Steel Division 2 News

Hello commander,

It’s good to be back! We’ll be looking at Nemesis: Storming Toulon today, our fourth Nemesis DLC, which won the popular vote late last year.

We are still sweating away in Eugen’s workshop to get this mini-expansion in your hands, so no release date yet. In the meantime, we can share some more exciting details about the two new battlegroups and the host of new units Nemesis: Storming Toulon will feature.

Keep reading to find out more!

[h2]Nemesis: Storming Toulon[/h2]
The French Riviera: in normal times, a stretch of Mediterranean coastline blessed by natural beauty and abundant sun. In the summer of 1944, the war is also set to arrive in this idyllic part of Southern France. Operation Dragoon, the Allied amphibious invasion, kicked off on August 15th. With local Axis troops either overwhelmed or retreating fast, liberating the critically important port of Toulon fell to the 1e Division Française Libre (DFL) or the 1st Free French Division.

Opposing the rapidly advancing Allied soldiers was a motley collection of German and Italian defenders centered around the Axis garrison of Toulon. Reinforced with a substantial amount of local artillery and AA guns, Verteidigungsbereich Toulon was a defensive force determined to make its stand of the port as long - and costly for the Allies - as possible.

Heavy urban combat followed when the Free French breached the city’s perimeter. While initially envisioned to take two months, the Allied units’ surprise and speed allowed the total liberation of Toulon to be achieved within days. Even though the port was ruined for the time being, it was repaired by September. This greatly helped the Allied drive to the north, which in turn aided the liberation of the rest of France before the year’s end.

[h3]Verteidigungsbereich Toulon[/h3] Verteidigungsbereich Toulon - meaning Defensive Perimeter Toulon - is an impromptu formation made up of various units in Toulon or its environs. The core of the battlegroup is made up of the 242. Infanterie-Division, a reserve division “upgraded” to regular status in 1943. A variety of Kriegsmarine garrison units and Italian naval infantry and scattered special forces, and even stranded U-boat crews, join the fight. A large quantity of captured heavy weapons, including AA and artillery guns, can also be found in its arsenal.



What can you expect of the Verteidigungsbereich Toulon?

• The Recon tab is limited in terms of slots and options but features some original units such as numerous Scharfschützen (snipers), as well as MEK (Marineeinsatzkommandos) squads, elite Kriegsmarine special forces.
  
• The Infantry category is where Verteidigungsbereich Toulon really shines, with lots of unique choices. From new Grenadier (MG 099), armed with Italian Breda 30 LMGs and Ost-Legionäre (introduced in Nemesis: Battle of Rimini) to new Kriegsmarine Landesschützen, KM Marineinfanterie, KM Führer (large 8-men command squads with two LMGs), KM Pionier, and Italian Maro (full SMG naval infantry) squads. Other units include elite Brandenburg special forces (with Raider trait), Sicherungs and Pionier troops. By far, one of the more original options is the new KM Boot Besatzung, which are stranded U-boat submarine crews, highly disciplined and indoctrinated (with the Fanatical trait), carrying three MG-34s and featuring a bearded officer with a captain’s cap!
  
• The battlegroup’s Tank category has only a few card slots, often limited to Combat Phase A or B. The only units on offer are old French Beute R-35 and H-39, plus a handful of StuGs.
  
• Support forces are regular, with Bef.Traction as a commander unit. The new GebK. 285(j) Yugoslav mountain gun is featured in place of the IG 18, and the new KM Kustenpolizei acts as a large military police squad armed with the French MAS-36.
  
• The battlegroup’s AT arsenal consists of several Panzerjäger RSO and Marder I self-propelled guns which (slightly) compensate the lack of tanks. Furthermore, PaK 177(i) (introduced in Nemesis: Battle of Rimini), as well as PaK 36(r) 76,2mm (Soviet F-22 used in AT role) and even a few PaK 43 88mm can be found.
  
• The AA category is very well represented, with many cheap slots and a large variety of (towed) guns on offer. These include Flak 20mm, Flakvierling 20mm, Flak 37mm, the new & deadly Flakzwilling 37mm, Flak 88mm, and the new heavy Flak 105mm.
  
