Steam Workshop support is now available in Headquarters: World War II. With the latest update, players can create, share, and download custom maps directly through the game.

A new option in the in-game Map Editor allows you to name your battlefield, add a description, and publish it to the Steam Workshop with a single click. If you want to explore maps created by other players, simply subscribe to any Workshop entry and it will automatically appear in your in-game map list, ready for deployment.

This update provides a straightforward way to build new scenarios and access community-made content, expanding the range of battlefields available to all players.

Our biggest annual showcase returns to bring you exclusive news, gameplay reveals, and updates from some of our most anticipated titles. Whether you’re a long-time commander or new to the battlefield, this is your chance to see what’s next in the world of strategy gaming.

This year’s edition will be different from anything we’ve done before. Expect a fresh format, new surprises, and a closer look at some truly exciting projects: trust us, you’ll want to be there live.

There will also be a major announcement regarding the Headquarters franchise.

When: December 9th, 2025 – 18:00 CET
Where: Live on YouTube and Twitch[www.twitch.tv]

Don’t miss it: this will be a very special edition of Slitherine Next, and also the closing ceremony of our 25th birthday celebrations. You’ll want to be among the first to see what’s coming next from Slitherine.

Hello everyone,

we are pleased to release the following fixes:

• On Skirmish & MP games, allied AI stops working after a point is captured

• Crash when reviewing AI moves

• This fix should improve a number of crash issues that occurred from the last update

See you on the battlefield

Urban Warfare update is now live and delivers six new maps, each designed to push your tactical decision making to the limit:

• Flankpoint: Fight through a small city center with flanking routes and elevated defensive positions.

• Riverpoint: Two hills and a winding river split the battlefield into chokepoints and contested ground.

• Greenline: Tight streets for ambushes meet a wide central park where infantry dominate.

• Operation Deepline: Forests, waterways, and city streets combine for layered tactical approaches.

• Ridgeline Conflict: A mix of verticality and dense urban zones creates long-range duels and close combat chaos.

• Shattered City: Navigate ruins, alleys, and open intersections where positioning is everything.

Whether in Skirmish or Multiplayer, these maps bring fast-paced, high-stakes urban combat that will challenge even veteran commanders.

AI Improvement: 

One of the most requested improvements from the community was to make the AI more challenging and lifelike. With this update, we’ve completely reworked how the Skirmish AI makes decisions:

• Improved Overwatch Response: AI now balances risk and opportunity, no longer freezing under enemy overwatch fire.

• Enhanced Pathfinding: Units will push closer to objectives, even when allies or obstacles are in the way.

• Smarter Flag Captures: AI prioritizes units that can reach flags this turn and avoids blocking its own reinforcements.

• Multi-Objective Strategy: Instead of focusing on a single flag, AI now manages multiple objectives with shifting priorities.

• Flag Defense Logic: AI evaluates when to hold or abandon a flag, optimizing garrison unit composition.

• Heroes in Skirmish/Multiplayer: AI can now assign and use Heroes, making non-campaign matches more engaging.

• Transport Unit Logic: AI knows when to deploy infantry via trucks, bringing them faster to the frontlines.

These improvements make the AI more unpredictable and lifelike, ensuring every encounter feels fresh.

Test your skills on the new maps and compete for exclusive prizes:

• 1st Place – $50 Slitherine Discount Coupon

• 2nd Place – $30 Slitherine Discount Coupon

• 3rd Place – $20 Slitherine Discount Coupon

These coupons can be used as discounts on both Slitherine and Matrix Games websites

The Tournament begins on 19th September, so please sign up before then. Sign up here[www6.slitherine.com]

Tournament Details:

There are 3 rounds, with each round being 16 days.

Round 1 - Urban Warfare Map - Flankpoint - starts 19th Sept.

Round 2 - Urban Warfare Map - Riverpoint - starts 5th Oct.

Round 3 - Urban Warfare Map - Greenline - starts 21st Oct.

Each Map has a starting resource of 2500, and will run for a maximum of 25 turns. Each round is 16 days.

Victory Conditions will be updated closer to the Tournament start

We’re excited to announce that on September 9th, we’ll be releasing a completely free update for Headquarters: World War II - Urban Warfare, which includes 6 expertly designed urban battlegrounds maps.

Whether you prefer flanking maneuvers, long-range duels, or brutal close-quarters engagements, Urban Warfare offers fresh tactical challenges that will test your command skills like never before.

What’s Included:

FlankpointFight for control in a small city center filled with pocket parks and flanking routes. Elevated positions provide key advantages for defenders holding critical objectives.

