Sound the drums of competitive fervour as the latest update sees a release! Better your standing in the class-based leaderboards and rise through the ranks as you gather battlefield experience. You’ll be awarded medals for your honourable feats and achievements to distinguish yourself from the rest.

Come decorate yourself with Steam achievements! There are 50 of them to unlock in this release. Have a read of our blog post for all the details.

Excitement and revel as those good folks in the rank and file, artilleryman, skirmishers, crewman, those playing a support role as well as the ones in high-command strive to better their standing in the newly introduced class-based leaderboards.

Particularly good at playing your preferred class? We’ll surely be seeing your rise to the top! Score you’ve accumulated after the round ends whilst playing with one of the many classes that make up for Holdfast: NaW’s selection will be put towards bettering your standing in the leaderboards. You’ll also have a few medals to show for it.



Leaderboard medals are awarded based on a particular bracket you fall under. As you reach your way to the top 500, you’ll gather your first bronze medal followed by a silver medal once you make it to the top 100 and eventually the prestigious gold medal should your standing reach its way to the top 25. Amongst those distinguished few that made their way to the top 3? You’ll similarly be rewarded with a unique decorative medal specific to your standing.

Show-off your honourable feats to those good men standing shoulder to shoulder. These medals will be displayed right next to your name whilst playing the game.

Awarded Medals

Bronze Medal - Standing +500



Silver Medal - Standing +100



Gold Medal - Standing + 25



Top Tier - Standing 3rd Place



Top Tier - Standing 2nd Place



Top Tier - Standing 1st Place



Soldier your way through the field of battle and rise through the ranks! You’ll gather experience based on how well you did during a match. Start by picking one of the many classes to join the fray and advance through all 50 ranks.

Staying true to Holdfast’s core design, you will find no unlockable firearms or melee weapons that otherwise provide an advantage over other players locked behind the soldier ranking mechanic.



There’s a total of 9 medals you can gather through soldiering. Similarly, these will also be displayed next to your name while playing. It’ll certainly be quite the sight to see those good fellows well decorated.

Awarded Medals

Bronze Medals - Soldier Rank 5, 10 & 15



Silver Medals - Soldier Rank 20, 25 & 30



Gold Medals - Soldier Rank 35, 40 & 50



Player scoring has undergone balance changes. Musicians and flag bearers will see an increase in score they gather by playing a supportive role indicative of their class, infantry officers gather more score while issuing orders to the rank and file and a variety of other related additions.



Up for hunting a few Steam achievements? There are 50 ones to unlock all of which vary in difficulty. Humourful references to community ongoings, legendary works of art and more. Take a look at all the achievements you can gather below.

Holdfast NaW - Steam Achievements



Rest assured that the team is hard at work developing more game-play focused updates. In the next major update, Holdfast will see the introduction of one of the most community-requested features. I’m pretty sure you can guess what’s next in line from our rather subtle hint below.

It’s been months of hard work but it is nearing ever closer. You may also be seeing a new map being introduced leading to the release of the next major update.



Looking for a good bunch of fellows to play the game with? Do join our Discord! Linebattle events where players are encouraged to play in formations relevant to the Napoleonic era are hosted by the community through the week. Discord is also a great place to be to stay in touch with the game’s development. Feedback is always greatly welcomed.

If you’re a fellow in the ranks of a regiment, go declare your enlistment. Through this, you can gather access to the ‘Field Camp’ where regimental specific discussion ensues. We look forward to seeing you there!

https://discordapp.com/invite/holdfastgame



Here’s the full changelog for all the bug fixes and additions we have undergone in this update.



Changelog 38 - Game Version 0.35.7196.27294

Game Features
● Leaderboards. Better Your Standing. Good folks in the rank and file, artilleryman, skirmishers, crewman, those playing a support role as well as the ones in high-command strive to better their standing in the newly introduced class-based leaderboards.
» You can view the leaderboards by clicking the button present on the main menu or by pressing the ‘Esc’ key during a match.
» Expand the leaderboard to show the top 100 fellows by pressing the arrow button next to each class.
» Class-based leaderboards are respectively split into 'Class' and 'Melee Arena'. You will only be able to better your standing in the 'Melee Arena' leaderboard by playing on the respective servers.
» You require a minimum of 10 players on the Army Front servers for your score to contribute towards bettering your leaderboard standing or soldier rank advancement. Naval Warfront servers only require 6.

● Leaderboards. Medals. Leaderboard medals are awarded based on a particular bracket you fall under. Show-off your honourable feats to those good men standing shoulder to shoulder. These medals will be displayed right next to your name whilst playing the game.

● Soldier Rank. Battlefield Experience. Soldier your way through the field of battle and rise through the ranks! You’ll gather experience based on how well you did during a match. Start by picking one of the many classes to join the fray and advance through all 50 ranks.
» You can view the ranks of your soldiers through the leaderboards.

● Soldier Rank. Medals. There’s a total of 9 medals you can gather through soldiering. Similarly, these will also be displayed next to your name while playing. It’ll certainly be quite the sight to see those good fellows well decorated.

● Scoring. Game Balance. Player scoring has undergone balance changes. Musicians and flag bearers will see an increase in score they gather by playing a supportive role indicative of their class and more.

● Steam Achievements. Decorate. Up for hunting a few Steam achievements? There are 50 ones to unlock all of which vary in difficulty. Humourful references to community on goings, legendary works of art and more. Take a look at all the achievements you can gather below.
» Holdfast NaW - Steam Achievements

Bug Fixes
● Solved an issue which caused players to be pushed back when jumping aboard a moving ship.

● Solved an issue which caused players to get stuck ramming or loading a cannon.

● Solved an issue which prevented players from opening the spawn menu user interface when a ship was sunk by the enemy faction.

● Solved an issue which allowed infantry officers to stack ‘fire at will’ and ‘fire’ firearm accuracy bonuses.

● Solved an issue which caused special characters from various localised languages on enemy player name plates to show.

● Experimental fix towards an issue which causes interaction icons indicators to stretch throughout the map.

● Solved an issue which broke subsequent Army Battlefield and Army Assault map rotations if a greater or lesser number of spawn points where present and using spawn overrides.

● Solved an issue which allowed server administrators to slay a player which was already dead.

● Solved an issue which caused other players to disappear when looking at a specific area on Fort Salettes.

● Solved an issue with invisible rock models on Snowy Plains 2 (L).

● Solved an issue with invisible gabions on King George.

● Solved an issue with invisible rocks on Fort Winston.

● Solved an issue with one of the pillar models missing a face on Desert Ruins.

● Solved an issue where the background appeared to be cut-off on Desert Plains 1.

● Solved an issue with the church door override props always spawning sideways.

● Solved an issue with the door1 props always spawning sideways.

● Solved an issue which allowed gates on Fort Salettes to be openable while playing as the attackers on the Army Siege game mode.

●Solved an issue which allowed gates on Southsea Castle to be openable while playing as the attackers on the Army Siege game mode.

● Solved an issue with floating barrel props on Palisade Arena.

● Pianos are no longer destructible.

Game Polish
● Hiding behind partially built Chaevaux De Frise (L) will no longer make you impervious to shots from firearms.

● Reduced the number on infantry spawns on Fort Salettes gatehouse while the Army Siege game mode is playing.

● Several maps have received amendments to prevent players from capturing points from obscure locations on the Army Siege and Army Conquest game modes.
» Fort Christina - Fort Flag = You can only capture this flag from the top of the blockhouse.
» Fort Salettes - Gatehouse = You can only capture this flag from ground level.
» Fort Salettes - Cellar = You can only capture this flag from the cellar itself.
» Fort Salettes - Tower = You can only capture this flag from the first floor upwards.
» Fort Schwarz - Fort Flag = You can only capture this flag while atop the tower.
» Balamor Bay - Tower Flag = You can only capture this flag from atop the fortification’s base.
» Fort Imperial - Fort Flag = You can only capture this flag while standing at the very top of the fort.
» Martello Tower - Tower Flag = You can only capture this flag from inside the tower.
» Martello Tower - Shipwreck = You can no longer capture this flag without going ashore.
» South Sea Castle - Fort Flag = You can only capture this flag from the first floor upwards.
» Fort Winston - Fort Flag = You can no longer capture this flag from atop the walls.

● Increased the number of Infantry Officers playable on the Melee Arena game mode.

● Blocked a few pathways on the walls present on Fort Arena to prevent players from running around in circles unnecessarily delaying the round.

● Players can no longer enter inside the towers present on Watchtower Arena.

● You will now find the kill streak announcer present on the Army Deathmatch game mode.

● Several amendments to the top bar user interface while playing the Army Deathmatch game mode.
» It now shows neutral flags instead of faction-based ones.
» Flag to the left now tracks the kills you’ve gathered.
» Flag to the right now tracks the player that has gathered the most kills while excluding yourself from the equation.

● Removed obsolete centre screen text from showing during the end of round screen while playing on the Army Deathmatch game mode.

