Following the release of the Kingdom of Italy, we'll be pushing a smaller update targeting bug fixes, optimisations and other additions.

Should you have any questions about Holdfast or wish to participate in the community more, why not join the official Discord server? It is your central hub for all things Holdfast and houses a plethora of channels dedicated to event and game announcements, regiment recruitment, game support, suggestions, history discussion and more. Click below to join today!

http://discord.gg/holdfastgame







Changelog 66 - Game Version 1.15.7790.34383


Optimisations

● Optimised the Italian flag’s cloth of which shader was causing performance degradation.

● Shortened the Italian flag to match the standard French size. Server administrators must update their game servers for the weapon’s melee reach to match the new size.

● Optimised various uniforms across multiple factions.

● Optimised the weapon models.

● Optimised the carriable ladders to reduce garbage collection and therefore improve performance.


Bug Fixes

● Solved an issue with players appearing to be standing up when swapping their weapon.

● Solved a few grammatical errors visible which were visible when the player opened the voice acting panel.


Quality of Life

● Regiment leader names now load in order of the regiment’s rank on the registry.


Graphical

● Ramrods now detach from the weapon model as the player reloads the musket.


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





- Anvil Game Studios

Refleax, Rycon, Dreas, Wrexial, Walki, Cameron, Jackson, Rejenorst, Harper & Storey

Under the rule of Napoléon Bonaparte, the Kingdom of Italy marches bravely to the frontlines with this major update coming to Holdfast: Nations At War!

But that’s not all! Alongside a whole new faction, Holdfast: Nations At War will be graced with a new battlefield, new achievements, a 55% off game sale, user interface changes and gameplay tweaks. There’s plenty to check out this game update.

Not only will the base game be on sale but so will the cosmetic game DLCs (High-Command, Regiment of the Guard and Regiment of the Line) and Loyalist Edition of the game. These will be available at 15% off for the same duration.

This update took a collaborative effort from members of the Holdfast community and Anvil Game Studios. We’d like to give a massive shout out to all the members who assisted in bringing the Italian faction to life. Take a look further down this blog post to see all the good fellows who made this update possible.

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

Can’t wait to see the beautiful Italian uniforms? Take a look at the Italian faction in all its glory in this faction reveal trailer!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxYdOxxLyK8

Headlining yet another major update to come to Holdfast: Nations At War, the Kingdom of Italy joins the fight.

As mentioned previously this update was a collaborative effort and would not have been possible without the dedication and brilliance of the Holdfast community. They aided with the creation of brand new uniforms, research and filming of trailer whilst working hand in hand with the development team every step of the way.

The Italian faction features 16 new uniforms, shouts and calls in the Italian tongue, 4 new playable musician songs and much more! Take a look at a handful of what is included within the Italian faction below.


Italian Infantry Officer (right) & Infantryman (left) of the 7° Reggimento Fanteria di Linea


Italian Flag Bearer (left) of the 7° Reggimento Fanteria di Linea & Surgeon (right) of the Corpo Medico

Italian Hussar (left) of the 2° Reggimento Cacciatori & Dragoon (right) of the Dragoni Napoleone


Marcia Nazionale played by an Italian Drummer & Fifer of the 7° Reggimento Fanteria di Linea

Be sure to jump in game to see the rest of the uniforms, shouts and musician songs.

Musician Tunes
● Ah! Ça Ira
● Marcia Guardia Nazionale
● Marcia Guardia Consolare
● Pas Redoublé

A big thank you from Anvil Game Studios to all the community members who participated in bringing this faction to life! Take a look at who was involved below.

Credits
● Aranos92
● Jack Aubrey
● Giulio Centanni
● Paolo Casali
● Piero Crociani
● FFlopper
● AndreXLVII
● ApexPhantom
● Meschia
● El Deutsch
● Seven7kill1
● Louis Nicolas Davout
● Barbarossa
● Sauron
● Andrea
● Iaen
● McKallister
● Cesco
● Galeazzo
● Jack01
● LuigiN64
● NattivStray
● Helbert
● Trollo
● Trooper
● Maestro
● Mattixroma
● Lepnat_vasquez
● Paololorenzo
● Vittorio Emanuele
● Conte Mascetti
● Dagoryan
● Discadusca
● Mikeyy
● Jeff
● Tarquinius
● Brosandman

The Italian faction is not the only community project coming to Holdfast this update. The winning map of the Battlefield Forger competition, Aspern by Willy, will also be added to the game. More information about the Battlefield Forger competition and its participants can be found here.

Set in and around a quiet countryside town this battlefield will see nations battling it out over control of the towns centre. Flanking riflemen will make good use of the small hills and fields that provide good vantage points if used correctly and Officers will bark orders at men lined behind broken walls for cover.



Well done once again to Willy for winning the competition and having their battlefield officially added to the game.

Regiment members rejoice as achievements specific to the Regiment Registry have arrived! In this update you will be able to obtain 3 new achievements for the following.

● Clan Enlistment
» Enlist and join a game clan through the Regiment Registry.

● Regiment Honours
» Enlist in a game clan and gather 10 match victories.

● Regiment Veteran
» Enlist in a game clan and slay 250 enemies.


