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New Allied Units (And a Tease)

Are you ready, commander?

The wait is almost over. Yes, that’s right, Christmas will come early as tomorrow (Friday the 17th of December) we will be officially unveiling what we have been working on so hard (and in secret) the last couple of months and years!



It is so close, you can almost touch it! Undoubtedly, you sleuths will have the answer soon, but be sure to tune in and check our channels, including this space and our Discord server for the big reveal.

You will not be disappointed…

But onwards to other exciting things, as we go back to good ‘ol Steel Division 2. More specifically, let’s look at some new Allied units for our upcoming expansion, Tribute to the Liberation of Italy.

[h2]The Italian Meatgrinder[/h2]
Italy during World War II was not particularly known as a tank country thanks to the local topography, with its mountains and hilly countryside. The Italian campaign was an infantry’s war; but whoever says infantry, has to say artillery.

With the pace of operations and offensives on the Italian peninsula being much slower than other theaters of war, massive amounts of artillery guns and ordnance of all types were used by the Allies. This includes the U.S. M1 155mm (predecessor to the infamous Long Tom) and the M1 8-inch 203mm, as well as the British BL 4,5-inch 114mm guns (also featured in the South African divisions in-game).



Another key feature of the more static Italian battlefields was the use of heavy AA guns on the frontline. These were usually kept in the rear by the Allies, but as Axis air forces posed less threat, more of these formidable guns were used in a direct fire role. The Allies could count on the U.S. M2 90mm and British (manned by South African crews) QF 3,7-inch 94mm dual-purpose AA guns. The American unit is slightly superior to the famous German 88mm in an AT role; the British gun (which we presented earlier as somewhat worse) was actually better than the previous two examples. Its downside was that it carried only a handful of AT shells (in real-life, often none) and was hampered by inferior targeting optics.



[h2]Going Sky High[/h2]
Aside from new Allied Co-Belligerent Italian plane models, which we showcased in the blog post here, the Allies most original plane in the Italian campaign was the tank-busting RAF Hurricane Mk IV. This close air support aircraft sported two Vickers 40mm S guns. With a deadly pedigree as a tank killer in the North African deserts, by 1944 it was replaced by rocket-firing Typhoons, with only a few Hurricane Mk IVs remaining over the Adriatic and Balkans. Consider this tank buster a formidable counterpart to the German “Panzervögel” Stuka G-2 or Soviet IL-2-37.

In-game, this particular unit (as well as its bomb-fielding variant) will be featured as a close air support aircraft with the 8th Indian (Infantry) Division. It will also be deployable in our upcoming Nemesis: Raid on Drvar DLC.



Another new major plane variant includes the Boston Mk IV (British designation) / A-20J-5-DO Havoc (US designation). This aircraft carries a substantial increase in the number of close-defense MG compared to the existing Mk III. It will also be featured with both the 8th Indian (Infantry) Division (as a bomber) and Task Force 45 (as heavy recon).

There is also a new napalm P-47 variant, the P-47D-22-RE which flies with a new paint job and camo.

We have also taken the opportunity to improve various in-game models which were noted (either by the Strike Team or our community) as being incorrect, including the Mosquito PR Mk XVI and the Wildcat Mk V.



[h2]Back to Earth[/h2]
Not being tank country doesn’t mean tanks didn’t serve with distinction in Italy. The Allied forces could count on the usual combination of Shermans, Stuarts, M3 and M5 half-tracks, and some indigenous variants here and there. Like the artillery-fire capable South African M10.

Lighter vehicles also made their way to the Mediterranean front. This includes the Indian recon ACV-IP (Armoured Carrier, Wheeled - Indian Pattern), as well as the 6-pdr Portee 57mm light tank destroyer. This is a South African battlefield conversion, say a scratch-built technical, merging a 6-pdr AT gun onto a Bedford lorry. The gun was mounted so it could fire to the front, over the driver’s cabin.