● Changed the winning condition of the Melee Arena game mode so it enables teams to make a comeback. Victory is now determined based on the team which first reaches a set number of rounds.

● Several amendments to the top bar user interface while playing the Melee Arena game mode.
» It now correctly tracks the winning team.
» It now correctly represents the maximum number of rounds.

● Solved an issue with the match duration being displayed incorrectly in the end of match screen while playing the Melee Arena game mode.

● Solved an instance where the maximum player respawns parameter would break the Melee Arena game mode.

● Solved an instance in which the round start countdown timer would flash shortly after the round reset in the Melee Arena game mode.

● Solved an instance in which the wave spawn timer would be displayed whilst spawning in the Melee Arena game mode.

● Prevented double kills from occurring inside spawn locations for fresh spawns in the Melee Arena game mode.

● The battle timer is now visible for spectators in the Melee Arena game mode.

● The end of round score now displays for longer in the Melee Arena game mode.

● Removed the respawn timer displayed in the death screen whilst playing the Melee Arena game mode as it served no purpose.

● Solved a rare occurrence which caused the Army Assault game mode to end early.

● Disabled the wave spawn timer on the army Assault game mode. Players should spawn in instantly.

● Slays from Administrators and player suicides now correctly count towards the enemy team in the Army Assault game mode. This sometimes resulted in the top bar displaying incorrect information.

● In the Naval Assault game mode, the out of time winning condition was changed to count the number of ships sunk instead of the ships that remain alive.

Map Editing
● Implemented a command that copies the position and rotation of the player automatically to the clipboard. You will no longer have to get position then rotation and typing everything over manually to the server configuration file to place object overrides.
» Make use of the following command: get details

● Players can now spawn green and blue screens through overrides.
» bluescreen
» greenscreen

● You can now make use of more spawnable objects during your map editing endeavours.
» Palmetto_1
» Palmetto_2
» CoconutPalm_1
» CoconutPalm_2
» MusketStack
» CrateLong_Red
» CrateLong_Brown


Changelog 39 (Hotfix 1) - Game Version 0.35.7196.286
● Solved an issue when the round resulted in a draw which could halt the server.

● Client-side optimisations to reduce framerate spikes. We'll be working more on this.


Changelog 40 (Hotfix 2) - Game Version 0.35.7197.2161
● Solved an issue which resulted in players being unable to spawn or join the round.

● Pushed more client-side optimisations towards instances where players experienced a sudden drop in framerate.


Know Issues - Upcoming Fixes
● Players sometimes don't see medals while playing the match or are unable to open the leaderboard.

● Launching the scoreboard will cause a spike in framerate.

● We're currently looking into these issues. All of the data throughout your play-session is being logged and accounted for. You will not lose any progress.


Once again we thank you for your support and until next time, may good health be yours.

We’re working on the next update.

- Anvil Game Studios

Another update hits the BETA! Better your standing in the class-based leaderboards and rise through the ranks as you gather battlefield experience. You’ll be awarded medals for your honourable feats and achievements to distinguish yourself from the rest.

Come have a read of our latest blog-post for an insight on the new gameplay features to come.

Excitement and revel as those good folks in the rank and file, artilleryman, skirmishers, crewman, those playing a support role as well as the ones in high-command strive to better their standing in the newly introduced class-based leaderboards.

Particularly good at playing your preferred class? We’ll surely be seeing your rise to the top! Score you’ve accumulated after the round ends whilst playing with one of the many classes that make up for Holdfast: NaW’s selection will be put towards bettering your standing in the leaderboards. You’ll also have a few medals to show for it.



Leaderboard medals are awarded based on a particular bracket you fall under. As you reach your way to the top 500, you’ll gather your first bronze medal followed by a silver medal once you make it to the top 100 and eventually the prestigious gold medal should your standing reach its way to the top 25. Amongst those distinguished few that made their way to the top 3? You’ll similarly be rewarded with a unique decorative medal specific to your standing.

Show-off your honourable feats to those good men standing shoulder to shoulder. Even though this functionality is not yet fully present in this BETA, these medals will be displayed right next to your name whilst playing the game before this update sees a full release.



Soldier your way through the field of battle and rise through the ranks! You’ll gather experience based on how well you did during a match. Start by picking one of the many classes to join the fray and advance through all 50 ranks.

There’s a total of 9 medals you can gather through soldiering. Similarly, these will also be displayed next to your name while playing.

Staying true to Holdfast’s core design, you will find no unlockable firearms or melee weapons that otherwise provide an advantage over other players locked behind the soldier ranking mechanic.



Scoring for a multitude of classes is planned to undergo further balance before this update sees a full release. Musicians and flag bearers will see an increase in the score they gather by playing their supportive role indicative of their class amongst other changes.

Rest assured that the team is hard at work developing more game-play focused updates. In the next major update, Holdfast will see the introduction of one of the most community-requested features.

Would you like to have a go at what’s to come? Join us in the BETA! Hop in on our Community Discord to do so. You'll find all the details in the #announcements channel. It’s a great chance for you to provide us with feedback before the update sees a full release and help us make sure that everything is working as intended while you’re at it.

Everything present in this BETA is still a work in progress and bugs are to be expected. The end of match screen is currently undergoing a redesign so players can better distinguish their standing in the leaderboards.

https://discordapp.com/invite/holdfastgame



Looking for a good bunch of fellows to play the game with? Do join our Discord! Linebattle events where players are encouraged to play in formations relevant to the Napoleonic era are hosted by the community through the week. Discord is also a great place to be to stay in touch with the game’s development. Feedback is always greatly welcomed.

If you’re a fellow in the ranks of a regiment, go declare your enlistment. Through this, you can gather access to the ‘Field Camp’ where regimental specific discussion ensues. We look forward to seeing you there!

https://discordapp.com/invite/holdfastgame



One again we thank you for your support and until next time, may good health be yours.

We’re working on the next update.

- Anvil Game Studios

Game polish update now sees a full release! Optimisations, user interface amendments, multiple bug fixes, better error handling, gameplay balance and combat additions. We’ve also continued to expand on the selection of spawn-able objects in this update.

Come have a read at our latest blog post for all the details.

Optimisations sat at the forefront of this update’s development as we delved into ways to improve CPU utilisation when a lot of players are on screen. Everything from functions used to animate players, movement, the minimap, name tags, player markers and various other implementations in the game’s ever-growing code base received iterations. Pending that you’re not already limited by dated hardware, you will experience a better framerate.

Towards the same effort, our one-man art department embarked on optimising over 30 game levels that make part of Holdfast’s current map selection on both the naval, coastal and army war fronts to cut down on draw calls.



A good majority of the bugs which saw an introduction due to the massive number of additions in the recent major updates have been tackled. Improving the way on how errors are handled when a player is unable to connect to a game server or otherwise play was also apart of this update’s objective. You will now be accordingly informed if Steam isn’t running before launching the game for instance.

Holdfast: Nations At War is in Early Access and therefore things are still a work in progress. With the massive number of changes and additions we daily undergo to push forward new features, optimisations or quality of life additions, some bugs may indeed slip through the cracks albeit all the testing we conduct.

It would go highly appreciated if you take your precious time to inform us on Discord should you face any issues. We’ll get working on it.

Holdfast Discord - #Bug-Reports



As part of our polishing endeavours, the game’s user interface couldn’t go untouched. New additions to facilitate selection, improve upon design as well as the user’s experience.

You are now provided with the option to auto-join the round, the spawn menu has been restructured to show the attributes tab from the get-go and remain visible as players opt between different class selections, a new launch splash screen, changes to the server browser and multiple other additions.



Up next are the gameplay integrity changes. Guardsmen are no longer always guaranteed to kill other classes in the rank and file with a single strike. Instead, they have been equipped with muskets that have a greater reach when compared to other classes. Due to this integrity change, we have done away with the slight differences in weapon reaches on bayoneted muskets between factions.

Grenadiers now tank less damage when hit by a melee weapon as they had their resilient trait reduced by 10%. Firearm accuracy for the Light Infantry class when crouching and firing has been increased from 10% to 13%. Those playing a support role and carrying a pistol are now provided with a chance to kill a foe with a single shot if they are only a few meters away. If you miss your target, you’ll end up in close quarters without a melee weapon equipped so choose dearly.



Combat mechanics will be seeing changes, bug fixes and new additions in this update. You are now able to quickly bash and stun an opponent through secondary attacks. Kick an opponent while having a sword equipped or your fists at the ready. Similarly, you can push them away when wielding a bayoneted musket, axe, boarding pike or even a flag by pressing the ‘F’ key. Secondary attacks have limited range and are only able to deal upwards to 5 damage.

We’ve also ironed out an issue which caused players rotating and striking to miss their target more often even if they were playing on servers correct to their region and using a stable internet connection. Crouching animations have been changed to help players better distinguish the direction a strike is coming from. Stun timers have also received amendments to incentives players to block after they’ve been struck by a melee weapon and managed to survive the hit.



