---
title: "GROUND BRANCH: Complete Guide"
game: "GROUND BRANCH"
game_url: "https://qna.gg/games/ground-branch"
author: "Qloud"
author_url: "https://qna.gg/players/Qloud"
topics: ["Builds", "Co-op", "Maps", "Settings"]
summary: "A tactical-realism primer for GROUND BRANCH V1.0: loadouts and encumbrance, the new armor and door systems, AI behaviour, maps, modes, and how to run clean co-op missions. Researched September 2026 — current as of V1.0…"
url: "https://qna.gg/g/ground-branch-complete-guide-f54125d9"
published: "2026-09-27T20:45:19.250Z"
updated: "2026-09-27T20:45:19.250Z"
source: "QnA.GG"
---

# GROUND BRANCH: Complete Guide

A tactical-realism primer for GROUND BRANCH V1.0: loadouts and encumbrance, the new armor and door systems, AI behaviour, maps, modes, and how to run clean co-op missions.

*Researched September 2026 — current as of V1.0 Hotfix 3 (Build Update #068, 25 August 2026). Live games change; check the linked sources if something differs.*

## Quick Start

1. **V1.0 is out.** GROUND BRANCH left Early Access on 16 July 2026. V1.0 replaced the old "V1036" build label and added the campaign Prologue, an AI rework, armor, a door overhaul, new and remade maps and the Extraction mode.
2. **Start in the Ready Room / The Farm.** The training areas have shooting ranges with dynamic targets and a killhouse with multiple floor plans. Zero your optics and learn the controls before your first mission.
3. **Everything is unlocked.** There are no unlocks, microtransactions or loot boxes. Every weapon and piece of gear is available from the start.
4. **Weight matters.** The encumbrance and stamina system slows you down if you overpack. Bring what the mission needs, not everything.
5. **What you see is what you get.** The True First-Person system puts the camera at your eyes and bullets come from the muzzle. If your muzzle is behind cover, you'll shoot the cover.
6. **Armor is now real.** Soft armor (Body Armor, helmets) is mostly effective only against pistol rounds, and as of Hotfix 2 rifle rounds can penetrate it on the first strike. Plate carriers with hard plates stop a few full-size rifle rounds, but only where the plates actually are.
7. **AI talk to each other.** Since Hotfix 2, AI hear each other's gunfire and alert nearby teammates. One loud shot can wake up a whole compound.
8. **Pick your AI difficulty honestly.** Difficulty levels run from Untrained upward (Hotfix 3 rebalanced Untrained through Veteran). Start low and move up.
9. **Use the Command menu and VOIP.** 3D positional voice and team radio are built in. Communication wins co-op missions.

## What Changed in V1.0 and the Hotfixes

| Release | Date | Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| V1.0 | 16 Jul 2026 | Prologue campaign (2 Operations), AI rework, armor system, door overhaul, new maps Border and Outpost, remakes Airbase and Hospital, Creek overhaul, Extraction mode, new weapons (M500 shotguns, AK-74 family, RPK, RPK-74, MK3 pistol), moon phases |
| Hotfix 1 | 23 Jul 2026 | Install size cut from nearly 100 GB to 39.4 GB; DX12 launch prompt removed (use `-dx12` launch option at your own risk); gamepad config; max weapon sway cut by about 30%; extremity hits made less lethal |
| Hotfix 2 | 30 Jul 2026 | Dialogue volume slider; bigger door-handle breach zone; rifle rounds can penetrate soft armor on first strike; lights and lasers stay on when switching items; AI hear each other's gunfire |
| Hotfix 2.5 | 31 Jul 2026 | VOIP audio cut-out fix; IR laser fix for listen-server clients |
| Hotfix 3 | 25 Aug 2026 | AI difficulty rebalance; sway, recovery and exhaustion reworked together; Outpost optimisation; PIP scope resolution default 0.5; volumetric fog disabled for now; VOIP component retooled; helicopter removed from City |

**Roadmap:** the developers have announced V1.1.0 to V1.1.2 as three campaign chapters of 3-4 missions each, followed by V1.2.0, a multiplayer update with a mod kit. Dates aren't confirmed; watch the Steam news page.

