I’ve been searching for the perfect WW1 game for ages now and I just can’t find it. The closest I’ve come is Verdun and then this game. Battlefield 1 is fun but you have British soldiers with Austrian hellriegels on the western front. I feel like a Verdun remaster with better graphics, sound design, and maybe some melee animations would be it. After all it was one of if not the first WW1 fps.

This November, we've teamed up with the Movember Organization to bring you the Movember Handlebar DLC for Isonzo! Unlock the Handlebar Moustache and fit it on your upper lip to impress your peers.

The Movember Handlebar DLC is available for purchase until January 2nd, 2025. Proceeds will be donated to the not-for-profit Movember Organization.

You can get the Movember Handlebar DLC either through the Movember Fanatical bundle, available until November 30th: https://www.fanatical.com/en/bundle/movember-game-stache-charity-bundle

Or directly on Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3253670/Isonzo__Movember_Handlebar

The Handlebar Moustache remains accessible in game once bought. The DLC is exclusive to Steam.

https://reddit.com/link/1ghdqzo/video/1qwsk7kdccyd1/player

Men's health during and after WW1

The First World War was one of if not the most cruel wars ever fought. The actual fighting was one thing, but the continuous shelling, disease and infections wreaked havoc on not only their bodies, but their minds as well.

Soldiers lucky enough to return home after the war faced severe psychological trauma, often for the rest of their lives. We all know this as 'shell shock' or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) now, but this was the first time post-war trauma was formally recognized by doctors and society. It wasn't without skepticism however; many initially just assumed soldiers were faking it to not get sent back to the front.

These traumas affected soldiers in many different ways and caused trouble for their direct surroundings as well. Some simply were no longer able to move, while others who were able to continue their normal life with episodes of distress.

"I used to have little breakdowns now and then and my wife used to be very frightened. It more or less used to happen at night, when I was in bed. I used to spring up off the bed, you know; it used to frighten her. My daughter, incidentally, is terribly nervous, she’s terribly nervous. My wife says it’s all my fault. Well I had shell shock, you see. I got blown up, you see, and it affected my whole system. I got a pension for about oh, what was it, about 9 shillings a week."- Thomas Olive

https://preview.redd.it/6bkxpq2mbcyd1.jpg?width=1999&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7d308cee820070f0b85f8bf6c395c47c039a5a10

The Movember Organization

While the stigmas around men's health have lessened a lot in the past century, there's still a lot to be done. Many neglect their health, both physical and mental, and don't get the care they really need. That's where the not-for-profit Movember Organization comes in, but we'll let them introduce themselves:

Movember continues to shake up men’s health research, and transform the way that health services reach and support men, taking on prostate cancer, testicular cancer, mental health and suicide prevention with unwavering determination.

They have raised millions for men’s health, thanks to a passionate network of global Movember supporters. These critical funds have delivered more than 1,320 men’s health projects around the world. Funding hundreds of biomedical research projects and developing some of the largest prostate cancer registries in the world, based on the real-life experiences of hundreds of thousands of men. Since taking on mental health and suicide prevention in 2006, Movember has emphasised the importance of better social connections, early recognition of what men’s poor mental health looks like, and how clinicians can better respond to men in distress. They want to make sure more men know what to do when mental health issues appear, and that their supporters are better prepared to step in when they need it.

Movember will continue championing new research, cutting-edge treatments and healthy behaviours. Advocating for inclusive, gender-responsive healthcare systems that are tailored to the unique needs of men, women and LGBTQI+ people, from a diverse range of cultural backgrounds. In doing so, Movember hope to forge a future where barriers to healthy living are overcome, stigmas are removed, and where everyone has an equal opportunity to live a long healthy life. By improving men's health, we can have a profoundly positive impact on women, families, and society. Because healthier men mean a healthier world.

This moustache is a symbol of solidarity, plus it’s hard not to respect someone sporting such an impressive upper lip accessory. We hope the moustache adds a little bit of fun, whilst doing good!

- Daniel Cooper, Global Innovation Director at Movember

https://preview.redd.it/gnir9wxmbcyd1.png?width=1920&format=png&auto=webp&s=14266cf99b3abf50b0d35a37e7ba447a30f3378f

We're donating all the money we make with the Movember Handlebar DLC to support Movember in their cause. If you're looking to support them even further or maybe even get involved, be sure to check out their website for more information: https://movember.com/

https://store.steampowered.com/app/3253670/Isonzo__Movember_Handlebar

Good morning guys, I have a huge problem: today I updated the game but I couldn’t launch it from the “link” on the desktop, but only with Epic Games Launcher (I don’t know if it is important, but I’ll say anyways). But it’s not over. I have purchased only the DLC “Elite Units” and equipped all of my soldiers with those cosmetics; today, I found out that the game doesn't let me use the dlc anymore, some cosmetics on my soldiers were gone and other remained there. How can I solve this?

