Hello commanders!

We return with the last installment of Nemesis #7, with today’s Nemesis #7.3. In this DLC option, we focus on a previously not-covered sector during Operation Market Garden in September 1944.

Let’s look at the British 43rd (Wessex) Infantry Division and the German Kampfgruppe Walther.

Nemesis 7 DLC Vote

The Nemesis DLC is back with Nemesis #7. We have already detailed two paired offerings, one from the Axis and one from the Allied side. These battlegroups are typically thematically or historically linked, often based on special or unsung battles of World War II. Very soon, we will open the vote so you can decide which Nemesis DLC should be developed next.

• Nemesis #7 kicked off with the Italian-themed Nemesis #7.1 featuring the Allied US 1st Armored Division “Old Ironsides” versus German Axis 71. Infanterie-Division. Check out all the information in this dedicated DevBlog.
  
• In the second option, we highlighted the Dodecanese Islands and the special Italian-British Egeomil plus the Axis German Sturmdivision Rhodos. You can find all the juicy details in this DevBlog.

Operation Market Garden Revisited

With Nemesis #7.3, we return to the famous “Bridge Too Far” airborne operation in the Netherlands that began on September 17th. We briefly touched upon it in our Steel Division 2: Men of Steel expansion with the Axis battlegroup Kampfgruppe von Tettau.



Much like this previous improvised battlegroup, the Axis Kampfgruppe Walther was short-lived. The major difference is that this Nemesis’ Axis division fought against the Allies further south during several pitched battles and counter-attacks between Eindhoven and Nijmegen along the infamous “Hell’s Highway.”

Here, on September 22nd, Kampfgruppe Walther led the attack to keep the American and British relief forces from advancing around Veghel, roughly midway between the two major Dutch cities. The counter-attack was a tough affair, temporarily disrupting the corridor centered on Highway 69, though American paratroopers ultimately repulsed Kampfgruppe Walther’s attempts to sever the connection.



As we know, the airborne landings in the Netherlands during Operation Market resulted in a string of American and British paratroopers occupying various towns and defensive positions on the axis of Eindhoven, Nijmegen, and Arnhem. Rushing ahead to link up with the beleaguered airborne troops was the Allied XXX Corps, with the Guards Armoured division in the vanguard. The British 43rd (Wessex) Infantry Division followed closely behind.

Progress was difficult, and by the 21st of September, the paratrooper’s situation at Arnhem was becoming dire. Leapfrogging ahead of the Guards, the 43rd (Wessex) made an all-out effort to reach Arnhem from Nijmegen at the same time as the Germans were counter-attacked from the flanks further south. Though the division made it to the opposite side of the Arnhem bridge at Driel and even reinforced the beleaguered British paratroopers, it was too little, too late. A few days later, hundreds of surviving airborne troops were ferried back to Allied lines.

43rd (Wessex) Infantry Division

The 43rd (Wessex) Infantry Division isn’t that different in terms of organization and equipment compared to the existing 15th Scottish Division. What makes this Nemesis division unique, though, are its multi-national attachments. One of the most noteworthy ones will be the Prinses Irene Brigade, which is composed of Free Dutch soldiers fighting for the Allied cause. It was formed during the war in the United Kingdom by attracting a wide variety of Dutch citizens from across the globe (such as South Africa, the Dutch West Indies, Canada, the United States, etc.). These included some Dutch marines (Mariniers).



The Dutch brigade landed in Normandy in August before fighting its way to home soil in time for Operation Market Garden. Named after the Dutch royal family, the PIB is closer to a reinforced Motor Rifles battalion. Some local Dutch resistance members acted as impromptu recon troops.

The other interesting detachment to the division is the Polish Independent Airborne Brigade. These were the trapped paratroopers the 43rd Wessex linked up with south of Arnhem. The third noteworthy element was the 8th Armoured Brigade, attached to the formation to bolster its firepower during the airborne landings. It had twice the number of tanks compared to the 31st Tank Regiment supporting the 15th Scottish, and unlike the latter’s Churchills, the 8th Armoured Brigade were chiefly SHERMAN III and FIREFLIES.



Besides infantry, the 43rd Wessex will have a heavier focus on tanks and air support, with only divisional artillery and recon and only a little support. Because of the nature of the battles, the division will be phase-locked:

• The Dutch Prinses Irene Brigade marched with the 43rd Wessex until Nijmegen, where it was left behind to guard the key Grave bridge. This means this formation will be only available in Phase A (or Phase A and B, to be decided).
  
• The Polish paratroopers will only be available in Phase C.
  
• Dutch resistance fighters can deploy in all Phases.

Make way for the Dutch

The new units of the 43rd Wessex will be chiefly infantry ones.

• Dutch GEMOT. GEVECHTSGROEP are organized along British lines but feature more Sten SMGs. GEMOT. MARINIERS also fields more Stens, plus a Bren LMG, and might carry additional Veterancy besides the potential Fanatical trait representing their USMC training and esprit de corps. Lastly, the MOT. RIFLES LDR will also be included.
  
• Dutch BS GIDS as recon.
  
• Polish SPADOCHRONIAREZE (paratroopers), similarly equipped as their British counterparts, but also including a few specialized ASSAULT GROUP (name to be translated) commandos with extra automatic small arms. The Polish airborne forces had spent so long training in the United Kingdom that by September 1944 they had experience in an unequaled number of skills, from infiltration to demolition to even… tank driving. This aptitude for everything will be duly reflected.
  
• British ASSAULT TROOP were large-sized scout platoons organized the same way as MOT. RIFLES and riding CMP trucks within the 43rd Wessex’s divisional recon regiment.

The Dutch will bring some existing “copycat” vehicles.

• LYNX scout car (currently only used by the New Zealand).
  
• HUMBER LRC scout car (currently only with the Czechoslovakian CIABG).
  
• CMP POLSTEN 20mm portee AA gun.
  
• SPITFIRE MK. XIV fighter (currently only with SSB).
  
• MITCHELL II bomber.

The 43rd Wessex will be the opportunity to add Allied Netherlands as a new nation to Steel Division 2 with the (lone and British-flagged but as a matter-of-fact Dutch-flown) SPITFIRE XIV joining its rightful nation.

43rd (Wessex) Infantry Division Detailed

Let’s detail each category. Note that units bolded and italic are new!

• RECO - not stellar, with only a few slots and not many heavy units.
  
• You get to play with the usual WILLYS HMG, SCOUTS, RECCE, SNIPERS, and their assortment of CARRIERS. The heaviest unit available will be the HUMBER M.KIV (37mm).
  
• The new British ASSAULT TROOP heavy recon squad.
  
• Dutch LYNX and HUMBER LRC light armored cars, as well as Dutch resistance BS GIDS.

• INF - a very strong category, being a British infantry division reinforced with both the Dutch Princes Irene Brigade in Phase A and the Polish Paratroopers in C. See above for some of the new units they bring.

• TANK - another strong area for the 43rd Wessex division with more and cheaper slots compared to any other Commonwealth infantry division. Also, unlike the 15th Scottish, it was not supported by Churchill tanks. Instead:
  
  • STUART III which are M3A1.
    
  • SHERMAN III, meaning the M4A2 variant.
    
  • FIREFLY Vc, the latter being featured at a more generous ratio than in any other British division.

• SUPP - nothing inspiring here with an average number of slots and costs, and the usual complement of VICKERS HMGs, 2-PDR MORTAR, SUPPLIES, COMMANDER, and the like.

• AT - Very similar to the previous category, with a decent amount of options and reasonable cost. These include PIAT teams.
  
• The 43rd Wessex’s anti-tank regiment only fielded towed 6-PDR and 17-PDR guns.
  
• The division makes do with its lack of self-propelled tank destroyers with the detachment of FIREFLY in the TANK tab (see above).

• AA - not very good with only BOFORS and Dutch CMP POLSTEN anti-air units.

• ART - a normal category, almost identical to the 15th Scottish.
  
• This means 3-INCH and 4,7-INCH mortars, backed by 25-PDR howitzers.
  
• No heavy 5,5-INCH guns, but the lighter self-propelled SEXTON will be available.
  
• There is less off-map support compared to the Scottish division.

• AIR - pretty powerful with a good mix of ground attack planes. These include aircraft from Dutch, British, and American air forces.

The 43rd (Wessex) Infantry Division is closer to a mechanized division than an infantry one with strong offensive firepower, including infantry, tank, and air forces. It is quite light in supporting arms.

Kampfgruppe Walther

Kampfgruppe Walter played a major role in the failure of Market Garden. It was an accumulation of various battalions, including an SS battalion, Luftwaffe penal troops, paratroopers, and the like. But the ace up its sleeve was the brand-new and lavishly equipped Panzerbrigade 107 with its new PANZER IV/70.



