Nemesis #5 - Southern Flank Preview

[p]Hello commanders,

Eugen keeps on bringing the good stuff! Hot on the heels of the new WARNO in today’s DevBlog, we’ll preview the upcoming Nemesis #5 - Southern Flank.

This DLC is a Eugen choice in order to speed up development and production. Nemesis #5 - Southern Flank keeps the SOUTHAG theme, focusing on two divisions in the southern reaches of the front, near the Austrian border, featuring the Spanish División de Infantería Mecanizada «Guzmán el Bueno» n.º 2, or Mechanised Division No.2 "Guzmán el Bueno" for NATO, and the Czechoslovakian 2. Motostřelecká Divize, or 2nd Motor Rifle Division fighting for the Warsaw Pact.

Let’s go![/p][h3]

División de Infantería Mecanizada «Guzmán el Bueno» n.º 2 Detailed

[/h3][p]The Spanish División de Infantería Mecanizada «Guzmán el Bueno» n.º 2 was one of the largest fighting formations in the Spanish Army in the closing years of the Cold War. Posted in southern Andalucia, it would either deploy rapidly against potentially belligerent African nations or support NATO allies if conflict arose in West Germany. As such, it was part of a small Ejército de Tierra projection corps, which also included the División Mecanizada «Brunete» n.º 1 with its armor, and the Maestrazgo infantry division, as well as potentially the BRILAT light infantry brigade. The formation was named after Guzmán el Bueno, or Guzmán the Good, a Spanish noble and hero during medieval times, who distinguishing himself in the history books during the Siege of Tarifa in 1296.

Despite the division's mechanized nomenclature, the battlegroup was reorganized as a motorized division, featuring the BMR wheeled APC in great numbers. After becoming part of NATO, Spain had been both downsizing and modernising its armed forces in the 1980s. Being based in Andalusia in the south of Spain, the Guzmán el Bueno was also well positioned to see action in North Africa if needed to be (as relations with nearby Morocco were not always the friendliest).

We know that the Brunete was earmarked to reinforce the southern sectors in West Germany if push came to shove, but the two infantry divisions’ roles were less clear. They could have followed Brunete’s armor into Europe, forming a small corps, or join AFSOUTH in northern Italy. If the Spanish Army had been able to project one division this far from home territory, without prior exercises, it remains to be seen. A dubious feat in war, especially taking into account the serious doubts by NATO leadership about the Dutch army, much nearer to the front, being very likely unable to mobilize and transport their troops in times of conflict.

Regardless, in our alternative timeline, Spain does manage to strategically project the Guzmán el Bueno, together with Brunete, as well as associated small corps assets, to join the fight in southern West Germany and the Czechoslovakian frontier.

The «Guzmán el Bueno» n.º 2 in WARNO
How will the Mechanised Division No.2 "Guzmán el Bueno" look like in WARNO? New units are marked in both italic and bold. As always, units and categories are subject to change.

LOG[/p]

[p]A pretty good category, as the Guzmán el Bueno is an infantry division, reinforced with corps assets.[/p]
[p]Command vehicles include the new SANTANA MANDO (command “long” Rover) and the BMR-PC, as well as the BO-105 MANDO helicopter.[/p]
[p]Supply units featured are a FOB, but also the light PEGASO 3046 and heavy C-3464 trucks, plus the UH.10 helicopter.[/p]

[p][/p][p]INF[/p]

[p]A very strong category, as can be expected. Although the division converted to being a motorized formation, meaning the BMR, it still retained some TOA (M113) and associated infantry, in the form of the existing FUSILEROS (in MANDO, "vanilla", M65 and C90 variants). These squads can deploy in the same TOA variants as Brunete’s infantry.[/p]
[p]About two-thirds of the division's infantry will come as FUSILEROS (BMR) and their respective command variants. Both are well-rounded squads, limited to 8 soldiers due to the cramped battle taxi accommodations. They field 7x CETME C rifles, 1x MG-42/58 machine gun, and one C-90CR anti-tank weapon. They ride in either softskins, BMR-PP or BMR-LAG.[/p]
[p]Likewise, ZAPADORES come in the same variants and transport options as those found with Brunete, but include a newcomer: the ZAPADORES (BMR). These squads also feature 8 men, but field a MG-42/58 machine gun, and deploy in either softskins or the BMR-PP VCZ dedicated combat engineer variant with a dozer blade.[/p]
[p]The weapon teams include the regular array of MG-42/58, LAG-40 40mm and C20/120 GAI BO1 20mm, deployable in softskin, TOA or BMR.[/p]
[p]In addition, other units featured are the CSR-106 (which is a M40A1), MCC MILAN 1, MCC MILAN 2, and new MCC I-TOW, in SANTANA jeeps, TOA or BMR, including the new BMR C/C MILAN.[/p]
[p]POLICIA MILITAR military police are also present, with their SANTANA PM, but also new SIATA 500 PM light trucks.[/p]
[p]The SANTANA CSR-106 is a fire support ROVER with M40A1 RCL.[/p]