I'm playing Isonzo in Offline mode, I'm playing the "German Intervention" map, and what happens? The bots forget that they have to attack points, and they also forgot that they have bayonets, Please fix that, dear developers

Name: [GFR] Garde Fusilier Regiment

~~

Platform: PC

Games: Verdun, Tannenberg & mainly Isonzo

Language: german, english

Discord Community Server: https://discord.gg/XkTgmUx7Qc (hier könnt ihr euch vorstellen)

Steam Group: https://steamcommunity.com/groups/GardeFusilierRegiment

~~

What do we offer? A very tactical approach to the game.

Regular clan wars and alot of potential in a very efficient community!

With no humor at all ;-)

~~
DEU: Die Garde Fusilier Regiment brauchen dich!
Schreib uns hier oder tritt unserem Discord bei, wenn du Interesse hast:
Den Italienern zu zeigen das wir sie nicht nur in der Küche schlagen.

ENG: The Garde Fusilier Regiment needs you!
Message us here or join our Discord if you're interested:
to show the Italians that we can beat them in more than just the kitchen.

We Brotherz win, you (Italians) get beaten.

The devs are always hard at work creating great things for Isonzo and for the community in general. But one of the many things they do is improve historical accuracy. And, it isn’t a major or serious complaint it’s more of a minor one. The shovels issued for the Austrian Hungarians come in many designs. But one the main designs was the M1915 design made by one of the main designers for shovels Bleckmann. The Germans and Austrian Hungarians basically share the same shovel but it would be nice for every faction to have their own unique spade. Also maybe even improving the 3rd person model of the Austro Hungarian and German spade would be nice. The main reason being it looks like a black square attached to a stick viewing it from 3rd person POV. I digress. Shovel redesign for Austro-Hungarians to the M1915 model? Yes please🙏.

I feel like me and many other melee enthusiasts in Isonzo would enjoy a wider range of melee weapons to choose from. Not to mention, a lot of melee weapons were used especially on the Isonzo front. The Arditi and Jagdkommandos are prime examples of using many melee weapons. Plus, there are visible pickaxes on some of the soldiers’ equipment so even that can suffice. However, adding a wider and diverse range of melee weapons would be much appreciated. But if that cannot be achieved then adding more realistic items such as the pickaxes mentioned earlier, homemade clubs, rocks, even swords would be very nice. You can’t avoid melee in Isonzo. At some point it will happen. Might as well be creative while doing it!

Fighting in trenches and fields often comes into mind whenever we think of WW1 but that wasn't always the case. As we know with the Italian Front they fought in mountains, up sheer cliffs, and even in glaciers, and in the Middle East theater they mostly fought in the desert (actually don't know that much about that theater). With a front that makes fighting on the Western Front a picnic by comparison due to the terrain and challenges, most would say Gallipoli but I would also say the Italian Front. Isonzo has made me realize that the Italian Front was a front like no other but was it and Gallipoli really the only fronts where the terrain and or challenges were much greater than in Flanders Fields?

I don't know much about the Macedonian Front/Balkans theater, Middle East or African theaters but if they offer challenges greater than on the Western Front then I'd love to see them in this series though my preference is for the Middle East theater to be next.

A steyr-hahn modified to fire full-auto with a 16 round magazine, used sparingly by the austro hungarians through the alps. Any chance we could get one of these in game?

https://preview.redd.it/np5d854rkexd1.jpg?width=330&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8cc8ac14b1890ef3d712138ad50e558106020c79

Can you help?

Name: 1°RGS "Primo Reggimento Granatieri Di Sardegna" Platform: PC Region: Italy / EU

Invite link: https://discord.gg/M7aCcSSGBk

What do we offer? Regular clan wars, Lots of grades to ascend to, a fanstastic environment to play in, specialised platoons and a fleshed out XP reward system!

ITA : Il primo reggimento ha bisogno di te!

Siamo il primo reggimento Italiano stabilito sull'isonzo e siamo alla ricerca di uomini! Prepara la tua spaccamela, abbiamo dei crucchi da sconfiggere!

