WARNO News

Hello commander!

After last week’s sizzling info drop of WARNO upcoming milestone OUDINOT, the time has come to detail the first of two new divisions! Let’s welcome to the stage NATO’s multinational mixed Berlin Command division.

To reiterate, OUDINOT will bring two new, previously undisclosed divisions to WARNO’s base game. These battlegroups will be made available for FREE to all owners of the Early Access version of WARNO.

This is Eugen’s present to all the players who supported WARNO’s development by getting the Early Access version of our sprawling real-time strategy World War III battle simulator!

What will the mixed Berlin Command division offer?

[h2]The Battle for Berlin (1989)[/h2]
We already detailed our war scenario, the so-called Battle For Berlin, which influences the inclusion of our multinational Berlin Command. Made up of the three major NATO garrisons in the West Berlin enclave - the United States, the United Kingdom, and France - the battlegroup would have had the unenviable task of defending a NATO outpost surrounded on all sides, deep in Warsaw Pact territory.



With WARNO’s Warsaw Pact’s strategic offensive raging across the Inner German Border in the early summer of 1989, an attack on West Berlin would be inevitable and begin as soon as the first shots of World War III would have been fired. Berlin Command would count on the forces already present in the city, undoubtedly reinforced (in secret) by NATO through covert means in our ”March to War” build-up.

This would present a unique mix of troops and materiel, tasked with delaying the overwhelming Soviet and East German forces for as long as possible. The NATO battlegroup would face brutal urban combat, dwindling supplies, and a lack of heavy weaponry. Little help from outside could be expected, but Berlin Command was to put up a hell of a fight regardless.

[h2]Berlin Command Detailed[/h2]
So, what can you expect of our new Berlin Command battlegroup in WARNO?

First off: it is an internationally mixed division offering a lot of unit choices from four NATO nations (the USA, UK, France and West Germany) but each in small numbers. In most cases, this means you won’t be able to get more than one card of a specific unit. If you want more, say armor, you need to choose a different model from another nation. Some choices will be purely cosmetic (e.g., the French and American supply trucks will feature the same stats); however, you’ll have to deal with disparate weapon systems in most instances.

Berlin Command will call on the forces of the various garrisons present: the American Berlin Brigade, the British Berlin Infantry Brigade and the French Forces Françaises à Berlin. West Germany, though officially not “military present” in West Berlin, could call on some reserves and ad hoc troops present.

[h2]A curious mix of troops and vehicles[/h2]
A feature of Berlin Command is that its arsenal, especially heavy units, is … a bit outdated. Why would you put your most advanced and newest tanks in a formation where everyone knew they would last maybe no more than three days? And no commander would want their most modern equipment to fall into the hands of the enemy so quickly. Therefore, the three NATO garrisons did not enjoy the state-of-the-art technology that their comrades-in-arms would bring to bear on the battlefields of West Germany.

For instance, the American tank company was one of the few to upgrade from the M1 to the IPM1, but not the M1A1. The British squadron in Berlin did not transition to the more advanced Challenger, like its parent regiment, instead retaining the Chieftain Mk.10. As for the French, they kept the older AMX-13/90 far into the mid-80s until switching them out for the AMX-30B (but not the B2).

On the other hand, the NATO troops in Berlin had their equipment and organizational tables tailored to them, taking into account its envisioned urban warfare role. In this way, the American brigade’s infantry featured a special “light infantry” TO&E, with Humvees and a small motor pool of M113s APCs to be used depending on the mission. Another American trait was that its infantry squads were equipped chiefly with M67 recoilless rifles, instead of the Dragon ATGM, with the former being more practical during house-to-house fighting.

In the British brigade, most APCs were repurposed into fire support vehicles by the addition of a RARDEN turret with a 30mm autocannon, creating the FV432 RARDEN, a vehicle unique to the UK’s Berlin Brigade. Another feature was the use of a striking urban camouflage pattern, with its squares and rectangles, which will be found in-game on British vehicles such as the Chieftain Mk.10, Rovers and the earlier mentioned FV432 RARDEN.



[h2]What can you expect in-game?[/h2]
Let’s look at Berlin Command in WARNO. Bolded and italic units are new!

