Today we have a small Isonzo update with fixes before the holidays.
Our work on the game isn't done, of course; besides the roadmap we are also aware that bots don't always have their priorities straight, so this will be addressed in a future update. We have heard decreased reports of the "ghost bug" in which invisible players can sabotage matches, but are keeping a finger on the pulse.
Enjoy! This update weighs in at ~180 MB.
Fixes:
Fixed being able to resupply some grenades up to the spawn bonus
Fixed bots getting stuck in some areas
Fixed tracking for "Sacro Egoismo" and "Can I go home now" achievements
Fixed incorrect German gas masks in first person
Fixed mortars firing outside of the selected area
Fixed Main Menu Weapons not showing all weapons and tools
Memory optimization improvements
Devlog #45 - Caporetto Release Week
Hello soldiers,
It's been a week since our Caporetto Expansion went live! Many of you have joined the Battle of Caporetto already and fight in (or against) the German Empire army! We hope you’ve been enjoying the new map and faction so far.
In case you’ve missed the latest devblog, we provided some information about the new map in this Isonzo Intel. Be sure to read it if you haven’t already.
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1556790/view/3632745751430993795?l=english Since Caporetto's release, we've also released a patch addressing some issues that occcurred with the game and the Caporetto map in general. You can find the patchnotes here. We continue to work on the game, so please make sure that your game is always updated o7
Look back at release
It’s been almost 4 months already since you all enlisted for the Italian Front ! The hype and excitement for the release date is still fresh in our memory and a lot of fun memories have been made since !
We’ve made a little compilation video of the content creators/streamers who joined the Italian Front during its release!
WW1 Dev AMA
Last week, we held an AMA here on steam ! You were able to send in your questions through our Discord and founder Jos & producer Thomas provided you with answers ! These questions related to the Caporetto update, the gameseries in general or just some personal questions. Missed the AMA? You can watch it on our YouTube channel !
Isonzo fanart
We’ve received some amazing fanart again ! Twitter user Hetaira has made several art pieces, inspired by the different factions in Isonzo. Thank you so much, they look amazing !
Bring home the trophy for Isonzo
Thank you for your votes! Isonzo has made it to the Top 100! Now it’s time to vote again so Isonzo can bring home the award for Indie of the Year 2022 in the category FPS ! Last year we won the award for Most Anticipated Game, so it would be amazing if we can complete this set. There’s not much time left, so be sure to vote (again) here
Celebration Sale
In celebration of the Caporetto Expansion release, the WW1 Game Series is on sale ! Besides Isonzo, you can now also get the DLC with 10% off (besides the new Royal Units).
Furthermore, both Verdun & Tannenberg are available with a 70% discount ! In case you need a break for the Italian Front, both the Western- & Eastern Front await your arrival as well soldier!
This first patch after Caporetto brings some fixes, both general and relating to the new content. We also made the Caporetto offensive appear in the rotation more now, since we know a lot of you are excited about it and want to play as the German faction.
We are fully aware that the "ghost bug" (players turning invincible/invisible and being able to stall matches this way) is still present. If you encounter it, please report it using the /reportbug function in chat. For more information, take a look at our community Discord.
This update weighs in around 1.1 GB and it updates the network version.
General fixes:
Fixed End match camera animation not working
Bots will no longer stay behind in forbidden sectors
Fixed bots sometimes not cutting wire if the whole line of wire is built
Fixed some glasses and gas mask lenses not being transparent
Fixed resupplying loaded ammo not working on items that are not currently equipped
Caporetto
Fixed Caporetto not showing in Discord rich presence
Fixed terrain spike in the last sector of Caporetto
Fixed missing lights around Forward Posts
Fixed some houses and areas being too dark
Various smaller Caporetto map fixes
Free Caporetto Expansion is NOW live!
Hello soldiers!
It is finally time to fight the Battle of Caporetto - the expansion is out now ! Be sure to update your game and start playing!
With this new expansion comes:
The German Empire Faction
The Caporetto map
New weapons
New challenges
Prestige levelling
You can customise your German soldiers with the Royal Units Pack! This cosmetic set holds over 40+ items. This pack introduces the distinctive uniforms of 2 major states within the "Deutsches Reich": Bavaria and Württemberg, along with other items such as headgear, facial hair, pipes and more!