• The Artillery units on offer are likewise very good, with several captured examples deployable. Once again, only towed units are featured, but the slots are cheap and plentiful. From new Italian 100mm and 149mm guns to French 105mm, new Yugoslav 100 mm, Soviet 152mm, as well as the nimble Ar 196A-3 floatplane (to be introduced first with the upcoming Steel Division 2: Burning Baltics History Expansion) which acts as the spotter plane for heavy 340mm off-map coastal artillery.
  
• Air units are rather limited, with the Luftwaffe mostly absent from the skies. Only a few Me-109 and Fw-190 in fighter or fighter-bomber roles can be deployed, backed up by Do-217 and Ju-88 bombers.
  

Being a static garrison division, Verteidigungsbereich Toulon is rated C (low offensive power) but features quite a few new defensive structures, deployable during Breakthrough games. These include the new Panzerstellung bunkers, which mate a tank turret to a concrete casemate. They come in three different variants: Panzerstellung Panzer II (20mm), Panzerstellung 35R (37mm), and Panzerstellung 35S (47mm).



Verteidigungsbereich Toulon is an excellent defensive battlegroup with many versatile units but lacks offensive armored firepower.

All of our Kriegsmarine and Brandenburg squads will feature brand-new voice acting, including new marching songs!

[h3]1e Division Française Libre[/h3]
The “real deal” of the Free French fighting forces: the 1e Division Française Libre (DFL) or the 1st Free French Division. This illustrious veteran formation took part in battles ranging from Narvik to East Africa, Operation Exporter (Syria-Lebanon, 1941), North Africa (Egypt, Libya, Tunisia) before heading towards the Italian front and later France during Operation Dragoon.

The DFL embodies Free France in its truest form, regrouping almost all the nationalities of the French colonial empire (and beyond) and armed forces which answered general de Gaulle’s call to keep on fighting.



What can you expect of the 1e Division Française Libre?

• This battlegroup’s Recon tab is well-stocked with options and plenty of choices. This includes FFI sidecar, the new M6 Fargo heavy jeep with 37mm AT gun, as well as Greyhound, Stuart, and the new Commando d’Afrique squads. The latter are French airborne special forces, heavily armed with Garand, Thompson, and a Bazooka.
  
• The Infantry forces are very strong, with lots of variety and cheap slots. These include the new Artilleurs AA (AA gunners converted to foot soldiers), FFI Maquisards (with Raider trait), elite Légionnaires (with Fanatical trait) and Légion. Sapeurs-Pionniers (with obligatory beards). Other new units are veteran BIMP motorized infantry with two LMGs, more lightly equipped AEF (Central African) and AFN (North African) Tirailleurs squads, and Chocs (Parachutistes de Choc) units which are veteran SAS-like light infantry squads with the Raider trait.
  
• A decent selection of Tank units, but with a limited amount of slots. Players can choose between Stuarts (normal and command version) or Sherman tanks. One special tank unit is the M10A1 R.C.A. from the Régiment de Chasseurs d’Afrique, which used the M10 Wolverines tank destroyers in a traditional tank role.
  
• Support forces feature a few original new options, including the FFI Traction as a commander unit and the FFI DMA as a light logistical truck. You’ll also find Légion MG with Fanatical trait, M8 Scott, and the novel use of the M3 Howz. 105mm as a direct fire support unit. This gun is already available in the US 2nd Infantry Division “Indianhead” - the change of this unit from the Artillery tab to the Support category affects both battlegroups.
  
• The AT tab is rather average, with a decent number of slots but only light towed guns being featured. These include the new 37mm AT gun, the 57mm version, some Bazooka units and the new FFI Partisans (with captured Panzerfausts). Some leftover TD M10 R.C.A. can also be found here.
  
• The AA units are likewise very average with only two open slots, both expensive. The only unit featured is a Bofors gun.
  
• The Artillery features plentiful of units, including mortars, HM2 105mm and HM1 155mm (Long Tom) howitzers.
  
• The battlegroup’s Air forces are quite strong, with plenty of American or British-made planes flown by Free French Air Force pilots (and as such carrying the FAFL liveries). These include P-39Q, B-26G, P-47D, and Spitfire Mk. Vb trop. The new F-5B-1 recon variant can also be deployed. Furthermore, British carrier-borne Fleet Air Arm planes are also featured, including the new Seafire, Hellcat and Wildcat.
  

The 1e Division Française Libre excels as a boots-on-the-ground battlegroup thanks to its battle-hardened and versatile infantry.

