Hell Let Loose Update 19 goes live on December 3 and moves the fight to the Eastern Front with a new Smolensk map, a dedicated Artillery Squad, and a new class of vehicles called Self Propelled Artillery (SPA). Smolensk is the largest urban map the game has received so far. It leans into vertical combat with triple-storey enterable buildings, a fully wadeable river, and landmark capture points such as the Tram Depot, the Citadel and Smolensk Hauptbahnhof. The update ships both day and night variants, and the night version uses an optimized two-card fire system plus distance culling and fog volumes to keep the spectacle from tanking performance.
The update also adds Self Propelled Artillery vehicles for all factions. These new howitzer-based vehicles – examples include the KV-2, Sherman M4A3 105, Sturmpanzer IV Brummbär and Churchill Mk III A.V.R.E. – must be spawned by the new Artillery Squad and cost munitions rather than fuel to bring into play. SPAs can lob indirect fire from range or engage directly at the cost of long reloads and limited turret mobility.
SPAs share core traits on first release, very high AP damage against lightly armored targets, huge HE blast radii, and the ability to damage player-built structures. The team says these values are an initial baseline and each vehicle will get more individual characteristics after community feedback during live play. Static artillery has been reworked to make its use less oppressive and easier to counter. Only one static gun can be active at a time and it must be built using supplies. Static guns now have fixed onboard ammunition that the commander can refill for munitions. Static guns and SPAs are tied to the Artillery Squad, which introduces three roles – Artillery Observer, Artillery Engineer and Artillery Support – to coordinate spotting, repairs and ammunition handling.
Key balance and quality of life changes in Update 19 include tank and vehicle rebalancing to correct unintended top speeds, recon and half-track adjustments, increased Ammo Depot returns, a mechanic crewman loadout change, and AT launcher ammo increases. Two LMGs gain deployable bipods for more stable sustained fire at the cost of mobility. The KIA screen and network icons receive new toggles in settings so players can hide the killer name, weapon, or network indicators. The update also bundles cosmetic content: a Smolensk Corps uniform pack, standalone camouflage DLC, and several free community DLC helmets and armor items for returning players.
Several bug fixes and localisation corrections are included for general stability, achievements, spawn placement, and map asset alignments across Stalingrad and Hurtgen sectors. The patch notes list fixes under General, Localisation and per-map headings. DasAltberg Twitch video and a community curated archive of historical reference material are also cited by the team for players interested in the map’s research.
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Hell Let Loose
Developed by Team17
Fight in the most iconic battles of the Second World War, including El Alamein, Stalingrad, Omaha Beach, and Foy! This is combat at a whole new scale.. with lumbering tanks dominating the battlefield, and crucial supply chains fuelling the frontlines, you are a cog in the machine of colossal combined arms warfare. Hell Let Loose puts you in the chaos of war, complete with deep player-controlled vehicles, a dynamically evolving front line, and crucial unit-focused gameplay that commands the tide of battle.
- Genre: Shooter, Simulator, Strategy, Indie
- Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5
- Modes: Multiplayer
- Release: 2019-06-06
- Publisher: Team17
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Age Rating:
PEGI 16 / GRAC 19+ / CLASS_IND 18 / CERO Z / ACB MA 15+ / ESRB M / USK 18
- IGDB Rating: 74.8/100
