WARNO News

Gather round, commanders!

The propaganda battle was brutal, unrelenting almost, with much ammunition spent by all sides. Many a meme were shared, all in your epic effort to sway the community’s vote for one of the three Nemesis #2 options.

We wholeheartedly commend your attempts; the Nemesis game was played fair and square and with much joy and respect to all players and potential votes included.

And, the very close results for Nemesis #2 reflect the titanic struggle on the interwebs for your precious vote.

Without further ado, let’s crown the victor of Nemesis #2.

…drumrollmaestroplease…



[h2]Nemesis #2 Winner[/h2]
The official winner of Nemesis #2 is Nemesis #2.2 - Plateau d'Albion!

The full breakdown of the vote:

• Nemesis #2.2 - Plateau d'Albion captured your imagination with a 37,05% of the ballot.
  
• Nemesis #2.3 - Second Wave came a close second with 34,00% of the vote.
  
• And Nemesis #2.1 - Hof Corridor third and last with 28,95%.

As we mentioned before, Nemesis #2 was a very tight race. By the end of the first day, the three options were so close (less than 2% difference between first and third) that the Eugen team had flashbacks from the latest French parliamentary elections!

Soon after, Nemesis #2.1 - Hof Corridor fell behind, with Nemesis #2.2 - Plateau d'Albion and #2.3 - Second Wave racing ahead, yet none keeping the lead for long over the next 48 hours. There was no clear winner until after the weekend, with Nemesis #2.2 - Plateau d'Albion chipping away at the vote and slowly widening the gap until the ballot’s finish line. Strangely, it appears that "Nuke France" was an appealing enough slogan to give Plateau d'Albion the extra push it needed. We wonder why?

There you have it: Nemesis #2.2 - Plateau d'Albion is official and will be coming to WARNO in the not-too-distant future!



[h2]Nemesis #2.2 - Plateau d'Albion[/h2] Nemesis #2.2 - Plateau d'Albion contains a scenario straight out of a 1980s technothriller with a daring Warsaw Pact effort to take control of the French silo-based nuclear weapons on Plateau d'Albion in south-eastern France. The Soviet 76th Guards Airborne Division air assaults deep behind enemy lines and faces off against the local French defenders of the 152e Division d’Infanterie. Read more lore background and unit details in this dedicated DevBlog here.



New units and weapons for Nemesis #2.2 - Plateau d'Albion include:

• The French 152e Division d’Infanterie features the new heavy supply truck TRM-10000 LOG, new M201 jeeps in several variants, new ALOUETTE II PC command helicopter, reworked RESERVISTES infantry plus a new command variant squad.
  
• Other new infantry squads include MARSOUINS naval infantry in various flavors, as well as special French Air Force COMMANDOS DE L’AIR squads riding to battle in the new VIB APC. Other new units will be RES. MLE. 50/63 155mm howitzers, light AML-90 used as tanks, Panhard EBR armored cars, twin-engined ECUREUIL plus ALOUETTE SS-11 helicopters, CROTALE SAMs and BOFORS 40mm AA guns. Aircraft able to deploy are FOUGA MAGISTER and ALPHA JET E.

• The Soviet 76th Guards Airborne Division brings the new LuAZ SNAB. and DESANT. GAZ-66B SNAB as supply units. The formation will have plenty of BMD-2-borne DESANTNIKI infantry squads. The new and advanced BMD-3 will be a mainstay as a “light airborne tank”.
  
• Another new interesting unit is the SCHMEL-1 unarmed aerial vehicle with the new UAV trait (fragile but hard to spot and immune to Suppression). More new toys include DESANT. GAZ-66B ZU-23-2 AA guns, RAZV. BMD-3 recon IFV, Su-24 in a new AT variant.

The next Nemesis DLC for WARNO will now enter the design and production pipeline. A release is planned for later this year, but keep in mind that this is not a fixed date.

Meanwhile, the other two Nemesis options will go into Eugen’s ideas box and will be shelved. Perhaps we will dust off the ideas for a run-off vote later down the line, or cannibalize some divisions for other offerings.

[h2]EA Pack Plus Progress[/h2]
Before we leave you to rest and recuperate from the exhaustive Nemesis #2 battles, a little update on the EA Pack Plus. The Early Access Pack (made available for free to all EA owners of WARNO) is in the process of being updated with two brand-new divisions. The current roster of 5 divisions will see the NATO’s US 35th Infantry Division and Warsaw Pact’s Rügener Gruppierung be added for free for those who already own it, and no price change for those who don't.



https://store.steampowered.com/app/2978610/WARNO__Early_Access_Pack/

The two new divisions that will make up the EA Pack Plus are basically done. We are in the process of finalizing some last-minute hiccups, including polishing new models’ textures, plus recording and integrating the new Polish voice lines. Then, we will build a candidate version and set a release date. The two new battlegroups should be with you very shortly!







[h2]Until Next Time[/h2]
That’s it! We’ll be back next week with a brand-new WARNO DevBlog!

Join the 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, commander.

Are you ready, commanders? Let’s vote!

The Nemesis #2 vote has officially opened (the link is further below). Before you scramble to cast your ballot (and influence your fellow commanders in unrelenting propaganda battles afterward), let’s recap the three Nemesis options, as well as laying down some rules regarding this very first WARNO community vote.

Let’s go!

[h2]Nemesis #2 In Brief[/h2] Nemesis #2 is ready to be voted on, but first, let’s review each of the options in turn.

Each paid Nemesis mini-expansion contains two themed divisions featuring new units, vehicles, and weapons. And you get to vote on which of three Nemesis options should be developed.

The Nemesis pairings are all “what if” battles, operations, doctrine, or types of formation set in WARNO’s alternative World War III. The Nemesis chosen by you through a majority vote will “write” WARNO’s lore. Note that the Nemesis options coming in second and third go back on the Eugen’s workshop shelves for potential later use.

[h2]Nemesis #2 Recap[/h2]
Which Nemesis #2 offerings can be voted on?

• The Nemesis #2.1 - Hof Corridor centers on a key valley in southern East Germany turning into the counter-attack vector for the Bundeswehr’s 12 Panzerdivision, with plentiful American support, going up against the ad-hoc defensive-minded Soviet battlegroup Protivotankovyy Rezerv with East German reservists.
  
  
  
  
• The Nemesis #2.2 - Plateau d'Albion features a war scenario straight out of a 1980s technothriller with a life-or-death struggle to take control of the French silo-based nuclear weapons on Plateau d'Albion. The Soviet 76th Guards Airborne Division air assault deep behind enemy lines and face off against the local French defenders of the 152e Division d’Infanterie.
  
  
  
  
• The Nemesis #2.3 - Second Wave brings forward two rear-area but reinforced divisions and plunges them straight into combat. The Soviet 34th Tank Division is unleashed from the USSR’s heartland with its plentiful T-62 tanks and air forces, while NATO British Support Command needs to use all the reservist forces present in its area of command, from artillery to aircraft and even detachments of famous Gurkha’s.
  