Our new Tirailleurs infantry squads (North and Central African) will have their own voice acting.

[h2]Nemesis: Storming Toulon’s new units and models[/h2]
The following new units can be found in Nemesis: Storming Toulon:

New Units

• Marine-Einsatzkommando 71 - recon special forces
  
• Grenadier (MG 099) - infantry
  
• Kriegsmarine Marineinfanterie - infantry
  
• Kriegsmarine Landesschützen - infantry
  
• Kriegsmarine Führer - infantry leader
  
• Kriegsmarine Pionier - infantry
  
• Kriegsmarine Boot Besatzung - featuring Fanatical trait
  
• Kriegsmarine Kustenpolizei - military police
  
• Italian San Marco naval infantry - SMG squad
  
• GebK. 285(j) - Yugoslav mountain gun
  
• PaK 36(r) 76,2mm - AT gun
  
• Flakzwilling 37mm - AA gun
  
• Flak 38 105mm - heavy AA
  
• Yugoslav 100mm - artillery gun
  
• Italian 100mm - artillery gun
  
• Italian 149mm - artillery gun
  
• Panzerstellung Panzer II - new Defensive structure
  
• Panzerstellung 35R - new Defensive structure
  
• Panzerstellung 35S - new Defensive structure
  
• Commandos d’Afrique - recon special forces
  
• M6 Fargo - AT gun on recon light truck
  
• Artilleurs AA - infantry
  
• FFI Maquisards - featuring Raiders trait
  
• Légionnaires - featuring Fanatical trait
  
• Légion. Sap.-Pionniers - featuring Fanatical trait (and beard!)
  
• Tirailleurs - AEF (Central African) and AFN (North African) infantry
  
• Sapeurs-Pionniers - infantry
  
• BIMP - motorized infantry
  
• Chocs - featuring Raiders trait
  
• M10A1 R.C.A. - tank
  
• FFI Traction - commander unit
  
• FFI DMA - light logistical unit
  
• M3 Gun 37mm - light AT gun
  
• FFI Partisans - AT squad
  
• F-5B-1 - recon plane
  
• Hellcat - British carrier-borne fighter-bomber
  
• Wildcat - British carrier-borne fighter-bomber
  
• Seafire - British carrier-borne recon. fighter
  

[h2]Nemesis DLC Overview[/h2] Nemesis: Storming Toulon will join a host of other exciting Nemesis DLC already available for Steel Division 2:

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1405650/Steel_Division_2__Nemesis_1__Sandomierz

Nemesis: Battle of Sandomierz Bridgehead is the first Nemesis DLC and available for free! It features the 16. Panzerdivision and the 97th Guards Rifle Division from the Eastern Front, bringing a number of new units, including the most fearsome German tank of World War II, the Königstiger (H).

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1418230/Steel_Division_2__Nemesis_2__Lvov_Offensive

The second Nemesis DLC, Nemesis: Lvov Offensive, is available now for €4.99 / $4.99. This Nemesis DLC contains the German 20. Panzergrenadier-Division and the Allied 10th Guards Tank Corps, bringing new units such as the heavy tank destroyer Elefant, the unique Bef. Tiger (P) and Bef. Panzer V/IV tanks, Muniwagen Panzer III, Flakpanzer T-34(r) and Flakpanzer Panther, and captured T-5 Pantera..

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1477780/Steel_Division_2__Nemesis_3__Battle_of_Rimini/

Nemesis: Battle of Rimini is our third Nemesis DLC, available now for €4.99 / $4.99. It features the 1. Fallschirmjäger-Division for the Axis, and the combined Allied battlegroup of the 2nd New Zealand Division with the 3rd Greek Mountain Brigade attached.

The recent winner of our latest hotly-contested community vote, our fifth expansion Nemesis: Raid on Drvar is currently in active development. Featuring two unusual battlegroups from the partisan-infused Balkan theater, you’ll get to play with the Axis Unternehmen Rösselsprung battlegroup, featuring not only the fanatical SS-Fallschirmjäger-Bataillon 500 but also supporting Croatian troops. As the Allies, deploy as the unique partisan formation NOV - the the Yugoslav Liberation Army.

[h2]Coming up next[/h2]
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1418231/Steel_Division_2__Burning_Baltics/

In case you’ve missed the news, our new massive History Expansion,
Steel Division 2: Burning Baltics will launch on April 29th!

