The Irregular Militia Forces have always held a special place in the heart of Squad. As one of our original asymmetric factions, they were designed to be an East Bloc style wildcard faction, a force that specializes in adaptable warfare in the face of standard militaries, especially in unique scenarios and game modes like Invasion.
During the development of v4.3 our goal was to pull the IMF away from the shadow of the Middle Eastern Insurgents and give them an update that felt uniquely scrappy yet capable. We introduced several fan-favourite features that defined the IMF’s tactical soul at this time:
Defensive Ingenuity: The introduction of the ZiS3 Field Gun, tank traps, hull-down positions for vehicles, various camo netting deployables, and dirt filled ammo boxes.
The Arsenal: We expanded role variants especially for Squad Leaders and Riflemen with the FN FAL (and its rifle grenades), new AK variants and updates to the AK iron sight picture. We also returned the iconic RKG-3 AT grenade (more on this later).
Heavy Support: The BM-21 Grad replaced older UB32 technicals, providing a massive leap in long-range fire support, while up-armored technicals and BMP-1 updates and variants rounded out the motor pool.
The feedback we received from the community was overwhelmingly positive, and the IMF became one of the most popular factions, especially in Invasion map layers.
Starting with v9.0, we began a staged rollout intended to represent the IMF as a Russian-proxy militia. This shifted the focus toward modern Eastern weaponry, introducing the AK-12, AS-VAL, SV-98M, and the T72A tank.
However, this transition came at a cost. The faction lost its Western-surplus flavor (M16A2s, M4s, and FN FALs), and the transition to Unreal Engine 5 unfortunately crippled the RKG-3 grenade, rendering it ineffective against vehicles. We recognized that the “Russian-proxy” shift didn’t resonate with the spirit of the IMF or the Community overall. This direction felt less like the "unconventional" IMF you loved and more like a redundant conventional force.
Our new goal is to restore the fan-favorite elements that allow for unique, asymmetrical expression on the battlefield. We’re moving away from standardized gear and returning to the "acquired" arsenal that defines a true militia.
The first step in this course correction is returning iconic weaponry to your kits:
The Right Arm of the Free World: The FN FAL returns, including both Frag and HEAT rifle grenade variants.
Western Surplus: Re-enlist with the M4 Classic (M68), the M16A2 with the original 3x20 scope, and the M16A2+M203 grenadier variant.
We are currently working on several larger additions to help return the IMF's identity:
The T64B MBT: A Cold War legend is joining the motor pool. This tank is the perfect fit for the IMF.
RKG-3 Rework: We are rewriting the RKG-3 AT Grenade logic on CPP to ensure its impact-detonation is permanent and resilient against any future engine updates.
Upgraded BM-21 Grad: A visual overhaul for the Grad, featuring a new model and textures based on the AFU BM-21.
Identity Refresh: We’re updating the faction flag to better represent the IMF.. [VOTE IN THE SURVEY HERE] to help us choose the new symbol of the Militia.
Please note: these are work-in-progress and don't have a scheduled release date.
Some of our most entertaining player videos of all time have been from the creative chaos of players on the IMF faction. We read the feedback about this and our other factions, and look forward to providing more tools and positive changes. If you have more feedback we always want to hear from you, drop into our Discord and tell us what you think!
Don't forget to take part in the IMF Flag vote!
- Fuzzhead
Images courtesy of .doubel from the Squad Cinematics Community. Images are cinematic staging and not necessarily indicative of Squads vanilla IMF