  

With that out of the way, let’s get voting! [h2]Nemesis #2 Vote is Now Live![/h2]
Our Nemesis #2 community vote is now live!

You can find the vote by following this link.

Voting will close on Thursday, August 22nd, at 12:00 (CEST) / 11:00 AM (BST) / 6 AM (EDT). We will publish the results as soon as possible, or potentially the next day.

You can vote multiple times, but only your LAST vote will be taken into account! Be respectful of the ballot and your fellow players. As always, no cheating, bullying, spamming, or insults will be tolerated.
The industrious WARNO community (you) has already put a lot of effort into swaying the vote into one of the above three options. What’s more, there are plenty of highly detailed posts and comments on WARNO’s social channels discussing the (supposed) pros and cons, unique weapons or units, the rarity of equipment, and all the nitty-gritty details of each of the above new battlegroups. Be sure to check them out - but do so at your own peril as Nemesis #2 propaganda battles are far from over and will last until the very last day of the vote!

[h2]Until Next Time[/h2]
We know that the various propaganda offenses have been unleashed in full, and be sure that this will continue for the next couple of days. Whatever the outcome, let the most popular Nemesis option win.

That’s all, commanders. We’ll return next week with the results for Nemesis #2!

Join the 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.
May the most popular

Hello, hello!

Excited for the final Nemesis #2 option? We sure are! Let’s jump straight into action with today’s Nemesis #2.3 - Second Wave.

We welcome to the stage the NATO’s British Support Command reinforcing the lines much like the Warsaw Pact’s Soviet 34-ya Tankovaya Diviziya or 34th Tank Division.

Go, go, go!

[h2]Nemesis #2.3 - Second Wave[/h2]
In this offering, we focus on two divisions that - unlike the preceding options - weren’t meant to face each other directly but did fulfill a similar function as rear-area battlefield reinforcements. Hence, the name Second Wave.

NATO’s British Support Command and the Soviet 34-ya Tankovaya Diviziya were both reserve divisions designed to be worked up and mobilized in the lead-up to war. In the British case, it is a battlegroup amalgamating a host of rear-area and second-line forces in the British Army of the Rhine’s area of command; for the Soviets, the division is a typical lower readiness formation set to be trained and equipped deep in the USSR’s hinterland before deploying to the front.

We saw it fit to add some very interesting and unique units to both these divisions. Keep reading to find out more!

[h2]The British Support Command[/h2]
The British Support Command encompassed all British units not under the I (BR) Corps in NORTHAG (so not the main combat formations). HQ British Army of the Rhine (BAOR) was situated in Rheindahlen, West Germany. In case of war, the BAOR would come under direct NATO command and turn into NORTHAG. The remaining elements of the HQ BAOR would form the British Support Command.

The formation’s mission was to secure the Corps’ rear area against communist infiltrators, saboteurs, special forces, or airborne drops. It was also to take command of any reinforcement from the United Kingdom, which didn’t have any direct combat assignment.



As such, the BRSC could count on seven infantry battalions, one regular and the rest being Territorial Army (TA), as well as many independent AA, artillery, and security units, all the way down to lone companies. While the TA troops were very lightly armed, the British Army stored lots of older equipment on the continent. This materiel, despite being obsolete, would have been a great help to bolster the forces’ firepower.

[h2]The British Support Command in WARNO[/h2]
How will the British Support Command look like in-game?

LOG

• A very good category for the BRSC. The formation was in charge of keeping the supply flowing to I (BR) Corps, meaning a well-stocked and capable logistical train.
  
• You’ll deploy the light ROVER 101FC SUPPLY, medium (new) AEC MILITANT Mk.3 and the massive FODEN 16t truck (with 3000 Supply). The latter will be bound to the road, hardly able to move off-road. And, of course, a FOB.
  
• CHINOOK supply helicopter.
  
• Command vehicles will be ROVER CP, FV510 SARACEN CP and the FV105 SULTAN.
  

INF

• A good combination of slots, costs, plus some interesting units.
  
• Of course, all existing TERRIERS squads deployable in jeeps, trucks or SARACEN.
  
• RIFLES LDR. and MOT. RIFLES in trucks and SAXON, but with a handful of cards only.
  
• Numerous squads with the Security trait. Much like its strong logistical category, the battlegroup’s primary mission was rear area security against enemy threats (and maintaining order and discipline). This means HSF squads, a new RAF RIFLES (the real one, not the existing reservist Berlin-based ones, which we will rename), plus PIONEERS. The latter squad was specifically in charge of HQ’s security.
  
• Two companies of the famous and dreaded GURKHAS were kept in reserve as demolition groups. These were to blow up bridges or other infrastructure if things should go haywire, and a Soviet breakthrough was all but assured. Teased in WARNO’s Army General Campaign, the “Left Hook”, these special soldiers are featured as a half-platoon of airmobile troops. They feature 12 men (so super-sized squad) with L85A1, 3x L86A1 LSW, and LAW-80. The Gurkhas having extra LAW-80, we also created a 6-man GURKHAS AT GROUP featuring two of these anti-tank weapons, plus GURKHAS RIFLES LDR.. All Gurkhas will come with the Shock and Resolute traits, plus veterancy, but only with a few cards.
  

ART

• A rather average category as the BRSC didn’t have artillery of its own. It did command over several training units and field depots filled with stored weapons. As you can imagine, the artillery forces available will be a hodgepodge of many guns.
  
• These include the standard L16 81mm mortar and L118 105mm howitzer.
  
• In light of us introducing the British MLRS to the other divisions (seeing service only a few months before our World War III kicked off), the M110A2 it replaced wouldn’t be far removed from the action, operated by unvetted crews.
  
• There were also plenty of old World War 2-era BL 5,5-INCH (140mm) in storage.
  
• Finally, the three TA Observation Post Batteries assigned to the BAOR reportedly retained their World War 2 QF 25-POUNDER (87mm) field guns in perfect order until 1990.
  

TANK

• Also pretty average in terms of options, costs, and slot availability.
  
• Gathering all serviceable CHIEFTAIN tanks in the area of command, including those in training units and under repair in workshops, warrants a card of older Mk.6/2 or even older variants (to be determined).
  
• The British Army had hundreds of even older CENTURION tanks in storage, some of them pre-positioned in West Germany. As is common practice in war, obsolete tanks still make perfect mobile pillboxes to protect airfields or other key infrastructure. This warrants the inclusion of a single card of CENTURION Mk.13.
  
• Airfield security was the domain of the RAF Regiment. As we already feature RAF RIFLES (the current variant to be renamed as mentioned previously), we will continue with this practice and add some armor elements: one card each of RAF SCORPION and RAF SCIMITAR, both in a tank role and with the Security trait.
  
• And to round it off: lots of ROVER MILAN.
  

RECO

• Rather abysmal, with the battlegroup unable to count on any dedicated recon battalion.
  