LOG - Prepared well in advance and with its mission of engaging the enemy on its own turf, makes Berlin Command have a generous allocation of unit slots in this category.

• Command vehicles include a large choice of jeeps (ROVER CP, P4 PC and HUMVEE CP), as well as VAB PC and M577.
  
• Supply units come as the lightweight UNIMOG MUN., the medium French TRM-2000 LOG or the American M35 SUPPLY, and the heavier British BEDFORD SUPPLY.
  
• A single card of the new American UH-1H SUPPLY helicopters will also be available.
  

INF - Being an oversized infantry division with a dedicated mission of holding out in urban combat for as long as possible, allows Berlin Command to count on a maximum of squads and teams with the cheapest series of slots. Expect a lot of choices!

• The Americans bring a standard selection of MPS, HMG teams, ENGINEERS and new BERLIN LIGHT RIFLES with the M67 RCL.
  
• The British offer RMPS military police, HMG, GUN GROUP, RIFLES, WOMBAT RCLs and MILAN ATGMs, and TERRIER PIONIERS. Point to note that the Territorial Army (reserves) didn’t originate from the United Kingdom but were rather formed from British emigres and residents in West Berlin. Also, in case of a Battle for Berlin, RAF personnel from the then-closed RAF Gatow air base would have made a provisional fourth infantry battalion in the Berlin Infantry Brigade. In-game, they will make up the new RAF RIFLES, large 12-man squads with older small arms (Sterling, SLR, etc.), and lacking training and experience. A new ROVER WOMBAT provides light fire support.
  
• The French are represented with the PREVOTE, HMG teams, MILAN 2 ATGM teams, GRENADIER-VOLTIGEURS and SAPEURS.
  
• The West Germans are deployed with locally mustered HEIMATSCHÜTZEN.
  
• Complementing the troops present are the Leader commander variants, distributed as usual along with each class of infantry.
  

ART - Artillery support for Berlin Command is sizable, but only offers light pieces.

• The Americans pack a punch, fielding both M125 and M106 self-propelled mortars, the new M198 155mm towed howitzers, and a handful of M109A2s.
  
• The British provide the light, towed 81mm MORTAR.
  
• The French feature the self-propelled VAB PM-81 mortar and the heavier, towed MO-120-RT61.
  

TANK - Actual tracked armor is limited, but anti-tank weapon systems will be available in larger numbers. Slots costs and availability are average.

• First up, the Americans, which rely on the IPM1 tank, are backed up by M1025 HUMVEE TOW-2 and M901A3 ITV ATGM carriers, as well as a few M728 CEV tanks.
  
• The British bring the new CHIEFTAIN Mk.10, which is identical to the Chieftain Mk. 9 in stats and model but features the unique Berlin urban camouflage scheme instead. The new FV432 RARDEN fire support vehicle is also available.
  
• The French bring the most tanks, even though they are all older AMX-30B. They kept a few (new in-game) AMX-13/90 in storage. The deadly P4 MILAN 2 can also be encountered.
  

REC - While many recon troops will be present during the Battle for Berlin, few were “combat” equipped. What’s the need for reconnaissance if you know that the enemy would come from all sides? This category has a decent amount of slots but primarily focuses on “boots-on-the-ground” choices.

• The Americans field regular SCOUTS, as well as elite Green Berets’ DETACHMENT ‘A’ saboteur squads. These special forces were stay-behind units, tasked with destroying key infrastructure after any NATO surrender, to hamper the Warsaw Pact forces as much as possible and deny Berlin as a logistical hub.
  
• The British feature some light vehicle recon units with the FERRET Mk.2 and the FV721 FOX. In addition, infantry SCOUTS can be fielded.
  
• The French recon troops amount to the standard ECLAIREURS with nimble ALOUETTE III helicopters providing eyes in the sky.
  

AA - One of the division’s weaker categories. Light anti-aircraft guns and MANPADs provide only the most basic anti-air screens possible.

• The American forces field the heaviest equipment in the form of M163 PIVADS. Of course, STINGER teams are never far away and can also be deployed.
  
• The British bring their own JAVELIN and JAVELIN LML units.
  
• While the French feature the MISTRAL, as well as the 53T2 20mm guns either towed or as a self-propelled TARASQUE variant.
  

