Greetings, Commanders!
It’s been a while since our last Dev Diary, but we’re back with news following last week’s announcement of the first Armored Brigade II DLC, Scandinavia, and the release of our 12-month roadmap outlining the major features and improvements currently in development. Each of those topics will be explored in dedicated diaries, but today we want to focus on the just-released Patch 1.594 and several upcoming near-term improvements that haven’t been mentioned before. These are features we have been tirelessly working on behind the scenes.
One of the most notable additions in the latest patch is the highly requested key rebinding feature, allowing players to customize controls according to their personal preferences. AI counterattacks in defense are now more aggressive, and infiltration mechanics have been refined to make them a more rewarding tactic, particularly when executed by highly trained reconnaissance assets.
This patch is part of our continuous effort to enhance not only overall accessibility and usability but also sound effects, an area we began improving with the August update. The current focus is on ambience (nature, explosions, weather effects etc.), as well as a new distance delay DSP system, where sound delay matches visual distance for a more immersive experience, especially for hardcore players. In the same spirit of improvement, we are finalizing testing on a new camera system that introduces mouse-wheel zoom, which should feel more intuitive to players coming from mainstream RTS titles.
Wiesel, The Last Tankette: a remarkable armored vehicle with a rich history that makes it a highly coveted addition to Armored Brigade II. This compact and agile platform, equipped with a 20mm cannon or the formidable TOW anti-tank missile system, offers a unique blend of speed, versatility, and firepower for tactical scenarios.
Other than the large number of improved models, the update also introduces a completely new Giessen map, along with a selection of new units that bring a distinct air assault atmosphere. The Bundeswehr is now complete with the legendary airborne vehicles of the Fallschirmjägertruppe, including the Munga jeep with M40 recoilless gun, Kraka motor cart, and the Wiesel Armoured Weapons Carrier, available in both cannon and ATGM variants. You can put them to the test in the new Operation Steinbrücke scenario.
At the beginning of the 1960s, the German armed forces were seeking a cross-country, air-transportable weapon carrier for their airborne units. After nearly a decade of prototype testing and various mission kits, the Kraka was finally delivered to the Bundeswehr Airborne Troops in 1974, where it went on to serve for more than 20 years.
But that’s not all. Another exciting addition is the WP-8, a Polish airborne multiple rocket launcher. While the MRL class of units was introduced in the third Armored Brigade I DLC, it had not yet been functional in Armored Brigade II. The WP-8 now provides players with the ability to rapidly saturate an enemy position, offering new tactical possibilities on the battlefield and paving the way for additional multiple rocket launcher systems in the future, where historically appropriate.
Looking ahead, the next patch will continue expanding the airborne theme with the addition of East German Fallschirmjäger and Luftsturm formations from the 1980s. It will also introduce more conventional forces, including Volkspolizei-Bereitschaften motorized and mechanized units, new Grenztruppen and KdA company formations with historically accurate structures, as well as East German Flamethrower Platoon and Pionier troops. This update will also come with a reworked East German support tab, featuring motorized transports and additional options.
Finally, a new linear Soviet campaign is in development, continuing the story of the 120th Motorized Rifle Regiment after the events of the first campaign. This time, players will face new operational challenges with a strong emphasis on combined-arms coordination, and a few surprises along the way.
In parallel, we are refining several systems that are less visible but essential to the overall experience. The most significant of these are exit objectives, which will enable new scripted scenario types such as evacuations and breakthroughs, along with the introduction of primary and secondary objectives, giving scenario designers greater flexibility to fine-tune their missions. Our goal is to make every update feel like a tangible improvement in both gameplay depth and overall polish.
As always, community feedback remains a cornerstone of our development process. Your reports, suggestions, and discussions help us shape Armored Brigade II into the most authentic and flexible tactical sandbox possible.
Thank you for your continued support, Commanders. Stay tuned for more updates, and see you soon on the battlefield.