Men of Steel - Versus #1
Hello commander!
In case you haven’t heard: we are working on a major new expansion, Steel Division 2: Men of Steel. And as promised in last week’s reveal, we’ll be taking an in-depth look at the new divisions in today’s (and coming) DevBlogs.
Veterans of Steel Division 2 and previous DLCs and expansions should know of our traditional Versus format. In these posts, we highlight two new divisions, one from each side, from a historical point of view. Where possible, we try to include more concrete gameplay details. However, more in-depth arsenals and unit lists will come at a later stage.
Without further ado, let’s get going with the first Steel Division 2: Men of Steel Versus, pitting the Axis 715. Infanterie-Division against the Allied 1st Airborne Task Force.
[h2]A new Steel Division 2 chapter[/h2]
Before we continue, a little primer on Steel Division 2: Men of Steel. The next major expansion will not focus on a specific theatre of war, but rather put the spotlight on a number of very interesting fighting formations from all across warring Europe.
Steel Divison 2: Men of Steel will offer:
In today’s Versus, we detail an Axis reserve formation that fought hard and long to contain the Allied amphibious invasion at Anzio; and an Allied airborne provisional battlegroup that provided crucial paratrooper support during Operation Anvil-Dragoon in southern France.
[h2]715. Infanterie-Division[/h2]
First up is the Axis 715. Infanterie-Division. Now, Eugen, you might say, why is this particular reserve formation so damn interesting? Let’s tell you why! Some of our Steel Division: Normandy 44 veterans will recognize a cousin of this formation, raised from the same mobilization wave, the 716. Infanterie-Division. The 715. Infanterie-Division was raised in 1941 as part of the same 15. Welle (Wave) mobilization, destined for occupation duties in Western Europe (Netherlands, Belgium, France).
This mobilization wave called upon men unfit for general combat duties, being too old, too sick or too scrawny, or with large families, for instance. Divisions were all marked in the 700-series, severely lacking transports (not needed when static) and low on the rung for equipment.
However, 715. Infanterie-Division was rather special. While made up of the same general cadre (and quality) of men, compared to other 15. Welle divisions, it featured motor transports, being considered a “mobile reserve” in France. As a result, it was smaller and weaker than comparable static infantry formations, with one fewer infantry regiment and artillery battalion but more mobile. Most of its motor pool consisted of locally acquired French transports, with a few captured armored vehicles thrown in the mix.
Trials of combat
Fast forward to the Allied landings in Anzio in early 1944. German High Command looked everywhere for reserves to prevent the fresh Allied troops from advancing out of the Italian beachhead. The small and mobile 715. Infanterie-Division was a perfect choice. Hastily transported to Italy, it was thrown piecemeal into battle to contain the Allies.
Understrength, made up of second-rate inexperienced troops and lacking support, the division suffered terribly. Yet, even though the Axis failed to throw the Allies back to the sea, they prevented them from breaking out. At this point, the 715. Infanterie-Division was reinforced with various smaller, independent units. This made up for losses in manpower and equipment, improving its combat effectiveness considerably.
Reinforced and end of war
Among the formations temporarily attached, the 715. Infanterie-Division gained a company each of StuG self-propelled guns and heavy Tiger tanks. The parent division of these companies, 76. Korps, also contained Ferdinand tank destroyers (from one company of 653. s.Panzerjäger-Abteilung), Brumbär and Borgward.
Furthermore, a reserve Panzergrenadier regiment, a Luftwaffe penal battalion, and heavy artillery all reinforced and were merged with the 715. Infanterie-Division. Later on, even RSI troops from the fascist Italian naval special forces, the Decima Mas, were attached as well.
Until June 1944, the formation remained near Anzio. When the Allies finally broke out, the 715. Infanterie-Division was brought to the rear and reformed as a regular infantry division. It would remain in Italy until January 1945, when it was sent to Upper Silesia to face the Soviets. The 715. Infanterie-Division would finish the war in Czechoslovakia.
[h2]1st Airborne Task Force[/h2]
The 1st Airborne Task Force was a provisional Allied paratrooper division brought to life for Operation Anvil-Dragoon, the landings in Provence, in the summer of 1944. This formation was created from scratch from several available independent airborne formations operating in the Mediterranean theater. The forces attached included:
It is unsure if the picture above is a genuine one or from a reenacting group, so perfect it is at representing the diversity of 1st ATF: the four men with their back to the barn are British Paratroopers, while the two seated with black berets are French Chasseurs-Parachutistes. The final four are American Airborne Rifles.
Remains one major component from the 1st ATF missing from this picture: the Devil's Brigade, or officialy 1st Special Service Force.
This was a unique unit: a binational (Canadian and American) special forces brigade raised as a commando unit originally intended to land behind enemy lines and sabotage key infrastructure (chiefly in Norway in 1942). This never came to fruition.
Instead, the mountain-focused training steered the FSSF first to the Aleutian Islands in the Pacific theater. They took back this territory without loss, as the Japanese had already evacuated the islands. The formation was then sent to Italy. Here, in the Mediterranean, the force earned its reputation for daring and cunning.
