Greetings, Operators, The wait is almost over. Helios is thrilled to announce that the Early Access 1.52 "Western Forces" update is set for release on February, 3rd, 18:00 GMT +1. To make the wait easier, here’s a sneak peek at some of the most anticipated features coming to Black One Blood Brothers. As always, we’d love to hear your feedback, and we truly hope you’ll enjoy this update! [h1]New Year, New Gear: Weapons, Attachments, and More[/h1] [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/40417083/fedd611a10ea4ae718a7c44474a563a28ee53217.jpg[/img] For the first time, this update has a name—Western Forces. Moving forward, certain aspects of each update—especially gear, weapons, and equipment—will be inspired by real-world forces. You’ll be able to create your dream squad, customizing uniforms to build a deeper backstory around your team. Of course, for legal reasons, these forces won’t be explicitly named—but you’ll recognize the essence. [h1]Enhancing Immersion [/h1] [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/40417083/4672bbad0a6c6c7843c595702e40dee1b3be59c1.jpg[/img] We’ve been listening to your feedback, and we know how crucial immersion is to your experience. Good news: [b]Revamped Enemy Factions [/b]– Enemies now have distinct uniforms and unique appearances, allowing you to recognize them at a glance. This provides better battlefield clarity—and helps avoid any... unfortunate friendly fire incidents. [b]New Weapon Resting Stances[/b] – AI operators now have two additional idle stances, making their weapon handling feel more natural. [b]Enhanced Night Missions – [/b]Enemy NPCs will now patrol with flashlights, actively searching for intruders. And that’s not all—the Devil is in the details, so keep an eye on how enemy AI takes cover. [h1]Quality of Life Improvements [/h1] [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/40417083/2e87e725ffcf1c3027bb266a66bae3e9c467f4f0.jpg[/img] What’s an update without QoL enhancements? Thanks to your feedback, Helios has introduced fixes and new systems to refine your gameplay experience. [b]Optimized Game Loading[/b] – We know that shader compilation after a major update can take time, and that the first load into the home screen can be anxiety-inducing—Is it frozen? Is it still loading? With the brand-new loading system, you’ll instantly know whether you need to worry or just be patient. [b]New Operator Presets[/b] – Customize and switch between operator presets quickly, making squad assembly smoother and getting you into action faster. [b]On going changes in the AI [/b]and diverse improvements. [h1] Photo mode[/h1] [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/40417083/cb2f40fc8b95a5069c5bb729a008facef6d1cb29.jpg[/img] Whether you feel like you’re part of a family, or brothers in arms, or a fearless squad, don’t forget to take a picture before going in. We’re excited to introduce a new part to the photo mode, in which you can control the poses of your operators. For some, it’s just a smile to the camera, for others, it’s their very last memories with a brother. Let’s get creative. There’s still much more to reveal, so stay tuned for the official patch notes. Until then, stay sharp and stay safe, Operators.