Those with a keen interest in map customisation will be pleased to hear that we’ve significantly expanded the selection of spawn-able object overrides with the inclusion of over 150 new props! Buildings, fortifications, artillery pieces, rocks, trees, shrubs and more. You’re now able to override and define your own spawn point locations on maps supporting the Army Battlefield and Assault game modes thanks to one of our recent additions.

We look forward to continuing expanding on similar functionality in future game updates. It’s been great seeing event hosts make good use of these features. Rest assured that you’ll be seeing more support from us on this matter. Have a look at our Wiki for a list of spawn-able props.

Holdfast Wiki - Spawnable Props



Looking for a good bunch of fellows to play the game with? Do join our Discord! Linebattle events where players are encouraged to play in formations relevant to the Napoleonic era are hosted by the community through the week. Discord is also a great place to be to stay in touch with the game’s development. Feedback is always greatly welcomed.



Discord has undergone a complete redesign! Are you an officer in command of a crew or regiment? Hop in on Discord to register your in-game clan. With over 12,000 members strong and growing, it’ll surely serve as a great step forward to better your regiments standing and gather new recruits.

If you’re a fellow in the ranks, go declare your enlistment. Through this, you can gather access to the ‘Field Camp’ where regimental specific discussion ensues. We look forward to seeing you there!

https://discordapp.com/invite/holdfastgame



Here’s the full changelog for all the bug fixes and additions we have undergone in this update.



Changelog 37 - Game Version 0.34.7174.32299

Game Optimisations
• Player Optimisations. It sat at the forefront of this update’s development as we delved into ways to improve CPU utilisation when a lot of players are on screen.
  » Optimised functions used to animate players.
  » Optimised player movement.
  » Optimised the minimap.
  » Optimised the name tags.
  » Optimised the player markers.
  
• Map Optimisations. Our one-man art department embarked on optimising over 30 game levels that make part of Holdfast’s current map selection in an effort to cut down on draw calls.
  
• Memory Optimisations. Conducted multiple optimisations to reduce memory.
  
  Error Handling & Bugs
  
• Game Bugs. A good majority of the bugs which saw an introduction due to the massive number of additions in the recent major updates have been tackled. We are aware that some remain in the game and we’ll be tackling them in future updates.
  » Solved an issue where the charge command didn’t provide a buff which increases melee damage at times
  » Solved an issue where a cannoneer was still able to take control of a cannon when another cannoneer was already operating the piece.
  » Solved an issue where players would take priority over carrying a ladder irrespective of the class.
  » Solved an issue with class priorities when carrying a rocket.
  » Solved an issue which caused extra score gathered from killing a Guard to be shown as support. Players will now receive the correct message informing them of their ‘Guard Kill’.
  » Solved an issue which allowed players to grief teammates by igniting an explosive barrel.
  » Solved an issue which allowed players carrying an explosive to kill their own teammates if they got shot while carrying the barrel. Should you get shot when carrying an explosive barrel, only damage to players in the enemy faction will be applied.
  » Solved an issue which caused the server to crash when playing on the Watchtower Arena map.
  » Solved an issue where gabions and infantry spikes placed through object overrides couldn’t be destroyed.
  » Solved an issue which caused bonfires placed through object overrides not to deal any damage.
  » Solved an issue which allowed surgeons to reload and heal.
  » Solved multiple instances which caused recurring exceptions causing dips in framerate.
  » Solved an issue with weapon racks missing their localisation.
  » Solved an issue which enabled players to clip through constructible earthworks.
  » Attempted fix towards an issue which sometimes caused players to immediately die after they respawn.
  » Solved an issue with a swivel gun clipping through one of the windows present on Linburg.
  » Solved multiple issues with destruction pieces on Balamor Bay’s lighthouse.
  » Solved an issue when dynamic snow was enabled on Sharpton.
  » Solved issues with missing faces on some ruin props.
  » Many more map-related fixes.
  
• Error Handling. Improved the way on how errors are handled when a player is unable to connect to a game server or otherwise play was also a part of this update’s objective.
  » You will now be accordingly informed if Steam isn’t running before launching the game for instance.
  
  User Interface Polish
  
• You are now provided with the option to auto-join the round.
  
• The spawn menu has been restructured to show the attributes tab from the get-go and remain visible as players opt between different class selections.
  
• Classes, naval vessels, land-based spawn points or factions that are unable to be selected are now being greyed out serving as an additional indication that all slots have been taken.
  
• An all-new launch splash screen.
  
• New functions to facilitate navigation in the server browser along with other additions to improve its looks.
  
• Several changes and additions to polish the main menu user interface.
  Introduced additional tips tackling new game functions, game modes and community-related matters.
  
• Cleaned up the map loading screen interface and implemented new map loading screens that feature up to date graphics. This is still a work in progress.
  
• Improved the looks of the flag and infantry stakes kill log icons.
  
• Players that are experiencing framerate or latency related issues will be accordingly informed through the use of multiple warning indicators. You can disable this through the ‘Game’ settings by looking for ‘Warnings’ under ‘User Interface.
  
• Players can now view the cooldown and duration of each order by hovering on one of the icons present in ‘Attributes’ panel before spawning with the Infantry Officer class.
  
• And multiple other minor additions.
  
  Gameplay Balance
  
• Guardsmen are no longer always guaranteed to kill other classes in the rank and file with a single strike. Instead, they have been equipped with muskets that have a greater reach when compared to other classes.
  
• Due to the above change, we have done away with the slight differences in weapon reaches on bayoneted muskets between factions.
  
• Grenadiers now tank less damage when hit by a melee weapon as they had their resilient trait reduced by 10%.
  
• Firearm accuracy for the Light Infantry class when crouching and firing has been increased from 10% to 13%.
  
• Reduced the health points of palisade walls and slightly increased the time it takes to build them making them more susceptible to artillery fire.
  
• Those playing a support role and carrying a pistol are now provided with a chance to kill a foe with a single shot if they are only a few meters away. If you miss your target, you’ll end up in close quarters without a melee weapon equipped so choose dearly.
  
• Surgeons now receive more score for their good deeds.
  
• Infantry Officers can now toggle on and off beacons issued through the ‘Reinforce’ order.
  
• Fort Schwarz. Ladders on this map have been moved near the initial infantry spawn location instead of at the back were the artillery resides for the attackers.
  
• You are now able to spawn with the carpenter class on the Crosshills map. Same goes for Desert Ruins when played on Army Siege.
  
• You can now jump over the fences present on Balamor Bay.
  
  Combat Mechanics
  
• You are now able to quickly bash and stun an opponent through secondary attacks. Kick or push an opponent by pressing the ‘F’ key. Secondary attacks have limited range and are only able to deal upwards to 5 damage.
  » Equip the spyglass by pressing the ‘G’ key or a lantern by pressing the ‘H’ key.
  
• Ironed out an issue which caused players rotating and striking to miss their target more often even if they were playing on servers correct to their region and using a stable internet connection.
  
• Crouching animations have been changed to help players better distinguish the direction a strike is coming from.
  
• Stun timers have also received amendments to incentives players to block after they’ve been struck by a melee weapon and managed to survive the hit.
  
• Solved an issue which caused players to became almost invulnerable to melee strikes if they had their back facing against the wall.
  
• Functions used to determine if a strike has hit the player’s chest or legs have been redesign to improve accuracy.
  
  Object Overrides
  
• Spawnable Objects. Events. Those with a keen interest in map customisation will be pleased to hear that we’ve significantly expanded the selection of spawn-able object overrides with the inclusion of over 150 new props and customisable spawn points!
  » Visit our Wiki for more on how to make use of these new props.
  Holdfast Wiki - Spawnable Props
  » More information on how to utilise the newly introduced spawn override functionality can be found on our Wiki.
  Holdfast Wiki - Spawn Overrides
  » You will also find a short guide explaining how to make use of this map editing functionality.
  Holdfast Wiki - Map Editing
  » Thanks to Falo for all his hard work on the Wiki!
  
• Introduced two completely empty maps that are perfect to let your imagination run wild.
  » Input the following parameters to play this map on your community server: map_name custommap or map_name custommapnaval
  
  Server Configuration
  
• Server administrations are now able to teleport players to their location by using the rc teleport player <Players> <Destination> command.
  » Players is able to accept the following parameters: player id, me, attackers, defender or all.
  » Destination is able to accept the following parameters: player id, me, co-ordinates using the usual ‘x, y and z’ format as floating-point numbers.
  
• Server administrators can now disallow melee strikes from bouncing off friendly players if friendly fire is disabled.
  » Input the following parameter on your community server to enabled or disable this functionality: friendly_fire_melee_bounce true or false
  
  Graphical
  
• Improved the looks of the Training Grounds, Sharpton, Caribbean and multiple other game levels.
  
• You will now find more ruins on the Desert Ruins maps.
  
• Camps on Fort Winston are now enterable.

Once again, we thank you for your generous support and as always, may good health be yours.

We’re working on the next update.

- Anvil Game Studios

Game polish on all fronts! Optimisations, multiple bug fixes, user interface amendments, better error handling, combat additions and gameplay balance. We’re also making good headway on those long-awaited gameplay features similar to what you’ve experienced in our prior major update releases featuring naval warfare, player-built defence as well as the class system.

