WARNO News

Hello commander!

Happy to see everyone enjoying the fruits of our LANNES labor! However, the Eugen team never rests on its laurels; we are already getting busy with the next WARNO milestone: MASSENA!

Let’s check out what’s in store!

[h2]A word about MASSENA[/h2]
First off, as is tradition, before we can kick off today’s DevBlog, a couple of words on the update’s name (and historical namesake): MASSENA. As you know, we named all of our milestones after famous French marshals during the Napoleonic wars.

André Masséna was Napoleon’s ablest lieutenant during the early days of Bonaparte’s campaign in Italy. The latter even nicknamed Masséna the “Dear Child of Victory”. He was also the marshal originating from the lowest social ranks, and a tarnished reputation surrounded him as Masséna became notorious as among the worst looter of the French army (and surprisingly very stingy).



Very active during the early years, isolation crept in for Masséna. Italy was relegated to a secondary theater after the action moved to Germany, Poland, and Austria. However, our general had a thunderous return in 1809 when, with the Grande Armée being fixed in Spain, Napoleon had to turn to Masséna and his troops for support.

The apex of the general’s career came soon after, during the battles of Aspern-Essling and Wagram. Unfortunately, our aging Masséna soon lost his vigor and energy. Sent to invade Portugal, he endured terrible hardships, with the invasion ending up in failure. Masséna retreated to Spain before being forced home to France. He was never to see active field service again, playing no real importance during the rest of the Napoleonic wars. He he died of natural causes in 1817.

[h2]What will MASSENA bring?[/h2] WARNO’s next milestone, MASSENA will introduce two German divisions of a new type: territorial commands. For our Steel Division 2 veterans out there, think Korück!

These commands were tasked with securing the rear area of the main NATO and Warsaw Pact armies against special forces and potential airborne assault operations. They guarded key locations, infrastructure, ammo and fuel depots, artillery, and other army assets. Although made up of second-line troops and equipment, these new divisions will be well-rounded in no small part to the heavy SAM and artillery forces they would be guarding. This makes them ideal candidates for defensive or support decks.

Within WARNO’s war scenario, these territorial command divisions would likely square up against the airborne divisions from recently released LANNES. Our territorial forces would aim to pin down and prevent the paratroopers from reaching their objectives.

[h2]Territorialkommando Süd[/h2]
We will start with West Germany’s Territorialkommando Süd (TerrKdo Süd) as our first new division. In real life, TerrKdo Süd was more of an administrative command than a field one, controlling traffic, performing basic counter-intelligence, security, etc. The formation was situated in both NATO’s CENTAG and SOUTHAG area of command, in central and south West Germany.



However, should an airborne assault occur during our World War III scenario, or perhaps Warsaw Pact forces making a lightning breakthrough, TerrKdo Süd would have been in command of all the rear units. This includes two full reserve brigades with tanks and a plethora of smaller formations.

One important feature of TerrKdo Süd is that while the division is composed chiefly of rear-line units, it will receive some (foreign) support. In case of a breakthrough and an unopposed Soviet drive on the Rhine, there would be one particular nation rather desperate to prevent Ivan from advancing through CENTAG’s to their border: the French.

TerrKdo Süd receives some reinforcements from France’s Armée de l’Air and 4e Division Aéromobile. The latter was France’s only air assault “division,” though more the size of a small brigade. This formation is equipped with a ton of Gazelle combat helicopters and a regiment of heliborne infantry specialized in anti-tank warfare. That means a lot of Frenchies lugging around MILAN systems!



[h2]Which units can you play with?[/h2]
What units can you expect with the new TerrKdo Süd division?

• The LOG category is pretty standard with an emphasis on heavy movers and suppliers: you get to play with the MAN Kat 6x6 truck and CH-53G helicopter.
  
• Lots of cheap INF slots. This includes many veterancy-locked Jäger, Heimatschutzen and Sicherungs squads, including organic M40A1 and MILAN 1 anti-tank teams, as well as some Feldjäger and Pioniers.Jäger infantry can deploy in M113A1G transports; the rest of the soldiers in soft-skin vehicles.
  
• Next to the Germans, some French airmobile squads, as well as MILAN 2 anti-tank teams in Super Puma helis, are available.
  
