{"id":23170,"date":"2026-07-14T12:54:45","date_gmt":"2026-07-14T12:54:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/xgamingserver.com\/blog\/ground-branch-1-0-whats-new-server-hosting\/"},"modified":"2026-07-17T20:55:51","modified_gmt":"2026-07-17T20:55:51","slug":"ground-branch-1-0-whats-new-server-hosting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/xgamingserver.com\/blog\/ground-branch-1-0-whats-new-server-hosting\/","title":{"rendered":"GROUND BRANCH 1.0: Everything New + How to Host a Dedicated Server (2026)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>GROUND BRANCH<\/strong>, the hardcore tactical shooter from BlackFoot Studios and MicroProse, has left Early Access \u2014 <strong>V1.0 is now available as of July 16, 2026<\/strong> (Build Update #064). After years of steady development, 1.0 is the biggest milestone yet for the slow, deliberate, true-first-person mil-sim that fans of the original <em>Rainbow Six<\/em> and <em>Ghost Recon<\/em> have been waiting for. Here&#8217;s everything new \u2014 and how to get a dedicated server running so you and your squad can jump straight in.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Launch sale:<\/strong> to celebrate V1.0, GROUND BRANCH is <strong>20% off for a week<\/strong> \u2014 $29.99 \u2192 <strong>$23.99<\/strong>. Grab a key or two while it&#8217;s cheap.<\/p>\n<h2>Is GROUND BRANCH 1.0 out?<\/h2>\n<p>Yes \u2014 GROUND BRANCH V1.0 released on <strong>July 16, 2026<\/strong> on Steam (PC). The dedicated server is free, so you can spin one up right now and jump straight into the campaign and co-op.<\/p>\n<h2>The Operations campaign returns \u2014 with a new Prologue<\/h2>\n<p>The headline addition is <strong>Operations<\/strong>, GROUND BRANCH&#8217;s campaign framework. V1.0 opens it with the <strong>Prologue<\/strong>, set in the new <strong>Northwest Pakistan<\/strong> hotspot (a &#8220;Kill or Capture&#8221; area of interest). You play <strong>two new operations in succession \u2014 01. Onyx Flame and 02. Gilded Arrow<\/strong> \u2014 with the second unlocking after you finish the first, in offline solo or online solo\/co-op.<\/p>\n<p>Story is now a central focus \u2014 the hotspot and each mission open with <strong>fully voiced briefings<\/strong> (characters John Hawk and handler &#8220;Forge&#8221;), with playback controls to replay the audio, plus special scripted events. Operations mode is launched from a new <strong>Ready Room<\/strong> built into The Farm (the training map). At launch, Operations is <strong>lone-wolf and co-op only<\/strong>; a proper friendly-AI system arrives in Chapter 1 (V1.1.0).<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/xgamingserver.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/gb_v10_1.webp\" alt=\"GROUND BRANCH V1.0 Operations campaign\" class=\"aligncenter size-large\" style=\"max-width:520px;height:auto;\" \/><\/p>\n<h2>New weapons in V1.0<\/h2>\n<p>1.0 expands an already deep arsenal \u2014 and as always, there are no unlock gates: every weapon, optic and attachment is available from the start. The new additions:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>M500 &amp; M500 Tactical<\/strong> (shotguns) \u2014 the classic pump-action. The factory M500 holds 5+1; the Tactical variant holds 7+1 and adds a top rail for optics and sights.<\/li>\n<li><strong>AK-74<\/strong> (assault rifle) \u2014 an earlier version of the AK-74M already in-game, with &#8220;plum&#8221; polymer furniture. Chambered in 5.45\u00d739 mm.<\/li>\n<li><strong>AKS-74 &amp; AKS-74 (Poly)<\/strong> \u2014 AK-74 variants with a side-folding metal stock; the Poly version swaps wood for polymer furniture.<\/li>\n<li><strong>RPK &amp; RPK-74<\/strong> (machine guns) \u2014 heavier, longer, higher-capacity AK-pattern automatics. The RPK is 7.62\u00d739 mm (40-round mag); the RPK-74 is 5.45\u00d739 mm (45-round mag).<\/li>\n<li><strong>MK3<\/strong> (pistol) \u2014 an integrally suppressed .22 LR handgun with a 10-round magazine. Underpowered but the <strong>quietest weapon in the game<\/strong> \u2014 ideal for quietly taking out sentries.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>New attachments include the <strong>AN\/PVS-17C MNS<\/strong> night-vision scope (4.5\u00d7 with a red-dot aim point), the <strong>Vertical Grip A<\/strong> foregrip, <strong>Rail Panel B<\/strong> covers, and dedicated magazines for the new weapons.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/xgamingserver.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/gb_v10_2.webp\" alt=\"GROUND BRANCH V1.0 tactical combat and weapons\" class=\"aligncenter size-large\" style=\"max-width:520px;height:auto;\" \/><\/p>\n<h2>New armor system &amp; hit reactions<\/h2>\n<p>New to V1.0 is a full <strong>armor system<\/strong> that changes how firefights play out:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Hard armor (plates)<\/strong> \u2014 ceramic inserts that stop a few full-caliber rounds (e.g. 7.62 NATO) before depleting. The <strong>Plate Carrier (MPC)<\/strong> holds 4 plates (front, back, and each side); the <strong>Plate Carrier (JPC)<\/strong> holds 2 (front and back). Protection only covers the plated area \u2014 everywhere else stays vulnerable.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Soft armor<\/strong> \u2014 Kevlar-type protection in helmets and the <strong>Body Armor<\/strong> platform (formerly &#8220;Bulletproof Vest&#8221;), effective mainly against pistol rounds but covering most of its area. It&#8217;s active automatically once equipped.