Squad 44 News

Hey folks! We have a quick fix for the tank engine bug as well as a fix for the Armour School blackboard! Cheers.

[h3]Hotfix 22/04/2024[/h3]

• Fixed tank engine bug
  
• Fixed armour school blackboard
  

Hey folks! The team has been doing some spring cleaning and have a brand new update for you!

Here are some highlights, and don’t forget to check the Changelog for a complete list of changes (there are a lot)!

[h2]What’s New[/h2]
[h3]Updated Graphics for Chapter 1 Maps[/h3]


A lot of work has been done cleaning up the Chapter 1 maps: updating textures, fixing lighting, and adding furniture to buildings to give a more “lived-in” feel. All of this has been done with optimization in mind.





[h3]New Visual Effects[/h3]


We’ve made significant changes to the visual effects in-game, specifically to plane bomb explosions, HE shell explosions against wood, concrete and metal, artillery explosions and muzzle flashes. Just check out these before and afters to see the difference!

[h3]Old:[/h3]


[h3]New: [/h3]


[h3]Old[/h3]


[h3]New[/h3]


[h3]New Logistics Buildables[/h3]

Logi squads have brand new buildables, including a M2HB 50 cal bunker.



[h2]Changelog:[/h2]
Level Design

• Multiple level design amends on Chapter 1 maps
  
• Lighting amends all maps
  
• Maginot tunnels added
  
• Def spawns moved on some small maps
  
• New loading screens for maps
  
• Interior furnishing on Chapter 1 maps
  
• HLOD test Carentan
  

Art Amends

• Multiple new logistics buildables (faction specific)
  
• Multiple environment art & building models improved graphically
  

Gameplay

• Allowed MGs & mortars to be useable by both teams
  
• Stopped fixed AT guns being used by both factions
  

New Weapons

• Berthier 1907 (FR)
  
• Colt 1917 Revolver (US)
  
• Webley Mk6 Revolver (GB)
  
• P14 Sniper (ANZAC)
  
• RSC 1917 (FR)
  
• Mle. 1892 Revolver (FR)
  
• Ruby Pistol (FR)
  
• MG08/15 (GER)
  
• Browning HP (GB)
  
• Browning Pistole 640b (GER)
  
• Anti Tank K98 Grenade Launcher (GER)
  
• SMLE No.1 MK3 Cup Discharger (ANZAC)
  
• Emplaced M2HB .50cal (US)
  
• Emplaced St Etienne (Greek)
  
• Emplaced MG08/15 (GER)
  
• M3 37mm AT Gun (US)
  

Animations

• Amended Lee Enfield animation to be more realistic
  

Infantry Faction Amends France 1940

• Mortier Leger (changed primary rifle to the RSC 1917)
  
• Commandant all variants (changed side arm to the Mle. 1892 Revolver)
  
• Medecin de combat (changed side arm to the Ruby Pistol)
  

Wehrmacht 1940

• Created new MG role (MG08/15)
  

Waffen SS

• Sanitäter (changed side arm to Browning Pistole 640b)
  
• Funker (changed side arm to Browning Pistole 640b)
  

Wehrmacht 1944

• Schießbecher (added Anti Tank K98 Grenade Launcher )
  

Anzac

• Marksman (changed primary rifle to the P14 sniper)
  
• Created Grenadier role (added SMLE No.1 MK3 Cup Discharger)
  

Greeks

• Light mortar (changed primary rifle to Berthier 1907)
  
• Ensured NCO lee Enfield role has a lee Enfield mk3 (bug fix)
  

All US factions

• All tank crew (inc the SL) (change sidearm to the Colt 1917 Revolver)
  

UK factions

• Officer all variants (changed side arm to Webley Mk6 Revolver)
  
• Radioman (changed sidearm to Browning HP)
  

Logistics Buildable amends Crete Factions

• Removed the Pak38 from the 1941 Falschirmjager & gebirgsjager (crete maps)
  
• Added LG40 to the Falschirmjager & gebirgsjager (crete maps)
  
• Removed QF gun from ANZACs & Greeks (crete maps)
  
