The latest expansion for the Order of Battle saga is out!

Endsieg brings you to the last two frantic years of war, where you will fight on the German side.

The expansion is the third of a trilogy: you started the war in Blitzkrieg, and then fought against the Russian bear in Panzerkrieg. Now you can carry-over your core force to a new campaign and finish what you started.

It wlll be a desperate struggle to contain the Soviet advance in the east as well as the Allied offensive in the west, and you will need all your leadership and planning skill if you want to hold on your conquests.

Endsieg features a 16 scenarios long branching campaign - get ready for a few surprises! Will you be able to change history? It is a real must-have for all Order of Battle fans, also introducing new specialization options for Germany as well as over sixty new unit types!







Endsieg will be featured in today's stream by none other than general Agrippa Maxentius. Tune in at 6 pm GMT on our Twitch channel and stay with us!


https://store.steampowered.com/app/926650/Order_of_Battle_Endsieg/

The time to reverse the tide is approaching. Endsieg, the latest chapter in the Order of Battle series featuring the tremendous last years of WWII, will be released next week.

On November 13th you will have the chance to relive the massive military operations – in the West as in the East - that ultimately crushed the Third Reich. Or, you can try to fight back with tooth and nails playing on the German side and, with the use of the long-awaited Hitler’s final weapons, break the Allied frontlines and repel them from the Fatherland!

If you are eager to see Endsieg in action, don’t miss our Preview Stream today at 6 pm GMT – 1 PM EST – 10 AM PST

Take a look at some of the new and powerful units the German War Machine would deploy into the battlefield in Endsieg, the latest chapter in the Order of Battle series!





Read the full list here

We have prepared something special for you. Endsieg has a branching dynamic campaign tree which means that the outcome of battles or managing to fulfil certain optional objectives will affect the campaign later on.

We have drawn an infographic to show you how the system works!

The arrows connecting specific scenarios mean that the result in one scenario affects the other

Get more information on Order of Battle: Endsieg on his official Product Page




https://store.steampowered.com/app/926650/Order_of_Battle_Endsieg/

The final chapter of the "krieg" trilogy is here: after four years of campaigning the battle-tested Wehrmacht will have to face its hardest challenges in Order of Battle: Endsieg.

The Endsieg campaign, the biggest and longest yet, includes 16 unique scenarios. The story begins right after the Battle of Kursk, where the game provides the option to import a core force from either the Panzerkrieg or Sandstorm campaign.

The first five scenarios are based on the historical 1st Soviet offensive in the Donbass in summer 1943, up to the Leningrad–Novgorod strategic offensive in early 1944. A decisive defeat of the Red Army will eventually allow total victory over the Soviet Union, while failure to do so will turn the campaign away from the Eastern Front and into the Battle of Anzio in Italy.

In the second part of the campaign the player's forces are transferred to the west, where the Allied invasion of Normandy has opened a new front. Initially you'll be forced on the defensive, and you'll be tasked to extract other German forces from the Falaise trap, defeat Allied airborne units in Market-Garden, and defend the city of Aachen and the Huertgenwald against heavy attacks. By reaching a decisive victory in the German Ardennes Offensive in December 1944 the tide of the war can finally be turned again, leading to a set of ultimate battles to destroy the Allied armies once and for all.

Covering the final years of the war, Endsieg offers powerful weapons such as Tiger II heavy tanks, Jagdpanther tank destroyers and Me-262 jetfighters as well as several new specializations. But beware, the enemy has brought many deadly new weapons of their own!

Are you ready to change history?







Endsieg is due to release in November. We will announce the release date later on, and show you more about the campaign as we draw closer to release.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/926650/Order_of_Battle_Endsieg/

The new expansion in the Order of Battle series, Sandstorm, is now out!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukx97T37Mhg

Relive the deeds and battles of Erwin Rommel in North Africa in a new dynamic branching campaign spanning all of the North African theater. Command tons of new units from the Italian army, navy and air force. Learn how to master a new type of battlefield: the desert is merciless and only those who know it well will triumph.