This battlegroup’s role of harassing the XXX Corps’ line of communication along Highway 69 was successful enough to force the leading Allied units to stop and wait before its flanks were secured.

Much like Kampfgruppe von Tettau, this Nemesis battlegroup is very “fluid” in its composition. The formation changed almost daily, depending on whatever German reinforcements were around. The core of Kampfgruppe Walther was organized around:

• KG Heinke: a Panzergrenadier regimental battlegroup from the 9. SS-Panzerdivision. It was so reduced that the actual formation was closer to a (small) infantry battalion.
  
• Fallschirm-Rgt. Von Hoffman: a paratrooper school unit created less than a month before Market Garden. When the Allied airborne operation was launched, the Germans went into battle, deprived of almost everything, from weapons to uniforms. They had to scrounge their equipment from local depots and even schools. Though completely inexperienced - officers included - this detachment’s soldiers were well-spirited.
  
• 6. Fallschirmjäger-Rgt.: von der Heydte’s famous veterans, with an uncanny ability to be part of most major battles on the Western front. By September 1944, the original four-battalion regiment was down to a single battalion-worth battlegroup.
  
• Luftwaffe-Bewärhungsbataillon z.b.V. 6: a Luftwaffe penal unit formed in Romania and hastily transported to the Netherlands. Unlike the hard-fighting Lw-JÄGER z.b.V introduced with Axis 715.ID, these troops will be Disheartened, widely regarded (backed up by a slew of historical sources) to be utterly unfit for combat, better seen as a burden rather than reinforcements!
  
• Several smaller AA, AT, or artillery batteries, often just a handful of guns each.

Panzerbrigade 107 unleashed

The main asset of Kampfgruppe Walther was the entire Panzerbrigade 107, freshly stood up, fully equipped, and recently transferred from Germany.

• This brigade is equipped with over 30x PANTHER G.
  
• Plus new GEP. PZ.GRENADIER (PzF) with a post-August 1944 TO&E. These squads are quite similar to the PZ.GRENADIER LSSAH (gep.) but without the Fanatical trait and with Kar.98K rifles instead of the G43.
  
• And, the new GEP. PZ.GRENADIER (MP-44), as well with post-August 1944’s TO&E, including a full load-out of MP-44s with Panzerfaust.
  
• The brigade had no tripod-equipped s.MG 42 machine guns since the formation fielded over 40x SDKFZ. 251/21 with Drilling 15mm, used in AA and fire support roles.
  
• New PANZER IV/70 tank destroyer (yes, not a tank, despite its name). This new unit is a JAGDPANZER IV equipped with the Panther’s long 42 L/70 75mm gun.

Kampfgruppe Walther Detailed

So how will the Axis division look in Steel Division 2? New units are bolded and in italic.

• RECO - rather mediocre with Kampfgruppe Walther not having any dedicated recon battalion. This means you’ll have to make do with a handful of SPÄHTRUPP, FS.-AUFKLÄRER, FS.-SCHARFSCHUTZE, and BMW side-cars.

• INF - pretty good with a balanced approach to slots and costs. The units on offer are an interesting mix rarely seen before. They are mostly available as a single card each. In real life, the battlegroup fielded fewer battalions than a regular Panzergrenadier-Division.
  • New GEP. PZ.GRENADIER (PzF) and GEP. PZ.GRENADIER (MP-44) (see above) with dedicated Leader variants. These represent the Panzerbrigade 107’s lone infantry battalion. All squads can only be transported in SDKFZ. 251s.
    
  • PZ.GRENADIER plus leaders, representing SS-KG Heinke. These are only available in trucks.
    
  • FS.-JÄGER (FG-42) representing von der Heydte’s paratrooper veterans. They will come with additional experience.
    
  • FS.-JÄGER (Hoffman) (work-in-progress name) will be experience-locked German paratroopers with a single MG-34. As they were fighting closely, even from, tanks they will feature the Tank Rider trait.
    
  • FS.-FÜHRER squads.
    
  • New Lw.JÄGER z.b.V., which is a cheap unit with fewer men compared to their 715 ID counterpart, also being burdened with the Disheartened trait.

• TANK - a pretty strong category, though not as good as a “true” Panzerdivision, though better than a Panzergrenadier one.
  
• This includes fielding PANTHER G and command variant.
  
• STUG IIIG and leader versions. These will also feature the Tank Rider trait to accompany the German paratroopers listed above.

• SUPP - an average category with fewer supply units than normal. It features a mix of various direct fire support units, including:
  
  • SDKFZ. 251/9D self-propelled assault gun.
    
  • SDKFZ. 251/16 self-propelled flamethrower.
    
  • A few s.MG 42 and FS.-s.MG 42 machine guns.
    
  • A handful of LG 42 105mm recoilless rifles.

• AT - Kampfgruppe Walther’s anti-tank forces are pretty respectable.
  
• You’ll be able to field some PANZERSCHRECK and one card each of PAK 40 75mm and PAK 36(r) 76,2mm.
  
• The JAGDPANZER IV.
  
• And of course the new PANZER IV/70.
  
• And a whopping two (2!) JAGDPANTHER tank destroyers. Historically, they were situated on the other side of the corridor, but they belonged to the same s.Panzerjäger-Abteilung 559 attached to the battlegroup.

• AA - light but with some good options.
  
• Such as the MOBELWAGEN.
  
• A lot of SDKFZ 251/21 DRILLING. Currently used as transport, in this division they’ll come as numerous cards of AA and fire support vehicles.
  
• FLAKVIERLING.
  
• FLAK 38 20mm.
  
• FLAK 18 88mm (two of them!).
  
• The new DRILLING 20mm auf LKW (triple 20mm guns mounted on trucks).

• ART - is pretty decent with some variety, but mostly light unit options.
  
• A few SDKFZ. 251/2 81mm self-propelled mortars, as well as a few infantry 81mm mortars.
  
• A dozen le.FH 18m 105mm howitzers.
  
• Half a dozen WESPE 105mm self-propelled guns.
  
• A handful of WURFRAHMEN 40.

• AIR - will be lacking, focused on fighters which can only be deployed from Combat Phase B onwards.

Kampfgruppe Walther is a versatile battlegroup, both on attack and defense. You’ll have plenty of good options, though most will be somewhat limited in number. This means this division will not be as resilient as other armored battlegroups.

See you on the battlefield

That’s all for this last installment for Nemesis 7#. We’ll be back soon with the kick-off of the Nemesis vote!

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See you on the battlefield, commander.

Hello commanders!

As promised, we return with a brand-new Nemesis option. In this week’s DevBlog, we’ll propose Nemesis #7.2 codenamed “Dodecanese”.

This particular offering is a slightly different beast as we highlight two divisions not from the summer or late 1944 - Steel Division 2’s de facto timeline - but one at least from a bit earlier, from 1943.

Let’s welcome to the stage the Allied Italian-British Egeomil (Italian high command in the Dodecanese islands) versus the Axis German Sturmdivision Rhodos.

Nemesis 7 DLC Vote

The Nemesis DLC is back with Nemesis #7. What does that mean? In the coming weeks, we’ll be detailing two new battlegroups, one from the Axis and one from the Allied side. They are typically thematically or historically linked, often based on special or unsung battles of World War II. Once we have finished previewing each set of options, we will open the vote, and you can decide which Nemesis DLC should be developed next.

• Nemesis #7 kicked off with the Italian-themed Nemesis #7.1 featuring the Allied US 1st Armored Division “Old Ironsides” versus German Axis 71. Infanterie-Division. Check out all the information in this dedicated DevBlog.

Nemesis 7.2’s Setting

The who? The what? The Dodecanese Islands? An often overlooked minor theatre of war during World War II, the Greek Axis-held Dodecanese Islands are tucked away on the far periphery of the Mediterranean, close to Turkish shores. One of the most famous of its many islands is Rhodes.



Inhabited by a Greek-speaking majority, the islands during World War II were, in fact, Italian, wrestled from Ottoman rule during the short Italo-Turkish War of 1912 and given to the Kingdom of Italy afterward. By 1941, the island group had been turned into a heavily fortified aeronautical base thwarting British sea domination over the eastern Mediterranean (together with recently conquered Crete). This was deeply frustrating to Winston Churchill, who was constantly looking for ways to remove these pesky Italians.

Fate seemed to smile on the Allies when Italy was negotiating its surrender in late August 1943. Anticipating the official declaration, Churchill prepared to occupy the islands before the Germans could intervene. A race to be first developed across Italian territories, from southern Italy to occupied Greece. The fictional “Guns of Navarone” movie takes place within the historical context of this campaign.