• This means a classic selection of SCOUTS, TERRIERS SCOUTS, FERRET, and FOX.
  
• Some helicopter recon will appear in the form of the unarmed (and new) WESTLAND SCOUT.
  

AA

• A pretty good category as the division would take over all AA assets not assigned to the I (BR) Corps, including various flavors of the king of all non-self-propelled SAM and MANPADs: you’ll get to play with the RAPIER FSA, RAPIER FSB1, and the new RAPIER FSB2 DARFIRE (with +2 missiles per launcher). Plus the standard BLOWPIPE, JAVELIN and JAVELIN LML.
  
• We are also throwing in some RAF storage TIGERCAT SAMs.
  

HELO

• Now we are at another extreme with an almost non-existent HELO category.
  
• There wasn't any combat helicopter detachment in the area to provide support to the BRSC. If this Nemesis option is picked, we will see if the division needs some foreign rotorcraft or can do without it.
  

AIR

• The BRSC’s air support will be plentiful. The exact composition of this category has not been determined yet, but unlike the helicopters, the battlegroup’s mission was airfield defense. This means quite a few options will be available in both air superiority and CAS sorties.
  
• As with other rear-area divisions, it will include trainers-turned-light attack aircraft. One of the examples is the British (new) HAWK T.1A.
  
• Some older F.6 LIGHTNING fighters will also be added. These were kept in storage in the United Kingdom, almost two squadrons worth.
  

The BRSC would play not too dissimilar to the West German TerrKdo Süd or the East German K.d.A. The British division will be a reserve battlegroup relying on quantity and cheap units over high-quality equipment, with plenty of infantry, artillery, and strong AA and air forces.

[h2]The Soviet 34th Tank Division[/h2]
The 34th Tank Division was a Category C type, meaning the lowest level of combat readiness within the Soviet army. Originally formed under this name at the start of World War II, the division, as it was during the Cold War, began its second life in 1957. The armored formation was based in the Byelorussian Military District, where a skeleton crew kept it dusted-off and functional during peacetime. As far as we can tell, the 34th Tank Division was the last remaining Soviet armored divisions to be equipped fully with T-62 tanks.



The division was not maintained at full strength and would incorporate a large number of reservists to get up to war footing. Being the lowest tier of combat readiness, the formation was also very low on the priority list for new or updated equipment or even having its aging ones replaced!

The 34th Tank Division never transitioned to the T-64 or T-80; it was even short of the venerable BMP-1. Other forces were also lacking, such as not being able to count on any organic artillery at all, save for a few BM-21 Grad. Garrisoned near an artillery training division and artillery schools, the industrious 34th Tank Division’s command staff would likely have “dragooned” some long-range indirect fire pieces to bolster the division’s artillery arm.

[h2]The Soviet 34th Tank Division in WARNO[/h2]
How will the Soviet 34th Tank Division look like in-game?

LOG

• A good amount of slots and ditto costs, but no helicopter units.
  
• Medium URAL-4320 SNAB, heavy KRAZ-225B SNAB and armored MT-LB SNAB. supply vehicles.
  
• Command vehicles are the BELOZOR jeep, CHAIKA and BMP-1K3 units.
  
• A new unit is the MV-650 KOMENDATURA - a command motorcycle with a side-car - which we hope will bring our Steel Division 2 fans some happy, carefree memories.
  

INF

• A pretty strong category for a tank division.
  
• One single card of a MOTOSTRELKI (BMP) squad with the (new) BMP-1 SP-2 as a transport option. This latter unit is armed with the older-generation Malyutka ATGM, the same as the DDR version.
  
• The rest of the MOTOSTRELKI squads are all centered around BTR transports. This includes the new REZERVISTI unit, which is a 10-man squad fielding AKM, RPK and RPG-7VM (14 AP). Finally a Soviet unit with the Reservist trait! The ratio between regular soldiers and reservists in these divisions should be one to two.
  
• The SAPERI KOM. and SAPERI squads will be the same as other Soviet divisions. The new REZ. SAPERI is armed with older AKMS and LPO flamethrowers and also carries the Reservist trait into battle.
  
• As mentioned, transport options will be between jeeps, trucks, BTR-60PB, and the older, turretless (new) BTR-60PA.
  
• KOMENDATURA and ZAGRADOTRYAD military police units will help keep the weary green recruits and reservists in line.
  
• Infantry support weapons include the usual array of SPG-9, FAGOT, KONKURS, PKM/, PLAMYA and the new REZ. NSV.
  

ART

• Average but with some new, interesting units.
  
• These include regimental artillery pieces such as the old (but new for the Soviets) M-43 82mm and PM-43 120mm mortars (only seen with our East German forces so far), and the ubiquitous D-30 122mm howitzers.
  
• As mentioned, the 34th Tank Division could only count on BM-21, but no organic “tube” artillery battalions. As the Grad turns out to be the main indirect artillery system for this battlegroup, it will come both in BM-21 [HE] and the new BM-21 [NPLM] variants.
  
• To beef up its artillery forces, the battlegroup will receive a smattering of other weapons, likely occurring in transit from the rear to the front. These units include 2S3 AKATSIYA, old WW2-era (but new) ML-20 152mm howitzers and even the sole Soviet-fielding DANA wheeled self-propelled artillery gun. These were Czech-made units available to the Central Group of Forces (Soviet Army stationed in Czechoslovakia), with the school located near the division.
  

TANK

• As can be expected, a pretty strong category with lots of cheap slots.
  
• The 34th Tank Division has access to numerous T-62MK, T-62M1, T-62M and T-62MV.
  
• Additionally, older (and new) REZ. T-62 Obr. 72 and REZ. T-62 Obr. 74 with the Reservist trait will also be made available.
  
• And dedicated tank destroying units will be restricted to a few older (and new) BRDM-2 MALYUTKA-P and BRDM-2 FALANGA-P.
  

RECO

• Recon forces in this battlegroup are pretty decent. They include classic RAZVEKDA SAPERI and MOT. RAZVEDKA., the latter squad deployable with RAZV. BTR-60PB transport.
  
• New REZ. RAZVEDKA with 4xAKM and RPG-18, sporting the Reservist trait.
  
• One card each of the BRDM-2 and BRM-1.
  
• A new unit will be the REZ. MV-650 DNJEPR motorcycle with sidecar, armed with an AGS-17. Think of it as a faster but more fragile UAZ with an automatic grenade launcher.
  

AA

• Anti-air category is average, with the division’s regimental AA weapons limited to a few BRDM-2 STRELA-1 and (older, as fielded by the East Germans) ZSU-23-4 SHILKA.
  
• MANPAD teams will vary between the usual IGLA and REZ. STRELA-2.
  
• Heavier AA systems amounted to older OSA with only 4 unboxed missiles and less range.
  
• In the march to the front, and to make up for the lack of AA systems, the division would commandeer REZ. AZP S-60 towed 57mm guns.
  

