- Update 1.0.9.5 - Comprehensive Update Tiger - 8 March 2026
Update 1.0.9.5 has finally arrived, and we nicknamed it Tiger because it started off big and just kept getting fatter. Tiger includes: a pair of overhauls, major system improvements to stacking and air combat, OB updates for the US, USSR, and Germany, new air squadrons across over half the OBs in the game, and much more! On the overhaul front, we have substantially revised Combat Engineering and totally restructured Attack Scenarios. This update also brings the first pillar of the general AI revision. Regarding general improvements, we have (among other things), completely revised how we calculate unit weights, refined air zone generation and propagation, tweaked artillery fire tables - especially for counterbattery, and made numerous user interface improvements/clarifications. System Updates:Combat Engineering Overhaul:Churchill Crocodile enjoyers rejoice! We have improved the combat e…
- Update 1.0.8.9 - Combined Content and Polish Update (Experimental) - 10 October 2025
Update 1.0.8.9 is out on the experimental branch with a pair of overhauls, several other crucial improvements, and plenty of new units for Germany and the USSR in 1943! On the overhaul front, we have substantially revised Combat Engineering and totally restructured Attack Scenarios. Regarding general improvements, we have (among other things), refined air zone generation and propagation, tweaked artillery fire tables - especially for counterbattery, and made numerous user interface improvements/clarifications. To access the Experimental branch: Right click CAOS in your steam library > Select Properties > Click on Betas > and Select Experimental from the Beta Participation dropdown. System Updates: Combat Engineering Overhaul: Churchill Crocodile enjoyers rejoice! We have improved the combat engineering system to make it more consistent, detailed, and accessible. What’s New in Combat Eng…
- Update 1.0.8.7 The Grand Artillery Overhaul - 7 August 2025
Update 1.0.8.7 has arrived! And it with it comes: a grand artillery overhaul, the German 9th Army (July 1942) OB, updates to the standard Germany 1942 OB, a brand new battlegroup naming system, and much more! Artillery Overhaul: The artillery overhaul is the crown jewel of Update 1.0.8.7, and its reach is felt across the entire game. The TL:DR is we reduced the effectiveness of fire support, increased long-range guns costs, increased artillery close combat, and added a ton of fine detail and variation to artillery in general. The Fire Support and Cost Challenges: Fire Support in CAOS has long been overtuned for the technology of World War 2. Moreover, long-range guns are too cheap considering their exceptional capabilities. Artillery in World War 2 was powerful, but on-call fire support missions in particular were degraded by the comms and command technologies of the time, in addition t…
- Update 1.0.8.2 - Combined Content and Polish Update - 13 May 2025
Update 1.0.8.2 is here with a host of improvements and content additions, big and small! On the UI/immersion side, we are very keen to hear your feedback on our first pass at turn resolution and C2 visualization improvements. On the content side, we have a ton of additions to German and Soviet forces in 1941, namely a the addition of 2 full new OBs: Heeresgruppe Nord, and its Soviet adversary the Northwestern Front, as well as an update to the "standard" German 1941 OB. All in all, lots of fun new explosive toys to throw around, and general interface improvements. Immersive Turn Resolution and Dynamic Command Hierarchies: Update 1.0.8.2 brings an experimental pass at improving the visualization of turn results and better visualizing command/control hierarchies. We are particularly interested in player feedback on both systems. Improving Turn Resolution/Replays: We have several improveme…
- Dev Blog 16: Northwestern Front OB Deep Dive - 27 April 2025
Greetings! Today we bring you a peak into the Soviet Northwestern Front (NWF) as it stood in June/July 1941! The Northwestern Front (or Baltic Special Military District until June 24) is symbolic of the 1941 Red Army in general. It has great potential, on paper, but severely underperforms in actual combat. If properly employed, NWF can bring to bear an astonishing volume of barrage fire to hammer their opponents, negate their zones of control, and inflict terrible casualties However, the frontline protecting the Front’s heavy artillery is dreadfully prone to shattering. Likewise, the armored units responsible for breaching enemy lines or providing mobile reserves are inundated with obsolete equipment and inconsistent motorization. NWF can be an incredibly satisfying OB in the hands of an experienced player, but make no mistake, there is far less room for error here than in most Soviet O…