You think you already saw that patch somewhere? Check the GiF at the end of this DevBlog ... ;)
As American forces formed a large part of the task force and were under the command of an American general, the 1st Airborne Task Force will be listed as an American division, even though it was truly an Allied one.
Besides, this mixed battlegroup allows us to reintroduced the (much requested!) American airborne troops, absent from the game since Steel Division: Normandy 44. With the changes brought with Steel Division 2, the 82nd or 101st Airborne Division couldn't fit by themselves in the game, being both much too light in equipment AND not having enough variety of units. With 1st ATF, we're bringing back almost all the units that made up SD:44's 101st Airborne Division, but in smaller number, with plenty of units from other nations to back them up and bring diversity.
Operation Rugby
The 1st Airborne Task Force’s mission during the amphibious landings in southern France was codenamed Operation Rugby. Dropped in-land, the formation was to secure the Argens river valley and prevent German reinforcements from moving up towards the assault beaches.
Save from one village, Le Muy, which wasn’t secured but besieged, the 1st Airborne Task Force captured all the primary objectives and hold them against counter-attacks for 48 hours. The paratroopers were later joined by ground forces from the U.S. 36th Infantry Division.
The criminally unsung Devil’s Brigade landed and secured the islands of Port Cros and Hyères, 24 hours before the launch of Operation Rugby. Having been ferried to the mainland, these commandos would join the 1st Airborne Task Force.
About a week after the ground forces teamed up with airborne troops in Provence, the British brigade was redeployed to Greece (as was agreed upon during 1st Airborne Task Force’s creation). The rest of the formation moved to cover the Alps. It was here the 1st Airborne Task Force was disbanded in November 1944.
[h2]See you on the battlefield[/h2]
That’s it for the first Steel Division 2: Men of Steel Versus post. Tune in for a new one next week. Let us know what you think!
Be sure to join the Steel Division 2 community on our Steam forums. The latest Steel Division 2 news can also be encountered on our Instagram.
Looking for an online game? Visit the Discord server or Reddit page and get involved with the lively Steel Division 2 community!
See you on the battlefield, commander.
In case you haven’t heard: we are working on a major new expansion, Steel Division 2: Men of Steel. And as promised in last week’s reveal, we’ll be taking an in-depth look at the new divisions in today’s (and coming) DevBlogs.
Veterans of Steel Division 2 and previous DLCs and expansions should know of our traditional Versus format. In these posts, we highlight two new divisions, one from each side, from a historical point of view. Where possible, we try to include more concrete gameplay details. However, more in-depth arsenals and unit lists will come at a later stage.
Without further ado, let’s get going with the first Steel Division 2: Men of Steel Versus, pitting the Axis 715. Infanterie-Division against the Allied 1st Airborne Task Force.
[h2]A new Steel Division 2 chapter[/h2]
Before we continue, a little primer on Steel Division 2: Men of Steel. The next major expansion will not focus on a specific theatre of war, but rather put the spotlight on a number of very interesting fighting formations from all across warring Europe.
Steel Divison 2: Men of Steel will offer:
- 8 new divisions from 7 nations, including a brand-new minor nation.
- With units from 12 nations in total!
- New Aces.
- New Unit Traits, which will be made available to all existing Steel Division 2 divisions as well.
In today’s Versus, we detail an Axis reserve formation that fought hard and long to contain the Allied amphibious invasion at Anzio; and an Allied airborne provisional battlegroup that provided crucial paratrooper support during Operation Anvil-Dragoon in southern France.
[h2]715. Infanterie-Division[/h2]
First up is the Axis 715. Infanterie-Division. Now, Eugen, you might say, why is this particular reserve formation so damn interesting? Let’s tell you why! Some of our Steel Division: Normandy 44 veterans will recognize a cousin of this formation, raised from the same mobilization wave, the 716. Infanterie-Division. The 715. Infanterie-Division was raised in 1941 as part of the same 15. Welle (Wave) mobilization, destined for occupation duties in Western Europe (Netherlands, Belgium, France).
This mobilization wave called upon men unfit for general combat duties, being too old, too sick or too scrawny, or with large families, for instance. Divisions were all marked in the 700-series, severely lacking transports (not needed when static) and low on the rung for equipment.
However, 715. Infanterie-Division was rather special. While made up of the same general cadre (and quality) of men, compared to other 15. Welle divisions, it featured motor transports, being considered a “mobile reserve” in France. As a result, it was smaller and weaker than comparable static infantry formations, with one fewer infantry regiment and artillery battalion but more mobile. Most of its motor pool consisted of locally acquired French transports, with a few captured armored vehicles thrown in the mix.
Trials of combat
Fast forward to the Allied landings in Anzio in early 1944. German High Command looked everywhere for reserves to prevent the fresh Allied troops from advancing out of the Italian beachhead. The small and mobile 715. Infanterie-Division was a perfect choice. Hastily transported to Italy, it was thrown piecemeal into battle to contain the Allies.