## Game Modes

| Mode | Type | Goal |
|---|---|---|
| Operations (Prologue) | PvE campaign | Briefed missions in the Northwest Pakistan hotspot: 01. Onyx Flame and 02. Gilded Arrow |
| Extraction | PvE | Hostage rescue against a configurable enemy count (10-30 enemies) |
| Intel Retrieval | PvE | Find and secure intel, then exfil |
| Defuse | PvE and PvP | Locate and defuse devices |
| Team Elimination / Lone Wolf | PvE and PvP | Clear the enemy force |
| Adversarial modes | PvP, up to 8v8 | Team-versus-team objective play |

Co-op supports up to 8 players. Quick Missions let you set up any map and mode fast from the Ready Room.

## Maps

| Map | Notes |
|---|---|
| Border | New in V1.0. US-Mexico border checkpoint with variants Bridge, Checkpoint, Construction and Telecom |
| Outpost | New in V1.0. Pakistani mountain fort, used in the campaign; optimised in Hotfix 3 |
| Airbase | Ground-up remake of the old 747 map, set in Libya |
| Hospital | Ground-up remake of Run Down, with variants Barracks, Clinic and Garage |
| Creek | Overhauled militia camp; caves and streams |
| Tanker, Small Town, Rig, The Farm | Level design updates in V1.0 |
| Arena, City, Compound, Depot, Docks, Storage Facility | Other maps in rotation |

**Moon phases:** you can select anything from new moon to full moon. Moonlight casts shadows. On dark nights, NVGs need an IR illuminator to be really useful; on bright nights shadows can hide you (and enemies) almost completely.

## Loadouts and Gear

### How the customisation works

You build your operator from scratch: outfit, vest or plate carrier, the placement of each individual pouch, and your weapon's attachments and rail positions. It's deep, and each choice has a trade-off.

| Choice | Trade-off |
|---|---|
| More magazines and gear | Heavier: slower movement and faster exhaustion |
| Hard plates in a plate carrier (JPC or MPC) | Stops rifle rounds on the plate area only; adds weight |
| Soft Body Armor | Covers more area but is mostly pistol-rated |
| Long rifle | Range and power, but weapon collision in tight rooms |
| Scope mounted far forward | Smaller sight picture |
| Suppressor | Quieter, but a longer weapon |
| MK3 pistol | Integrally suppressed .22 LR for stealth; low power |

### Loadout templates

| Role | Suggested kit (generic) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| CQB entry | Compact carbine or shotgun (M500 family), red dot, light, plate carrier | Keep the weapon short to avoid collision |
| Rifleman | Standard carbine with a low-power optic, IR laser and illuminator for night | Most flexible role |
| Support | RPK or RPK-74, extra ammo, lighter armor to offset weight | Suppression on open maps like Border and Creek |
| Marksman | Magnified optic, suppressor, fewer magazines | Overwatch; keep scope position sensible |
| Stealth | MK3 pistol plus suppressed primary, dark moon phase | Avoid alerting linked AI |

**Night kit:** NVGs plus an IR illuminator and IR laser (the V1.0 notes reference the AN/PEQ-15 style of device and the AN/PVS-17C MNS night scope). Remember IR only helps if you're wearing NVGs.

**Performance tip:** Picture-in-picture scopes are expensive. Hotfix 3 sets PIP Scope Resolution Scale (Settings, Video, Advanced, Textures) to 0.5 by default. Leave it there if your frame rate dips when aiming.

## Core Combat Mechanics

### Height over bore

Your camera is at your eyes, your bullets leave the muzzle. When you aim over a low wall, the muzzle can still be behind it. Raise up until the muzzle clears, or you'll put rounds into the cover.

### Sway, stamina and recovery

Hotfix 3 made sway, recovery and exhaustion work together. In practice:

- **Sprinting and jumping raise sway.** Stop moving and let your breathing settle before precise shots.
- **Encumbrance speeds up exhaustion.** A heavy kit means you arrive at the fight shaky.
- **Brace behind cover** and take the extra second.

### Damage and armor

- Hotfix 1 made shots to non-vital body parts and extremities less lethal. Centre-mass and head shots end fights; limb hits often don't.
- Hard plates only protect the plated area. Side hits and pelvis hits bypass front plates.
- Soft armor is mostly effective against pistols. Don't rely on it against rifles.
- Armor degrades as it takes hits, depending on calibre, angle and location. A plate that has already stopped rounds is not a fresh plate.