• TNK category is average, both in terms of slots and quality. Alongside the KanJpz, we encounter the mainstay of the German tank reserve arsenal: the M48 Patton in its 90mm M48A2CGA1 and 105mm M48A2GA2 variants. The latter is an up-gunned version with the M60 Patton’s main gun, giving it the same firepower but on a smaller, weaker chassis. Finally, the French P4 MILAN 2 offers a light but fast and powerful tank destroyer.

• The AA category is one of the stronger categories. With the formation’s task of protecting SAM sites, you’ll get quite a lot of affordable anti-air units. This includes the monotube FK20-2 20mm, as well as the good ‘ol Flak L/70 Bofors. Consider these very effective against choppers!
  
• Other units include Roland 2 and Roland 3 units, and the towed I-Hawk. To round it out, you also get to deploy Fliegerfaust squads.

• The ART forces of the TerrKdo Süd are pretty strong too in terms of availability and price, but come mostly as towed units. It includes the 120mm Tampella mortar, 105mm FH M1A2 (A2) (this model is already used as a placeholder for the 82nd Airborne Division’s M102 unit), and the 155mm FH155-1 (another name for the FH-70, deployable with our existing German divisions). The only self-propelled artillery unit is the older HS.30 Panzermörser 120mm mortar carrier.
  
• RECO is clearly not this division’s strong suit. There is limited availability and choice, including Aufklärer (4-man) and Jäger-Aufklärer squads, as well as French Gazelle Lisse (unarmed) and Gazelle Canon (20mm) recon helicopters.
  
• Lacking a helicopter force of its own, TerrKdo Süd instead relies entirely on French assets. This comes in the form of Gazelle Canon, Gazelle HOT 1 and Gazelle HOT 2.

• Air support is pretty decent, with several variants of the Luftwaffe’s F-4F available in anti-tank, bomber, and fighter roles, as well as the new F-104G bomber variant with its Mk.83 bombs.
  
• The French Armée de l’Air lends additional support with a single card each of Mirage 2000C RDI fighters and Mirage 5 F cluster bombers.
  

TerrKdo Süd is a pretty good defensive and support division. This is because of its many cheap infantry and tanks, allowing it to hold the line against enemy attacks. However, the formation lacks modern equipment to be confident on an offense, especially main battle tanks, armored transport carriers, and self-propelled artillery.

[h2]See you on the battlefield[/h2]
That’s it for the first preview of MASSENA. Come back next week for a look into the new Warsaw Pact division!

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!

Rejoice, commander!

Today is the glorious day that you’ll get to play the latest update for WARNO, the eagerly expected LANNES milestone!

Yes, we all know you have been patiently (and, in some cases, impatiently) been waiting for this update. Our apologies for the delays! However, it comes as no surprise that game development can be beset by roadblocks, fixes, and hold-ups. At Eugen, we sometimes make the hard decisions to have a new feature, unit, or mechanic take a little longer, just so that you get to play with the best possible (new) version of WARNO.

With that disclaimer out of the way, let’s find out all the juicy details being “airdropped” in by LANNES.

[h2]What does LANNES bring to the table?[/h2]
The LANNES update brings a host of exciting new things to WARNO. What can you expect?

• Two new paratroop-focused divisions: the renowned American 82nd Airborne Division squares off against the elite Soviet 35-ya OG Desantno-Shturmovaya Brig. or 35th Gds. Air Assault Brigade.
  
• An arsenal of new weapon systems and units. For NATO this includes among others, the light M551 Sheridan tank, the Humvee transport in many varieties, the M998 Avenger and the AA AH-1 ATAS variant. For the Soviets, expect to play with the BTR-D family of vehicles, the rare Ka-50, 2S9 Nona, 2B9 Vasilek automatic mortar, as well as the BMD-1 and the BMD-2.
  
• New towed units, including the M102 105mm howitzer, the M30 107mm (4,2-inch) mortar, M167 Vulcan AA, 2S12 120mm mortar and D-20 122mm howitzer.
  
• The new Forward Deployment mechanic that sets apart airborne and air assault units from recon forces or normal units. Units with the Forward Deployment will be able to deploy ahead of your division’s main and recon deployment zones at the beginning of a battle.
  
