Steel Division 2 News

Hello commander!

[h2]"Black Sunday" date is confirmed![/h2]
Good news, our Black Sunday History Expansion finally has a release date.
This Monday, 17th of August, we'll launch the new DLC!


We will be dedicating ourselves today to revealing the second potential Nemesis DLC bringing a brand-new nation - Czechoslovakia - and a series of cool new units to Steel Division 2. Let’s take a look at what Nemesis: Slovak Uprising might have in store for you!

The new DLC option offers a host of Czechoslovakian weaponry, plus one Axis, the German Panzerdivision Tatra, and one Allied division, the Czechoslovakian Slovak National Uprising (SNP) partisans.

If you are wondering what the ballyhoo is with this Nemesis DLC, take a gander at our original reveal here.

[h2]The Historical Context[/h2]

When Nazi-Germany fully occupied Czechoslovakia in 1939, a fascist Slovakian puppet state came to be. By 1943, discontent in the country had grown strong, including in the army. In 1944, as the German defenses were crumbling, a general uprising - with the full support of the military - was rushed in motion. However, the Germans had anticipated the Slovak insurgency, and additional troops were sent to quell any sign of resistance.

As a result, the Slovak National Uprising (SNP) faltered, even though the partisans still managed to gain control of about a third of the country in a week’s time. The rebelling Slovak Army - left leaderless and without orders - was pounded into submission, surrounded and disarmed. SNP partisans continued the struggle, pinning down thousands of Axis units and troops.

The Allies actively supported the uprising. A multinational mix of Slovak regular soldiers and rebels fought side-by-side with Soviet and French partisans, either dropped as saboteurs or escaped from POW camps, Czechoslovakian paratroopers from the Red Army, deserting Hungarians, and American OSS guerilla instructors, amongst others.

Despite tenacious efforts, the SNP’s headquarters was captured by the Germans after two months of heavy fighting, signaling the conclusion of the Slovak National Uprising in October 1944. Many partisans continued to resist in the mountains and forests, severely hampering German forces in the region until the end of the war.

[h2]Nemesis: Slovak Uprising[/h2]

As the new Nemesis DLC will represent the Slovak National Uprising, we will feature one German and one Czechoslovakian division: we’ll have the Axis Panzerdivision Tatra, an ad hoc formation that proved itself to be an efficient combat unit, while the Allies will be able to deploy a Czechoslovakian partisan-heavy SNP battlegroup.

From SMGs to tanks and planes, Czechoslovakia was a major arms producer before the start of World War II. Many of the country’s excellent pre-war materiel found its way to other armies already featured in Steel Division 2 including Skoda 75mm and 100mm howitzers, Hruby 105mm howitzers, Panzer 35 and 38, etc. Nemesis: Slovak Uprising will feature even more new units.



[h3]Panzerdivision Tatra[/h3]

During the uprising, Panzerdivision Tatra was initially a barebone headquarters formation armed with outdated tanks and fielding Panzergrenadiers in training. Its infantry was a mixed bag, with a number of Ersatz regiments providing the bulk of its soldiers. After several weeks of combat, Panzerdivision Tatra was reinforced with a Kampfgruppe from 18. SS-Freiwilligen-Panzergrenadier-Division “Horst Wessel” bringing more reliable and better-equipped infantry.

• Panzerdivision Tatra only has a limited amount of tanks at its disposal, roughly balanced across Panzer IV, StuG III G, StuG 40 and Panzer 38 (t). And exactly three Tiger Es - not a single more!
  
• The formation’s troops vary between Landeschützen and Volkssturm raised from local Volksdeutschen to more reliable Hungarian SS and even elements from the (so-called) Sturmbrigade Frankreich.
  
• The SS reinforcements bring self-propelled FlaK units, PaK 40 AT guns, and plenty of half-tracks for transportation.
  
• Artillery support is provided by a few training batteries fielding Hruby and leFH 14/19 Czech guns.
  

