WARNO News

Hello commander!

We hope you are well. Though we were officially off for a couple of days, we haven’t been sitting on our hands - and neither have you!

Let’s get to it. Today’s post will all be about the next WARNO milestone, LANNES, and the U.S. 82nd Airborne Division.

[h2]A whirlwind of feedback[/h2]
We turn away one minute and a whole brouhaha explodes about units that should be included WARNO, units that shouldn’t be included, prototypes, more rocket launchers, fewer rocket launchers, Humvees. Guys… relax!

Let’s take a breather together. WARNO’s development continues at pace, and lots of the improvements, suggestions, feedback, or comments are being taken into account. We kindly ask you to keep it calm, cool, and collected - to us, and your fellow players. And keep in mind: certain units. mechanics or features make the grade, while others may not. At the end of the day, we aim to make a kick-ass World War III battle simulator that is realistic, authentic AND fun to play.

But for those clamoring for AT-4s and Humvees... we got you covered. Let’s welcome to the stage the daring-do troops of the U.S. 82nd Airborne Division.

[h2]A little history[/h2]

Up to the release of the (excellent) Band of Brothers series placing the 101st under the spotlight, the 82nd Airborne Division was THE American airborne formations to wargamers and History buffs.

Raised for WW1, 82nd Infantry Division fought with distinction at St-Mihiel & the Argonne. Not disbanded, it was placed in reserve after WW1, but only really reconstituted in 1921. It was therefore among the few professional standing divisions of the USA when it entered WW2 in late 1941. For six months, it trained back to war shape under command of Omar Bradley, future American field commander in Europe right under Eisenhower. On August 15th, 1942, the 82nd Infantry Division was converted to 82nd Airborne Division, the first of its kind in the US Army.



From then on, 82nd AB will perform almost all American combat jumps in the European ETO: Sicily, Italy, Normandy & Netherlands. The only one it missed was Operation Varsity in March 1945, performed by the less-known 17th Airborne Division. It also took part in the battle of the Bulge where it famously turned German weapons against their former owners. By all account, 82nd AB was the best American division in the entire ETO. Its assault crossing of Rhine river at Nimjegen was regarded by many witnesses as the single greatest feat of arms on the Western front.

After WW2, its was briefly deployed in the Dominican Republic, then sent its 3rd Brigade in Vietnam. Aside from this detached brigade, 82nd AB was almost the only combat ready division left in the USA during the Vietenam War, alongside a few understrength divisions, while the rest were deployed in Korea, Vietnam or Europe. It was basically the USA’s last reserve stateside.
With the 101st Airborne being reorganized as an Airmobile, then Air Assault (meaning heliborne) division from 1968, 82nd AB was also the last true US airborne division.

It is in that role that the 82nd AB made its last two combat jumps in Granada (1983) & Panama (1989).



[h2]Bringing new weaponry to the Americans[/h2]
We all know that the U.S. divisions in the late 80s were in the process of replacing their LAW rocket launchers and M151 jeeps with the newer, superior AT-4 and Humvee respectively. The big question remains the actual scale of this replacement in WARNO’s timeline of 1989.

As a result, we have decided to make a clear distinction between light and rapid reaction forces, such as the 82nd and 101st Airborne, 10th Mountain, and 9th Motorized, based in the U.S. and mechanized formations in West Germany. The former received a higher priority in new equipment, while the latter were at the tail of the replacement programm.
From a gameplay perspective, it allows us to classified all Humvees as “para” regarding the Forward Deployment trait (see below).



This means that the new 82nd Airborne Division will be lavishly equipped with both AT-4 and Humvees. Our boxy light utility vehicle will come in many shapes and sizes, including:

• Command
• Transport
• Recon with HMG
  
• Recon with Mk.19 automatic grenade launcher
  
• ATGM carrier (TOW-2)
  
• ... and a SAM variant in the form of the M998 Avenger (equipped with a quad Stinger launcher and a .50 cal). Although not part of any TO&E in 1989, the Avenger had been in production since 1987 and was in operational testing in 1989. Right on time for our “two years of march to war” timeline that we have laid out in WARNO.

