Milestone MASSENA Preview: KdA Bezirk Erfurt (DDR)
Hello!
It’s good to be back. As promised, today we will take another look at the next WARNO milestone, MASSENA. Detailed last week was NATO’s special West German territorial command, Territorialkommando Süd; this week we’ll highlight the East German version: Kampfgruppe der Arbeiterklasse Bezirk Erfurt. To save us all a bit of trouble, let’s shorten this new WARNO division to K.d.A. Bezirk Erfurt.
Ever onwards, commander! Let’s keep reading to find out more.
[h2]A worker’s Army[/h2]
As we detailed in our first MASSENA preview, our focus in the milestone will be on two territorial commands - divisions that contain a mix of rear-line troops with additional armor or artillery support. Most times, these formations would guard the rear against potential airborne assaults or special forces raids. Equipped with older vehicles and arms, these commands could still handle themselves well in a defensive fight.
The name Kampfgruppe der Arbeiterklasse Bezirk Erfurt translates to Erfurt District’s Combat Group of the Working Class, situating this Warsaw Pact division in the southern part of East Germany, facing CENTAG. The organization of this formation differed from its West German counterpart. Made up of paramilitary-style platoons and companies, the soldiers mainly were party members or “politically reliable”.
While a civil reserve force, and in some ways a heavily armed militia, because of its training and armament, Combat Groups of the Working Class were well organized as a rear echelon defense formation. Of course, in war, these Kampfgruppe der Arbeiterklasse could deploy away from their home territories.
Divided into companies of a hundred men, the citizen-soldiers of K.d.A. Bezirk Erfurt hailed from large factories or a city’s neighborhood. “Heavy hundred” companies were equipped with anti-tank, mortar, and anti-air platoons.
[h2]K.d.A. Bezirk Erfurt[/h2]
In WARNO, the KdA squads are especially big, with 14 men per squad. They only field one LMG, while KdA Führer can bring 6 soldiers to the battlefield, carrying only the KMS-72. Much like a lot of equipment for this division, older small arms were available, from KMS-72 (AK-47) in place of the AK-74, RPG-7, and the ubiquitous l.MG-K machine guns. Heavier arms included 120mm mortars, 23mm AA guns and D-44 85mm anti-tank guns.
In the event of war, K.d.A. Bezirk Erfurt would have relied on an arsenal of “vintage” materiel brought from reserve or training units. In the East German division’s case, this would have been as the ZSU-57-2 heavy SPAAG, BRDM-2 Malyutka, BTR-152 armored personnel carrier, PT-76 and even museum-worthy T-34/85 tanks.
Much like the West German TerrKdo Süd, our East German territorials were tasked with protecting precious assets of the army, and in WARNO will be able to call on heavy AA and artillery support (both East German and Soviet). With K.d.A. Bezirk Erfurt, you’ll be able to bring to bear the Soviet 2S7M Malka 203mm self-propelled artillery and the East German M-46 130mm long-range howitzer.
The previously mentioned ZSU-57-2 will also be a part of the package. While this self-propelled anti-air gun might be obsolete against fast-moving combat planes, its twin 57mm AA guns (largest in-game) could still pose a major threat against low- and slow-flying helicopters. Furthermore, the Soviet 9K37 Buk-M1 will also be available. This mobile, heavy SAM is a new unit, though it was briefly featured in the 79th Guards Tank Division before being removed.
While the Bundeswehr maintained 11 divisions in peacetime, the East German NVA only had 6. But the army was well-drilled and organized, so in case of war, 4 infantry divisions could be formed from reservists within half a week. These formations would be raised in the rear - exactly the area of operations of K.d.A. Bezirk Erfurt. Our new East German division will have access to a few reserve Mot.-Schützen-Division assets: infantry squads in BTR-70 or BTR-50, T-55A, ATGM and MANPAD teams, etc.
[h2]What can you expect in-game?[/h2]
Let’s detail each of K.d.A. Bezirk Erfurt’s in-game categories:
[h2]See you on the battlefield[/h2]
All right, that was this week’s blog post. Hope you enjoyed our second preview of MASSENA. Tune in next week when we talk a bit more about maps!
Join the passionate WARNO community. Check the latest news on the Steam News page or visit the Steam Forums. Get to together with other players on either the excellent Discord server, Reddit page, or our Instagram.
See you on the battlefield, commander!
It’s good to be back. As promised, today we will take another look at the next WARNO milestone, MASSENA. Detailed last week was NATO’s special West German territorial command, Territorialkommando Süd; this week we’ll highlight the East German version: Kampfgruppe der Arbeiterklasse Bezirk Erfurt. To save us all a bit of trouble, let’s shorten this new WARNO division to K.d.A. Bezirk Erfurt.
Ever onwards, commander! Let’s keep reading to find out more.
[h2]A worker’s Army[/h2]
As we detailed in our first MASSENA preview, our focus in the milestone will be on two territorial commands - divisions that contain a mix of rear-line troops with additional armor or artillery support. Most times, these formations would guard the rear against potential airborne assaults or special forces raids. Equipped with older vehicles and arms, these commands could still handle themselves well in a defensive fight.