You can find Isonzo with a 20% discount and its DLC (besides the Royal Units Pack) with 10% off later today at 7pm CET! Time to get all dressed to impress your enemy on the frontlines!
Caporetto Insight
Want to know a bit more about the Caporetto map before you join the battlefield? In our latest Isonzo Intel, we discussed and shared images of this new map! Never hurts to take (another) look and prepare yourself for battle!
On December 7 at 9pm CET founder and creative director Jos (BlackMill Games) & producer Thomas will hold an AMA (ask me anything) here on Steam! You can submit your question in our Discord in the ama channel. Be sure to join our server to send in your question and just chat with us in general while you’re there!
Today we are releasing the first huge Map Update for Isonzo, introducing the infamous Battle of Caporetto on the Kolovrat Ridge, and the German Empire faction.
The update weighs in around ~1.2 GB.
The German Empire
With this update, the German Empire joins the Kingdom of Italy and the Austro-Hungarian Empire on the Italian Front. They will be playable only on maps where the Germans historically participated, so for now they are limited to the Caporetto map.
Factions are extensive in Isonzo, and so the Germans come with a set of their own challenges to unlock the German arsenal; two uniforms per German class based on different years; and of course the weapons and gear themselves, all down to their own binoculars and gas masks. Alongside this, more German cosmetics are available in the Royal DLC.
Caporetto
The first map in the German Intervention offensive! Caporetto features a distinct look with the colours of fall, and pits the Kingdom of Italy as defenders against the German forces.
Prestige and levelling
This update brings two new features to level beyond the maximum class and player levels.
Class Prestiging lets you reset a class' level and unlocks in return for a fancy new class icon in the scoreboard. You can prestige each class 10 times to gain the esteemed golden icon. The prerequisite to prestige a class is reaching level 20 with it and completing its challenges. However, when prestiging, you only have to level to 20 again — you don't have to redo the challenges themselves.
The max player level has been increased from 100 to 150, with exceeding XP requirements, to really show off your expertise at the game.
Balancing
We are rolling out map changes to improve the balancing on the map towards Attackers. We targeted specific areas of Cengio and Gorizia as a pilot. If we see improvements in the overall match results, we can deploy these changes on other maps. Changes include sight line adjustments, HMG quantity and positions, and Forward Post positions.
Overtime now increases the capture speed of objectives over time. Since capture objectives are often the ones saved for last, we hope that this reduces the cases of overtime overstaying its welcome. We did many more adjustments which you can read below.
Full patch notes
New and improved
German faction
New map: Caporetto
German weapons, items and challenges
German DLC uniforms
Class prestige feature
Player Levels increased to 150
Bots use customization!
Rifle Grenade handling reworked
Resupplying ammo now takes loaded ammo into account
Standardised Static weapon use sensivity to prevent movement being too slow or fast
New one handed Melee attack animation for the shovel
Balancing changes
Capzone capture speed increases with length of Overtime
Balance improvements for problematic areas on Cengio and Gorizia
Lethal damage range increase for Heavy and Superhavy Artillery shells
Reduced non-lethal damage falloff for all types of Artillery shells making them more effective at suppression and dealing damage
Grenade stats adjusted
Increased fire rate for the Carcano and Vetterli M1870/87/15
Increased stopping power of the Vetterli M1870/87/15 and Vetterli M1870/87
Decreased fire rate for the Vetterli M1870/87/15 T.S.
Fixes
Fixed Voice chat sometimes not working!
