Steel Division 2 News

Hello, hello!

We return with another glorious Reinforcement Pack #17 - War Reserves preview. Today’s the day a trio of Western Allies’ units will receive their (flying) spot in the sun.

Let’s roll.

[h2]War Reserves In Brief[/h2]
What’s the deal with this upcoming free DLC? The Eugen designers have found extra time to update a host of Steel Division 2 units across the base game and its various expansions and Nemesis DLCs. In total, there will be 15 to 20 new units, including a dozen brand-new 3D models. The free Reinforcement Pack #17 - War Reserves is being worked on as we speak and shouldn’t take too long to release.

[h2]Western Allies[/h2]
It’s the turn of the Western Allies. What can you expect?

The new A-36A APACHE fighter-bomber will make its mark. Under this designation hides a stopgap fighter-bomber variant of the famous P-51 fighter. This was done to keep the P-51 assembly lines open in the early months of 1942 due to the US Army Air Force already having received all the P-51 fighters ordered. Soon, with military budgets skyrocketing, the North American Aviation was able to turn back the factories to restart the P-51’s production. The A-36A APACHE differs from its air superiority fighter cousin by the shape of its nose, air intake, bomb racks, three-bladed propellers, and (especially so) its distinctive air dive brakes, used in ground strike missions. Although rendering good service in the Mediterranean campaign, including dogfights, by mid-1944, most of these fighter-bombers had been replaced by P-47s. The last of the A-36As in Europe operated in Italy's theatre of war.

• The new A-36A APACHE will be assigned to the American Task Force 45, where it will replace the P-51B-10. This division is part of Tribue to the Liberation of Italy expansion.

On to new British plane variants of existing aircraft.

• Part one is the MUSTANG Mk. I, which the United Kingdom received first. This is an earlier variant of the MUSTANG Mk.III. Using the same airframe as the A-36A APACHE above, except for the dive air brakes. One of the first fighter variants to spring forth from the restarted P-51 assembly lines in 1942, the P-51s (not even with A designation then) were delivered to the British armed forces as part of a lend-lease program. By mid-1944, that old yet trusty fighter had been restricted to air recon missions only.
  
  • The MUSTANG Mk. I will be assigned to the United Kingdom’s 15th Scottish Infantry Division. This division is featured in the Back to War expansion.

• The second new variant is the TYPHOON FR Mk. IB, an unlucky attempt at creating a dedicated tactical recon fighter out of the heavy-weight TYPHOON. Its port inner cannons were removed, leaving it with four 20mm guns (out of six). These were replaced with forward-facing cameras. The plane was disliked by its pilots, who preferred the older MUSTANG I (see above). This recon aircraft only really served with one unit - the RAF’s 268 Squadron - doing duty over Normandy. By January 1945, all recon Typhoons had been phased out of service.
  
  • The TYPHOON FR Mk. IB will be featured in the British Guards Armoured Division. This division was featured in the Tribute to Normandy ‘44 expansion.

[h2]See you on the battlefield[/h2]
That’s all for now. We’ll be back next week with another Reinforcement Pack #17 - War Reserves unit preview.

Make 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!

Hello, hello!

Welcome back to another Reinforcement Pack #17 - War Reserves preview. We continue with several new and updated units for Steel Division 2, shining a light on Finland’s armed forces this time.

Let’s go!

[h2]War Reserves In Brief[/h2]
As explained in our previous DevBlog, the Eugen designers have found extra time to update a host of Steel Division 2 units across the base game and its various expansions and Nemesis DLCs. Specifically, these units needed some extra care, perhaps even being missed in our original research, while others had their 3D models fixed.

Most of these units needing updates were brought to our attention thanks to the diligent Steel Division 2 community. Keep in mind that not all divisions or nations will receive new units. In total, there will be 15 to 20 new units, including a dozen brand-new 3D models. The free Reinforcement Pack #17 - War Reserves is actively being worked on and shouldn’t take too long to release.

[h2]Finland[/h2]
So, on to the Finnish armed forces. The Nordic country is the single nation with the biggest share of new War Reserve units and models.

• First up is the new FOKKER C.X. Known as "Fritz-Kalie" (for the letter F.K.) in Finland, this Dutch-produced early war bi-plane was used in recon and close support roles well into 1944. By this time, about half of the 34 originally purchased by Finland at the start of World War II were still in service. In-game, this new unit will be used as a light recon bomber with two 50kg bombs plus a radio.
  
• The FOKKER C.X will be added to Ryhmä Raappana ingame. This division, like the others listed, is featured in the Steel Division 2 - Fate of Finland expansion.

• Another new aircraft is the DB-3M bomber. Finland also used the DB-3F, already featured in Steel Division 2. The DB-3F formed part of the Soviet Il-4 bomber family, while the earlier DB-3 and DB-3M were its precursors. We have reflected this reality, as Finland also acquired the DB-3M, either capturing them from the Soviets or buying them from German war booty in 1940. In total, Finland operated 11 of these planes mixed in two bomber squadrons.
  
  
• The DB-3M too will find its way into the Ryhmä Raappana.