Get Sandstorm now!

And to celebrate this day, we're about to launch a new sale on all Order of Battle products! Starting from today (after 7 pm CEST) until May 23rd, the following games will be discounted:

U.S. Pacific – 75% off
Rising Sun – 75% off
U.S. Marines – 50% off
Morning Sun – 50% off
Blitzkrieg – 50% off
Winter War – 50% off
Kriegsmarine – 50% off
Burma Road – 34% off
Panzerkrieg – 34% off

Don't miss this amazing chance to complete your Order of Battle collection! The offer is only valid for a few days, until May 23rd!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/816780/Order_of_Battle_Sandstorm/

We have lots of news for Order of Battle today.

First off we will be streaming Sandstorm for the first time ever on our Twitch channel next week! Be with us on Monday May 14th at 5 pm CEST on our Twitch channel for an exclusive first look at the expansion! General Agrippa Maxentius will do his best to do better than Rommel, the desert fox.




Secondly we prepared something extra special for you. Sandstorm has a branching dynamic campaign tree which means that the outcome of battles or managing to fulfill certain optional objectives will affect the campaign later on.

We have drawn an infographics to show you how the system works!



You can see it at full size here.

The arrows connecting specific scenarios mean that the result in one scenario affects the other. For instance, the Crusader scenario will be different depending on whether or not you managed to capture Tobruk in the first scenario. This will allow for greater replaybility and more variety as your choices and accomplishments will actually matter.

Sandstorm is going to be released next week on May 16th, don't miss it!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/816780/Order_of_Battle_Sandstorm/

Last but not least, the Order of Battle online tournament is over and a432 is declared champion, having defeated 13obo in the final! Congratulations to him and thanks for everyone who took part!

We have the release date all Order of Battle fans were waiting for: Sandstorm is going to be released on May 16th!

In Order of Battle: Sandstorm you're going to lead a whole new range of units in a series of new exciting scenarios. Will you manage to earn the title of Desert Fox?

We have something else to show you until then - including something that is new to the Order of Battle expansions, so stay tuned!

Until then, you can kill the time by joining us on the forum to discuss the upcoming DLC.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/816780/Order_of_Battle_Sandstorm/

In Sandstorm, the upcoming new expansion for Order of Battle, the Italian army obviously plays a very important role.

As commander in chief of the Axis forces in North Africa, you will be leading a joint army of German and Italian troops. Today we'll look at some of the new units available to Italy coming with Sandstorm.


Tanks



In the first years of the war, Italian tanks are lightly armored and undergunned to complete with their heavier British and American counter-parts. By bringing some more modern tanks designs into production however, you will have access to a number of effective medium tank types.

- L6/40: While useful for reconnaissance and attacking unprepared infantry positions or lightly armored vehicles, its armament and armor is inadequate for dealing with tanks or entrenched positions.
- M14/41: A minor upgrade over the M13/40 medium tank, but still lacking the armor thickness and gun calibre to compete with all enemy tank types.
- P26/40: The first tank design with decent armour and a capable 75mm gun, roughly comparable with the Panzer IV and M4 Sherman.
- P43 bis: This vehicle forms the pinnacle of Italian tank design, inspired by the German Panther tank and armed with a powerful 90mm anti-tank gun.


Fighters



- CR.42: While maneuverable in dogfighting, this biplane fighter cannot compete with boom-and-zoom attacks by more modern monoplane fighter designs.
- MC.200: In the hands of an experience pilot the Macchi C.200 Saetta is a match for the British Hurricane fighter it will frequently meet over the deserts of North Africa.
- MC.202: With the "Folgore" fighter the Italian Airforce has an excellent fighter design capable of matching enemy aircraft in combat.
- G.55: The "Centauro" is probably one of the best fighter aircraft available to the Axis, with powerful armament and excellent flight characteristics.