- Dev Blog 15: Heeresgruppe Nord OB Deep Dive - 13 April 2025
Greetings! Let's take a deep-dive into one of the 2 new OBs coming in update 1.0.8.2: Heersgruppe Nord as it stood at the start of Operation Barbarossa! Heeresgruppe Nord (HGN) is a robust order of battle that lacks raw armored might, and suffers from inadequate air support, but enjoys deep reserves, great engineering potential, and strong artillery support. Next week we will explore their Soviet adversaries, but for now, let’s dive into one of the most unique German OBs yet included in CAOS! Heeresgruppe Nord: June 22, 1941: Type: Historical OB Preferred Playstyle: Attrition Warfare Basic Composition: HG Totals: # Inde. Units # Armies 3 Arty Bns 29 Corps 8 Flak Bns 15 Pz. Divs 3 Cbt Eng Bns 10 Mot. Divs 3 Constr. Bn 25 Inf Divs 17 TD/AG Bns 4.66 Sec. Divs 3 Spec Bns 2 Strengths: Heersgruppe Nord has a few very powerful hammers, and a whole bunch of anvils. If you just want to hold an e…
- Update 1.0.7.7 - 8 March 2025
After an extended development period, Update 1.0.7.7. is finally here, with the Kharkov map, UI improvements, Soviet 1941 updates, a new air pricing formula, some sweet quality of life improvements and a crucial fix to one of the most insidious CAOS combat bugs we have ever uncovered. Kharkov Map: Welcome to the Eastern Front! Kharkov is our first historical USSR map and it is a wholly unique experience that differs dramatically from existing maps due to its sheer size. Kharkov combines the mobility of the Russian Steppe with the powerful defensive anchors of fierce urban combat, and the logistical threat of inadequate infrastructure. We have meticulously modeled the region as close to history as we could get using pre-war Soviet maps, and the result is a beautiful nightmare. In some sectors you will fight for dense industrial suburbs, in others you'll be mired in marshes and thick fore…
- Update 1.0.7.4 - UK 1945 Overhaul - 9 November 2024
Welcome to the grand finale of the British army in Europe during World War 2! Britain is bruised and bloody, but it stands on the precipice of victory none the less. Standardization has become a myth, and adaptation is the watch word of the day. British organizations now vary wildly from under-gunned and under-strength infantry to the finest armoured divisions the Western Allies field during World War 2. The final six-months of the war in Europe witness great adaptation in British tactics and organization in response to the unsustainable attrition of 1944. Now, we bring these unique organizations to life in CAOS! Britain 1945 enjoys high-highs and low-lows. British armoured forces are drowning in spare equipment, and the proliferation of 17pdr sabot ammunition presents a potent hazard to any opposing armour. Likewise, the ponderous Churchill VII and its flamethrowing Crocodile twin pres…
- Update 1.0.7.2 - UK 1944 Overhaul - 18 September 2024
1944 Order of Battle Updates: At first glance, the British military seems to be at the zenith of its World War 2 power on the eve of the Normandy landings. British armoured brigades are powerful battering rams. British infantry divisions remain substantially larger than their allies and adversaries alike. Their anti-tank guns are among the finest in the world. Meanwhile, the RAF can challenge any opponent on equal or better terms in the skies above. Britain, and the Commonwealth generally, has come far since the dark days of 1940. Yet…a crisis brews beneath the surface. Years of total war from Malaysia to Tunisia have bled Britain dry. The Italian theater consumes manpower in hard-won bloodbaths like Anzio and Monte Cassino, while the fighting at Caen and the triumph in the Falaise Pocket inflict their own heavy price. By mid-August 1944, only 1,100 trained infantry replacements deemed…
- Update 1.0.6.9/Dev Blog 15 - Amphibious Warfare Rework - 8 June 2024
We’re back with a combined update/dev-blog featuring a series of new mechanics developed for Operation Sea Lion that greatly enhance broader CAOS amphibious combat gameplay, editor additions, and UK 1943 OB expansions. The first half of these update notes double as a CAOS Amphibious Warfare Overhaul dev blog. Fair warning, it gets table heavy and deeply nerdy. The second half tackles the more routine aspects of the update. Amphibious Combat Overhaul: The amphibious combat system has been totally overhauled to reflect the extreme difficulty of amphibious operations and differences in capability, doctrine, and naval fire at the national and equipment level. Each country now receives its own amphibious assault modifier tied to year, naval barrage/fire support is now directly derived from specific ship types, and every equipment type in the game has its own amphibious combat modifier. Moddi…