Understrength, made up of second-rate inexperienced troops and lacking support, the division suffered terribly. Yet, even though the Axis failed to throw the Allies back to the sea, they prevented them from breaking out. At this point, the 715. Infanterie-Division was reinforced with various smaller, independent units. This made up for losses in manpower and equipment, improving its combat effectiveness considerably.
Reinforced and end of war
Among the formations temporarily attached, the 715. Infanterie-Division gained a company each of StuG self-propelled guns and heavy Tiger tanks. The parent division of these companies, 76. Korps, also contained Ferdinand tank destroyers (from one company of 653. s.Panzerjäger-Abteilung), Brumbär and Borgward.
Furthermore, a reserve Panzergrenadier regiment, a Luftwaffe penal battalion, and heavy artillery all reinforced and were merged with the 715. Infanterie-Division. Later on, even RSI troops from the fascist Italian naval special forces, the Decima Mas, were attached as well.
Until June 1944, the formation remained near Anzio. When the Allies finally broke out, the 715. Infanterie-Division was brought to the rear and reformed as a regular infantry division. It would remain in Italy until January 1945, when it was sent to Upper Silesia to face the Soviets. The 715. Infanterie-Division would finish the war in Czechoslovakia.
[h2]1st Airborne Task Force[/h2]
The 1st Airborne Task Force was a provisional Allied paratrooper division brought to life for Operation Anvil-Dragoon, the landings in Provence, in the summer of 1944. This formation was created from scratch from several available independent airborne formations operating in the Mediterranean theater. The forces attached included:
- The British 2nd (Independent) Parachute Brigade.
- The American 517th Parachute Regimental Combat Team, as well as three other independent parachute and glider battalions.
- The Canadian-American 1st Special Service Force (FSSF), more commonly known as the Devil’s Brigade.
- The Japanese-American (Nisei) 442nd Infantry Regiment’s anti-tank company
- Elements from the French 1er Régiment de Chasseurs-Parachutistes.
It is unsure if the picture above is a genuine one or from a reenacting group, so perfect it is at representing the diversity of 1st ATF: the four men with their back to the barn are British Paratroopers, while the two seated with black berets are French Chasseurs-Parachutistes. The final four are American Airborne Rifles.
Remains one major component from the 1st ATF missing from this picture: the Devil's Brigade, or officialy 1st Special Service Force.
This was a unique unit: a binational (Canadian and American) special forces brigade raised as a commando unit originally intended to land behind enemy lines and sabotage key infrastructure (chiefly in Norway in 1942). This never came to fruition.
Instead, the mountain-focused training steered the FSSF first to the Aleutian Islands in the Pacific theater. They took back this territory without loss, as the Japanese had already evacuated the islands. The formation was then sent to Italy. Here, in the Mediterranean, the force earned its reputation for daring and cunning.
You think you already saw that patch somewhere? Check the GiF at the end of this DevBlog ... ;)
As American forces formed a large part of the task force and were under the command of an American general, the 1st Airborne Task Force will be listed as an American division, even though it was truly an Allied one.
Besides, this mixed battlegroup allows us to reintroduced the (much requested!) American airborne troops, absent from the game since Steel Division: Normandy 44. With the changes brought with Steel Division 2, the 82nd or 101st Airborne Division couldn't fit by themselves in the game, being both much too light in equipment AND not having enough variety of units. With 1st ATF, we're bringing back almost all the units that made up SD:44's 101st Airborne Division, but in smaller number, with plenty of units from other nations to back them up and bring diversity.
Operation Rugby
The 1st Airborne Task Force’s mission during the amphibious landings in southern France was codenamed Operation Rugby. Dropped in-land, the formation was to secure the Argens river valley and prevent German reinforcements from moving up towards the assault beaches.
Save from one village, Le Muy, which wasn’t secured but besieged, the 1st Airborne Task Force captured all the primary objectives and hold them against counter-attacks for 48 hours. The paratroopers were later joined by ground forces from the U.S. 36th Infantry Division.
The criminally unsung Devil’s Brigade landed and secured the islands of Port Cros and Hyères, 24 hours before the launch of Operation Rugby. Having been ferried to the mainland, these commandos would join the 1st Airborne Task Force.
About a week after the ground forces teamed up with airborne troops in Provence, the British brigade was redeployed to Greece (as was agreed upon during 1st Airborne Task Force’s creation). The rest of the formation moved to cover the Alps. It was here the 1st Airborne Task Force was disbanded in November 1944.
[h2]See you on the battlefield[/h2]
That’s it for the first Steel Division 2: Men of Steel Versus post. Tune in for a new one next week. Let us know what you think!
Be sure to join the Steel Division 2 community on our Steam forums. The latest Steel Division 2 news can also be encountered on our Instagram.
Looking for an online game? Visit the Discord server or Reddit page and get involved with the lively Steel Division 2 community!
See you on the battlefield, commander.