Should you have any questions about Holdfast or wish to participate in the community more, why not join the official Discord server? It is your central hub for all things Holdfast and houses a plethora of channels dedicated to event and game announcements, regiment recruitment, game support, suggestions, history discussion and more. Click below to join today!

http://discord.gg/holdfastgame







Changelog 65 - Game Version 1.15.7779.32347

New Features

● A New Nation! The Kingdom of Italy joins the war thanks to a community-driven collaborative effort.
» Unique uniforms for all army branch units representative of the army during the era.
» 4 new marching tunes unique to the Italian fifer and drummer musicians.
» Orders, patriotic shouts, insults and a plethora of other voice-acted shouts unique to the faction.
» A unique victory stinger composed by the talented Sean Beeson.
» You can now select the Kingdom of Italy as your preferred faction of affiliation through the Regiment Registry.

● A New Map! Aspern by Willy. Set in and around a quiet countryside town this battlefield will see nations battling it out over control of the towns centre.

● 3 New Achievements! Regiment members rejoice as achievements specific to the Regiment Registry have arrived.
» Clan Enlistment
» Regiment Honours
» Regiment Veteran

● 2 New Achievements! Slay enemies whilst playing as the Russian or Italian faction.
» For the Fatherland!
» Viva l'Italia!


Backend

● Redesigned the game's backend to be able to support more than 4 factions into the game. Look forward to more in the future!


Gameplay

● Infantry Officers are no longer able to ride on horseback.

● A new setting has been introduced allowing administrators to have officers able to ride on horseback for the purpose of events.
» rc set vehicleHorseForOfficer true or false

● Slightly reduced horse gallop speed but improved maneuverability.

● Players able to mount on horseback will now be prompted with an interaction indicator instructing them to press ‘E’ when looking at a horse.


Quality of Life

● Introduced a search feature to the ‘Handover Regiment’ and ‘Moderator’ panels in the Regiment Registry.


Bug Fixes

● Solved an issue that allowed players to construct defenses outside a map’s borders.

● Solved an issue which sometimes showed players crouching to appear at standing.

● Solved an issue which caused festive trees to show outside season on some maps.

● Reduced the load times of the ever-growing regiment registry.

● Solved an issue with the Melee Arena leaderboard showing in an incorrect state when the extended view was closed.


Hop into Holdfast today and play as the new Italians! There are now more nations than ever at war. The generals of the British, Prussian, Russian, French and Italian armies call for your enlistment! Whose side will you pick?

There's more in store for Holdfast with a much larger, more-ambitious update being in the works. It will take time to see matters come to fruition but do stay tuned and most definitely look forward to what's to come.

Currently the good majority of the team is working on this while we also make time for less-sizable updates leading to its release to keep things going. We're most excited to share more but it’s still too early. Once we have something playable to show, the community will be the first to get their hands on and know about it. :heart:

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





- Anvil Game Studios

Refleax, Rycon, Dreas, Wrexial, Walki, Cameron, Jackson, Rejenorst, Harper & Storey

Another update makes its way to Holdfast: Nations At War! Version 1.14 will see bug fixes targeting cavalry mechanics, map-related issues solved amongst other minor additions. We’re also pushing all necessary back-end changes required to move official game servers over to a Linux infrastructure.

Come have a read of our blog post for more about this release.

Should you have any questions about Holdfast or wish to participate in the community more, why not join the official Discord server? It is your central hub for all things Holdfast and houses a plethora of channels dedicated to event and game announcements, regiment recruitment, game support, suggestions, history discussion and more.

Click below to join today!

https://discord.com/invite/holdfastgame









Changelog 64 - Game Version 1.14.7691.21021

Official Game Servers

● Necessary back-end changes required to move official game servers over to a Linux infrastructure are present in this update.
» It enables us to more quickly update official game servers to the latest version when a new game update is rolled out.

● Introduced a function allowing server hosts to place servers in hibernation mode if no players are connected to it. This will reduce CPU utilisation for idle game servers.
» Input the following commands in the server configuration file to make use of this function: server_hibernation_enabled true and server_hibernation_fps 5.


Standalone Windows Server

● A dedicated Windows OS server for Holdfast: Nations At War is now available.
» Download the server files through your Steam Library. Ensure that you have 'Tools' selection.


Cavalry Fixes

● Reduced the ghost range when striking with melee weapons while on horseback.

● Adjusted the horse’s hitbox to be more representative of the model.

● The ‘Horse Effects’ graphics setting toggle no longer mutes horse audio effects.

● Attempted fix towards an instance which sometimes caused horse-related audio effects to cut off.


Client Optimisations

● Minor optimisations targeting player movement.

● Minor optimisations targeting audio-related functions.

● Performed minor optimisations on Port Nile.


Bug Fixes

● Solved an instance which caused the server to crash.

● Solved an issue with featured servers not un-featuring themselves.

● Solved an issue causing players to get stuck when detaching their bayonet and interacting with a cannon.

● Prevented entry to certain locations on Port Nile which were not meant to be accessible.

● Solved an issue with the floor turning invisible on one of the destructible models on Fort Al Farid.

● Introduce free-flight camera colliders on Glacier.