[h3]The SNP[/h3]
The Slovenské Národné Povstanie (SNP, in English known as the Slovak National Uprising) is a catch-all name for the regular and partisan troops who fought on the Allied side during the resistance campaign in Slovakia. This battlegroup is not unlike the Polish Armia Krajowa - found in the first History DLC Death on the Vistula. Expect to find a ton of different equipment and infantry in this division, from indigenous Czechoslovakia arms to captured German tanks and Soviet AT guns.

• Built around a cadre of regular Slovak Army infantry, with these units retaining most of their small arms: ZK-383 SMGs, Vz. 26 LMG, ZB-53 MMG.
  
• Additionally, a large formation of multinational partisans can be deployed by the SNP. This includes the Suvorov Battalion, made up of escaped Soviet POWs, Foch Battalion, featuring French (and a few Belgian) escaped POWs, and a Slovak partisan battalion.
  
• Soviet and American supplies have found their way to the SNP as well, which in the latter case are featured as OSS teams wielding UD M42 SMGs and bazookas. British SOE Jedburgh teams are also deployable.
  
• Outdated tanks forms part of its armored force: LT-40, Vz.33 tankette, T-35 (Panzer 35) and T-38 (Panzer 38). Units such as the Marder III, as well as a few Panzer II and III can be found within the formation’s ranks.
  
• The Slovak Air Force, aside from a handful of German Me-109 fighters, Fw 189A recon planes and Italian SM.84 bombers, was mostly composed of indigenous biplanes and light trainers: Avia B534, Letov S28, and Praga E-39.
  
• Finally, SNP also received regular reinforcement from the major Allies: the Soviet airlifted paratroopers from their Czechoslovakian Airborne Brigade, as well as providing Czechoslovakian pilots flying La-5FN. The Americans sent flights of P-51 to support the uprising.
  

[h2]Nemesis DLC Explained[/h2]

To reaffirm the Nemesis DLC concept:

• Each Nemesis DLC will bring two new divisions (one from each side) and will feature new units, new weapons, new models, and maybe even new… nations. They will be PAID. No new maps will be included in these DLCs.
  
• Each Nemesis DLC focuses on a new historical Theater of Operations (think engagement or battle) that was relevant and set in the summer of 1944. This could be the Eastern Front, could be the Western Front, could even be other interesting… locales.
  
• The first Nemesis DLC will be FREE and likely release in September. This is Nemesis: Battle of Sandomierz Bridgehead and will contain the 16. Panzerdivision versus the 97th Guards Rifle Division. Read more about it here.
• After this, our second Nemesis DLC will be one of three choices. You get to decide which one in a community-wide vote at the end of August! Whichever option wins, gets released first. This means that certain Nemesis divisions might return in future votes.
  
• The first option is Nemesis: Lvov Offensive with its two rather unusual divisions: the 20. Panzergrenadier-Division versus the 10th Guards Tank Corps.
  

[h2]Coming up next[/h2]

Next week, we’ll look at the third option for the new Nemesis DLC. We are keen to hear what you think! Reach out to us via our Steam forums and Eugen forums, or keep an eye out on our social channels (Facebook and Twitter). Looking for an online game? Check out the kick-assDiscord server or Reddit page.

See you on the battlefield, commander!

Hello!

Today is the day we’ll be looking at our very first Nemesis DLC option. Let’s dive deep into Nemesis: Lvov Offensive and its two rather unusual divisions: the 20. Panzergrenadier-Division versus the 10th Guards Tank Corps.

If you missed the news, be sure to check our reveal of the new Nemesis Divisions.

In case you’ve forgotten: Nemesis Divisions are paid DLCs focusing on pairs of new divisions not previously featured in Steel Division 2. We’ve decided to develop smaller sets of unique battlegroups while keeping the link to the summer of 1944. These pairs will feature new units, new models, and even… new nations!

That’s not all: you can vote on which Nemesis DLC is your favorite and want to see launch first. We will highlight three alternative sets of divisions, each from a different Theater of Operations, leading up to a big community vote. The first vote will happen at the end of August.

