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When, in your lifetime, you watched 50 Napoleonic-era French line infantry, arranged in columns, march backwards in sync with direct artillery and musket fire, all to the sound of Cher’s Believes?
I wouldn’t be surprised if you’ve never seen such a scene – unless, of course, you play Holdfast: Nations at War (Opens in a new tab) on the computer. These glorious, funny scenes are common in Holdfast, the multiplayer online shooter from Napoleon, which I’ve been playing since 2017 when it launched into Early Access on Steam.
By all rights, Holdfast is a game that shouldn’t stay here. It’s a fairly niche shooter, outwardly appealing primarily to history nerds like myself. It’s the kind of game where, after the initial hype, you’d expect to run for a year or two before the servers shut down and finally stop supporting the game – in fact, that would be fine. And that’s what I expected.
Six years later, however, Holdfast still amazes me every time I log in for a quick fix on amazing historical events. It sure isn’t dead, instead it just keeps getting better. Simple, fun and hilarious, it’s a hidden gem that I think more people should be playing – this article, My Story of Holdfast, will tell you why.
Loyal players
Holdfast has maintained a loyal player base, of which I am a part. There are two main servers: the EU and US ground battle public servers, which host 150 players in sieges and pitched battles. At the right times of day for each server, it’s almost always full, though it’s not hard to get a game. Then there are two generic naval combat servers, again EU and US, which hover between half full and full depending on the time of day and what maps they’re playing. These are four major public servers with enough players to get a good game.
There are private servers too, where real history nerds stage very strict linear infantry battles (if that’s your thing, you definitely need to play this game) – but as you can see, the community is small, no more than a few hundred players per day according to for steamdb.info (Opens in a new tab). Every time I come back to the game, for four or five days every two months, I get to know the players’ names. Despite not knowing or even communicating much with other players, this still evokes a basic sense of community. Humans are social animals, so it’s great to experience from the game and a good reason to join and stay in it.
Mesquite bustle
However, the factors behind loyal Holdfast players are more relevant to what you should be playing. Holdfast has maintained its community, in my opinion, for two main reasons. The first is that it is very interesting. Set in the age of powder and bullets, you have one round per minute in ground combat. If you miss (which you usually will, since you usually shoot shotguns or flintlock pistols), you fall on a bayonet or sword if the enemy charges.
In a gaming world full of high-intensity, run-and-gun shooters, it’s refreshing to play something a little different
The slow rate of fire and lack of accuracy make scoring a hit wonderfully satisfying, but it also makes for daring maneuvers and bayonet charges, the benefit of the low(ish) probability of sniping and the futility of trying to pet someone with a gun (there are) limited sniper positions available so most use them handgun or revolver). In a gaming world full of high-intensity shooters, it’s refreshing to play something a little different; Simplicity has value.
Naval battles are just as fun, especially during coastal blockades. Having a well-guided frigate with a team of experienced players manning the guns is great. Masts crumbling, hulls cracking, jolly boats swaying as crews abandon ship, watch out in the wind and attempt a last-minute boarding raid. Satisfaction with the expansion is only topped by manning long-range cannon over a coastal fort, picking ships’ sails with a half-mile chain of fire and raising double-digit kills. It’s also in the naval battles where the game’s ruined environment feels and works best and is more immersive, with decks shattering and forts dropping pieces of masonry.
The second reason I think Holdfast has retained its player base is that it is, as we say here in the UK, crazy. Public servers are full of Fatih Jabri.
Voice chat is primarily used to record action with corny pop songs or Eurotrash, but it also serves as a way for players to channel their inner 19th century British officer, asking men in advance to “how many lads”.
There are always a few brave fools who rush into the ranks of the enemies, declaring themselves unarmed and peaceful before running across the first group of gullible soldiers who have lashed out at their word. There are challenges to dueling, begging for mercy, fake cries of pain and many more terrible Prussian accents. Pied pipes blared as muskets fired, cavalry charges and missiles exploded around them. It’s a mess, of the best kind, and even if you don’t mention the history, you’ll find this game incredibly entertaining.
Continuous Improvement
Perhaps Holdfast: Nations At War’s continued development is what surprised me most given that its player base has been relatively small for as long as I’ve been playing. Anvil Game Studios, the publisher and developer, has gone on to release flavor packs, map packs, and even an entire WW1 expansion (which not many people seem to be playing on public servers). It’s great to see this happen for a game that doesn’t cost much and really gives a lot.
I’m not naive enough to dismiss the fact that Holdfast is now an outdated game, which means more downloadable content is likely to be very limited. But I hope this game continues to receive the update support it is currently getting to keep it up and running for players old and new. So far, though, so good.
Holdfast’s Poem: Epilogue
While it’s obviously helpful to have an interest in the Napoleonic era, you don’t have to be a history buff to enjoy Holdfast: Nations At War. It’s a shooter that gets a lot right. It’s simple yet challenging, messy yet fun. Its community is small but wonderful, and I’m proud to be a part of it. It’s cheap and still receives DLC and loving support from its creators. And to top it all off, you can play on the Steam Deck – you’ll need a dedicated controller map, but there are some really good ones available for download.
With all that said, I’m a bit confused as to why the community is still so small, my only guess is the limited draw from the specialized historical USP. Some people might prefer a game with a closer community, but I think the only way this game will succeed is by expanding its player base. So, whatever your reason for being so underrated, hopefully this love letter gets at least two more people to play Holdfast, because it deserves a little more attention.
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