WARNO News

Hello, commanders!

As promised, we are back with another WARNO - SOUTHAG preview! Today is NATO’s French 6e Division Légère Blindée's turn in the spotlights. As well as adressing the freezing issue reported on the forum and our support.

Let’s go!

[h2]The 6e Division Légère Blindée’s History[/h2]
The 6e Division Légère Blindée, or 6th Light Armoured Division, can trace its lineage back to the 6e Division de Cavalerie of World War I fame, and after that, the 6e Division Légère de Cavalerie active in World War II. It was reorganized after the war, turning into the 6e Division Blindée which was, until the 1980s, stationed in Compiègne and then Strasbourg. In 1984, the formation was reorganized into the 6e Division Légère Blindée.

The 6e Division Légère Blindée was one of the most famous French late Cold War divisions (together with the 11e Division Parachutiste) for two main reasons:

• It was the armored fist of the Forces d'Action Rapide (FAR), France's counter-operational maneuver battlegroup.
  
• It made headlines in 1991 during the Gulf War, forming the core of the makeshift Division Daguet.

Although the fast armored division didn’t see any action during the Cold War, its contribution during the Gulf War garnered much renown. Covering the extreme left flank of the Coalition army under the command of the American XVIII Airborne Corps, during Operation Desert Storm, it attacked over 150km in 48 hours. Excelling in its envisioned fast-moving role, it crushed the Iraqi 45th Mechanized Infantry Division before continuing to advance north. During the conflict, the 6e Division Légère Blindée commanded over 17.000 men, 4.500 being American, the first time this had happened since World War II.



[h2]The 6e Division Légère Blindée Detailed[/h2]
Although an armored division, the Division Légère Blindée concept - as the name implied - meant that they had an even lighter TO&E than a regular armored division in the French Army (such as the 5e Division Blindée). The 12e and 14e Division Légère Blindée were "division école" (school divisions), meaning they were neither active nor mobilization divisions. These formations only existed on paper in peacetime, but in the case of war, they would have quickly filled their ranks with on-duty cadre and instructors.

These light divisions were intended to spearhead the I Corps in West Germany. They traded one of their two AMX-30 tank regiments for a Régiment de Reconnaissance, which was equipped instead with the AMX-10RC. Meanwhile, the two infantry regiments didn’t use the AMX-10P, but deployed either in VABs or softskins. This would have given these divisions less firepower than an armored formation, but unmatched mobility.



But what about the 6e Division Légère Blindée? It had a special and even lighter TO&E compared to the other two Division Blindée Légère. Being the sole armored formation in the FAR, it was intended to be deployed on very short notice anywhere in the world (hence it forming the core of French troops sent to participate in the Gulf War). As a mobile spearhead, it would work in tandem with the anti-tank Gazelle helicopters of the 4e Division Aéromobile.

In order to perform this high-intensity, quick-moving, shoot-and-scoot warfare, the division followed only one rule: no tracked vehicles allowed. Everything in the 6e Division Légère Blindée was wheeled (hence the lighter TO&E). Both divisional tank regiments were reconnaissance regiments, and both infantry regiments VAB-fielding. Meanwhile, all AA and artillery units were towed.

That’s just one aspect of the formation’s uniqueness, the other being that it commands over the most Légion Etrangère regiments, more than any other French division. These regiments make up half of the division: 1er REC or Régiment Etranger de Cavalerie (AMX-10RC), the 2e REI or Régiment Etranger d'Infanterie (VAB infantry), and the 6e REG, Régiment Etranger du Génie (VAB engineers).



These Légion units will have specifically recorded dialogue and acknowledgments, performed by German, Polish, British, Spanish, Czech and Italian voice actors speaking French with their own accent (and some appropriate colorful nation-appropriate swearing).

Legion sounds

[h2]The 6e Division Légère Blindée in WARNO - SOUTHAG[/h2]
How will the 6e Division Légère Blindée look like in WARNO - SOUTHAG? New units are both italic and bolded. Keep in mind, the following is subject to change.



LOG

• An average category. Command units available to the French division include the P4 PC and VAB PC, as well as GAZELLE PC helicopter.
  
• Supply units featured are a FOB under the name of DEPOT DE MUNITION, medium BERLIET GBU 15 LOG. and heavy TRM-10000 LOG. supply trucks, plus PUMA KANGOUROU./list]
  
  
  INF
  • Pretty good for an armored division. Many infantry units can also be found in the 5e Division Blindée, but in the 6e Division Légère Blindée with only half the availability.
    
