Hello commander!
We hope you are ready for some single-player
WARNO fun! Today marks the day of the new milestone
SOULT, bringing you a duo of
Operations!
In today’s update, we present you
two brand-spanking new, fully voiced, and scripted single-player tactical battles, known as
Operations.
But before we continue, first, a bit about the milestone’s historical namesake:
Jean de Dieu Soult.
[h2]Introducing the historical SOULT[/h2]As always, we name our milestones after important French military commanders (chiefly high-ranking generals and marshals from the Napoleonic Wars). This one is no exception:
Jean de Dieu Soult was also known as the
”Duke of Damnation” by the British, who believed this French commander to be one of their staunchest adversaries during the Peninsular War (1807-1814).
Originally a country notary, Soult made it all the way to the top, quickly rising through the ranks during the French Revolution. He showed his prowess in combat during the Battle of Fleurus. In 1799, he became a division general before being promoted to one of the original eighteen Marshals of the Empire in 1804. In the Battle of Austerlitz, Soult played a key role in the decisive attack that resulted in the French victory.
Afterward, he was sent to Spain and ultimately ordered to command all French forces during the Peninsular War. In the war-torn Iberia lands, he was considered one of the best strategists, yet a poor tactician. Soult was once described as able “to move troops over great distances, to regroup them at a given point and date like nobody else could… but once there, not knowing exactly what to do with them.” Despite some smaller victories, Soult was eventually outmaneuvered and driven out of Spain by the later Duke of Wellington.
[h2]There is more to SOULT[/h2] Another claim to fame: Soult was also one of the biggest looters of the
Grande Armée, though compared to some of his base colleagues, his fancy was piqued more by priceless artworks than gold or silverware. Soult also gained another mark of infamy by being considered one of the greatest turncoats of the era.
After Spain, for instance, he turned royalist with Napoleon’s first defeat and exile. However, with Bonaparte’s return, Soult served him once again, this time during the Battle of Waterloo, as Napoleon’s chief of staff. Defeated a second time, he was exiled to Germany before being allowed to return on a royal pardon. Back again, he managed to make it to Minister of War, where he was responsible for creating the French Foreign Legion. This frequent shifting of allegiances led him to serve Napoléon, Louis XVIII, Charles X, and Louis Phillipe, often at the expense of his former comrades.
[h2]What can you expect with WARNO’s Operations?[/h2]Now, for the meat of
SOULT: our new
Operations. The milestone will contain two missions, accessible in the single-player menu. All missions can be played from one side only, NATO or Warsaw Pact, and are scripted tactical battles with special objectives and conditions.
Operations in
WARNO are tactical war scenarios placing the player in command of a military formation during our hypothetical World War III. These are akin to
Steel Division 2’s Historical Battles, which in WARNO’s case are clearly
ahistorical, but based on grounded reality and detailed research. There is another major difference: while Historical Battles could be played from both sides, Operations will be playable with one side only and solely versus the AI. This answered a tricky balancing and development question for us. Now, in
WARNO we can design and release unique, memorable, and interesting
Operations much quicker!
SOULT’s Operations are only the beginning; many many more
Operations are in the works! Expect more details and news to drop in the coming weeks. What’s more: your feedback matters more than ever. The community’s input (that’s you) will be key in shaping, updating, and improving future
Operations.
[h2]The details of SOULT’s Operations[/h2]So, what can you expect with this milestone?
Black Horse’s Last Stand The battered American
11th Armored Cavalry Regiment needs to hold the line near Bad Orb and successfully resist the Soviet spearhead of the
39th Guards Motor Rifle Division. You’ll need to conduct a fighting withdrawal while establishing your new HQ. As you continue to resist, you are able to call in a pair of A-10 Warthogs with West German territorial reserves deploying later.
If you want to read some more details on the first
Operation,
Black Horse’s Last Stand, make sure to check out this
previous DevBlog here.
Red Juggernaut Comrade commander, you’ll lead the heroic tankmen of the Soviet
79th Guards Tank Division in an effort to smash the improvised NATO defenses on the outskirts of Frankfurt. Nothing can stand in the way of the full might of the Soviet Army after the hard-earned breakthrough north of Fulda. Frankfurt lies in your grasp, but to claim the prize, the improvised NATO defenses close to Hanau need to be destroyed.
Check some more details on the second
Operation,
Red Juggernaut in
this dedicated DevBlog here.
[h2]See you on the battlefield[/h2]That’s all for today’s
SOULT. The only thing left to do? Get playing! We want to know what you think of our new
Operations, so don’t hesitate to drop us a line. But no complaining, spamming, or otherwise unhelpful or childish behavior - we want to know your constructive feedback and experiences. Let’s make a better
WARNO together. Have fun!
Don’t forget to join the passionate
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!