[p][/p][p][/p][p]ART[/p]

[p]Pretty good for the Guzmán el Bueno with the division's well-rounded artillery backed by some heavier corps assets. This means lots of slots, not too expensive, and lots of choice.[/p]
[p]Mortars come in all shapes and forms, from foot-based lighter pieces such as the L65/81 and the L65/120, and the heavier self-propelled TOA-PM-81, BMR-PM-81 and TOA-PM-120.[/p]
[p]Self-propelled guns include the M-108 105mm and M-109A1B 155mm.[/p]
[p]Towed artillery guns featured are the OBUS 105/26 REINOSA 105mm and the CANON 122/45 (RUSO .31) 122mm (under which name hides the World War II-era A-19 howitzers!), as well as American OBUS M114 155mm and OBUS M115 203mm.[/p]
[p]Finally, we managed to attach some older L-10D3 300mm MLRS trucks to the division.[/p]

[p][/p][p]TANK[/p]

[p]Pretty decent with a good number of slots, featuring older but extensively modernized tanks.[/p]
[p]The division’s attached cavalry brigade features some venerable M47E2, but its own main workhorse is the M48A5E2 (105mm) tanks, highly modernized to be on par with the LEOPARD 1A5 in terms of performance. They both come in command variants.[/p]
[p]Anti-tank assets include the SANTANA MILAN jeep, TOA C/C I-TOW and BMR C/C TOW-2.[/p]

[p][/p][p]REC[/p]

[p]Once more, a decent category with infantry scouts, the TIRADORES, the RECONOCIMIENTO, and the EXPLORADORES, the same as found with the Brunete division.[/p]
[p]Electronic warfare is represented by the SANTANA RASURA battlefield radar and the TELEOKASIGINT-traited truck.[/p]
[p]Other recon vehicles include the HR.15 helicopter, VEC-25 armored car and M47E1 RECO. (90mm).[/p]
[p]Last but not least, the division will get some Spanish special forces, more commonly referred to as GUERILLEROS. An 8-man Special Forces recon squad, the soldiers will field newer generation (5,56mm) 5x CETME L, 2x AMELI machine guns, and one scoped CETME C, plus Satchel charges. They will come in either truck or HU.21 (= Super Puma) helicopters.[/p]

[p][/p][p]AA[/p]

[p]Good in terms of slots, although the divisional anti-air defenses revolves around light towed guns, such as the ubiquitous CAA 20/120 GAI BO1 single-barrel 20mm, the CAA 20/12 BITUBO twin-20mm, and the CAA 40/70 P-87 (a Bofors 40mm).[/p]
[p]The 20mm guns also come in self-propelled variants: the PEGASO 3046 GAI BO1 single 20mm, and the twin-barrelled 20mm PEGASO 3055 BITUBO.[/p]
[p]The sole long-range AA unit, attached from the army corps, is the well-known I-HAWK.[/p]

[p]
HEL[/p]

[p]Rather mediocre, with the division having no attack helicopters of its own, nor any dedicated gunships or combat rotorcraft available in the army’s arsenal (the sole exception being the squadron attached to Brunete).[/p]
[p]However, some enterprising Spanish engineers had been tinkering with the good ‘ol UH-1, slapping a MAMEE kit on some of these venerable helos. This turned them into a makeshift UH-1H ARTILLADO gunship, with two 7,62mm Miniguns and two 7-round Hydra rocket pods. These are only available in limited numbers, meaning one slot and one card.[/p]

[p][/p][p]AIR[/p]