    • These include GREN.-VOLTIGEURS in the same roles, as well as GROUPE ANTICHAR, PREVOTE, ESCORTE PC, MILAN 2, and ANF1 plus M2HB machine gun teams.
      
    • And the new… CRAP squads. Yup, this is a French acronym for Commando de Recherche et d'Action dans la Profondeur. Since no one in France had mastered English at the end of the Cold War (fact!), we will have to wait until the early 1990s for an American officer to nicely and politely explain that this name wasn’t one of the best ideas of the French Army. The name was changed soon afterwards, but this airborne commando squad valiantly went into World War III combat under this glorious title. The unit features 10 soldiers, armed with FAMAS, AA-52, a FR-F1, and a LRAC F1 recoilless rifle, and comes with the Airborne trait.
  • Then you’ve got the Légion infantry. All of these units (men and machines) come at 1+ Veterancy compared to their non-Legion counterparts (though no free veterancy) and are available at Veterancy 3 (despite not being Special Forces) and with the Resolute trait.
    
    • CMDT LEGION, 4-man command squad with FAMAS and smoke grenades.
      
    • LEGIONNAIRES and LEGIONNAIRES (APILAS), are organized and armed along the same lines as their non-Légion counterparts.
      
    • CMDT LEGION.-SAPEURS are 8-man command squad with FAMAS only.
      
    • LEGION.-SAPEURS and LEGION.-SAPEURS (FLAM.)
    are like their non-Légion counterparts, but replace the vintage weapons with FAMAS.
    
  • LEGION. MILAN 2 and LEGION. ANF1 weapon teams.
    
• All of the above units come in either P4 jeeps or BERLIET GBU 15 softskins, or VAB APCs sometimes equipped with MILAN ATGMs. The Légion has its own distinct set of vehicles.

ART

• Rather average for the 6e Division Légère Blindée, with the armored division not having any tracked vehicles, meaning no self-propelled guns!
  
• The battlegroup relies on MO-120-RT61 120mm mortars, both in regular and Légion variants.
  
• The only self-propelled artillery unit is the VAB PM-81 81mm mortar, once again in regular and Légion variant.
  
• The divisional big guns, though towed, come in the form of the then ultra-modern TRF-1 155mm which was introduced in 1989. While lacking armor and mobility, this artillery makes up for it in range and rate of fire. After the Cold War ended, a designer at GIAT Industrie will have the bright idea to mate the TRF-1 with its standard towing vehicle - the TRM-10000 truck - from which will be born in blessed union the CAESAR self-propelled gun (not to be featured in WARNO mind you).

TANK

• A good category, though perhaps not as hard-hitting as some other armored division in WARNO. The 6e Division Légère Blindée tank force was small, and part of its armor was used for recon duty.
  
• No AMX-30 here, but you do get to play with AMX-10 RC PC, and AMX-10RC SPAHIS, plus AMX-10RC SB LEGION in a "tank" role.
  
• Tank destroyers include the P4 MILAN and VAB MEPHISTO, both in regular and Légion flavors.

REC

• Good as can be expected from a division built up around two reconnaissance regiments.
  
• We hope you like the AMC-10RC, because there’s plenty more! The standard AMX-10RC, as well as the new AMX-10RC LEGION.
  
• The 6e Division Légère Blindée retired its AMLs, instead relying on VBL RECO and VBL MILAN armored cars, as well as the VAB RASIT radar recon.
  
• Infantry scouts include the ECLAIREURS and their new LEGION. ECLAIREURS counterparts.
  
• The new DINOPS are engineer-scouts from the 6e REG (hence Légion) specialized in underwater reconnaissance. In WARNO, they are 4-man recon squads armed with MP-5A3, satchel charges, and smoke grenades, carrying the Shock and Airborne trait.
  
• Areal reconnaissance comes as the new CL-89 fast drone, which is basically a “recon missile”, plus the SA.330B PUMA ORCHIDEE radar helicopter. Not technically part of the division, the lone prototype of this helicopter (as well as another less successful prototype variant) was attached to it during real-life Operation Daguet. The two prototypes are represented in WARNO by a single card of two Orchidée helos.

AA

• Average with the division in real-life relying entirely (and uniquely so) on towed and truck-borne 20mm guns and Mistrals, all in regular and Légion variants.
  
• The battlegroup can also count on GAZELLE CELTIC, which historically were first deployed in support during the Gulf War.
  
• We have also decided to bolster this category a bit by attaching some CROTALE in an unusual frontline role (they were Armée de l'Air anti-air defense assets intended to be used on air bases). This is also what happened during Operation Daguet.

