The Road to Forgotten Hope 2.66 Red Christmas

[RAnDOOm]

Red Christmas

Posted by: CptBocquier

08.06.2025 18:00 GMT

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Hello and welcome back to another Forgotten Hope 2 update.

With the D-Day event drawing to a close, we would like to take this opportunity to announce our next named release, which will be launched this month:

2.66
Red Christmas

Join us in the cold days of the harshest winters of World War II, in vicious battles on the Eastern and Western Fronts. While some would have preferred to be home by Christmas, new offensives are launched, tainting the snow red. This update will include 2 new maps, as well as new vehicles, new weapons, and many changes to existing content.

In January 1938, the armored vehicle BA-10 started to be mass produced using the GAZ-07 shortened chassis from the 3-axle GAZ-AAA truck. The hull was welded from armor plates and attached to the chassis by six brackets. The vehicle was also equipped with attachable tracks on the rear sides of the hull that could be installed on the rear wheels to provide reliable off-road driving.

The armament consisted of a 45 mm 20-K Model 1934 gun in a conical turret and two 7.62 mm DT machine guns, one coaxial with the main gun and the other mounted on the front hull. For aiming the main gun, a TOP telescopic sight and a PT-1 panoramic sight were used.

The BA-10 debuted in combat during the Battle of Khalkhin Gol on May 30, 1939, with the 9th Motorized Armored Brigade when a Manchurian cavalry detachment crossed the Mongolian border. From December 1939 onwards, the BA-10 was improved and revised, becoming the BA-10M. The main features of the later version included the installation of the new 71-TK-3 "Jackal" radio station and two armored fuel tanks over the rear fenders, instead of being placed behind the driver.

Of the 3,377 BA-10s produced from 1938 to 1941, roughly 1,950 were BA-10Ms. Our BA-10M was made by Veaceslav Condraciuc and Matt Baker.

[RAnDOOm]

The Road to Forgotten Hope 2.66 Red Christmas - Part 1

Posted by: CptBocquier

10.06.2025 18:00 GMT

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Hello and welcome back to another Forgotten Hope 2 update.

As we get closer to summer, Forgotten Hope will provide some fine refreshments to cool you down. We are excited to announce that our update 2.66 Red Christmas will be released on:

Tuesday 17th June 2025

To start our usual stream of "Road to" news gently, we propose a new addition to the Soviet hand weapon arsenal.

In the mid-1920s, the Soviets were interested in developing a sniper rifle program and started a series of trials with ordered German commercial scopes like the Zeiss Zielvier and Busch Visar N°5 scopes, attached to their M/91 Dragoon rifles. While those German manufacturers started producing modified scopes and mounts following Russian demands, local designers such as A. Smirnsky developed a top mount for the scopes. In early 1930, the Main Artillery Directorate selected the Busch Visar scopes on the Smirnsky mount. The Busch Visar was favored notably for its windage adjustment options.

Following improvements, the Soviets started the production of their own copy, designated as "Rifle Scope Model 1931" with a 3.87x magnification. In 1933, the scope would get its final appearance, with the central box shape being rounded at the corners and external locks removed. Mass production then started for the scope, now coded "PE". Approximately 47,237 scopes were produced between 1933 and 1937, when the simplified version of the scope, known nowadays as "PEM", was preferred.

Soviet M91/30 rifles with PE scopes were the most numerous captured sniper rifles in Finnish inventories from the Winter War through the Continuation War and were designated Tarkka-ampujakivääri M/30. German troops would also use them under the name Zielfernrohrgewehr 256(r) . Our PE scope was made by Frimenitnet and Ashton, mounted on the Mosin Nagants made by Seth Soldier.

[RAnDOOm]

The Road to Forgotten Hope 2.66 Red Christmas - Part 2

Posted by: CptBocquier

11.06.2025 18:00 GMT

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Hello and welcome back to another Forgotten Hope 2 update.