Today we shine a spotlight on Nemesis: Lvov Offensive. Let’s dive in.

[h2]The Historical Context[/h2]

Our first Nemesis DLC option highlights the Lvov Offensive. As you know, the massive Operation Bagration plays a central role in Steel Division 2. This Soviet strategic campaign proved so successful that it went down into history books as the offensive that broke the Wehrmacht’s back. However, it wasn’t the most powerful Red Army strike planned during the summer of 1944. That honor goes to the Lvov-Sandomierz operation. The double name refers to the Ukrainian city that provided the starting point, while the second title applies to the bridgehead established across the Vistula in Poland.

By concentrating enormous forces, Stavka had purposefully made the Germans believe the main thrust that summer would come from the Lvov area. The Wehrmacht reacted as expected, depriving Army Group Center of substantial armored reserves, which led to Red Army’s triumph when Operation Bagration in Belorussia, further north, commenced. As some of Wehrmacht’s reserves were hurriedly transferred back to this part of the Eastern Front, the fact remained that most of the German armored forces were concentrated in Ukraine. For good measure, the Soviets shipped even more firepower to the Lvov area: three tank armies and one cavalry-mechanized group.

In the opening move of Lvov-Sandomierz, the Soviets launched two massive armored thrusts around the XIII. Korps, trapping it near Brody despite German armored counter-attacks. Facing the Soviet southern pincer was the German XXIV. Panzerkorps, which only managed to save itself after a costly fighting retreat. This was mostly done by the 20. Panzergrenadier-Division, which was supported by one of the Wehrmacht’s strangest formations: Schwere Panzerjäger-Abteilung 653 (heavy tank destroyer battalion 653).

On the opposing side, the northern pincer was formed by the Soviet 4th Tank Army - the parent formation of the capable 10th Guards Tank Corps. This armored thrust was spearheaded by the equally unusual 51st Independent Motorcycle Regiment.

[h2]Divisions of Nemesis: Lvov Offensive[/h2]

Which battlegroups will form part of the Nemesis: Lvov Offensive? And what cool units or troops will they be able to deploy?

[h3]20. Panzergrenadier-Division[/h3]

A battle-hardened division which experienced the campaigns of Poland, France, and the Soviet Union, the 20. Panzergrenadier-Division was one of Wehrmacht’s “fire brigades” on the Eastern Front. Moved from one army group to the next, this formation was kept in reserve until brought forward to counter an enemy breakthrough and plug any gap in the line.

Organized as a regular Panzergrenadier-Division (see 17. SS or 25. Panzergrenadier in Steel Division 2), the 20. Panzergrenadier was lavishly reequipped with StuG IV prior to the Lvov-Sandomierz offensive. However, what truly sets this battlegroup apart from other in-game divisions is the attached Schwere Panzerjäger-Abteilung 653.

• The Schwere Panzerjäger-Abteilung 653 was a unique Wehrmacht formation. By 1944, it concentrated all the surviving Elefant heavy tank destroyers in one unit. Much like the open-top Nashorn, this beast of a machine is armed with the 88mm PaK 43 in a fixed armored casemate structure. However, it is built on a Tiger chassis, making the Elefant one of the hardest hitting (and most heavily armored) tank destroyers of the war.
  
• The s.PzJäger-Abt. 653’s workshop tinkered away, creating many different tank variants not found anywhere else. Such as self-propelled anti-air weapons including 1x Flakpanzer Panther (20mm Flakvierling built on a turretless Panther) or the 1x Flakpanzer T-34 (20mm Flakvierling built on a turretless T-34).
  
• Other special vehicles include the Muniwagen T-34 and Muniwagen Panzer III, which were ammo carriers and tractors rebuilt from turretless tanks.
  
• One of the command tanks, a Panzer V/IV Führer, could be considered a true Frankenstein: a Panzer IV turret fixed forward on a Panther D hull.
  