### Doors

V1.0 added locked doors and a door overhaul:

- Locked doors can be breached with explosive charges or by shooting the handle. Hotfix 2 enlarged the door-handle target zone.
- Doors react physically when opened and have reach-out animations. Take corners and doorways slowly.

### Enemy AI

- The V1.0 rework uses the Kythera AI plugin. AI accuracy, reaction time and turn rate are set by difficulty.
- AI now alert each other when they hear gunfire or are close to one another.
- Enemies throw grenades and use smoke, and they can flee when their morale breaks.
- Their line of sight and muzzle must be unobstructed to shoot you. The same rules apply to you.

## Teamwork and Mission Flow

1. **Plan in the Ready Room.** Pick the map, mode and moon phase. Agree on roles and who carries breaching tools.
2. **Insert quietly.** Suppressed weapons and a dark moon phase let you take sentries without alerting their neighbours.
3. **Clear in pairs.** One covers the door, one moves. Call rooms as "clear" over the radio.
4. **Mind friendly fire.** It's always on in spirit; watch your muzzle around teammates.
5. **Use team radio for long-range calls** and 3D voice for close coordination.
6. **Keep someone on rear security.** AI that hear the fight will move toward it.
7. **Exfil deliberately.** Most failed missions happen after the objective, when the team relaxes.

## Settings and Performance

- **Verify game files** if performance with PIP scopes seems off. The developers reported it helped some players in Hotfix 2.
- **DX12** is not selectable at launch any more. You can add `-dx12` in Steam's launch options, but the developers warn it can crash.
- **Volumetric fog** is disabled in all levels for now; it will return as a separate setting.
- **Shadow quality** tiers were retuned in Hotfix 3 so lower settings run better.
- **Controller support** was added in Hotfix 1, but mouse and keyboard remain the natural fit.

## Common Mistakes to Avoid

- **Overpacking.** Carrying every gadget makes you slow and shaky. Trim the kit.
- **Trusting soft armor against rifles.** It's mostly a pistol solution.
- **Shooting over cover with the muzzle still behind it.** Watch height over bore.
- **Running into rooms.** Sway spikes when you sprint, and AI react fast on higher difficulties.
- **Loud shots near groups.** Since Hotfix 2, one shot can alert several AI.
- **Leaving IR gear on in the wrong conditions.** IR lasers are invisible without NVGs but help anyone else who has them.
- **Picking Veteran first.** Build up from lower difficulty to learn the AI.

## Advanced Tips

- **Use moon phases tactically.** Full moon for learning a map; new moon plus NVGs for stealth play.
- **Shoot the handle.** A quicker breach than setting a charge when speed matters and you're confident.
- **Offset your optic carefully.** Too far forward shrinks the sight picture; find the spot that keeps your field of view.
- **Stagger team weights.** Give the support gunner the heaviest kit and keep entry players light.
- **Keep the HUD minimal.** The HUD is deliberately sparse, with optional elements you can switch on. Add only what you really need (the Check Watch action is part of this in-world approach).
- **Practise in the killhouse.** Its multiple floor plans are perfect for rehearsing entries as a team.
- **Clean shots win.** Limb hits were made less lethal; aim centre-mass and follow up.

## FAQ

**Is GROUND BRANCH finished?**
V1.0 launched on 16 July 2026. More campaign chapters (V1.1.x) and a multiplayer update with a mod kit (V1.2.0) are on the roadmap.

**Can I play it solo?**
Yes. Operations, Quick Missions and PvE modes work solo against AI, and the training areas are fully featured.

**How many players are supported?**
Up to 8-player co-op and 8v8 adversarial matches.

**How big is the install now?**
Hotfix 1 cut it from nearly 100 GB to about 39.4 GB.

**How do I enable DX12?**
Add `-dx12` to the Steam launch options. The developers warn it may crash.

**Are there unlocks or microtransactions?**
No. Everything is available from the start.

**What are the Prologue missions?**
01. Onyx Flame and 02. Gilded Arrow, set in Northwest Pakistan.

## Sources

- [Steam store page: GROUND BRANCH](https://store.steampowered.com/app/16900/GROUND_BRANCH/)
- [Steam news: V1.0 Now Available, Intel Report #032, Hotfixes 1-3](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/16900)
- [Steam news API feed for app 16900](https://api.steampowered.com/ISteamNews/GetNewsForApp/v2/?appid=16900&count=6&maxlength=0&feeds=steam_community_announcements)