Let us know what you think 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 it for this week’s post. Don’t forget, we have updated our schedule and will now post every two weeks.

See you on the battlefield, commander!

Hello commander,

Missed us? We sure missed you! We have a bunch of news to share with you today, so sit down, strap in, and enjoy the ride.

What can you find in today’s post? A couple of interesting announcements and more details on two important gameplay changes coming to Steel Division 2 in the not-too-distant future.

Keep on reading to discover more!

[h2]Burning Baltics Launches April 29th [/h2]
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1418231/Steel_Division_2__Burning_Baltics/

First off, we have a release date for our upcoming new History Expansion Steel Division 2: Burning Baltics which will be yours to play on April 29th.

What will Steel Division 2: Burning Baltics offer?

• 1 massive new Army General campaign set in the Baltics during Operation Doppelkopf, allowing you to take command of either the attacking Axis 3. Panzerarmee or the defending Allied 1st Baltic Front.
  
• 8 new Divisions, playable solo, coop, or in multiplayer, including 6 which took part during Doppelkopf and 2 divisions from Army Group North’s theater of operations.
  
• 120+ new units, including a variety of new models such as Aufklärungspanzer 38(t) recon tank, Ar 196 A-3 floatplane, Soviet MT-13 160mm super-heavy mortar and the BS-3 100mm heavy AT gun.
  
• 2 new Nations: Lithuania (Axis) and Estonia (Allies) and 2 new Aces.

Be sure to check out various articles that go in-depth into all of Steel Division 2: Burning Baltics’ new features, including detailed breakdowns of all the upcoming Divisions.

• The first Steel Division 2: Burning Baltics Versus looks at the two Armored battlegroups: the Panzerverband Strachwitzcheck and the 19-y Tank Corpus.
  
• The second Steel Division 2: Burning Baltics Versus dives deep into the two Mechanized battlegroups: Panzergrenadier-Division “Grossdeutschland” and Rezerv 43-y Armii.
• The third Steel Division 2: Burning Baltics Versus puts the spotlight on the Infantry battlegroups with the 52. Sicherungs-Division z.b.V. and the Podv. Gruppa Fedyunkin.
  
• The ultimate Steel Division 2: Burning Baltics Versus highlights two special battlegroups from Army Group North theater of operations: the 11. SS-Freiwilligen Panzergrenadier-Division “Nordland” and the 7. Eesti Laskurdiviis (7th Estonian Rifle Division).
  
• Check out the new Aces, which will ship out with the expansion in this detailed blog post here.
• Be sure to read up on the new massive Army General Campaign centered on Nazi Germany’s last successful strategic counter-offensive, Operation Doppelkopf.
  

[h2]Combat Ranges Rework[/h2]
On to the gameplay updates coming soon. One of the elements we have been working on for a while is an overhaul of the Combat Ranges. We detailed some of our earlier thoughts in this October blog post here, but we are now ready to show you some more. Yet, remember work is still in progress, and changes may still occur.

In the current version, most of our guns (tank, anti-tank, etc.) fire at a 2000m max range. The reason for this design choice was for every type of player (from new to history aficionado) to be able to understand quickly a whole variety of WWII weaponry at a glance. However, by allowing a unifying 2000m max range, some guns were firing beyond their real-life capabilities, at which they become ineffective in-game and at best waste ammo, and at worst, get obliterated by their target in an immediate counter-attack.

The main driver behind the Combat Ranges Rework is to make tank and anti-tank engagements more effective, and more gritty, allowing this type of combat to mimic reality closer. What is the change?


We have spread AP rounds from our myriad of tank and anti-tank guns, ranging from 20mm to 152mm, across six different max range settings.

• 750m:
• 1000m: 30-45mm
  
• 1250m: 45-47mm
  
• 1500m: 50-75mm
  
• 1750m: “long” 75 / 75-85mm
  
• 2000m: 88-122mm (plus ISU-152)

As everyone knows: wherever there are rules, there are exceptions. Outstanding guns in their caliber category may be moved up, such as the US “long” 37mm compared to the punny German 37mm. Likewise, others keep their max range at 2000m, including the 17-pdr (76,2mm), Kwk 42 (Panther) and Resita 75mm. On the other hand, short-barreled or low-velocity guns (such as howitzers’ AP rounds) might be moved a step down.