Fixed keybinds not being applied on the spawn map
Fixed being able to hear other players even if Allow Voice Chat setting is turned Off
Fixed footstep sounds not always being heard if the player is not visible
Fixed missing sound on the lock squad button
Fixed "Thus with a Kiss" achievement tracking for players even if they are not officers
Fixed some achievements not being registered when completed
Fixed tutorials not being automatically cycled
Improvements to character movement while prone
Fixed Ammo/Grenade crates not disappearing when a new blueprint is placed
Fixed players sometimes being in the wrong stance while using an HMG
Corrected weapon limit for Italian Carcano with Rifle Grenades
Fixed wrong grenade counts for some classes
Fixed issues with the dynamite planting animation
Fiat Revelli closed bolt animation update
Fixed Schonauer reload sounds being slightly out of sync
Fixed Arditi dagger and Mustard gas names in the Kill info/feed
Fixed camera shake from grenades affecting players from too far away
Fixed first person footsteps sounding like there is someone following you while wearing Armor
Fixed bots walking through the Sabotino bridge
Improved Friends list functionality and performance
Fixed Support Company Engineer perk speed bonus
Fixed Rifle-grenadier perk resupplies giving more grenades than needed
Further fix for being able to join private matches through the friends list without entering the password
Devlog #44 - The Upcoming Caporetto Map!
Hello soldiers !
It’s almost time for the Caporetto Expansion! On December 5th, we’ll release this free expansion that will include several things, but most prominent will be the Caporetto map and the German Empire faction (along with their own weaponry)!
Since our announcement, we’ve updated our roadmap, so be sure to take a look to know when you can expect the other maps and additional content from this expansion and the upcoming ones ! https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2891901825 Additionally, the German Empire will have their own cosmetic DLC pack! The Royal Units pack will include over 40 cosmetic items that you can use to customise your soldier! Remember that this is only purely cosmetic and won’t give you any in-game advantage. The price will be $ 9.99. Not available for pre-order but you can wishlist it!
“ Our hitherto silent artillery began its preparation at 0200, October 24, 1917. It was a dark and rainy night and in no time a thousand gun muzzles were flashing on both sides of Tolmein. In the enemy territory an uninterrupted bursting and banging thundered and re-echoed from the mountains as powerfully as the severest thunderstorm. We saw and heard this tremendous activity with amazement. The Italian searchlights tried vainly to pierce the rain, and the expected enemy interdiction fire on the area around Tolmein did not materialise as only a few hostile batteries answered the German fire. That was very reassuring and, half asleep, we retired to our cover and listened to the dying away of our own artillery fire.”
The Battle of Caporetto, also known as the 12th Battle of the Isonzo, took place from October 24 - November 19, 1917. Though the battle commenced in late October, preparations started in August. Paul von Hindenburg, who was a German field marshal and statesman, figured that if they wanted to keep the Austro-Hungarians in the war, Germany had to help them defeat the Italian army. Erich Ludendorff, General of the Infantry, was opposed to this but was overruled. The next month, three experts from the Imperial General Staff, led by chemist Otto Hahn, went to the Isonzo front to find a site suitable for a gas attack. The Caporetto sector was a proposed attacking area, as it had a good road that ran west through a mountain valley to the Venetian plain.
With this preparation and field research, the Austro-Hungarian Army Group Boroević, commanded by Svetozar Boroević, started to prepare for this offensive. Additionally, a new 14th Army was formed with nine Austrian and six German divisions, commanded by the German Otto von Below. It is said that the Italians inadvertently helped by providing weather information over their radio, which was intercepted.
“ At 06:41, 2,200 guns opened fire, many targeting the valley road along which reserves were advancing to plug the gap. At 08:00 two large mines were detonated under strong points on the heights bordering the valley and the infantry attacked. Soon they penetrated the almost undefended Italian fortifications in the valley, breaching the defensive line of the Italian Second Army between the IV and XXVII Corps. To protect the attackers' flanks, Alpine Troops infiltrated the strong points and batteries along the crests of the adjoining ridges, Matajur and Kolovrat, laying out their telephone lines as they advanced to maintain contact with their artillery. Specially-trained and equipped stormtrooper units led attacks, making good use of the new German model 08/15 Maxim light machine gun, light trench mortars, mountain guns, flamethrowers and hand grenades.”