HELO

• It's not very promising, with the sole helicopter regiment located nearby to the 34th Tank Division having gained some notoriety (even in WARNO’s timeline). These were the pilots that flew the dangerous rescue and water-dosing missions about Chernobyl’s exposed reactor at dramatic personal risk. As a result, one of the regiment’s four squadrons was disbanded.
  
• This means that (no—they won’t be radioactive) helicopter support will come in the form of a handful of older Mi-24D (currently only featured as East German) in the anti-tank role and Mi-8 in a fire support one.
  

AIR

• Air forces assigned to the division are very good, however. While moving west to join the fight against NATO, the 34th Tank Division relied on the powerful Byelorussian Military District’s air force with several Su-25 regiments deployable. These will form a sizable core of the divisional air support.
  
• Other aircraft to be added will be picked from other Belarusian air regiments: MiG-29, Su-24 or MiG-25, as well as the older Yak-28PP in the EW role.
  

The second-echelon 34th Tank Division’s strength would be its large number of cheap tanks—chiefly the T-62—further backed by reservist infantry and a strong air force.

[h2]Nemesis #2 So Far[/h2] Nemesis #2 is in full swing. Each paid Nemesis mini-expansion contains two themed divisions featuring new units, vehicles, and weapons. And you get to vote on which of three Nemesis options should be developed.

The Nemesis pairings are all “what if” battles, operations, or decisive campaigns in WARNO’s alternative World War III. The Nemesis chosen by you through a majority vote will “write” WARNO’s lore. Note that the Nemesis options coming in second and third go back on the Eugen’s workshop shelves for potential later use.

And so it came to pass:

• The Nemesis #2.1 - Hof Corridor centers on a key valley in southern East Germany turning into the counter-attack vector for the Bundeswehr’s 12 Panzerdivision, with plentiful American support, going up against the ad-hoc defensive-minded Soviet battlegroup Protivotankovyy Rezerv with East German reservists.
  
• Nemesis #2.2 - Plateau d'Albion features a war scenario straight out of a 1980s technothriller with a life-or-death struggle to take control of the French silo-based nuclear weapons on Plateau d'Albion. The Soviet 76th Guards Airborne Division air assault deep behind enemy lines and face off against the local French defenders of the 152e Division d’Infanterie.
  

[h2]Nemesis: Air Assault[/h2]

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2978640/WARNO__Nemesis_1__Air_Assault/

Nemesis: Air Assault, featuring the Warsaw Pact’s Soviet 56-ya O.G. DShB or the 56th Separate Guards Air Assault and NATO’s US U.S. 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) is WARNO’s very first Nemesis DLC. The choice for this particular offering was already made ahead of time to speed up development.

[h2]Until Next Time[/h2]
That’s all. Start your propaganda engines and get ready to make a choice. We’ll be back next week with the kick-off of the Nemesis #2 vote!

Join the 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.
See you on the battlefield, commander.

Hello commanders,

We return with another WARNO Nemesis offering! In today’s DevBlog, we’ll continue our Nemesis #2 series with option deux.

Nemesis #2.2 - Plateau d'Albion is a very “what if” scenario within WARNO’s fictional World War III: a Soviet airborne strike deep, deep inside French territory to neutralize the nation’s nuclear capacity and missile silos before they could be used.

In today’s preview, we look at NATO’s French 152e Division d’Infanterie versus the Warsaw Pact’s Soviet 76-ya Gvardiyska Vozdushno-Desantnaya Diviziya or the 76th Guards Airborne Division.

[h2]The Nemesis Concept[/h2]
Before continuing, here's a short disclaimer about WARNO’s Nemesis concept. Each paid Nemesis mini-expansion contains two themed divisions featuring new units, vehicles, and weapons. The cool part is that you can vote on which of three Nemesis options gets developed.

The Nemesis pairings are all “what if” battles, operations, or decisive campaigns in WARNO’s alternative World War III. The Nemesis chosen to be developed will “write” WARNO’s lore. Note that the Nemesis options coming in second and third go back on the Eugen’s workshop shelves. They might be used in a run-off, or perhaps we’ll see fit to reuse these battlegroups in one form or another.

With Nemesis #2, get ready for some rather persuasive and imaginative propaganda battles. However, we kindly ask you to keep the ballot clean, with no cheating, flame wars, or other unwanted or toxic behavior. Be respectful to the vote, the fellow players, the devs, and the WARNO community.

[h2]Nemesis #2 So Far[/h2] Nemesis #2 is in full swing. This is what came to pass:

• The Nemesis #2.1 - Hof Corridor centers on a key valley in southern East Germany the counter-attack vector for the Bundeswehr’s 12 Panzerdivision, with plentiful American support, going up against the ad-hoc defensive-minded Soviet battlegroup Protivotankovyy Rezerv with East German reservists.
  

[h2]Nemesis: Air Assault[/h2]

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2978640/WARNO__Nemesis_1__Air_Assault/

Nemesis: Air Assault, featuring the Warsaw Pact’s Soviet 56-ya O.G. DShB or the 56th Separate Guards Air Assault and NATO’s US U.S. 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) is WARNO’s very first Nemesis DLC. The choice for this particular offering was already made ahead of time to speed up development.

[h2]Nemesis #2.2 - Plateau d'Albion[/h2]
Now to the meat and potatoes of Nemesis #2.2 - Plateau d'Albion. This option will be, so far, one of the more outlandish war scenarios we propose within WARNO’s lore. What are we talking about? A Soviet airborne strike deep inside French territory to neutralize the country’s nuclear missile silos.

France left NATO’s integrated military command structure in 1966 (but not NATO itself). This meant that the French retained the possibility of using their nuclear arsenal of their own accord—without NATO’s approval. The West Germans would have very likely opposed the use of nuclear weapons on their soil, though France was a wild card.

Now, we already established that in WARNO’s conventional World War III, nuclear weapons are not used. However, nuclear warfare was a real possibility, and though no tactical or strategic exchange occurred within our timeline, the threat was considered very acute.

[h2]A Spectacular Strike[/h2]
In real life, the most likely war scenarios by both sides were the sumptuous use of nuclear weapons, either as an opening shot, decapitating strikes, to annihilate a Soviet armored breakthrough, or to obliterate NATO’s political will to continue the fight. Indeed, it was generally considered the French’s last resort to turn the eastern bank of the Rhine (meaning allied West Germany) into a radioactive wasteland to prevent Soviet tanks from breaking through the French border. How delightful.

In the 1980s, France had three different means of delivering its strategic nuclear weapons: submarine (SNLE), aircraft (Mirage IV), and land-based silos (S2). The former two could be countered by Warsaw Pact navies, air forces, and air defenses, but the latter strike option remained well-protected on French soil. Specifically, these missiles were housed in the Base Aérienne 200 (BA 200) on the Plateau d’Albion in southeastern France.