Artillery



The Italian Army has access to a large variation of towed and motorized artillery units.

- Obice da 75/18: This light mountain gun can be moved quickly and through difficult terrain, allowing short range artillery support in all environmental situations.
- Semovente da 75/18: Carrying the same gun as above, this self-propelled gun offers good firepower and protection for its crew in a fully enclosed casemate.
- Semovente da 105/25: Effectively a heavier version of the previous SPG, this unit carries a powerful 105mm gun and thicker frontal armour.
- Semovente da 149/40: This machine does not offer much protection to its crew but can keep its distance from the enemy thanks to the powerful 149mm artillery gun.


Regia Marina



The Italian Navy has been expanded in Sandstorm with a ship type of every class to match the enemy fleets in all types of engagements.

- MAS torpedo boat: These fast and light boats are armed with two torpedoes for hit & run attacks against enemy warships, and one machine gun to defend against enemy aircraft.
- Soldati destroyer: Ideally suited for reconnaissance, shielding larger warships from enemy torpedo attacks and engaging enemy ships with its own torpedoes or battery of four 120mm guns.
- Bolzano cruiser: This heavy cruiser is armed with a powerful array of guns, capable of providing fire support during naval battles and coastal attacks.
- Littorio battleship: This class of battleships is the most modern and powerful available to the Italian Navy. It is equipped with impressive primary and secondary gun batteries.


Hotwheels & Bersaglieri



Besides the common lines of unit classes, the Sandstorm campaign also adds a number of more unique units to the game:

- Bersaglieri: These units are composed from above-average recruits and have received intensive physical and marksmanship training. The Bersaglieri form the elite of the Italian infantry arm.
- AS.42 Sahariana: Similar to the transport vehicles of the British "Long Range Desert Group", the low-profile Sahariana reconnaissance vehicle is easily concealed and can track enemy units undetected to strike vulnerable targets at the right time.
- AB 41: Armed with a 20mm autocannon and two machine guns, this reconnaissance vehicles is effective at harassing enemy infantry and light vehicles. It can also be converted to run on railway tracks for even faster but more restricted movement.
- QF 2-pounder Portee: This British truck carries a 2 pounder anti-tank gun in the back. While vulnerable to infantry, air and artillery attack, it does provides a mobile platform to rapidly set up defenses against Axis armor.

Sandstorm has many more new units to offer: we're looking forward to releasing the expansion and hearing your thoughts on them. Until then, stay with us, for we have more stuff to show you!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/816780/Order_of_Battle_Sandstorm/

Sandstorm is the new upcoming expansion in the Order of Battle series, bringing the game to the sands of North Africa.

We asked the developers to talk of the new campaign and tell us about some of the new scenarios.


Campaign

In 1940 Italy joined World War II on the Axis side. In the same year, an offensive was launched with an aim of defeating the British forces in Egypt. Disaster followed, with a British counterattack where Italian forces were defeated in detail and lost part of their Libyan colony. Germany hastily sent a small blocking force to prevent the loss of all of North Africa and it is here that the player enters!

The Campaign starts with first the German clashes with British and Commonwealth forces over the Cyrenaica region. The Campaign in North Africa was characterized by a high degree of motorization on both sides, leading to dynamic and mobile warfare. This feature is included in the game as well where you will need lots of trucks for your army to keep up with your tanks.

Another characteristic of war in the desert was its dire supply situation. Partly due to delivery across the sea, partly to distances on the ground and of course partly due to enemy action, there was never enough of it for all ambitions. Order of Battle’s supply mechanics shine in this respect and a variety of situations related to supply are a watchword of the Sandstorm Campaign.

Historically Axis forces were defeated and expelled from Africa, but many what-if speculations have arisen since. The Sandstorm Campaign will allow you to explore some of those what-ifs by exploring semi-historical situations without going too much into fiction. But most importantly, based on your success of achieving secondary objectives, the next scenarios could feature significant territorial and tactical changes.