APCR and HEAT rounds usually have a shorter range than their corresponding AP counterparts, although, once again, there are a few exceptions with certain APCR rounds.

Penetration drop-off has been adjusted for each range set to give more realistic results, and the more a gun has lost in range (compared to the current “vanilla” setting) the more accuracy it will gain. Guns reduced in range will have their chance to hit improved. i.e. those reduced to 1000m will have their accuracy increased by an average of 10-15%, for instance.

Example: Pak 38 50mm in the current & beta versions:


What does this mean? Previously, light AT guns firing at 2000m had little chance to hit and hardly any chance to deal damage. With the new Combat Range Rework, these guns will fire at a much shorter range, but when they do, will be more likely to hit on their first shot and have a higher chance to penetrate the target’s armor.

We know that these new ranges is a big change, including the actual combat effectiveness and firepower of a unit. That’s why certain unit prices will be reconsidered, especially for those tank and anti-tank guns which retain a 2000m maximum range.

[h2]New Efficient Shot[/h2]
Hand in hand with our Combat Ranges Rework, we are also tackling our Efficient Shot mechanic. We have completely redesigned this feature to make it more intuitive and powerful to use. Again, remember work is still in progress, and changes may still occur.

Efficient Shot only works for penetrating weapons, designed to defeat their target’s armor. The new Efficient Shot only considers the chances of penetrating armor while the old mechanic also took into account the chance of hitting a target. The reason for this change was because a gun gains precision with any additional shot fired, and what matters to the player is if you have a real chance of penetrating the heavy armor in front of you.

The new Efficient Shot now features five distinct values, with each percentage indicating the threshold to penetrate the enemy’s armor. These values are 20%, 40%, 60% and 80%. If you set it at 20%, your gun will fire when it reaches this value or higher. This granularity gives you much better control of when a gun will fire, and if your weapon is going to be effective or not.



Depending on the percentage value chosen, the game will also show you the distance needed for your weapon to be effective.

The new Efficient Shot mechanic can be set individually or for your whole battlegroup. Not only that, depending on the value chosen, a different color icon will be displayed on top of your unit’s icon. And remember, you can always deactivate this mechanic, if you don’t feel like using it.

[h2]A new blog post schedule[/h2]
You might have noticed the absence of our regular post last week. There is a reason behind this. At Eugen, we have been hard at work to develop a new expansion for your other favorite game - Wargame Red Dragon.

To shine a light on the new Wargame Red Dragon - Nation Pack: SADF, we’ll alternate each week between the two titles. This means you’ll get Steel Division 2 post one week, and the other one we dive deep into an exciting new aspect of Wargame’s new Nation Pack or other upcoming contents. After Wargame Red Dragon - Nation Pack: SADF releases, we’ll return to our original schedule.

[h2]See you in two weeks![/h2]
If you want to reach out to us, 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!Welcome back, commander.

Welcome back, commander.

Hold the presses; the results are in!

Before we reveal the winner of the Nemesis DLC Run 5, we wanted to express our admiration for the hard-fought propaganda many of you dabbled in this last week. Your efforts to sway your fellow players clearly had some effect; this vote was a very close call all the way to the end.

[h2]The winner is...[/h2]
And the winner of Nemesis DLC Run 5 is…

...Nemesis: Raid on Drvar!



Our fifth Nemesis DLC will take the action to the partisan-controlled Balkans, highlighting the unique Raid on Drvar which saw one of the last Axis airborne operations of the war and the subsequent Allied attempt to escape the surprise trap.

To give you the full breakdown of the vote:

• Nemesis: Raid on Drvar beat the competition with 36,3% of the vote.
  
• Number two was Nemesis: Ligurian Standoff with 35,2%. It was close!
  
• Lastly, Nemesis: Slovak Uprising came in third with 28,5%.
  

[h2]What to expect from Raid on Drvar?[/h2]
We’ll give today’s victor another detailed look. Nemesis: Raid on Dvrar will feature:

Unternehmen Rösselsprung

• The Axis battlegroup is modeled after the real-life forces that participated in the operation, and as such, carries the name of the operation. It includes not only the fanatical SS-Fallschirmjäger-Bataillon 500, but also regular Grenadier foot soldiers, as well as supporting troops from the SS Prinz Eugen's SS-Gebirgsjäger and the Independent State of Croatia (NDH), a puppet state of Nazi Germany.
  
