical issue and un-deploys the LMG.
[Fixed] Half-Track spawn icon appears when the engine is on in Locked enemy territory
[Fixed] During idle animation the left hand is misaligned and clips through the weapon while holding any Rifle or Sniper Rifle
[Fixed] The player is unable to deploy or to enter the Change Role menu in certain scenarios after they've been switched to the other team via RCon during the last 3 seconds of deployment
[Fixed] The Anti-Tank gun turret will collide with vehicles, potentially causing collision/physics issues
[Fixed] Missing glass in Opel Blitz asset
[Fixed] Eastern Wood Peewee can be heard in Hürtgen Forest Map
[Fixed] Rebinding W A S or D in Infantry, Driver and Admin tabs will allow two bindings on one key.
[Fixed] Rebinding W A S or D to common and relaunching the title will rebind in Infantry, Driver and Admin Tabs.
[Fixed] Garrisons and Outposts render distances vary based on map
[Fixed] Airhead is destroyed by friendly grenades
[Fixed] The Damaged Engine Fire PFX always face directly toward the player
[Fixed] When a player quickly switches between VOIP channels, the nametag of the player will not show up or will show up for a brief period of time
[Fixed] Gear change animation plays twice in Soviet vehicles
[Fixed] Occasions where nametags appeared in Streamer Mode
[Fixed] Poor network conditions will cause bolt action rifles to not fire when inputting.
[Fixed] FG42 bullets land higher than the crosshair
[Fixed] Soviet Half-Track have no SFX while being repaired at a repair station
[Fixed] The map images on the 'Maps' section of the Field Manual are low resolution
[Fixed] There is a corrupted texture in the viewports of certain tanks
[Fixed] Outside parts of the Panzer IV is present in the viewport at FoV higher than 90
[Fixed] Airheads will deploy faster than the icon indicates
[Fixed] The prompt that appears after a player is kicked appears in German
[Fixed] Steam invites will bring a player into the last server the inviter was in if they're on the Front End

[h2]Kursk[/h2]
[Fixed] Increased height of certain foxholes to provide improved cover
[Fixed] Multiple instances of floating or misaligned assets
[Fixed] Adjustments to player collision across a number of assets
[Fixed] Adjustments to LoD settings across a number of assets

[h2]Stalingrad[/h2]
[Fixed] Adjustments to player collision across a number of assets
[Fixed] Adjustments to LoD settings across a number of assets

[h2]Foy[/h2]
[Fixed] Adjustments to player collision across a number of assets
[Fixed] Adjustments to LoD settings across a number of assets

[h2]Hill 400[/h2]
[Fixed] Visual issue with some riverbanks
[Fixed] Multiple instances of floating or misaligned assets
[Fixed] Adjustments to player collision across a number of assets
[Fixed] Adjustments to LoD settings across a number of assets

[h2]Hurtgen Forest[/h2]
[Fixed] Adjustments to player collision across a number of assets
[Fixed] Adjustments to LoD settings across a number of assets

[h2]SME[/h2]
[Fixed] Some instances where the player could not deploy their MG on an asset
[Fixed] Multiple instances of floating or misaligned assets
[Fixed] Adjustments to player collision across a number of assets
[Fixed] Adjustments to LoD settings across a number of assets

[h2]Purple Heart Lane[/h2]
[Fixed] Multiple instances of floating or misaligned assets
[Fixed] Adjustments to player collision across a number of assets
[Fixed] Adjustments to LoD settings across a number of assets

[h2]Omaha Beach[/h2]
[Fixed] Multiple instances of floating or misaligned assets
[Fixed] Adjustments to player collision across a number of assets
[Fixed] Adjustments to LoD settings across a number of assets

[h2]Remagen[/h2]
[Fixed] Adjustments to player collision across a number of assets
[Fixed] Adjustments to LoD settings across a number of assets

[h2]Carentan[/h2]
[Fixed] Adjustments to player collision across a number of assets
[Fixed] Adjustments to LoD settings across a number of assets

Known Key Issues

Ammo Drop ability description mentions x5 rearms instead of x12
Specific assets appear to LoD aggressively on some maps (notably Omaha)

Don’t forget that if you haven’t checked out the other Hell Let Loose socials you should do so. Like our discord you will find them great places for information and community interaction.

Update 12 ‘Falling Dark’ coming tomorrow!

Hey everyone,

At last, the team is excited to announce that all going well, Update 12 ‘Falling Dark’ will release tomorrow Tuesday July 19th 11am BST. We are all very eager to see the community enjoying the New Maps Remagen, Low light/night variants of popular maps and Omaha Beach with new Modes.

