Hello commander,

Welcome back to the third Versus of our upcoming Tribute-style expansion, hitting the Steel Division 2 shores in the near future.

In today’s DevBlog, we’ll look at the famous Allied “Screaming Eagles” of Band of Brothers fame, the 101st Airborne Division, and the Axis German 716. Infanterie-Division.

Keep in mind that all the following is still actively being worked on!

101st Airborne Division’s Combat History

Much has been written about the illustrious 101st Airborne Division, known as the “Screaming Eagles.” Established in World War I, the original infantry division was reformed as an airborne unit in 1942. In comparison to the 82n Airborne, the 101st didn’t have any combat experience prior to D-Day.



It took part in some of the most noteworthy airborne assaults during World War II, including Operation Overlord, Operation Market Garden, and the Battle of the Bulge. During the landings in Normandy, the 101st seized the exit causeways of Utah Beach while simultaneously securing the left flank anchored on the Cotentin Peninsula.

101st Airborne Division’s in Steel Division 2

The 101st Airborne Division was featured in the base game of Steel Division: Normandy ‘44.

Let’s look at the “Screaming Eagles” as they would appear in the Steel Division 2. As a (very) light infantry division, more so than other nation’s airborne formations, it has no organic tanks nor anti-air defenses. Only light anti-tank guns and artillery pieces are to be found, with its firepower resting almost entirely on its infantry and lighter support weapons such as machine guns and mortars.



The 101st Airborne Division can count on various detachments joining the division on the battlefield during the Normandy campaign, some from D-Day itself. This offsets the lack of heavier units somewhat.

Recon, Infantry, Tanks

Let’s go through each category for the 101st Airborne Division and see its arsenal of units and weapons.

RECON
A good amount of slots and unit availability, including their costs.

• The ubiquitous JEEP .50, as well as AB SCOUTS and PATHFINDERS (already featured in the 1st Airborne Task Force from Steel Division 2: Men of Steel). The latter unit will be reworked (benefitting both divisions) as 9-men squads with a Radio.
  
• A new unit to be added to this division in Steel Division 2 is the FILTHY THIRTHEEN. Check out this Wikipedia page for more information. This unique unit will be featured as a single elite heavy demolition squad with Recon and Shock traits and sporting the trademark Mohawk haircut and war face paint. The Filthy Thirteen, although not penal troops in real life, were the actual inspiration for the Dirty Dozen movie.
  
• From Combat Phase B onwards, the 101st Airborne Division can count on the 24th Cavalry Recon Squadron for some support. These bring some M8, as well as SCOUTS in M20 armored cars.

INFANTRY
Likewise, a good combination of the number of slots and their costs. Many US airborne squads featured in the 1st Airborne Task Force will reappear.

• There are a number of new units. This includes the AB RIFLES (LMG), which is a new squad featuring an extra M1919A6. Every airborne rifle platoon only had one bazooka per two squads. This means our current AB RIFLES loadout is only true for half of them. This new squad will also have their Thompson SMG replaced by M1 Carbines.
  
• Another new unit is the GLIDER RIFLE LDR., which are large 10-man command squads delivered in trucks or DUKW (also featured with GLIDER RIFLES).
  
• The new AB CONV. GUNNERS. The 377th Parachute Field Artillery Battalion lost 11 out of its 12 M1A1 75mm howitzers during the landing. The artillerymen had to fight on foot as infantry. While vet-locked, they proved quite able and are not hampered by the Disheartened trait.

TANKS
An average amount of choice, with limited availability and high prices.

• The 101st Airborne Division had a battalion of Sherman DD allocated to it from D-Day. It was to fight from the beach and link up with the airborne troops. Throughout the campaign, several tank battalions rotated in and out, the last one containing Stuart light tanks.
  
  • The division will have M4 DD only in Combat Phase A.
    
  • In Phase B there will be M4A1 (including command).
    
  • And in Phase B and C, M5A1 (Stuarts) can be deployed.
• In Steel Division: Normandy 44, the division featured the M22 Locust. We were always under the impression that these armored vehicles were left in the UK, ready but unused until later in the war. As a matter of fact, the Locust stayed in the US, with only a handful shipped in early 1945, so the British could use them. That’s why they have been left out in Steel Division 2.

Support, Anti-Tank, Anti-Air, Artillery, Air

SUPPORT
A good amount of slots and choices.

• Includes the usual arsenal of machine guns, supplies, commanders (on foot, jeep, and from B onwards, in a M20 Command Car), as well as a Combat Phase A-only elite direct-fire AB M1A1 PACK 75mm (which represents the one piece that wasn’t lost on D-Day) plus M4(105) tanks.

ANTI-TANK
Not very stellar, with a less than average allocation of slots and unit availability.

• Unlike other airborne troops, the Americans didn’t have a glider big enough to carry 75mm anti-tank guns. This means the 101st Airborne Division is restricted to AB BAZOOKA teams and the AB M1 57mm.
  
• One new unit is the AB M3 37mm, a light AT gun usually attached to the Glider regiment, but historically, left behind on D-Day.

ANTI-AIR
Again, a not very impressive category.

• In real life, the 101st Airborne Division only had .50 cal HMGs as AA defenses. By chance, a self-propelled AA battalion was attached to the airborne troops as soon as American ground forces exited Utah Beach.
  
• This means a complement of M16 and M15 AA halftracks can be used in this division.

ARTILLERY
Artillery is pretty decent, with a good amount of slots.

• The core of the paratrooper’s long-range fire support comes from the ubiquitous AB Mortar 60mm and 81mm variant.
  
• As explained previously, most M1A1 75mm howitzers were lost during the landing. This left the division with only a handful (which have been moved to SUPPORT category) in Combat Phase A. More were delivered by sea later and thus the indiirect fire variant will be available from B.
  