[h2]And even more weapons![/h2]
Another unique feature of 82nd Airborne Division was that it was the last formation to retain the light M551 Sheridan tank. This armored vehicle could be airdropped, last used in this role during the U.S. invasion of Panama in 1989. During this short conflict, ten Sheridan were delivered by parachute (one failing to open!), and four others were airlifted by a C-5 Galaxy.

With barely any armor, only designed to withstand 20mm rounds, it came with a low-velocity 152mm gun. Perfect for infantry support, this gun was much less effective against tanks. As a solution, the problematic Shillelagh ATGM was developed, which could be fired, much like Soviet tanks, from the gun barrel.



As a parachute and airdroppable formation, the 82nd Airborne Division also relies on light towed weapon systems for support. These include:

• M102 105mm howitzer
  
• M30 107mm (4,2-inch) mortar
  
• M167 Vulcan AA. This is basically an M163 PIVADS’ turret on a trailer.

[h2]Airborne’s air support[/h2]
Like most U.S. divisions after 1986, the 82nd Airborne Division featured its own small, organic helicopter wing, deploying the usual OH-58, AH-1 and AH-64 helis.

We have included a few original load-outs to these helicopters, in the form of the AH-1 Heavy Hog (with Zuni 127mm rockets) and the AA AH-1 ATAS (which stands for Air-To-Air Stinger), as well as the lightly armed AH-6 Little Bird.

Heavier aircraft support includes F-111F bombers, most of the F-16C family (including SEAD), F-15C and F-4E fighters, as well as the new A-10A with rockets.



[h2]Forward Deployment[/h2]
As an airborne division, the formation’s infantry and some of its crew-served weapons will be available in Forward Deployment. This means you will be able to push fast and grab some ground ahead of the enemy.

With most divisions of this type being lightly equipped, they will have a hard time pushing forward. As such, with Forward Deployment, they start out with an advantage but might find it more challenging holding the ground, or even pushing forward.



The few heliborne paras of the division are classified as Aerorifles much as the mechanized divisions. This avoids having these units access to Forward Deployment with helicopters - which we all agree is a recipe for unsportsmanship behaviour. All units that can Forward Deploy will be identified by a parachute symbol in their labels.

Like recon units, this is a deployment-only advantage: once the game is launched, any remaining airborne units will come as reinforcement as any other.

Please note that due to recent feedbacks with the previous milestone, recon units’ forward deployment has been reduced, leaving only paras units able to deploy as far away as recon could before.

[h2]Some heavy-hitting support[/h2]
The quick reaction force XVIIIth Airborne Corps of which the 82nd Airborne Division was part of had two “separate” heavy brigades attached to it, the 194th Armored Brigade and the 197th Infantry Brigade (Mech.).

In order to give the 82nd Airborne Division some armored teeth, we’ve attached a few elements from the former. The 194th Armored Brigade was (alongside the U.S. Berlin Brigade) one of the few outfits identified as transitioning from M1 to IPM1 (uparmored M1 Abrams, but retaining the original 105mm gun) instead of directly to M1A1.

As such, the 82nd Airborne Division will have access to a handful (rarely more than a single card) of IPM1, M125 mortar, M109 SPG and mechanized infantry in M113. None of these heavy units will have access to forward deployment.

[h2]See you on the battlefield[/h2]
That’s all 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, or our Instagram.

See you on the battlefield, commander!

Hello commander!

We hope you are well. We are busy prepping the way for the next milestone, LANNES, and as such, today’s blog post focuses on some general quality of life improvements coming to WARNO.

One important housekeeping note: the Eugen team will have some much-needed holidays next week, with the offices closed on Thursday the 19th and Friday the 20th of May. There will be no blog posts these days.