Come have a read at our latest blog post. You’ll be able to gather a first-hand look on some of the new features present in this BETA release.

Optimisations sat at the forefront of this update’s development as we delved into ways to improve CPU utilisation when a lot of players are on screen. Everything from functions used to animate players, movement, the minimap, name tags, player markers and various other implementations in the game’s ever-growing code base received iterations. Pending that you’re not already limited by dated hardware, you will experience a better framerate.

Towards the same effort, our one-man art department embarked on optimising over 30 game levels that make part of Holdfast’s current map selection on both the naval, coastal and army war fronts to cut down on draw calls.



Bugs which saw an introduction due to the massive number of additions in the recent major update releases are being tackled and undergoing testing in this BETA. Work on improving error handling when a player is unable to connect to a server is in progress. We’re aware that there are still issues with this system and development will continue in the coming week to flesh things out before release.

As part of our polishing endeavours, the game’s user interface couldn’t go untouched. New additions to facilitate selection, improve upon design as well as the user’s experience. Players are now provided with the option to auto-join the round, the spawn menu has been restructured to show the attributes tab from the get-go and remain visible as players opt between different class selections, a new launch splash screen, changes to the server browser and multiple other additions.



Up next are the gameplay integrity changes. Guardsmen are no longer always guaranteed to kill other classes in the rank and file with a single strike. Instead, they have been equipped with muskets that have a greater reach when compared to other classes. Due to this integrity change, we have done away with the slight differences in weapon reaches on bayoneted muskets between factions.

Grenadiers now tank less damage when hit by a melee weapon as they had their resilient trait reduced by 10%. Firearm accuracy for the Light Infantry class when crouching and firing has been increased from 10% to 13%. Those playing a support role and carrying a pistol are now provided with a chance to kill a foe with a single shot if they are only a few meters away. If you miss your target, you’ll end up in close quarters without a melee weapon equipped so choose dearly.



Combat mechanics will be seeing changes, bug fixes and new additions in this update. You are now able to quickly bash and stun an opponent through secondary attacks. Kick an opponent while having a sword equipped or your fists at the ready. Similarly, you can push them away when wielding a bayoneted musket, axe, boarding pike or even a flag by pressing the ‘F’ key. Secondary attacks have limited range and are only able to deal upwards to 5 damage.

We’ve also ironed out an issue which caused players rotating and striking to miss their target more often even if they were playing on servers correct to their region and using a stable internet connection. Crouching animations have been changed to help players better distinguish the direction a strike is coming from. Stun timers have also received amendments to incentives players to block after they’ve been struck by a melee weapon and managed to survive the hit.



Those with a keen interest in map customisation will be pleased to hear that we’ve significantly expanded the selection of spawn-able object overrides with the inclusion of over 150 new props! Buildings, fortifications, artillery pieces, rocks, trees, shrubs and more. You’re now able to override and define your own spawn point locations on maps supporting the Army Battlefield and Assault game modes thanks to one of our recent additions.

We look forward to continuing expanding on similar functionality in future game updates. It’s been great seeing event hosts make good use of these features. Rest assured that you’ll be seeing more support from us on this matter. Have a look at our Wiki for a list of spawn-able props.

Holdfast Wiki - Spawnable Props (WIP)



Would you like to have a go at what’s to come? Join us in the BETA! Hop in on our Community Discord to do so. You'll find all the details on the #announcements channel. It’s a great chance for you to provide us with feedback before the update sees a full release and help us make sure that everything is working as intended while you’re at it.

Everything present in this BETA is still a work in progress and bugs are to be expected.

https://discordapp.com/invite/holdfastgame



We greatly appreciate your participation in the BETA. Do let us know if you face any issues.

Once again, thank you for your support and until next time, may good health be yours.

You'll be hearing from us again soon.

- Anvil Game Studios

Charge valiantly into battle and onwards to victory! Lead men as you issue orders to the rank and file, a unique system composed of multiple traits and abilities to define, distinguish and characterise the relatively huge selection of classes and so much more to be seen in this game-play focused major update release.

Come have a read at our latest blog post. There’s a whole lot more to grab your hands on to besides what has been mentioned above! But before you do so, as with every other major release, there's a new trailer to check out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDIX4SdjyeM

There wasn’t much that helped distinguish the great selection of classes that Holdfast: Nations At War features prior to this update. Officers, line infantryman, guards, grenadiers, musicians, rifleman, marines and indeed all of the classes in the game which make part of either the army, naval or coastal military branches are now assigned specific roles that distinguish them from the rest in the field of battle.

Command
Steadfast the men in the rank and file and take lead with the infantry officer class! Order those good men in the ranks to fire volleys while standing shoulder to shoulder or gloriously charge with bayonet equipped.

Officers can request others in high-command as well as others in the ranks to come to their aid. It will certainly come of use while performing strategic manoeuvres or when suffering heavy losses in defence of pivotal positions.

You’ll find more details about this new gameplay mechanic further down below in our blog post.



Rank & File
If leadership isn’t your forte, heed your nation’s call and do your duty in the ranks! Line infantryman, grenadiers and guards receive additional bonuses by following an officer’s command. These range from benefits in firearm accuracy to improve your chances of hitting your intended target or increasing your melee damage.

Officers purchasing their commission for the sake of fame and glory at the cost of needless loss of life in the ranks due to strategic blunders was certainly of no shortage during those times. We’ve made sure to focus our design on allowing players to cease taking orders from these murdering officers. You are by no means required to follow the lead of an officer whilst playing with one of the classes in the rank and file but are rather encouraged to do so.



Skirmisher
Not too keen on standing in ranks? Select one of the skirmishing classes. Riflemen excel at picking targets at longer ranges while light infantrymen move about faster on the battlefield and benefit from an increase in firearm accuracy while crouching thanks to one of their traits.

Stand nearby those in ranks or go about your way looking for more favourable positions as you carefully sight your next target. Some say that officers in their distinguishable uniforms make for easy pickings should your shot reach its intended destination.



Support
Make your mark on the battlefield by standing in support of those at the front! Fortify strategic positions with the sapper, bring good health back to the injured with the surgeon, increase firearm accuracy of those in the ranks with fifers, drummers, pipers or violinists as you strum jolly tunes in otherwise dreary moments or rally the troops by holding straight and high your standard for an increased reload speed with the flag bearer class.

These classes play an equally important role and they too have the ability to change the course of battle.



Artillery
Bombard strongholds or thin down the opposing faction’s ranks with field guns, mortars, rockets and multiple other artillery pieces at your disposal. Artillery units excel at destroying fortified emplacements and they too played pivotal roles in what was then a modern army.

You’ll be saving or otherwise ending the lives of many. Only those that are up to the task should select these classes.



Crewman
Man the guns and fire those broadsides! Sailors and adept sailors alike take up the role of crewing sail ships of war in the continued fight at sea in Holdfast: Nations At War. Make good use of the arsenal on deck to sink enemy vessels or firmly grab cutlass or pike in hand and prepare for heated boarding engagements.



Reinforce your ranks, lead the charge and command devastating volley fires! Staying true to the tactics of war during the Napoleonic era, this new gameplay feature brings with it additional firearm accuracy or melee damage bonuses to those in the rank and file bravely standing shoulder to shoulder.

Line infantryman, grenadier and guard units all of which brand the rank and file ability are provided with the option to follow the command of an infantry officer and be rewarded for it. Whilst playing as an infantry officer, press the ‘Q’ key as indicated on the new hint’s user interface next to the minimap and follow suit.

High-Command Orders
» Form Line - Instruct the rank and file to form line for glorious musket volley fire to follow. Use the scroll wheel to rotate the marker.
» Make Ready! - Instruct the rank and file to make ready their muskets. Infantryman standing in line will receive an order to aim their firearms in preparation for volley fire to commence.
» Fire! - Instruct the rank and file to commence glorious volley fire. You increase firearm accuracy of all those good men that act on your order by 20%.
» Fire At Will! - Instruct the rank and file to commence fire at their own will. You increase firearm accuracy of all those good men standing in line by 10%.
» Cease Fire - Instruct the rank and file to cease fire. Make use of this to let the gentlemen know they should stop firing.
» Charge! - Rally your men before a glorious charge and order them to move forward with bayonets equipped. You significantly increase melee damage for a short period of time.
» Break Rank & Follow - Instruct the rank and file to break their ranks and follow. Make use of this to let the men know you’re moving position.
» Reinforce - Inform the high-command and other gentlemen in the ranks that you’re in dire need of reinforcements. A beacon will be placed on your location.



Sectioned into multiple military branches classes now come with multiple traits and abilities to define, distinguish and characterise them. They also come with a unique set of weaponry of which we have continued to expand on in this update’s release.

Stick with us for a short while longer as we go through the entire selection.

Infantry Officer
Role: Command - Branch: The Army

Leads his men to victory. Commands the rank and file.