[h2]Some New Map Variants[/h2]
We are also working on a new “tactical” variant of the recently released Kostritsa map. This one will be slightly reduced in size, to be played with a lower income. This map version also allows you to micro smaller numbers of units to get a more intense “company-level” feel to the battle.

Also, thanks to feedback from the community and our Strike Team, we are improving the Ostrowno map by reworking the positioning of some of the objectives.

[h2]Until next time[/h2]
That is everything for this week. We hope to see you soon (say… tomorrow?)!

Don’t forget to keep a close watch on our ourSteam forums, or check our Facebook and Twitter channels. Looking for an online game in the meantime? Visit the kick-ass Discord server or Reddit page.

See you soon, commander!

Italian Aces Detailed

Hello commander!

We are back with some more news about the Tribute to the Liberation of Italy expansion. Like the busy bees we are, our much-appreciated Strike Team is currently hard at work testing and helping us fine-tune our latest offering. We can’t tell you - yet - when the expansion will launch (read the full reason at the bottom of this post… *wink*).

Instead, today we take to the sky with the two new Aces featured in our upcoming expansion. Rather uniquely, we have our high-scoring pilots squaring off from the same nation. These daring flyboys fought for two different sides during the war: Mussolini’s Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana (ANR, or National Republican Air Force) and the Allied Aviazione Cobelligerante Italiana (ACI, or Italian Co-belligerent Air Force).

Let’s welcome to the stage ANR’s Tenente Ugo Drago and ACI’s Sergente Maggiore Teresio Martinoli.

If you want to read more about the airpower included in the Tribute to the Liberation of Italy expansion, check out this detailed DevBlog here.

[h2]Ugo Drago[/h2]
Lieutenant (Tenente) Ugo Drago is our first Ace, fighting for the Axis ANR. He started as a biplane pilot on the CR.42 Falco, scoring his first confirmed kill during the Greek-Italian War where he shot down a Greek biplane fighter. Three weeks after this feat, he single-handedly fought off five enemy biplanes, escaping by the skin of his teeth.



Transferring to a Macchi C.200 and deployed in North Africa in 1941, by the end of the year he had flown 150 missions. When the Armistice was signed in 1943, he didn’t directly join the RSI. Instead, he tried to contact his family but was arrested by the Germans, who pressured him hard to fly in the Luftwaffe. He refused, and as a result, was shipped to a prison camp in Germany. On the way, he escaped. When hearing of Mussolini’s air force, the ANR, he reappeared. Immediately reinstated as a pilot officer, he flew first on the G.55 Centauro before transferring to a German Me-109.

He ended his World War II career with 17 claimed kills, 4 of which he achieved by flying biplanes.

In Steel Division 2, Ugo Drago is featured with the G.55 Centauro.



[h2]Teresio Martinoli[/h2]
Much like his Axis counterpart, Sergeant Major (Sergente Maggiore) Teresio Martinoli started as a biplane pilot for the Regia Aeronautica, once more in the cockpit of a CR.42 Falco fighter. He claimed his first three victories at the beginning of Italy’s entry into World War II in 1940, including a French bomber over Tunisia. He followed his first kill by shooting down an RAF Gloster Gladiator later in the year over Egypt.



He too transferred to the Macchi C.200, flying fighter sweeps over Malta, during which he claimed four British planes in just two months. He claimed a further four in 1942 before rotating back to North Africa, where he shot down four more. Defending Sicily during the Allied invasion in 1943, after the Armistice he joined the Aviazione Cobelligerante Italiana (ACI). He flew missions against the Luftwaffe over the Balkan, where he fought and shot down at least one more plane.

Martinoli’s total of 22 kills painted on his plane included four different nations, from both sides: France, UK, USA and Germany. During the war, Martinoli shot down an eclectic array of planes, from Gloster Gladiators to Hawker Hurricanes, Spitfires, P-38 Lightning, a B-17 Flying Fortress, and even a Junkers Ju 52. On August 23rd, 1944, he died in an accidental crash while converting on P-39 Airacobra.