Once we return, we’ll reveal all the good stuff to be brought with LANNES.

[h2]Some new models[/h2]
Models, models, models. We can’t get enough of them! We continuously update and implement new or revised unit models into WARNO. Our excellent 3D artists are hard at work, for instance, on the MiG-25.



There is more, though. The designers are likewise perfecting the towed weapon’s animations. Howitzers are one unit type, but they are not alone in WARNO. We will also feature mortars, towed SAM (such as the Hawk), and even old-school anti-tank guns firing both rounds and ATGMs (guess…). Each of these requires its own special animation set.

[h2]Unit pricing[/h2]
The cost of things - it’s a non-stop discussion. Fear not: we keep active track of all community feedback on units being too cheap or too pricey when considering their performance. With every batch of units we add to WARNO, though, some new additions might interfere with the parameters of the original pricing system, meaning that it will require some back and forth before we find the best place.

As such, we compare your feedback with our intricate calculation system, which we constantly refine to reflect better the balance we intend with our game.



To give you an idea of what we are working with:

• We simulate each type of weapon. When we do that, we consider the characteristics the team thinks are most relevant to the scale of the game. For example, with a grunt’s assault rifle, we simulate the firing of a salvo, not each bullet.
  
• On the other hand, for a weapon such as an autocannon, we simulate each individual shell. Depending on what we simulate, we add variables and parameters that define the weapon's power.
  
• For ATGMs, for instance, the weapon’s characteristics are its power, penetration value, range, accuracy, speed, stabilization quality, and type of guidance.
  
• We have developed variables for each type of weapon. This lets us check if a weapon is properly configured or not and gives us an objective indicator of the combat power and value of the weapon. This significantly helps when adjusting prices.
  

However, keep in mind that we are planning a MAJOR price overhaul in the near future. This will happen from category to category, starting very soon with self-propelled anti-aircraft guns (SPAAGS) and planes before moving to main battle tanks, and so on. Expect some massive price changes!

[h2]Forward Deployment[/h2]
Getting the jump on your opponent is fun, but we are taking into account the latest community feedback on the Forward Deployment mechanic. Comments mention that this deployment option has more and more (or too much) influence on the course of the game. Players seem particularly eager to use the new 2. PzGren. and 4. MSD, thanks to the addition of airborne troops.

We have been discussing this internally and we agree that Forward Deployment poses some issues. In our opinion, the problem is not so much the new airborne units but rather the current roster of recon units. These are present in every deck, usually mobile and armed, and are perfect for rushing forward from the Forward Deployment line. Our airborne units, be it paratroopers or air assault chopper-born squads, we foresee as less of an issue. After being back on the ground, they are generally more static or only possess very light transports.



As such, we are planning to rebalance recon units, either through a more limited Forward Deployment of their own (different from airborne troop), price or card availability, or a combination of all the above measures.

[h2]See you on the battlefield[/h2]
All right, at ease, soldier. That’s all for this week. As mentioned before, we won’t be in next week. Afterward, we’ll be back with all the juicy details on the next WARNO milestone, LANNES!

Join the passionate WARNO community. Check the latest news on the Steam News page or visit the Steam Forums. Get to together with other players on either the excellent Discord server, Reddit page, or our Instagram.

See you on the battlefield, commander!

Hi commanders!

Here is an update to WARNO with a whole bunch of important additions, fixes and adjustments.
Be sure to check out the list below.