Abilities
» High-Command Army - An officer in command. You are able to issue orders to the rank and file.

Traits
» Distinguishable - Stand out from the rank and file. You appear differently on the mini-map.
» Resilient - A strong sense of duty. Melee damage dealt to you by other players is reduced by 25%.
» Sword Specialisation - Excels with the use of swords. Your damage when wielding a sword is increased by 5%.
» Pistol Specialisation - Excels with the use of pistols. Your damage when firing a pistol is increased by 25% and accuracy by 10%.



Line Infantry
Role: Rank & File - Branch: The Army

Steadfast. Well trained with the use of muskets.

Abilities
» Rank & File - Drills, drills and more drills. Your extensive discipline allows you to receive firearm accuracy and melee damage bonuses from orders given by officers. You also gather benefits from musicians and flag bearers.

Traits
» Musket Specialisation - Excels with the use of muskets. Your damage when firing a musket is increased by 15%. You also deal 5% more damage when striking with a bayonet.
» Rank Discipline - Drilled and disciplined in the art of firing whilst in formation. Your accuracy when crouched and shooting with a firearm is increased by 7%.



Grenadier
Role: Rank & File - Branch: The Army

Largest of soldiers. Increased melee survivability.

Abilities
» Rank & File - Drills, drills and more drills. Your extensive discipline allows you to receive firearm accuracy and melee damage bonuses from orders given by officers. You also gather benefits from musicians and flag bearers.

Traits
» Resilient - A strong sense of duty. Melee damage dealt to you by other players is reduced by 25%.
» Bayonet Specialisation - Excels with the use of bayonets. Your damage when striking with a bayonet is increased by 10%.



Guard
Role: Rank & File - Branch: The Army

Elite infantry. Guards the high-command and excel in melee.

Abilities
» Rank & File - Drills, drills and more drills. Your extensive discipline allows you to receive firearm accuracy and melee damage bonuses from orders given by officers. You also gather benefits from musicians and flag bearers.
» Guardsman - Duty bound to guard the high-command. You reduce the damage dealt to nearby allied officers by 17% (Stacks 3 times).

Traits
» Elite Infantry - Heavily trained and experienced. The damage that you deal with melee weapons is increased by 35%. You are guaranteed to end your opponent in a single strike when wielding a bayonetted musket.



Light Infantry
Role: Skirmisher - Branch: The Army

Quick footed skirmisher. Moves about at a greater pace.

Traits
» Light Footed - Fast and nimble. Your running speed is increased by 5% but you deal less damage with melee weapons.
» Skirmisher - Drilled with knowledge on skirmishing tactics. Your accuracy when using firearms while crouching is increased by 10% but you receive more damage when stricken by melee weapons.



Rifleman
Role: Skirmisher - Branch: The Army

Sharpshooter. Picks infantryman from a distance.

Traits
» Marksman - Crack-shot. Your accuracy when using firearms is increased by 25% but your reload speed is decreased by 15%.
» Chosen Man [British] - The prestigious 95th. You're a chosen man! It makes you feel special.



Flag Bearer
Role: Support - Branch: The Army

Standard bearer. Supports the rank and file with bonuses.

Abilities
» Standard Bearer - Parade your faction’s colours in the field of battle. You improve the rate at which firearms are reloaded for the rank and file by 10% when your flag is equipped.



Drummer, Fifer & Bagpiper
Role: Support - Branch: The Army

Plays fine melodies. Supports the rank and file with bonuses.

Abilities
» Musician - Pomp and circumstance. You increase firearm accuracy of the rank and file by 7%. Bonus stacks upwards to 10% if another musician plays a tune with you.



Surgeon
Role: Support - Branch: The Army & Navy

Studies medicine. Supports allied troops by healing them.

Abilities
» Medicine - Well versed in the field of medicine. You are able to heal wounded players.

Traits
» Distinguishable - Stand out from the rank and file. You appear differently on the mini-map.



Sapper
Role: Support - Branch: The Army

Constructs defensive works. Supports allied troops.

Abilities
» Engineering - Well versed in the construction of military works. You are able to enact various defensive emplacements and repair cannon.
» Explosives Handling - Well versed in the handling of explosives. You are able to carry explosives.

Traits
» Explosives Specialist - Trained with the use of volatile explosives. The rate at which you move while carrying explosives is increased by 25%.



Carpenter
Role: Support - Branch: The Army & Navy

Axe wielder. Great at destroying enemy emplacements.

Abilities
» Explosives Handling - Well versed in the handling of explosives. You are able to carry explosives.

Traits
» Axe Specialisation - Excels with the use of axes. Your damage when wielding an axe is increased by 5%. Your damage is also significantly increased when destroying player-built defences, doors and other military works.
» Blunderbuss Specialisation - Excels with the use of blunderbusses. Your damage when firing a blunderbuss is increased by 5% and accuracy by 10%.
» Explosives Specialist - Trained with the use of volatile explosives. The rate at which you move while carrying explosives is increased by 25%.



Cannoneer
Role: Artillery - Branch: The Army

Cannoneer. Great at destroying fortified emplacements.

Abilities
» Artillery Operator - Well versed in the operation of various artillery pieces. You have priority over the use of field guns, siege guns and mortars.
» Rocket Operator - Well versed in the operation of rockets. You have priority over the use of rocket launchers.

Traits
» Cannon Specialisation - Excels with the use and firing of cannons and mortars. Your ramming and pushing speed is increased by 15%.



Rocketeer
Role: Artillery - Branch: The Army

Rocketeer. Great at destroying fortified emplacements.

Abilities
» Artillery Operator - Well versed in the operation of various artillery pieces. You have priority over the use of field guns, siege guns and mortars.
» Rocket Operator - Well versed in the operation of rockets. You have priority over the use of rocket launchers.

Traits
» Rocket Specialisation - Excels with the use and firing of rockets. Your loading speed is increased by 15%.



Captain
Role: Command - Branch: The Navy

Authority aboard a vessel. Commands the ship’s crew.

Abilities
» High-Command Navy - A captain in command. You have priority over sailing a naval vessel.

Traits
» Distinguishable- Stand out from the rank and file. You appear differently on the mini-map.
» Resilient - A strong sense of duty. Melee damage dealt to you by other players is reduced by 25%.
» Sword Specialisation - Excels with the use of swords. Your damage when wielding a sword is increased by 5%.
» Pistol Specialisation - Excels with the use of pistols. Your damage when firing a pistol is increased by 25% and accuracy by 10%.



Marine
Role: Rank & File - Branch: The Navy

Marine. Repels boarders and headways coastal invasions.

Abilities
» Rank & File - Drills, drills and more drills. Your extensive discipline allows you to receive firearm accuracy and melee damage bonuses from orders given by officers. You also gather benefits from musicians and flag bearers.

Traits
» Musket Specialisation - Excels with the use of muskets. Your damage when firing a musket is increased by 15%. You also deal 5% more damage when striking with a bayonet.
» Rank Discipline - Drilled and disciplined in the art of firing whilst in formation. Your accuracy when crouched and shooting with a firearm is increased by 7%.



Sailor
Role: Crewman - Branch: The Navy

Ship’s crew. Cutlass is their primary weapon of choice.

Traits
» Able Swimmer - Lightly equipped. Your swimming speed is increased by 35%.
» Pistol Specialisation - Excels with the use of pistols. Your damage when firing a pistol is increased by 25% and accuracy by 10%.



Adept Sailor
Role: Crewman - Branch: The Navy

Veteran crewman. Spots enemy ships at the distance.

Traits
» Able Swimmer - Lightly equipped. Your swimming speed is increased by 35%.
» Pike Specialisation - Excels with the use of boarding pikes. Your damage when wielding a pike increased by 10%.
» Pistol Specialisation - Excels with the use of pistols. Your damage when firing a pistol is increased by 25% and accuracy by 10%.



Violinist
Role: Support - Branch: The Navy

Plays fine melodies. Supports the rank and file with bonuses.

Abilities
» Musician - Pomp and circumstance. You increase firearm accuracy of the rank and file by 7%. Bonus stacks upwards to 10% if another musician plays a tune with you.

Traits
» Able Swimmer - Lightly equipped. Your swimming speed is increased by 35%.



Coast Guard
Role: Rank & File - Branch: The Coast Guard

Guards fortifications. Muskets and cannon are his forte.

Abilities
» Artillery Operator - Well versed in the operation of various artillery pieces. You have priority over the use of field guns, siege guns and mortars.
» Rank & File - Drills, drills and more drills. Your extensive discipline allows you to receive firearm accuracy and melee damage bonuses from orders given by officers. You also gather benefits from musicians and flag bearers.

Traits
» Musket Specialisation - Excels with the use of muskets. Your damage when firing a musket is increased by 15%. You also deal 5% more damage when striking with a bayonet.
» Cannon Specialisation - Excels with the use and firing of cannons and mortars. Your ramming and pushing speed is increased by 15%.



Customs
Role: Rank & File - Branch: The Coast Guard

Skirmisher on patrol. Moves about at a greater pace.