 

Today, we are showcasing the first map of this release, Verdenne. Some of you have already experienced this map as a Christmas event map; it is now entering the official rotation. Join the American troops trying to set up a cohesive defense line, or follow the German panzers through the dense forests and villages before the Allies regain their air superiority.

 

 

It is Christmas Eve and the German Ardennes offensive is starting to run out of steam as more and more allied reinforcements and airpower start to pour into the Battlefield.

 

 

In an effort to rekindle the advance towards the Meuse river, elements of 116. Panzer-Division use the bad visibility to infiltrate into American lines near Verdenne and Bourdon. A confused battle ensues, with elements of the US 84th Infantry Division bypassed in the village and German tanks lumbering through the foggy forests.

 

Verdenne was made by Ts4EVER. You can find the minimap and a preliminary vehicle listing here.

[RAnDOOm]

The Road to Forgotten Hope 2.66 Red Christmas - Part 3

Posted by: Guarnere & CptBocquier

12.06.2025 18:00 GMT

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Hello and welcome back to another Forgotten Hope 2 update.

Today we are showcasing some elements that were recently updated : the US Army playermodels during the Fall and Winter of 1944.

With the release of the 2.4, Forgotten Hope 2 introduced the intense fights of the Hurtgen Forest and the Battle of the Bulge. While the German soldiers in late 1944 were featured in some news, we never took the case to actually showcase the changes that occured on the uniforms of the American soldiers.

As depicted in the fields of Normandy ingame, the various units from the US Army operating in Europe used a variety of clothing like the cotton M1941 Field Jacket, the cotton twill M1942 Paratrooper uniform or in some rare case the Herringbone twill (HBT) utility uniform. While most of the soldiers used basic tanned leather shoes with heavy canvas leggings, the paratroopers dropped with distinct jump boots.

Many criticism depicted these uniforms as inadequate, like the Olive Drab (OD) n°3 shade of the M1941 Field Jacket that gave poor concealment in the European theater or the lack of large pockets. Another example was the paratrooper trousers that were prone to tore around the knees or the crotch.

A new design was pushed by the Army consisting of a standardized M1943 field jacket issued in Olive Drab (OD) n°7, with two large breast pockets and two skirt pockets. No big changes were made on the trousers but various buttons and a looser fit. To remplace the boots and gaiters for all units the M1943 Combat Service Boots was introduced, including a leather cuff that can be quickly fastened with a pair of buckles. While the first tests of the new M1943 uniform occured in Italy in 1943, the logistical situation prevented the use of the new design during the Normandy landings.

Paratroopers received their M1943 uniforms just after D-Day engagments, while the rest of the US Army in Europe slowly got issued, making it more widespread in Late 1944.

Ingame, the paratroopers from the 101st Airborne fighting in Bastogne are all wearing the M1943 uniforms, even if a lot of troopers kept elements of their M1942 uniforms, notably their jumping boots that were less subject to getting caught in a parachute. GIs fighting in the Hurtgen Forest receive a mix of M1943 uniform and older elements, same for Rangers supporting them. Finally the various units caught in the German Offensive through the Bulge wear a majority of M1943 uniforms, even if some soldiers also use the M1938 Overcoat Mackinaw. Small details like mittens, gloves or scarfs have been repartited through all playermodels depending on the season.

While the webbings and gear elements are unchanged, the gear repartition has been remade to underline the task differences carried by each type of unit (Paratroopers, Rangers or simple soldiers). Some helmets and vests also received their divisional emblem or recognition markings, following the pride carried by the soldiers to be a part of a unit or the essential need to quickly recognize a soldier's assignement.

The base Winter American playermodels were done by PointBlank86, Remdul, Kev4000, with the faces done by Zero and were reworked by Cpt Bocquier.

 

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If you have missed any previous updates this week, you can find links to them here:

Go to Road to Forgotten Hope 2.66 Red Christmas - Part 1

Go to Road to Forgotten Hope 2.66 Red Christmas - Part 2