• A small number of Brandenburg special forces can be found in this battlegroup as well. They can count on the Raider trait.
  
• Croatian Air Force covers the sky above, equipped with a mix of old pre-war Yugoslav Air Force planes and Italian (Caproni bombers, Macchi fighters, ...) or German fighters and bombers.

NOV (Yugoslav Liberation Army)

• NOV stands for Narodnooslobodilačka vojska, meaning the Yugoslav Liberation Army. This communist-led partisan force was considered one of the most effective anti-Axis resistance movements in Europe. NOV troops as a whole feature the Raider trait.
  
• The partisans are mostly equipped with salvaged Italian small arms, from Beretta SMGs, M91 Moschetto rifles, Breda 30 LMG and Solothurn anti-tank rifles. Airdropped British weapons (Bren, PIAT, and Sten guns) can also be found.
  
• Heavier equipment all come from captured stocks, such as the German PaK 38 50mm and a handful of PaK 40 75mm AT guns, but mostly Italian Elefantino 47mm guns. Even some armored support is available in the form of light L3/35 Italian tankettes and captured German Beute (R-35 & Somua).
  
• Allied air support from the British-led multinational Balkan Air Force consists of older Spitfire, Mustang and Hurricane fighter, fighter-bomber or tank-buster variants, including the Hurricane Mk.IID with twin 40mm AT guns.
  

Read all about the Nemesis: Raid on Drvar in this detailed blog post.

[h2]What happens next?[/h2]
At one point, further down the line, the Nemesis: Raid on Drvar will join the other paid Nemesis DLC already on offer or in active development. We will keep you updated!

What happens to the Nemesis DLC Run 5 options that didn’t make the cut? For now, we will put them away in our “ideas” Eugen cupboard. Maybe they will make a return in the future. For now, these Nemesis options have been judged and found wanting…Never say never, though!

[h2]Coming up next[/h2]
That’s it for this week. 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-assDiscord server or Reddit page.

We have something special in store for our Wargame fans. Wha-wait-what? That’s right: expect some exciting news in the not-too-distant future!

Thank you for your dedication to Steel Division 2. Keep up the fight! See you on the battlefield, commander!

Welcome back, commander.

Hold the presses; the results are in!

Before we reveal the winner of the Nemesis DLC Run 5, we wanted to express our admiration for the hard-fought propaganda many of you dabbled in this last week. Your efforts to sway your fellow players clearly had some effect; this vote was a very close call all the way to the end.

[h2]The winner is...[/h2]
And the winner of Nemesis DLC Run 5 is…

...Nemesis: Raid on Drvar!



Our fifth Nemesis DLC will take the action to the partisan-controlled Balkans, highlighting the unique Raid on Drvar which saw one of the last Axis airborne operations of the war and the subsequent Allied attempt to escape the surprise trap.

To give you the full breakdown of the vote:

• Nemesis: Raid on Drvar beat the competition with 36,3% of the vote.
  
• Number two was Nemesis: Ligurian Standoff with 35,2%. It was close!
  
• Lastly, Nemesis: Slovak Uprising came in third with 28,5%.
  

[h2]What to expect from Raid on Drvar?[/h2]
We’ll give today’s victor another detailed look. Nemesis: Raid on Dvrar will feature:

Unternehmen Rösselsprung

• The Axis battlegroup is modeled after the real-life forces that participated in the operation, and as such, carries the name of the operation. It includes not only the fanatical SS-Fallschirmjäger-Bataillon 500, but also regular Grenadier foot soldiers, as well as supporting troops from the SS Prinz Eugen's SS-Gebirgsjäger and the Independent State of Croatia (NDH), a puppet state of Nazi Germany.
  
• A small number of Brandenburg special forces can be found in this battlegroup as well. They can count on the Raider trait.
  
• Croatian Air Force covers the sky above, equipped with a mix of old pre-war Yugoslav Air Force planes and Italian (Caproni bombers, Macchi fighters, ...) or German fighters and bombers.

NOV (Yugoslav Liberation Army)

• NOV stands for Narodnooslobodilačka vojska, meaning the Yugoslav Liberation Army. This communist-led partisan force was considered one of the most effective anti-Axis resistance movements in Europe. NOV troops as a whole feature the Raider trait.
  