Traits
» Able Swimmer - Lightly equipped. Your swimming speed is increased by 35%.
» Light Footed - Fast and nimble. Your running speed is increased by 5% but you deal less damage with melee weapons.
» Skirmisher - Drilled with knowledge on skirmishing tactics. Your accuracy when using firearms while crouching is increased by 10% but you receive more damage when stricken by melee weapons.



Your melee weapon and firearm selection just got a whole lot bigger! You’ll no longer be using that one sea-service musket whilst playing with army-based units. Instead, now each and every class comes equipped with a unique firearm and melee weapon loadout reflective of its role.

Guard muskets, dragoon muskets, blunderbusses, pistols, sabres, cutlasses, axes and pikes. Carbines have also been added to this very selection in this update.



Casually jumping over player-built infantry stakes without fearing for your good life is now a thing of the past as these stakes will deal damage if you run into them. The sapper that constructed the stake will be rewarded the kill.

Fires and the smaller variant of the chevaux de frise similarly deal damage as well. The placement of player-built defences has received some much-needed polish in this update. You’ll also find that we have facilitated the placing of sandbags on earthworks.



The summer’s heat is getting a little bit too much handle? Come hop in for a swim. Lakes and rivers across a multitude of maps present on Holdfast’s army front can now be crossed due to this recent inclusion. It’ll serve to lessen the impact of chokepoints on maps such as Arendan River and Highlands where crossing off a bridge meant almost certain death.

While swimming, you cannot make use of any firearms or melee weapons to fend off enemy infantryman so be sure to pick a favourable moment before diving in.



Surgeons will finally receive a score for their good deeds. Healing another while playing with this class will gather you score pending on the health that has been replenished. Serving as an incentive for players to replenish their health by looking for a surgeon rather than respawning, a player will also be rewarded with some points when healed.

Similarly, those assisting with the loading or ramming of ammunition in artillery pieces will too receive additional points through assist kills should the shot make its way through those poor infantrymen.



Here’s the full changelog for all the bug fixes and additions we have undergone in this update.



Changelog 35 - Game Version 0.33.7144.40196

New Game Features
• Class System. Roles Redefined. Classes in the game which make part of either the army, naval or coastal military branches are now assigned specific roles that distinguish them from the rest in the field of battle.
  » Command, Rank & File, Skirmisher, Support, Artillery & Crewman
  
• Class Selection. Military Branches. Sectioned into multiple military branches classes now come with multiple traits and abilities to define, distinguish and characterise them.
  » Have a go yourself at all of the classes and see which ones you like best. There’s plenty to go over!
  
• Officer Orders. Make Ready, Fire! Staying true to the tactics of war during the Napoleonic era, this new gameplay feature brings with it additional firearm accuracy or melee damage bonuses to those in the rank and file bravely standing shoulder to shoulder.
  » Officers are able to issue the following orders: Form Line, Make Ready, Fire, Fire At Will, Crease Fire, Charge, Break Rank & Follow and Reinforce.
  » You can disable orders by inputting the following command per map rotation in the server configuration file: class_system_orders false
  
• Arsenal. Melee Weapons & Firearms. Your melee weapon and firearm selection just got a whole lot bigger! Guard muskets, dragoon muskets, blunderbusses, pistols, sabres, cutlasses, axes and pikes.
  » Holdfast: Nations At War now features over 35 melee weapons and firearms.
  » Carbines have also been added to this very selection in this update.
  » Ramrods now make part of the cannoneer’s melee arsenal.
  » Administrators should amend their weapon overrides in the server configuration file to match the new inputs listed on the Wiki as the weapon system has undergone a complete rework.
  
• Sappers. Infantry Stakes. Casually jumping over player-built infantry stakes without fearing for your good life is now a thing of the past as these stakes will deal damage if you run into them. The sapper that constructed the stake will be rewarded the kill.
  » Fires and the smaller variant of the chevaux de frise similarly deal damage as well.
  » The placement of player-built defences has also received some much-needed polish.
  » Earthworks can be raised higher providing for greater cover.
  » Facilitated the placing of sandbags on earthworks.
  » Defences can be built closer to one another.
  » Gabions no longer provide cover for firearms unless fully built.
  » Multiple issues with objects jittering prior to their placement.
  » Improved the visual identification for when an object cannot be placed due to an obstruction.
  » Reduced the carry cooldown of explosives to 3 seconds.
  
• Swimming. Lakes & Rivers. Lakes and rivers across a multitude of maps present on Holdfast’s army front can now be crossed due to this recent inclusion.
  
• Player Scoring. Multiple additions to reward players for their actions.
  » Surgeons will finally receive a score for their good deeds. Healing another while playing with this class will gather you score pending on the health that has been replenished.
  » Assisting with the loading or ramming of ammunition in artillery pieces will too receive additional points through assist kills should the shot hit its intended target.
  » Officers receive a score for successful kills by those in the rank and file.
  » Players will also be rewarded with some points when healed.
  
• Carpenters reintroduced to the selection of Army Front classes. They come equipped with a blunderbuss and a two-handed axe.
  
• Grenadiers have been included to the Melee Arena game mode class selection.
  
  Performance
  
• Solved an instance which was causing frequent lag spikes on the naval and coastal game modes.
  
  User Interface
  
• The attributes tab in the spawn menu now serves to display various information related to classes. Traits, abilities, orders, the represented regiment, health points and multiple others.
  
• The equip tab in the spawn menu now serves to display various information related to firearms, weapons or secondary equipment.
  
• Hovering on a trait, ability or order in the spawn menu will display information relative to it.
  
• Military branches in the spawn menu now change according to the game mode being played.
  
• Redesigned the panels used to select shouts or a jolly tune.
  
• Implemented a new kill log icon for death by flags.
  
• Implemented a new shield objective icon serving as a better indication that a capture point must be defended.
  
• Capture point indicators on the minimap will now overlay all the others so they remain visible.
  
• Adjustments to the interface representing cooldowns for objects after they’re carried.
  
• You no longer display both the attacking and defending objectives while in free-flight. Instead only the defending objectives will be displayed to reduce clutter.
  
• Multiple amendments to localisation.
  
  Graphical
  
• Solved an issue with normals present on the French Carpenter, Fifer and Drummer.
  
• Buildable chairs have been resized and their sitting position adjusted.
  
• The spawnable second variant of the large tent is now enterable.
  
• Flags now come with new wind physics. We’ll continue improving on this in future updates.
  
  Quality Of Life
  
• You can now change the colour of the centre screen dot from the crosshair settings.
  
• You’ll now find it much easier to open, close and yes, sometimes even turn on doors.
  
  Bug Fixes
  
• Solved an issue with the back wall of Fort Schwarz when destroyed.
  
• Solved an issue that allowed drummers and pipers to crouch and play a tune.
  
• Solved an issue that allowed players to ignite than carry an explosive.
  
• Solved an issue with interaction labels on doors flickering.
  
• Solved an issue which allowed players to heal a player in the opposing faction.
  
• Solved an issue where players would teleport to the middle of the map for a short while when going to spectate.

Changelog 36 - Game Version 0.33.7146.35608 (Hotfix)

Bug Fixes
• Solved an issue which was causing certain players to appear to be frozen in place due to an exception.

Our heartfelt thanks go to all of those that joined us in the BETA as we underwent multiple iterations of game balance and bug fixes prior to this major update’s full release. Needless to say, we’ll continue monitoring and balancing accordingly.

Once again, we thank you for your generous support and as always, may good health be yours.

We’re working on the next update.

- Anvil Game Studios

As the release of the upcoming major update featuring multiple gameplay mechanics to define, distinguish and characters the huge selection of classes looms on the horizon, we’ll be pushing forward yet another BETA.

Come join us for a swim or have a read of our blog post.

Here’s a list of some of the changes and additions that we have undergone during this update. The sooner we get the testing done, the faster our update release schedule goes so please do join us in the BETA!

Gameplay
• Swimming is no longer restricted to the naval and coastal scenarios. Multiple maps present on the army scenarios now sport this functionality as well. Arendan River, Sharpton and various other maps.
  
• Orders have been ordered to favour the ones used most. Here’s how it has all been sorted out.
  » Form Line, Make Ready, Fire, Fire At Will, Cease Fire, Charge, Break Rank & Follow, Reinforce
  
• Classes that don’t have the rank and file ability can no longer see line markers placed by infantry officers.
  
• You are now required to stand behind the line marker to gather a buff.
  
• Infantry Officers are now able to place a line marker over the one they have placed themselves. It’ll certainly come in handy when you’re looking at quickly wheeling the man in the ranks to face the enemy.
  
• Gentleman in the rank and file that are standing nearby a form line marker will see its colour change from grey to white. This will serve as an extra indication that the player is able to gather orders.
  
• Reinforce beacons are now visible by other classes in high command, the rank and file as well as surgeons and musicians.
  
• Players now receive score when healed. This is done to incentivise players to replenish their health by looking for a surgeon rather than respawning.
  
• Reduced the number of playable infantry officers to 6.
  