HELO - The NATO garrisons only fielded a few utility helicopters, and no combat variants. However, in our ”March to War” several weapon kits were smuggled into the city ahead of the Warsaw Pact offensive. As such, slots in this category are present but few and expensive.

• Only two cards of British GAZELLE SNEB and LYNX Mk. 7 HELARM are featured.
  

AIR - Much like the previous category, no actual combat aircraft would have been stationed in West Berlin. The ones present would have been targeted in the first minutes of our war. However, a few air assets will be available to Berlin Command... stemming from some rather unique sources.

• Much like their helicopters, the ever-inventive British dismantled some of their HARRIERS and smuggled them in parts to West Berlin. The Harriers have been rebuilt, using whatever small piece of infrastructure to take off and land, from city parks to bombed-out streets. Several variants are present, from AA to Cluster, HE, and Rocket, but in minimal quantities.
  
• After the Battle for Berlin begins, in a show of support, NATO makes at least one concerted attempt to help the besieged defenders. They divert some of their long-range strategic planes for a one-shot “Hail Mary” bombardment, similar to the single massive western Allied air attack during the Warsaw Uprising in 1944. For that purpose, France agrees to part with some of its precious Mirage IV strategic bombers, which for this operation have been turned into long-range “bomb trains”.
  
• In a further covert dimension, the Americans sneak some of their very special new F-117A tactical stealth bombers, equipped with laser-guided bombs, into the operation.
  

In conclusion, Berlin Command is a very infantry-centric division honed for fighting in a heavily congested urban environment. There is an excellent choice of units excelling in close combat, backed-up by good logistics and many anti-tank weapon systems. The battlegroup lacks the modern tanks to make a heavy armored fist though. Artillery pieces are numerous but light, while AA and helicopter assets are few and far between. Air is a mixed bag of either close air support combat jets or specialized bombers. Berlin Command is well suited for urban or dense terrain and defensive operations, but suffers from an unbalanced distribution of heavier units, air, and support equipment.



[h2]See you on the battlefield[/h2]
That’s all for NATO’s new division that will be brought to you courtesy of OUDINOT. Next week, we’ll look at the new Warsaw Pact division, aimed to once and for all “liberate” West Berlin.

Let us know what you think! 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!

Hello commander!

We have a little surprise for you! We will bring two new, previously undisclosed, divisions to WARNO, courtesy of the next WARNO milestone, codenamed OUDINOT. What’s more, the milestone will focus on a rather special theatre in our World War III scenario: the Battle for Berlin! All Early Access owners of WARNO will get these two divisions for free!

Thanks to the new divisions, the total of divisions of the base game will rise to eighteen! OUDINOT is Eugen’s present to all of you players who supported WARNO’s development by getting the Early Access version of the game.

We will detail the two divisions in later DevBlogs. We can say that the NATO battlegroup will call on the arsenal and men of three different brigades stationed in Berlin, while the Warsaw Pact’s formation will be formed by the tens of thousands of soldiers surrounding Berlin.

Now, you’ll be clamoring to know more, but first: after whom did we name our next milestone?

[h2]A little bit of historical context[/h2]
Each WARNO milestone is named after a famous French marshal active during the Napoleonic wars. Nicolas Oudinot’s claim to fame was that he got wounded so many times (34, half of them serious!) that a chronicler, who came across the former commander later in life, remarked that “he looks like a colander”. Oudinot was, and remained for the duration of his whole military career, a true “Grenadier” (Napoleon’s elite assault infantry).



Whatever his rank or distinction, Oudinot was never a better man than in the thickest of the fight, known as an excellent leader of soldiers, rather than a great tactician. Given an independent command, he was usually beaten; but when acting under Napoléon or other more able commanders, Oudinot’s led assaults could tip entire battles, such as the one at Friedland (1807). In 1814, he led “Marie-Louises,” a nickname for the year’s levies, which were very young and sent into battle with barely any training. In that year, decrees were signed by the Empress in the absence of Napoléon, hence the name. Oudinot, in a sign of strength, during a battle, would place himself in the middle of the firing line, showing the young soldiers around him how to load, aim, and fire their muskets.