Scenarios


Tobruk


Historical setting:

After the crushing defeat of the Italian army, Rommel arrived in Africa in February 1941. After his troops were unloaded they staged military parade in Tripoli and were immediately sent to front. They were followed by more troops via the same route.

Their task was to establish a defensive line at El Agheila and protect Tripolitania from further British advances. This proved to be unnecessary because the British had outrun their supply capacity and were diverted to Greece to counter incoming attacks there.

At the end of March, Rommel decided to launch probing attacks and since the British had insufficient strength remaining they ordered a retreat. This only motivated Rommel to push even harder disobeying orders and neglecting all supply difficulties.

In a very short time all of Cyrenaica was in Axis hands. All but one harbour - Tobruk.


Scenario description:

Immediately at start of campaign player can fill his core with German and Italian units.

The map itself provides for several routes of advance once the first line is breached and all require use of motorized transportation for Infantry. Your Supply dwindles with time and it is imperative to acquire your opponent’s supply bases in order to keep the offensive going.

Many historical events could repeat themselves, like the blowing of supply bases during the British retreat, capturing General O’Connor, Australian units moving towards Tobruk while the rear-guard is protecting their retreat. Additionally some things could go differently than the historical operation, like the capture of Tobruk.

Since the capture of Tobruk is a secondary objective and is a very challenging one to achieve, the player is allowed to fulfil their primary objectives first before proceeding to secondary ones.




Crusader


Historical setting:

The British plan to relieve Tobruk was to send armoured groups through the desert with an aim to attract Axis armour and defeat it in one big tank battle. Their Infantry was to swing behind the frontier positions, seal it and continue down the road supported by slower infantry tanks. The Tobruk garrison was to break out when circumstances became favourable.

The Movement of the tank groups did not attract Axis armour because Rommel thought it was a faint and an Axis planned attack on Tobruk was just about to start. At this moment British separated their tanks into three columns. One going to Bir el Gubi, other one to Sidi Rezegh and the third one was kept in reserve. Soon enough the fiercest battles emerged around Sidi Rezegh and units from both sides were rushed there, creating a confusing battle with shifting frontlines and layers of enemy units running into each other.

Two things saved the British, Rommel’s idea to turn his armour into the British rear in an attempt to destroy their supply and the intervention of Commander-in-Chief Middle East to relieve the British commander and prevent the British units from retreating. New replacements were poured into battle and the British continued the battle at Sidi Rezegh whilst the Axis were driving deep into their rear.

The Battle of attrition went in favour of Allies, connection with Tobruk was established and Rommel ordered a retreat, leaving frontier garrisons to their fate.

Scenario description:

The player cannot be utterly defeated in this scenario. You can either crush the Allied forces and change history or, if the pressure becomes to strong, you can authorize a strategic withdrawal and fight another day at the Gazala line. This means that this is the spot where the campaign branches before it rejoins again in semi-historical invasion of Malta.

This scenario also has two variant setups depending on whether Tobruk was captured in the previous scenario. If Tobruk is already held by the Axis, then the Allies will not try to relieve it but just to recapture it. This brings different starting positions and a few tricky changes in strategy by the British.

The Scenario itself is intense and demanding with many areas to cover. Will you form a defence line in front of Allies or will you rush into their rear to destroy supply and hamper all of their army? If Allies establish connection to Tobruk, don’t worry, you will get a second chance to nullify their gains but in a tight time limit.

Do you want to feel that you are making an influence on the battlefield? Well this one is for you.




Gazala


Historical setting:

After the see-saw battles of late 1941 and early 1942, the frontline had stabilized at the so-called Gazala Line. Both sides were preparing an attack on the other. Rommel was faster. The Northern sector was heavily defended and the Axis only staged a feint attack there while their main force swept across the desert and outflanked the line to the South.