Additional items including new Vehicles (Panther and M4A3 Sherman), Flare Guns and a host of other new content are also crammed in with this update. In our brief today we also will take the time to feature new DLC for U12, VOIP improvements, Changes to how primary weapons are shown on players, Sorting out those pesky vehicle wrecks, improved lighting effects on night maps and more.

If you haven't seen information for the Update 12 items not mentioned in this brief, you can check it out in previous dev briefs here:
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/686810/view/3130570929265222231
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/686810/view/3215016591888341689
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/686810/view/3327611022119902236

STEAM Store DLC and Unlockable Cosmetics

For those who may not have seen, alongside the Update 12 release we will also implement some new DLC commander uniforms for all factions:

Upper Echelon - US Summer Service Uniform

Upper Echelon - German Field Blue Heer Officer Uniform

Red Marshal - Soviet M35 Officer Uniform

The commander DLC will comprise of two different packs named “Upper Echelon” and “Red Marshal”. These will soon be available for PC on the Steam Store and they contain the following:

Upper Echelon: German Field Blue Heer Officer Uniform and US Summer Service Uniform
Red Marshal: Soviet M35 Officer Uniform

Note:The Red Marshal pack will be free to download

Voip QOL improvements

VOIP has been a mainstay for critical communications in Hell Let Loose from its very beginning. We are constantly looking at ways to improve the player experience for the ingame VOIP mechanics. We are excited to announce in update 12 we have been able to implement a more extensive volume control system.

There are three layers of VOIP channels within HLL consisting of ‘Local’, ‘Unit’ and ‘Command’ chat respectively. In addition to the previous single overall voice volume option of these we have now added a volume slider to each VOIP channel. This will allow players to raise or lower the volume for Local, Unit and Command chat as they see fit.

We believe that the expanded volume control options for VOIP will enrich all player communications and make it a more streamlined method of comms on the battlefields. Improved communications will lead to better teamwork and more enjoyable overall gaming experience.

We continue to work with our VOIP partner VIVOX, and will continue to improve HLL comms as much as possible. We have plans to implement further improvements in Update 13.

Primary Weapons Now Sling onto Players Backs

To add to the atmosphere on the battlefield we have implemented the animations of a player's primary weapon to now be shown on their back when they switch to an alternate weapon or item.

Function wise players will not notice much of a difference to their gameplay, however for those around them, the look of a weapon slung on a players back will add another dimension to the immersion of HLL. We will consider all feedback and any animation and bug concerns.

Destroying Wrecked Vehicles

We are adding in the ability for players to destroy wrecked vehicles. The destruction of a wreck can be achieved using tank shells, AT-guns, shoulder fired rockets or satchels.

The destruction of player driven vehicle wrecks will have a few effects for players to consider. If a vehicle is destroyed in a choke point area it can now be removed to free up the flow of the battle, rather than waiting on the timed demolition.

Conversely players will need to be aware that the wrecks of player driven vehicles are now not as dependable for ‘Hard cover’ during a firefight due to the ability for them to be removed suddenly. However with cover in mind, the static wrecks placed on the battlefields by default are impervious to this destruction feature. Typically these are notably identified as ‘burning’ wrecks.

Improved Lighting effects on night maps

We have been very busy working on ways to improve the mood and atmosphere of the low light/night maps rolling out in Update 12. Some of the items we are fine tuning for this process include:

Adding lighting to the following in-game FX for better visuals on night maps (initial implementation has been kept on the subtle side of things):

Muzzle Flashes
Artillery cannons
Tank cannons
Panzerschreck/Bazooka rockets

New Player Achievements

Update 12 will also feature a host of new achievements for you all to get your teeth into:
Added the following new Achievements:

Not a bridge too far!
MG goes BRRRR!
You can run, but you can't hide!
I don't need no Nightvision Goggles!
Soldier of the Month
Commend and Conquer!
War Hero
Deputy of Death
Do Svidaniya!
I spy, I spy, with my little eye...
Cleanup down aisle 3
Geneva Genocide!
There can only be one!
One with the shadow...
Medal Of Honour
Iron Cross
Hero of the Soviet Union
Spot On!
Breaking the Geneva Convention
Its over two thousand!
Humble lifestyle
Its like fashion week!
Rock, Paper, Tank!
And so it begins...
Rain Hell
Beat the DEV (Medic)

As per every update, we want to thank our original Kickstarter backers. Your support was what enabled us to begin this journey almost five years ago. We know that crowdfunded projects are always a huge risk - more often than not failing to materialize at all. We want to thank you for taking a chance on us, and we’re excited to continue moving forwards, fulfilling our mandate.

