Find out How We Make Historically Authentic Battlefields for Our WW1 FPS Isonzo

Our new online free service is now available. Piana ExpansionMap for WW1 FPS Isonzo! Plus we’re giving out our first hint about our signature event for Isonzo… the White War is coming! The battles are fought at thousands of meters above sea level. These soldiers were subjected to some of war’s most horrific conditions. An American journalist in 1917 wrote: “On no front, not on the sun-scorched plains of Mesopotamia, nor in the frozen Mazurian marshes, nor in the blood-soaked mud of Flanders, does the fighting man lead so arduous an existence as up here on the roof of the world.”

You have to wait a couple of months more for the signature event.VerdunThere are many Christmas Truce activities. Tannenberg has the Wolf Truce), we’ve launched a free update including the new Monte Piana map and it’s available to all players today! This update comes alongside a huge sale on Isonzo itself. Watch our trailer, at the very top of this post. It also marks a whole year of updates.

You can also find out more about the following: Piana expansion follows our free release of the Grappa map in early summer, which completed the three map Caporetto Offensive – all of which feature in our celebration trailer. Offensives are series’ of battles where each side can make things easier or harder for themselves in the final battle that determines who wins the Offensive. Monte Piana, a 2,324-metre mountain that saw intense fighting from 1915 to 1917. In reality, thousands of Austro/Hungarian soldiers and Italians died in battle without any significant change to either side’s position. The outcome of our high-altitude conflict zone recreation could be different. What is the best way to create a historically accurate map of an Italian First World War battlefield?

Learn from History

Every map starts with… maps. It is usually a mixture of old maps, battle diagrams, satellite photos, or historical illustrations. Below you can compare a basic Monte Piana layout in progress with a diagram of reference.

Every step in the production process is aimed at two different goals. The first question we ask is, does the map look like the place in real life? The second question is whether or not the place has been the scene of significant battles. However it’s equally important that the map is fun to play! Over the years, our team has become very proficient at balancing these two factors. We’re not aiming for a perfect 1:1 replica – although we’re close – but something which has the spirit and atmosphere of the real location. You’ll see visual references in this post, but reading accounts from soldiers who fought tells us what they considered important and what stuck in their minds. We took this into consideration when we decided what was to be altered for the sake of gameplay and what should remain faithful to the source. The location was also visited by us!

Our sources are based on photographs! See below an example of a historical scene being adapted for game play. Especially when working with harsh mountain terrain it’s sometimes necessary to expand the traversable area to give players more space to manoeuvre, and you want important routes (e.g. When players are just learning how to use the map, the stairs should stand out.

For an authentic recreation of a place, Landmarks play a vital role. For Piana, one such landmark is the Carducci Pyramid monument on the summit of Monte Piana, dedicated to the famous Italian poet Giosuè Carducci. We create 3D custom models for special pieces such as this. As an indie team we have to be smart and efficient about producing assets which can be used in a wide variety of situations, but when it comes to historically notable elements like bridges, monuments or influential terrain features it’s worth taking the time for one-off models. Below you can see a work-in-progress render of the Carducci Pyramid (a small pyramid dedicated to the famous italian poet Giosuè Carducci, who was the first Italian to receive the Nobel Prize for literature) and then how it looks in-game with lighting and texture!

Without a breathtaking vista as a background, what are these mountains battlefields? They might not have any direct gameplay effect, but in establishing the proper sense of place it’s vital to have the right background scenery. For instance, below you can see a work-in-progress scenery mountain model along with some suggested edits (don’t worry, there is also a clear text explanation to go along with the red lines!).

These background mountains are based on the real views from the battlefields we’ve recreated. It’s our opinion that capturing the feeling that real soldiers would have had in these extraordinary places cannot be done using only generic or made up mountains and other background details. That’s why we go the extra mile in getting the scenery right. Some maps show distant mountains you’ve fought over on other maps.

Free Download: See for yourself the results of our work Piana ExpansionYou can get it now! If you don’t own Isonzo yet, it’s on sale for 50% off… or try our WesternYou can also find out more about the following: Eastern Front WW1 games Verdun and TannenbergYou can get a discount of up to 80%. You will be at the top!

Isonzo

BlackMill Games

☆☆☆☆☆
220

★★★★★

$29.99

World War One expands to the mountains of the Italian Front – beautiful but deadly in equal measure. Isonzo, inspired by World War One’s two-year struggle to gain control of the Isonzo valley and the Alps, elevates the WW1 Games Series both figuratively as well as literally.

From the makers of Verdun and Tannenberg…

Play historical offensives such as the Sixth Battle of the Isonzo or the Strafexpedition. The attackers’ advance will reflect the real battles as they fight through different terrains. This includes hillside fortresses, mountain trenches, and intense urban combat in city streets. Everything is recreated based on research and field trips, from sound effects and uniforms down to the houses, vineyards and trenches you’ll be fighting over.
In the new offensive game mode, you will find yourself in the heart of historical Italian Front offensives. Lead the charge across stunning Italian landscapes as you choose your path to victory – cut paths through barbed wire, flank your enemies by following mountain trails, or man a mortar to blast a way through. Lay sandbags, wire and ammo, deploy trench periscopes, or sniper’s shields to create a dynamic battleground.

The unique historical flare system can call for support. It can either be used as a guide to your team or to mark targets on the ground. Once the big guns have softened up the enemy, finish the job at close quarters with an Arditi dagger or mountaineer’s pickaxe. Use heavy machine-guns, mountain guns or mortars for direct support.

You can choose from six different classes, each based on a historical role in combat. Then, you’ll build your loadout using perks, weapons and equipment that are specific to the class. This gives flexibility while still staying true to what soldiers would have actually carried. You’ll be operating wire cutters, bandaging yourself and wounded teammates, and blowing the whistle to start an assault. Even a light injury can cause bleeding and lead to death.

It’s not enough to be a great marksman in Isonzo. Mastering the terrain is also key – the mountain can be a friend or foe. You can use navigation to surprise enemies and support allies or maintain cover.

Finally… watch out for the dreaded poison gas. You’ve never experienced WW1 action quite like this!

Isonzo features:
• MOUNTAIN WARFARE: Assaulting mountain fortifications, battling through ruined towns, and fording rivers are just a few of the challenges you’ll face as you fight your way through numerous enemy positions
• TACTICAL MULTIPLAYER FPS: Choose your role and loadout carefully to survive this high altitude combat – play a sniper to pick off the enemy engineers before they can cut your wire, use rifle grenades to clear enemy machine guns, and much more
• WORLD WAR ONE GAMEPLAY: Historical Offensive game mode based on real battles and focused on the unique challenges of Alpine warfare. Fight using 30+ WW1 weaponry, deadly gas attacks, intense artillery, and more.
• BUILD FOR VICTORY: Place your own wire, sandbags, trench periscopes, and more! Whether you’re digging in or on the attack, shaping the battlefield to your advantage will be key to victory
• FACES OF WAR: Make every class your own by picking from a variety of historically class-appropriate uniforms, accessories and headgear. For a final touch, choose from many famous and period-appropriate mustaches!
• AUTHENTIC WW1 ATMOSPHERE: Accuracy in everything from maps and weaponry to music and the uniforms – fight for the Kingdom of Italy, the German Empire or the Austro-Hungarian Dual Monarchy

AUTHENTIC WWII GAME SERIES: MORE GAMES
Tannenberg and Verdun are our standalone games that offer more WW1 action. Verdun lets you experience trench warfare along the Western Front, while Tannenberg allows players to control key areas on the Eastern Front. The authentic WW1 Shooters allow players to choose from different squads and fight across the changing frontlines.