• introducing the new T-62 tank line
  
• introducing the new Su-27S
  
• introducing the proper GAZ-66 model
  
• updated the style of the "Outdated mod" window
  
• improved readability in the air wing panel
  
• improved navigation with arrow keys in the armory and in the battlegroup builder
  
• improved the movement behavior of the helicopters when using a move&attack order
  

• fixed AR and the MMG weapons that were ineffective against light vehicles
  
• fixed aircraft's aggro
  
• fixed some discrepancies with veterancy choices, allowing to chose a single same plane at two different levels
  
• AI artillery (and smart orders) won't shoot on flying helicopters anymore
  
• AI will focus less on the forest in Mount River
  
• AI will no longer send units to their death when it realizes it lost control of a sector
  
• fixed AI (on Chemical) that would ignore some bridges for its vehicles
  

• overhauled aicrafts' prices
  
• overhauled SPAAGs' prices and RoF
  
• MMG no longer have an accuracy bonus based on distance + accuracy on the move removed from the info panel
  
• minimum range increased on MMGs
  
• reduced bomb damage against armor
  
• reduced the distance between the planes' bomb release point and their target
  
• reduced the rockets' supply costs
  
• increased HE damage on infantry from tank guns & IFV's autocannons
  

• decreased G3A4 RoF
  

• decreased Mi-24V [AA]'s price from 170 to 135
  
• removed all T-64 from both Soviet divisions
  
• (39GvMSD) added one card each of T-62MK (= command), T-62M, T-62M1 & T-62MV
  
• (39GvMSD) added one card of Su-27S fighter
  
• (79GvTD) added one card of T-62M1
  

Hello!

We’ll keep it brief in today’s post as we know you are surely playing WARNO to your heart’s content thanks to this week’s MURAT release.

Game development is always a see-saw in balancing, tweaking, and fixing bugs. MURAT is no difference! That’s not the only thing, though: we are also very busy getting you new content. Let us tell you what we are working on.

[h2]A new tank family, and more[/h2]
As we are wrapping up on MURAT and getting busy behind the scenes on the next milestone, LANNES, we have a couple of features and units which will launch sooner.

You can expect the following units, itching to deploy and reinforce the Soviet divisions:

The T-62 family tree

• T-62M: the basic variant with the gun-fired 9M117 ATGM
  
• T-62MK: command variant of the above tank
  
• T-62M1: same as the T-62M but without ATGM
  
• T-62MV: same as T-62M, but with additional armor

The T-62 will replace in its entirety the stock of T-64 in both Soviet divisions. This leaves with a more realistic line-up of armored forces, as there weren’t any T-64 in the 8th Guards Army arrayed in Eastern Germany. This also means that the Warsaw Pact player will get access to cheaper armor to augment the already existing heavier, more expensive tanks.

The 79th Guards Tank Division will only get one card of T-62M1. In real life, this formation didn’t have any officially in 1989 but kept some “off the records” for training.



The 39th Guards Motorized Rifle Division gets the full arsenal, with one card of each variant. Historically, in 1985, this formation had more T-62s than T-80s, but by 1989 had replaced the older variant with the more modern advanced tank. It is unclear if all were replaced, hence our line-up.

That’s not all. We are also working on implementing the gorgeous Su-27S fighter into WARNO. It will be added to the 39th Guards Motorized Rifle Division, totting quite the load-out with no less than 10(!) anti-aircraft missiles. This includes 6x R-73 short-range and 4x R-27R long-range missiles.



Lastly, the GAZ-66 transport will finally receive its proper model.



[h2]We don’t stop[/h2]
Of course, on top of the new content coming in, we also are actively reviewing the community feedback and comments, specifically, if a unit is too cheap or too expensive. We are working on a more refined way of calculating a unit’s price tied to combat power. For instance, the Leopard 2A3, although inferior to the U.S. and Soviet direct counterparts (the M1A1(HA) and T-80U), should not have such a significant price disparity. Expect a massive overhaul on unit prices soon, starting with planes & SPAAG first, then MBT, and so on …



Furthermore, we are still working on completing all of MURAT’s towed weapons animations. Once these are done, they are done and though it might take some more time and work now, it will speed up implementing new units in the future!



[h2]See you on the battlefield[/h2]
That’s it all for now. Have fun and see you on the battlefield!

Join the passionate WARNO community. Check the latest news on the Steam News page or visit the Steam Forums. Get to together with other players on either the excellent Discord server, Reddit page, or our Instagram.

Over and out.