Inspired by the Project Reality modification for Battlefield 2, the game will place its players in a realistic environment and encourage them to work together. Doing so tends to be an excellent way to build an immersive and visceral combat atmosphere. To those familiar with PC shooters, the best way to describe this would be as a middle ground between the Battlefield and Arma series.

Built from the ground up in the Unreal Engine 4, Squad pits teams of up to 50 players against each other in white knuckle modern day combined-arms combat scenarios, with both conventional and unconventional forces. The players dictate how the scenarios unfold with base-building and interactive environments, intuitive squad command and management tools and large-scale warfare where strategy and leadership are just as important as a quick trigger finger.

The battlefield of Squad is built around organized teams using both the environment and the assets available within the ga6me to wage a tactical battle against an opposing team. From role organization to base building to vehicle mechanics, teamwork amplifies the effectiveness of the tools at your disposal. Supported by intuitive positional VOIP and navigation systems players will be able to maintain situational awareness and seamlessly interact with others. Dedicated chain of command channels and localized voice will be an effective tool for communication and organization.

The free Alpha 14 content update adds the Territory Control game mode and Skorpo, a new map based on the rolling hills and coastline of Western Norway. Players can squad up and experience the Challenger 2 Main Battle Tank, BMP-1 Infantry Fighting Vehicle, Carl Gustav Rocket Launcher, and other additions.

The Territory Control game mode has each team increasing control of the map by taking new ground and adjacent territories by force. When any team controls 95% of the territories, they win the match.

Squad is currently available on Steam Early Access for $39.99

Detailed Fix List

Overhauled the Player Ragdoll System

The ragdoll system has been updated to improve the overall look when a soldier goes into the ragdoll state, such as when incapacitated or run over by a vehicle. Soldiers getting hit by vehicles should look more realistic, and there should be less twitching of corpses in most cases. However, as this is still a work in progress, there may still be an occasional visual glitch.

Upgraded Unreal Engine version to 4.21.2

This upgrade introduces a variety of hotfixes implemented to the version implemented in Alpha 13.

Territory Control Game Mode

This new game mode has two teams facing off to capture contiguous hex tiles across a map and will continue to evolve through the next few versions of Squad. Territory Control consists of a grid of hexagonal regions, which function like capture zones, anchored by a “key territory” hex for each team as the base of their grid. If a group of hexes is disconnected from this key territory, or the territory itself is contested, a team will need to recapture it before claiming any new territories. The status of a hex is hidden by the fog of war until a team controls an adjacent hex, cloaking enemy movements until conflict erupts.

This new game mode is in the early stages of development and will be evolving through the next few versions.

A few key rules for gameplay:

• A neutral hex requires one player to capture. A contested hex must be neutralized and captured by at least three players.
• An enemy hex takes 40 seconds to neutralized and a neutral hex takes 40 seconds to capture.
• Capturing a hex unlocks all adjacent (bordering) hex zones for capture.
• Bleed: For every two hex zones captured beyond owning 60% of all hexes, the enemy will start bleeding 1 ticket per minute with a maximum of 5 tickets per minute for 10+ hexes captured beyond 60%.
• When a team captures 95% of all hexes, that team instantly wins.
• Losing all tickets will cause a team to lose the round.

Invasion Mode Changes

• Defenders will win with a time-out even if they have fewer tickets than the Attackers. For the Attackers to win, they will need to either completely drain the Defenders tickets or fully capture all flags in the map.
• Tweaked starting tickets: 150 for attackers and 600/700/800 for defenders on corresponding 4/5/6 flag layouts

New Infantry Weapons Added M3 MAAWS Carl Gustaf

The M3 MAAWS (or Multi-Role Anti-Armor Anti-Personnel Weapon System) is the American adoption of the 84mm Carl Gustaf recoilless rifle developed in Sweden shortly after World War 2. The M3 can fire a variety of different ammunition, making it a very diverse weapon system. The optic mounted on the weapon system can either be used to calculate drop in 100m increments or be directly zeroed to the desired range. The M3 can fire High Explosive Anti Tank, Heavy Tandem HEAT, and Smoke rounds. This has replaced the AT4 as the US Army Heavy Anti Tank weapon.

Added AK74 Bayonet

Russian Ground Forces will now receive the AK74 Bayonet, which replaces the older AKM bayonet model.

Infantry Gameplay

• Major overhaul of the M4 weapon series, updating it visually to modern art standards and details.
• Improving ladder sight mount on the M4 M203, making it easier to aim with the ladder sight and giving it more ranging options.
• Added a non-functioning cosmetic PEQ-15 laser module to all US Army primary weapons.
• Added deployable bipods to the US Army M110 marksman rifle and the British L129A1 sharpshooter rifle.
• Buffed British AT4 variant’s penetration capability to 600mm RHA, British are now using the ILAW High Penetration variant.
• Debuffed the US AT4’s penetration capability to 420mm RHA, assigned it as a secondary US Army LAT.
• Fixed zeroing text appearing incorrectly as 300m on the SA80 SUSATs (should be 100m)
• Tweaked the sight picture for the RPG29, making it easier to aim with.
• Fixed M72A7 LAW using incorrect ADS fire animation.
• Fixed some US Army Squad Leader roles not having tracers on their M4s.
• Changed requirements for placing a FOB (radio). Instead of needing SL + 2 players to place a FOB, you now need SL + 1 player + logi within 30 meters to place a FOB.