• Lastly, the s.PzJäger-Abt. 653 possessed the one and only field variant of the VK 45.01 (P), also known as the Tiger (P). This was Porsche’s prototype for the Tiger tank, which lost to the Henschel prototype, which in turn became the mass-produced Tiger I. This unique vehicle was used as the battalion’s command tank.
  

[h3]10th Guards Tank Corps[/h3]
A veteran division from the battle of Kursk and Bryansk, the 10th Guards Tank Corps was formerly known as the 30th Tank Corps before being awarded the honorific Guards status in late 1943. This formation took part in the (ultimately failed) encirclement of the 1. Panzerarmee in the Kamenets-Podolsky Pocket.

At the start of the Lvov-Sandomierz Operation, the 10th Guards Tank Corps was organized as a regular T-34 corps (see the 2nd Guards Tank Corps in Steel Division 2 for reference). The tanks were evenly distributed between T-34/76 and the more potent T-34/85 variants. What makes the 10th Guards Tank Corps unique, though, was the attachment of the 4th Tank Army’s own 51st Independent Motorcycle Regiment.

• The 51st Independent Motorcycle Regiment’s workshop was given any German captured tanks found on the battlefield. If they could repair them, the Soviets would try to use them against their former owners for as long as possible. This means that during the Lvov-Sandomierz Offensive, the regiment could count on no less than 7x T-6s Tigr (Tiger E) and 2x T-5s Pantera (Panther A).
  
• Another regimental feature is that unlike other armored reconnaissance formations in the Red Army - which used lend-lease Valentines or older T-34/76 as recon tanks - this unit uses the full-blown recon T-34/85.
  
• The 10th Guards Tank Corps was also supported by the Soviet fighter ace of the war, Aleksandr Ivanovich Porkyshkin, flying the P-39N Airacobra. At the time of the offensive, he was the highest-scoring ace in the Red Air Force.
  

[h2]First Nemesis DLC for free[/h2]

If you like to see Nemesis: Lvov Offensive, don’t forget to keep in mind this Division set for the upcoming community vote at the end of August.

To be clear and reaffirm: we will release the first Nemesis Divisions set for FREE. It will feature the [p]16. Panzerdivision versus 97th Guards Rifle Division and will likely launch in September.

Future Nemesis Divisions DLC will be PAID - this would include Nemesis: Lvov Offensive,if you would vote for this set.

[h2]Coming up next[/h2]

Next week, we’ll look at the second option for the new Nemesis DLC. We are keen to hear what you think! Reach out to us via our
Steam forums and Eugen forums, or keep an eye out on our social channels (Facebook and Twitter). Looking for an online game? Check out the kick-ass Discord server or Reddit page.

See you on the battlefield, commander!

Hello commanders,

We are back today with a small update on the popular Steel Division 2 Season 3 tournament organized by the ever-cool Protosszocker!

We love supporting player initiatives, and one of our favorites is Protosszocker’s Steel Division 2 League, which is set to kick off Season 3 on August 8th.

The tournament features the biggest community crowdfunded prize pool in Steel Division with $650! Thank you to all who contributed! Do you want to play your part? Make sure to go check out the details here.

[h2]A disclaimer[/h2]

Please note that the following tournament is not organized by Eugen. We support it by sharing the message and the details, and putting Eugen’s stamp of approval for guaranteed fun - but that’s it! We try to do our best by supporting community activities we deem worthwhile, but we are only a small team and we don’t have the manpower or the time to actively organize competitions or other contests.

[h2]Steel Division 2 Season 3 Details[/h2]

With the group phases of Season 3 coming to an end, only the best 78 players are left. The tournament will now enter the Single Elimination Bracket playoffs format.
In each of the 5 Divisions (analogous to skill levels), the top 6 players will fight to determine who will promote to a higher Division. The best player in Division 1 can crown themselves the champion of Season 3. Sweet!