• Half-built gabions no longer provider cover from firearms.
  
• Reduced the run speed bonus gathered from light footed trait for the light infantry skirmisher class.
  
• Light infantryman now deals less damage with a bayonet.
  
• Light infantryman’s skirmishing ability now only applies when crouching.
  
• Increased the light infantryman’s firearm accuracy provided by the skirmishing trait.
  
• Reduced the firearm accuracy gathered from line infantryman when crouching and firing due to the rank discipline trait.
  
• Increased the pistol’s base damage from 80 to 85.
  
  User Interface
  
• Classes have been split into 6 distinctive roles. Command, Rank & File, Skirmisher, Artillery, Crewman and Support.
  
• Orders are now displayed separately in the Infantry Officer’s attributes window. Hover on them to see the buffs they gather.
  
• Redesigned the indicator visible on the line marker.
  
• Reordered the list of officer orders in the key binds menu to logically follow the new order stipulated above.
  
• Increased the size of the hotkeys visible on issue orders interface. We don’t want mini-map compass directions all over again now, do we? We’ll consider increasing this even further as we gather feedback from players with different resolutions.
  
• Rebinding an order to another key from the key bind’s menu will now have that change displayed on the hotkeys present on the issue orders interface.
  
• Various amendments to the text present on the hints next to the mini-map.
  
• The order interface no longer closes when you press ‘Enter’ to type in chat.
  
• Officer names are now displayed above the beacon when a reinforce order is issued.
  
• Golden borders now mark down the last issued order in the officer orders interface.
  
• Redesigned the received officer orders panel.
  
• Pressing the ‘Esc’ key no longer hides the officer orders action bar.
  
  Audio
  
• Lowered the audio feedback when clicking on a user interface element.
  
  Bug Fixes
  
• Solved an issue were the received officer order’s panel got stuck showing after respawn.
  
• Solved multiple issues with the reinforce beacons.
  
• Solved an issue with blurry icons present on the hints next to the mini-map.
  
• You are no longer able to heal enemy players with the surgeon class.
  
• Solved multiple issues with reloading.
  
• Solved a bug which enabled musicians to crouch and play tunes.
  
• Solved multiple issues with infantry stakes. Stakes placed by allied Sappers no longer deal friendly damage.
  
• Solved a bug which enabled players to ignite than carry an explosive.
  
• Solved instances of missing icons for death by fires, infantry stakes and chavexaus de frise (s) in both the kill feed and the death screen.
  
• Solved an issue with animations while running with a 2H Axe.
  
• Solved an issue with incorrect weapon loadout order for flag bearers, artilleryman and sappers.
  
• Solved an issue with loaded artillery pieces not exploding.
  
• Solved an issue with pistols not finishing off an unfortunate fellow with a single shot to the head.

Would you like to have a go at what’s to come? Join us in the BETA! Hop in on our Community Discord to do so. You'll find all the details in the #announcements channel. It’s a great chance for you to provide us with feedback before the update sees a full release and help us make sure that everything is working as intended while you’re at it.

Everything present in this BETA is still a work in progress and bugs are to be expected. There’s an issue with melee combat inside confined spaces such as houses. We’ll make sure to fix this before it sees a full release.

https://discordapp.com/invite/holdfastgame



Once again, thank you for your support and until next time, may good health be yours.

You'll be hearing from us again soon.

- Anvil Game Studios

Yet another major update hits the BETA with more game-play focused content! Valiantly lead men into battle as you issue orders to the rank and file, a unique system composed of multiple traits and abilities to define, distinguish and characterise the relatively huge selection of classes and so much more.

Come have a read at our latest blog post. You can also perhaps gather a first-hand play through for this recent BETA release. There’s plenty of new additions to check out which are by no means limited to what has been mentioned above!

There wasn’t much that helped distinguish the great selection of classes that Holdfast: Nations At War features prior to this update. Officers, line infantryman, guards, grenadiers, musicians, rifleman, marines and indeed all of the classes in the game which make part of either the army, naval or coastal military branches are now assigned specific roles that distinguish them from the rest in the field of battle.

Take lead of others in the rank and file with the Infantry Officer class! Order those good men in the ranks to fire volleys while standing shoulder to shoulder or gloriously charge with bayonet equipped. Officers can request others in high-command to come to their aid which will certainly come of use while performing strategic manoeuvres or when suffering heavy losses in defence of pivotal positions.



If leadership isn’t your forte, heed your nation’s call and do your duty in the ranks! Line infantryman, grenadiers and guards receive additional bonuses by following an officer’s command. These range from benefits in firearm accuracy to improve your chances of hitting your intended target or increasing your melee damage.

Officers purchasing their commission for the sake of fame and glory at the cost of needless loss of life in the ranks due to strategic blunders was certainly of no shortage during those times. We’ve made sure to focus our design on allowing players to cease taking orders from these murdering officers. You are by no means required to follow the lead of an officer whilst playing with one of the classes in the rank and file but are rather encouraged to do so.

Not too keen on standing in ranks? Select one of the skirmishing classes. Riflemen excel at picking targets at longer ranges while light infantrymen move about faster on the battlefield and benefit from an increase in firearm accuracy thanks to one of their traits.



Speaking of traits, you’ll find over 17 different traits designed with the intent to further distinguish and characterise one class from the other. It’ll end up being a relatively long list to go through all the traits and we’re already exceeding what one would consider a brief rundown.



Support roles now gather score for their good deeds as they play an equally important role. You will receive points for healing other players with the surgeon class or assisting with the operation of artillery pieces.

There’s plenty more to check out in this update including a whole slew of new firearms and melee weapons to choose from! You’ll also find additional game-play features of which there’s no hint or mention of in this blog post. We’ll leave it up to those fellows participating in the BETA to discover them before the update sees a full release.



Would you like to have a go at what’s to come? Join us in the BETA! Hop in on our Community Discord to do so. You'll find all the details in the #announcements channel. It’s a great chance for you to provide us with feedback before the update sees a full release and help us make sure that everything is working as intended while you’re at it.

Everything present in this BETA is still a work in progress and bugs are to be expected. We’ll be undergoing balance changes as development progresses.

https://discordapp.com/invite/holdfastgame



Once again, thank you for your support and until next time, may good health be yours.

You'll be hearing from us again soon.

- Anvil Game Studios

Vive L’Empereur! Fight for the glory of your Emperor with a musket in hand as Holdfast: Nations At War is now 60% off for the duration of Steam’s Summer Sale. Join the community and participate in weekly organised events.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/589290/Holdfast_Nations_At_War/

It would be great if you can help us spread the word around about the sale to bring this genre of Musket Warfare games that we all love in the limelight. We want to continue strengthening the following behind the game as it grows and develops.

Have a read of our blog post for a brief insight into what we’ve been up to.



Featuring content on both land and sea, Holdfast: Nations At War saw plenty of impactful additions during the past two months! With our focus set on bringing forth more game-play oriented features as we develop our way through the game’s eventual full release, you should also expect another update to hit its BETA soon but first, let’s talk about the recent major releases.

Construct well-placed defences, earthworks and artillery to turn the tide of battle in your favour with the new sapper class. Last week’s update also brought with it carriable explosives, repairable artillery pieces, player-built swivel guns and various destruction related mechanics.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ultq6Imu_1s



Yet another major release placed one of the largest naval vessels to date on the seven seas - the 50-Gun Frigate. It also so the inclusion of rocketboats, coastal sieges, a ton of roleplay-oriented features, rowable rowboats, a complete redesign of the Naval Battlefield game mode and multiple other additions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEDO0Ter31w



More game-play focused content! Issue orders to the rank and file, a unique system composed of multiple traits and abilities to define, distinguish and characterise the relatively huge selection of classes. Here’s a first-hand look at one of the new firearms that’ll make it into the game with the upcoming update.



Looking for a good bunch of fellows to play the game with? Do join our Discord! Linebattle events where players are encouraged to play in formations relevant to the Napoleonic era are hosted by the community through the week.

Discord is also a great place to be to stay in touch with the game’s development. Feedback is always greatly welcomed. We look forward to seeing you there!

https://discordapp.com/invite/holdfastgame



That’s all for this blog post good folk. Once again, thank you for your support and until next time, may good health be yours.

We’re working on the next update.

- Anvil Game Studios

Holdfast: Nations At War has been updated! This patch brings with it multiple bug fixes after the release of a major update featuring the Sapper class during the previous week.

Here’s the full changelog.



Changelog 34 - Game Version 0.32.7114.28816

Bug Fixes
• Solved an issue that allowed players to place down defences with the Sapper class even after they met an unfortunate end.
  
• Solved an issue with moveable field guns and carriable swivel guns being present in an incorrect location or turning invisible while in spectate or free flight.
  
• Solved an issue with an error occurring on the client due to an incorrect hand pose.
  
• Solved multiple issues related to audio.
  
• Removed various debug logs.
  
  Game Balance
  
• Decreased the health points of the constructible palisade walls and platforms.

Thank you for your support and until next time, may good health be yours.

Feel free to join in on our Discord.

