1. Steel Division 2
  2. News

Steel Division 2 News

Italian Air Forces

Hello there!

Let’s call today a little in-between post, but not without substance. We are still hard at work getting you the two free Reinforcement Packs: our new Kostritza map and the Lucky 13 DLC with the Axis Panzerdivision Tatra and the Allied Task Force Butler. They are not quite ready yet, though, as they could use another round of testing and tweaking.

In the meantime, we want to take the opportunity to highlight an important aspect of our upcoming major expansion, The Tribute to the Liberation of Italy. Let’s welcome to the stage the daring pilots of the Italian Air Force (that is: both of them).

[h2]A bit of history[/h2]
As you know, after the Armistice in 1943, Italy was divided into two warring states: the Kingdom of Italy in the south joining the Allies, and Mussolini’s fascist Repubblica Sociale Italiana in the north, quickly turned into a puppet state of Nazi Germany. The old Italian Army, including air forces, was also split.

In southern Italy, elements of the original Regia Aeronautica (Royal Air Force) formed the Aviazione Cobelligerante Italiana (ACI, or Italian Co-belligerent Air Force) under Allied command. In the north, the Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana[ (ANR, or National Republican Air Force) under Mussolini’s control.

The Italians were reluctant to engage their former comrades in combat. This meant that ANR fighters intercepted Allied bombers on their air campaigns in northern Italy. ACI planes provided recon or escort duties but limited their ground support sorties. Heavier equipment was mostly used “overseas”: either in the Balkans (ACI) or in anti-shipping roles (ANR).



[h2]Italian Air Forces in Steel Division 2[/h2]
You know that the name of the game - Steel Division 2 - in a more figurative sense has always been about historical accuracy. With our divisions and battlegroups, this works especially well when it comes to the TO&E (Table of Organization and Equipment). Due to the distances involved, we always had a bit more flexibility in bringing planes, formations, and squadrons together from further afield. The same is true for our Italian airmen of the ANR and ACI: while they might not have fought each other directly, both air forces in our upcoming Tribute to the Liberation of Italy expansion features its historical inventory of fighters, fighter-bombers, and bombers.



[h2]Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana[/h2]
Mussolini’s air force got the lion’s share of the former Regia Aeronautica’s personnel. Most of them joined the fascist puppet state when the Armistice was announced. For years, these pilots had been battling the Allies over the Mediterranean. More recently, their primary task turned to intercept the bomber waves hitting the Italian cities and industries in the north. Skilled and motivated, most ANR airmen not only had to fight against the Allies, but also against a Luftwaffe distrustful of their Italian comrades. The Germans were keen on dissolving the Italian squadrons, taking control of its assets and pilots as a foreign legion of sorts. Fun fact: an attempt was made by the Luftwaffe, which ended up in confrontation between SS and Italian paratroopers, close to deteriorating in open combat.

The ANR recovered a substantial amount of the Regia Aeronautica’s planes and flew them for the duration of the war. In addition, despite their distrust, the Germans delivered some replacement airframes to make up for the losses suffered.

In Tribute to the Liberation of Italy the ANR’s arsenal features:
  • C.205V Veltro fighter in several variants
  • G.55 Centauro fighter
  • Re.2005 Sagittario fighter
  • German Bf. 109 G-6 in both fighter and fighter-bomber roles
  • SM.79-III Sparviero bomber
  • Z. 1007ter Alcione bomber




[h2]Aviazione Cobelligerante Italiana[/h2]
While the ANR laid their hands on most of the Regia Aeronautica’s personnel and planes, the Allied ACI had to make do with scraps (in some cases literally as quite a few of the airplanes were in dire need of repair). All in all, the ACI could only count on 200 airframes, some barely functioning. What’s more, Mussolini’s forces controlled the aeronautical factories and workshops in the north, meaning an acute lack of spare parts for the ACI planes.

The ACI resorted to rebuilding their forces using Allied equipment. This also had the double benefit of not being mistaken by Allied AA and fighters. From the summer of 1944 onwards, the remaining Italian machines were gradually replaced by American and British examples, save for the rather excellent Z.1007 bombers. These were used until the end of the war as night bombers over the Balkans.

In Tribute to the Liberation of Italy the ACI’s arsenal features:
  • C.202 Folgore fighter
  • C.205V Veltro fighter, same as its ANR counterpart
  • British Spitfire Mk.Vb Trop fighter
  • American P-39 fighter (several versions)
  • Re.2002 Ariete fighter-bomber
  • British Baltimore Mk.V bomber
  • Z.1007bis Alcione bomber




[h2]Before we leave[/h2]
Before we bid adieu. A little update on our current projects. Get ready because the new Kostritza will launch soon@. The Reinforcement Pack 13, containing our free divisions, will likely release soon after.