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Armor HUD<\/strong> \u2014 shows each plate&#8217;s status (white = intact, yellow = damaged, red = depleted) next to the stance indicator.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Hit reactions<\/strong> \u2014 getting shot now makes your character flinch, potentially throwing off your aim. One more reason to see the enemy first.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/xgamingserver.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/gb_v10_3.webp\" alt=\"GROUND BRANCH V1.0 close-quarters firefight\" class=\"aligncenter size-large\" style=\"max-width:520px;height:auto;\" \/><\/p>\n<h2>Substantial enemy AI rework<\/h2>\n<p>One of the most significant 1.0 changes is a major overhaul of enemy AI for more reliable, dangerous behavior:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Targeting<\/strong> \u2014 AI now default to the pelvis; if only the head is visible they target it instead of losing you, and higher-skilled AI default to chest or head shots.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Perception<\/strong> \u2014 maximum view distance increased from <strong>100 m to 200 m<\/strong>, with alertness tuned so AI don&#8217;t just stare without reacting.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Suppression<\/strong> \u2014 AI now react to being shot even while unaware; hits apply suppression and location data and can trigger flee behavior without line of sight \u2014 so a missed lethal shot is more punishing.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Defender AI<\/strong> \u2014 enemies in guard mode are tethered to their guard points but turn toward sounds, so on maps like Hospital they hold rooms instead of funneling into choke points.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Morale<\/strong> \u2014 AI suffer suppression and morale loss when they witness allies die, so your actions shape their decisions.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Retreat &amp; performance<\/strong> \u2014 flee duration scales with skill (tougher AI hold cover longer), and behavior-tree logic was moved from Blueprint to C++ for better performance.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/xgamingserver.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/gb_v10_4.webp\" alt=\"GROUND BRANCH V1.0 enemy engagement\" class=\"aligncenter size-large\" style=\"max-width:520px;height:auto;\" \/><\/p>\n<h2>New Extraction game mode<\/h2>\n<p><strong>Extraction<\/strong> is a new PvE mode for solo and co-op: you&#8217;re a rescue team, and enemy AI hold a friendly hostage guarded by <strong>two captors<\/strong>. The captors&#8217; morale drains as they witness or hear combat and <strong>does not refill<\/strong> \u2014 hit zero and the hostage is executed, so speed and stealth matter. You free and lead the hostage via the Command Menu (&#8220;Follow Me&#8221;, &#8220;Move To&#8221;, &#8220;Take Cover&#8221;). Enemy counts run <strong>10\u201330 per map<\/strong>. Extraction is currently playable on <strong>Airbase, Compound, Hospital, Small Town and Tanker<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/xgamingserver.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/gb_v10_5.webp\" alt=\"GROUND BRANCH V1.0 gameplay\" class=\"aligncenter size-large\" style=\"max-width:520px;height:auto;\" \/><\/p>\n<h2>Everything else in V1.0<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>New &amp; remade maps<\/strong> \u2014 two brand-new maps (<strong>Border<\/strong>, a US\u2013Mexico checkpoint; <strong>Outpost<\/strong>, a fort in northwest Pakistan), two ground-up remakes (<strong>Airbase<\/strong>, a remake of 747 set in Libya; <strong>Hospital<\/strong>, a remake of RunDown), an overhauled <strong>Creek<\/strong>, plus level-design and art passes on Tanker, Small Town, Rig and The Farm. (Full breakdown in our <a href=\"https:\/\/xgamingserver.com\/blog\/ground-branch-maps-list\/\">map guide<\/a>.)<\/li>\n<li><strong>New door mechanics<\/strong> \u2014 locked doors you can breach with explosive charges or by shooting the handle, physics-driven doors that react to being pushed, and a reach-out interaction animation.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Player locomotion overhaul<\/strong> \u2014 all-new motion-capture movement for every stance, with more natural weapon-handling wobble and aim sway.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Grenades<\/strong> \u2014 the M67 frag is now an instant kill within 5 m (dropping off to a 15 m max radius), and the M84 flashbang no longer blinds or deafens through walls.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Selectable moon phases<\/strong> \u2014 pick your night darkness per mission; moonlight now casts shadows for near-perfect concealment (if patrols can&#8217;t hear you).<\/li>\n<li><strong>New gear &amp; customization<\/strong> \u2014 plate carriers, chest rig + soft-armor combos, the Leg Shroud drop-leg holster, new hairstyles and facial hair, and a range of outfit items.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>What&#8217;s on the roadmap after launch<\/h2>\n<p>1.0 is a milestone, not the finish line \u2014 BlackFoot Studios has mapped development through 2026 and into 2027 (dates tentative):<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>V1.0.0 (July 2026):<\/strong> launch, built on a refactored foundation for stability, plus the base for multiplayer.