Beginner's Guide

	Core game types, classes, and combat basics

Gameplay

Game Types

Nations At War

The original Napoleonic-era setting for Holdfast. Players fight as 18th–19th century armies and navies using muskets, bayonets, cannons, and sailing ships. Nations At War features classic line battles, sieges, naval engagements, and conquest modes.

Frontlines WW1

A World War I–themed experience within Holdfast. Players take on the role of early 20th-century soldiers with bolt-action rifles, pistols, machine guns, and artillery. The gameplay emphasizes trench warfare, attrition, and combined arms tactics.

Class System

Each team has access to a wide variety of classes with unique gear and abilities. Some classes provide direct combat power, while others serve essential support roles such as healing, boosting morale, or providing artillery fire.

Command

Army Infantry Officer

Leads infantry lines on land.

Issues orders and formations
Provides buffs to nearby soldiers

Naval Captain

Commands an entire ship.

Steers the vessel and sets sail orders
Coordinates crew actions in naval battles

Rank & File

Line Infantry

The backbone of the army.

Armed with musket and bayonet
Disciplined volley fire under officer orders

Guards

Elite frontline fighters.

Protect officers and key positions
Superior melee ability and durability

Grenadiers

Heavy melee specialists.

Large, powerful soldiers
Absorb more damage than regular infantry

Skirmisher

Light Infantry

Fast-moving harassers.

Reach key terrain quickly
Good mobility and firepower

Rifleman

Long-range sharpshooters.

Higher accuracy than muskets
Limited numbers, deadly at distance

Customs

Naval skirmishers.

Strong swimmers and agile fighters
Harass enemies from water or shore

Support

Artillery

Masters of cannons, mortars, and rockets.

Devastating firepower
Require coordination and skill

Cavalry

Shock troops on horseback.

Armed with sabers and carbines
Break lines with charges and flanking

Crewman

Experienced sailors.

Strong swimmers
Skilled in naval melee with cutlass or pike

Aiming

Musket accuracy is limited. Use the bottom of the reticle to judge range:

At short range: aim center mass with the reticle at knee height.
At long range: gradually aim higher. At ~100 meters, place the reticle bottom at head height.

Lateral bullet spread cannot be compensated – firing in volleys improves effectiveness.

Melee

Attacking

Press X to switch to melee mode.
Left-click to attack.
The mouse direction when attacking determines strike direction (e.g., moving the mouse up performs an overhead strike).
Attacks can be cancelled early by blocking, allowing faster follow-up swings. (You can cancel after hearing the “whoosh” sound mid-swing.)

Blocking

Blocking is only possible in melee mode.
Hold right mouse button to block.
The mouse direction determines the block angle (e.g., move the mouse up to block an overhead strike).

Tips

Hold Y to use voice chat (can be rebound in settings).
Press P to open the voice chat mute menu. Find a player’s name and click the sound icon to mute them.
Press K to mute in-game voice entirely.
Press Tab while in text chat to cycle through chat channels (General, Recruitment, Team, etc.).

Tools