Oudinot rallied behind the new French government after Napoléon’s deposition and remained loyal even after Napoleon’s return. He continued active military service for many years before dying of old age in Paris in 1847.

[h2]A (new) Battle for Berlin[/h2]
Let’s return to the matters at hand: WARNO’s next milestone! The Battle for Berlin (1989) is an exciting war scenario that plays out far beyond the front lines centered on the Inner German Border. Being situated away from the expected theaters of battle, the divided Berlin occupies a special place within our World War III storyline.



Considering the array of forces focused on NATO’s urban outpost, the battle would have been lopsided. However, disregarding this thorn in Warsaw Pact’s side (or rear) would have been foolish: restricted by international treaty, NATO still had considerable combat troops placed in West Berlin.

A brief history: after World War II, the four great powers divided Berlin into separate occupation zones (much like the rest of Germany). With the deterioration of relations between the West and the Soviet Union, the three Western Allies (France, the United Kingdom, and the United States) merged their sectors: West Berlin was born. East Berlin became part of the DDR, and in the 1961, the famous Berlin Wall was constructed to stem the flood of East Germans escaping to West Germany. From then onwards, West Berlin was tenaciously connected to West Germany through several highways and rail corridors. The distance to the border was more than 160 kilometers.



[h2]A supersized garrison[/h2]
In the 70s and 80s, treaty limits put restrictions on the size of the four occupiers' garrisons. None of them could have more than a mechanized brigade (and a company’s worth of tanks) within the city in Berlin. Having tens of thousands of Warsaw Pact troops on the outer perimeter of Berlin, the Soviets in East Berlin had no reason to try to stray from the rules. Meanwhile, the Americans, British, and French did their darnedest to bend the rules (or discreetly break them) and increase their forces.



For example, the U.S. tank detachment in West Berlin, as part of the U.S. Berlin Brigade, was officially a company yet, with an “upgraded” Table of Organisation and Equipment, increased its size by 50% compared to a regular armor company. As the Berlin Infantry Brigade, the Brits had the appropriate number of tanks in their company. Still, they tinkered with most of their APCs, adding RARDEN turrets, and turning the battle taxis into an additional company of light tanks.



As for the French, with the French Forces Françaises à Berlin, they got off lightly by placing a tank battalion instead of a tank company in West Berlin. Maybe the Soviets didn’t think too much of the paper-thin AMX-30B that formed the core of this formation? Supposedly, the French garrison should have turned in its older AMX-13/90 tanks in 1985, but some say they kept them in storage in the city.



[h2]Warsaw Pact forces[/h2]
While a single Soviet Motorized Rifle Brigade was stationed in East Berlin, an immense force of Warsaw Pact troops was arrayed around West Berlin, mostly made up of East German units. In case of a World War III, it was planned to reinforce them with additional Soviet forces, including engineers and artillery. East German police, frontier troops, KdA soldiers, and other specialized units would have been present as well.



As promised, more information about the two new divisions will come in future DevBlogs! Safe to say that both divisions will be internationally mixed battlegroups.

[h2]Join the Army[/h2]
At Eugen, we have a special tradition allowing players to have their name featured in-game. This is the “Join the Army” event, and one will come soon for WARNO. We’ll have some limitations and restrictions in place, but you’ll be able to propose a personal name of your choice to be featured in-game in the appropriate army, such as American, Soviet (not only Russian), East and West German (which will use the same list), British and French. More details to come in the near future!



[h2]See you on the battlefield[/h2]
Enough for this week! Tune in to next week’s DevBlogs for more details on the new WARNO milestone OUDINOT. One last detail: OUDINOT will release before the full launch of WARNO out of Early Access.

As always, we ask you to 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, YouTube or our Instagram.

See you on the battlefield, commander!

Hello there!

We hope you are well. After some great feedback and comments in last week’s WARNO Army General preview, we are back with some more exciting insights into big new features of WARNO.

This week, we’ll continue our single-player focus by looking at two major features coming to WARNO: the Tutorial and Operations. Let’s detail both of these much-awaited modes.