• The FORD AA is currently the only truck and artillery tractor of the Finnish Army, as depicted in Steel Division 2. But, historically, this model wasn’t the most common. As a matter of fact, it was quite rare by 1944. While we won’t remove the Ford, in order for people not to redo all their Finnish decks, we will round out the Finnish motor pool with some additional vehicles.
  
  • When talking about artillery tractors, these are vehicles intended to tow heavy artillery guns. In Finland, this meant a cute little tractor - the McCormick TD 14 being used to move the heaviest of guns. We will add this unit to all Finnish divisions to tow guns from 150mm and above.

• The main workhorse for moving troops and supplies in 1944 was the FORD V8 098T. In-game, we’ll feature it as a heavy supply truck. Likewise, this unit will find its way into all Finnish divisions.

• The last unit isn’t entirely new, as it was already featured in the Fate of Finland’s Army General Karelia campaign. However, this unit wasn’t part of any multiplayer-capable division. The captured Soviet Pe-2R recon plane, was sold by Germany to Finland in 1941. By 1944, gone was its bombing role, with the remaining specimens used solely for photographic recon duties over the Karelia battlefields.
  
  
• The Pe-2R will find its way into the German 122. Infanterie-Division in-game.

More new units from other nations will be showcased in the upcoming weeks.

[h2]Nemesis #7: Hell’s Highway[/h2]
In case you missed it: Nemesis #7: Hell’s Highway is the latest community-voted Steel Division 2 DLC, transporting the World War II action to the infamous Hell’s Highway corridor, heavily contested during airborne landings as part of Market Garden in September 1944. Nemesis #7: Hell’s Highway is available now!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/3302920/Steel_Division_2__Nemesis_7__Hells_Highway/

[h2]See you on the battlefield[/h2]
That’s all. We’ll be back next week with more Reinforcement Pack #17 - War Reserves unit previews.

Make 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!

Hello commanders!

It’s time for a new Steel Division 2 update, this one coming for free in the very near future. In today’s DevBlog - and coming posts - we’ll be teasing the upcoming Reinforcement Pack #17 - War Reserves.

Reinforcement Pack #17 will bring a host of new and updated 3D models for existing Steel Division 2 units, across the base game and various expansions and Nemesis DLCs.

Let’s go check them out.

[h2]Introducing Reinforcement Pack #17[/h2]
As we mentioned in our previous DevBlog at the start of the new year, the Eugen team has been busy with Steel Division 2’s Cold War cousin, WARNO and the recently launched WARNO - NORTHAG expansion. With the heavy lifting out of the way, we could refocus our game designers' efforts to World War II, including the upcoming new expansion Battle of Dukla Pass.

However, our 3D artists found some extra time to produce a batch of brand-new units and models. Specifically, these are units we missed in our original research and that the community brought to our attention. They will be added to existing divisions, both “vanilla” base game and DLC ones. Keep in mind that not all divisions or nations will receive new units. In total, there will be 15 to 20 new units, including a dozen brand-new 3D models.

These new models are currently being balanced and added to each respective nation and division. This means that the free Reinforcement Pack #17 - War Reserves shouldn’t take too long to release.

[h2]The Axis Powers[/h2]
We’ll start with some of the Axis nation’s new units; Germany, Hungary, and the Italians of the RSI take the lead.

Germany (and RSI)

• The Heeres Flakartillerie Abteilung 304, attached to the 26. Panzerdivision, famously featured the FAMO 88mm self-propelled heavy AA guns, as depicted in-game. However, the formation was also assigned one out of only three ever-produced prototypes of the Panzer Selbstfahrlafette IV Ausf. C, aka the PANZER. SFL. IVc. This vehicle also features a self-propelled 88mm, but with more armor all around, being built on Panzer IV chassis, and with the more modern and efficient Flak 41 gun.
  
  • PANZER. SFL. IVc will be added to 26. Panzerdivision from the Tribute to the Liberation of Italy expansion.

• When the Germans disarmed their former Italian allies in 1943, they also seized and reused quite a bit of military equipment. These include the CANNONE DA 75/46 C.A. M34, a 75mm dual-purpose AA and AT gun. As an anti-aircraft weapon, its performance was similar to that of the Romanian and Finnish VICKERS 75mm, although its anti-tank performance was somewhat inferior.
  
  • The CANNONE DA 75/46 C.A. M34 will be used in-game by the 4a Alpina Monterosa division from the RSI, available in the Tribute to the Liberation of Italy expansion.
    
  • It was pressed into German service as the FLAK 264/3 75mm and quickly put to use against the Anzio bridgehead by the 715. Infanterie-Division from the Men of Steel expansion.

• Not all GRILLE self-propelled artillery guns were of the same model. Specifically, our Steel Division 2 model is a GRILLE Ausf. K (renamed) which is the second version of the vehicle. But an earlier GRILLE Ausf. H was still in service in some divisions by 1944. Our current stats actually fit the new H model, which will retain them, while the K variant will have less armor, but faster and with a bit more ammunition. The changes are mostly cosmetic. This specific 3D model requires some additional corrections, which means we’ll showcase it at a later date.
  • GRILLE Ausf. H will replace all or part of the current GRILLE Ausf. K over the board, with the Panzer and Panzergrenadier divisions affected being too many to count. A more detailed list will come when the Reinforcement Pack releases.