In September 1943, British special forces and infantry landed in Kos, Kalymnos, Samos, Leros, Symi, Castellorizo, and Astypalaia. The swift reaction from the German garrison on Rhodes prevented any further advance, as they managed to secure the largest island in the Dodecanese before the Allies could arrive. The capitulation of Rhodes doomed the British-led operation, as the superiority of Axis forces was great, with each of the smaller islands being returned to the occupiers one by one.



The main Allied focal point was on Leros, where the 134th Infantry Brigade from Malta Command merged with the Italian garrison, with former enemies now turned ad-hoc allies. Leros was finally attacked and forced to surrender by November 1943.

As mentioned before, with this option, we are stepping away from the “Summer of 1944” rule that guided our divisions and weapon choices. One of the two divisions on offer - the Allied Egeomil - in Nemesis 7.2 ceased to exist by this time. We opted to rewind this particular formation until 1943, while the Axis Sturmdivision Rhodos is closer to how it looked in summer 1944. They could have survived into our timeframe without changes to their equipment.

The fight for Rhodes and Leros

The Dodecanese Islands, separated from mainland Italy, were a separate Axis-Italian command encompassing all local naval, ground, and air forces. The core of the defense lay on the shoulders of the 50o Divisione di Fanteria “Regina” and various naval and air force personnel, as well as Blackshirts paramilitary forces. Having been assigned to the Dodecanese in 1940, the division so far had lived a not-so-disagreeable war on the Aaegan beaches. Its brief timeline included a short combat bout against Greek sailors for Agathonisi island in November 1940 and sending a regimental battlegroup to Crete in 1941 (but not seeing much combat).



This changed in 1943. After Italy’s capitulation was made public on the radio, the Italian governor of the Dodecanese was as surprised as anyone as the private plane carrying the official news had been delayed. So, too, were the German commanders. Both sides maintained cordial relations for two days.

This uneasy truce lasted until Sturmdivision Rhodos suddenly attacked the superior Italian garrison on Rhodes. Left alone and under threat of a massive aerial bombardment, the Italian governor capitulated. Some other Italian forces held out, and in some local battles, they even got the best of the better-equipped and more experienced but fewer-numbered German adversaries. After the surrender, many Italian soldiers destroyed their equipment, with some deserting to join the Greek resistance. The Nicolas Cage’s film “Captain Corelli’s Mandolin” takes place on a completely different island but still dramatizes a similar chain of events. The same goes for the epic “Guns of Navarone,” a war movie taking place within the historical context of this campaign, but dealing with a fictional gun battery.



With Rhodes secure, the British plans were in shambles. Not to be fazed, Churchill still diverted British light infantry and special forces to Leros. There, after some initial ego clashes, the British took the lead of the combined Anglo-Italian force made up of the 134th Infantry Brigade from Malta Command and the original Italian forces on Leros reinforced by survivors from other islands, including Rhodes.

However, while the British were building up their forces, the Germans were reinforcing too. As Sturmdivision Rhodos was reducing the smaller islands’ garrisons one by one, Leros was bombarded by the locally still-strong Luftwaffe on September 26th, 1943. The Axis invaded the island on November 12th with troops from Crete. Pushed inland, the British-Italian defenders were forced to surrender four days later.

Allied Italian Egeomil

The Italian troops fighting during the Dodecanese campaign alongside the British weren’t even “co-belligerent” at this time. For the main part, the Italians tried to remain neutral and enter into Allied captivity peacefully; however, with their former German allies attacking en masse, the Italians threw in their lot with the British.



As such, all Italian units will be new and organized along pre-Armistice Italian organization and equipment. This means no British gear! Furthermore, Egeomil will be a phased-locked division, mixing Italians, British, and a handful of Greek ones. Phase A will represent the Battle of Rhodes itself between the sole 50a Divisione Fanteria "Regina" & Sturmdivision Rhodos. This results in the availability of only Italian forces with some Greek partisans and sneaky British SBS (Special Boat Squadron, the “SAS of the Royal Navy”) commandos. From Combat Phase B, only British (and some Greek) units will be available, while only those Italian units that are still at large can be deployed. As a result, equipment specific to the Rhodes garrison will no longer be featured the longer the combat continues.

The Egeomil Detailed

Let’s detail each category in turn. Note that units bolded and italic are new! Some units don’t feature a proper name and currently use a placeholder title.

• RECO - somewhat limited in slots but with some interesting choices. The ”Regina” as a fixed division was deprived of a specific Bersaglieri recon battalion. That’s why it can only count on ESPLORATORI and TRIALCE squads.
  
  • Some GREEK PARTISANS and a few daring British SBS are present on Rhodes prior to the German attack. They provide the Allies with eyes on the ground in Phase A.
    
  • From Phase B onward, the regular recon units of a British infantry brigade can deploy: WILLYS HMG, RECCE, SCOUTS and SNIPER.
    
  • Also from B will be more “hard-hitting” special forces with the LRDG (Long Range Desert Group), who traded in their desert-focused heavy jeeps for mountain infantry training. However, they hadn’t lost their habit of blowing up everything they could while engaged in deep reconnaissance missions behind enemy lines.

• INF - is a pretty good category, as can be expected from a static infantry division reinforced with an extra brigade and a smattering of special forces.
  
  • New (although “old style”) Italian FUCILIERI will be available in vanilla, LMG, and leader variants, organized along pre-Armistice TO&E. Another new unit is the GUASTATORI squad.
    
  • Italian AIR FORCE and NAVY ground personnel (but not MARO).
    
  • GREEK PARTISANS, with a mix of early war’s Greek Army weapons and captured ones.
    
  • From Phase B onward, British troops can deploy, including DEFENCE GROUP, RIFLES, RIFLES (PIAT) (scarce, for it was just entering service), RIFLES LEADER and ASSAULT PIONIERS.
    
  • From Phase C only: the Greek commando battalion THE SACRED BAND, which was partly air-dropped, part sea-landed in October 1943, to assist in the fighting on Leros. These famous special forces fought alongside the SAS and Free French Forces in Tunisia.

• TANK - as you might expect, not that good, but with some fun options. Italian infantry divisions weren’t supposed to have armored units, but the “Regina” could count on some, even though all were obsolete when they arrived… in 1940!
  
  • Available for deployment is the diminutive (and new unit) L3/33 tankette plus command variant. This is the same as the support vehicle L3/35 but featured here in a “tank role.”
    
  • Another new unit is the L5/30, a light 1920s tank inspired by the venerable FT-17, although faster and armed with a longer 37mm tank gun.

• SUPP - very reasonable with the usable complement of HMGs, light mortars, supply trucks, flamethrower, and commanders divided into Italian units in Phase A, and British from Phase B.
  
• New units include:
  
  • BREDA M31 13,2mm (a Hotckiss variant built under license).
    
  • And even a SOLOTHURN S-18/1000 20mm HMG (described in last week’s DevBlog).
    
  • CANNONE DA 76/17 S 75mm, a naval fire support gun. Better than the OBICE DA 65/13 65mm in a HE role, but lacking HEAT rounds.
    
  • CARABINERI, military policemen with the Discipline trait.

• AT - Egeomil’s anti-tank options are not very powerful. Though there are plenty of choices and options, all of them light.
  
• The Italian SOLOTHURN S-18/100 (same as the one featured in the Hungarian Army) and CANNONE DA 47/32 47mm can deploy from Phase A.
  
• From B, the British bring the new 2-PDR and 6-PDR towed anti-tank guns, as well as a single card of PIAT.

• AA - the divisional anti-air defenses are very very good, both in terms of number of slots and cost. Besides, several guns are dual purpose and can be used as direct fire support or even anti-tank guns.
  
  • The division itself only had 20mm guns: the CANNONE 20/65 and the SCOTTI. Some are mounted as the DOVUNQUE CA 20MM.
    
  • The various AA units posted on the Dodecanese Islands are available as the new CANNONE DA 76/40 76mm and CANNONE DA 90/53 90mm guns, both potent anti-tank weapons.
    
  • The more original weapon system used is the new AUTOCANNONE DA 102/35, a 102mm AA gun mounted on the back of a heavy-duty truck. There are no sources showing it mounted, but it was well-documented to have been used like this in North Africa as part of the DAK by the MILMART (coastal artillery militia). Considering that a few would have been converted this way, it gives us the opportunity to introduce a very original piece of Italian equipment.
    
  • From Phase B onward, the British can deploy the ubiquitous BOFORS 40mm.

• ART - A pretty good category, with the divisional’s artillery being reinforced by several heavy battalions.
  