● Solved an issue with forward positions on Glacier.

● Solved an issue with one of the wall structures next to the church on Lamarsh Fen.

● Solve an issue with an excessive amount of Cannoneers on Marquette.

● Solved an audio-related error that occurred when players hit with a cannon one of the gatehouses present on Canyon and Marquette.

● Solved an issue which caused players to fall underneath Fort Imperial when one of the houses was destroyed.


Game Balance

● Increased the defender’s reinforcements on Fort Darial by 15.

● Increased the reinforcements on Fort Al Farid for the defenders by 40. They also get 30 additional build points.


Atmosphere

● Musket and pistol sounds now come with added base for an additional kick when firing volleys.

● The weather audio slider will now default to 100 from 30 for players launching the game anew.


Graphical

● Changed the white circular banner displayed above player’s heads.


We do most certainly hope that you’re having a decent start of this new year. Stay tuned for more Holdfast updates! Expect new maps, player-suggested additions and major game-play focused updates throughout the year.

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





- Anvil Game Studios

Refleax, Rycon, Dreas, Wrexial, Walki, Cameron, Jackson, Rejenorst, Harper & Storey

If the turkey, stuffing balls and roast potatoes weren’t enough to fill you up this festive season then this most certainly will. Put musket to hand as Holdfast: Nations At War is running an increased XP event from Thursday the 31st of December until Monday the 4th of January 2021 to see us into the new year.

It is a perfect time for players looking to climb the leaderboards to gain some extra experience on their way to the top.



Ram your shot and fix bayonets because over the duration of the event you will be able to gather an additional 50% of experience upon completion of a round! Rank up your favourite classes or stake your claim as the best Carpenter around with this final festive treat for the new year.

Not only will you be able to rank up your soldier at an increased pace but you’ll also be able to collect medals along the way. With the recent addition of the valour medal, this event puts it slightly easier within your grasp.

Soldier Rank


Here’s a look at all the medals you can gather showing your prowess on the battlefield.

Bronze Medals - Soldier Rank 5, 10 & 15


Silver Medals - Soldier Rank 20, 25 & 30


Gold Medals - Soldier Rank 35, 40 & 45


Decorated Medals - Soldier Rank 50, 55 & 60


Valour Medals - Soldier Rank 65, 70 & 75


Regiments will similarly benefit from increased experience collected collaboratively by their fellows in arms. Prestige and gather decorative banners distinguishing your clan as you make your mark on the frontlines!

Regiment Registry


Banners representative of the regiment’s rank will display when an enlisted joins the match.

Regiment Banners - Level 1, Level 50 & Level 70


Regiment Banners - Prestige Rank 1, 2 & 3


Still undecided to take part in one of Holdfast spectacles? Linebattle events which see players en masse make good use of formations relevant to the Napoleonic era are participated by these same regiments throughout the week.

The devastatingly beautiful sound of musketry covers the field as you stand shoulder to shoulder. Enlist in a regiment today and fight for King and country!

Go to the ‘Regiment Registry’ from the game’s main menu and have you pick or simply ask around on Discord. You’ll find plenty willing to show you the ropes.

https://discord.com/invite/holdfastgame



Fight today as Holdfast: Nations At War continues its 60% off discount for the remainder of the Steam Winter Sale. With the recent release of a major content update, you’ll find more Holdfast than ever to experience and plenty of good fellows to play alongside with.

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

Not only is the base game of Holdfast: Nations At War on sale but as are the cosmetic game DLCs (High-Command and Regiment of the Line) and Loyalist Edition of the game. These will be available at 20% off for the remainder of the sale.

https://store.steampowered.com/bundle/13424/Holdfast_Nations_At_War__Collectors_Edition/

Now collect your shillings from over there on the drum and make for the frontlines of the action-packed Holdfast battlefields.



Should you have any questions about Holdfast or wish to participate in the community more, why not join the official Discord server? It is your central hub for all things Holdfast and houses a plethora of channels dedicated to event and game announcements, regiment recruitment, game support, suggestions, history discussion and more.

Click below to join today!

https://discord.com/invite/holdfastgame






Happy new year folks.

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





- Anvil Game Studios

Refleax, Rycon, Dreas, Wrexial, Walki, Cameron, Jackson, Rejenorst, Harper & Storey

During this joyful time of year, the Holdfast community lost a stalwart and an icon to mental health struggles. Jon_Snow was nothing but a kind soul. It is not just the community that is at a loss but indeed everyone who was as fortunate as all of us that have met him.

A memorial in remembrance of E|C Jon_Snow has been erected on the map Highlands. Please don’t forget to reach out if you’re having a rough time.

Here’s our final salute to you good friend.

Jon's Highlands Watch


Our heartfelt thanks go to everyone who spared their precious time and paid their respects to the departed.

Jon's Service


Do share with us and the community a few anecdotes of your ventures with Jon on Discord should you wish to do so.

https://discord.com/invite/holdfastgame





Changelog 63 - Game Version 1.13.7668.21840

New Features

● Erected a memorial in remembrance of Jon Snow on the map Highlands.


Bug Fixes

● Solved an issue which caused framerate to drop when a player played a tune on the piano.