German troops advancing over a wooden bridge spanning a gorge during the operations near Tolmin | IWM
Want to read more about the the Battle of Caporetto, read our previous dev blog https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1556790/view/3360274802610878231?l=english
Caporetto in Isonzo
Caporetto is a large five line battlefield based on the strategically important Monte Kolovrat - specifically the German advance from the town of Tolmin (Tolmino/Tolmein) all the way to Kolovrat Ridge. The first thing you’ll notice is the change of scenery and weather: overcast and rainy, in sharp contrast to the bright sunny days of most Isonzo maps. [ The scenario as depicted on the map
The first line lies within the ruins of Tolmin, ruined by heavy shelling. The rubble provides plentiful cover for defenders and multiple routes to sneak forward for defenders. The town church still stands, however, and it’s a capture objective. The Italians have fortified it with multiple heavy machine gun positions and there is clear ground leading up to it, so the Germans will need to use smoke, gas, or flank it from the direction of the other objective - a sabotage point deeper in the town itself.
The church tower still stands strong
Reference vs. in-game
After breaking through Tolmin, the road to victory for the attackers leads uphill. Two bunkers on a forested slope both need to be sabotaged to allow progress, and to reach them a dry riverbed must be crossed. Following that, the trees begin to thin out a little but the third line consists of trenches built with wood logs and utilizing pre-existing stone walls. To obtain this objective, the German soldiers will need to capture one trench position and sabotage another.
The fourth, penultimate defensive line is where the Italians have based some huge siege mortars, one of which must be dynamited! The other objective is a capture point within a cluster of shell blasted houses. All of this is still uphill fighting for the Germans - the siege mortars are in fact built into a kind of ‘stepped’ position rather than all being on the same height. The Italians are well dug in here, possibly smart-placed barbed wire from engineers could really make things tricky for the attackers.
And at last, following a road lined with destroyed trucks and rocky outcrops, the Germans reach Hill 1114! For this primary capture objective both sides will be attacking uphill, as Italian reinforcements deploy lower down on the other side of the peak. The defensive positions naturally favour the Italians, but counterattacking won’t be easy either, so it’s best for the Italians to try and hold the hill rather than trusting their ability to take it back. The hill is not as wide or as fortified as the peaks on some other Isonzo maps, and there is a second objective to deal with so it isn’t necessarily all about the peak. Be sure to strategize your deployment and focus on both objectives. It's better to divide and concur!
We would like to highlight a video of our great Indy Neidell, who has visited the area and the summit of the map.
Complete Overview
Hopefully you got a good understanding of what is waiting for you this monday ! Want to take it all in again? We got the complete flyover of the Caporetto map on our YouTube channel!
Play cat & maus(er)
To end this devblog with, we have a final weapon highlight before you can start using them yourself! This weapon is not unknown to many of you. This semi-automatic pistol design from Mauser and chambered in the high velocity 7.63x25mm cartridge, the Mauser pistol is about as iconic as they come.
An effective semi-automatic design, and commercially successful, it was widely used across almost every front of the Great War. While impressive at the trials, it would effectively lose the Army contract to the Luger P08. Still, the Mauser was pressed into service in many areas
Sporting 10 rounds - this pistol provided a large capacity with an effective cartridge. Compared with the German’s current pistol, the Reichsrevolver, it was an improvement in nearly every necessary field. Though there’s no ‘perfect’ weapon and the Mauser faced some issues with jams and its weight. Another short falling, which many pistols at the time had, was the stripper clip - which wasn’t ideally against more common and faster reloading styles of magazines. A nice addition to the Mauser was an optimistic adjustable sight. This led to the ability to see up to 1000m.
It was used extensively as a private purchase by many officers of different nations throughout the war, and by many famous historical figures, including Winston Churchill (who was fond of the pistol). The iconic design would also lend itself to Han Solo’s blaster in the Star Wars franchise. It would see further development towards the Second World War in the form of magazine design and automatic fire.
AMA with developers!
On December 7 at 9pm CET founder and creative director Jos (BlackMill Games) & producer Thomas will hold an AMA (ask me anything) here on Steam! You can submit your question in our Discord in the ama channel. Be sure to join our server to send in your question and just chat with us in general while you’re there!
In celebration of the Caporetto Expansion release, founder Jos and producer Thomas will host an AMA!
Join the stream were they will answer the questions you've submitted in our Discord and maybe even your questions in chat. They will take you through the new Caporetto map and German Empire faction and share some interesting insights.
Be sure to tune in!