Riverpoint
A strategic city split by a meandering river and dominated by two opposing hills. Expect tough battles across chokepoints and shifting control over the central urban sprawl.

Greenline
Tight urban alleys and narrow lanes explode into sudden skirmishes. A wide park at the heart of the map opens up unique opportunities for infantry to shine—and vehicles to struggle.

Operation DeeplineForests, streets, and waterways combine for layered tactical depth. Use natural defenses to plan stealthy approaches or to fortify against enemy advances.

Ridgeline Conflict
Prepare for a brutal mix of verticality and urban warfare. This map blends long sightlines with cramped interiors, perfect for commanders who think on their feet Navigate the broken streets of a devastated metropolis. Alleyways, open intersections, and contested control points make this a map where positioning is everything.

Shattered City 

Players must navigate the shattered streets of a sprawling city. Narrow alleyways and open spaces create constant challenges for capturing and holding key control points, demanding tactical precision.

Whether you're jumping into Skirmish or Multiplayer, Urban Warfare is designed to shake up your strategy and keep you guessing at every turn.

Yesterday, we celebrated this anniversary live with our CMO Marco A. Minoli, CEO Ian McNeil, Lead External Producer Neil McKenna, and Executive Producer David Sharrock.

If you missed the event, you can watch the full recording here:  

To celebrate the 25 years of Slitherine, Headquarters: World War II receives a special update!

Customize your army like never before with new insignia, unit colors, and camouflage options — all inspired by a quarter-century of strategy gaming excellence.

Anniversary Update v1.04.03

• New insignia, colors & camoflauge added for unit customisation, celebrating 25 years of Slitherine Games

AI Improvements:

• AI just got smarter: it now utilizes transport units to move infantry more efficiently across the

battlefield.

• Several improvements to the PBEM mode — the AI now responds more intelligently to player

actions and actively captures control points.

Fixes:

• Multiplayer just got more stable — fixed several issues that were causing crashes to ensure a

smoother experience.

• Fixed an issue that caused the game to crash on first launch, ensuring a smoother start for new

players.

This update is our way of saying thank you to the community that’s been with us every step of the way.

Hi everyone - We have just released the latest Headquarters: WWII update.

This has a number of fixes and tweaks, but importantly, it has some more fixes and updates for the Skirmish AI, that a number of people have flagged has issues, in regards to the AI taking points and battling you.

This is an ongoing update to AI that we are doing on the Headquarters engine, so expect more AI improvements (mainly focused on Skirmish & MP).

The AI changes consist of the AI now not getting stuck behind its own units meaning it is more able to move forward on the attack, as well as now being able to use Headquarters skills (Artillery Barrage, Recon, Reinforcement, etc).

There are also some crashes and bugs that have been fixed.

Here are the fixes and changes in this latest version:

Version 1.04.02 - 09.06.2025

AI Improvements:

• Improved AI Pathfinding. The AI now ignores blocking units to provide better movement over maps.

• AI now uses HQ skills.

Fixes:

• Updated error message text to indicate what potential error could be. Notably, logging on to PBEM games

• Change client validation to allow for special characters to be used in passwords.

• Fixed a number of crashes on some given missions.

See you on the Battlefield.

• A new music track “Hero” has been added to the playlist, free for everyone.
  
• Six beloved campaign maps have been converted for use in Skirmish and Multiplayer modes, offering even more ways to enjoy tactical battles:
  
  • Allied Invasion
    
  • The Retreat to Caen
    
  • Operation Aubery
    
  • The Battle for Hill 112
    
  • The Falaise Pocket: The Trap
    
  • The Falaise Pocket: The Breakout

• A Field of View (FOV) slider is now available in the Video Settings menu (previously limited to Photo Mode only)
  
• The Free Camera Mode has been reworked for easier access and smoother transitions:
  
  • Now you no longer need to hold the Middle Mouse Button (MMB or Mouse Wheel) to stay in Free Camera Mode. You can enter the Free Camera Mode by pressing the MMB, and then exit the Free Camera Mode by either pressing the MMB again, or by scrolling the Mouse wheel.
    
  • Now, when you are in the Free Camera mode, you can see a notification “Free Camera ON” below the End Turn button.
    
  • Now, when you exit the Free Camera mode, the camera moves smoothly to its Regular Camera angle (instead of an instant jump). So, you can now better understand what is going on.
    
  • Free Camera Mode is now available on all Zoom levels of the Regular Camera. (Before it was unavailable at the 4 highest Zoom levels)

• Fixed a common crash caused by eliminating a demoralized (fleeing) unit.
  
• Resolved an issue in the Ardennes DLC (Map 8 of the German campaign) where incorrect text and voice lines were triggered after a loss.