• The partisans are mostly equipped with salvaged Italian small arms, from Beretta SMGs, M91 Moschetto rifles, Breda 30 LMG and Solothurn anti-tank rifles. Airdropped British weapons (Bren, PIAT, and Sten guns) can also be found.
  
• Heavier equipment all come from captured stocks, such as the German PaK 38 50mm and a handful of PaK 40 75mm AT guns, but mostly Italian Elefantino 47mm guns. Even some armored support is available in the form of light L3/35 Italian tankettes and captured German Beute (R-35 & Somua).
  
• Allied air support from the British-led multinational Balkan Air Force consists of older Spitfire, Mustang and Hurricane fighter, fighter-bomber or tank-buster variants, including the Hurricane Mk.IID with twin 40mm AT guns.
  

Read all about the Nemesis: Raid on Drvar in this detailed blog post.

[h2]What happens next?[/h2]
At one point, further down the line, the Nemesis: Raid on Drvar will join the other paid Nemesis DLC already on offer or in active development. We will keep you updated!

What happens to the Nemesis DLC Run 5 options that didn’t make the cut? For now, we will put them away in our “ideas” Eugen cupboard. Maybe they will make a return in the future. For now, these Nemesis options have been judged and found wanting…Never say never, though!

[h2]Coming up next[/h2]
That’s it for this week. 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-assDiscord server or Reddit page.

We have something special in store for our Wargame fans. Wha-wait-what? That’s right: expect some exciting news in the not-too-distant future!

Thank you for your dedication to Steel Division 2. Keep up the fight! See you on the battlefield, commander!

Hey commander!

This week’s post will be a break from our installments detailing Steel Division: Burning Baltics. Instead, we are circling back to an event we promised previously: a new round of voting to decide which Nemesis DLC should be released next.

There is something special, though. Each of today’s contenders competed in a Nemesis vote last year. While these silver medalists didn’t make the cut then, today is their second chance!

You’ll be able to cast your vote on the three Nemesis divisions in the new Nemesis DLC Run 5.

[h2]Nemesis DLC Run 5[/h2]
The new Nemesis DLC Run 5 community vote is now live!

You can find the Nemesis DLC voting page by following this link here.

Voting will close on Wednesday, March 10th, at 1:30 PM (CEST) / 12:30 PM (BST) / 7:30 AM (EDT).

As before, you can vote multiple times, but only your LAST vote will count! Be respectful of the vote and your fellow player. No cheating, bullying, or insults will be tolerated. You have been warned!

Before you vote, take some time to give each runner-up option a quick once-over.

[h2]Nemesis: Slovak Uprising[/h2]
The first runner-up is Nemesis: Slovak Uprising. If chosen, this DLC will feature a completely new nation - Czechoslovakia - including new indigenous weaponry, vehicles and units, a complete voice-over, and more. The Slovak Uprising, which began at the end of August 1944, would be represented by this expansion.



If chosen, Nemesis: Slovak Uprising brings:

• A new nation plus one new Axis division, the German Panzerdivision Tatra, and one Allied division, the Slovak National Uprising (SNP) partisans.
  
• A select number of tanks for Panzerdivision Tatra including Panzer IV, StuG III G, StuG 40 and Panzer 38 (t). And exactly three Tiger Es. Soldier squads will be made up of Volkssturm, more reliable Hungarian SS, and elements from Sturmbrigade Frankreich.
• The SNP features a large amount of multinational partisans, from escaped Soviet and French POWs, to American OSS and British SOE teams, Czechoslovakian Airborne Brigade, and rebelling Slovak Army troops. New tanks can also be found, such as LT-40, Vz.33 tankette, T-35 (Panzer 35) and T-38 (Panzer 38).
  

Read all about the Nemesis: Slovak Uprising in this detailed blog post.

[h2]Nemesis: Raid on Drvar[/h2]
Number two on the lists of number twos is Nemesis: Raid on Drvar, featuring a duo of unusual battlegroups from an equally unique front: the partisan-infested Balkan theater.



If Nemesis: Raid on Drvar is the winner, the following will become available:

• A fully-voiced new nation with the Allied battlegroup (Yugoslav partisans) and a minor new nation with the Axis (ally Croatia).
  
