Welcome Soldiers!
Operation Two: For King and Country arrives this week, and storming into mainland Europe comes the British Expeditionary Force. Mobilised after declaring war on Germany in 1914, the British Army that deployed to France was thought to be the best the Empire had sent to war. These men benefited from hard lessons learned during the Boer War and were effective in the use of cover and the ability to deliver rapid, accurate rifle fire.
While other armies for the time were established through conscription, the BEF was made up of professional soldiers with solid foundations of extensive training and high morale. However, catastrophic losses during the start of the campaign forced the recruitment of more men and a restructuring of the military organisation. With more reinforcement, the army was now capable of fighting a war on a continental scale.
Having mustered forces from across the Commonwealth, the BEF will eventually be supported in-game by sub-factions from the various units seen under their command on the Western Front. Entering the fray with an array of iconic weapons from the SMLE MK III* to the Lewis Gun, players will have a new arsenal to learn and familiarise themselves with. British HMG detachments can look forward to deploying the Vickers Mk I with a sandbag bunker, while Artillery detachments will be launching shells from the QF 13-pounder field cannon.
Arguably one of the most impactful and important factions during The Great War, the British Expeditionary Force will play a major part in Beyond The Wire going forward and we're excited to bring their story to our game. Stay posted for a video in the next few days on the new weapons arriving with the BEF!