Nemesis #2.2 - Plateau d'Albion highlights a spectacular airborne coup de main conducted by the Warsaw Pact to neutralize the missile silos fielded far behind enemy lines. It would be one of the first - perhaps initial strike in the war, together with the covert Kassel-Calden airport takeover in West Germany. The Soviet airborne forces would likely be routed over neutral Austria and Switzerland in the chaotic first minutes and hours of the conflict before entering French airspace and dropping in hot.

In any case, the battle would be short and extremely violent; no quarter given nor asked. Massive armored doors protected BA 200’s silos, designed to resist a nuclear blast, but so heavy it took 20 minutes to close (or open). This means the operation would be decided in the first 20 minutes, with Warsaw Pact airborne troops landing right on top of the defenders. Both Soviet and French troops would have to accomplish their tasks within this time frame.



The hypothetical scenario sketched is more in line with James Bond's movies or the techno-thrillers of the 1980s and 90s, but is still faintly plausible.

[h2]The French 152e Division d’Infanterie[/h2]
Unlike so many other French divisions, the 152e Division d’Infanterie doesn’t trace its origins to the Napoleonic wars, but “just” World War I. It was raised in 1915 and, though missing the first year, took part in the conflict’s most grueling battles: Artois, Verdun, Somme, Chemin des Dames, all the way up to the final Hundred Days Offensive. Disbanded afterward, the division was reconstituted for World War II, being listed in official records but apparently never forming or taking part in any action.



Fast-forward to 1979. The 152e Division d’Infanterie saw the light again as a training formation in the later stages of the Cold War. During peacetime, its units were reduced to a cadre of professional troops operating out of various military schools in the administrative 5e Division Militaire (in the southeast of France).

In WARNO, as mounting tensions lead up to a World War III in the summer of 1989, the formation hurriedly formed the 4e and 24e Régiment d’Infanterie de Marine (naval infantry regiments), the 86e Régiment d’Infanterie (regular infantry) and 19e Régiment de Chasseurs à Cheval (armored cavalry). A further HQ staff and two independent engineer companies resulted in the 152e Division d’Infanterie, mimicking real-life plans.

While the two naval infantry regiments were regular, though under-strength, the infantry and armored cavalry regiments were created out of the school’s cadre and filled with reservists. With the featured forces, the 152e Division d’Infanterie was just shy of being a full-fledged infantry division, lacking one engineer company - and, more importantly - one artillery regiment.



The 152e Division d’Infanterie’s wartime mission was simple: protect the Base Aérienne 200 on the Plateau d’Albion. As such, when under attack, it would receive some additional detachments. These include the Base Aérienne 200’s own defenses, with lots of AA, a helicopter squadron, the Commandos de l’Air (security commandos), plus reserve artillery units.

[h2]The French 152e Division d’Infanterie in WARNO[/h2]
As always, units that are both bolded and italic are new! Note that we have not listed “reserve” variants of existing units as new.

LOG

• A good category. Though the 152e Division d’Infanterie had a limited logistical train, it would be operating from a well-established and supplied military base.
  
• Supply units include the TRM-2000 LOG and its bigger brother, the much heavier (and new) TRM-10000 LOG. During the deployment phase, a FOB can also be used.
  
• Command units featured are the new M201 PC (which is the P4‘s ancestor, basically a locally produced World War II Willy’s jeep), VAB PC, and the new ALOUETTE II PC.

INF

• This will clearly be the division’s strongest category.
  
• The most numerous infantry unit on the table will be (reworked) RESERVISTES featuring the old LRAC 73 as a 4th Weapon, led by the new CMDT RESERVISTES squad. Both units feature the Reservist trait and will ride to battle in either a (new) M201 jeep, truck, or VAB APC.
  
  
  
  
• Naval infantry will be present with a few cards of regular and new CMDT MARSOUINS, MARSOUINS and MARSOUINS (APILAS). These are organized and equipped exactly like their GRENADIER-VOLTIGEURS counterparts, with the only notable difference being the specific headgear the soldiers wore (the French Army being rather fashionista). To follow our approach of granting the Shock trait to airborne troops as a whole (to emphasize their close-quarter combat training), we intend for naval infantry of all nations to come featured with the Resolute trait, emphasizing their usually stronger esprit de corps. Therefore, these new squads will be organized along the lines of the already existing GRENADIER-VOLTIGEURS but with the Resolute trait. They will also deploy in either a M201 jeep, truck, or VAB.
  
• Engineers deploy from regular companies and are identical to existing SAPEURS (in all variants), although less numerous than in a regular division.
  
• PREVOTE military police will be complemented by some heavy-duty airfield security GENDARMES DE L’AIR combat squads.
  
• The French Air Force, the Armée de l’Air, could count on its own COMMANDOS DE L’AIR, assigned to secure the perimeter of the Base Aérienne 200. These are special forces armed with FAMAS, Minimi Para, and FR-F2 and are the sole known French users of the WASP 58 disposable AT launcher. These units will be granted the Security and Special Forces traits, with transports being either trucks, PUMA, or the new VIB. This latter unit is a Véhicule d’Intervention Blindé (Armored Intervention Vehicle), being an air force VAB T20/13 designed for airfield protection. Although visually slightly different, it will be roughly similar in stats to the latter with only two main differences: it is non-amphibious and will be a transport featuring the Security trait.
  
• Infantry crew-served weapon teams will be the RES. M40A1 recoilless rifle, MILAN ATGM team and the AANF1 machine guns.

ART

• A pretty mediocre tab. As explained, the division could not count on any organic artillery, only some reservist detachments.
  
• This means regimental MO-81-61C 81mm and MO-120-RT61 120mm mortars, as well as the self-propelled VAB PM-81.
  
• Heavier guns take the form of reserve RES. HM2A1 105mm and RES. Mle. 50/63 155mm howitzers.

TANK

• An average category. The 152e Division d’Infanterie could count on a full regiment of light AML-90 used in a tank role. These will be divided into AML-90 PC command variant, a non-reservists variant, perhaps even vetted with experience as instructors, as well as the RES. AML-90 with Reservist trait.
  
• Dedicated tank-destroying units are composed of the M201 MILAN.

RECON

• A pretty strong category with the usual complement of AML-60 and AML-90.
  
• New units include 4-man RES. ECLAIREURS with FAMAS, AANF1 and LRAC 73, transportable in either M201 or armed M201 MG (which mounts the AA52 which is an older AANF1 chambered in 7,5mm rounds).
  
• Although removed from frontline units, being either replaced with the ERC-90 or AMX-10RC, in 1989 France still had several hundred Panhard EBR armored cars in storage. There would be no better opportunity to include some of these golden oldies than in this battlegroup, thanks to its resident armored cavalry school unit. This vehicle will be modeled as a single card of the RES. EBR 90.
  
  
  
  
• In the flying department, the Armée de l’Air replaced their Gazelle helicopters with the ECUREUIL before the French Army’s aviation arm, meaning the unarmed twin-engine helicopter will be deployable here first.
  

AA

• A very good category. The French division only had a few regimental guns, but the Base Aérienne 200’s was very well-defended against air attacks, which is reflected in the units available.
  