HEL

• Average. Few but cheap slots, with the division drilling extensively in close cooperation with the 4e Division Aéromobile, especially its anti-tank helicopters. Lacking resilience in direct combat, the 6e Division Légère Blindée's tanks were to spot targets, launch hit-and-run attacks, while the Gazelles cleaned up from above when things got too hot.
  
• This means the GAZELLE CANON, GAZELLE HOT, and GAZELLE HOT 2 will be available.

AIR

• Air cover will be good, with most of the support provided by the MIRAGE 2000C RDI.
  
• For ground pounding, a wide array of JAGUAR fighter-bombers with CLU, HE, and NPLM payloads will be available.
  
• Plus two new variants: a [RKT2] with 100mm TB rockets, and a [LGB] version with two BGL-400 laser-guided bombs.

The 6e Division Légère Blindée is extremely flexible on the battlefield, with no noticeable drawbacks or strengths. While not at its best used in frontal combat, the battlegroup is great at outflanking its opponents using superior mobility and retiring again before the enemy can mount a solid defense or counter-attack.


[h2]Regarding the freezing issue ...[/h2]

We're aware of the blackscreen/freeze issue that's been plaguing the game since the last Warno update, and reported since. We don't know the root cause at the moment, several engineers are currently working on it.

The black screen is actually the operating system terminating and reloading the graphic driver. In some cases, this doesn't succeed, the PC then completely freezes, and must be hard-rebooted.

The problem has been mainly affecting NVidia RTX graphic cards. We've been trying to reproduce the issue on many cards ( AMD and NVidia), we only managed to reproduce it on RTX cards. We've even ordered two extra RTX cards specifically to run tests on them.

We also had some rares cases of black screen on AMD cards, but they were on GNU/Linux+Proton+dxvk. Which means: different OS, different driver, different graphic API. The likelihood for this to be the same issue between NVidia and AMD is extremely low. The symptom looks the same, but any severe error in a driver will cause this symptom.

In the meantime, we highly recommend to upgrade your drivers, especially the NVidia driver (which has been updated in the last days, with a highly unusual amount of fixes - many of them mentioning black screens).

We can assure you we are doing our best to solve that issue, which is our priority at the moment, and can only apologize for the inconvenience in the meantime.

[h2]WARNO - SOUTHAG Expansion In Short[/h2] WARNO - SOUTHAG is WARNO’s second expansion after WARNO - NORTHAG and showcases the fighting in southern West Germany near the Alps and on the Czechoslovakian frontier.

In the southern reaches of Germany, the Warsaw Pact with the Soviet Central Group of Forces, bolstered by the communist Czechoslovakians, battles against a reconstituted and counter-attacking NATO SOUTHAG command led by France, with American, West German, Canadian, and reinforcing Spanish troops.

• 2 new Army General campaigns.
  
• 4 new Operations.
  
• 10 new Divisions, including new nations Canada, Spain and Czechoslovakia. These include NATO’s 1st Canadian Division and the Spanish División Mecanizada «Brunete» n.º 1 and Warsaw Pact’s Czechoslovakian 1. Tanková Divize and 19. Motostřelecká Divize
• New voice acting.
  
• New units and models.

[h2]Until Next Week[/h2]
You know the drill. We’ll be back with a new WARNO - SOUTHAG preview next week!

Don’t forget the vibrant 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.

Hello, hello!

Another DevBlog, another WARNO - SOUTHAG division preview! In today’s post, we turn - once again - to the Warsaw Pact and their Czechoslovakian fighting forces with the new 19. Motostřelecká Divize or 19th Motor Rifle Division.

Let’s go!

[h2]The 19. Motostřelecká Divize Detailed[/h2]
As you might remember from the first Czechoslovakian battlegroup we highlighted - the 1. Tanková Divize - the 19. Motostřelecká Divize formed part the 1st Army of the Czechoslovak People’s Army (CSLA).

Created in 1958 in Plzeň (Pilsen on the map below), its home base for the duration of the Cold War, the
19. Motostřelecká Divize saw no active combat during its lifetime. The motorized rifle division, structured along the Soviet Army lines, was positioned directly opposite West German troops in Regensburg. The division was a standing formation, combat-ready at all times but with reduced strength. Its peacetime manpower was around 75%, with reservists filling out the ranks in case of mobilization.



In the case of World War III, as so depicted in WARNO, it was planned for the 19. Motostřelecká Divize to transfer its 104th Infantry Regiment to the formation directly to the north (the 20. Motostřelecká Divize), which in turn would likely fall under Soviet operational command (as part of the Soviet Central Group of Forces).