ENG : The First grenadier's regiment needs you!

We are the first italian focused regiment stationed on the Isonzo and we need men! Prepare your spaccamela, we have austrians to defeat!

https://youtu.be/yL2ibjWRorA?si=rkaaemsDk34Xp3Oi

https://preview.redd.it/3qtxckipphwd1.png?width=1920&format=png&auto=webp&s=9b7a5c0555cfea17647b12acfb7e0de3392601a9

The Year of 1917 and the Italian Theather

1917 was not a good year for Austria-Hungary in the Italian theater. They had not recovered from the disastrous Brusilov in the previous year. 

The Kingdom of Italy’s strength significantly increased. With more than a million troops, the Italians outnumbered the Austrians 5 to 2. Britain and France supplied their ally with a large number of heavy artillery batteries and munitions. This made the Kingdom a force to be reckoned with.

The Italians launched two ferocious offensives equal to those on the Western Front. They won the Tenth and Eleventh Battle of the Isonzo (12 May – 8 June 1917; 19 August – 12 September 1917), pushing the Austrian Empire to the brink of collapse. 

The Austrians’ elastic defense could not work. There was no place left for them to retreat. The sensitive Hermada Citadel was within the Italian reach. If Hermada felt, the strategic port city of Trieste would surely fall. The loss of it would knock the Autria-Hungary Empire out of the war. The Italians would use their number superiority to extend the frontline which the Austrians had no more troops to spare.

During the Eleventh Battle, most of the Bainsizza-Heiligengeist Plateau fell to the attackers. The Italian would use this strategic area to cut the Austrian forces in half in their next offensive. 

In addition to territory losses, the Austrian fighting force dwindled. While their casualties were much lower, the empire could not replenish their losses. As for artillery pieces, more than half of the irreplaceable Austrian batteries were captured.

As things went, Austria could not survive another offensive. German First Quartermaster General Erich Ludendorff predicted that Austria-Hungary would surrender before 1918.

To reverse the misfortune of war, a joined counteroffensive was needed. The Austrians had only 21 divisions against 40 Italian divisions. They needed at least 20 more from the German and Austrian troops on the Eastern Front for the offensive.

In September, the Central Powers created the German 14th Army from their best troops in the East under the leadership of General der Infanterie Otto von Below. It had 17 divisions, 1076 guns, 174 mortars and 31 engineer companies. This Army would be the spearhead of the Fall Offensive.

Plan for the Offensive:

https://preview.redd.it/uyf6g2lsphwd1.png?width=1200&format=png&auto=webp&s=9da71cf7024a04e2bd7088b2b1a32bdaeedce8bb

The main goal of the offensive was to drive the Italians 40 km back to the Tagliamento and beyond. This would shorten the frontline and give favorable terrains for the Austrian defenders.

To achieve this, the 14th Army would break through the Italian 2nd Army’s lines at Flitsch (Plezzo) and Tolmein (Tolmin, Tolmino).  Between Flitsch and Tolmien was the the town of Karfreit (Caporetto) which was soon to be a namesake for the Twelve Battle of the Isonzo.

The Offensive would begin in mid-October and end before December. Ludendorff wanted those German divisions back for the Spring Offensive of 1918.

https://preview.redd.it/r52w08fvphwd1.png?width=1920&format=png&auto=webp&s=de3dbe1cd9b99f473d813f3320e3ee1a23be948e

Kingdom of Italy after the Eleventh Battle of the Isonzo

Victories in 1917 came with enormous cost. The staggering loss of more than 300,000 men was more than the two previous years combined. The kingdom could not send more men fast enough before the winter.

In addition, newly acquired territories add more burden to the victors. The road condition was horrible. The lack of roads prevented a sufficient amount of supplies from reaching the frontline. The terrain and bad weather hampered communications and coordination among the battle groups. 

Despite all the optimism in Italy, another offensive in 1917 was impossible.

As the Central Powers emerged victorious on the Eastern Front, Marshall of Italy Luigi Cadorna instructed his generals to focus on defense in case of the Central Powers’ attacks.

Despite his instructions, Luigi Cadorna and the Italian leadership did not believe a major Austrian offensive was possible until 1918.

The Commander of the 2nd Army shared this belief. Luigi Capello, the most abled general, did not follow the instructions and set his troops in an aggressive stance. Most of his troops were deployed in the forward positions at the cost of thinning his defense line. His 2nd and 3rd lines of defense were too close to the first line. Moreover, General Capello concentrated his divisions and batteries on the high ground and neglected the defense in the valley. 