War Correspondent, Content Creator and Community HLL Videos

Time for some more community highlights from the below creators. We highly recommend giving them a watch.
If you see a Video you like make sure to post in the Discord #hll-videos channel.

Hell Let Loose - The Ultimate Assault Guide - SoulSniper
[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

CARNAGE IN STALINGRAD - Hell Let Loose - BreakTheVices
[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

Hell Let Loose - U12 is ALMOST here [PC Only] - Monoespacial
[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

Our other social platforms can be found here:

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/HellLetLoose/
Twitter https://twitter.com/hell_let_loose
Youtube https://www.youtube.com/c/HellLetLoose
Reddit https://www.reddit.com/r/HellLetLoose/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hellletlooseofficial/
Steam http://steamcommunity.com/groups/HellLetLoose

Well, it's time to wrap up today's Dev Brief. See you all on the frontline with Update 12!

Developer Briefing #171 - New Commander Abilities, Tanks, PTE #2 and More!

Hey everyone,

Welcome to yet another Developer Briefing. Today we’re excited to showcase an abundance of new content coming in Update 12, featuring new Commander Abilities, additional Omaha Beach map variants (with reworked areas to suit their respective gamemodes) and the new US “Sherman M4A3 75w” medium tank along with the return of the beloved German “Panther” medium tank.

Without further ado, let’s dig right in!

New Commander Abilities

This first feature has been one of the more difficult surprises to keep, and after seeing the countless requests across the Reddit, Steam forums and Discord channels over the past few weeks, we’re very excited to finally be pulling the curtains. Scheduled for implementation in Update 12 is the addition of 2 new Commander Abilities - the ‘Ammo Drop’ and ‘Precision Strike’, featuring the infamous Ju-87 ‘Stuka’!

As always, please note that the following content is in a state of ‘work in progress’ and has yet to receive final adjustments and polish.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
[h2]Precision Strike[/h2]
‘Precision Strike’ calls upon the support of deadly fighter plane(s) to execute a devastating single blow to a specific target defined by the Commander. This new ability will prove as an effective solution to tightly knit infantry positions, stationary vehicles unaware of their senses or exposed garrisons who’s position can be pinpointed on a map.

Though with great power comes even greater responsibility, as a high cost and cooldown rate means that such a request must be radioed in with full confidence, as while the effective radius of the precision strike is small, its power is absolute.

Each faction has their own unique twist on the ability, sporting the very planes used historically to deliver such devastating blows on the battlefield.

German Ju-87 ‘Stuka’

US P47 ‘Thunderbolt’

Soviet Ilyushin IL-2

[h2]Ammo Drop[/h2]
The second commander ability included in Update 12 is the ‘Ammo Drop’. Similar to the existing ‘Supply Drop’, the ‘Ammo Drop’ parachutes in an emergency stock of assorted medical, firearms and explosive ammunition for soldiers on the ground. The ammo crate from this ability is unique in the sense that rearming from one will restock all types of ammo carried by a soldier and will initially allow soldiers to rearm a total of 12 times (ie. 12 soldiers each rearming once)

The ‘Ammo Drop’ will be especially handy if you run out of rifle ammunition and grenades or even bandages as they’ll all be replaced during the one rearming cycle. The rearming of a soldier can only be done once per life until the 12 re-arm slots in the crate have been exhausted or the crate itself is destroyed.

Commanders who like to plan ahead should find this new ability particularly useful when preparing for an upcoming firefight, as any advantage can turn the tide of battle.

New and Improved Vehicles

[h2]New Sherman M4A3 75w[/h2]
Along with new Commander Abilities comes a new addition to the vehicle lineup for the US forces - the Sherman ‘M4A3 75w’.

Similar to when the Panzer IV was introduced, this new addition will replace the existing Sherman M4A1. Those of you who have been with us over the years will know that the Sherman M4A1 was one of the very first vehicles added to the game, and we feel that over the course of time the asset has begun to show it's age.

The name “Sherman” comes from the British tradition of naming its American produced tanks after American Civil War Generals. Named after General William Tecumseh Sherman, the name quickly caught on and led to the adopted practice of the US Army naming all its tanks after Generals.

Some of the first M4A3 (75w)s were shipped to Europe in the weeks and months following the Normandy Invasion on June 6, 1944. It was the goal of US Army to place the Ford engined Shermans with their updated Second Generation features into the hands of combat troops as quickly as possible.

The M4 Sherman was uncomplicated, reliable, and mechanically well constructed. Working in tandem with well-coordinated Allied infantry, artillery, and air forces, the plentiful and trusty Shermans were able to vanquish most German armoured formations simply by ganging up on them in overwhelming numbers when all else failed. Often considered one of the great additions to allied forces during the entirety of WW2. The trusty Sherman holds a place in any WW2 gamer or history buffs heart.