<\/li>\n<li><strong>The campaign chapters (V1.1.0, V1.1.1, V1.1.2):<\/strong> three new chapters, each adding a hotspot with 3\u20134 missions and its own themed Ready Room. Friendly AI for Operations returns in Chapter 1 (V1.1.0).<\/li>\n<li><strong>V1.2.0 \u2014 the Multiplayer Update:<\/strong> a dedicated MP improvement pass shipping alongside <strong>Mod Kit (SDK)<\/strong> updates for maps and missions (the Mod Kit won&#8217;t update until then).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>How to play GROUND BRANCH 1.0 with your squad<\/h2>\n<p>GROUND BRANCH is at its best with a coordinated team, and the most reliable way to play together is a <strong>dedicated server<\/strong> that stays online 24\/7 \u2014 no host needing to keep the game open, no P2P connection issues. On a dedicated server you control the maps, mission rotation, AI count and difficulty, round timers and player slots (up to 16), and you can run co-op Terrorist Hunt and 8v8 PvP however your group likes.<\/p>\n<p>The catch: the GROUND BRANCH dedicated server is officially Windows-only and involves SteamCMD, port forwarding and editing config files by hand. If you&#8217;d rather skip that, a managed host handles it for you. <a href=\"https:\/\/xgamingserver.com\/ground-branch-server-hosting\">XGamingServer&#8217;s GROUND BRANCH server hosting<\/a> runs on AMD Ryzen 9 7950X hardware with instant setup, one-click updates, DDoS protection and a visual config panel \u2014 so you can spin up a server in minutes and be ready to play.<\/p>\n<p>New to hosting? These guides walk you through it:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/xgamingserver.com\/docs\/ground-branch\/game-modes\">Ground Branch game modes &amp; missions<\/a> \u2014 set Terrorist Hunt, Uplink, Intel Retrieval and more<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/xgamingserver.com\/docs\/ground-branch\/configure-your-server\">Configure your Ground Branch server<\/a> \u2014 MaxPlayers, MaxAI, difficulty and config files<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/xgamingserver.com\/docs\/ground-branch\/change-map\">Change map &amp; mission rotation<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/xgamingserver.com\/docs\/ground-branch\/connect-to-your-server\">Connect to your server<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>The bottom line<\/h2>\n<p>GROUND BRANCH V1.0 \u2014 live now (July 16, 2026) and 20% off for launch week \u2014 brings the Operations campaign with its Northwest Pakistan Prologue, a new armor system, a substantial AI rework, the Extraction mode, new weapons, two new maps and two ground-up remakes. A genuine milestone for one of the most authentic tactical shooters on PC. Get a server ready, rally your squad, and drop in.<\/p>\n<h3>Read more<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/xgamingserver.com\/blog\/ground-branch-operations-campaign-guide\/\">GROUND BRANCH Operations Campaign Explained<\/a> \u2014 the Prologue, Onyx Flame &amp; Gilded Arrow<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/xgamingserver.com\/blog\/ground-branch-v1-0-new-weapons\/\">GROUND BRANCH V1.0 New Weapons<\/a> \u2014 M500, AK-74, AKS-74, RPK &amp; MK3<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/xgamingserver.com\/blog\/ground-branch-armor-system-guide-v1-0\/\">GROUND BRANCH Armor System Guide<\/a> \u2014 plates, soft armor &amp; the HUD<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/xgamingserver.com\/blog\/ground-branch-extraction-mode-guide-v1-0-hostage-rescue-explained\/\">GROUND BRANCH Extraction Mode Guide<\/a> \u2014 the new co-op rescue mode<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/xgamingserver.com\/blog\/ground-branch-maps-list\/\">Every GROUND BRANCH Map Explained<\/a> \u2014 the full roster<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/xgamingserver.com\/blog\/ground-branch-roadmap-2026-2027\/\">GROUND BRANCH Roadmap 2026\u20132027<\/a> \u2014 chapters, the MP Update &amp; Mod Kit<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>GROUND BRANCH 1.0 launches July 16, 2026. Everything new \u2014 the Operations campaign, AK-103 Alpha &#038; G36K Custom, Chemlights, the AI overhaul, the Outpost map \u2014 plus how to host a dedicated server.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":23165,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_gspb_post_css":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[149],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-23170","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ground-branch"],"blocksy_meta":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v24.5 (Yoast SEO v26.7) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>GROUND BRANCH 1.0: Everything New + How to Host a Dedicated Server (2026) - XGamingServer<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/xgamingserver.com\/blog\/ground-branch-1-0-whats-new-server-hosting\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"GROUND BRANCH 1.0: Everything New + How to Host a Dedicated Server (2026)\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"GROUND BRANCH 1.0 launches July 16, 2026. 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