● Solved an issue with the ocean turning invisible when selecting the 'Low' graphical preset setting.


Rest in peace, Jon_Snow.

Until next time, may good health be yours.





- Anvil Game Studios

Refleax, Rycon, Dreas, Wrexial, Walki, Cameron, Jackson, Rejenorst, Harper & Storey

Christmas has come early! Holdfast: Nations At War is now on sale at a whopping 60% off for a limited time only. Now is a better time than ever to take to the front lines. With the recent release of a major content update, you’ll have more Holdfast than ever to experience and plenty of good fellows to play alongside with.

So what are you waiting for? The generals of the British, Prussian, Russian and French armies call for your enlistment!

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

Not only will the base game of Holdfast: Nations At War be on sale but so will the cosmetic game DLCs (High Command & Regiments of the Line) and Loyalist Edition of the game. These will be available at 20% off for the same duration.

https://store.steampowered.com/bundle/13424/Holdfast_Nations_At_War__Collectors_Edition/

As mentioned now is a better time than ever to join the battlefields of the great Napoleonic Era in Holdfast: Nations at War! The recently released major content update brings new maps, prestige systems, the long-awaited Guard DLC uniforms and much more.

Experience musket combat like never before with the 3 new battlefields that accompany the plethora of maps that Holdfast has to offer. This now numbers over 40+ unique battlefields!

Fort Al Farid


Straighten your uniform and tie your boots as the regiments of Holdfast are now able to prestige once reaching the new rank limit of 70! Join a regiment or create your own to climb the regiment leaderboards and showcase your achievements in all their glory.

Regiment Prestige


Stand tall for the guard with the new Regiments of the Guard DLC! Charge onwards with the most-revered Imperial Old Guard for the French Empire, the British Empire’s Coldstream Regiment of Foot Guards, the Kingdom of Prussia’s Zweites Garde Regiment zu Fuss or the Russian Empire’s Leib-Gvardii Litovskii Polk (The Regiments of the Guard DLC will not feature as part of the sale).

The Old Guard


Take an in-depth read of this major content release and all that has come with it, by visiting the blog post here.

Winter Update. 3 New Maps & Regiment Prestige!

Why not take a look at what the community has been up? With the rise of our modding community, community-run organised events and servers have become increasingly popular! Take a look below at some of the modded uniforms, maps and game screenshots by members of the community.

Orderly Prussian Grenadiers


Linebattle (Modded)


Christmas Truce


Regiment On Parade (Modded)


Musketry


Should you have any questions about Holdfast or wish to participate in the community more, why not join the official Discord server? It is your central hub for all things Holdfast and houses a plethora of channels dedicated to event and game announcements, modding, regiment recruitment, game support, suggestions, history discussion and more. Click below to join today!

https://discord.com/invite/holdfastgame




May you have the best of holidays. Do look forward to what we have in store for Holdfast next year!

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





- Anvil Game Studios

Refleax, Rycon, Dreas, Wrexial, Walki, Cameron, Jackson, Rejenorst, Harper & Storey

Following yesterday’s content-filled update, we’ll be pushing another featuring bug fixes and other additions based on feedback. Come have a read of our latest blog post for all the details and while you're at it, feel free to join our Discord.

Join Discord!

If you are experiencing issues with launching the game, or crashing please try verifying the integrity of your game files through Steam. You're also welcome to reach out to us on Discord for assistance.

Steam - Verify Integrity of Files




Changelog 62 - Game Version 1.12.7662.23499

New Map - Glacier

● Solved an issue with one of the areas being blocked by an invisible collider next to a house.

● Solved an issue with an invisible collider blocking an entrance leading to a cave.

● Solved an issue with one of the swivel guns floating on Glacier.

● Solved an issue where players could reach an area on the map which wasn't meant to be accessible.

● Introduced an additional ladder leading to the rooftops on one of the houses.


New Map - Fort Al Farid

● Solved an issue where the tower's cannon wasn't getting destroyed when the tower itself is reduced to rubble.

● Solved an issue with one of the pillars being incorrectly textured.

● Solved an issue where players couldn't fire the tower's cannon after it was loaded.

● Solved an issue where cannons present on Fort Al Farid were not required to be rammed before firing.

● Solved an issue where players sometimes went underneath the terrain when aiming cannons on Fort Al Farid.

● Players now face towards the fort when spawning as the attackers on Fort Al Farid.

● Solved an issue with the carriable rocket launcher on Fort Al Farid.


New Map - Port Nile

● Solved an issue where the player didn't run smoothly on the staircases leading to the edges of the map.

● Solved an issue where certain objects went invisible when looking towards a specific area on the map.

● Solved an issue with one of the docked Brig-Sloop's missing its front mast.

● Solved an issue with an error popping up when shooting at the barrel on Port Nile.

● Player spawn locations on both base spawn for either faction have been spread out.

● Introduced another staircase next to the base spawn leading to the garden on Port Nile.


Soldier Medals

● Changed the colouring of the Gold, Decorated and Valour medals.

● Players can now better distinguish between Bronze and Valour medals.

● Solved an issue where soldier medals overlapped in the scoreboard.