The playoffs will be played over four weekends starting August 8th, 13:00 CEST and will be live streamed on Twitch by sd_league, Leviiothan, and sdfrancophone (French) and on YouTube by Angrybird, Rangroo, Khan_Ulric, and VulcanHDGaming.

Find more details about the rules and Season 3’s format here.

Check out the SD League Discord for more info about when and which games will be played, and to stay up to date about future Steel Division 2 Leagues and Tournaments!

[h2]First Nemesis Reveal Soon![/h2]

You might be wondering what’s happening with the new Nemesis DLC? Clear your schedules because next week we will take a deep dive into our first Nemesis DLC option.

In the course of the upcoming weeks, we will present three different Nemesis options, each focusing on an alternative Theater of Operation and a pair of divisions. You can read about the reveal in the news post here. At the end of August, we’ll organize a community vote where all players can choose which of their favorite Nemesis DLC should launch first!

[h2]Coming up next[/h2]

Don’t hesitate to check out our Steam forums and Eugen forums, or keep an eye out on our social channels (Facebook and Twitter). Looking for an online game? Check out the kick-ass Discord server or Reddit page.

See you on the battlefield, commander!

Hello, everyone!

You thought this summer would be a quiet one? WRONG! At Eugen, we keep working to make Steel Division 2 a better experience. We don’t beat around the bush. That’s why we are ready to unveil the new Nemesis Divisions concept in today’s post.

Nemes-what, you’d say?

Nemesis Divisions are Eugen’s answers to our community’s prayers for more and fresh Steel Division 2 battlegroups. The best part? You get to decide which division should be launched next!

[h2]Nemesis Divisions Explained[/h2]

Since Steel Division 2’s release last year, players have been asking for more divisions, more units, more of everything! We are happy to oblige. While keeping to our summer of ‘44 time frame, we did cherry pick certain cool units from other Theater of Operations and battlefields not featured in the base game or one of our expansions. In some cases, these other Theater of Operations weren’t as interesting (or original) compared to the already established settings in Steel Division 2, and they didn’t warrant a full-blown History DLC expansion with a meaty Army General campaign.

Still, some of these Theaters of Operations did feature interesting divisions or units, which we’d love to include in our game, one way or another.

How to go about it, we asked ourselves.

The answer? Let’s do smaller DLCs, featuring only two divisions, one from each side, in which we explore some alternative Theater of Operations but maintaining the chronological link to the rest of the game. Each battlegroup pair represents a specific battle and would have faced each other (or close enough) in real life, allowing us to shine a light on potentially interesting yet obscure engagements of the war.

The Nemesis Divisions concept was born! However, the fun doesn’t stop here...

[h2]Vote for your favorite Division[/h2]

...because fun is better shared! We realized we wanted to give YOU a voice in choosing which Nemesis Divisions’ pair we should release next.

How does it work? Simple: we will draft a list of divisions we consider interesting, highlighting the specific Theater of Operation they faced off against each other, and you pick the pair you’d like the best. Once a set of Nemesis Divisions is voted on by the entire community - and we have a winner - we will work extra hard to get them on the Steel Division 2 battlegroup roster as soon as possible. Then, we’ll repeat the process and make a new vote on the next set of Nemesis Divisions from a list of potential candidates.

We’ll try to include something new and tasty with each Nemesis Division, be it new vehicles, tanks, planes, soldiers, or even… new nations. We’ll present each division in a blog post like the one you are reading now, letting you check all the details before making a decision.

We are open to your suggestions!

[h2]Priming the pump[/h2]

We know you are overwhelmed and already halfway out the door to research THE definite list you want to propose to us, but hear us out first. To make things easier, we have locked the first Nemesis Divisions’ choice - see it as us priming the pump.

So, without further ado, the first pair of the new Nemesis Divisions. Let’s welcome the 16. Panzerdivision and the 97th Guards Rifle Division to the stage!