• These range from divisional 53T2 20mm guns, either towed or in the TRM-2000 TARASQUE variant.
  
• The base and Plateau d’Albion as a whole fielded the (new) CERBERE twin 20mm guns (crewed by commandos, hence Special Forces trait) plus BOFORS 40mm guns, as well as self-propelled CROTALE SAMs and MISTRAL MANPAD teams.

HELO

• Not very good with only a few armed helicopters available. From the base’s own squadron, a few ECUREUIL 20mm can be deployed with an autocannon.
  
• The nearest outside helicopter force, which could deploy in support, would come from Lyon’s 5e Groupe d’Hélicoptères Légers’ in the form of (new) older ATGM-equipped ALOUETTE SS-11.

AIR

• As can be expected, the 152e Division d’Infanterie was close to several major air bases and could call on rapid French air support.
  
• The closest one was rather unusual, though: the Patrouille de France (PaF)’s base at Salon de Provence, 50km away. The PaF is the Armée de l’Air’s aerobatic aerial team, with veteran pilots amongst its ranks. At the end of the 1980s, they had recently traded their older (but new in-game) FOUGA MAGISTER for (new) ALPHA JET E (without a gun). Both will be available as light but experienced bombers.
  
• More existing aircraft will be added depending on the divisional needs once in playtesting.
  

The 152e Division d’Infanterie will be a reserve division with versatile infantry and many light armored cars sporting heavy armaments. This battlegroup will also have powerful anti-air defenses, with aircraft making up for the lack of artillery and helicopter forces.

[h2]The 76th Guards Airborne Division highlighted[/h2]
The 76th Guards Airborne Division would have had the unenviable task of destroying the French nuclear weapons and likely die trying in the process. As can be guessed, the Soviet VDV formation traces its lineage back to World War II, where its parent division - the 157th Rifle Division - fought with distinction in various epic battles, including the Battle of Stalingrad, Battle of Kursk, Operation Bagration, and the Berlin Offensive. After the war, it was reformed as a Soviet airborne division, part of the VDV.



While it never served in the Afghanistan War, it was used to quell inter-ethnic tensions in the Soviet Union's near abroad in the late 1980s. In our WARNO scenario, with the “March to War,” it was pulled out and given plenty of time to prepare for their - potentially heroic but very much sacrificial - war mission.

Since you should be pretty familiar with Soviet air assault units, let’s see how the 76th Guards Airborne Division compares to the currently featured 35th Guards Air Assault Brigade and Nemesis: Air Assault’s 56th Separate Air Assault Brigade. This Nemesis division leans more towards the base game’s 35th Guards being a mechanized airborne infantry division with widespread Forward Deployment trait. The only specific feature from the 56th Separate battlegroup will be the LuAZ amphibious jeep featuring the Forward Deployment trait replacing the UAZ.

Also, being a full division and not a brigade, it can count on a higher proportion of its infantry going to battle with BMD in support. It also receives an entire airborne artillery regiment. In Nemesis #2.2 - Plateau d'Albion’s deep raid scenario, no non-droppable heavy equipment will be available. This also means no Shilka SPAAGs and only a few helicopters.



[h2]The 76th Guards Airborne Division in WARNO[/h2]
How will the 76th Guards Airborne Division look like in-game?

LOG

• As can be expected from an airborne division dropped far behind enemy lines, it will have to make do with only a few slots and no FOB.
  
• The new supply units are the DESANT. LuAZ SNAB. and DESANT. GAZ-66B SNAB.
  
• Command vehicles include the LuAZ jeep and BTR/BMD units.

INF

• The infantry available to the 76th is very strong. It will have all the DESANT. (except the AFGANTSY) units from the 35th Guards, but none of the DSh. and SPETSNAZ squads.
  
• BMD-borne DESANTNIKI will be featured in greater numbers than truck-borne ones (GAZ-66B). The division is also lavishly equipped with BMD-2, with transport option choices being BTR-D or BMD 2, but not the BMD-1.
  
• DESANT. SAPERY squads will get access to GAZ-66B and BTR-D.
  
• Specialized ATGM teams will get access to the BTR-D and BTR-RD.
  
• None of the infantry will be heliborne.
  
• The DESANT. UAZ SPG-9 will be replaced by its DESANT. LuAZ SPG-9 counterpart.

ART

• Actually pretty good, being very similar to the 35th Guards, but without the MT-LB VASILEK or NONA-K.
  
• On the other hand, the division had many more 2S9 NONA-S but also included some DESANT. 2B14 82mm (introduced with 56th Separate).

TANK

• An average category with some limited choices (though better than the 35th Guards).
  
• Technically, the 76th Guards featured no airborne-deployable tank. Yet, the division was (in 1991, so fitting within our “March to War” timeline) the first one to be equipped with a battalion (and a bit more, see the RECO category) of the new BMD-3. This, to be completely honest, was the main reason we picked the division for this Nemesis DLC.
  
• As an IFV, the BMD-3 would have been too close to BMD-2 and would have been restricted to a single card of 4-strong infantry squads. Instead, we considered them to be regrouped as an “armored” battalion.
  
• The division, therefore, will receive some BMD-3 “light airborne tanks” with +1 Front Armor (compared to the BMD-2) and armed with 30mm autocannon, Konkurs-M ATGM, PKT, and AGS-17 (thanks to the new 4th Weapon Slot).
  
• DESANT. UAZ KONKURS will be replaced with a DESANT. LuAZ KONKURS counterpart.
  
• No D-44 nor BRDM-2 KONKURS.

RECON

• This category can be considered slightly better than the 35th Guards in terms of slots and costs while featuring a different set of units.
  
• It can count on the DESANT. RAZVEDKA, SPETSNAZ GRU and 1V119 REOSTAT.
  
• The UAZ KPV will be replaced with the new DESANT. LuAZ AGS-17.
  
• A new ”heavy DESANT. SCOUT" (name to be translated) will be created, transportable with recon RAZV. BMD-2., or in the few armed and unarmed transport Mi-8 available.
  
• One card of RAZV. BMP-3 as a “recon tank” will be added as well.
  
• Lastly, another new unit will be the new recon SCHMEL-1 unarmed aerial vehicle with a specific UAV trait. Working as a plane, but from the RECO tab, these slow and fragile units will be very hard to spot and target and impervious to Suppression.

AA

• Pretty mediocre category. Though the 76th Guards had an entire AA battalion at its disposal, meaning slots, the choices are limited to light units only.
  
• The division’s entire AA defense hinges on two weapon systems: Igla and the good ‘ol ZU-23-2.
  
• The latter unit will come as a towed DESANT. ZU-23-2 and the self-propelled (and new) DESANT. GAZ-66B ZU-23-2 (based on the modified GAZ-66B, with Forward Deployment[ trait).
  
• The DESANT. IGLA MANPAD team, coming in LuAZ, BTR-D or BTR-ZD (mounting a ZU-23-2) flavors.

