The US Army has released version 3.1 of their tactical, online shooter, America’s Army. The new update brings with it two additional maps as well as a number of game enhancements such as Steam leaderboards as well as the ES2 upgrade (check the official notes below). The game is free to play and download from the official America’s Army website and on Steam.

Official Update Notes

Every Soldier a Sensor Gameplay
“Every Soldier a Sensor” or ES2 teaches that with all the advanced technology used by the U.S. Army, every Soldier is the best possible sensor on the battlefield. By observation, Soldiers are able to detect suspicious or important changes in their surroundings, however small. When this information is reported back to leaders, it allows them to construct a clearer picture of the battlefield making it safer for fellow Soldiers and civilians alike.

The ES2 gameplay in AA3 brings awareness of the importance of every Soldier being observant on every mission. During AA3 gameplay, players will be rewarded for observing and reporting back things that they may come across during the mission that are suspicious or out-of-place. The player must determine what the object is, and report it if necessary. Many objects are false alarms and provide no benefit. Others are possible Intel such as NME documents or equipment and will grant the player a round bonus. Some gear or inventory items provide an immediate benefit such as ammo, explosives or IFAKS. To learn more about ES2, players will experience ES2 training as part of the MOUT training exercise.

New Maps
Shantytown is a rainy, close-quarters battle map which includes mission types for VIP and Activated objectives (where players interact with items to fulfill the mission). In this map, refugees fleeing oppression from the Czervenian government have established a makeshift slum settlement in the RDO city of Mozeizli. The refugees have lately moved into better living quarters established by U.S. and coalition forces and the “Shantytown” has since been abandoned. But, NME operatives are believed to have infiltrated and set up links to enemy espionage networks in the deserted area. In Shantytown, players will need to take advantage of the in-game communication and work together as a team relying heavily on concealment and speed as they navigate this maze of plywood shacks, containers and corrugated sheet metal.

Stronghold is a large map that takes place on the cobblestone streets of the occupied RDO city of Ranaliv where numerous alleys, terraces, balconies, and lofty spires provide a multitude of challenges and opportunities for teams to work together to accomplish the mission. Most of the population of this old city has fled, leaving the town and historical sites open to fortification by enemy forces. An imposing 14th century stone fortress, clock tower and fortress turrets will be favorite overwatch positions so players must be prepared to defend against NME marksmen. Players will also make good use of cover inside structures in the commercial and residential districts, advancing as a team from building to building as they race to complete the mission objectives.

Additional Features

• New Achievement Coins – New achievement coins are awarded to the player for ES2 gameplay achievements were added into the game. A few of these achievements include Clean Sweep (awarded when a team reports all the ES2 objects in a single round), What’s That (awarded when a Soldier reports his/her first ES2 object) and What’s Yours is Mine (awarded when a Soldier lets teammates take all of the items in an ES2 object they have reported). Players will also be able to earn Soldier Sensor coins in bronze, silver, gold and platinum, depending on the number of ES2 objects they report.
• New Blue Force Tracker (BFT) Features – The BFT which provides forces with location information has been enhanced. Players may now change the zoom of the BFT or alter the transparency of the extended map using the mouse wheel. A spectator extended map has also been added.
  
• Steam Leaderboards – Steam leaderboard and stats updates will now be available when running the game through Steam
  
• Admin Control Panel – An Admin Control Panel has been added to allow server providers to manage servers in-game. If the user has the appropriate server access, it will appear in the main menu.
  
• Performance – Updates also include a number of gameplay weapons and map performance improvements.
  

About America’s Army
America’s Army is the only action game that delivers an authentic and entertaining Army experience by reflecting the training, technology, skills, and career advancement of a United States Army Soldier. The game has become an online phenomenon, ranking among the most popular PC action games played online. America’s Army games are rated T for Teen and can be downloaded free from Steam (www.americasarmy.com/steam) and from partners listed on the website (www.americasarmy.com). The Army launched America’s Army in July of 2002 and the most recent version, AA3 launched in June 2009. In keeping with the dynamic nature of Soldiering, the America’s Army game will continue to expand and allow players to explore the Army of today, tomorrow and the future. America’s Army is produced by the Army Game Studio, part of the AMRDEC Software Engineering Directorate at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville Alabama. Managed by Program Director Frank Blackwell, the Army Game Studio houses the development and management staff for the America’s Army online PC game as well as numerous Military and Government applications.