- Update 1.0.6.4 - Scenario Editor Release - 14 February 2024
Update 1.0.6.4 has reached full deployment! The scenario editor and the order of battle updates it brings with it are live. If you played the experimental branch, you already know what to expect; the transition from experimental to live build was remarkably smooth. These patch notes are very long so the short summary is: the scenario editor is here, the supply system was re-written, ultrawide support improved, and UK, USSR, and Germany all received major early war updates. Scenario Editor: With the arrival of the scenario editor you can make your own custom CAOS scenarios and upload them to the Steam workshop to share with friends and the community. The editor tools can even be used to make variants of our own historical scenarios, or other scenarios off the workshop, go nuts! The version of the editor deployed today has a few more features than the preview last year, including the abil…
- Update 1.0.6.4 (Experimental) - 26 January 2024
Greetings! We are back with a major experimental build introducing the scenario editor and a series of hefty order of battle updates. These patch notes are very long so the short summary is: the scenario editor is here, the supply system was re-written, and UK, USSR, and Germany all received major early war updates. See the picture below for information on how to opt-in to the Experimental build if you’re interested in playing new updates early. Scenario Editor: With the arrival of the scenario editor you can make your own custom CAOS scenarios and upload them to the Steam workshop to share with friends and the community. The editor tools can even be used to make variants of our own historical scenarios, or other scenarios off the workshop, go nuts! The version of the editor deployed today has a few more features than the preview last year, including the ability to reduce units to units…
- Tutorial Hotfix - 27 September 2023
A quick hotfix today to resolve a bug introduced with the 1.0.5.7 update that caused the tutorial to become stuck when attempting to assign fire support to the 6th Armored Infantry Regiment. Special thanks to Cush for bringing this to our attention. Work continues on the editor update as usual, we are currently writing the editor manual and assembling the two example scenarios that will deploy with the editor update.
- Dev Blog 13 - Scenario Editor - 30 August 2023
Greetings! We’re back with a detailed dev blog on the upcoming scenario editor. This will be a long one, so if you want the short version, the scenario editor is coming soon and the map editor a bit further down the road. Much of this blog will later become the foundation of a proper editor guide/manual, but now, let’s dive in! Scenario Editor Features: The scenario editor allows you to take any map and any OBs and make your own custom scenario. The editor uses a modified hotseat setup, so you can swap between the two sides and run the first turn as many times as you like without issue. Throughout your time in the scenario editor, the little bar on the left will be your friend, we have ensured it has plenty of space for future additions: For scenario editor release we are preparing a pair of model scenarios, a siege and two-way invasion, to make it easy to see custom scenarios in action…
- Update 1.0.5.7 - 11 August 2023
Greetings! We have a routine update today focused on refinements to the Crusader scenario, several historical improvements to the UK 1939/1940 OBs, implementing the new Polish and Czech national color schemes, a new system to preview the exact impact of terrain on unit combat values, and other improvements. This update is not save game compatible with saves from 1.0.5.2. Operation Crusader Scenario Updated: Experience revealed our 1.0 Operation Crusader scenario biased too heavily in favor of the Axis because we provided them unrealistic flexibility. Due to incomplete intelligence and ongoing preparations for their planned assault on Tobruk, Axis commanders did not appreciate the full scope of the Commonwealth offensive when it first launched. Considering this fact, we have introduced several temporary movement restrictions to prevent the Axis player from conducting a historically nonse…
- Update 1.0.5.5 (Experimental) - 22 July 2023