In Steel Division 2, Teresio Martinoli is featured with the C.205V Veltro.



[h2]Other news[/h2]
In case you missed it, we have recently released two new free Reinforcement Packs: the new Kostriza map and Lucky 13, bringing two free divisions to our game.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1810030/Steel_Division_2__Reinforcement_Pack_12__Kostritza/

If you want to read more about the Axis Panzerdivision Tatra and the Allied Task Force Butler, be sure to check out this blog post here.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1810031/Steel_Division_2__Reinforcement_Pack_13__Lucky_13/

[h2]Until next time[/h2]
That’s it for this week. We know you might be clamoring for more details about our upcoming Tribute to the Liberation of Italy expansion and the Nemesis: Raid on Drvar DLC, but you need to hang on tight a little bit longer.

What we can do is lift the tip of the veil on something else though. We have been hard at work on our secret project, and we are getting ready for a big call to arms in the very near future! Things are moving fast, so keep a very close eye on our Steam forums and Eugen forums, or check our Facebook and Twitter channels. Looking for an online game in the meantime? Visit the kick-ass Discord server or Reddit page.

New battlefields lie around the corner, commander. Get ready!

Lucky 13 Free DLC Out Now

Prepare for battle, commander!

That’s right, the second of our promised free Reinforcement Packs is ready for deployment.

Download our Lucky 13 DLC for free and discover two new divisions: the varied Axis Panzerdivision Tatra and the rapid Allied Task Force Butler.

[h2]Lucky 13 Details[/h2]
The Lucky 13 DLC will launch today. As our veteran Steel Division 2 players know, in the past we have proposed various Nemesis DLCs. Each option would feature a new theme, focused on a specific battle or region, and two new divisions. The community would vote on which choice out of three alternatives they would like to see developed first. We have had five successful Nemesis DLC so far.

Our Lucky 13 DLC combines two of the most interesting runner-up Nemesis options which didn’t make the cut. Panzerdivision Tatra was featured in Nemesis: Slovak Uprising in Nemesis #4 (won by Nemesis: Raid on Drvar), while Task Force Butler was part of Nemesis: Battle of Montélimar in Nemesis #2 (won by Nemesis: Battle of Rimini).



If you want to read more about the composition of both Lucky 13 divisions, take a look at last week’s blog post.

[h2]Other news[/h2]
A quick update on some of our other projects. We are making steady headway with both the Tribute to the Liberation of Italy expansion and Nemesis: Raid on Drvar DLC. See some of the progress on the models below!



Also, included in the patch delivered alongside Lucky 13, you’ll find the proper model for the Soviet 72-K AA gun, previewed with 358-ya Strelk. And you’ll see more of it in the future ...

[h2]Until next time[/h2]
Let us know what you think. You can do this through our Steam forums and Eugen forums, or check our (Facebook and Twitter). Looking for an online game? Visit the kick-ass Discord server or Reddit page.

That’s all, commander. Muster your troops, crank up those tank engines - combat awaits!

Lucky 13 News, Launches Next Week

Hello!

We hope you are doing well. We are busy getting both Nemesis: Raid on Drvar and our next expansion, The Tribute to the Liberation of Italy out of the door, but that doesn’t mean we have lost sight of our other, smaller projects. One of them is in your hands already, while the other is coming next week!

What, where, how? Read on for all the juicy details.

[h2]New map Kostritza is out now[/h2]

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1810030/Steel_Division_2__Reinforcement_Pack_12__Kostritza/

In case you missed it, Steel Division 2 has been enriched by a brand-new map - Kostritsa. A repurposed showcase map, it features forests, wide spaces, and a corridor of urban terrain. The map is playable in all game modes, solo, coop, and online. As part of the free Reinforcement Pack 12, download Kostritza now for free.

[h2]RP Lucky 13 coming next week[/h2]
On to our other free Reinforcement Pack 13, which now has an official release date! Make ready as you are going to play with two free new divisions as part of the Lucky 13 DLC on Thursday, December 2nd (that’s next week). In case you want to check out the divisions ahead of time, be sure to tune into some of our Strike Team members from today onward. They will be streaming playthroughs with the Lucky 13 battlegroups until launch day!