• Two new maps: Triple Strike, a 3vs3 battlefield with three large attack lanes featuring a succession of terrain types; Vertigo, a 2vs2 map with lots of verticality.
  
• Lots of improvements, bug fixes, and quality-of-life additions!

[h2]Two new WARNO divisions[/h2]
As mentioned, LANNES will bring two new divisions to WARNO. If you want to read more about what makes the American 82ns Airborne Division unique or why the Soviet 35th Gds. Air Assault will be kicking some serious butt, check out the dedicated DevBlogs below!

• The daring paratroopers of the acclaimed American 82ns Airborne Division bringing a host of light airborne-specific equipment. Read all about the new NATO division in this blog post here.
  
• The elite airborne troops of the Soviet 35th Gds. Air Assault Brigade which in the case of World War III would have acted as Group of Soviet Forces in Germany organic air assault brigade. Read all about the new Warsaw Pact division in this blog post here.

DISCLAIMER:

• BTR-ZD is missing its icon.
  
• M102 howitzer is actually an M101. The latter wwas needed for the next iteration, but the two were mixed up.

Both issues are fixed on our end and will be patched soon.


[h2]Two new maps[/h2]
Two new battlefields, detailed in this blog post here, will be available:

• Triple Strike structured around three large attack lanes offering a succession of different terrain types, each with its own gameplay impact: open areas, forests, and mountains.
  
• Vertigo puts the focus on verticality. The map features many mountains, mostly positioned on the edges of the level. This gives the players a clear central playing area.

[h2]See you on the battlefield[/h2]
Before we leave you be to discover all the new toys and mechanics of LANNES, another small note from the Eugen team.
While fixing various technical issues (one reason for LANNES’ delay), the designers weren’t idle and advanced on not only the next milestone, MASSENA but also the one after, BESSIERES.
We will soon enter the testing phase of MASSENA.



Oh, and if you are curious, BESSIERES will feature the long-awaited first French and British divisions!





Now - get to it! 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 all!

Let’s look at some new maps coming hot to WARNO! Our next milestone, LANNES, will not only be about new divisions, units, and toys to play around with but also two new battlefields: Triple Strike and Vertigo.

[h2]Keep on improvin’[/h2]
Before we lift the veil on all the juicy new details, the map design team has been hard at work on the production of several new maps, actively considering your feedback. This is an important part of our design efforts. We want to make sure that whatever new environment we are working on contains your wishes and desires - to the extent that this is possible from a production and gameplay point of view.

The next two new maps to be delivered with LANNES update will benefit from a significant reduction in choke points. The topology and environments will keep on being realistic, with lots of verticality, for example.

There is more: next to the two new maps, detailed further below, we are also hard at work on delivering another type of new map. One of them, designed together with some of our most active players, combines all the relevant player feedback and community comments into one interesting package. This map, the 3x3_Cyrus, features even more open areas and specifically has a design that emphasizes player readability of the battlefield!

[h2]Triple Strike[/h2]
The first new map that will be brought by LANNES is Triple Strike, a 3vs3 battlefield. This particular level was previewed at the 3rd Fundraiser Tournament for Action Against Hunger charity event organized by the Simulated Divisions League, which we warmly thank and salute!



The event was a chance to see some of our greatest WARNO players battle it out against Eugen’s own development team. During the live matches, we received a lot of positive feedback about the new Triple Strike map. We hope it lives up to meeting your expectations as well!



Triple Strike’s 82 km² is structured around three large attack lanes. These corridors offer a succession of different terrain types, each with its own gameplay impact: open areas, forests, and mountains. The map also features various elevations in the form of plateaus. These need to be considered if you want to gain an advantage on the battlefield! The majority of the Command zones are positioned to highlight the strategic infrastructure of the map: cities, industrial zones, and residential sectors.



[h2]Vertigo[/h2]
Map número dos is Vertigo, a battlefield offered for 2v2 battles. This Death Row-sized map (with 56 km²) puts the focus on verticality. The map features many mountains, mostly positioned on the edges of the level. This gives the players a clear central playing area.