The work on Tribute to the Liberation of Italy expansion and our Nemesis: Raid on Drvar is advancing steadily. Most of the Axis models - which were a lot, as the biggest part of the local Italian equipment was in the hands of the Germans - have been done. More news to come soon, promise!

Meanwhile, meet the cute L3 (aka CV33) family:


[h2]Until next time[/h2]
That’s all, commander. 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.

See you next week!

Lucky 13 Free DLC & Kostritza map

Hello commander!

We're posting this DevBlog one day in advance since tomorrow is a public holiday (end of WW1) in France.

So, in last week’s post, we promised two free new Reinforcement Packs, one being the new Kostritza map. Now, you must be mighty curious about what’s in the other Reinforcement Pack, number 13, bringing two divisions for free!

Aptly named, with the Lucky 13 DLC we present to you two Nemesis DLC runner-ups: the varied Axis Panzerdivision Tatra and the rapid Allied Task Force Butler.

Let’s find out more.

[h2]Lucky 13 Details[/h2]
Yes, the Panzerdivision Tatra and the Task Force Butler were both runner-ups in two separate Nemesis DLC offerings. The Axis 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

General Update

Hello there!

It’s high time for a general update on the status of several (ongoing) Steel Division 2 DLCs and expansions. Unfortunately, in recent months, we have run into various unexpected roadblocks along the way, which set the team back.

Today’s post is a mea culpa from our side. We promise we make it up to you… keep reading to find out.

[h2]The general state of things[/h2]
Now, a summary of the most recent Steel Division 2 developments.

First things first: we are still on track with the upcoming patch and new Kostritza map, as talked about in last week’s post. Kostritza is being tested by the Strike Team, and thanks to their invaluable feedback, we are making some final tweaks and improvements. More details further below.

We announced both a new expansion - Tribute to the Liberation of Italy - and a new DLC - Nemesis: Raid on Drvar - several months ago. We expected we would have been able to deliver both to you by now. However, in reality, we encountered some detours on our path, which pushed back our projects.



For instance, we tried to do too many things at the same time for Steel Division 2, which included launching Nemesis: Storming Toulon, our Army General Coop Mode, developing Nemesis: Raid on Drvar AND the Tribute to the Liberation of Italy expansion.



On top of that, we were also working on a DLC for Wargame: Red Dragon, the new Nation Pack: South Africa, which we released not too long ago.

And… something else - something pretty big - has been steadily cooking in Eugen’s kitchen for quite some time now. What, how, where, who… hang in tight, but the day is edging closer that we can reveal it. Fair to say that this secret project has taken a fair bit of our attention as well.



[h2]New Reinforcement Packs[/h2]
As you can read, we have been hard at work. But, in order to iron out any wrinkles our unforeseen delays might have created, we want to offer you - the community - something.

Two new free Reinforcement Packs for Steel Division 2 will be made available soon, one of them being the Kostritza map. The other new Reinforcement Pack will contain two new divisions, hand-picked from the Nemesis DLC options that never made it. These will feature new units (but no new models). We will reveal soon which divisions they will be.

Both of these Reinforcement Packs will be delivered before the release of Tribute to the Liberation of Italy.

[h2]See you around[/h2]
Now, you have to wait a little longer, but exciting things lie on the near horizon. Trust us, lots of interesting news will drop in the not-too-distant future!

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.

See you on the battlefield, commander!

Patch overview

Hello commander!

Good news… and some bad. Originally, the intention was to have a new patch await you with today’s post. However, due to some unforeseen data management issues with the new map, Kostritza, the team was forced to postpone the update until a later date. We expect it will be ready soon!

This does mean that the new map is now our number one priority, and we are hard at work getting it ready in tip-top shape. We will ship it to the Strike Team, and depending on their feedback, input, and testing, we will launch Kostritza in the very near future.



To not leave you empty-handed, please check out a preview of some of the patch notes below.

[h2]A new update round[/h2]
Hinted at before, but we have made some effort to rebalance the current fighter-bomber meta. Their prevalence over traditional bombers (and in some cases even fighters) needed a reevaluation. This means:

  • A pass on fighter-bomber and bomber prices across divisions and nations. We have nerfed several of the former and buffed some of the latter.
  • An increase in planes’ repair times.
  • An increase in fighters’ availability per card.
  • A decrease in the damage done through strafing runs.
  • An increase in AA’s optics and splash damage.