  • The “Regina” only fields 81mm mortars but can count on an impressive range of towed guns, from the OBICE 75/27 75mm to the OBICE 105/28 105mm and OBICE 149/12 149mm.
    
  • Off-map artillery will come as OSSERVATORI units calling in 210mm coastal mortars, but also as large (and new) CANT Z.50 floatplane calling in coastal 152mm guns.
    
  • As for the British, they will only contribute some puny 3-INCH MORTARS from B onwards.

• AIR - is pretty good across the board. From Phase A, the Italians are limited to;
  
  • a few old C.202 and G.50 fighters, previously only seen in Finnish use!
    
  • they can also call on a full squadron of SM.79 light bombers (so far, only featured with the Axis RSI), plus some CR.42 light and CANT Z.501 (heavy) recon planes.
• Of the above, only the C.202 and the CANT will make it to Phase B, but no further. From that point onwards, the British and Allies take over the sky, bringing a powerful arsenal of fighters, fighter-bombers, and bombers. These include:
  
  • British SPITFIRE MK.Vb and South African SPITFIRE MK.Vc.
    
  • British reco fighter SPITFIRE PR MK.V.
    
  • British heavy CAS fighter, the BEAUFIGHTER, as well as BALTIMORE bombers.
    
  • The new British HUDSON heavy recon and light bomber.
    
  • And the new American B-25H “gunship,” which is a pretty cool B-25 with a 75mm howitzer in the nose used as a direct-fire ship killer. We originally wanted to include this unit in our Tribute to Italy expansion, but we wrongfully thought it was a “Pacific-only” variant. Thanks to the Steel Division 2’s Strike Team efforts, it was demonstrated this particular B-25 variant also served in the Mediterranean, chiefly in the Aegean sector!

It should be noted that some of the equipment above will find its way into the Axis Sturmdivision Rhodes and auxiliaries hands, as detailed further below!

Sturmdivision Rhodos on the island

The Sturmdivision Rhodos has a convoluted combat history. At its core were elements of the German 22. Infanterie-Division garrisoned on Crete. However, additional detachments found their way into the formation. These include surviving forces from units destroyed in North Africa (mainly the 164. Leichte-Division).



Our battlegroup was moved to Rhodes in March 1943 and designated Sturmbrigade Rhodos, only to be quickly upgraded to division status soon after. Other Deutsches Afrika Korps survivors, such as the penal troops from the 999. Leichte-Division were also added to the Greek island’s formation.

With the Armistice, Sturmdivision Rhodos was initially inclined to collaborate with the Italians as long as they showed no intention of surrendering - or worse - joining the British. The island’s commander, General Kleeman, attacked his former allies on his own initiative by surprise on the night of September 9th after the Italian commander refused the German division freedom of movement to repel a potential British invasion.



Some troops based in Crete and involved in the battle for Leros were kept in the Dodecanese island group, further bolstering Sturmdivision Rhodos. Fascist Italian Blackshirts who chose to side with the Germans also found their way alongside the formation.

After the campaign's successful conclusion at the end of 1943, the division remained on garrison duty until mid-September 1944. Afterward, most of the infantry, with the heavy equipment left behind, was recalled to mainland Greece and incorporated in the newly created Panzergrenadier-Division Brandenburg. Those troops remaining on Rhodes ended the war as Panzergrenadier-Brigade Rhodos and surrendered to the British on May 8th, 1945.

Sturmdivision Rhodos in Steel Division 2

Made up of various detachments, Sturmdivision Rhodos had an unusual TO&E, to say the least. By August 1944, in our timeframe, it was organized roughly as a small Panzergrenadier-Division, with many types of armored vehicles regrouped around a makeshift Panzer-Abteilung. The divisional’s arsenal featured a wide range of foreign weapons, from captured Italian equipment to British small arms seized after the capitulation of Leros.

The division features less infantry (four instead of the regular six) and artillery (one compared to standard four) battalions, as well as fewer tanks. On the other hand, it both has an armored Panzer-Aufklärung and a Füsilier (infantry) recon battalion, making it unusually strong in these departments. These would have been used to hunt partisans, with several Italian RSI Blackshirt formations. These, plus fortress troops garrisoning the smaller islands, make up auxiliary forces attached to the division. While its organic artillery and AA forces were very limited, Sturmdivision Rhodos can count on the island’s strong AA and coastal defenses.

Sturmdivision Rhodos Detailed

Note that the following division is a work in progress. While exact units and values are still to be determined, overall strengths and weaknesses for this battlegroup will probably remain. As before, new units are bolded and italic.

• RECO - As indicated before, this category is pretty strong with the usual array of SPÄHTRUPP, BMW, SDKFZ. 222 and SPW.233 armored cars. Bolstered by some new units:
  
  • FUSILIER RHODOS, organized along the same lines as the rest of the infantry (SCHÜTZEN) featuring 2x l.MG42.
    
  • A single Phase A-only card of MOT. FUSILIER, equipped with numerous captured Italian automatic weapons. Historically, these squads were formed into ad-hoc “armored recon platoons,” although only featuring motorized transports.
    
  • Lastly, some BRANDENBÜRGER KUSTENJÄGER special forces. Originally based on Crete, they remained on the Dodecanese after the Battle of Leros to hunt for Allied special forces and other infiltrators.

• INF - another strong category, though maybe not as powerful as a pure infantry division.
  
• The battlegroup’s bread-and-butter infantry will be the well-armed SCHÜTZEN and SCHÜTZEN FÜH much like the other Steel Division 2’s 78. Sturmdivision.
  
• The new SCHÜTZEN (PzF) will be available too.
  
• Standard PIONIER and STURMPIONIER can be deployed, as well as ERSATZTRUPPEN. One of the latter companies was organized as mountain troops featured as GEB. ERSATZ., fitted out with captured small arms.
  
• Sturmdivision Rhodos can also count on some more exotic attachments.
  
  • Italian Blackshirts, as the new SQUADRISTI can be deployed. These will not be the same as those described in the Nemesis #7.1 DevBlog with the 71. Infanterie-Division. Rather, the ones who remained on the Dodecanese were closer to second-rate security troops armed with whatever was left over. They’ll come in different flavors with old Italian and captured British small arms, lacking experience but featuring the Security trait (for standard soldiers) and Discipline (for Leaders).
    
  • Several FESTUNG. GRENADIER cards will provide a large number of cheap troops, though afflicted with the Disheartened trait.
    
  • And some disembarked Kriegsmarine personnel.

• TANK - an average category with one Combat Phase A and B card each of PANZER IV G and STUG III G, plus their respective command variants.

• SUPP - moderately powerful with the usual arsenal of infantry guns, HMGs, supply, etc. Additionally, you’ll be able to find BEF. PANZER III K and a few STUH 42. Extra Italian Blackshirt equipment includes:
  
  • BREDA M37 and the new BREDA-SAFAT 12,7mm HMG.
    
  • BRIXIA 45mm mortar.
    
  • OBICE 65/17 65mm and CANNONE 76/17 75mm fire support guns.
    
  • L3/35 tankettes under Blackshirts management.

• AT - you wouldn’t have guessed it, but this is one of the division’s strong points. Sturmdivision Rhodos had no less than 54 PaK 40 in its ranks. And this is without counting all the guns located around the various islands in an anti-landing role. That’s why in-game:
  
  • Lots of PAK 40!
    
  • Some PANZERSCHRECK.
    
  • Italian CANNONE DA 47/32 47mm, both captured or in the hands of Italian Blackshirt troops.
    
  • A few British captured 2-pdr (hence new unit) and 6-pdr guns now fielded by the Blackshirts.
    
  • And a handful of PAK 97/38 served by a Kriegsmarine crew.

• AA - another good category. The divisional anti-air units are pretty limited in the form of a dozen single-barreled OPEL FLAK 20mm and captured Italian BREDA 20mm. However, the islands were brimming with additional AA guns to keep Allied planes away, which bolsters the battlegroup’s anti-air defenses.
  
• This includes FLAK 88mm and even FLAK 105mm guns.
  
• Some Italian (new) CANNONE DA 75/46 C.A.
  
• And captured British BOFORS 40mm.

• ART - artillery forces available to the division are pretty decent.
  
• The formation could count on a few le.FH 18M 105mm, s.FH 18 150mm and KH 433/1(r) 152mm. Italian Blackshirt support includes CANNONE DA 75/27 and the (new unit) CANNONE DA 105/27.
  
• Unlike most German divisions, the Sturmdivision Rhodos only has access to smaller 81mm mortars, not the bigger 120mm ones.

• AIR - is one of the weakest categories. Rhodes was home to only a few Luftwaffe bomber squadrons but seldom had any fighters. This will be detailed later, but expect a few slots, all expensive and bombers only.