Nominate Isonzo!
Hello soldiers!
Have you been enjoying Isonzo so far? Was Isonzo the game you've been looking forward to play this year? Are you loving the game despite getting shot all the time? Blown away by the amazing original soundtrack that greets you in the menu?
Well, if you answered 'yes' to at least one of these questions, it's your chance to support us by nominating Isonzo for the Steam Awards!
Best Game You Suck At Award
Who said that war was easy? We sure didn't! Being on the Italian Front with no real protective armour, just you, your fellow soldiers and your weapons. Kill or be killed. That's how things were back in the day and that's how it is in the game. Don't worry, practice makes perfect as they say. Or just play against bots, although they don't seem to be an easy enemy either...
Therefore, be sure to nominate Isonzo in the Best Game You Suck At category!
Rinasceremo Insieme!
Many of you were amazed by Isonzo's original theme song that greets you in the main menu, alongside all the other music you can hear in the game! In case you've missed it, we've written a dev blog all about the creation of the song, so be sure to give that a read!
Rinasceremo Insieme is the heart and DNA of Isonzo! If the song has found a way into your heart as well, be sure to vote Isonzo for Best Soundtrack as well. Have a listen to the song, while you do so. ;)
If you would like nominate Isonzo for any of the other categories, you can do so here or choose at the special feature at the top of this announcement !
Caporetto Expansion releases next month!
Earlier today, we announced that the German Empire along with the Caporetto map will be added to Isonzo on December 5th for free!
Along with this release we'll have new cosmetic DLC for the Germans as well! Named the 'Royal Units', it has large amount of different items, and will cost $9.99.
Overview of the Royal Units DLC Pack
You can already wishlist this DLC pack! Remember, the Caporetto expansion is free, only the cosmetic DLC is available for wishlisting and later for purchase.
Isonzo and its DLC is also part of the Autumn Steam Sale! Great time to gear up your soldiers for the windy and icy cold weather with the DLC items (although it won't matter much in-game).
Thank you for all your support!
Sie kommen! The German Empire joins Isonzo next month !
Hello soldiers,
We’re happy to share with you all that the free Caporetto Expansion is next month! On December 5th, Isonzo will get a big new update with the new Caporetto map, the addition of the German Empire faction, new weapons and the Prestige levelling for our veteran soldiers, combined with fresh challenges!
Additionally, there will be cosmetic DLC available for the Germans! The Royal Units Pack will be available on the same date and includes a diverse set of items; the distinctive uniforms of 2 major states within the Deutsches Reich: Bavaria and Württemberg. It contains 2 sets of uniforms for all classes, plus a special officer uniform.
The Royal Units Pack contains 40+ items:
- 13 German Uniforms - 18 German Headgear Items - 5 Facial Items - 5 Mustaches - 3 Faces
As with the previous DLC, these are only visual aspects for your character and do not bring any stat advantages in-game.
The additional content from the Caporetto Expansion mentioned in our previous roadmap will still be added to Isonzo, but at a different time. We need a bit more time to work on the other maps and Mac support, we ask for your patience and please look forward to them!
Please take a look at our updated roadmap to see what you can expect December 5th and the following updates & expansions.
Been enjoying your battles on the Italian Front? You can now nominate Isonzo for Steam Awards! We greatly appreciate your love and support for the game, and we’ll continue on making Isonzo an enjoyable experience for you all!
You can read more about our nomination announcement and the categories here
On the Eastern Front, you’ll be able to participate in the famous Wolf Truce ! Until November 28th, you can join your comrades and enemies in a truce to fight a common enemy. As the wintery cold and hunger is an enemy to us all, the wolf won’t stand down for a meal… Participate in the truce and receive a special medal ! Join the Truce in Tannenberg
Good luck on the field!
Devblog #43 - The German Assault Class
Hello soldiers!
Thank you all for your participation during the Armistice Day silence. We loved seeing and reading your comments in Discord as well.
Additionally, we shared a devblog about the German rifle . We would like to continue this trend and shed some light on a different German class for this week.