Greetings! We have a routine experimental branch update today focused on refinements to the Crusader scenario, several historical improvements to the UK 1939/1940 OBs, implementing the new Polish and Czech national color schemes, and a new system to preview the exact impact of terrain on unit combat values. This update is not save game compatible with saves from 1.0.5.2. Operation Crusader Scenario Updated: Experience revealed our 1.0 Operation Crusader scenario biased too heavily in favor of the Axis because we provided them unrealistic flexibility. Due to incomplete intelligence, heavy rains grounding recon aircraft, and the pressing matter of planning the upcoming assault on Tobruk, Axis commanders did not appreciate the full scope of the Allied offensive when it first launched. Considering this fact, we have introduced several temporary movement restrictions to prevent the Axis play…
- Update 1.0.5.2 - 29 June 2023
Greetings! We have a brief update today focused on key improvements to the new automated replacement system and a few multiplayer stability fixes. We have an Operation Crusader focused update planned next week, but we want to get the replacement and stability improvements out now. Centralized Replacement Management: Opening Replacement Management: Left-clicking anywhere on the replacement pool at the top of the user interface now opens up the replacement management screen. What it does: The new replacement management screen centralizes everything you need to know about the flow of replacements in your army in one place. The screen lists: Your current replacement pool. Estimated replacement expenditure by priority bracket for the next turn. Most importantly, you can change replacement priorities by training level across your entire army at the click of a button in the Replacement Levels…
- Update 1.0.5.1: Combat Overhaul 1 - 17 June 2023
Greetings! We are ready to release Combat Overhaul 1! If you have been playing the experimental branch this release is fairly similar to what you've been playing with for the last 2 weeks with a couple major changes. Notably the addition of the revised Gazala scenario and reversion of changes to combat movement cost. If you haven't played the experimental branch then get ready to enjoy automated replacement and some fun changes to combat that open up new tactical opportunities. System Improvements: Automated Replacement Units now automatically draw replacements from the global pool while connected to the supply network. Percent of total strength drawn per turn varies according to the following conditions: Units in supply and in contact with enemy zone of control replace up to 1% of total unit strength per turn. Units not in contact with enemy zone of control replace up to 2% of total un…
- Update 1.0.4.9 (Experimental) - 27 May 2023
Greetings! We are excited to roll out the experimental branch for the Combat Overhaul 1 update. We are particularly interested in feedback on the main combat and replacement changes. Feel free to let us know your thoughts either in the Update 1.0.4.9 discussion thread on the forums, or on discord. See the picture below for information on how to opt-in to the Experimental build if you’re interested in playing new updates early. System Improvements: Automated Replacement Units now automatically draw replacements from the global pool while connected to the supply network. Percent of total strength drawn per turn varies according to the following conditions: Units in supply and in contact with enemy zone of control replace up to 2% of total unit strength per turn. Units not in contact with enemy zone of control replace up to 3% of total unit strength per turn. Units in Rest and refit replac…
- Roadmap to the Future - 7 April 2023
The completion of the Gazala to Husky release cycle lends us a perfect opportunity to tackle game system and interface additions or improvements, as well as making the scenario editor ready for public release. This Combat Overhaul release cycle will bridge the gap between Husky and our first, as yet unannounced paid expansion, intended for release later this year. The objectives outlined in this roadmap are naturally subject to change, and they are not exhaustive. For instance, there are plenty of in-development AI improvements that don't appear on the roadmap. This roadmap serves as a general guide to the direction of development leading up to the first expansion later this year. Combat Overhaul 1 Focus: Combat Overhaul 1 focuses on making Attack orders more useful, making concentrated anti-tank even more effective, and eliminating the tedium of replacement management through an automa…