Regiment Banners

● Solved an issue where sometimes a regiment's banner didn't show above the player's head.

● Solved an issue where certain banners were not tiling correctly.


Regiment Medals

● Awarded the [45e], KRA and BB with a unique medal for having reached the maximum regiment rank of 50 prior to the introduction of prestige.


Naval Warfront

● Solved an issue with textures flickering on the Naval Warfront game mode.


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





- Anvil Game Studios

Refleax, Rycon, Dreas, Wrexial, Walki, Cameron, Jackson, Rejenorst, Harper & Storey

Here comes a new content update! Introducing 3 new maps, regiment prestige mechanics, new soldier ranks, the long-awaited Guard DLC uniforms and much more. Holdfast continues to expand and improve thanks to the community’s ongoing support.

So shoulder your musket and sit by the fire while you take a read of what is coming to Holdfast: Nations At War this Holiday season! Don’t forget to clean the chimneys and prepare a cup of hot milk and cookies for the ‘man in red’ to drink though.

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



Expanding upon the game’s regiment registry system, regiments are now able to prestige should they reach the new rank limit of 70. It will be possible to prestige your regiments through 3 additional ranks once you have obtained that level.

Of course, as fitting for the time, there will be a special way to recognise regiments that manage to achieve such heights in the form of shiny new decoration around your regiments banner both in the registry and in-game. You can take a look at these decorations below.

Additionally, the curve for collective experience required has changed, this may mean your regiment’s level has also been altered but the experience gathered has remained the same. Be sure to capitalise on these new features and changes as Holdfast official servers will boast an increased XP weekend starting Thursday the 31st of December 2020 and running until Monday 4th of January 2021.

Congratulations to the [45e], BB and KRA for reaching the maximum legacy regiment rank. Let’s kick this new year off with a bang!

Regiment Banners - Level 1, Level 50 & Level 70


Regiment Banners - Prestige Rank 1, 2 & 3


It is not just the regiments who will be able to showcase their brilliance with new decoration, the individual soldier rank limit has also been increased from 50 to 75! To go with this change a set of brand new medals have been introduced for dedicated fellows to achieve and showcase their hard work in all its glory.

Correspondingly, all of the soldier rank medals have been redesigned and altered to fit the new design of the new - Valour Medal.

Bronze Medals - Soldier Rank 5, 10 & 15


Silver Medals - Soldier Rank 20, 25 & 30


Gold Medals - Soldier Rank 35, 40 & 45


Decorated Medals - Soldier Rank 50, 55 & 60


Valour Medals - Soldier Rank 65, 70 & 75


Stand tall for the guard! Charge onwards with the most-revered Imperial Old Guard for the French Empire, the British Empire’s Coldstream Regiment of Foot Guards, the Kingdom of Prussia’s Zweites Garde Regiment zu Fuss or the Russian Empire’s Leib-Gvardii Litovskii Polk.

There will never be any content outside that of purely cosmetic items packaged in a DLC. As we’ve previously promised, it doesn’t and never will impact gameplay.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1489800/Holdfast_Nations_At_War__Regiments_of_the_Guard/

Through these DLCs we can continue supporting 'Holdfast: Nations At War' while remaining totally independent and not privy to any external influences. It’s been like that since the founding of the team and we plan on keeping it that way.

It'll also help us fund damn exciting future projects which stay true to Holdfast and everything that makes it brilliant!

Regiments of the Guard DLC Uniform Unlocks
● Unlock the French Empire's 1er Grenadiers de la Garde Impériale uniform.



● Unlock the British Empire's Coldstream Regiment of Foot Guards uniform.



● Unlock the Kingdom of Prussia's Zweites Garde Regiment zu Fuss uniform.



● Unlock the Russian Empire's Leib-Gvardii Litovskii Polk uniform.



Of course, we couldn’t just introduce the new prestige system, soldier ranks and dashing guard uniforms without also featuring some new battlefields to enjoy these new features to the fullest!
This update sees one new Army Siege map created by Storey; Fort Al-Farid and two new Army Battlefield maps by Harper; Glacier and Port Nile added to the game and playable now on official game servers.

Fort Al-Farid
Fort Al-Farid is a desert fortification and spiritual successor to recently added map Fort Darial that is a favourite among many players. Al-Farid puts attacks up against not only a formidable stronghold but also the blazing sun and heat of the desert. Refill your canteens in the sparse oases and clear any sand jamming your musket, as breaching this fort will be a sweltering task.



Glacier
In contrast to the sweltering heats found on Fort Al-Farid, Glacier is a cold, frozen battlefield that sees players battling over a small port town that has had its port frozen over. Tread carefully on the port's ice as at any moment it could be struck by a cannonball plunging you into the hyperthermic temperatures of the deep. Rankers who prefer the safety of land can find refuge from the blistering cold winds in a repurposed cave that overlooks the town. Be sure to take your musket with you however, as this will certainly be a point of contest for both armies as they seek shelter.



Port Nile
Unlike the frozen port of Glacier, Port Nile is a warm, tropical and rich city port that provides an urban battlefield experience that has yet to be seen in Holdfast: Nations At War. The narrow streets of this port and market city places infantrymen in close-quarter engagements that require quick thinking and flanking via ladders, rooftops and alleyways to gain victory. The multiple sections of the city, that vary in height, will put soldiers used to fighting in open fields to the test.