Sherman “M4A3 75w”

[h2]Return of the Panther and Smart Materials[/h2]
As many of you who have been following our previous Developer Briefings know, it has been our goal to continuously raise the bar when it comes to the visual fidelity of both past and future content in Hell Let Loose and how Smart Materials play a large role in those efforts.

In addition to the new US Sherman M4A3, players will have the pleasure of seeing the reintroduction of the German Panther tank in its up classed ‘Heavy’ configuration, showcasing its fresh coat of Smart Materials alongside the Tiger I.

For anyone left wondering what a ‘Smart Material’ is, we highly recommend reading back on one of our past Briefs - Developer Briefing 130 where we explain their benefits in detail, but to give a quick TL;DR, Smart Materials provide a:

Higher texture fidelity
Lower cost on performance
Versatile workflow allowing for new features unachievable using previous methods

https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/686810/view/3058487332660955130

German “Panther ausf.G” heavy tank

German “Tiger I” heavy tank

As we move forward with a wider implementation of smart materials in later updates we intend to also apply them to other items, allowing us the ability to do new things such as adding variety to models, giving a more realistic and authentic feel to the game. All new content moving forward will be using Smart Materials as a new baseline standard in model texturing.

Omaha Warfare and German Offensive

Players who are seasoned to the brutality of storming the famous Omaha Beach landings will be pleased to see that amongst the additional maps of Update 12, two new modes have been added, now rounding out the map to include all available gamemodes.

The Landing craft pictured below allow players to spawn and mount up from within, providing additional cover over the existing boats used in the Offensive US gamemode. We are very excited to see what players think of the new beachfront and how it plays during the new Warfare and German Offensive gamemode.

U12 PTE #02

For anyone interested in getting an early hands-on with new content such as the Stuka, we are excited to announce that the 2nd PTE for Update 12 will commence on Thursday June 9th at 2pm BST.

Unfortunately due to some server maintenance being performed by a GSP at conflicting times, this session will be starting roughly 3 hours later than the usual 11am BST. To make up for this we will be looking to run an extended PTE during the next session before the release of the update.

After the influx of player feedback we received during the 1st PTE, we look forward to your thoughts on what’s new this time round. For those who require a refresher on what to expect, check out the list below which highlights many of the new features coming in Update 12 that will be available to test during these sessions.

New Weapon - Flare Guns
New Commander Abilities - Precision Strike and Ammo Drop
New Vehicle - US "M4A3 75w" Medium Tank
Reintroduced - German Panther Tank
New Camo - German Tiger Tank
Half-track MGs
New Map - Remagen Map
Night Maps (Foy, Purple Heart Lane, Hurtgen Forest, Kursk)
Improvements to existing maps (Kursk, Omaha Beach)
New FX (Blood hits, Artillery explosion and more)
Additional improvements (Reload Interrupts, Fortification Snapping, Smoother Vaulting, MG Deployment and more)

A detailed list of changes will be available in the Discord PTE channel once servers are live.

How To Join The PTE
If this is your first time wanting to participate in a PTE you’ll need to head over to the Discord where you can find information on how to join and get notifications on when a testing period is live. A full changelog can be viewed in the HLL official discord in the #pte-Info channel on the day.

As always we greatly appreciate all who participate, whether it’s to provide valuable feedback and bug reports, or simply help out with the numbers to test server loads and other items. We’ll also be jumping into battle amongst the ranks on the day so if you have the time or are just curious, we would love to hear from you!

War Correspondent, Content Creator and Community HLL Videos

Time for some more community highlights from the below creators. We highly recommend giving them a watch.
If you see a Video you like make sure to post in the Discord #hll-videos channel.

Hell Let Loose - A Weapon SO Good I ran OUT of Ammo - Alpine Sniper
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b25EIDU6ACw

This game has the most INTENSE street to street fighting - IronHeart Gaming
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jv-YljcpNM4

Hell Let Loose - Tanks Hold The High Ground On Kursk To Win - The Fresh Baked Goods
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmHcasKAg6s

Don’t forget that if you haven’t checked out the other Hell Let Loose socials you should do so. Like our discord you will find them great places for information and community interaction.

Join the Discord here https://discord.gg/hellletloose

Our other social platforms can be found here:

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/HellLetLoose/
Twitter https://twitter.com/hell_let_loose
Youtube https://www.youtube.com/c/HellLetLoose
Reddit https://www.reddit.com/r/HellLetLoose/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hellletlooseofficial/
Steam http://steamcommunity.com/groups/HellLetLoose

That ‘maps’ up today's dev brief, we hope you all enjoyed it. See you all on the frontlines soon!