See you on the battlefield

That’s it for this week’s Nemesis 7# offering. We’ll be back next week with the final option.

Join the Steel Division 2 community on our Steam forums. The latest Steel Division 2 news can also be encountered on our Instagram.

Looking for an online game? Visit the Discord server or Reddit page and get involved with the lively Steel Division 2 community!

See you on the battlefield, commander.

Hello commanders!

We are back with an exciting new Nemesis vote! That’s right, the Steel Division 2’s community-favorite (and favored vote) has returned. In today’s DevBlog, we’ll present the first option of Nemesis #7.

Let’s put the spotlight on the US 1st Armored Division “Old Ironsides” and the German 71. Infanterie-Division. While the Axis and Allied divisions didn’t directly oppose one another, they were both stationed along the Italian Gothic Line in the late summer of 1944.



Let’s go!

Nemesis DLC Vote

The Nemesis DLC is back. What does that mean? In the coming weeks, we’ll be detailing two new battlegroups, one from the Axis and one from the Allied side. They are typically thematically or historically linked, often based on a special or unsung battle of World War II.

Once we have finished previewing each set of options, we will open the vote, and you can decide which Nemesis DLC should be developed next. Then, the Eugen team will start crafting and tinkering in our workshop (which might take some time). In the last couple of years, we have already released six other Nemesis DLCs, from Lvov Offensive, Nemesis: Storming Toulon to Nemesis: Siege of Dunkirk.

In short, we present one option for two divisions each week. After three Nemesis previews, you get one vote to choose your preferred option.

US 1st Armored Division “Old Ironsides”

The “first-born” of American armored divisions, the US 1st Armored Division “Old Ironsides” was created in 1940 by expanding the 7th Cavalry Brigade, which had been the US pre-war armored testbed. While the United States wasn’t at war, the brutal efficiency of the German panzers in Europe during the Poland invasion and later combat in the Low Countries and France wasn’t lost to the American planners.

When the US finally entered the war at the tail-end of 1941, the 1st Armored Division shipped to England for further training, fielding early war equipment such as M3 Lees, Stuart light tanks, T19 and T30 self-propelled guns.



The division’s first taste of combat occurred in November 1942 when it took part in the Allied landings in Vichy France Algeria during Operation Torch. Soon after, the first German units were encountered. One of the more inglorious war events occurred during the Battle of Kasserine Pass when Rommel’s swift counter-attacks mauled about a third of the inexperienced American division. While the blow was humiliating, the division bounced back and recovered with surprising speed, dismissing ineffective commanders and promptly reevaluating methods and equipment.

The 1st Armored Division returned for the closing week of the Tunisia campaigns before participating in the liberation of Sicily and the invasion of mainland Italy. It turned out to be the sole armored division at the Anzio landings and a subsequent battle for the bridgehead.



By this time in the war, new American armored divisions were reorganized under a “light” TO&E. The 1st Armored Division kept its old “heavy” TO&E (like the 2nd and 3rd Armored Division). Only after the breakout from Anzio and the capture of Rome would the formation reorganize along lighter lines, turning into a “mechanized” formation better adapted for the cramped Italian theater of war.

Upon reaching the Gothic Line in 1944, the 1st Armored Division, now a veteran formation, was reinforced with co-belligerent Italian units in an attempt to breach through the heavy German defensive lines. It finished the war on the Italian front.

The 1st Armored Division in Steel Division 2

A hybrid armored division, from “heavy” turned “light,” with additional Allied Italian attachments, the 1st Armored Division is more mechanized than a pure tank formation.

The Italian front featured much more constrained terrain than Northwestern Europe and was unsuited for wild, head-long cavalry rides. As such, the division’s RECO forces, while based on a “true” cavalry scout regiment, are quite average compared to, say, the 4th Armored Division. Meanwhile, INF can be deployed in more generous slots compared to other US Armored divisions, featuring even more than actual TANK slots. With stand-off firepower being a key element to subdue Axis defenses in Italy, SUPP and ART are the division’s strong suits, while AT and AIR are more average and AA particularly scarce.

The 1st Armored Division was one of the first American formations to go to war, but it never left the Mediterranean theater. By 1944, it was at the bottom of priorities regarding replacements (including equipment). This means the division is still fielding some pretty old materiel and vehicles brought over from North Africa. This kind of equipment was usually retained and subordinated to lesser units, giving them a bit more firepower.

The 1st Armored Division Detailed

Let’s detail each divisional category. Note that units bolded and italic are new!

• RECO - The formation’s recon elements field “cavalry” style equipment and units. Not accounting for the usual array of vehicles (Stuart, Greyhound) it can also field CAVALRY SCOUTS, AMMO & PIONIEERS, BANTAM jeeps, M6 FARGO, as well as a few attached Italian ESPLORATORI. Unlike other American units, and more in line with their Commonwealth counterparts, the 1st Armored Division scouts have jalopied Stuart light tanks for recon. These were not the battlefield-modified Stuart Recce, but rather a specially designed T8E1. These new units are more mobile but are not meant to transport scouts. They are best used as a light recon tank.

• INF - Slogging it out since North Africa and overused in the mountainous Italian terrain, the grunt of the 1st Armored Division suffers from the same battle weariness as the British 7th Armoured Division. This means that new variants of ARM. RIFLES (BAR) and ARM. RIFLES (LMG) will get a free veterancy, but this comes with the Battle Weary trait. They are also locked to half-tracks as a transport option. Lighter infantry squads come in the option of two Italian attachments, both from the co-belligerent 210a Divisione di Fanteria Ausiliaria:
  
  • The 67º Reggimento Fanteria forms the basis for the new FUCCILIERI (“vanilla,” Bren and Leader variants) reequipped with British small arms. Briefly attached to this formation were the BERSAGLIERI A.U.C. (Allievi Ufficiali di Complemento) squads, also a new unit, which were officer cadet battalions. All the fit and healthy personnel had been transferred elsewhere, leaving only the crooked shell of demoralized, unhealthy recruits who, in real life, had a staggering rate of desertion and hospital admittance. As such, this latter squad will feature the Disheartened trait.
    
  • The 210º Raggruppamento Genio da combattimento provide GUASTATORI squads, including flamethrower-armed variants.

• TANK - This category covers M5A1 light tanks and pretty much all types of Sherman tanks, as the 1st Armored Division quickly replaced its M3 Lees with the 75mm M4 and later the M4A1. The M4A3 was reserved for the Northwestern European theatre and was unavailable to the battlegroup. However, in a peculiar move, the division received one of the first batches of M4A3(76)W tanks as replacements later in 1944. This new unit, including the command variant, will be phase-locked.
  
• SUPP - This is well equipped with the usual set of units, from HMGs to supply commanders, flamethrowers, and the like. Representing the division’s heavy reliance on direct fire support, the M8 SCOTT, T30 HMC, M4(75) and even a M7 PRIEST are used in an assault gun role. Some Italian units are also featured, including the new CARABINERI military police, BREDA M37 HMG and OBICE 65/13 plus a rapid-firing anti-tank rifle, the new S18/1000. This latter unit will be treated as a 20mm HMG, on par with the German Erdkampflafette 43.

• AT - As mentioned, the divisional’s anti-tank forces are pretty light. It contains the usual BAZOOKA weapon teams, towed M1 57mm and M1 76mm AT guns, a few M10 TANK DESTROYERS as well as Italian CANNONE 47/32.
  
• AA - Again, with the Axis air threat being pretty non-existent by the time the Allies reached the Gothic line, the battlegroup’s anti-air forces have been reduced to a bare minimum. Units available include the usual M16 MGMC and, more unusual, a new unit, the T28E1 MGMC. This is a predecessor to the M15, which is armed the same but features less armor.

• ART - This is one of the division’s strong points, with a wide array of light and heavy artillery units. It includes the usual 60mm, 81mm and 107mm mortars, M21 self-propelled mortar and M7 105mm howitzer. It can also count on the heavy towed M1 155m and M1 203mm howitzer. The latter unit comes with its dedicated artillery tractor, in the form of the new M33 PRIME MOVER, which is basically a repurposed de-turreted M3 Lee.

• AIR - The 1st Armored Division won’t have access to generous air forces and can only call on fighter and fighter-bombers, including two new models of Italian Re.2001CN fighters and American A-36 APACHE fighter-bombers. The latter is a dive-bomber variant of the Mustang.

German 71. Infanterie-Division

Next up is the Axis 71. Infanterie-Division. The original formation saw the light in 1939 and took part in the invasion of France in 1940, where it made propaganda headlines by capturing Verdun, the symbol of World War I. Dubbed “The Lucky One” after that, the division returned to Germany to act as a training unit before being sent east to participate in the invasion of the Soviet Union. There it took part in major battles such as the Battle of Kiev in 1941, the Second Battle of Kharkov in 1942, before fate took it to Stalingrad. Here, the 71. Infanterie-Division was destroyed, ceasing to exist in January 1943.