With the success of the Battlefield Forger contest and the rise in the Holdfast: Nations At War modding community this update also includes the ability for community servers featuring modifications that alter the typical gameplay experience to be featured alongside official game servers on the lobby browser.

The featured status will be awarded for a limited time to well managed and put together servers that offer new experiences for players who may perhaps wish to try their hand on them.

We hope this will encourage community servers to strive to create new game modes and experiences with the Holdfast SDK tools and server configurations for all to enjoy. It is only fitting we feature those who put back into the game with their own unique take.



Should these new additions to community servers inspire you to get involved in the modding community please do not hesitate in acquiring the artisan role in the official Discord. This will give you access to various text channels dedicated to modding Holdfast: Nations At War.

To acquire this role simply visit the #getting-started modding channel and press the reaction emoji below the post. This will assign you the artisan role and give you access to all available modding community channels.



If you have yet to join the official Discord why not do so now? It is your central hub for all things Holdfast, not just modding but a plethora of channels dedicated to event and game announcements, regiment recruitment, game support, suggestions, history discussion and more. Click below to join today!

http://discord.gg/holdfastgame








Here’s a list of all the changes, additions and bug fixes you’ll find in this update.





Changelog 61 - Game Version 1.11.7660.25581

New Features

● Regiment Prestige! Expanding upon the game’s regiment registry system, regiments are now able to prestige should they reach the new rank limit of 70.
» Decorative banners will be awarded to those that achieve this feat.

● Soldier Ranks! Valour. It is not just the regiments who will be able to showcase their brilliance with new decoration, the individual soldier rank limit has also been increased from 50 to 75.
» Soldier rank medals have been redesigned to fit the new valour medals.

● Regiment of the Guard DLC. Stand tall for the guard! The Regiments of the Guard DLC unlocks 4 unique uniforms for the Guard class.
» Unlock the British Empire's Coldstream Regiment of Foot Guards uniform.
» Unlock the French Empire's 1er Grenadiers de la Garde Impériale uniform.
» Unlock the Kingdom of Prussia's Zweites Garde Regiment zu Fuss uniform.
» Unlock the Russian Empire's Leib-Gvardii Litovskii Polk uniform.
» Regiments of the Guard DLC - Store Page

● 3 New Maps! Battlefields. Glacier, Fort Al-Farid and Port Nile all of which offer different styles of play. Check them out on the Army Front official game servers.
» Input the following commands per map rotation to host these maps on your community server map_name fortalfarid, glacier and portnile.

● Featured Servers. With the success of the Battlefield Forger contest this update also includes the ability for community servers to be featured alongside official game servers.
» Featured status will be awarded to well managed and put together servers that offer new experiences for players who may perhaps wish to try their hand on them.

● Regiment Registry Medals. Introduced a system allowing us to reward regiments with medals.
» More about this in the coming year, stay tuned!


Seasonal Event

● It's a jolly time of the year! Christmas trees, murderous snowball cannonballs, festive piano tunes and totally legitimate reindeer will be present.
» You can toggle off festive events through the game’s settings.

● Most fitting to the season, the main menu is now extra chilly.


Gameplay

● Reduced the score gathered through kills with officer pistols.

● Indicators exposing the location of surviving players on the minimap will show once reinforcements run out on the Army Battlefield game mode.


Quality of Life

● Bans, kicks, slays, mutes and PMs will now show in the game’s admin-specific chat. It’ll surely help make the administration of events just a little bit easier.

● Server administrators are now provided with the functionality to mute individuals that are affiliated with one particular faction while having others still able to speak.
» Input the following commands to make use of this new function.
»» rc set voiceChatEnabled false - Disables VoIP for all teams.
»» rc set voiceChatEnabled true - Enables VoIP for all teams.
»» rc set voiceChatEnabled Attacking - Allow only the attackers to communicate through VoiP.
»» rc set voiceChatEnabled Defending - Allow only the defenders to community through VoIp.

● Particle effects that are shown when a player is getting healed by a Surgeon are now more visible.

● Introduced more map loading tips detailing blocking, the use of the carpenter class as well as regiment recruitment.


Holdfast SDK

● Terrains using the Microsplat shader in the Holdfast SDK can now feature snow accumulation.


Bug Fixes

● Solved an issue with floating objects on Marquette.

● Solved an issue with one of the fires next to the broken cannon on Autumn Watch.

● Solved an issue where sometimes the carriable Rocket Launcher would get stuck on the bridge in Heartmound.

● Solve an issue with black moving dots showing on certain props. Especially on buildings.

● Solved an issue on certain objects contributing towards added points on the Army Conquest game mode.

● Solved an issue where the loser was sometimes shown as the winner in the top bar.

● Solved an issue where if you are killed whilst attempting to respawn with a different class, you would still respawn with your previous selection.

● Solved an issue where the 92nd Highland Officer was unable to equip a sword and a lantern at the same time.

● Solved an issue where sometimes other players wouldn’t show the reloading animation.