The German Assault - “Stoßtrupp”
During World War One, Germany (and other nations) made use of assault troops, building a certain reputation for it. They would be fielding minimal equipment, armed with grenades and light rifles/pistols. In 1918 submachine guns were added to their loadout. The stormtroopers were made up of well-trained & experienced soldiers led by largely autonomous decision-making commanders. Their expertise and role was to break the impasse of trench warfare. Known as; mobile, ruthless, and effective - these troops are prevalent in WW1 imagery to this day.
The Stoßtruppen in Isonzo showcase some classic characteristics you might know. Some of these are; the reinforced leather knee patches, grenades worn on the belt, grenade bags/chest plate, the gas mask worn at a readied position for immediate access. This all contributed to a general ‘lighter’ kind of equipment, which we mentioned earlier. Additionally, it wasn’t uncommon to see them with a trench dagger, like many assault forces during the war.
Let’s take a closer look at some of their equipment items!
Look out! Grenade!
The concept of the grenade was not something new during WW1, as it has been around for centuries. Prior to the Great War, it wasn’t an especially popular and effective piece of military equipment. With the introduction of Trench Warfare, the grenade became an increasingly apparent item.
The grenade was a useful tool for clearing entrenched positions such as bunkers and dugouts. Its efficiency for this purpose provided the standard infantry man a form of mobile light artillery. Its design changed and adopted during this new worldwide conflict and type of warfare it was now used in.
The grenade effectively gave the standard infantryman a form of mobile light artillery, and the designs adopted during the conflict borrowed many features from their predecessors.
Stielhandgranate
Portable, powerful, simple, and easy to use – the German stick grenade would become intertwined with World War One imagery.
Appearing first in 1915, the stick grenade was a concussive blast grenade (unlike the French F1 and British Mills bomb) which didn’t always kill but would often stun opponents instead. The shape of the grenade was ideal for throwing and the short fuse made it a difficult weapon to avoid for the enemy.
Made out of a wooden handle, grenade head and fuse, it came with a hook on the grenade head making it carriable on the belt. Its shape made it quite safe to use accurately, as it was less likely to roll, compared with the rounder hand grenades of the period.
A faulty element of the original 1915 grenade was the pull cord located at the base, which could lead to accidental triggers. Therefore the new 1916 design introduced a small screw cap, which hid the cord (with a porcelain bead) safely located within the grenade’s wooden handle.
The German grenades came with a variety of different heads such as our M16 variant, which has the older Brennzünder 15 style grenade head. The M17 design in general was more streamlined and had a smaller grenade head. This was due to the more powerful explosive Trinitrotoluene that was used in these models.
Famous through both the First and Second World Wars, many variants of this simple design would be adopted throughout the years by multiple nations – though eventually the smaller compact style of the F1/Mills style grenade design eventually took over.
Eierhandgranate M17
Further adding to the German arsenal is the M17 Eierhandgranate (literally meaning ‘egg hand grenade’). Although the stick grenades showed their effectiveness on the battlefield, the German forces recognized a need for other grenade types. This led to the introduction of several small grenade designs that resemble a hen’s egg, hence the name. The n/A (Neuer Art / new model) improved on earlier models which were entirely smooth - not ideal for handling in the wet and mud that characterized many World War One battlefields.
This small grenade proved to be extremely portable but underpowered compared with the Stielhandgranate. It is not uncommon to see German troops with a plate worn on the chest for quick grenade usages. Effective in offensives, it was especially popular with assault roles. Photographs of this are rare as the grenades were often conveniently housed in a tunic pocket.
4th and 5th soldier holding an egg hand grenade and plate
A battlefield find!
In 2017, we discovered this unearthed grenade during our trip to Fort Douaumont, which is near Verdun. With the grenade head of an older style M15 – we made sure we didn’t touch it!
It was most likely an unwelcome, but unsurprising discovery by someone metal detecting.
Howling heard on the Eastern Front
It has gotten cold on the Eastern Front. The winter and snow have made it a difficult terrain for the soldiers to battle on. However, they’re not the only ones being affected by the cold season and the war. Like a soldier, the wolf awaits his moment to attack his prey in the woods...
Starting today until November 28, you can participate in the Wolf Truce in Tannenberg! Hold the truce and obtain a special medal!