[h2]Tutorials[/h2]
So, first up, the Tutorials - every game should have one, right? Truth be told, a complex real-time strategy as WARNO needs a comprehensive tutorial or training missions, something the Eugen team is more than aware of. As a matter of fact, the rather cruel lack of tutorials in our titles has been brought up by the community in the past. An injustice we amend with WARNO!

With WARNO, we went full out to ease new and beginning players, and veterans from our other titles, into our game. We currently have around fifteen tutorial missions lined up, each detailing an important gameplay mechanic, unit type, or experience. But we wanted to go further, beyond teaching basic mechanics; we want to make sure everyone will feel comfortable playing WARNO, both solo or online, after finishing our Tutorial missions. There are many details to WARNO easily overlooked, even for experienced players.



WARNO features an in-game manual (accessible through the pause menu when in tactical combat). The new Tutorial missions are loosely based on the layout of this manual. We have designed very short missions that will teach you, step-by-step, everything you need to know for each specific feature or type of tactical combat. Most of the tutorials don’t last longer than 5 minutes, and not one exceeds 10 minutes.

[h2]Everything has a beginning[/h2]
We decided to make each tutorial more enticing by focusing on small scenarios and vignettes of potential real-life combat situations and events. These are envisioned as happening around Fulda, West Germany, during the opening stages of the World War III conflict between NATO and the Warsaw Pact.

The Tutorials showcases each event, such as tank combat or capturing command zones, in the most instructive way possible. The Tutorials themselves will be playable through the Solo (single-player) menu, and will be displayed in a specific order. You can always switch things around or replay certain missions. And, of course, a small reward awaits those who complete the tutorials: Steam achievements!

[h2]Operations[/h2]
Let’s look at the second new WARNO mode: Operations. These are scripted tactical battles, placing the player in the boots of a battlegroup during a World War III scenario. These are akin to Steel Division 2’s Historical Battles, which in WARNO’s case are clearly ahistorical, but based on reality. There is another major difference: while Historical Battles could be played from both sides, Operations will be playable with one side only and versus the AI.

The reason why we made this change is that in Steel Division 2’s Historical Battle’s case, by balancing them, they ended up being too close to regular Skirmish battles. With just one side, in WARNO’s Operations, we have much more freedom, flexibility, and creativity to create unique combat scenarios. This will make them more intense and realistic. Think of an “Alamo” situation, with one side needing to delay the enemy for a set amount of time or inflict crippling losses in order to win.



[h2]Exciting real-life battle scenarios[/h2]
Each Operation starts with its historical setting, briefing, and specific objective(s). The player takes charge of a fixed battlegroup (so they will not make their own division). With these units, a player will have to complete the objectives, which can vary from keeping a command unit alive to holding a designated command zone or accumulating enough command points. The same goes for the opposing side, with the AI also being assigned fixed battlegroups. Operations will use existing maps, but with each battlefield featuring tailored command zones, economy, deployment points, etc.

There will be between fifteen to twenty Operations planned for WARNO, ranging from the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment’s desperate rearguard actions around Fulda, to escorting supply columns en route to the front, to the Soviet VDV capturing and holding key bridges deep beyond enemy lines. More details and information to come in the future!



[h2]Armory rework[/h2]
We have also made some changes to the Armory, specifically how units are displayed. The hangar has been reworked with:

• Lightning modifications.
  
• New FX & 3D assets added.
  
• An updated atmosphere, making it more lively.

Additional Armory enhancements are planned.

[h2]WARNO League Zero[/h2]
Before we leave, a message about the WARNO’s competitive online play. This 4th of November, we have the 3rd Friday Night WARNO 2v2 Tournament coming up. The League’s organizer, Protosszocker will join the competition. If you want to hear more about WARNO’s development, as well as see some nice team games, be sure to tune in! More info can be found by following this link.

There is more. WARNO League Season ZERO will also begin and see 32 of the best 1v1 players, including some well-known names such as VulcanHD and karma duke it out to be crowned the very first ever WARNO League Champion. The Group Stage will start on the 24th of October. The Group Reveal and Pre-League Show will be on the 23rd of October at 5 pm GMT+2. More info can be viewed here.

Please note that the tournament is not organized by Eugen. We support it by sharing the message and putting Eugen’s stamp of approval for guaranteed fun - but that’s it!