● Solved an issue where the ‘rc remove ships’ command didn’t update the top bar detailing ships and their damage correctly when the ship despawns.

● Solved an issue where you would receive additional experience for standing in line even if you damage a friendly player.

● Solved an issue which resulted in mouse sensitivity changing when going to aiming whilst crouching then standing.

● Solved an issue where sometimes a ghost strike could be issued when holding a spyglass, instrument or other carriable objects.

● Solved an issue where the crouch to stab timer didn’t trigger correctly when meleeing with rapid crouching inputs.

● Solved an issue where audio was missing from the launch screen where the Anvil Game Studios logo shows.


ATTN: Server Hosts

● You will be unable to see servers in the lobby unless you update your game servers to the latest update - Game Version 1.11.


The whole team at Anvil Game Studios would like to take a moment to thank everyone who has continued supporting us throughout what has been a challenging year for everyone. Without you, none of this is possible.

We hope that we have brought you a glimmer of joy for this year and we look forward to the start of the new year and what is to come.

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





- Anvil Game Studios

Refleax, Rycon, Dreas, Wrexial, Walki, Cameron, Jackson, Rejenorst, Harper & Storey

Everyone here at Anvil Game Studios would like to say a big congratulations to everybody who participated in the first-ever Holdfast: Nations At War mapping contest. Members of the modding community both new and old showed great passion, creativeness and support for others throughout the duration of this contest. It was truly admirable!

Over the course of the month that the contest was running we received a massive 24 entries into the competition which made whittling them down to a top three rather challenging indeed. They were all brilliant in their own unique ways.


77th Ed’s Prussian Hills

Judging commenced on the night of the 15th of November 2020 and lasted a good number of hours as Refleax, Rycon, Harper and Storey took their time analysing each map one by one in all their creativity. Despite each map showing their brilliance in their own way, the top 3 had to be given the highest honours.

So without delay here are our Battlefield Forger winners!



1st place is awarded to
Willy - Aspern

This countryside battlefield really stood out to us as it incorporated all aspects of Holdfast: Nations At War within one map. It’s rolling hills, fields of wheat and beautifully designed village lent itself brilliantly in making a hybrid urban and rural battlefield. We look forward to seeing this officially added into the game.





2nd place is awarded to
Davwado - Port City

The clear amount of effort put into this battlefield, with its custom sewer system and detailed village, was deserving enough to be within the top 3. The streets of this Napoleonic port city really immersed us within the world as we explored hidden alleyways, sewers and marched along the cobble. We can’t wait to see how this battlefield will play out on the official server.





3rd place is awarded to
Amblco - Lyster Countryside

The dense forests of Lyster Countryside provided a unique battlefield experience unmatched by any other entity. The aesthetic of this entry was one of the lush thick trees that surrounded a well-designed village overlooking a celestial river which was more than deserving of a top 3 position. Well done!



Congratulations to our winners! Those who did not win however please do not be disheartened as the #forger-submission channel will remain up within the modding section of the official Discord to commemorate this great contest and all its participants.

You will also find below a list of all the participants and their submissions.

Though we could not award prizes to everyone we’d like to take some time to acknowledge just a small portion of the many battlefields that came very close to the top 3 winners.

Uber Juice's - Hills Of Havoc was one such map that came incredibly close to a top 3 position. Its attention to detail and unique ideas all came together to make a wonderful representation of a Napoleonic era siege that would truly be a battle for the ages.



Another submission that came close to the top 3 was Cody’s - Blood Lake. This small twin hilltop battlefield was a front runner for the top 3 from the moment we loaded into this clever battlefield. The use of varying heights, defensive positions and rocky paths leading to the top of the hills provided a fun and fast past battlefield experience.



And a special honourable mention to all the other participants who took part in making some glorious battlefields.

Father Merrin’s - The Hidden Cove & Boyne Valley
PizzaIsDelight’s - Danube River Siege & Balaklava
Kiri(s)Chomping’s - Cossacks’ Raid
Alan’s - Lake Fort
Spammy McJunkMail’s - Plainfields
GDE Skyold’s - Vanoise Heights & The Forgotten Woods
BigMamba’s - Grassy Plains & Snowy Plains
Monkey_Nipples’s - City Siege & Silver Hills
Bastelork’s - Road to Verdun
Ed’s - Prussian Hills
Alatriste’s / Carlosdeb’s - Cadiz
Battle Rifle Assembler’s - Fenrir
FrostyBrew’s - Twin Peaks
Metal Face’s - Telnice

Now the contest has concluded the AGS art department will commence work on incorporating the 1st and 2nd place battlefields into the game officially in the coming year. This will, of course, require changes to some of these battlefields ensuring optimal performance and gameplay.

During this time we invite everyone who took part, or perhaps didn’t have the chance to take part, to continue making battlefields and pushing the modding boundaries for Holdfast: Nations At War so we can continue to expand this brilliant side of the community.


GDE Skyold’s Forgotten Woods

Once more we’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone or took part and helped out throughout the contest. It was a great first contest. Be sure to keep an eye out for future competitions...

Should this contest inspire you to get involved in the modding community please do not hesitate in acquiring the artisan role in the official Discord which will give you access to various text channels dedicated to modding Holdfast: Nations At War.