The upcoming Nemesis: Battle of Sandomierz Bridgehead will transport us to August 13th, 1944, to the battlegrounds of Poland. The battle from this Theater of Operation took place south of Warsaw while the more important clash of Praga/Radzymin (featured in our The Death on the Vistula expansion) at the gates of the Polish capital was dying down. Further south, the Red Army had managed to cross the Vistula and establish a bridgehead on its western banks near the town of Sandomierz, which the Germans were desperate to destroy at all costs.

What makes this particular battle interesting is that it was the first clash on the Eastern Front between the two super-heavy tanks of World War II: IS-2 vs. Königstiger! A duel that was won that day with flying colors by the Red Army.

[h2]The First Nemesis DLC detailed[/h2]

Let’s take a closer look at our first set of Nemesis Divisions.

[h3]16. Panzerdivision[/h3]
16. Panzerdivision was a spent shell without Panthers and only limited infantry, anti-tank, and AA forces compared to a “regular” armored division. Yet, for that counter-offensive the 16. Panzer was supported by not one but two Tiger battalions, one of them freshly reequipped with brand-new Königstiger (H). This is an up-armored version of the super-heavy tank already featured in-game with 21. Panzerdivision. That’s the top of the food chain for you.



Hoping to take the Soviets by surprise, the Germans attacked after only a brief preliminary artillery bombardment. As such, the division won’t have any off-map artillery, but a good number of Nebelwerfer units instead. Like over Warsaw, the Luftwaffe made a special effort to provide air support, allowing the 16. Panzer to field numerous fighter and fighter-bomber units.

[h3]97th Guards Rifle Division[/h3]
97th Guards Rifle Division was to receive the full brunt of the German counter-offensive, yet held its ground superbly. And for a good reason. Thanks to very active Razveddozor (scout) combat patrols, the Soviets had received early warning about the timing and direction of the impending attack, and of the presence of German big cats on the prowl.



As such, the 97th Guards was heavily reinforced with anti-tank guns, close to a brigade worth of T-34/76s and T-34/85s, and even the mighty IS-2 tank. Due to the constraints of the newly established bridgehead, with its limitation on the movement of troops and vehicles across the few makeshift bridges across the Vistula, heavy artillery had to be left on the eastern shores. Air cover was also minimal, with the VVS (Red Air Force) operating almost at maximum range.

[h2]First Nemesis DLC for free[/h2]

We will make the first Nemesis DLC featuring the 16. Panzerdivision versus 97th Guards Rifle Division available for FREE. This is the 10th free DLC, fulfilling our promise when we launched Steel Division 2. It will likely not be the last free one, though, rest assured!

Future Nemesis DLC will be PAID, of course, as they will also include new units, new infantry models, and maybe even new nations (with full voice acting and native swearing).

The first DLC, Nemesis: Battle of Sandomierz Bridgehead should release in September. In the meantime, starting this August, you’ll be presented with the first three pairs of Nemesis Divisions in three separate posts. After we have detailed them all, you’ll be able to pick your favorite in a community-wide voting contest before the month is through.

We can’t wait to see which ones you’ll choose!



[h2]Black Sunday History DLC[/h2]

We are still hard at work on the Black Sunday DLC. We hope to release it very soon, but we can’t give you an exact date yet!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/988171/Steel_Division_2__History_Pass/

Be sure to check out Steel Division 2’s History Pass. The History Pass includes the new “Black Sunday” expansion, as well as the The Fate of Finland expansion and The Death on the Vistula expansion.

[h2]Coming up next[/h2]

As always, we are keen to hear what you think! Help us make Steel Division 2 an even better game! Reach out to us via our
Steam forums and Eugen forums, or keep an eye out on our social channels (Facebook and Twitter). Looking for an online game? Check out the kick-ass Discord server or Reddit page.

See you on the battlefield, commander!

Hello commander!

On the 3rd of July, the ever-awesome VulcanHDGaming hosted a community Q&A with Eugen’s very own Alexis Le Dressay, Creative Director extraordinaire, and your favorite and all-knowing Lead Game Designer Matthieu "MadMat" Brevet.