HELO

• A pretty dismal category. In real-life, it only had under a dozen Mi-8 helicopters, mostly for support. Some of these will be given as transport options for recon troops.
  
• This means none will be left as gunships.
  
• We are still debating whether a single Mi-8MT card with rockets should be included.

AIR

• This is a pretty strong category. Considering that the 76 Guards would be on a one-way trip deep inside enemy territory, whatever close air support was given was to be long-range.
  
• This means plentiful support of the Su-24, including a new AT variant fielding the Kh-29.
  
• Some long-range fighters will provide some critically needed air cover.

The 76th Guards Airborne Division uniquely features the BMD-3 in both a tank and recon tank role. This results in this VDV air assault formation being closer in style to the American 82nd Airborne Division (with its Sheridans) than comparable existing Soviet airborne battlegroups.

[h2]Grand Final of SDL WARNO League Season 1[/h2]
Before we leave, a message for your competitive WARNO players. The Grand Final of the SDL WARNO League Season 1 will be played this coming Saturday, the 3rd of August, at 3 pm CEST (4 pm BST).



YukiPaw and Berthags, who both vanquished quite a few of the top players, will duel it out for the title to be crowned WARNO League Champion and a prize pool of over $300 dollars.

As always, the Grand Final will be streamed live on YouTube and Twitch.

Make sure to read all the juicy details in on the SDL WARNO League’s website.

[h2]Until Next Time[/h2]
That’s all for this DevBlog. Next week, we’ll be back with Nemesis #2.3!

Join the 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.

See you on the battlefield, commander.

Hello commanders,

We are back! In last week’s DevBlog, we talked about the first of the two new divisions being added for free to WARNO’s EA Pack DLC: NATO’s National Guard-focused US 35th Infantry Division.

Today is the Warsaw Pact’s turn. Let’s shine a spotlight on the communist offering: the East German Rügener Gruppierung.

Let’s go, commanders!

[h2]EA Pack plus[/h2]
A brief note on the EA Pack. With WARNO’s official launch out of Early Access, we encountered some snafus, especially affecting the WARNO’s Early Access owners. To make amends, we promised to add two new divisions for free to the EA Pack.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2978610/WARNO__Early_Access_Pack/

The EA Pack, featuring five divisions, was made available for free to all EA owners of WARNO. Check out the existing formations by following the above link.

In the not-too-distant future (release date to be determined), we’ll add the new NATO’s US 35th Infantry Division and Warsaw Pact’s Rügener Gruppierung.

[h2]The Nationale Volksarmee’s Rügener Gruppierung[/h2]
The Rügener Gruppierung takes its name from Rügen Island, on the East German Baltic Coast, where the communist Volksmarine had its main naval base. To defend this critically important site, a substantial local Nationale Volksarmee force was in place, to be bolstered by reservists and foreign allied troops at the outbreak of war. These formations, mostly training units and navy personnel, were to guard the base against the threat of NATO amphibious and air assaults.



The NVA’s Besondere Gruppierung II (Special Grouping II) was the name for this special force. Next to the Rügen Island, the mobilized defensive battlegroup was to secure the key Sassnitz ferry port, through which much of Warsaw Pact’s strategic supply entered East Germany. It was expected that this direct link to the USSR would be one of the first targets in a military exchange, with the East German and Soviet military fully expecting a naval assault by American marines.
The officers of the military academy Offiziershochschule “Otto Winzler” in Prora, together with the staff of the neighboring military technical school “Erich Habersaath,” would take command of the Rügener Gruppierung. The formation would also be composed of local motorized rifle units, engineers, a military transport regiment, and reservists.



[h2]The Rügener Gruppierung Detailed[/h2]
How will the Rügener Gruppierung look in WARNO? Consider it the second “special group” of the East German Nationale Volksarmee (the other being the already in-game and EA Pack featured Berliner Gruppierung).

In very much the same fashion, the battlegroup contains various independent formations under a single command. In our Berlin case, the 1. Motorisierte Schutzendivision formed its core, while in Rügener Gruppierung, we are talking about a whole array of local East German units, further reinforced by reservists. As mentioned, divisional staff would be provided by the Offiziershochschule “Otto Winzler”. This HQ troop also provides the battlegroup’s coat of arms in WARNO.

Since the island of Rügen was very close to the Polish border, and surrounding naval infrastructure a key asset for the Warsaw Pact, it was intended for the Poles to send additional forces to bolster the East German garrison quickly.

Hence, much like the Belgians teased with the base game’s West German 2. Panzergrenadier-Division, the Rügener Gruppierung will play host to the very first Polish units in WARNO!

[h2]The Rügener Gruppierung in WARNO[/h2]
All right, let’s look at the mix of East German and Polish units you can expect with the Rügener Gruppierung.

As always, new units are marked in bold and italic.

• LOG - pretty good in terms of slots and costs. Although the battlegroup’s command structure was only semi-permanent, its logistical base was well-established thanks to the naval infrastructure on Rügen Island. This is reflected in the WARNO battlegroup.
  
  • Command vehicles are mainly non-combatant: UAZ-469 FÜH., SPW-60PUM (an East German variant of the Soviet CHAÏKA introduced with Nemesis: Air Assault’s 56-ya OG DShB) and the new helicopter Mi-2D.
    
  • Supply units include the MT-LB MUN., URAL-4320 MUN. and the Volksmarine’s amphibious barge, the new SCHWIM. PTS-M MUN.
    

• INF - pretty strong, though not as powerful as a regular infantry division. The battlegroup can count on a varied amount of choices.
  
  • The core of the Rügener Gruppierung was the s.MSR 25, an independent motorized infantry regiment trained to cooperate closely with the East German Volksmarine. This unit provides a sizable chunk of the foot soldiers, though in smaller numbers. This includes:
    
    • MOT.-SCHÜTZEN FÜH., MOT.-SCHÜTZEN, MOT.-SCHÜTZEN FÜH. (SVD) and MOT.-SCHÜTZEN (BTR), as well as PANZERJÄGER squads, PKM and GR.-MG. weapon teams, plus FAGOT and KONKURS ATGM teams.
      
  • Additional infantry squads are MILITARSTREIFEN, SICHERUNGS, VOPOS, plus the SPG-9 recoilless rifle available in regular foot team variant and jeep-mounted.
    
  • Furthermore, a good chunk of the infantry is made up of RESERVISTEN FÜH., RESERVISTEN, and RESERVISTEN (s.MG), all lacking the Resolute trait.
    
  • Specific to Rügen island was the local Marinepionierbataillon 18, which, in war would have been quickly expanded to regiment-size through a large influx of reservists.
    
    • Large 12-man new MARINEPIONIER (with explosives) and MARINEPIONIER (Flam.) plus the leader variant MARINEPIONIER FÜH. will be featured. They lack the Resolute trait.
      
  • And finally, a handful of Polish mechanized infantry will make their debut in WARNO.
    