Let’s take a detailed look at the two new divisions which will ship: the Axis Panzerdivision Tatra and the Allied Task Force Butler. There might be slight differences between how the two were originally showcased as part of their Nemesis DLC offering and how they will appear in-game as Lucky 13 DLC. More research has been done, resulting in the addition of some new units and the removal of others.

[h2]Panzerdivision Tatra[/h2] Panzerdivision Tatra is an amalgamated battlegroup self-styled as a panzer division, but featuring fewer tanks and more infantry than usual. The units are varied and plenty, but most unit cards will only be available in low numbers.



  • RECON - a fairly classic category with the usual complement of Axis recon units.
  • INFANTRY - lots of well-priced options. Includes the usual Grenadier (plus Leader), Ersatztruppen, Landesschützen Ost (including Leader), Schupo, a few Panzergrenadier and Sturmpionier. The following new units can be found:
    - Volksturm - a 12-man Disheartened squad, with MP-28 and Kar.98K… and a LOT of Panzerfausts!
    - Pionier (MG-26) - engineers with automatic rifles.
    - Panzergrenadier (MG-26) - right now only available with the 25. PzGrenadier-Division.
    Soldiers-in-training equipped with two automatic rifles. These squads form the backbone of Panzerdivision Tatra’s infantry.
    - SS-Sturmgrenadier - a 10-man squad with MP-44 and two MG-42s.
  • TANK - average in options and costs, with no more than one (at times incomplete) card of Panzer III L, Panzer IV H, and StuG III G (also in Leader variant) and Tiger.
    - Panzer 38(t) - this new unit is featured as this particular variant only in one Army General Romanian battlegroup in the Tiraspol campaign (but not available for multiplayer).
  • SUPPORT - a pretty good category with a solid amount of cheap slots. Some of the more unusual unit choices are:
    - StuG 40 - currently only in use by the 14. Infanterie-Division. This is a short-barreled version of the ubiquitous StuG III G.
    - Bef.Panzer 38(t) - only available in Back to War DLC with 352. Infanterie division.
    - Feldjäger - only available in Burning Baltics with 52. Sicherungs-Division z.b.V.. These are elite military police equipped with MP-44.
  • AT - a good number of cheap options, with quite a bit of choice. There are no new units, but some guns are rather rare, including the PaK 43, PzB 39 and the Jagdpanzer IV.
  • AA - not particularly strong, with only a few slots and just two options: the Flakvierling and the 88mm.
  • ARTILLERY - average with a large supply of Czech artillery. New units are:
    - l.FH 14/19(t) 105mm - an older artillery piece.
    - K35(t) 105mm - also known as the Hruby, fielded by the 25. PzGrenadier-Division. A modern gun superior to the ubiquitous German l.FH 18M 105mm (also fielded).
    - Panzerwerfer and Wurfrahmen - one model each of these two rocket launcher systems.
  • AIR - a pretty decent category with a little of everything. One noteworthy unit:
    - Ju-88G1 heavy fighter, currently only available in Death on the Vistula with 5. SS-Panzerdivision "Wiking".




[h2]Task Force Butler[/h2]
A mobile battlegroup built with an emphasis on speed and maneuver warfare. This division is reinforced by FFI (French armed resistance) from Phase B onwards.