• For the Axis, a mixed battlegroup, Unternehmen Rösselsprung, featuring not only the fanatical SS-Fallschirmjäger-Bataillon 500, but also Brandenburg special forces and SS-Gebirgsjäger. Croatia brings its own infantry units: regular Kro. Legionäre, Domobran (Home Guard soldiers) and Ustashe auxiliaries.
  
• The Allies get the unique partisan formation NOV - the the Yugoslav Liberation Army. NOV troops as a whole feature the Raider trait and can deploy a large variety of captured material, mostly Italian weaponry, with even some limited armor support available! Not only that, they can also count on powerful air support from the multinational Allied Balkan Air Force.

Read all about the Nemesis: Raid on Drvar in this detailed blog post.

[h2]Nemesis: Ligurian Standoff[/h2]
Number three is Nemesis: Ligurian Standoff, highlighting two special divisions occupying a “quiet” sector of the Italian Front in late summer 1944.



By choosing Nemesis: Ligurian Standoff, you’ll get:

• For the Axis: the 20. Luftwaffe-Felddivision with a mix of reluctant Luftwaffe ground crew fighting as foot soldiers, backed up by experienced cavalry officers and paratrooper NCOs.
  
• The Allies get Task Force 45, which very much like its German counterpart is made up of reluctant AA gunners turned infantrymen. Furthermore, it not only introduces the Brazilian Expeditionary Force but also the hard-fighting Japanese-American troops of the 100th Infantry Battalion.
  
• Several new units, including Italian AS-43 (Sahariana) trucks mounting a Flak 38mm, as well as 149mm artillery guns. The Americans will bring the powerful dual-purpose M2 90mm gun. American and British 15-men squads made up of anti-aircraft troops will be available, as well as the 8-inch/203mm howitzer.
  
• Update: it appears that many Brazilians in Task Force 45 fought with the older M1903A3 Springfield rifles. Of course, we will incorporate this to make these soldiers look even more distinct from their American counterparts.
  

Read all about the Nemesis: Ligurian Standoff in this detailed blog post.

[h2]Nemesis DLC Overview[/h2] Neme-what? If you have been caught unawares: our Nemesis DLC concept not only brings you new Steel Division 2 in the form of a pair of new battlegroups but puts the decision on which mini-expansion should be released first in your hands.

Each Nemesis DLC option presents two new battlegroups from a different theater of operations or front. New nations and new units are likely to be encountered in these expansions!

The following Nemesis DLCs are already out in the wild.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1405650/Steel_Division_2__Nemesis_1__Sandomierz

Nemesis: Battle of Sandomierz Bridgehead is the first Nemesis DLC and available for free now! It features the 16. Panzerdivision and the 97th Guards Rifle Division from the Eastern Front, bringing a number of new units, including the most powerful German tank of World War II, the Königstiger (H).

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1418230/Steel_Division_2__Nemesis_2__Lvov_Offensive

The second Nemesis DLC, Nemesis: Lvov Offensive, is available now for €4.99 / $4.99. This Nemesis DLC contains the German 20. Panzergrenadier-Division and the Allied 10th Guards Tank Corps, bringing new units such as the heavy tank destroyer Elefant, the unique Bef. Tiger (P) and Bef. Panzer V/IV tanks, Muniwagen Panzer III, Flakpanzer T-34(r) and Flakpanzer Panther, and captured T-5 Pantera..

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1477780/Steel_Division_2__Nemesis_3__Battle_of_Rimini/

Nemesis: Battle of Rimini is our third Nemesis DLC, available now for €4.99 / $4.99. It features the 1. Fallschirmjäger-Division for the Axis, and the combined Allied battlegroup of the 2nd New Zealand Division with the 3rd Greek Mountain Brigade attached.

Nemesis: Storming Toulon is our fourth confirmed Nemesis DLC. It contains two divisions from Operation Dragoon, the Allied invasion of Southern France in August 1944. Verteidigungsbereich Toulon and the 1e Division Française Libre. The expansion will also feature the new Panzerturm bunker, a casemate mounting a tank turret. We are hard at work on this one - we hope to tell you soon when you can expect it!




[h2]Until next week[/h2]
The voting booths are now open. Go and let us know your choice! Check in next week to see which option will become the next Steel Division 2 Nemesis DLC!

If you want to reach out to us, 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.