The main road between Tolmein and Karfreit was lightly defended. This would not be an issue in good weather conditions as the defenders on the high ground had a clear view to fire at the defenseless attackers. However, with extreme weather in October and poor communication, there was nothing to stop the attackers from advancing quickly on this road. 

Capello’s reason for this aggressive stance was that he believed the offensive was small in scale. It would be shattered by a general counterattack. 

As Cardona did not force his general to follow the 18th September instruction, the Capello HQ intentionally misinterpreted his order. 

As signs of an imminent offensive emerged and Capello’s illness was serious, the weaknesses of the 2nd Army were on display. The Italian leadership attempted to adjust the defense, but it was too late. 

At 2:00 AM on October 24th, a massive artillery barrage fired across the Flitsch-and-Tolmein sector. The Twelve Battle of the Isonzo began.

Inspiration: 

WWI Game Series: Isonzo developed BlackMill Games was my main inspiration. I was captivated by the beauty of Rinasceremo Insieme OST. It captured the vain struggle in the Italian theater lyrically and melodically. 

The maps in Isonzo are breathtaking and unique.  Dolomiti was the first map I played. It captured the gigantic struggle to capture the high ground well. I felt accomplished when I finally captured the final point from the Austrians. Not to mention the background was stunning.

The coolest map is definitely Marmolada. The effort to capture the white peak by moving through narrow and volatile paths is memorable. But the struggle to navigate the dim-light Tunnel Maze in the 2nd part is over the top. Or should I say “Down to the “Cliff”? To portray this sharp contrast well, the developers must have done a lot of amazing work behind the scenes. 

I sure did not care about the Italian Front before Isonzo. Thus the developers of BlackMill Games have my gratitude. 

Techniques and software:

Those maps were created with Wonderdraft, Inkscape, and GIMP. 

Sources:

1.  OSTERREICH-UNGARNS LETZTER KRIEG, 1914-1918. Vol 6. Pg 532-622

• The maps were recreated from the Leaflet024 and Leaflet026. 

1. Caporetto and the Isonzo Campaign. The Italian Front 1915-1918. By Željko Cimprić, John Macdonald. ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1848846715
2. The White War: Life and Death on the Italian Front 1915-1919. By Mark Thompson. ISBN-13: ‎ 978-0465020379 
3. Ring of Steel: Germany and Austria-Hungary in World War I. By Alexander Watson. ISBN-13: ‎978-0465094882
4. WWI Wargames: Isonzo. 2022, BlackMill Games.

Hey guys, after playing the game for a while, I decided to make a guide on how best to use the different MGs Verdun has to offer. I’m optimistic that this will be useful not only for noobs, but relatively experienced players as well, since every weapon is unique and can be used to a number of ends. Tell me what you think and I hope you enjoy!

Automatic Weaponry in Verdun: A Short Guide

One of the most distinct features of Verdun in comparison to Tannenberg or Isonzo, is the prevalence of portable automatic weapons. You could call them LMGs for short, with the exception of one, but I would argue there are actually four distinct categories available in the game: medium machine guns, light machine guns, automatic rifles, and submachine guns. Keep in mind that these categories may have more to do with in-game usage than their actual designations in real life.

Medium Machine Guns:

Medium machine guns are basically automatic weapons too heavy to be fired from the hip, but light enough that they don’t require a team of 3 or 5 infantry to transport and assemble them before firing can commence, or for the purposes of this game series, they aren’t static emplacements like the Maxims in Tannenberg and Isonzo, which would be considered Heavy Machine Guns.

General advice:

The utility of these MGs will vary a fair amount from map to map, but it’s roughly accurate to say they deal with recoil better than most lighter MGs, and are of course completely useless when not deployed using a bipod. It is best to keep a good distance between yourself and the enemy when firing these. For example, if you are on a trench map, try to move a bit away from the center of the action. You usually don’t want to be in an area where other infantry are constantly spawning (this draws so much attention to your location), unless the spawning area is fairly well concealed or you see an opportunity to be THAT guy on Passchendaele. IYKYK.

If your position keeps drawing enemy fire and you can’t quickly identify the source, MOVE! It is either a dangerous position that exposes you to too many soldiers, or you are being targeted by a marksman who thinks he’s Simo Häyhä. You will have to use your own discretion in choosing whether/when to run for cover or slowly crawl behind it.  