Other substantial changes:
  • We have boosted some of the Soviet and Hungarian divisions, as described in detail in our previous post here. The changes include a new artillery unit (the ZiS 3), more artillery radio, the other 72-K 25mm AA gun, an update to the T-34/85 obr. 1943, and a series of infantry and unit card revisions for the 12. Tartalék and 1. Lovas divisions.
  • A balance pass of the most and least effective divisions in Steel Division 2 (and some others) including nerfing our daredevil paratroopers of the German Fallschirmjäger divisions and the British 6th Airborne Division. On the other end of the spectrum, the Soviet 358-y Strelki Division and 14. Infanterie-Division got a boost in their fighting capabilities.
  • A check and change on various assault gun unit prices, similar to what we did previously with tanks and tank destroyers.




[h2]Get ready for the next expansion[/h2]
The launch of our new expansion, Tribute to the Liberation of Italy, is drawing near. In case you have missed it, we detailed all the new divisions in several Versus posts.

  • In our first Versus post, we put the spotlight on two new Armored battlegroups: the 26. Panzerdivision with its special AA support and the supersized 6th South African Armoured Division. Check out the Versus blogpost here.
  • In our second Versus, we looked at two Mountain formations: the German 5. Gebirgs-Division and the specialised 8th (Indian) Infantry Division. Read all about it in this Versus blogpost here.
  • Our third Versus, we shone a light on two Infantry battlegroups: the Axis 4. Fallschirmjäger and the US-led international Task Force 45. Read all about it in this Versus post here.
  • In the fourth Versus, we saved the best for last with our look at the two Italian divisions… mama mia!. A nation divided on the battlefield: for the Axis, we have the RSI 4a Divisione Alpini “Monterosa”, and the under the Allied banner, we feature the Corpo Italiano di Liberazione. Read all about these battlegroups in this Versus here.




[h2]See you around[/h2]

That’s all for today. 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.

See you on the battlefield, commander!

Tribute to the Liberation of Italy - Axis Models Preview

Hello commander!

We hope you are doing well. In today’s post, we circle back to our upcoming expansion, Tribute to the Liberation of Italy. As we speak, the team is hard at work getting everything in tip-top shape, including the 3D models of several new units.

Let’s preview some of those models, with the Axis division showing off in today’s batch. But keep in mind that they are fresh out of the oven, and may require some polishing ...

[h2]Semovente assault guns[/h2]
One of the most widely used armored vehicles deployed by the Axis in Italy was the Semovente series of assault guns. Not particularly renowned for the quality of its military equipment during World War II (that’s right, we are looking at you, Breda 30 LMG), Italy did manage a few times to produce something superior to its direct counterparts. This included the Beretta SMG, the Breda 20mm AA gun, and a few other designs. The Semovente series of assault guns ranks quite high on this list.

The Semovente (meaning self-propelled in Italian) was inspired by the German StuG, with Italian arms manufacturers quickly creating their own version based on the M13/40 tank. The first variant, the Semovente M42 75/18, was armed with a short-barreled 75mm gun, serving as an infantry fire-support unit. Shipped to North Africa and later deployed in Sicily, it proved very successful in its intended role. And in a nasty surprise for the Allies, it was also used as a makeshift tank destroyer thanks to its HEAT rounds.



[h2]More, more, more Semoventi[/h2]
Seeing the potential of their design, the Italian engineers continued to work on several Semovente variants with improved armor and firepower. The Semovente 75/34 introduced a long-barreled 75mm gun, closer in role to the StuG III F or G, and a Semovente 105/25 featured a 105mm snub-nosed gun, similar to the StuH 42. A command variant also existed: the Semovente M41 Comando with the gun replaced with a heavy HMG.



Two other Semoventi variants were developed: encountered most often was the Semovente 47/32, a light tank destroyer featuring a 47mm “Elefantino” AT gun mounted in an open-top position on an L6/40 light tank’s chassis. Obsolete against Allied medium tanks by 1944, its small size, mobility, and accuracy still made it a threat to soft-skinned vehicles and opposing light armor. This variant was also developed into a command tank, the Semovente L6 Comando, replacing the gun with an HMG.



The other version was rarer, only built in a handful of numbers: the heavy Semovente 90/53 tank destroyer - featuring the excellent Italian 90mm AA gun rear-mounted on an open-top chassis. Most were destroyed while attempting to evacuate from Rome during the Allied liberation. In the Steel Division 2’s timeframe, at least one of the heavy Semovente 90/53 remained in active duty with the 26. Panzerdivision.