    • These come in the form of the new PIECHOTA ZMECH. which are 7-man squads with AK, PKM and RPG-7VM, PIECHOTA ZMECH. (SVD) with two assault rifles replaced with one SVD and one extra PKM, and lastly, the command PIECHOTA ZMECH. DOW. with 7 men equipped with AK, RPG-76 Komar and smoke grenades.
      
    • Polish infantry will ride to battle in either a new STAR-266 truck or TOPAS-2A APC (which is a modified BTR-50).
      

• ART - rather average as this battlegroup didn’t have any dedicated artillery reserve. Most of the pieces available were regimental guns or simple mortars, sourced from local artillery or engineering schools. These include:
  
  • The Gr.Wfr. M43 120mm mortar.
    
  • The D-30 122mm and M-46 130mm howitzers.
    
  • One new - and quite rare - unit is the SPW-50PK(MRF) with the “MRF” standing for Minenräumfahrzeug. This is a mine-clearing vehicle, designed to fire two massive coffin-shaped explosive charges to clear enemy minefields. When used as an impoverished MLRS, it can deliver a devastating set of explosives at short ranges. It only contains two shots and no other weaponry. Consider this an East German “Pooratino”!
    

• TANK - mediocre in terms of slots and costs, but with some new options.
  
  • East German armor is quite rare in the area. There are some regimental KPz. T-55A, including the command variant, and the SPW-40P2 MALYUTKA-P courtesy of the s.MSR25.
    
  • A single card of KPz. T-72 is also featured. A handful of these more “advanced” main battle tanks were located in a training and conversion academy near Rügen island.
    
  • Drawn from the reserves, a new Nationale Volksarmee unit: the PAK K-52 85mm, which was a Czechoslovakian-made towed anti-tank gun with performance quite similar to the D-44. It lacks the Resolute trait.
    
  • The Poles will provide a single card of their trademark T-55AM MERIDA, considered an improved T-55AM2.
    

• RECO - very good and despite being far from the frontline, with plenty of naval helicopters and Grenztruppen to watch over the East German sea frontier.
  
  • Classic recon units featured are AUFKLÄRER, AUFKL. PT-76B, and GRENZER. squads.
    
  • New units include the RES.-AUFKLÄRER, which are 3-man scouts with 2x MPi-KMS-72 (AK-47) and 1x LMG-K (RPK light machine guns), lacking the Resolute trait. They can either deploy in armed or unarmed UAZ-469 jeeps or in the new BRDM-1 armored scout car.
    
  • The other new unit is the PIO.AUFK.-TAUCHER, which are scout-engineer divers from the Marinepionierbataillon 18. These squads are reinforced by reservists, making them an 8-man recon squad fielding MPi-AKS-74N, LMG-K, and explosives, lacking the Resolute trait but coming with the Shock trait.
    
  • The cream of the crop will be the elite KSK or Kampfschwimmerkommando 18, the Volksmarine’s combat divers. These are special forces, much like a NVA’s version of the US Navy Seals.
    
    
    
    
  • The Rügener Gruppierung also contains the Volksmarine’s Marinehubschraubergeschwader 18 (Naval Helicopter Squadron 18), the sole user of the new AUKL.Mi-14PL. Although dedicated to anti-submarine hunting, this specialized helicopter carried a ton of sensors and electronic equipment, making it the first domestic East German radar recon helicopter in WARNO.
    
  • Used alongside the Mi-14PL for naval surveillance was the AUFKL. Mi-8TB. This variant is similar to the regular gunship variant but used instead as a recon helicopter decked in a classy blue naval livery. Our existing models have been “tinkered” with for the time being to accommodate the Malyutka rails, but will be redone entirely for the division (this new unit, as well as the existing Mi-8 variants).
    

• AA - another strong category, likely being the battlegroup’s strongest, thanks to its function as an anti-landing battlegroup.
  
  • The usual FLA-RAK. STRELA-2M, FLAK ZU-23-2, and a single card of FLA-SFL 23-4 SHILKA.
    
  • New units include the FLAK S-60 57mm and FLAK KS-19M2 100mm. The first is an ancient World War 2-era gun, a crude Bofors with a larger caliber. The second unit is, once again, an old gun but modernized. World War 2 buffs (and enjoyers of Steel Division 2) should be reminded of the Flak 88mm. This Cold War piece is a similar dual-purpose AA and AT gun, though its anti-air effectiveness lies more in quick-firing barrages and suppression rather than accuracy. However, in a sneaky feat of engineering, it is designed to fire the same ground shells as the T-55A, making good use as a secondary towed anti-tank gun!
    
  • The Volksmarine provides close air defense with several systems used in a shore-based role: the new FASTA-4 which is quad-Strela launcher, reminiscent of the JAVELIN LML; the LO-1800 FASTA-4, using the same missile system but made self-propelled by mounting it on a truck; and the W50 LA/A 25mm, which is a twin 25mm naval gun on a truck.
    
  • Lastly, a beast of a unit. We attached some old and rear area-defense SAMs to the battlegroup in the form of the 2K11M3 KRUG-M3, which is the KUB’s ancestor. Two massive SAM missiles, capable of pulverizing a small plane by just flying into them, feature a range similar to the BUK, but due to their obsolete targeting and on-board electronics can only engage aircraft (not helicopters). It has low accuracy, long reload, and (pricey) supply.
    

• HELO - average with only a few costly slots (though offset by interesting choices).
  
  • These include the light Mi-2URN gunship with rockets and machine guns.
    
  • The Mi-8TB heavy gunship (with the model to be remade, as mentioned before).
    
  • The new Mi-14PL was tested as an anti-ship killer armed with a single Kh-23M. This missile is the same as used by AGM by anti-tank planes. This means we now have a helicopter with a long-range “sniper” anti-tank missile.
    

• AIR - a pretty decent category with plenty of options, some being new. The battlegroup’s air arm focuses on close air support over air superiority with dedicated rocket- and anti-tank planes, plus bombers.
  
  • The sole fighter is the Mi-23ML [AA].
    
  • The Su-22M4 in various CAS loadouts (RKT, HE, CLU), but also a new Su-22M4K [AT2] version with 4x Kh-25ML anti-tank missiles.
    
  • Another new variant of an existing plane is the MiG-23BN [KMGU], which is the Warsaw Pact’s HE cluster answer to NATO’s anti-personnel TORNADO [MW1].
    
  • And lastly, the Poles will provide the ancient Lim-6M, which is a locally produced variant of the venerable MiG-17. Deployed with the battlegroup in full rocket loadout, it's more at home close to the border rather than being deployed in the field by a frontline Polish division.
    

The Rügener Gruppierung is a reserve defensive battlegroup with strong AA and versatile infantry. This division will be more at ease defending than attacking.
[h2]Until Next Time[/h2]
That’s all for the EA Pack Plus divisions. We hope to be able to share when they launch soon. We’ll return with more juicy WARNO news next week…

Join the 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.
See you on the battlefield, commander.