If your trench is being raided or you find an opening where many enemies keep coming through, you can also go prone and kill them as soon as they enter. However, be extra careful to avoid hitting friendlies when trying this, as that typically takes a toll on your score even with teamkills off.

Specific advice/info:

M1909 Hotchkiss:

This is one of my favorite weapons in the game. It has a very manageable fire rate and delivers a pretty powerful round without overwhelming recoil, so my advice would be to use it almost like a rifle with 2 or 3 extra bullets that magically escape whenever you pull the trigger (see my note on rapid firing for more). If you can find a good position away from the action this one can be EXTREMELY invaluable on the Aisne map (I think it was that one), or Fort Douaumont depending on the game mode. I have had rounds where I run out of magazines for nearly every life due to killing so many and never being hit myself.  

MG08s (15 and 18):  

The MG08/15 is the fattest portable hunk of metal in the game, with its barrel encased in a water-cooled jacket. You cannot sprint while equipped with it unless you switch to your sidearm or stay within close range of your squad leader (you should see a magical circle around him on the map).

The same applies to the MG08/18, except that I think it’s a little more sensitive to recoil than its predecessor. For all intents and purposes, it’s basically an MG08/15 without the water jacket.

MG15na:

The MG15na can be thought of as a lighter MG08/18, and this makes it the only medium machine that you can simultaneously hold and sprint with, even while away from your squad leader. That’s all I can think to say.  

Light Machine Guns:

Light Machine Guns are a category below (or above) medium machine guns in that they are light enough to be fired from the hip and lack any restrictions on sprinting.

General advice:

Light machine guns can be effectively operated according to the same rules as medium machine guns, except that sprinting and hip-firing capabilities add to their versatility in emergency situations. You may want to practice hip firing by imagining the (very close range) location of an enemy and watching where the dirt flies up from. It won’t necessarily land in the center of the screen, and this reality is multiplied the further you move from your target.

Specific advice/info:

Madsen:

The Madsen is not the strongest weapon in the game, but it can be used quite effectively if you stick to short bursts of 3 to 5 bullets as it is fairly sensitive to recoil.

Chauchat (1915 and 1918):

The Chauchat is weird. Given the way it combines a slow rate of fire with a noticeably small magazine capacity and relative inaccuracy after like 2 shots, you may as well think of and treat it like a really scary semi-automatic rifle. However, as long as you don’t spam the trigger or stand at the back of the map with all the snipers, you’ll probably be fine. The 1918 rechambering of the Chauchat for .30-06 is sometimes considered to have resulted in the creation of the worst light machine gun ever made, but I haven’t noticed a meaningful different between the 1915 and 1918 models in-game.  

Lewis Gun:

All things considered, this is the best LMG in the game. Recoil is pretty controllable, and it fires fast enough that you shouldn’t need to fire a ton for it to work anyway. This fire rate also makes it the most effective hip-firing and “trench-proning” gun so long as you’re able to hit your target.

Automatic Rifles:

There’s only one of these and it’s the M1918 BAR (Browning Automatic Rifle). It has something over the LMGs in that you don’t even have to hip fire with it in close quarters. You can aim down sights while standing up, so instead of just being useful in emergency situations (such as your trench being raided), you get to BE the emergency. Just keep track of magazine capacity and you’re golden.

While arguably the most versatile weapon in this guide, it is definitely worth considering the BAR’s recoil when firing from a distance, even while prone. This is because it lacks a bipod, and you kind of don’t get many second chances given the size of the magazines. In those cases, stick to short bursts, or I guess single shots if your fingers are fast enough.

Submachine Guns:

The MP-18/I is the only submachine gun in the game. It can be very effective at clearing trenches if you’re quick on the trigger, and I’ve even effectively used this effectively while firing from foxholes on Artois. In that very specific situation you have to duck a lot, watch recoil, remember it takes 2 to 3 hits for it to kill a single player, and have a lot of approaching enemies within 30 feet of you, but it can be done.

A note on recoil and rapid fire:

It’s generally best to avoid rapid firing at the same position for any extended period of time, and you should always ask yourself if you can kill someone with fewer bullets. If you have to lay 10 seconds of sustained fire on one dude, chances are he’s either dead or you missed that first shot and recoil is doing the rest. MAYBE you could try suppressing an enemy fortification as 1 or 2 friendly squads approach it, but even then you should probably fire in bursts.

Sidearms:

Definitely don’t neglect these if you have them. Perfect in close quarters.

Well, that’s all I’ve got for now. If I’ve missed anything, add your take below for these or other types of weapons in the comments.