THUNDER BUDDIES STUDIOS / RELEASE 1.3.5

One package.
A bigger battlefield.

The overhaul. The studio. The workbench.

B.A.R.O.’s realism, our Home and Studio interface, and the tools to build what comes next. One installer handles the setup. You pick the extras.

Windows installer ↓Windows install guide ↗Linux / Steam Proton installer ↓

Windows 10/11 x64 or experimental Linux / Proton · Existing Steam installation required · Game 1.2.0.3

Launch through Steam → Play – Anti-Cheat Disabled.Local and compatible modded play. Stay off official Broken Arrow servers.

ONE DOWNLOAD / ALL COMPONENTS INCLUDED

Install the whole package.

Workbench is inside this installer.
Choose your components during setup.

THUNDER BUDDIES / PACKAGE 1.3.5

Broken Arrow Mod Package

The installer contains MelonLoader 0.7.3, B.A.R.O. 5.9.5, Studio UI 5.3.6, Overwatch Sandbox 0.1.2 and Broken Arrow Workbench 0.3, including the Blender bridge, runtime plugins and offline documentation.

Workbench installation and desktop shortcut are selected by default
Gaza test maps are included; choose whether to install them
Titan creator samples are included; enable them if wanted
Overwatch Sandbox playtest with Blue / Red team deployment
Steam detection, file backups, checksums and uninstall / restore

Windows installer ↓

LINUX / STEAM PROTON · EXPERIMENTAL 1.3.5

Linux mod package installer

Use this installer on Linux instead of the Windows EXE. One file includes unchanged B.A.R.O. 5.9.5, MelonLoader, Studio UI, Overwatch Sandbox and optional maps, Workbench and samples.

Detects native and Flatpak Steam libraries
Optional Protontricks dependency setup, file backups and restore
Workbench is a Windows build; Proton use is experimental

Linux / Steam Proton installer ↓Full Linux installation guide ↗

Linux runtime behavior is unverified. B.A.R.O. upstream lists Windows requirements. No separate component ZIPs.

INSIDE THE PACKAGE

The overhaul stays. The toolbox grows.

01 / GAMEPLAY FOUNDATION

Broken Arrow Realism Overhaul

We’re partnered with the B.A.R.O. team. Version 5.9.5 is included unchanged, with its original notices. Real speeds, armour, weapons and ammunition form the gameplay foundation. Supported updates will be incorporated into future package releases.

B.A.R.O. project ↗ · Official Nexus page ↗

02 / STUDIO & LOADER

Less setup. More operations.

MelonLoader 0.7.3 and its portable .NET 6 runtime are included. Studio 5.3.6 brings the reworked Home and Studio screens, Workbench entry and roadmap. No need to hunt for individual DLLs.

Custom ranks, stats and leaderboards are interface previews. Live tracking is coming soon. Future updates require a new package; automatic updates are not active.

INCLUDED / OPTIONAL PLAYTEST 0.1.2

Overwatch Sandbox.

Build both armies. Let them fight.
Take command when you want.

Blue team. Red team. Your battlefield.

Select Overwatch Sandbox in the Windows installer; Linux includes it unless you use --no-sandbox. In-game, choose Play → Sandbox to load the dedicated Kaliningrad scenario.

Persistent BLUE TEAM / RED TEAM buttons switch deployment ownership and expose the native hangar. Both sides share the embedded Absolute Arsenal deck. SHOW CONTROLS restores group placement, objectives and AI tools.

Director tools and disaster zones.

Place native ground units, create groups on both sides, assign assault, defend or patrol orders, and watch the battle. Prototype lightning, thunderstorm, wildfire, earthquake and hurricane effects can affect units in custom damage zones.

Local Sandbox only. Ground AI and effects are experimental; no physical wind simulation or terrain deformation. Native hangar switching has compiled but remains unverified in live gameplay. Linux runtime compatibility is also unverified.

Read the Sandbox guide ↗

OPTIONAL IN THE INSTALLER

Something to build on.

Experimental maps and creator assets.
Install only what you want.

GAZA / TEST MAPS

Rimal District

A compact 1 km Gaza City district built using native Broken Arrow buildings and geographical layout data. Includes the local Rimal Assault – US Absolute Arsenal scenario: US attackers against Russian AI defenders.

Select Gaza test maps in setup. In-game, open Play → Scenarios and select either TBS Rimal scenario. Native game assets are referenced from your own installation.

INCLUDED IN THE INSTALLER / GAZA TEST MAPS OPTION

Experimental; movement and terrain issues may remain. The larger coast experiment is excluded from this release.

TITANS / CREATOR SAMPLES

Big models. Honest expectations.

Earth Titan FBX and GLB assets, plus Clover and Paradox GLBs, for experimenting with scale, rigs and animation preparation. Earth idle, walk, attack and stagger files are included for inspection.

Tick Titan model samples in the installer. Import through Workbench’s Resource menu and inspect the rig in Blender.

INCLUDED IN THE INSTALLER / TITAN MODEL SAMPLES OPTION

Model samples, not selectable combat units. No Titan combat plugin or old Titan scenario is installed.

THE MANUAL / AVAILABLE ONLINE

Open a guide. Get building.

SANDBOXOverwatch Sandbox playtestTeam switching, native hangar, AI and effects ↗LINUXLinux / Proton installationFull setup, missing-mod fixes and restore ↗01Install the packageOptions, launch mode, maps and removal ↗02Workbench overviewCapabilities, requirements and first project ↗03Import & Blender workflowStep-by-step asset and terrain preparation ↗04Editor & panel layoutWorld tools, docking, View and saved layouts ↗05Formats & exportTerrain dimensions and project structure ↗06TroubleshootingLogs, deployment and current limits ↗

BEFORE THE FIRST LAUNCH

What this build can do.

Does importing a character make it a playable unit?

No. Workbench prepares model files, rig/clip data and visual deployment. Selection, pathfinding, weapons, targeting, damage and combat AI require separate native game integration. Titan assets in this release are creator samples.

What must I install separately?

Your Steam copy of Broken Arrow and Blender for FBX processing. Workbench includes its .NET 8 runtime. The optional Unity bundle worker requires a licensed Unity Editor; Unity and Blender are not included in this download.

Is this release tested on a clean PC?

The installer and editor compile, bundled hashes are checked, and public artifacts pass the cloud release checksum and antivirus checks. This new combined installer and Workbench interactions have not been tested on a clean PC. Treat Workbench and the maps as playtest builds.

Will it replace my game or erase my saves?

No game reinstall. Setup targets managed mod, tool and sample files, backs up replacements and preserves personal saves, decks and settings. Uninstall restores its receipt-managed files and preserves files you modified afterward.

BUILD IT. BREAK IT. TELL US.

Bug reports beat guesswork.

Send your package version, steps, logs and a screenshot to the studio community.

Join our Discord ↗