Finding itself behind Allied static positions and minefields and confronted by armour on the other side, Rommel realized that he needed to shorten his supply routes before proceeding further. This sequence of events is known as the Cauldron battles where the main Axis force resisted British armour with an anti-tank screen while, at the same time, reducing the British 150th Brigade in their rear and clearing extensive minefields for their supply convoys to pass.

When the shortening of their supply route was complete, and British armour was destroyed, the Axis mobile columns hurried towards the Allied supply bases. The Base at Belhamed rail station was blown up whilst Tobruk surrendered! The Capture of fuel at Tobruk allowed the Axis forces to move forward.


Scenario description:

The Allied unit dispositions, including minefields, were made based on historical sources. Rommel’s greatest victory will ask nothing less of you. As long as you avoid heavy defenses on the north momentum can be maintained. The Southern part of the map, as well as the rear, provides more approaches.

The Secondary objectives are lined up in a way to facilitate your path to victory and maintain focus, as well as being historically inspired. Transporting cargo trucks will give you actual supply output to help fight against dwindling supply over time.

Also, besides controlling territory you are tasked to destroy the British Army. But do not worry, if they are cut from their rear this will cause units to abandon heavily dug in positions and make them easier to destroy. Who knows, if you get lucky maybe the Tobruk garrison will surrender to you, Herr General!




Herkules


Historical setting:

This is actually a semi-historical setting because Operation Herkules, the Axis invasion of Malta, was planned and could have happened, but didn’t. The Germans had reservations about it due to heavy losses of Fallschirmjäger on Crete and because a seaborne operation would depend upon the Italians. When Rommel captured stocks of fuel at Tobruk he was eager to continue with his offensive and Operation Herkules was called off.


Scenario description:

This Scenario features airborne and seaborne amphibious landings followed by land combat, while the Regia Marina holds the Royal Navy at bay and on top of this there is a need to control the skies.

But, before the scenario escalates into full scale battle involving all military branches, its elements are introduced gradually and in subsequent phases.

The first phase is the airborne invasion with the task of establishing an operational airfield. The player can select the difficulty of this task. They can aim for more airfields at the same time at the expense of a dispersed and more vulnerable force or they can concentrate on fewer objectives but with stronger force concentration. Higher the risk, higher the reward!

The Second phase includes seaborne landings but, in order for it to start, certain coastal batteries need to be neutralized first. There are several landing places to choose from and it is wise to destroy the coastal batteries covering those approaches.

In the third phase of attack you are to proceed to your objectives whilst at the same time protecting the supply routes of the land forces on the island. The Royal Navy will be alerted by this time and only thing between them and your invasion force is the Regia Marina.




Kasserine Pass


Historical setting:


Tunisia is characterized by mountainous terrain and while those mountains had several passes those that had road and railroad networks were more important than the others.

Kasserine was one such important pass with two rail-lines from the Tunisian coast meeting there before proceeding inland and further, to the Algerian coast.

If the Axis were to destroy the Allied forces in Tunisia, then they needed to get through the Kasserine Pass then break out toward Algerian coast and encircle the Allied armies, leaving them with no major port to resupply.

Logistics and Axis strength at the time was what made such plans impracticable.

Higher levels of command had disagreements about the scope and purpose of forthcoming Axis offensives. Various plans were laid down. A less ambitious one called for the capture of Thala and Sbiba as prerequisites for an attack on Le Kef to disrupt the Allied flank and gain time. A more ambitious plan called for capture of Tebessa as a prerequisite for an attack on Bone at Algerian coast.

In such unclear conditions Rommel tried too much with too little probing along all lines and eventually retreated.


Scenario description:

The objectives in this scenario depict this strategic dilemma.

The Victory objectives are contradictory to one another, meaning you can achieve only one and never both.

Whatever choice you make, it will make a difference in the subsequent scenarios. Will you wait for an Allied attack on the Tunisian bridgehead or bring battle to the enemy? Great ambitions always bring great challenges. Do you have what it takes to become ...Sun Hero?