Project ARES

Project ARES adds three new squads faithfully modelled after real-world US SOF units. Each team provides a unique gameplay experience and a plethora of new classes, equipment, and gear spanning the last 10+ years.

ARES was made by – and for – military veterans and enthusiasts with the goal of providing the most authentic special operations experience possible in DK2, while also maintaining careful gameplay balance and playability.

After a lot of discussion, we’ve decided to stop official development on Project ARES. There will be no further planned updates.

We know many of you have been waiting for doctrines for Rangers and Special Forces. The main issue is balance: the units that don’t have doctrines right now are already in a good place and are well-balanced as-is. Adding doctrines on top would require an extensive rebalance to avoid making them too strong and to keep missions challenging and fun.

Some of us have moved on from modding altogether, others are focusing on different projects where they can be creative again.

We’re not a studio – we’re volunteers who put a lot of free time into this passion project. Please keep it civil.

What happens next?

• We may consider passing the torch if someone genuinely talented can continue in the Project ARES style and vision. However, we are not actively recruiting.
• Community add-ons/patches are welcome if they require Project ARES as a dependency

Project ARES remains fully playable in its current state, and we hope you continue to enjoy it.

-Project ARES Team

Final official update to tie up loose ends (See Above)

• Changed the Doctrine WIP text for Rangers and SFG
• Added BH Trooper Upgrades for CAG
• Added the "Ares" editor tag in the map editor containing all of the Ares’s humans
• Fixed Rangers 1st rifle squad grenadiers not having access to the M4 BLOCK 1

Link to the Full Detailed Change Log

US Army Rangers a nearly full rifle platoon of all-round direct action heavy hitters.
They’ve got access to support units with AT4s, Carl Gustav’s, and M240s, and a powerful HQ capable of calling in mortar strikes and Close Air Support.

US Special Forces are tasked with building a Nowheraki commando unit capable of combating domestic terror threats. Special Forces lack breaching tools but can access powerful rifles such as the MK13 MOD 5, MK22 PSR, and M107.

Attached to the SF team is the Nowheraki Army Commandos, a hard hitting local SF unit with access to a good variety of equipment of both Western and Eastern origin, you decide which direction to go.

1st SFOD-D are kitted for direct action, such as HVT capture or hostage rescue, while supported by undercover ISA Intelligence Specialists and an 24th STS Operatives Section that also brings a JTAC and an Pararescuemen to the field.

This mod is compatible with AnthonyDNB’s In-Game Camouflage Selector. Enabling it allows you to swap between uniform types such as combat shirts, BDU tops, T-shirts, and cold-weather jackets such as the PCU:

The Nexus[www.nexusmods.com]mirror will still be updated for the foreseeable future in correlated with the steam version and is the preferred way for users to give suggestions, feedback, report bugs and etc due to steam’s c****y comment & post system.

For more Ares fun check out ARES: Additional Units an Add-On that introduces new smaller-scale "mini" units to the Project ARES mod that are outside of the core ares-verse that focus more on additional user playability with an lesser emphasis on fix gameplay balance and polish between the core and the additional units.

I can’t deploy the Rangers HQ Section!
For balance reasons, the Platoon HQ costs double, meaning you need two available slots in your unit for them to be deployable.

Delta feels weaker than Rangers and Special Forces…
Each part of the mod was made by a different person, so what feels balanced is different for each. Although a lot of the mod is based on reality, that kind of approach made Rangers (and by an extent, SF) way too powerful compared to the enemy ability level, turning what should be a very dangerous situation in trivial, especially considering the large amounts of equipment all units carry.

This thought has been around the team for a long time, and Delta has been the first unit implementing this new doctrine, where despite being way better than vanilla enemies, they can still put a fight. Rangers and Green Berets will be eventually adjusted to keep them being competitive but also vulnerable if not properly used.

Developed by:
Olem/Olemguy
Briz/Briz61
Levan/Levantera
Anthony/AnthonyDNB
Rosh/hunterrosh
BrianThePenguin/Coolpenguin1234
Rake/Rake5000

Special Thanks:
Eladorn: For the work that laid the foundation for this project
PolishTrooper[www.deviantart.com/polishtrooper]: Commissioned unit mod images
Snowzap: Voice actor for the AC-130 voice lines
Mr. Napalm: For the Nowheraki flag
Jacob: For the FAST XP helmet
Sly: JPC rigging
Fluffy: Crouch animations
DBoy: Permission to use and modify assets
MSFMiller: Permission to use and modify assets
Überchad: Permission to use and modify assets
Panguino: For the beret UI