This would leave our 19. Motostřelecká Divize with three “teeth” regiment out of the standard four, amputating the battlegroup of one-third of its infantry. However, the parent 1st Army controlled many independent assets, which could be attached to subordinate divisions to make up for any losses or to bolster their firepower. These were chiefly the 1st Army’s helicopter regiment and the famous 22nd Airborne Brigade, the famous Výsadkáři(and their no less famous song... at least to our old-timer Wargame veterans).



[h2]The 19. Motostřelecká Divize in WARNO - SOUTHAG[/h2]
How will the 19. Motostřelecká Divize look like in WARNO - SOUTHAG? New units are both italic and bolded, and everything that follows is work-in-progress and subject to change.



LOG
Pretty good with command units.

• It includes the new OT-62-R4MT, which is a command variant of the OT-62's APC different from the Polish TOPAS R-3M, plus the BVP-1K, as well as Mi-19.
  
• Supply units include PMZ (that is a FOB), V3S medium and T813 heavy supply trucks, and the Mi-17T supply helicopter.

INF
Due to the loss of one of its three infantry regiments, this 19. Motostřelecká Divize category is a bit weaker than other mechanized infantry divisions.

• The core infantry are the same as the 1. Tanková Divize. These are MOTOSTŘELCI, ŽENISTÉ, weapon support teams, with the addition of a AGS-17 automatic grenade launcher team.
  
• The 104th Infantry Regiment, the one transferred out, was the division's sole user of OT-64 APCs. This means transport options for MOTOSTŘELCI are BVP-1 and BVP-2, while ŽENISTÉ squads are the only ones left with access to the OT-62 and OT-64 APCs.
  
• Some REZERVISTI squads in trucks and OT-62A will also be available. These reservists are wearing the older Vz.60 uniforms.
  
• The real (new) stars of the division are the VÝSADKÁŘI squads. Much like the East German Fallschirmjägers, Czechoslovakia's sole airborne brigade acted both as an airborne/heliborne formation and the army's special forces. As such, they come with both the Special Forces and Shock traits. These air assault squads are 10-strong, armed with Vz.58V, two Vz.59L, and a RPG-7VL. The squads come in combat, command, and ATGM variants, riding unarmed or rocket-armed Mi-17T helicopters.

ART
As we mentioned in the previous Czechoslovakian-themed DevBlog, the communist country had a vibrant domestic weapons and vehicle industry.

• It also produced its own artillery, such as the M Vz.52 82mm and Vz.82 120mm mortars.
  
• The only towed howitzer available to the 19. Motostřelecká Divize is the D-30 122mm. As a side note, we have incorrectly granted the same artillery piece to the 1. Tanková Divize. Historically, these guns had been replaced in the tank-heavy division by the 2S1 Gvozdika.
  
• Self-propelled guns available to the 19. Motostřelecká Divize are the (mentioned above) 2S1 and the domestic-made DANA, as well as the RM-70 MRLS.
  
• A welcome addition to the Czechoslovakian arsenal (even for the Warsaw Pact at large) is the first self-propelled mortar: the new PRÁM-S. This is a 120mm mortar mounted casemate-style on a BVP-1. And why stop there? This armored vehicle is also equipped with a 12,7mm HMG, plus a Konkurs ATGM launcher. Although not distributed to any divisions, a dozen or so PRAM-S had been produced by the end of the Cold War. In our ”March to War”, they have been regrouped into an army asset battery and attached to the 19. Motostřelecká Divize.

TANK
Average in slots, since it is short a tank batallion compared to other MSDs, it is quite unique and potent from its composition.

• The two infantry regiment's tank batallions were equiped with the T-55AM1, coming in combat and command variants, with a few T-55A in support. The former tank is the missing link between the T-55A and the T-55AM2; it received the earlier variant’s armor and lack of smoke, but with the latter version’s more capable 2275m tank gun.
  
• Meanwhile, 19.MSD & 20.MSD's tank regiments were planned to be the first non-tank division regiments to be reequiped with T-72 in 1989-90, but this never happened due to the end of the Cold War. In our timeframe, this will, and since by then the newer T-72M1 had replaced the T-72M in Czechoslovakian production, it will get this tank.
  
• Therefore, we'll have an infantry division with about half/half T-55AM-1 & T-72M1.
  
• Missile destroyer units are limited to a handful OP PTRK KONKURS (BRDM-2 KONKURS).
  