[h2]See you on the battlefield[/h2]
That’s it for this week. 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, YouTube or our Instagram.

See you on the battlefield, commander!

Hello commander!

We are back again! In today’s DevBlog, we are going to take a good look at an eagerly awaited major feature of WARNO: the strategic turn-based Army General mode!

Keep reading to find out more about WARNO’s hypothetical World War III scenario, focused on the battlefields of West Germany’s CENTAG theatre.

[h2]A new kind of warfare[/h2]
Before we continue with our Army General preview, please keep in mind that all the following is still very much work in progress. Our new strategic campaign mode, especially some visuals, is not final and subject to change. Don’t forget this when commenting or interacting with other players - as some of you can do so well and passionately. More details will come in the future!

Now, what is this new-fangled Army General campaign? Steel Division 2 fans should be knowledgeable of this strategic mode, but for you unaware, here are some basics.



Army General contains various turn-based wargame campaigns, playable in single-player, versus, or cooperatively. You’ll play on massive maps with a host of different formations and units, simulating a particular offensive or large-scale operation. We used the historical order of battles, with each division portrayed as they were in 1989, including corps or army assets. These orders of battle (formational structures) will be realistic and accurate down to the platoon level. In comparison, Steel Division 2 only went down to the company level.



Each Army General map will range from 75 square kilometers to 150 square kilometers, covering real-life areas of Cold War-era Germany. The maximum size will be the same as the biggest map featured in Steel Division 2, but WARNO’s maps will actually be 33% bigger thanks to the level of detail and playable hexes. Each “pawn” on the map will either be a battalion or battalion-strength battlegroup. The stats of each pawn depends on its type, so think armored, mechanized, or motorized infantry, airborne, helicopter, artillery, recon, etc., and of course, considering their historical table of organization and equipment.

[h2]Army General in action[/h2]
How does a turn-based Army General campaign work? Each turn can represent half a day or a period of time; within a turn, you can move your pawns, attack the enemy, order artillery bombardments, air strikes, and reinforcements.

Each pawn has several action points they spend on movement and combat. Depending on the terrain (semi-urban, plain, forest, etc.), you spend more or less action points. Of course, you should also consider what kind of unit the pawn is; a helicopter group might not need to worry about a dense forest, while an armored unit would need to spend more time and effort crossing the trees.



If two opposing pawns come into battle, you can either auto-resolve it (saving you time) or go tactical. The latter option will start a random map, with a selection of nearby battalions able to join in, depending on the combat parameters such as distance, remaining action points, and status. When you choose to resolve the battle tactically as its commander, you can also assign the AI to control some or the majority of the battalions.

The result (and losses) of the battle will be permanent. Of course, there will be fresh battalions that can be brought in as reinforcements, but you need to conserve your forces over multiple turns.



[h2]WARNO and Army General mode[/h2] Warno will ship with four separate Army General campaigns at release, detailing various aspects of our World War III war scenario. We can’t go into too much detail yet, but one of them will feature the commonly held and frequently discussed hypothetical Fulda gap offensive. This campaign will see the Soviet 8th Guards’ spearhead breaking through the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment’s defensive lines, with the latter holding on for as long as possible as NATO reserves assemble in the rear.



To reiterate, each Army General campaign will be playable on both sides, NATO and Warsaw Pact. Each campaign will also be playable versus the AI (single-player), cooperatively against the AI, or versus (online multiplayer). Each campaign will cover a specific sector or war scenario, with its own briefing, intro video, setting, units, and formations, etc.

[h2]See you on the battlefield[/h2]
That’s all for today. We’ll be back next week. Until then, we bid you adieu.

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, YouTube or our Instagram.

And as always: see you on the battlefield, commander!

CODE FIXES:

• fixed some ATGM units being virtually unkillable while in some buildings
  

DATA FIXES:

• removed the buildings that were spawned in the trees on the Black Forest map
  

GENERIC:

• fixed some errors in how the supply cost were calculated. This implies plane reloading time is back to normal. This fix also affected the supply cost of some other weapons : some AP/HE canons, some AA canons, most aircraft rockets, some artillery rockets. We are still working on improving our system for the supply cost so it will most likely change all over someday.