Hungary

• Improvements to the TOLDI series of light tanks were pursued in 1944, despite the vehicle being pretty obsolete by that time. Such improvements led to the development of the TOLDI III, with increased front armor, side skirts, and a better motor, making it roughly equivalent to the American M3 Stuart. Unfortunately, the Hungarian factory producing these light tanks was destroyed by Allied bombers after only a dozen were built. Although no one really knows what happened to this small batch, this tank did exist in real life. This is why we included it to some of the Hungarian division with some “artistic license”.
  
  • The most fitting division to receive them would be the 1. Páncélos Hadosztály from the Men of Steel expansion.

More new units will be showcased in the upcoming weeks.

[h2]Nemesis #7: Hell’s Highway[/h2]
In case you missed it: Nemesis #7: Hell’s Highway is the latest community-voted Steel Division 2 DLC, transporting the World War II action to the infamous Hell’s Highway corridor, heavily contested during airborne landings as part of Market Garden in September 1944. Nemesis #7: Hell’s Highway is available now!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/3302920/Steel_Division_2__Nemesis_7__Hells_Highway/

[h2]See you on the battlefield[/h2]
That’s all for this week’s Reinforcement Pack 17. We’ll be back next week with more unit previews.

Make 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!

[h3]DATA FIXES[/h3]

• Fixed the missing Dutch acknows
• Fixed British CONV. GUNNERS' number of rifles to match squad's strength
  
• Fixed T-34/85 OBR. 43's price from 95 to 90, as announced in previous patch but not applied
  
• Fixed American captured ZIS-3's price from 65 to 60 on par with counterparts
  
• Fixed s.FH 317(j)'s name into le.FH 317(j)
• (Wessex) replaced wrong Canadian WHITE TRUCK with proper British one. Will need to be reloaded in deck.
  
• Increased JÄÄKÄRI (KPÄÄL) TÖRNI's availability on par with its non-ace counterpart in previous patch
  
• Decreased RECRUTI's price from 15 to 10, as announced in previous patch but not applied

[h3]AXIS[/h3]

• Decreased FW 190 F-8 with 1000kg bomb's speed from 530 to 485km/h
  

Get ready for combat, commanders!

Nemesis #7 - Hell’s Highway and the free Reinforcement Pack 16 - Dukla Pass are available now.

That’s not all: we have also released a major Steel Division 2 balance patch alongside the above.

[h2]Nemesis #7: Hell’s Highway[/h2] Nemesis #7: Hell’s Highway is the latest community-voted Steel Division 2 DLC, transporting the World War II action to the infamous Hell’s Highway corridor, heavily contested during airborne landings as part of Market Garden in September 1944.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/3302920/Steel_Division_2__Nemesis_7__Hells_Highway/

Take command as the multinational British 43rd (Wessex) Infantry Division of the Allied XXX Corps with its attached Dutch Princess Irene Brigade and Polish paratroopers, or let your tank guns roar with the combined Kampfgruppe Walther and its heavy Panzerbrigade 107’s contingent of Panzer IV/70 tank destroyers.

Nemesis #7: Hell’s Highway features a host of new units, such as Dutch resistance fighters and Princess Irene Brigade motorized Geweergroepen, Mariniers naval infantry detachments, Polish Spadochroniareze paratroopers, and British Assault Troops backed by Dutch-operated Lynx and Humber LRC armored scout cars, Mitchell II bombers and Spitfire Mk. XIV fighters.

The Axis deploy not only a smattering of re-equipped SS Panzergrenadiers but also various squads of Fallschirmjägers, including crack veterans and inexperienced soldiers drawn from local paratrooper school unit, and even disheartened Luftwaffe penal troops. The freshly stood-up Panzerbrigade 107 features the new Panzer IV/70 tank destroyer and SdKfz. 251/21 with Drilling 15mm in AA and fire support roles.

[h2]Reinforcement Pack #16 - Dukla Pass[/h2]
The free Reinforcement Pack #16 - Dukla Pass brings you a brand-new Steel Division 2 map. Inspired by the location of the most ferocious World War II battles fought on the Polish-Slovak frontier in late 1944, Dukla Pass features a whole gamut of tactical and strategic choices set among rolling valleys, narrow battlefield corridors, and dense forests.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/3210410/Steel_Division_2__Reinforcement_Pack_16__Dukla_Pass/

[h2]Major Balance Update[/h2] Steel Division 2 has also received a major balance update as of today. Some of the changes include buffing certain SMGs and LMGs, the addition of a variety of units to older divisions, improving Soviet tank leader and medium tank availability, an overhaul of anti-tank rifle teams, recon armored cars, light tanks, and AT half-tracks, and much more!

Check out the juicy details below.

https://steamcommunity.com/games/919640/announcements/detail/575998175465177844

[h2]See you on the battlefield[/h2]
Hope you enjoy the latest offerings for Steel Division 2. Let us know what you think!

Make 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!