• Towed anti-tank guns include the domestic-made VÝS. BZK VZ.59 82mm, a Special Forces traited recoilless rifle, airliftable in an Mi-17T. Another new unit is the M-53 100mm, an anti-tank gun, which in a secondary role, can be put to use as a field gun.

REC
Another balanced category for the 19. Motostřelecká Divize.

• Recon infantry available to the battlegroup includes the same as those found in the 1. Tanková Divize plus new VÝS. PRŮZKUMNÍCI air assault recon squads deployable in armed helicopters.
  
• Further backed up by an armored OT-65 DPP with a ground-based radar.
  
• And the heliborne Mi-17Z2 recon helicopter, doubling up as a jammer.

AA
A standard category.

• Anti-air defenses contain PPLRK S-2M (Strela-2) MANPAD teams, plus the same PLDVK VZ.23/59 SPAAG as the 1. Tanková Divize.
  
• In addition, the 2K12 KUB can also be found.

HEL
A good category.

• It fields the same Mi-2URP and MI-17 [RKT] as its sister tank division.
  
• Plus support from the CSLA’s only Mi-24V regiment, with rocket and ATGM loadouts.

AIR
Air cover is pretty decent for the 19. Motostřelecká Divize.

• Air superiority missions are flown by the MiG-21Bis and MiG-29.
  
• Czechoslovakia was among the few countries to acquire and operate the Su-25 during the Cold War. These will be available in all Soviet loadouts.

The 19. Motostřelecká Divize is a well-rounded motor rifle division, with less mechanized-mounted infantry to comparable formations but without any true handicap. It can also count on a heft contingent of potent Czechoslovakian airborne troops to bolster its ranks!

[h2]WARNO - SOUTHAG Expansion In Short[/h2] WARNO - SOUTHAG is WARNO’s second expansion after WARNO - NORTHAG and showcases the fighting in southern West Germany near the Alps and on the Czechoslovakian frontier.

In the southern reaches of Germany, the Warsaw Pact with the Soviet Central Group of Forces, bolstered by the communist Czechoslovakians, battles against a reconstituted and counter-attacking NATO SOUTHAG command led by France, with American, West German, Canadian, and reinforcing Spanish troops.

• 2 new Army General campaigns.
  
• 4 new Operations.
  
• 10 new Divisions, including new nations Canada, Spain and Czechoslovakia. These include NATO’s 1st Canadian Division and the Spanish División Mecanizada «Brunete» n.º 1 and Warsaw Pact’s Czechoslovakian 1. Tanková Divize.
  
• New voice acting.
  
• New units and models.

[h2]Until Next Week[/h2]
We’ll be back next week with a new WARNO - SOUTHAG preview.

Don’t forget the vibrant 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, commanders.

Buenos días, commandantes!

We are back with another WARNO - SOUTHAG division preview. And once again, in today’s DevBlog, we’ll cast a shining light on a new WARNO nation: NATO’s Spain bringing their División Mecanizada «Brunete» n.º 1 or the Armoured Division No. 1 "Brunete".

Vamos!

[h2]Spanish Armed Forces History[/h2]
Spain emerged from Franco’s decades-long dictatorship in the late 1970s, eventually joining NATO in 1982. Far from the Iron Curtain and cornered on the southern flank of Europe, the Spanish armed forces in the 1980s were on a path of internal transformation and downsizing. While yes, any kind of potential World War III conflict with the Warsaw Pact was nominally on the table, it was not foreseen as a reality (that is, until WARNO’s “March to War” hits).



Democratic Spain’s role in the 1980s NATO needs to be seen through the lens of the military’s role in the preceding dictatorship. They supported Franco as the Caudillo, taking part in a repressive military police state and focused chiefly on internal security. Having won the Spanish Civil War in 1939 against the socialistic democratic forces (heavily backed by communists), Franco’s fascist regime evolved over time, at first courting Hitler, then remaining neutral during World War II.

Deep in poverty and heavily isolated, Francoist Spain gradually opened up from the 1950s onwards. Reforms saw admittance to the United Nations, while the United States saw an opportunity on Europe’s flank, with Spain acting as a helpful anti-communist force; the Americans not only provided financial help but also opened up several key military facilities and bases in the country.



After the ascension to democracy in 1978, for a short moment, Spain saw the specter of military dictatorship in 1981 loom again during an eventful coup d'état attempt (in which the Armoured Division No. 1 "Brunete" played a part). This was just a blip, and for the rest of the 1980s, Spain proved to be a solid but relatively withdrawn NATO ally.