[p]The Guzmán el Bueno’s air support is provided mainly by the Ala 11 & 14 (Wings 11 & 14)'s squadrons, both operating export variants of the Mirage III (C.11 in Spanish service) and Mirage F1 (C.14).[/p]
[p]The C.11 will be used in a “rocketeer” role.[/p]
[p]The C.14A is the lesser variant of the F1 C-200, with less ECM and equipped for bombing missions with either HE or cluster bombs in various configurations, plus two AIM-9P missiles for self-defense.[/p]
[p]The C.14B are locally improved F1 C-200, with better ECM and carrying two AIM-9P plus, depending on the variant, two R530 or two Super 530F anti-air missiles. That latter missile variant is actually a “March to War” weapon, since Spain only acquired these French AA missiles from Saddam Hussein’s stocks after the end of the Gulf War. In our alternative timeline, France would have parted with some of its own stock due to the deteriorating situation in Europe from 1987 onwards.[/p]

[p][/p][p]The Mechanised Division No.2 "Guzmán el Bueno" is a light infantry division backed by strong artillery and AA assets. Armors are good enough to help any infantry offensive, but too fragile to go toe-to-toe against the most modern, heavy tank forces. Yet, those glass canons hold more firepower than can be expected from tanks of this generation, and shouldn’t be taken lightly.[/p][h3]
The 2. Motostřelecká Divize Detailed

[/h3][p]The Czechoslovakian 2. Motostřelecká Divize or 2nd Motorized Rifle Division was part of the Czechoslovak People’s Army’s frontline 1st Army located on the southern frontier. Here, it guarded the tri-border area of Czechoslovakia, West Germany, and Austria. Raised in 1958, the division never saw any action in real life.

However, in our WARNO - SOUTHAG scenario, the 2nd Motorized Rifle Division can be found in the Army General campaign Holding Attack, holding the southern sector, directly opposite the West German 10. Panzerdivision.

We can add some more detail to our alternative war scenario as depicted in WARNO. As the 1st Army’s southernmost division, the 2. Motostřelecká Divize’s own flank is covered by the 2nd Army’s 15. Motostřelecká Divize, a much less combat-ready division. In our timeline, it is this latter formation that gets hit hardest by the combined French-Spanish quick reaction task force crossing Austria, to outflank the Czechoslovakian 1st Army.

The 15. Motor Rifle Division is quickly pushed back east, meaning that the 2nd Motorized Rifle Division needs to pivot urgently, almost 90 degrees, to block the West Germans and Canadians from breaking through and NATO from turning the ČSLA’s flank. Due to the deteriorating situation, local border guard units, familiar with the terrain, as well as territorial battalions, are pressed into service to prevent the front from crumbling.

[/p][p]Some other reasons why we picked the 2nd Motorized Rifle Division:[/p]

[p]This is a predominantly OT-64-equipped division, which, as a trademark Czechoslovakian vehicle, we didn’t feature in our previous ČSLA divisions. WARNO - SOUTHAG’s19. Motostřelecká Divize was an oddity with only one OT-64 regiment, which in our timeline was actually detached to the Soviet Central Group of Forces, while our Czechoslovakian tank divisions only had a handful of this vehicle.[/p]
[p]The 2. Motostřelecká Divize was lavishly equipped with modernized T-55AM2 tanks, including the ATGM-wielding AM2B variant. It was in the process of replacing its tank regiment’s main battle tank with the T-72M1. All of this means that it is an infantry division with its tank forces covering an armored spectrum of T-54Bs (from territorial battalions), to organic T55-AM2s and T-72M1. Not bad![/p]

[p]
The 2. Motostřelecká Divize in WARNO
How will the 2nd Motor Rifle Division look like in WARNO?

LOG[/p]

[p]A pretty good category, being an infantry division.[/p]
[p]Command vehicles include the OT-62/R4MT and the BVP-1K, as well as the MI-19.[/p]
[p]The battlegroup is supplied by an FOB, as well as the (new) light T805 truck, the medium V3S and heavy T815 trucks.[/p]

[p][/p][p]INF[/p]