  • RECON - lots of slots, with cheap and a vast array of choices. This includes the ubiquitous jeep, M8, and Recon Stuart, but also new units, such as:
    - Cavalry Scouts - 6-man squad with bazooka and smoke, coming in their own M3A1 Cavalry half-track.
    - Commando d’Afrique - making its way over from Nemesis: Storming Toulon. A heavy 10-man commando squad with Thompson and Garands, automatic rifles, and bazooka. Available from Phase B only.
    - FFI Saboteur - 5-man squad armed with MP-40 and M1 Carbines, as well as explosives. They come speeding in with the legendary Traction car.
  • INFANTRY - a good amount of slots, though Phase A only features a small number of American squads. More FFI units come available in Phase B.
    - OSS Ldr - a large 10-man command squad with UD-M42 SMG and M1 Carbine, plus LMG. They come vetted.
    - FFI Maquisard - currently only available in Nemesis: Storming Toulon. Several cards of a 12-man squad with Sten, Kar. 98K and FM 24/29 automatic rifles, as well as Molotovs. They feature the Raider trait.
    - FFI Ralliés - squads made up of “German” deserters, often Osttruppen or Volksdeutsche, but also some anti-fascist or communist Germans who decided to join the Résistance. Deserting with their weapons and training, they formed a few squads equipped with PPSh, Kar.98K, MG-34, and Panzerfaust.
  • TANK - an average number of open slots, with the usual complement of Stuarts, M4A1, and M4A1(76) tanks.
    - M8 Cavalry - a new unit is the Greyhound armored car used in a “direct combat” role.
  • SUPPORT - a well-supplied category, with a large amount of choice, including the M8 Scott, Sherman 105, M1919, and M2HB HMGs, but also some new units:
    - FFI MG-34 - French resistance fighters using a captured HMG with the Raider trait.
    - FFI Mortier 2-inch: light mortar courtesy of British airdrops, featuring the Raider trait.
    - FFI transports - which include Traction (also as a Commander) and DMA truck (also as supply).
  • AT - not the strongest category, with expensive options and few slots. There are several new units, including:
    - FFI Partisans - 2-man team with a Sten and Panzerfausts.
    - FFI PaK 40 - a few captured German AT guns.
    - FFI Canon AC 25mm SA-L - a new light AT unit that was originally used as a towed version by the French army in 1940. Small, but accurate and with a high rate of fire.
  • AA - one of the weaker categories with few and expensive slots. These include:
    - Citroen Hotchkiss - a twin 13,2mm AA MG mounted on a police truck.
    - FFI Canon CA 25mm - a mainstay of the French Army in 1940, this light air defense unit is only featured in-game by the Romanians.
  • ARTILLERY - a pretty decent category featuring only American units, such as mortars, M7 Priest, Long Tom 155mm, and a few off-map 203mm observers riding a M3 Scout Car.
  • AIR - the battlegroup can count on some very solid air support, with a combination of U.S., British, and French airplanes.
    - US B-26B-10 Marauder and P-47D-22-RE.
    - British Beaufighter Mk.IX rocket (only available in Nemesis:Battle of Rimini) and the Hellcat F Mk.II (from Nemesis: Storming Toulon).
    - French F-5B-1 Lightning and P-38J-15 (both available in Nemesis: Storming Toulon), as well as the B-26G-26 Marauder, a new bomber.


[h2]Tribute to the Liberation of Italy[/h2]
That’s it for Lucky 13 DLC. We are still hard at work on the next expansions. A quick update, but we can let you know that all the Axis vehicle and plane models for The Tribute to the Liberation of Italy have been finished, as well as all the infantry models.

We also have the promised Soviet 72-K 25mm AA gun’s model done, which you will be able to enjoy with the 358th Rifle Division … before it gets added to more divisions.



[h2]Adieu, and until next week![/h2]
Enough for this week, commander. Drop us a line in our Steam forums and Eugen forums, or check our (Facebook and Twitter). Looking for an online game? Visit the kick-ass Discord server or Reddit page.

See you soon!

Reinforcement Pack 12 - Kostritza available

Expand your Steel Division 2 experience for free with the new Kostritza map. This Skirmish map is playable in every game mode, including solo, coop, and multiplayer.

Kostritza features a large clearing surrounded by woods and marshes, located north of the Orsha-Kiev highway.

Reinforcement Pack 12 - Kostritza is free to all owners of Steel Division 2 here:

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1810030/Steel_Division_2__Reinforcement_Pack_12__Kostritza