Dev Diary #3 – Classes
Welcome back to our series of Developer Tapes leading up to our early access launch.
Today we take a closer look at the classes within '83 and how each class have their own role to play on the battlefield.
In ‘83, victory depends on coordination, role discipline, and the decisions you make before you even fire a shot.
Every match begins with a crucial choice: your class. This determines your weapons, equipment, and overall role on the battlefield. Each class is grounded in authentic Cold War doctrine, with loadouts shaped by the arsenals of the 1983 U.S. Army and Soviet Ground Forces.
While both factions share most core roles, you’ll notice subtle differences in the tools and equipment available, reflecting the real-world divergences between East and West at the time.
Classes offer limited loadout customisation through a slot-based system. Want to move fast and light? Ditch extra gear. Need more utility? Carry smoke, frags, or anti-tank weapons. But every added item has a weight cost, affecting stamina and movement, meaning each loadout choice comes with trade-offs.
Infantry squads consist of 10 players: one Squad Leader and nine soldiers. Squads share a dedicated VOIP channel, allowing for coordinated movement, objective marking, and the placement of temporary squad-only spawn points. These spawn points are powerful tools, but they’re fragile, can be disabled by nearby enemies, and come with a longer respawn timer. Protect them and use them wisely.
Each class in ‘83 plays a distinct part:
Rifleman – The backbone of the platoon, armed with standard issue rifles and grenades.
Machine Gunner – Provides suppressive fire and anchors defensive positions.
Marksman – Picks off high-value targets at range, avoiding direct engagements.
Grenadier – Clears entrenched enemies and denies ground using their underbarrel grenade launcher.
Anti-Tank – Specialised in disabling and destroying enemy vehicles.
Tank Crew – Minimally armed, but the only class capable of operating armoured vehicles.
Special Forces and NCOs – Specialist roles with unique tactical capabilities we’ll be showcasing in more detail as development progresses through Early Access.
Class availability is limited to preserve balance. If all sniper slots are filled, you’ll need to choose another class, or wait. Squads also have internal class limits, encouraging a functional, complementary mix of roles to keep gameplay tactical and dynamic.
Squad Leaders aren’t just fielding orders, they’re tactical lynchpins. With access to specialised gear and a direct command channel linking them to other squad leaders and the team’s Commander, their decisions shape the pace and positioning of the team. Squad Leaders can name, lock, manage, and restructure their squads on the fly, while also placing rally points and setting the tone for engagements.
At the top sits the Commander, one per team, who plays the game from a strategic perspective, managing the battle via an RTS-style command interface. They issue orders, coordinate squads, manage resources, and deploy powerful abilities, from artillery and smoke barrages to recon flights and rapid reinforcements. Commanders are valuable, and vulnerable.
From the front-line Rifleman to the Commander orchestrating strikes from above, ‘83 is built to reward co-ordination, teamwork, and knowing your role. Whether you're holding the line, clearing bunkers, or pushing behind enemy positions, your decisions shape the outcome of every battle.
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