In this livestream, we answered a host of questions put forward by you, the player. We talked about what’s coming up for Steel Division 2, and shone a light on a gaggle of popular requests such as new maps, new features, expanded modding tools, and whatnot!

Be sure to check out the YouTube video here.

We figured that maybe not all of you had the time to check out the video - hence today’s handy recap of all the upcoming good stuff coming to Steel Division 2.

[h3]Ongoing Steel Division 2 support[/h3]

One of the first things discussed was Eugen’s ongoing commitment to Steel Division 2. Yes, we are in it for the long haul. Rest assured, our current planning for the game looks ahead at least one to two years.

As you know, the game and its DLCs all take place in roughly the same timeframe (the summer of 1944). We still feel we have not explored all the different battles and campaigns set during this period, be it on the Eastern Front and or in other theaters of operation.

So, what can you expect?

• We are planning to unveil more divisions. One idea is to release smaller sets of divisions, with the community to choose which set will come next.
  
• We’ll keep patching and updating the game after the release of Steel Division 2: Black Sunday. There are several features and game elements that are currently in Eugen’s workshop (some of them we talked about in this roadmap here). For instance, we are taking a look at infantry weapons overhaul, new tank ranges, reconnaissance, etc.
  
• Army General will get a cooperative mode. This mode is still being worked on. It will fit nicely with the recent free Army General Versus update which brought online 1v1 play.
  
• We know you have been requesting this frequently. We are thinking about doing a Free Weekend in the future. However, we want to make sure the timing is right. For instance, the upcoming Steel Division 2: Black Sunday launch might give us an opportunity. Who knows?
  

On a final note: no Steel Division 3 is planned. We are sticking our guns to Steel Division 2 for now.

[h3]Maps, maps, maps[/h3]

A hot ticket was Eugen’s support for more maps, including urban maps, as well as a map editor. We did not include any new maps for the Black Sunday History DLC. Why not? We were very busy to add not just one but two massive new Army General campaigns instead!

Some other map-related tidbits:

• Yes, we are working on releasing more maps in the future.
  
• We are not planning to release any Normandy maps… though we are considering other new settings.
  
• One thing we wanted to clear up was that yes, we are working on an urban map, but instead of a city map it is more of a suburban map. This new map (we talked about before) will be a test of sorts.
  
• A map editor is indeed in the works, but this piece of software is a big undertaking for us. We are getting it ready, but it advances slowly, so an estimated time of arrival might be in six months or so.
  
• The currently locked Finnish maps featured in The Fate of Finland expansion will be added to the Ranked roster for everyone to play.
  
• We are not against reworking existing maps, such as moving around flag locations, but will take a look at the most unbalanced examples first.
  

[h3]Mods and more game options[/h3]

Moddable DLC divisions have been given a high priority, and this functionality is being tested, as we speak. However, one feature we are not working on is an Army General campaign editor.

During the Q&A, we also chatted about additional game and UI options. We can confirm:

• We intend to add time limit options to the multiplayer lobby.
  
• More Rules of Engagement options during a tactical battle are considered, such as APCR selection, infantry combat ranges, and more.
  
• We are also thinking about expanding the Smart Orders feature.
  
• Dedicated servers will be allowed.
  
• To come back to a recurring theme: an updated matchmaking process for online battles will only be worth it if we see a substantial increase in the Steel Division 2 player base. Simply put: we can’t justify making any changes if there are not more players who will benefit from it. Our position has not changed in this regard.
  

[h3]Until next week![/h3]

Thanks again for VulcanHDGaming for hosting us. Do check out any of his many Let’s Plays or Steel Division 2 tournament videos. You won’t be disappointed!

Let us know what you think or how we can make Steel Division 2 an even better game! Do this on our
Steam forums and Eugen forums, or reach out through our social channels (Facebook and Twitter). You can also join us on our Discord server or Reddit page.

See you on the battlefield, commander!