Hell Let Loose: Vietnam Patch 1.4 Notes
Patch 1.4 is a live fix update focused on distorted Proximity Chat, persistent Recon and Flare markers, DLSS 4.5, Career Level protection, tunnels, spawning, controls and more. Use the notes to decide what to retest first.
Patch 1.4 is live for Hell Let Loose: Vietnam and contains around 200 fixes and improvements. Retest distorted Proximity Chat, lingering Recon or Flare markers and Career Level resets first. Supported NVIDIA 50-series hardware also gets DLSS 4.5 with 5x and 6x Frame Generation options. The patch improves many systems, but a successful update is not proof that every player-specific issue is gone.
The Patch 1.4 changes players will notice
The official changelog is long, so this table groups the items most likely to change a normal match or a troubleshooting decision. It is a practical index, not a replacement for the full publisher record.
| Area | What Patch 1.4 changes | What to check next |
|---|---|---|
| Proximity Chat | Resolves the issue that could make Proximity voices sound distorted or robotic | Test Proximity separately from Squad and Leadership channels, then report any remaining distortion |
| Recon and Flare markers | Addresses enemy markers remaining on the Tactical Map longer than intended | Watch the marker after the relevant Recon Plane or Flare event instead of assuming the map is permanently stale |
| DLSS 4.5 | Adds DLSS 4.5 and 5x/6x Frame Generation options for supported NVIDIA 50-series hardware | Confirm the option appears for your hardware and compare it in the same scene; do not promise a universal FPS gain |
| Tactical Map | Shows Resource Node radiuses and improves selection of nearby map elements | Use the 3D map to check nodes, objectives, cover and the next spawn before moving |
| Tunnels and spawning | Adds tunnel travel-time information, improves tunnel/garrison messages and stops players walking through a spawn blueprint from blocking construction | Read the destination and travel time, then confirm the spawn actually completes before sending the squad forward |
| Commander abilities | Commanders can correctly place abilities over spawn points, with clearer tunnel-limit behavior | Recheck the tactical-map placement state after selecting a spawn or another nearby element |
| Controls and vehicles | Improves mouse rebinding, controller prompts, helicopter gunner Toggle ADS and vehicle/aiming inversion behavior | Open the current controls menu after the update instead of restoring an old screenshot or profile blindly |
| Progression | Adds safeguards against Career Levels unexpectedly resetting to Level 1 and corrects several end-of-match XP labels | Check your Career Level and post-match progression after one completed match |
| Maps and environments | Includes 100+ terrain, collision, clipping, visibility, water and environment-polish fixes across the maps | Recheck old map reports on the current build before treating them as still reproducible |
What to retest after installing Patch 1.4
1. Confirm the build and restart cleanly
Let the update finish, restart the game and note the platform and build before comparing behavior. If the client did not update, a before-and-after test is not meaningful.
2. Test voice channels separately
Start with Proximity Chat, then compare Squad and Leadership. If only one channel still sounds wrong, record the channel, platform, input device and whether the issue appears in the same server or every server. Use the voice chat troubleshooting guide for the local microphone and binding checks.
3. Watch the Tactical Map for stale markers
After a Recon Plane or Flare event, check whether the enemy marker disappears as expected. Also inspect Resource Node radiuses and nearby map elements. Save the map, mode and approximate event time if the marker remains visible.
4. Compare graphics settings on supported hardware
If you have supported NVIDIA 50-series hardware, open the graphics settings and check the new DLSS 4.5 and Frame Generation options. Compare the same resolution and scene before changing several settings at once. The best PC settings guide explains why a starting configuration is not a universal benchmark.
5. Exercise one spawn and one tunnel route
Check the tactical-map message, tunnel destination and estimated travel time. Build or use a spawn in a safe situation, then confirm that the point becomes usable. For the longer tunnel workflow and fallback planning, see the NVA Tunnel Network guide.
6. Verify controls and progression
Test the role or vehicle that previously exposed the problem: helicopter gunner Toggle ADS, mouse rebinding, controller prompts or a Commander map placement. Complete one match and check the Career Level and XP labels afterward.
The rest of the changelog in plain language
- Gameplay: underwater drowning and swimming transitions are more consistent; another player can no longer interrupt a Medic revive by trying to drag the same downed player.
- Weapons and deployables: Satchel placement checks, weapon switching tolerance, grenade interactions near vehicles, NVA Anti-Tank Mine destruction and several visual effects were corrected.
- Helicopters and vehicles: Supply Drop UI loss during a landing sequence was addressed, helicopter gunner Toggle ADS now follows the setting, and multiple vehicle camera, VFX and sound issues were corrected. See the Supply Helicopter guide for the task workflow.
- Squads and communication: tactical-map selection, marker behavior, tunnel destruction during travel, unit icons and several Commander interactions received fixes.
- UI and settings: controller hints, menu focus, keybind application, scoreboard behavior, mortar prompts and settings arrows were corrected in different situations.
- Tutorials and Practice Range: tutorial hints, Garrisons, Transport Helicopters, audio and match-state displays were corrected for several training scenarios.
- Stability and audio: the notes include additional stability work, Proximity Chat repair and fixes for burning, pre-match and vehicle audio.
Is every issue fixed now?
No. Patch 1.4 addresses a large group of reported problems, but the official notes continue to describe some fixes as issues the team will monitor after release. A symptom can also come from a local device, a custom control profile, a server, a particular map or a different build.
When a problem persists, capture the exact build, platform, map, mode, role, server context and reproduction steps. Do not roll back to the Patch 1.3 notes or an old community screenshot as if it described the current client.
For map-specific behavior, use the maps list and guide. If the issue is still a crash rather than a patch behavior change, continue with the PC crashing checklist.