We designed Vertigo from the ground up to offer clearer lines of sight compared to some other battlefields. The main clashes on Vertigo will take place around the six central Command zones. Various strategies are available for a player to take control of the map, including frontal attacks or bypassing the defensive lines via the edges of the map. We’ll keep a close eye on which tactics you’ll use to win on Vertigo!



[h2]Model improvements[/h2]
Taking into account our (very) busy schedule, we are trying to apply fixes and include quality-of-life improvements whenever possible. As such, we have reworked some models. This includes the Warsaw Pact’s BMP-1P now featuring the correct Fagot ATGM launcher. We also took the chance to add a new variant of the IFV: the BMP-1PG with an AGS-17 automatic grenade launcher bolted to the turret. We will add this vehicle to the existing Soviet mechanized divisions.



NATO hasn’t been forgotten. We have reworked the Harrier GR.3’s incorrect GR.5 to the proper version.



[h2]See you on the battlefield[/h2]
That’s it for this week. 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 to together with other players on either the excellent Discord server, Reddit page, or our Instagram.

See you on the battlefield, commander!

Hello!

We are back with another LANNES update. We already took to those who fall from the sky with our last week’s look at the famous U.S. 82nd Airborne division. This time we are putting the spotlight on a comparable paratrooper Warsaw Pact formation: the new 35th Gds. Air Assault Brigade.

The 35-ya OG Desantno-Shturmovaya Brig. was the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany Cold War organic air assault brigade, and as such, going to bring plenty of new toys and units to WARNO’s battlefield. Let’s take a look!

[h2]Who is LANNES?[/h2]
In our excitement to talk about our new American paratroopers, we kind of forgot to tell you about the origin of the name LANNES. Of course, we are talking about an early 19th Century Marshal of the French Empire, Jean Lannes, to be exact. A personal friend to Napoleon and one of his youngest marshals, he was considered one of the most daring and talented generals. Napoleon couldn’t resist highlighting his own influence when saying: “I found him a pygmy and left him a giant”.



Having risen multiple times in the ranks, including the campaigns in Italy and Egypt, as well as briefly falling out of Napoleon’s grace, Lannes rose once more to prominence during the Napoleonic Wars. He fought and commanded with distinction during the Battles of Austerlitz, Saalfeld (still studied today by the French Staff College), Jena and the grueling siege of Zaragoza.

However, during the Battle of Aspern-Essling, in 1809, Lannes was hit by a ricocheted cannonball at the very end of the battle. Though immediately taken care of - with one leg amputated - the injuries proved too grave, and Lannes died eight days later. The first Napoleonic marchal to fall in battle. A battlefield end to a true military commander!

[h2]A little historical context[/h2]
For most of its existence, the 35-ya OG Desantno-Shturmovaya Brig. or 35th Gds. Air Assault Brigade was the 111th Guards Airborne Regiment (itself part of the 11th Guards Airborne Division). This latter regiment only turned into the 35th Gds. Air Assault in 1979 when the parent division was disbanded and its constituent regiments became independent brigades.

The lineage of the brigade can be traced back to the late 1940s, when the 111th Guards Airborne Regiment was first founded. In the 1960s, it trained extensively for mountain warfare and was several years stationed in the Turkestan Military District, near Uzbekistan’s external border. In 1979, the division and regiment were briefly located in Bagram, Afghanistan, mere months before the official Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in December 1979.



As mentioned above, in the fall of 1979, the 11th Guards Airborne Division was disbanded and the 111th Guards Airborne Regiment became the 35th Gds. Air Assault. It was then sent to East Germany.

In Europe, the 35th Gds. Air Assault was a mix of a parachutist and air assault division. As such, in WARNO, some of the division’s units will feature the Forward Deployment mechanic (see last week’s DevBlog).

[h2]What new units do you get?[/h2]
Let’s get down to brass tacks, shall we? What can you expect from the 35th Gds. Air Assault in the upcoming LANNES update?

• As mentioned, one of the main features of 35th Gds. Air Assault is a mix of parachute and heliborne units. In WARNO this means that regular Desantniki (parachute ones) will be able to Forward Deploy. Heliborne Desantniki (DShB) will not, having to arrive from the rear with Mi-2 and Mi-8T.
  