• Changed the greek emplacement mg from the vickers to the emplaced st etienne
  

1940 Wehrmacht

• Added emplaced MG08/15
  
• Added Pak36
  

French 1940

• Added APX
  
• Added Hotchkiss MG
  

All US Factions

• Added M2HB 50cal (classed as an infantry support weapon so logistics buildable only, should have the same restrictions as the German 20mm & cost the same to build & reload)
  
• Added M3 37mm AT gun
  

Armour changes

• Re-zeroed all tank & AT gun sights
  
• Assigned historically accurate magnification to sights
  

VFX/SFX Upgrade & Optimisation

• New plane bomb blasts
  
• New HE shell explosions (metal/armour/wood)
  
• New artillery explosions (gravel/sand etc)
  
• Added Muzzle Flash FX
  
• Added faction-specific historically accurate tracer colours
  

User Interface

• Moving mouse over a radio on mini map shows build range and radio exclusion range
  
• Provided toggleable option to always show the above ranges or not
  
• Introduced hover widget over deployables to show cost & how many built
  
• Updated buildables UI
  
• Updated legend for spawn screen
  
• Updated UIs showing radio/spawn tent/supplies status in vicinity of radios
  
• Improved equipment icons
  

Performance

• Draw calls reduced on a significant number of environment art assets
  
• Added LODs to Wheel Controllers
  
• Set server queue limits to 15 (reduces server load)
  

Bug Fixes

• Fixed shadow pooling on Chapter 2 maps
  
• Texture fixes on Dinnant
  
• Fixed player head variation not working
  
• Fixed AT emplacements being visible to the other team
  
• Fixed water kill volumes not killing certain vehicles
  
• Fixed Radio dig down/Spawn tent exploit
  
• Cleaned up camera system on emplaced guns
  
• French Cdr car now visible on minimap
  
• Added Polish flag to Polish layers
  

[h2]Ready up, Recruits! [/h2]

Squad 44 will be on sale during Steam's FPS Fest for 50% OFF! This offer lasts April 15th until FPS Fest ends on April 22nd, so grab a discounted copy for you or your friends during this limited time!

Offworld out.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/736220/Squad_44/

Hi folks,

We will be hosting a public playtest Apr 12, 2024 at 18:30 UTC on the Squad 44 - Public Testing app and will last around 3 to 4 hours. Space will be limited as only 2 servers will be up during the testing period, so it will be on a first-come-first-serve basis!

You can join the playtest by downloading the Squad 44 - Public Testing app.

PLEASE NOTE! This is different from the main game! If you cannot see it, go to the top of Steam, click on “View”, and then “Hidden Games”





If you already have it installed, an update will be made available a few hours ahead of the test for you to download.


This playtest we’ll be testing:

• New VFX - new explosions, muzzle flashes, plane bomb blasts, etc
  
• Updated graphics - new textures, furniture in buildings, etc
  
• New logi buildables - M2HB 50cal + more
  
• The Maginot Tunnels - they are now open! (still under construction, so you may come across issues in the tunnels)
  
• And much more!
  

Full update notes coming soon! We hope you’ll be able to join us!

[h2]Greetings folks![/h2]

We’re excited to announce the final step in our re-brand: introducing Squad 44mm!

Become immersed in World War II warfare from the ground up, literally! Even the smallest of soldiers can turn the tides of war, especially infantry. Take on WWII from an entirely new perspective!

[h2]With our new name comes three new game modes:[/h2]

[h3]Lily Pad Invasion[/h3]

Storm the shores and take over the backyard! Make sure to watch out for environmental hazards like frogs, newts, and pesky dragonflies!

[h3]Panzer Garden Party[/h3]

War is no picnic, folks. Hit the garden with your tot-sized tanks and dig up that soil! Leave no blade of grass unclipped!

[h3]BONUS MODE: Lieutenant Colonels Tea Time[/h3]

Sneak into the lieutenant colonel's office and sabotage his tea with too much sugar! Watch out: he may spit out hot tea with disgust!

[h2]We hope you like the new direction of Squad 44mm. Let us know your thoughts in the comments![/h2]