[h2]Spain in NATO[/h2]
As a new NATO member, Spain was expected to commit troops to the defense of Western Europe. The Spanish Fuerzas Armadas were to provide a parachute battalion to the ACE Mobile Force, as well as at least one corp (more on that below) in case of hostilities, either:

• A “Mountain Corps” for service in the Mediterranean theater (Italy, Greece, or Turkey).
  
• The Armoured Division No. 1 "Brunete" to be sent to southern West Germany. This formation could be expanded by follow-up forces to a full mechanized corps.

Our WARNO World War III scenario envisions the second option, with Brunete rushing through France to join SOUTHAG. This plan was considered by high command but never tested in real-life conditions or exercises. As we are considering that Canada will be able to airlift two brigades across the ocean, transporting a division by rail from Spain to France is not implausible.

[h2]The Armoured Division No. 1 "Brunete" Detailed[/h2] División Mecanizada «Brunete» n.º 1 was originally created in 1943, its name referring to the important Spanish Civil War Battle of Brunete of 1937, which saw a Nationalist strategic victory after counter-attacking a Republican-started offensive near Madrid. It was also the largest tank battle during the war.



During its lifetime, the Brunete was considered one of the best-armed and most powerful divisions in Spain during its lifetime. Originally equipped with German (Panzer IV) and Soviet tanks (T-26), after the normalization of relations with the United States in the 1950s, the division was equipped with American-made equipment, later augmented by French weaponry.



During the coup d'état attempt in 1981, the division barracked in Madrid and received orders to assist the rebels. Several high-ranking divisional officers were part of the conspiracy, though other members of the military effectively counter-manded the division’s deployment during the coup.



By the late 1980s, the Brunete was a small division with only two brigades (thanks to the aforementioned downsizing in the early 1980s). This meant it was closer in scale to a French division than other NATO formations. Considering that the Brunete was to be one of the first elements of a mechanized corps, much like the in-game French 5e Blindée, we have attached some additional independent support units. This brings up Brunete to divisional strength.

That’s not where the similarities with the French end. Spain was the main user of the AMX-30 tanks outside of France itself. All things considered, the Spanish Army of the late Cold War was a mix of French and American equipment, including a few domestic designs.

[h2]The Armoured Division No. 1 "Brunete" in WARNO - SOUTHAG[/h2]
How will the Armoured Division No. 1 "Brunete" look like in WARNO - SOUTHAG? Well, a whole bunch of new units (marked in both italic and bold). As always, units and categories are subject to change.

LOG Brunete’s logistical base was mediocre. The division was intended to be strategically projected into West Germany with only a “paper plan” to guide it. The corps it intended to form was also non-existent within the Spanish Army at the time. All of this is represented in the in-game category.

• Supply units include FOB, the new PEGASO 3046 light truck, and the M548A2 armored supply vehicle.
  
• Command units include the M577 and the new BMR-PC. This latter unit is a command variant of the domestic 6x6 wheeled APC series.

INF
Pretty decent for a smaller armored NATO division, but its infantry is a scarce commodity. It’s a good thing Brunete’s recon troops provide some additional feet on the ground and firepower.

Dobrý den, commanders!

We are back with our second WARNO - SOUTHAG division preview. In today’s DevBlog, we’ll take a look at (another) new nation and division: the Warsaw Pact’s Czechoslovakians with the 1. Tanková Divize or 1st Tank Division.

Read on!

[h2]Czechoslovakia History[/h2]
Now, thanks to this writer’s oopsie, “Checoslovakia” has now officially entered WARNO’s lore as a delicious communist-made chocolate cereal (outlawed for its “bohemian” tastes - thanks for the jokes guys!). However, the real Czechoslovakia, as a communist nation part of the Eastern Bloc and the Warsaw Pact, was an entirely different entity.

In the late stages of World War II, the Soviet Red Army had liberated most of the Czechoslovakian lands. The nation turned forcibly communist by 1948 and was renamed the People’s Republic of Czechoslovakia. Both Czech and Slovak as official languages were used in military and political documents, and the status of both individual republics (which later facilitated the peaceful dissolution of Czechoslovakia in 1992) was enshrined in the constitution in 1960 with the Czech Bohemia-Moravia and Slovakia.



The relationship between the communist country as a client state and its overlord, the USSR, changed abruptly after the Prague Spring of 1968. While the Czechoslovakians clamored for more political liberalization, the Soviet Union, joined by other Warsaw Pact nations, invaded the middle European country and put down the protest violently.