New Vehicles FV4034 Challenger 2 Main Battle Tank.

The FV4034 Challenger 2 is the main battle tank of the British Army and holds a crew of 4 (Driver, Gunner, Commander, and Loader). This tank sports a stabilized 120mm rifled main gun capable of firing armor-piercing SABOT rounds, High Explosive, and Smoke rounds. In addition to its main cannon, the tank also has a 7.62mm coaxial machine gun and smoke launchers for self-defense. The commander has access to a high-powered optical periscope featuring hunter-killer functionality with the gunner. The loader’s position has a Remote Weapon Station with a 7.62mm GPMG slewed to it, allowing for additional anti-personnel firepower should the need arise.

BMP-1 Infantry Fighting Vehicle.

This Soviet-made IFV was developed in the 1960s and is now featured in Militia and Insurgent arsenals. This vehicle seats 3 crew (Driver, Gunner, and Commander) and can hold up to 8 passengers, plus 4 riding on top.  Putting public transit to shame, this vehicle has a 73mm smoothbore cannon capable of firing projectiles similar to that of the SPG9 recoilless rifle. As such it has access to High Explosive Anti-Tank and Fragmentation rounds for its main gun, as well as a PKT coaxial machine gun. An additional Malyutka-P missile adds a slow, but devastating wire-guided option for enemy armor.

Vehicle Gameplay

• Added Loaders Cupola station to the T62 tank. This is a manually operated DsHK mounted onto an anti-aircraft style mount which allows for 360 traverse and high angle engagements and gives the T62 tank additional firepower by adding another station for the crew to go into.
• Updated T72B3’s commander cupola station artwork.
• Adjusted M2 Bradley, FV432, FV510, MTLB, T62, T72B3, and M1A2 Abrams front and rear wheel suspension to make it less likely to get stuck.
• Fixed physics collision shapes on some vehicles that caused them to get easily stuck on terrain or objects.
• Tweaked default physmat friction values which were way too high and therefore causing vehicles to get stuck more easily.
• Fixed T62 tank’s engine throttle being a bit inconsistent.
• Fixed MTLB Insurgent variant track collision location being in the wrong place.
• Added a range card to the Rocket Artillery Technical gunner HUD.
• Added bullet drop compensator to the reticle for the BTR80/BRDM2’s KPVT machine gun and MTLB 6MB/BTR82A’s 30mm 2A72 cannon.
• Fixed players that got shot off from gunner seat of the ZU23 AA Truck not being able to be revived.

Deployables Gameplay

• All emplacement weapons now retain their rotations when the player has exited them. This includes mortars as well.

User Interface

• Added a short introduction animation with voice-over upon joining a team.
• Added an end of round card showing team ticket scores that includes music and voice-over to smooth the transition going from the end of the game to the scoreboard.
• Added the first iteration of a voice command radial menu that allows players to give simple voice-over call-outs. At the moment, only American English is available but more voices will be added in later.
• Added a “Medic” voice command call button for when you’re incapacitated on the ground.
• Added a progress bar for when you are building deployables and repairing vehicles.
• Added a key help list for players in a vehicle to show the available keys and features that are in that particular vehicle seat.
• Added Game Mode help cards upon joining a server.

New Map Skorpo

Nestled in between the massive fjords of Western Norway, the tranquil village of Uskedalen and the island of Skorpo are seen as a key strategic battleground to gain control of the North Sea passages. Narrow, windy roads and dark tunnels follow the coastline and are treacherous bottlenecks for any mechanized force. Keeping your supply lines open is also difficult given there not being much room to maneuver. Utilizing the varying elevation of the landscape and hidden forest roads will yield many advantages, but be aware that the enemy might also have the same idea.

Skorpo will feature AAS, RAAS, Invasion, Skirmish, and the brand new Territory Control game modes.