We’re working on the next update.

- Anvil Game Studios

Equip hammer in hand and fortify your position with the new sapper class! Construct well-placed defences, earthworks and artillery to turn the tide of battle in your favour. Carry explosives to breach the adversary’s strongholds, repair damaged artillery pieces and more.

Come check out our latest update release! There’s more to this update than what has been mentioned above but before you do so, have a look at the trailer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ultq6Imu_1s
With our focus set on bringing forth more game-play oriented features as we develop our way through Holdfast: Nations At War’s eventual full release, this update brings with it a whole new slew of additions.

Sappers are now your go-to class to freely construct a multitude of defences, carriable swivel guns, fusible explosive barrels and repair damaged artillery pieces. It’ll surely become a favourite amongst those looking to play a support role! This class also comes equipped with a blunderbuss and sword.







But how to go about constructing these defences? Here are some of the steps you must go through to get things going. Be sure to spawn in with the Sapper class beforehand.

Equipping The Hammer - Stage 0
Similar to what needs to be done with the musicians, one must first press the ‘Q’ key to equip the hammer used to construct as well as repair player-built defences.



Selecting Your Construction - Stage 1
Once you have a hammer in hand, hold your ‘Right Click’ mouse button and you’ll be presented with a radial user interface allowing for quick navigation between different constructions. Constructions are split into two categories, artillery and defences.

In this example, we’ll be constructing a palisade which makes for the strongest of all the available defences but takes longer to build and requires more materials to construct.



Placing Your Construction - Stage 2
Proceed to ‘Left Click’ on the palisade construction present in the radial user interface. A representation of the palisade indicating the position as to where the construction is to be placed will appear.

Once you find a suitable position to start constructing your defence, ‘Left Click’ once more. You can also rotate the defence by using your ’Scroll Wheel’ before placing it.



Building Your Construction - Stage 3
Now that your construction is in place, start hitting at the palisade with your hammer to begin its construction. In order to finalise the construction, you need to land enough hits on the palisade until the entirety of the circle UI representing the defence’s health fills up.



Other fellows playing with the Sapper class can also assist with building your defence. Once its construction has been completed, the circle UI will turn from an orange colour, indicating that the defence is under construction and therefore more easily destructible, to green.



Reinforcing Your Construction - Stage 3
Some player-built defences can be reinforced further bolstering their defence. Sandbags, for instance, can be placed atop earthworks providing for greater cover from enemy fire. A platform can also be attached to the palisade for players to shoot from.



Palisades, gabions, explosive barrels, earthworks, sandbags and the list continues. There’s a vast selection of defences, artillery and explosives to construct. Unique to each and every player-built object a set of materials or limit is applied.

Materials play a role within this new mechanic to restrict the number of constructible defences that can be present at any point in time during a match. Larger constructions such as the chaveauxs deplete more resources than their smaller counterparts.

Chairs now make part of the selection of constructible defences. Albeit not being as useful of a defence, it’ll certainly provide you with a neat resting place to view the ongoing onslaught as mayhem ensues.

Here’s a list to put things into perspective.

Defences
• Infantry Stakes
  
• Gabion
  
• Chaveux De Frise (L)
  
• Chaveux De Frise (S)
  
• Palisade
  
• Palisade Platform
  
• Chair
  
  Artillery
  
• Explosive Barrel
  
• Carriable Swivel Gun
  
• Ammobox
  
• Rocketstack
  
  Digging
  
• Earthworks
  
• Sandbags

In a constantly changing battleground, we ought to provide players with the capabilities to move defences elsewhere even after they have already been enacted. Deconstructing a defence will retain back its material points allowing sappers to make use of those materials to build the defence once more.

Open up the mode selector by holding the ‘F’ key and select either the option to ‘Deconstruct’ or ‘Undig’.



Contributing further to the strategic element that this update brings with it, destroying the enemy faction’s emplacements through the use of various artillery pieces, explosives or melee weapons will deplete materials from their pool and bring them into yours.

Sappers can then make use of these materials to further solidify your defensive positions. They can also be pretty effective at destroying enemy defence with their relatively bigger hammer whilst in ‘Deconstruct’ mode.



It’s ticking like a time bomb, the fuse is running short. There’s plenty of scenarios were the above-mentioned explosive barrels come into play. Construct, carry, set a fuse and make quick work of enemy emplacements.



Don’t break your jaw in aw just yet as you better watch out for enemy fire while carrying these volatile explosives or they’ll be sure to blow you to kingdom come.



Should a defence become damaged, sappers can equip their hammer and repair the emplacement back to its original state. Field guns, rocket launchers, mortars, swivel guns and long guns that have seen better light of day can similarly be repaired as well by the same class.

Artillery pieces that remain unrepaired on the battlefield, will respawn back to base after a set amount of time.



With this update’s release, the attackers whilst playing on the Army Siege or Coastal Siege game modes no longer gather instant access to a fortification by casually opening up a fort’s door. Instead, they must now topple them down using artillery, explosives or melee weapons.



Similarly, windows now shatter if hit by projectiles from firearms or stricken by a melee weapon. The destruction of doors and windows is not specifically restricted to the Siege game mode.



Coupled with the same update, we’ll also be pushing forward changes aimed towards balancing gameplay on Coastal Siege scenario. Attackers will find it easier to disable the enemy’s guns and eventually land ashore.

All the specific changes we’ve undergone are detailed further down below in our changelog.



Looking for a good bunch of fellows to play the game with? Do join our Discord! Linebattle events were players are encouraged to play in formations relevant to the Napoleonic era are hosted by the community through the week.

Discord is a great place to be to stay in touch with the game’s development. Feedback is always greatly welcomed. We look forward to seeing you there!

https://discordapp.com/invite/holdfastgame



Here’s a changelog containing all the new features, quality of life additions and fixes you’ll find in this update.



Changelog 33 - Game Version 0.31.7109.30173

New Game Features
• A New Class. Sappers! Your go-to class to freely construct a multitude of defences, carriable swivel guns, fusible explosive barrels and repair damaged artillery pieces.
  
• Player-Built Defences. Fortify! A vast selection of defences, artillery and explosives to construct.
  » Defences: Infantry Stakes, Gabions, Chaveux De Frise (L), Chaveux De Frise (S), Palisades, Palisade Platforms & Chairs.
  » Artillery: Explosive Barrels, Carriable Swivel Guns, Ammoboxes & Rocketstacks.
  » Digging: Earthworks & Sandbags.
  
• Deconstructing Defences. Deconstructing a defence will retain back its material points allowing sappers to make use of those materials to build the defence once more.
  
• Destroying Defences. Destroying the enemy faction’s emplacements through the use of various artillery pieces, explosives or melee weapons will deplete materials from their pool and bring them into yours.
  
• Repairing. Should a defence become damaged, sappers can equip their hammer and repair the emplacement back to its original state. Field guns, rocket launchers, mortars, swivel guns and long guns that have seen better light of day can similarly be repaired as well by the same class.
  
• Fort Doors & Windows. Whilst playing on the Army Siege or Coastal Siege game modes, the attackers no longer gather instant access to a fortification by casually opening up a fort’s door. Instead, they must now topple them down using artillery, explosives or melee weapons.
  » Windows now shatter if hit by projectiles from firearms or stricken by a melee weapon.
  
• Target Dummies. Dummies present at the shooting range on the Training Grounds map now provide feedback when shot at. They can also be spawned using the spawn override commands.
  » Have a look at our Wiki for more on how to spawn this object.
  
  Gameplay Balance
  
• Reduced the health points of all coastal cannons. If you manage to land a single shot, the cannon will be no more.
  
• Reduced the coastal cannon’s range and projectile travel velocity.
  
• Increased the time it takes to reload coastal cannons by 2 seconds.
  
• Reduced the health points of Fort Imperial’s walls.
  
• Improved the effectiveness of the smaller variation of the grapeshot. This was done by increasing its effective range and shots it fires.
  
• Carpenters are now playable only on naval and coastal scenarios.
  
  Server Configuration
  
• Server administrators can configure limitations per buildable object as well as the starting material points.
  » Have a look at our Wiki for more on how to make use of this new functionality.
  
• Included a new model as part of the spawn able object selections that ships can collide with.
  » Have a look at our Wiki for more on how to make use of this new functionality.
  
  Bug Fixes & Tweaks
  
• Solved an issue which caused the map rotation to cease functioning if more than 250 objects are spawned using override commands.
  
• Solved an issue which caused a specific user interface element to remain on screen after interacting with a spawn-able firearm ammobox.
  
• Solved an issue that enabled players to clip inside one of the ruins present on Fort Schwarz.
  
• Solved an issue with a red-line showing underneath the water in naval scenarios.
  
• Solved an issue which caused swivel guns present on all coastal scenarios to be indestructible.
  
• Reduced the volume of specific destruction sounds.

Be sure to stay tuned! There’s more gameplay-oriented in the works.

Once again, thank you for your support and until next time, may good health be yours.

We’ll keep you updated.

- Anvil Game Studios