Community members! We recently announced that we will be updating “Ostfront” soon. In this blog, you will find out what that means; we will discuss the mechanics, visuals, new units and netcode improvements that will make up this vast update. Curious? Keep reading!

Content Update 5

Content Update 5 will be the largest free update we have introduced so far, giving every Ostfront player a reason to come back and play. It will not only add to the original “Ostfront” package, but to “Talvisota” as well!
With this update, the original “Ostfront” game has been expanded by quite a margin.
The original 2021 version had roughly half the content you will have when CU5 goes live.
When “Ostfront” was about to be launched, we published Development update 99, in which we listed what would be in the release version; compare that to the package after we release CU5, and you’ll be amazed. Back then, we made a statement about expanding the package, and Content Update 5 will be the last step to fulfill that promise. Over time, we published a lot of free updates, each adding content. Besides vehicles and maps we added a lot more; assets, updated sound, added and updated game mechanics; added a game mode, and then some. So what’s coming in this update?

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Destructibility

In our original release, the destructibility of trees was not catered for. With this update, that will change; when hit directly by a large HE shell, trees will now disintegrate.
Besides destructibility, trees will behave more naturally when hit by a sufficiently large projectile, or when heavy vehicles push them over. If the circumstances are right, trees will shed leaves when hit on a summer or autumn map, and shed snow when hit on winter maps. This will add a more natural feel, which helps immersion.

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Doctrines redesign

A massive effort has gone into overhauling the doctrines for all nations.
We hired one of the most competitive players to help us shape this, because it is much more than a re- shuffle of the existing units; it re- shapes the way they work.
The doctrine choice has been modified to affect the infantry squads available to you, giving doctrines more meaning and more distinct flavors. Almost all of the infantry units migrate to the infantry menu, and the brand new “Unit Visualizer" we designed for it will show you exactly what your choice amounts to. Players can see the units they will have at their disposal while selecting the doctrines in the multiplayer Lobby. This allows them to plan ahead and check which doctrines have their favorite units.
We also added a new doctrine type, which is the Lend Lease type. Some of the doctrines will fall into this category.


You will be able to preview the selection of units your doctrine brings

New units

We have added a respectable amount of new units for the Soviet Union, Germany and Finland; a lot of new squads, vehicles, weapons, humanskins and tanks will be included.
Some squads are no longer always the same when you purchase them, they cycle. One in every X squads will contain a sniper, or different weapons loadouts. It's not random, it's a cyclical system. This allows us to add squad variety and add historical accuracy to platoon-level squad loadouts.

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Netcode improvements

You will have noticed that in multiplayer, when vehicles get stopped or destroyed, it could take a second before these units would be shifted to the correct position, due to what is called “position lag”. We have Improved the netcode to address this.
Another important issue that has been improved on is the so called “inventory desync” that would sometimes occur.

Conquest

We are always working on conquest, and Content Update 5 will bring some new functions to the table. Players will be able to choose the theater of operations, and choose the enemy’s nation. The region of operations option filters out the nations available, plus the maps that will be used for the campaign.
This also means that modders get a lot of new options, new combinations and possibilities with these features. The visualizer below shows you how it works.

Visuals

To match the new standard we want to set with the “Liberation” DLC, we have upgraded some textures and 3d models to improve their visual fidelity. You will see quite a difference to the “old” environments. Things will look different, and we think you’ll like it.
We have also improved the “direct control aiming circle”; the projected spread of salvos will become easier to understand as a result.
Last but not least, we have improved visuals of many of the infantry weapon (small arms) 3d models, so they are third/ first person worthy.

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https://store.steampowered.com/app/2447590/Call_to_Arms__Gates_of_Hell_Liberation/

Planning

Content Update 5 will go live around the time when we’re ready to publish the Liberation DLC, which (currently) means this will happen before the end of the year.
The exact moment will be announced at some point, together with a detailed list of contents in the shape of a change log.

Did you know?

• ”Ostfront” was the first title Barbedwire studios ever developed
• Development update #99 (linked in the text above) was published on the day of the Ostfront release
• That update was read by around 8000 people in june 2021; nowadays the average number of readers is between 7 and 12 times more

That’s it for now, thanks for your time and see you on the battlefield!

P.S.: If you’d like to see one of the vehicles that is not shown in this blog, join the official Discord to get that render, by clicking the image below.