Before 1968, the Czechoslovak People’s Army (Československá ľudová armáda or CSLA) was considered to be one of the best trained and equipped of all Warsaw Pact. After the Prague Spring, the armed forces were undone, never to be trusted fully by the Soviet Army. The purge of the older army in the 1970s and the strict control of the Soviet Army were still felt by the late 1980s. However, Czechoslovakia's well-established industrial and economic base ensured that the country’s armed forces were the best-equipped Warsaw Pact militaries, aside from the USSR.

[h2]The 1. Tanková Divize’s History[/h2]
The 1. Tanková Divize or 1st Tank Division doesn’t have an impressive historical record or even much of a combat career during the Cold War. Formed in 1958, the 1. Tanková Divize never saw action. Like the rest of the CSLA, it was formed along Soviet Army lines, towing the line in terms of TO&E, from motorized rifles to the disposition of its tank forces. The formation was kept in reserve behind the 2nd, 19th, and 20th Motor Rifle Divisions as part of the 1st Army, the main frontline army. This resulted in the 1. Tanková Divize being one of the best-equipped and most combat-ready CSLA units.



As mentioned before, thanks to the Czechoslovakian industrial capacity and many military factories, the CSLA was the best-equipped in the Warsaw Pact (besides the Soviet Army itself), exporting its own weapons to other communist nations. It featured both modern license-built Soviet equipment and Czech domestic-designed weaponry. Czechoslovakia was the only country outside the USSR to produce the BMP-2 (designated BVP-2 in CSLA service) and fielded a large number of this IFV. In comparison, East Germany and Poland only had 30 each of these vehicles, “generously” donated by their Soviet comrades. Czechoslovakia also produced (as did Poland) the T-72M and M1. Plus, the country’s armed industry jointly (again with Poland) designed and produced the SKOT (OT-64 in CSLA service) and TOPAS (OT-62) vehicles.


There is more: the domestic arms industry also produced their own variants of the AKM assault rifle (the Vz.58) but did not switch to the smaller 5,56mm caliber assault rifle as the USSR and other Warsaw Pact nations. Another home-grown weapon was the UK Vz.59 machine gun. The Czechoslovakian armed forces used the ubiquitous RPG-7 but also fielded the domestic-made disposable rocket launcher called the RPG-75, quite similar in performance to the RPG-18 or M72 LAW. And, of course, no preview of the Czechoslovakian Cold War weaponry would be complete without their gnarly looking SMG, the Vz.61 Skorpion.


[h2]The 1. Tanková Divize’s in WARNO - SOUTHAG[/h2]
How will the 1. Tanková Divize look like in WARNO - SOUTHAG? New units are both italic and bolded, and everything that follows is work-in-progress and subject to change.

LOG

• Not the best of logistical bases for this offensively-minded tank-heavy division. It can count on the usual set of logistical units, including a FOB, the new V3S medium supply, and the T813 heavy supply truck.
  
• Command units include BVP-1K and BVP2-K, as well as the VSOT-65/R2M, which is the Czechoslovakian designation for the in-game Polish SKOT R-2M.

INF

• Modern equipment in this otherwise decent category. The 1. Tanková Divize’s infantry battalions were all equipped with IFVs, be it the BVP-1 (with Malyutka), BVP-1P (with Fagot) or BVP-2 (with Konkurs), without limitations.
  
• The new MOTOSTRELCI come in 7-man squads, with Vz.58, 2x UK Vz.59L LMG and either RPG-7M or RPG-75 depending on the variant. Command versions of this squad have the same manpower strength but field Skorpion, Vz.58, Igla MANPAD, and smoke grenades.
  
• The ŽENISTÉ are the battlegroup’s combat engineers, featured in 8-strong squads with Skorpion SMGs and either satchel charges or LPO-50 flamethrower depending on the variant. The Command variant is 6-strong, with Vz.58 and RPG-75. They come in V3S truck or OT-62A APC.
  
• The CSLA military police, called the TAI, is a 5-man strong squad with a mix of Skorpion and Vz.58, carrying the Military Police trait, driving to battle with their UAZ-469 TAI. Twice as strong but with the same mix of weapons and featuring the Security trait are POLNÍ ČETNÍ security squads, deployable in either V3S truck or OT-62A APC.
  
• Support units include:
  
  • LOVCI TANKŮ is the usual 6-man strong tank-hunting squad with two RPG-7VL, riding in V3S trucks or (all variants) of the BVP.
    
  • PTRS FAGOT teams.
    
  • UK Vz.59 7,62mm medium machine gun teams.

ART

• A pretty good category for 1. Tanková Divize with tube-based artillery including the new M Vz.52 82mm mortars, D-30 122mm howitzers and the 2S1 and domestic DANA self-propelled guns.
  