The division gained a second lease on life with replacement troops, and this time, it was not sent to the Eastern Front but to sunny Italy. Barely six months after the division’s reformation and still in training, the capitulation of the Axis-Italian government saw the formation hurriedly sent to Italy to disarm Italian forces. The division would spend most of its time on this front. The 71. Infanterie-Division was tasked with coastal protection and anti-partisan duties before being deployed on the frontline, where it played a major role during the Battle for Monte Cassino in the spring of 1944.



Severely depleted during the various Allied offensives, the division was moved to a quieter sector, impassable terrain. Here, instead of rest and recuperation, the 71. Infanterie-Division was targeted by an offensive of the light-footed French Expeditionary Corps’ mountains troops, severely mauling the German formation. As such, the infantry division was moved to the other side of the Italian theatre, to the Adriatic coast, assigned to hold the left flank of the Gothic line. Fighting Canadians, then Poles, then co-belligerent Italians, the division was slowly bled dry.

The 71. Infanterie-Division would not see the war's end in Italy. Transferred to Hungary to take part in the ill-fated Lake Balaton offensive, it retreated to the west afterward, reaching Austria to surrender to the British in May 1945.

German 71. Infanterie-Division in Steel Division 2

The 71. Infanterie-Division was chosen as one of the original testbed divisions for the StG 44 assault rifle in 1943, though it doesn’t appear to have been very high on the infantry weapon’s replacement list after that. For instance, it retained the GrB.39 anti-tank rifle turned into AT grenade-launcher well into 1944. The formation also confiscated a lot of Italian weaponry from SMGs and LMGs, and a large percentage of the division’s artillery and armor. Another defining feature was the strangely high number of scoped rifles, which was more in line with the German Army’s mountain division arsenal.



In Steel Division 2, the division receives some additional infantry from Axis RSI “Blackshirt” formations. Earlier in the war, these were fascist volunteers organized in paramilitary units attached to regular army formations. They would compensate for their lack of experience with political fanaticism. After Italy’s Armistice, most remaining Blackshirt units were of low quality, with a few Blackshirt “M” battalions (for either “Mussolini” or Muerte, meaning death, with the debate still ongoing) being of better caliber, at least in terms of political zeal. These were found to be fighting on anti-partisan duty behind the frontline, or coastal defense, in 71. Infanterie-Division’s area of operations.

German 71. Infanterie-Division Detailed

The 71. Infanterie-Division is an infantry division with strong artillery, and even if total tank numbers might be lacking, some potent armor options are available.

• RECO - An average category with the regular complement of AUFKLÄRER, SPÄHTRUPP, and BMW recon units. The new FUSILIER (ZF) will make good use of some of the battlegroup’s ample supply of scoped rifles. The SPW AB41(i) can also be fielded.
  
• INF - One of the formation’s strong points. The bulk of the infantry will be composed of the new GRENADIER (GrB 39) with MG-34 and GrB. 39 anti-tank rifle. One card of the new GRENADIER (MG-42) will receive an extra Breda 30 LMG, courtesy of disarming the local Italian forces. The new GREN. FÜH. (ZF) will bring an extra number of scoped rifles.

• More specialized squads are featured in the form of - one card each - STURMGRENADIER and STOSSTRUPPEN (Beretta).
  
• The new PIONIER (GrB. 39) will also feature the anti-tank rifle. Regular PIONIER FÜH. and STURMPIONIER will also be available.
  
• Finally, the new SQUADRISTI (Blackshirts) will deploy in two flavors: one squad equipped with a MG-42 and the other with a FM 24/29. Both units will also be armed with Panzerfaust.

• TANK - Rather restricted in numbers, several interesting tank unit choices will be featured.
  
• The division’s well-represented STUG M42 75/34 will be joined by the very rare (only a dozen produced historically) STUG M43 75/46, which is a new unit. This latter vehicle features a much more potent long 75mm tank gun, derived from an AA piece, which only the 71. Infanterie-Division and two other formations ever possessed.
  
• A single card of Panther A from the nearby I,/Panzer-Rgt. 4.

• SUPP - A well-supplied category with the usual allotment of HMGs, flamethrowers, light mortars, supply vehicles and commanders. Additional units include STUG M42 75/18 and STUG M43 105/25. The very rare IG 37 was fielded by this division. These infantry guns were a mix of PaK 36 carriages accommodating the few IG 42 barrels produced, which was a new 75mm infantry gun intended to replace the IG 18. It features more range and a better HEAT round.
  
• The Italian Blackshirts bring some SQUADRISTI BREDA M31 (a licensed copy of the Hotchkiss 13,2mm HMG), SQUADRISTI BREDA M37 and SQUADRISTI BRIXIA 45mm.

• AT - The anti-tank forces of the division are above average with PANZERSCHRECK, both PAK 177(i) and CANNONE DA 47/32, PAK 40, MARDER III H tank destroyers and a few JAGDPANZER IV A-0 (from s.PzJ. Abt. 525).
  
• AA - Rather light, with self-propelled SDKFZ. 10/4 and SDKFZ. 7/1, as well as the new Italian SCOTTI 20mm AA gun.

• ART - Another strong point of the division, with all the regular divisional 81mm and 120mm mortars, as well as le.FH 105mm and s.FH 150mm howitzers, plus some more.
  
  • Captured guns include the new le.FH 255(i) 75mm (Italian Obice da 75/18), le.FH 315(i) 100mm (Italian Obice da 100/17) and le.FH 255(i) 75mm (Italian Obice da 75/18).
    
  • Nearby supporting artillery units bring the super-heavy MÖRSER 18 210mm, as well as the NbW 42 210mm and PANZERWERFER 150mm multiple rocket launchers.
• AIR - This category features a mix of Axis and Italian RSI planes: Fw-190F-8, Me-109G-6, C-205 VELTRO and SM.79 SPARVIERO bombers.

See you on the battlefield

That’s all for this week’s Nemesis #7.1 preview. We’ll be back with more next week!

Join the Steel Division 2 community on our Steam forums. The latest Steel Division 2 news can also be encountered on our Instagram.

Looking for an online game? Visit the Discord server or Reddit page and get involved with the lively Steel Division 2 community!

See you on the battlefield.

Hello, hello!

In last week’s DevBlog, we took a first look at the upcoming free Aces DLC making its way to Steel Division 2. First on the stage were the five new Allied Aces.

As you might have guessed - and you guessed right - in today’s post, we’ll look at the five remaining new Axis Aces.

Let’s go!

Axis Aces

Aces are special Steel Division 2 units based on historically noteworthy soldiers, commanders, or airmen. Within the game, they have a unique golden-rimmed portrait, markings, and personal paint job. They don’t offer any gameplay advantage.

The new Aces DLC will feature two sets of Aces: several from our original Steel Division: Normandy ‘44 who haven’t made their appearance yet in Steel Division2, and a number of completely new ones. The DLC will feature in total 10 new Aces.

Please note that the following is still a work in progress, including the DLC’s name and release date.

With that out of the way, let’s get to the 5 new Axis Aces.

Willy Kretzschmar
The 12. SS-Panzerdivision will feature tank commander Willy Kretzschmar with a Panzer IV H. This Ace was originally featured in Steel Division: Normandy ‘44.

In terms of enemies destroyed, in an army where the leading aces were counting their victims in three-digit numbers, Willy Kretzschmar would have remained an anonymous “mere” ace with 15 confirmed kills. However, the lucky hit of a Canadian artillery shell changed this.



The Allied projectile hit Kretzschmar’s “536” Panzer IV front right corner, ripping apart armor and tracks. After having been towed back to a workshop, where it received a series of hasty repairs, its crew took the tank into combat again in a rather battle-damaged condition. Looking worse for wear but still actively engaging the Allies, the tank and its crew were spotted by a German war correspondent who duly took a picture. This made Kretzschmar and his Panzer IV famous, especially for post-war history buffs!



Lauri Torni
The Axis Finnish Raapaana will have the infantry commander Lauri Törni as a Jääkäri (Kpääl) Jäger leader. This Ace is new to Steel Division 2.

Regarded as the father of all long-range recon patrol forces, the legendary Finnish Lauri Törni fought in three uniforms and under two names in two separate wars! After combat service during World War II, he enlisted in the US Army, being deployed with the ultra-secret MACV-SOG group before ultimately missing in action during the Vietnam War in 1965.