[h2]New ownership[/h2]
In Tribute to the Liberation of Italy, most of the Semovente variants are under “new management” - having been commandeered by the Germans and distributed among their divisions. Mussolini’s Repubblica Sociale Italiana 4a Divisione Alpini “Monterosa” also retains a number of Semovente 47/32. They will appear under their Beute name. See below for each variant, their role, their German designation, and the division that contains them:

  • Semovente M42 75/18 - Support - named as the StuG M42 75/18(i). Featured with the 4. Fallschirmjäger and 5. Gebirgs-Division.
  • Semovente M42 75/34 - Tank - named as the StuG M42 75/34(i). Featured with the 26. Panzerdivision, 4. Fallschirmjäger, and 5. Gebirgs-Division.
  • Semovente M43 105/25 - Support - named as the StuG M43 105/25(i). Featured with 26. Panzerdivision and 4. Fallschirmjäger.
  • Semovente M41 90/53 - Anti-tank - named as the StuG M41 90/53(i). Featured with the 26. Panzerdivision.
  • Semovente M41 Comando - Tank - named as the Panzer M41(i) Führer. Featured with the 26. Panzerdivision, 4. Fallschirmjäger, 5. Gebirgs-Division, and 4a Divisione Alpini “Monterosa”.
  • Semovente 47/32 - Anti-tank - named as the StuG L6 47/32(i). Featured with the 4. Fallschirmjäger, 4a Divisione Alpini “Monterosa”, and… the Croatians in our upcoming Nemesis: Raid on Drvar.
  • Semovente L6 Comando - Support - named as the Bef. StuG L6 47/32(i). Featured with the 4. Fallschirmjäger.


[h2]The Spa-Viberti AS.42[/h2]
Another area the Italian engineers proved their worth - if not ahead of their direct counterparts - was armored cars. While the Autoblinda 41 and its successor the Autoblinda 43 were well known, the cool-looking Spa-Viberti AS.42 isn’t nearly as famous as it should be. This heavy off-road armored jeep was built on the same chassis as the Autoblinda 41 but without a turret. An excellent vehicle, it was very mobile, well armored, and could carry either a small squad or a light gun.

During desert warfare in North Africa, Italian Sahariana companies were equipped with a dozen vehicles, armed with 20mm ATR or AA guns, 75mm support guns, HMGs, etc. They proved to be more than a match for their SAS counterparts in open battle. The AS.42’s production ceased after the Axis defeat in North Africa. The remaining vehicles in Europe were used against the Allies in Sicily and later occasionally by the Germans and RSI in a reconnaissance role.



In Tribute to the Liberation of Italy, the AS-42 can be deployed in two recon versions: the light AS.42 (armed with one MMG and one HMG) as a recon transport, or the heavier AS.42 20mm sporting a 20mm Breda AA gun. The former can be only found with the4a Divisione Alpini “Monterosa”; the latter in both the 4. 4. Fallschirmjäger and 4a Divisione Alpini “Monterosa”.

[h2]A unique German unit[/h2]
A unique unit on the Italian front, and even for the Axis, was the 8.8cm Flak 37 Selbstfahrlafette auf 18 ton Zugkraftwagen - shortened for everyone’s sanity to the FAMO 88mm. This rare vehicle combined an armored SdKfz. 9 half-track with a 88mm Flak gun, with only twelve models built. They were initially tasked with protecting Hitler’s personal train, but the abandonment of the Fuhrer’s means of rail transportation saw these self-propelled AA units sent to the Italian front instead. They were used to great effect by the 26. Panzerdivision for the duration of the war.



[h2]Want to know more?[/h2]
In case you have missed it, we detailed all the new divisions of Tribute to the Liberation of Italy expansion in several Versus posts.

  • In our first Versus post, we put the spotlight on two new Armored battlegroups: the 26. Panzerdivision with its special AA support and the supersized 6th South African Armoured Division. Check out the Versus blogpost here.
  • In our second Versus, we looked at two Mountain formations: the German 5. Gebirgs-Division and the specialised 8th (Indian) Infantry Division. Read all about it in this Versus blogpost here.
  • Our third Versus, we shone a light on two Infantry battlegroups: the Axis 4. Fallschirmjäger and the US-led international Task Force 45. Read all about it in this Versus post here.
  • In the fourth Versus, we saved the best for last with our look at the two Italian divisions… mama mia!. A nation divided on the battlefield: for the Axis, we have the RSI 4a Divisione Alpini “Monterosa”, and the under the Allied banner, we feature the Corpo Italiano di Liberazione. Read all about these battlegroups in this Versus here.


[h2]See you around[/h2]
At ease, commander. That’s all. Let us know what you think. 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.

Until next week!