Hello chaps. I’m hoping to make this a regular thing. Again, I’m only really analysing this based on what I know about history, or what I can easily research. I don’t want to speculate too much on gameplay, so this will focus more on little details that the streamers might not pick up.
0:15 - Train: Interestingly, I think the model is actually based on a Russian train, known as the Zaamurets. It has a distinguished history in the First World War, but it was a curious choice as Russians will not feature at launch. Perhaps this implies an Eastern Front expansion in the future, with trains charging across battles between the Tzarist Russians and the Austro-Hungarians in Poland? Zaamurets apparently served during the Battle of Galicia.
0:23 - Calvary Soldier: This man is wearing a dress cap and a calvary uniform! I believe that this means that people who spawn in horses get a unique calvary outfit (and perhaps even their own class? So far it looks like only calvary spawn with swords, and that their only firearms are carbines). It’s worth mentioning that sabre charges look confirmed too, which will be a LOT of fun.
Edit: Sounds like DICE have confirmed calvary as an independent class in their horses blog.
1:12 - Armoured Car: Blink and you’ll miss it. That armoured car has a very distinctive shape, particularly at the back. I am almost certain it is an Austro-Hungarian Romfell P.A. 2 and the first piece of equipment I’ve seen that originates from that country. It’s a funny choice of vehicle actually, as only two were ever built, though they certainly saw service. It’s strangely shaped body was meant to deflect small arms and the turret on the back held a Schwarzlose HMG.
1:20 - Torpedo Boat: Another ‘blink and you’ll miss it’. There is a torpedo boat bearing on the battleship to the bottom left. I couldn’t tell you for certain what it is, but I suspect it is one of the Thornycroft ‘Coastal Boat’ series of torpedo boats. Thornycroft was a British shipbuilding firm specialising in speedboats and they were a pioneering influence in the development of torpedo boats. They were arguably the first to make dedicated torpedo speedboats.
1:23 - Battleship: I’m pretty confident that this is a British Iron Duke Class Super-Dreadnought. By far the most advanced vessels in the ocean at the outbreak of the war, the Iron Duke Class had 5 twin-barrelled 13.5-inch gun turrets, and 12 individual 6-inch secondary cannons. She also had two QF 3-inch AA guns which will almost certainly be playable. There were four of them, the most famous being the HMS Iron Duke herself who served in the Battle of Jutland.
There is plenty more to say but those things I have no doubt will be picked up by the youtube streamers (AT grenades on horses, new small arms weapons, sandstorms, etc)