But let’s rewind a bit: Finnish-born Törni saw first combat against the Soviets in the Winter War of 1940. When the Continuation War kicked off in 1941, our Ace had become an officer, leading a detachment of light troops specialized in infiltration and deep reconnaissance behind enemy lines. He was awarded the Mannerheim Cross, Finland's highest award, for his exploits during this time.


( Lauri Torni in the middle)

After the armistice with the Soviet Union in 1944, he found his way to his former German instructors, enlisting with the Waffen-SS and fighting out the rest of the war until surrendering to the British. Hounded by the Finnish for treason, he was captured and escaped multiple times. In 1952, he found his way to the United States, where he joined the recently created US Special Forces, rising in the ranks - much like in Finland - before deploying for his tours in Vietnam under his new name Larry Thorne. He is regarded as one of the founders of the Green Berets.

Walter Möse
The 28. Jäger-Division will feature infantry assault squad Walter Möse as a Sturmjäger. This Ace is new to Steel Division 2.

A German volunteer soldier who tried to enter the Wehrmacht in 1938, Möse suffered a severe back injury during training, which led to him being discharged. He re-enlisted in 1941 with the 28. Jäger-Division in time for fighting on the Eastern Front, where he distinguished himself well. As a sergeant, during the Battle of Novgorod in January 1944, with all his battalion’s officers killed or wounded, he took charge of his unit and repelled all subsequent Soviet attacks. He earned the Knight’s Cross with Oak Leaves for this action. Möse was killed in action in November 28th, 1944, near Goldap, East Prussia. By that time, he had been wounded 21 times!



Aladar Heppes
The Axis Hungarian 2. Pancelos will contain pilot Aladar Heppes in a (Hungarian) Me-109G-6/R6 fighter. This Ace is new to Steel Division 2.

Our next Ace seems a little bit more “standard” compared to the more daring of our other military heroes. Still, Heppes, a Hungarian fighter pilot, had 8 confirmed victories against Soviet and American planes. In 1942-43, part of the Axis Hungarian forces, he fought in the USSR before being recalled to Hungary to lead a home defense fighter wing, the 101. Vadászrepülő Osztály (101st Home Defense Fighter Wing). This squadron featured the infamous “Pumas” on their insignia, which earned Heppes the nickname “Old Puma”. The squadron became feared by American bomber pilots, as they regarded the Hungarian pilots as “crazy” in combat. In the latter part of 1944, the unit was transferred to the frontline, fighting over eastern Hungary and Romania. Heppes survived the war.



Ion S. Dumitru
The Axis Romanian 1 Blindata will contain tank commander Ion S. Dumitru, who will be featured in-game in a T.4 Comanda (a Romanian Panzer IV H Leader[/b]). This Ace is new to Steel Division 2.

The Ion S. Dumitru is a survivor of Stalingrad and a tank commander who took part in the Jassy-Kichinev campaign, as playable in the Steel Division 2’s expansion Steel Division 2: Bloody Sunday. Interned by the Soviets during the Turda campaign, Ion S. Dumitru escaped and reenlisted in another Romanian tank unit to keep fighting for the Allies until the war's end. Ironically, it was in this unit that Dumitru made his remaining kills, which actually saw him make ace (though, within the DLC, he will be featured while still fighting for the Axis).

See you on the battlefield

That’s all for this week’s DevBlog. We’ll be back soon!

Join the Steel Division 2 community on our Steam forums. The latest Steel Division 2 news can also be encountered on our Instagram.

Looking for an online game? Visit the Discord server or Reddit page and get involved with the lively Steel Division 2 community!

See you on the battlefield, commanders!

• Fix rare crash when receiving invalid order

Hello commanders!

We hope you are well. In today’s DevBlog, we will preview a previously announced (but kept slightly hush-hush) free mini-expansion coming to Steel Division 2: the Aces DLC.

Please note that the following is still a work in progress, including the DLC’s name and release date.

Today, we’ll look at the upcoming Allied Aces first.

Let’s go!

A batch of old and new

As we mentioned in our recently updated roadmap, we are going to release a free-to-all mini-expansion for Steel Division 2 owners, containing a host of new Aces.

For those who don’t know what Aces are, they are Steel Division 2 units based on historically noteworthy soldiers, commanders, or airmen. They have a unique golden-rimmed portrait, markings, and personal paint job. Keep in mind that they don’t offer any gameplay advantage.



The new Aces DLC will feature two sets of Aces: several from our original Steel Division: Normandy ‘44 who haven’t made their appearance yet in Steel Division2, and number of completely new ones. The total roster is 10 Aces in total!

Today, we’ll focus on all the Allied Aces.

Allied Aces

Let’s gaze upon the ranks of Allied Aces looking for a new Steel Division 2 home.

Leo Major
The Allied Canadian 3rd Canadian Infantry Division will feature Leo Major as a sniper-scout. This Ace was originally featured in Steel Division: Normandy ‘44.

Without a doubt, one of the most badass soldiers of World War II. This one-eyed Quebec pirate/sniper scout was a verifiable one-man army. He set foot on Normandy soil - specifically Juno beach - during D-Day and specialized in reconnaissance, sniping, and lots of bravado, creating a legend from France to the Netherlands.



Major emerged victorious from pistol shoot-outs, capturing vehicles, secret documents, and over a hundred prisoners in the course of the war. He is also most famously known for charging and single-handedly liberating the Dutch town of Zwolle, forcing out its entire German garrison.

Pierre Clostermann
The Allied French 2e Division Blindée will feature the pilot Pierre Clostermann in a Spitfire Mk. IX . This Ace was originally featured in Steel Division: Normandy ‘44.

With 33 confirmed aerial victories, Pierre Clostermann is France's number one fighter ace. Studying in the United States when the war broke out, he enlisted in the Free French Air Force, flying a multitude of missions. After D-Day, he was one of the first Free French pilots to land in Normandy.



He served both in the “Alsace” squadron and RAF’s 602 Squadron, participating in everything from fighter sweeps, shooting down V1 flying bombs, to battling Me 262 jet fighters later in the war. Clostermann’s post-war memoirs, The Big Circus, is a must-read for any World War II air combat buff.

Major John Howard
The 6th Airborne Division will feature Major John Howard as a British AB Leader unit. This Ace was originally featured in Steel Division: Normandy ‘44.

Made especially famous after the war, Major John Howard might be best remembered by the phrase ”Hold until relieved…”. A starring role in the epic The Longest Day, our British paratrooper officer was the commander of the first combat group to land in Normandy on D-Day.



His mission was to secure and hold the “Pegasus Bridge” over the Caen Canal intact until Allied troops would join up from Sword Beach. Major Howard and his soldiers accomplished the mission with flying colors despite heavy German counterattacks.

Lafayette Green “Wardaddy” Pool
The Allied U.S. 3rd Armored Division will feature tank commander Lafayette Green “Wardaddy” Pool as a CMD M4A1 unit. This Ace was originally featured in Steel Division: Normandy ‘44.

The inspiration for Brad Pitt’s character in the movie Fury, Lafayette Green “Wardaddy” Pool was a Sherman tank commander during the Normandy fighting, ultimately surviving three of his tanks being shot out from under him. All three were named In the mood, with the last kill seriously injuring Pool.



With only fighting for four months, from Normandy to Germany, “Wardaddy” was credited with 12 confirmed tank kills and the destruction of 258 other armored vehicles, making him the greatest American tank ace up to this day.

Ivan Savel’Evich Kravcov
The Allied 7. Eesti will feature Soviet pilot Ivan Savel’Evich Kravcov. He will fly in the La-5FN fighter. This is a brand-new Ace.

A naval aviator and instructor with the Soviet Baltic Fleet, Ivan Savel’Evich Kravcov fought in all the campaigns on the northern front. He got his first taste of combat during the defense of Leningrad before participating in the Vyborg offensive against Axis Finland in 1944.



Later he accompanied the Baltic Front’s advance in Estonia. By this time, Kravcov was the regimental commander, having flown on LaGG-3, lend-lease Hurricane, and La-5 fighters. Our Ace would be credited with 29 individual kills and 4 shared ones by the war's end.

See you on the battlefield

That’s all for this DevBlog. Note that the Eugen team is partially out of office due to some May bank holidays. This means that next week, there will be no Steel Division 2 DevBlog. However, in two weeks, we’ll return and look at the new Axis Aces to be featured with our Aces/ DLC!

Don’t forget that the latest Steel Division 2 expansion has just been released.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2873780/Steel_Division_2__Tribute_to_Normandy_44/

Join the Steel Division 2 community on our Steam forums. The latest Steel Division 2 news can also be encountered on our Instagram.

Looking for an online game? Visit the Discord server or Reddit page and get involved with the lively Steel Division 2 community!