[p]As can be expected, very good, with the division being an OT-64 formation. This means STŘELCI and KULOMETČÍCI, which are LMG-fielding squads, can deploy in OT-64C. These units are much more numerous than the BVP-1-borne MOTOSTŘELCI.[/p]
[p]ŽENISTÉ come in the same shapes and forms as their counterparts in other divisions, but this time, are all carried in OT-64C.[/p]
[p]ZÁLOŽNÍCI reservists ride to battle in trucks, while BEZPEČNOSTNÍ ODDÍL security troops in both trucks and OT-64. They are presented in larger numbers compared to other Czechoslovakian divisions due to the amalgamation of territorial battalions into the 2nd Motor Rifle Division’s roster.[/p]
[p]TAI military police will be available in regular and "combat-size" variants (name to be determined), while PANCÉŘOVNÍCI are also present.[/p]
[p]Fire support squads are featured in the form of the FAGOT, KONKURS, UK VZ.59 7,62mm and AGS-17.[/p]
[p]One of the main new units are POHRANIČNÍCI border guards, a 11-man squad with Sa Vz.58V assault rifles, one UK Vz.59L LMG and RPG-75, with the Military Police, Security, and Mountaineer traits. Their VELITEL POHRANIČNÍCI leader variant is a 8-man squad with assault rifles and one SVD with the same traits. They come in the new T805 light truck and the OT-64.[/p]

[p][/p][p]ART[/p]

[p]Good, with a mostly standard selection of 82mm mortars, D-30 122mm howitzer, 2S1 and DANA self-propelled pieces, and RM Vz.70 & RM Vz.51 MLRS. The latter coming in more numbers than usual, replacing absent 120mm mortars in this division.[/p]
[p]And one of the more unusual pieces of equipment is the corps asset, M-46 130mm howitzer, already featured with some of our East German divisions.[/p]

[p][/p][p]TANK[/p]

[p]A medium amount of slots, but with lots of choice, from obsolete to modern.[/p]
[p]The local territorial battalions bring a single card of outdated T-54Bs.[/p]
[p]Next up, the division’s organic tank assets are the modernized T-55AM2, T-55AM2B, and the T-55AM2K3 command variant.[/p]
[p]As one battalion of the tank regiments of the 2nd Motor Rifle Division had started converting earlier, one card each of T-72M1 and T-72M1K are available.[/p]
[p]Supported in the field by the PtK vz.52 85mm AT gun, while the division's organic anti-tank battalion can also deploy the PtK vz.53 100mm ones, plus the OT PTRK MALJUTKA missile tank destroyers.[/p]

[p][/p][p]REC[/p]

[p]Once again, a pretty good category as the 2nd Motor Rifle Division was to screen the Czechoslovakian 1st Army’s flank, being further reinforced by border guards.[/p]
[p]The largest selection of infantry scouts are available in this division: MOT. PRŮZKUMNÍCI, ODSTŘELOVAČI, PRŮZ. POHRANIČNÍCI, PRŮZKUMNÍCI, RT SHPz, SHPz, and ŽENIJNÍ PRŮZKUMNÍCI.[/p]
[p]To which we will add the new large PSOVODI POHRANIČNÍKŮ recon border guards squad.[/p]
[p]Vehicles include the OT-65 RL, BVP SVATAVA and the new RP-6 VEKTORSIGINT truck.[/p]

[p][/p][p]AA[/p]

[p]An average category, consisting of PPLRK S-2M MANPADs, PLCK Vz.53 quad 12,7mm, and the same guns mounted portee-style on a T8105 Vz.53 fielded by the Czechoslovakian border guards.[/p]
[p]The ubiquitous JESTERKA 30mm SPAAG rounds out the arsenal side-by-side with the capable PLRK KUB-M3 SAM.[/p]

[p]
HEL[/p]

[p]A pretty mediocre category with only two (expensive) slots, the choice being between a small Mi-2RP or Mi-17 \[RKT] gunships.[/p]

[p]
AIR[/p]

[p]Likewise, pretty decent with either the MiG-21MA or MiG-23MLA as air superiority fighters.[/p]
[p]The capable Su-22M4 is available in various anti-tank and bombing roles.[/p]
[p]And the older Su-7BKL can fly as a “bomb truck” with HE and RKT payloads.[/p]

[p][/p][p]The 2. Motostřelecká Divize is, for all intents and purposes, a well-balanced mechanized division with plenty of infantry and recon troops, and decent supporting arms, especially artillery.

Until Next Time
That’s all for this week’s DevBlog. We’ll soon be back with ever more juicy WARNO news soon!

Don’t forget the vibrant WARNO community. Check the latest news on the Steam News page or visit the Steam Forums. Get together with other players on either the excellent Discord server, Reddit page, YouTube or our Instagram.

As always, see you on the battlefield, commanders.[/p]