The name Kampfgruppe der Arbeiterklasse Bezirk Erfurt translates to Erfurt District’s Combat Group of the Working Class, situating this Warsaw Pact division in the southern part of East Germany, facing CENTAG. The organization of this formation differed from its West German counterpart. Made up of paramilitary-style platoons and companies, the soldiers mainly were party members or “politically reliable”.
While a civil reserve force, and in some ways a heavily armed militia, because of its training and armament, Combat Groups of the Working Class were well organized as a rear echelon defense formation. Of course, in war, these Kampfgruppe der Arbeiterklasse could deploy away from their home territories.
Divided into companies of a hundred men, the citizen-soldiers of K.d.A. Bezirk Erfurt hailed from large factories or a city’s neighborhood. “Heavy hundred” companies were equipped with anti-tank, mortar, and anti-air platoons.
[h2]K.d.A. Bezirk Erfurt[/h2]
In WARNO, the KdA squads are especially big, with 14 men per squad. They only field one LMG, while KdA Führer can bring 6 soldiers to the battlefield, carrying only the KMS-72. Much like a lot of equipment for this division, older small arms were available, from KMS-72 (AK-47) in place of the AK-74, RPG-7, and the ubiquitous l.MG-K machine guns. Heavier arms included 120mm mortars, 23mm AA guns and D-44 85mm anti-tank guns.
In the event of war, K.d.A. Bezirk Erfurt would have relied on an arsenal of “vintage” materiel brought from reserve or training units. In the East German division’s case, this would have been as the ZSU-57-2 heavy SPAAG, BRDM-2 Malyutka, BTR-152 armored personnel carrier, PT-76 and even museum-worthy T-34/85 tanks.
Much like the West German TerrKdo Süd, our East German territorials were tasked with protecting precious assets of the army, and in WARNO will be able to call on heavy AA and artillery support (both East German and Soviet). With K.d.A. Bezirk Erfurt, you’ll be able to bring to bear the Soviet 2S7M Malka 203mm self-propelled artillery and the East German M-46 130mm long-range howitzer.
The previously mentioned ZSU-57-2 will also be a part of the package. While this self-propelled anti-air gun might be obsolete against fast-moving combat planes, its twin 57mm AA guns (largest in-game) could still pose a major threat against low- and slow-flying helicopters. Furthermore, the Soviet 9K37 Buk-M1 will also be available. This mobile, heavy SAM is a new unit, though it was briefly featured in the 79th Guards Tank Division before being removed.
While the Bundeswehr maintained 11 divisions in peacetime, the East German NVA only had 6. But the army was well-drilled and organized, so in case of war, 4 infantry divisions could be formed from reservists within half a week. These formations would be raised in the rear - exactly the area of operations of K.d.A. Bezirk Erfurt. Our new East German division will have access to a few reserve Mot.-Schützen-Division assets: infantry squads in BTR-70 or BTR-50, T-55A, ATGM and MANPAD teams, etc.
[h2]What can you expect in-game?[/h2]
Let’s detail each of K.d.A. Bezirk Erfurt’s in-game categories:
- The LOG category is quite generous, with access to many (unarmed) command vehicles and numerous suppliers, including the heavy Mi-26 helicopter.
- Likewise, the INF forces are pretty decent, with KdA infantry as its core, but also some vet-locked reserve Pionier and Mot-Schützen. The former can field the BTR-152 as an armored transport, the latter BTR-50.
- ART units are good, with the division’s access to Malka super-heavy self-propelled guns and M-46 towed howitzers, as well as 120mm mortars and D-30 122mm howitzers.
- Armored TNK forces are nothing to write home about, with mostly older equipment being fielded. This includes PT-76, T-34/85 and T-55A tanks, UAZ Fagot and BRDM-2 Malyutka tank destroyers, and D-44 towed anti-tank guns.
- RECO is a bit lacking, with only a few Scout squads, unarmed Mi-2 recon helicopters and BRDM-2 and PT-76 armored recon vehicles.
- AA on the other hand is pretty good with the heavy Soviet 9K37 Buk-M1 SAM, East German Strela-2M MANPAD squads, the ZSU-57-2 SPAAG and ZU-23-2 light AA guns.
- A few HELO units can fielded, including Soviet and NVA Mi-8 gunships, as well as the Mi-8MT [GUV] with its 30mm pods.
- AIR support is capable, with a selection of Soviet and East German planes. New loadouts are the (Soviet) Su-17M4 with 240mm rockets, the anti-tank MiG-27M and the SEAD Su-24MP. You will also be able to field the East German MiG-21bis with 130mm rockets.
[h2]See you on the battlefield[/h2]
All right, that was this week’s blog post. Hope you enjoyed our second preview of MASSENA. Tune in next week when we talk a bit more about maps!
Join the passionate WARNO community. Check the latest news on the Steam News page or visit the Steam Forums. Get to together with other players on either the excellent Discord server, Reddit page, or our Instagram.
See you on the battlefield, commander!