• Spetsnaz forces (combat, not recon already featured as the Spetsnaz G.R.U.) will also be deployable.
  

Another unique feature of Soviet airborne forces is that they jump with their specialized, lightly armored vehicles, which are based on two types: the BMD and the BTR-D.

• The BMD-1 and BMD-2 are basically the BMP-1 and BMP-2, but with less armor and no organic ATGM load-out. They retain the same guns as their heavier counterparts. As an Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV), they will be available in Forward Deployment featuring the Desantniki (Mek.) squad and Leader variants.
  
• Other (parachute) Desantniki will deploy in UAZ jeeps or lighter Gaz-66B para truck transports. The BMD is also featured as a turretless Command vehicle.
  
• The BTR-D is another paradrop-only vehicle, coming in several variants:
  • The BTR-D is a lightly armed APC with MGs and AGS-17 grenade-launcher.
    
  • The BTR-RD Robot is an APC armed with a Konkurs launcher, doubling as a transport for an anti-tank team.
    
  • BTR-ZD Skrezhet is an APC armed with a twin 23mm ZU-23-2 AA gun strapped on the roof, acting both as light SPAAG and transport for a MANPAD team.

[h2]There is even more[/h2]
That’s not all. Let’s continue to some heavier weapons, including artillery and tanks.

Most of the artillery available to the formation is towed:

• This includes the 2B9 Vasilek automatic mortar. A short-ranged weapon, it doubles as a “super-heavy” quick-firing grenade launcher-like fire support vehicle. It can even direct fire.
  
• There is also the 2S12 120mm mortar. Both weapon systems can Forward Deploy.
  
• The division will have access to the D-30 122mm howitzer.

Other artillery vehicles include:

• The 2S9 Nona, a self-propelled 120mm mortar direct support vehicle, with the mortar in a turret on a BTR-D hull.
  
• The BM-21V Grad-V MLRS, a lighter multiple rocket launcher with fewer tubes, is also featured.

Moving on:

• Tank support was light for the 35th Gds. Air Assault. The Soviets didn’t have access to a vehicle such as the 82nd Airborne’s Sheridan. The organic anti-tank weapons available to the division are BRDM-2 Konkurs, as well as para (Forward Deploy) UAZ with Konkurs team and D-44 85mm anti-tank guns.
  
• Like the 82nd Airborne, some additional armor will be attached to the 35th Gds. Air Assault, courtesy of the 8th Guards Army's organic recon battalion. They will bring a few (usually one card each of) T-80B, BRDM-2 Strela-1, and BRM-1.
  
• Recon units include the Desant. Razvedka. You can also call on Spetsnaz G.R.U..
  
• AA support is somewhat lackluster compared to other Soviet divisions. At the very least, you can deploy Desant Igla teams, as well as both towed and truck-mounted twin 23mm ZU-23-2 AA guns. All feature Forward Deployment.
  

[h2]Air forces[/h2]
Lastly, let’s see what assets the division can bring that take to the sky:

• Aside from the usual, wide assortment of Mi-8 and Mi-24 helicopters, the 35th Gds. Air Assault will deploy some of the rare Ka-50. Yes! And the crowd go wild! This attack helicopter numbered only six examples in active testing in 1989 in real life, but early production was ramping up, and within the timeframe of our invasion, a limited amount would have been available to Warsaw Pact forces.
  The Ka-50 is armed with a 30mm autocannon, 4x Igla anti-aircraft missile, and 12x (!) Vikhr anti-tank missiles. Basically, a Soviet Apache!
  
• Recon helicopters such as the heavy-duty Mi-24K.
  
• Other air support units, including the already featured MiG-23ML fighter and plenty of new ones!
  • The MiG-27 bomber in three different load-outs (bombs and rockets).
    
  • The svelte and ace-looking MiG-29 fighter (currently only present in the NVA division).
    
  • The MiG-25BM SEAD plane and MiG-25RBF bombers.

[h2]See you on the battlefield[/h2]
All right, that’s it again for this week’s update on the next WARNO milestone, LANNES. Looking forward to hearing what you think, but keep the discourse civil and have some respect for your fellow players and the devs!

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. 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!