Map Updates

• Chora: gameplay improvements for vehicles, including widening the driving lanes and bridges, widening holes in walls, removing some frustrating obstacles, adding rock cover in open areas, and smoothing some of the roughest bumps in the terrain.
• Kokan: Updated foliage.
• Fixed collisions on several map objects and rocks to prevent exploits.
• Re-attached power lines on numerous maps.
• Fixed some buildings on Narva that changed color at distance; a few more still to fix.
• Fixed interiors on Sumari so objects have correct materials displayed.
• Fixed Logar Insurgency v1 wrong location of INS main base flag.
• Fixed Logar Insurgency v1 Night having the wrong team for INS protection zone.
• Fixed Belaya AAS and Invasion layers RU vehicles at RU main to spawn flipped or upside down.
• Fixed Tallil Invasion v2 having East/West Khidir named incorrectly.
• Fixed Gorodok having a couple of floating metal beams on the train.
• Fixed some shipping containers on Logar switching colors as you moved nearer or further away from them.
• Adjusted Belaya AASv1 tickets to 300/300 (from 250/250).
• Kamdesh Invasion v3 set defenders to 700 tickets.
• Kokan AAS_v1, AAS_v2 and RAAS_v1 updated tickets to 250/250.
• Logar AAS_v1 and RAAS_v1 updated tickets to 250/250.
• Mestia AAS_v1, AAS_v2 and RAAS_v1 set tickets to 250/250.
• Sumari AAS_v2, AAS_v3 and RAAS_v1 increased tickets 250/250.
• Tallil Outskirts RAAS_v3 set to 250/250 tickets.
• Added BMP1 to the following layers:
  • AlBasrah_Invasion_v1
  • AlBasrah_Invasion_v2
  • AlBasrah_RAAS_v1
  • Belaya_AAS_v3
  • FoolsRoad_AAS_v4
  • FoolsRoad_AAS_v5
  • FoolsRoad_RAAS_v1
  • Gorodok_Invasion_v2
  • Jensens_Range_v1
  • Jensens_Range_v2
  • Jensens_Range_v3
  • Mestia_RAAS_v1
  • Kamdesh_Insurgency_v2
  • Kamdesh_Invasion_v2
  • Kohat_Insurgency_v1
  • Kohat_Invasion_v1
  • Kohat_Invasion_v2
  • Skorpo_Invasion_v1
  • Sumari_Insurgency_v1
  • Tallil_Outskirts_AAS_v3
  • Tallil_Outskirts_Invasion_v2
  • Yehorivka_Invasion_v1
• Added FV4032 (Challenger) to the following layers:
  • AlBasrah_Invasion_v2
  • Belaya_AAS_v3
  • Belaya_Invasion_v3
  • FoolsRoad_AAS_v5
  • Gorodok_AAS_v3
  • Gorodok_RAAS_v2
  • Jensens_Range_v1
  • Kamdesh_Invasion_v2
  • Kamdesh_RAAS_v2
  • Narva_Invasion_v2
  • Tallil_Outskirts_RAAS_v4
  • Yehorivka_AAS_v3
  • Yehorivka_RAAS_v3

Bug Fixes and Miscellaneous

• Fixed mortar, UGL grenades and rocket projectiles not dealing damage if the shooter was killed after launching the projectile.
• Optimized certain aspects of the vehicle code dealing with closed turrets.
• Optimized the way HUD UI is drawn and updated.
• Fixed Insurgent/Militia Vehicle Repair station mesh having an overlapped US/GB repair station mesh on it
• Fixed ambient smoke columns stopping emission of smoke randomly.
• Fixed C4 explosions not displaying when detonated on asphalt and gravel.
• Fixed a client crash when launching the Shooting Range.

Known Issues

• Tracks, Wheels, and other components are not destructible while on a local server running Jensen’s Range.

Squad seeks to establish a culture of camaraderie that is unparalleled in competitive multiplayer shooters. This is a game where you can work together and coordinate with your team: players from around the world, often that you just met.

Squad will support up to 100 players in competitive multiplayer. This broad scope serves to immerse the player into a rich battle environment filled with challenges and opportunities. With teams of sufficient size, some players can perform supporting roles while leaving enough front-line combatants to provide fun and challenging gameplay across the full expanse of the battlefield.

A wide variety of support vehicles and aircraft will be included. Tanks and close support helicopters will spearhead a team’s assault into enemy lines while transport helicopters and APCs will provide much needed logistics and transportation support.

Commanders and squad leaders will be given the ability to shape the battlefield through construction of defensive and offensive fortifications as well as control of battlefield planning and supplemental combined arms assets. Coupled with this, spawn dynamics will be affected by occupation of territories and level of supply each objective is receiving. Organized control of the battlefield will ensure a properly supported supply structure and pave the way for a strategic victory.

It’s all about teamwork.

Key Features:

• Massive Online 50 vs 50 Squad-Based Combined Arms Warfare
• Large scale maps up to 8km^2. (currently working with 2km and 4km maps)
• Organic and Emergent Gameplay, this won’t be a linear shooter
• Maps based on Geographic Information System satellite data of real world locales
• True First Person (aka ‘body awareness’) character models, there won’t be walking gunheads here. High quality models and complex animations systems.
• Built in Voice Over IP using the best codecs available, with attenuated localized, intra-squad radio, and inter-squad command radio communications.
• Simulated damage models and simulated ballistics
• NO grinding rewards system and no dress up dolls
• Showcase Deployables and Base Building which no other military FPS has.
• Real world current time period armaments using highly accurate modelling
• Teamwork oriented gameplay that doesn't require a clan or private server to fully realize the potential of the gameplay.
• The creation, defense, destruction and resupply of chained spawn positions in an overlapping and always fluid emergent chessboard designed in our maps.
• A very open development team with excellent community communication, and preparations in progress for mod support near retail release.
• Essentially an "everything" game. Infantry/Logistics/Air Combat/CAS/Armor Warfare

Squad is currently available on Steam Early Access for $39.99