See you on the battlefield, commanders!

Hello, hello, hello!

In today’s Steel Division 2 DevBlog, we talk maps. That’s right, we’ll be previewing the upcoming Dukla Pass map.

Let’s go!

A new battlefield

The new Dukla Pass map will be released for free to all owners of Steel Division 2. The same will happen with the new Valley of Death map (which you can read more about in this DevBlog here). These two new maps will likely come as two separate free Reinforcement Packs DLCs.



So, what’s the deal with these two new maps? They can be seen as a precursor to our next Army General expansion, codenamed Dukla Pass. The historical details you can check out in this DevBlog.

Inspiration

Both maps are centered on the historical Battle of Dukla Pass on the Polish-Slovak border fought in the second half of 1944. This series of battles featured the Axis (the 1st Panzer Army and the 1st Hungarian Army) opposed by the Soviets commanding elements of the 1st and 4th Ukrainian Front, as well as the 1st Czechoslovakian Army Corps (composed of former Czech soldiers exiled in the Soviet Union, refugees, Slovak POWs, etc.).

The Soviets, with the Czechoslovakian Corps, slogged through a mountainous battlefield to join up with Slovak Uprising rebels on the plains beyond. Ultimately, it was too little, too late, with the campaign ending in a (temporary) German victory.



The Valley of the Death map was inspired by the battlefields around Svidnik, where the actual pass leads out into a wider valley. In comparison, the Dukla Pass map is on the other side of the Laborec Highlands, just south of Dukla (hence the name). In this area, the Carpathian mountains begin to climb. Several valleys rise towards the pass, forming parallel “canyon-like” gullies.

Dukla Pass detailed

As already mentioned, Dukla Pass takes advantage of the quickly rising Carpathians to create three “corridors.” The main one, the broader valley in the center, contains the Dukla-Svidnik road. The two narrower corridors, one on each side, are smaller valleys. Ultimately (not depicted), these merge into a single valley before reaching the pass itself (likewise off-map). At the edges of each side, dense forests represent the woods of the real-life mountain range.



Each of the three corridors is separated by relief, which increases in height the deeper you advance (depending on the direction you travel). This represents the beginning of the Laborece Highlands, inspired by real-life terrain variations.



While separated through height difference and thick forest, connections between the corridors exist. Pathways reach plateaus and go down on the other side. That’s why, if some Spartan-wannabes block one path, you can still try to go sideways and outflank the enemy blocking force. While the valleys have quite a few villages and farmsteads, which can act as defensive strong points, the higher plateaus are mostly devoid of structures and buildings. There are a few isolated settlements, but most of this terrain is covered in woods.



Sight lines down in the valleys or on the plateau’s edges are pretty open, allowing for long-range engagements. However, the plateaus themselves are better suited for close combat and ambushes.

See you on the battlefield

That’s all for this DevBlog. Let us know what you think!

Don’t forget that the latest Steel Division 2 expansion has just been released.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2873780/Steel_Division_2__Tribute_to_Normandy_44/

Join the Steel Division 2 community on our Steam forums. The latest Steel Division 2 news can also be encountered on our Instagram.

Looking for an online game? Visit the Discord server or Reddit page and get involved with the lively Steel Division 2 community!

See you on the battlefield, commanders!

Hello commanders,

Back again! We hope you are doing well. In today’s DevBlog, we’ll look at what’s coming next for Steel Division 2.

Let’s go!

A New Roadmap

This updated roadmap is a revision of Steel Division 2’s plan we unveiled some time ago. You can check it out in this dedicated post here.



So, what does the future hold for Steel Division 2?

• We are working on a new Army General campaign expansion, codenamed ”Dukla Pass”. More details can be found here.

• A free Ace Reinforcement Pack.
  
• We will deliver not one but two new free maps: DUKLA PASS and VALLEY OF DEATH (check out the latter’s preview here).

• And previously undisclosed: a new Nemesis vote is coming to Steel Division 2 soon! Nemesis DLC allows the community to choose which two divisions (out of a paired series of six) will make it to Steel Division 2. It bridges the gap between expansions and not make you wait too long for new toys to play with.

Steel Division 2: Tribute to Normandy '44

The latest Steel Division 2 expansion has just been released. Get it while it’s still hot!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2873780/Steel_Division_2__Tribute_to_Normandy_44/

Steel Division 2: Tribute to Normandy ‘44 celebrates Steel Division history, introducing 14 of the original Steel Division: Normandy '44 divisions to Steel Division 2. The expansion contains 14 new divisions from five nations and 200 new units, including brand-new vehicle and plane models, voice acting, 8 Aces, and new infantry model sets.

See you on the battlefield

That’s all for this week. We’ll be back very soon.

Join the Steel Division 2 community on our Steam forums. The latest Steel Division 2 news can also be encountered on our Instagram.

Looking for an online game? Visit the Discord server or Reddit page and get involved with the lively Steel Division 2 community!

See you on the battlefield, commanders!

• fixed some missing acknows (including new NZ ones)
  
• fixed some typos
  
• fixed Fs-FÜHRER UHLIG's category, stealth & speed, on par with its non-ace counterpart
  
• fixed the American PATHFINDERS (both ATF & 101st)' influence over the frontline
  
• increased MG-26(t)'s accuracy from 10 to 15, on par with the Bren buff
  
• increased SU-152's HP from 10 to 12, as announced in previous log but forgotten
  
• decreased FFI PANZER III H's price from 30 to 25, on par with other such tanks
  
• decreased STUART VI's price from 30 to 25, on par with other such tanks
  
• unlocked Fs-GrW 120mm for all FJ divisions
  
• display KOMANDOSI's missing AP value
  
• halved the off-map US 356mm salvo, on par with other super-heavy artillery
  
• (7AD) removed MOT. RIFLES LDR.'s AP icon (display issue only)
  
• (2Pz) fixed PANZER IV J's veterancy ratio, on par with other divisions (while keeping the free vet)
  
• (14ID) unlocked Pak 183(f) 47mm

• decreased Pe-2-83 (with RBS-132)'s price from 150 to 140

Get ready, commanders!

Our new expansion Steel Division 2: Tribute to Normandy ‘44 is available now!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2873780/Steel_Division_2__Tribute_to_Normandy_44/

The latest expansion brings 14 new divisions, new Aces, new units, new unit art, and much more. That’s not all! A massive patch with a host of balance changes and updates has made its way to Steel Division 2, available to all owners. More details below!

Steel Division 2 Updates

As usual, the new expansion also heralds a host of improvements and updates affecting the base Steel Division 2. This giant patch is available for free for all owners of our game.

You can check out the patch notes in detail by following the link here.

Some of the major points:

• Commando infantry’s effectiveness has been toned down, especially those in the Allied Task Force, Groupement Dody, and SSB divisions.
  
• Infantry’s Fall Back mechanic’s damage reduction has been tweaked. Retreating soldiers will be more prone to take damage, especially from tanks.
  
• Sniper rifle DPS has been reduced by decreasing aim time and rate of fire.
  
• Standardized 7.62mm HGM stats, updating the abysmal performance of some obsolete models.
  
• Updates, improvements, and general balancing “love” to older divisions.
  
• And much more!

Steel Division 2: Tribute to Normandy '44

Steel Division 2: Tribute to Normandy ‘44 celebrates Steel Division history, introducing 14 of the original Steel Division: Normandy '44 divisions to Steel Division 2. The battlegroups are updated to take advantage of the latter title’s gameplay mechanics, traits, unit design, and more. Not only that, the expansion also features a host of new Aces, unit art, etc.

Steel Division 2: Tribute to Normandy '44 contains 14 new divisions from five nations and 200 new units, including brand-new vehicle and plane models, voice acting, and new infantry model sets. The latest expansion will let players take the divisions solo, online, or cooperatively. Steel Division 2: Tribute to Normandy '44 ships for €19,99, the same price as previous Steel Division 2 “Tribute” expansions.

Note, Steel Division 2: Tribute to Normandy ‘44 does not contain new maps. These are planned for future expansions.

Steel Division 2: Tribute to Normandy '44 Insights

We have a handy forum post ready if you want to do some background reading or catch up on the many historical and gameplay insights we published on Steel Division: Tribute to Normandy ‘44. It links to all divisional Versus posts, units, backgrounds, new Aces, and much more.

Be sure to check it out by following it here.

See you on the battlefield

We can’t wait to hear what you think of our latest expansion. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts.

Join the Steel Division 2 community on our Steam forums. The latest Steel Division 2 news can also be encountered on our Instagram.

Looking for an online game? Visit the Discord server or Reddit page and get involved with the lively Steel Division 2 community!

See you on the battlefield, commanders!