To acquire this role simply visit the #getting-started modding channel and press the reaction emoji below the post. This will assign you the artisan role and give you access to all available modding community channels



If you have yet to join the official Discord why not do so now? It is your central hub for all things Holdfast, not just modding but a plethora of channels dedicated to event and game announcements, regiment recruitment, game support, suggestions, historical discussion and more. Click below to join today!

http://discord.gg/holdfastgame


Until next time, may good health be yours.





- Anvil Game Studios

Refleax, Rycon, Dreas, Wrexial, Walki, Cameron, Jackson, Rejenorst, Harper & Storey

Douse the Jack-o'-lanterns and flee for your lives as this Halloween Holdfast: Nations at War’s battlefields are joined by a new foe… With a daunting crow beaked mask and the power to spread disease, the Plague Doctor class variant will briefly be available to play this Halloween.

To further celebrate this spooky season, Holdfast: Nations At War will be 40% off for the remainder of Steam’s Halloween Sale!

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

If the terrifying thought of a Plague Doctor chasing you down isn’t enough to scare you away, have a read of what else is to come in this update below.



A new Surgeon class variant, the Plague Doctor will be playable in-game over the Halloween period by those who wish to scare unsuspecting infantrymen on the field of battle.

Skilled in alchemy, this doctor has the ability to spread disease to those unfortunate enough to be caught in his path. Whispers of these ghost-like figures with deadly powers haunting the battlefield have long been used to scare the fresh recruits. Those whispers are now coming to life...



In addition to the Plague Doctor class variant, players being healed by Surgeons will display a new particle emission to indicate they’re being healed.



With sightings of evil ever-increasing, superstition has called for all the lanterns to be replaced by ghoulishly carved pumpkins in an attempt to scare him away… Simply equip your lantern as a lantern carrying class and bathe the world around you in a glow of pumpkin glory!

Eager pianists will also find special Halloween styled piano music that can be played on the pianos should anyone find facing the battlefield too gruesome this Halloween.



New colour blind options with support for multiple colour blind modes and official support for Linux-based game servers have been introduced to the game.

Support for Protanopia, Deuteranopia & Tritanopia types of colour blindness can be toggled through the game’s video settings and will hopefully be a welcomed addition for those who need it.

Linux servers are also being made available to providers officially after stability testing has been concluded. Join the Official Holdfast Discord and visit the #server-owners text channel to gather support should you require it. You’ll also find a setup guide on the Wiki to get you started.

Wiki Server Hosting - Linux



Two whole weeks have now passed since the Battlefield Forger contest first commenced. Already we have received some pretty creative entries into the competition and have seen plenty of splendid works in progress soon to be entered.

If you have not started on your battlefield yet there’s still plenty of time as you have until November 9th to finalise your submission. Should you already have submitted your battlefield and want to make changes and update your submission that is perfectly acceptable and you’ll be able to do so until November 9th when the entry period closes.

To clear up some questions that have been asked over the last couple of weeks here is a brief FAQ about the contest.

Can my map be larger than 500 x 500?

If you’re creating a Naval battlefield then a playable area larger than 500 x 500 is acceptable. However if you’re creating a land battlefield please keep to the set 500 x 500 playable area (This does not include background terrain, try not to exceed 1000 x 1000 for this though).

Can I use custom models?

Provided that you own a transferable license for the model, you created the model yourself and the model is up to a high quality standard similar to what is seen in Holdfast currently then you may use custom models. If you’re unsure if you own a transferable license for the model it’s best if you do not include it.

Want to participate? Take a read of the previous blog post that details everything you need to know about the contest. Keep being creative. We can’t wait to see what you come up with!

Blog Post - Battlefield Forger Contest

Cliff Tower by Leopard


If you haven’t done so already, do join us on Discord. It’s a great way to stay in touch with everything that goes on in Holdfast and perhaps join one of the many game clans by looking at the #regiment-registry channel while you’re at it.

http://discord.gg/holdfastgame










Changelog 60 - Game Version 1.10.7597.18857

Halloween Event

● With a daunting crow beaked mask and the power to spread disease, the Plague Doctor class variant will briefly be available to play this Halloween.

● Lanterns are replaced by ghoulishly carved pumpkins in an attempt to scare him away.

● Special Halloween styled piano music.


Quality of Life

● Players getting healed will now emit a particle effect informing them that another player is replenishing their health.

● Introduced colour blind modes for those that require it.
» Protanopia
» Deuteranopia
» Tritanopia


Linux Servers

● Providers now have access to Linux-based game servers after stability tests where concluded.
» You can find a setup guide detailing their installation on the Wiki.
» Wiki Server Hosting - Linux


Bug Fixes

● Solved an issue with spawns breaking due to forward positions.

● Solved an issue with neck pieces floating when using cannons.

● Solved an instance where your uniform would sometimes appear darkened when spawning with modded characters.


Look forward to what more we have in store for Holdfast: Nations At War. Until next time, may good health be yours.





- Anvil Game Studios

Refleax, Rycon, Dreas, Wrexial, Walki, Cameron, Jackson, Rejenorst, Harper & Storey