• Rocket artillery includes the domestic-made RM-70, as well as the older 32-round 130mm RM-51 MRLS.
  
• And lastly, the new SVO demining vehicle. This is a BVP-1 hull with its turret stripped and its passenger compartment replaced with 24 rails for 240mm short-range rockets. These were used to explosively clear paths in minefields.

TANK

• As can be expected, this category is pretty good all-around. All its main battle tanks are part of the T-72 family:
  
  • The most common tank is the T-72M1 and command variant, the T-72M1K.
    
  • In addition, a handful of T-72M and command T-72MK are available.
    
  • While we gave East Germany a few individual T-72S as a “March to War” unit, the Czechoslovakians were in active negotiations with the USSR to obtain the blueprints of the same tank in order to produce it themselves. While talks scuttered with the end of the Cold War, in WARNO’s timeline, the Soviet Union will share the technical specifications with Czechoslovakia in order to bolster their satellite’s armored forces. This is why the 1. Tanková Divize will have access to the T-72S in greater numbers compared to the East German 9. Panzerdivision.
• The battlegroup doesn’t field a dedicated (towed) anti-tank gun, with the only tank destroying means being the OT PTRK KONKURS (being a locally designated Konkurs-equipped BRDM-2).

REC

Hello commanders,

Are you ready and deployed for another ram-packed WARNO update? We’ve released today not only Nemesis #3 - Homefront but also a new map - Cliff - and a patch bringing the revamped Armory user interface.

Let’s go!

[h2]WARNO’s New Update[/h2]
So, today’s roll-out contains the following juicy stuff:

• The new Nemesis #3 - Homefront DLC. Read more about the new units and weapons a bit further below.
  
• The new Cliff map as part of the free Reinforcement Pack #7. Check out the details here.
  
• A revamped Armory UI. You can find all the info on this page.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/3601220/WARNO__RP_7__Cliff/

Of course, this update wouldn’t be complete without a host of new WARNO fixes, improvements, and other changes. Check out the patch notes below!

https://steamcommunity.com/games/1611600/announcements/detail/497190789924782420

[h2]Nemesis #3 - Homefront[/h2] Nemesis - Homefront is the third Nemesis expansion to release for WARNO. This DLC features two brand-new divisions: the Warsaw Pact Soviet defenders of the 157-yaMotostrelkovaya Diviziya and the mixed troops of NATO’s US 6th Infantry Division (Light). More historical backgrounds can be found in each of the division’s respective DevBlogs.



https://store.steampowered.com/app/3333260/WARNO__Nemesis_3__Homefront/

As WARNO’s World War III engulfs the front lines in West Germany and beyond, the rear areas of both NATO and the Warsaw Pact are vulnerable to potential flanking operations, raids, amphibious or airborne assaults. Both sides equip and raise various units to defend their shores and critical sectors. Nemesis - Homefront presents two well-equipped defensive divisions with additional naval support to bolster their arsenal and manpower.

• Command two new WARNO Divisions in Skirmish, Ranked or online Multiplayer: the US US 6th Infantry Division (Light) and the Soviet 157-ya Motostrelkovaya Diviziya.
  
• Take charge of new units, including US ALASKAN SCOUTS, the renowned NAVY SEALS special forces, Soviet PARTIZANI, and a host of new vehicles, such as CH-54B TARHE helicopters, DRAGON 300 APCs, A-6E INTRUDER, and IS-2M tanks, B-4M 203mm and Br-5M 280mm super-heavy artillery, A222 BEREG, K-1 recon helicopter, and Su-15TM and T-10K aircraft.

[h2]WARNO - SOUTHAG Expansion In Short[/h2]
In case you have missed it: WARNO - SOUTHAG is WARNO’s second expansion currently in the works. We have started to reveal the first divisions, with the 1st Canadian Division taking the lead.

WARNO - SOUTHAG takes place in the southern reaches of Germany, the Warsaw Pact battles against a reconstituted and counter-attacking NATO SOUTHAG command led by France, with American, West German, Canadian, and reinforcing Spanish troops. Opposing are the southern-based Soviet Central Group of Forces, bolstered by the communist Czechoslovakians.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2978630/WARNO__SOUTHAG/

• 2 new Army General campaigns.
  
• 4 new Operations.
  
• 10 new Divisions, including new nations Canada, Spain and Czechoslovakia.
  
• New voice acting.
  
• New units and models.

[h2]Until Next Week![/h2]
We will be back later this week with a deliciously ”Checoslovakian”WARNO - SOUTHAG preview!

Don’t forget the vibrant 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!