• It doesn’t mean that the division is left entirely without howitzers in the opening stages of combat. The airborne soldiers managed to capture from the Germans some Beute Soviet ZiS-3 76,2mm guns, which were put to good use.
  
• From Phase B onwards, the division also gets heavier fire support as M7 105mm (Priest) and M1 155 towed howitzers.

AIR
Air support is pretty good - enough said!

• The 101st Airborne Division can count on massive P-51 support, either in fighter or fighter-bomber roles.
  
• Heavier air support comes in the form of B-26 Marauder bombers and P-47D-23-RA rocket-carrying close air support planes.

The 101st Airborne Division is a light infantry division with excellent infantry and a bit of (but just a bit) of everything to help push the airborne troops forward.

716. Infanterie-Division’s Combat History

The 716. Infanterie-Division is another “700” division, meaning more 15. Welle Warriors much like the 715. Infanterie-Division from the Steel Division 2: Men of Steel expansion.



That means men too old, too sick, too crippled for campaign service. Instead, they were restricted to coastal defense duties in static formations (meaning with hardly any organic transport), also known as the “700” series.

Therefore, the squads and models of these divisions will be the same as those forming the core of the 715. Infanterie-Division. They are inexperienced troops featuring the Disheartened trait.



Historically, the 716. Infanterie-Division, like other divisions along the coast, was given the mission to withstand the first blow of the expected Allied invasion. They should hold and wait for a “mighty” air and ground counter-attack promised by high command to follow shortly.

What really happened was that the German intelligence vastly underestimated the Allied firepower and that the massive counter-attack, by 21. Panzer quickly petered out. Left to its own devices, the 716. Infanterie-Division’s combat history was a short one. Being the first line of defense on June 6th, it was pulled out of the line on June 15th, completely gutted.

716. Infanterie-Division’s in Steel Division 2

The 716. Infanterie-Division will be rather unique for Steel Division 2. The division will not feature one tank. Not a single one. Even with the support of the 21. Panzer’s Kampfgruppe Rauch, bringing some panzergrenadiers, including armor cars and self-propelled guns, the 716. Infanterie-Division never received any tank support.

Though the division in Steel Division: Normandy ‘44 features the B1, this wasn’t very accurate, as these older French tanks were on the other side of the Cotentin Peninsula, on the Channel Islands.

However, while its loss of armor is noticeable, it will receive some units to boost its arsenal.

• As mentioned above, the division will see a detachment of Kampfgruppe Rauch’s associated units in Combat Phase B.
  
• Several Kriegsmarine coastal batteries and personnel were in 716. Infanterie-Division’s sector. These will be attached in Combat Phase A.
  
• Three Ost battalions were part of the division. Though reported of poor combat value, two were Cossack battalions which gained praise for their spirited counter-attacks.
  
• And like the original, some of the 716. Infanterie-Division’s best troops were Italian volunteers. These were recruited from Italian POW camps and noted for their energetic defense. So, instead of the usual way, the ex-Soviet and Italian troops will be the most reliable in this division, and the German ones the least likely to fight.
  
• Lots and lots of artillery support!

Recon, Infantry, Tanks

Let’s go through each category for the 716. Infanterie-Division and see the arsenal of units and weapons. Note that units bolded and italic are new!

RECON
Not particularly noteworthy with few slots, being quite expensive.

• 716. Infanterie-Division, being static, had no Fusilier battalion, so only a few BMW side-cars and the new KANALWACHE (“watcher over the Channel”) squads. These latter three-man units are armed with MP-40, an FM 24/29, and a Boys anti-tank rifle and represent the small sentry squads placed in Tobruk bunkers to guard the coastline.
  
• A single card of A-only recon REIT.-KOSAKEN (renamed from KOSAKEN) courtesy of our ex-Soviet mounted troops.
  
• From Combat Phase B onwards, the 21. Panzer’s recon battalion gives the division access to AUFKLÄRER, SPÄHTRUPP, SDKFZ. 250/9 and SPW 233.

INFANTRY
A good amount of slots for reasonable prices.

• The division has access to GRENADIER (15W) and PIONIER (15W) squads with the Disheartened trait. These were already featured by the 715. Infanterie-Division from the Steel Division 2: Men of Steel expansion.
  
• The Ost battalions provide OSTTRUPPEN (re-equipped with Soviet weapons which will affect all divisions featuring this squad) plus new KOSAKEN and KOSAKEN-PIONIER.
  
• Local Kriegsmarine coastal defense troops bring KM MARINEINFANTERIE, KM FÜHRER and Disheartened KM FLAKTRUPPEN in Combat Phase A only.
  
• Italian PoWs who had volunteered to keep fighting with the Germans were scattered throughout the division. We regrouped them into an ITA. FREIWILLIGE squad.
  
• From Combat Phase B, Kampfgruppe Rauch brings PZ.GREN. FÜH. (PzF), PZ.GRENADIER (PzF) and STURMPIONIER in Unic halftracks.

TANK
As mentioned earlier…no tank!

This lack means the other categories see a boost in slot numbers and costs.

Support, Anti-Tank, Anti-Air, Artillery, Air

SUPPORT
A good amount of slots and prices.

• Lots of machine gun teams. These include MG-34, MG-42, KM MG-08, MG-30(p), etc.
  
• GrW. 50mm but no infantry gun, as the division had none. In its place, the division received four SDKFZ. 135/1, courtesy of Baukommando Becker. NOTE: we mentioned these units in last week’s Versus as part of the 16.LwFD, but that was a mix-up, these units were with the 716.ID, not the Luftwaffe division.
  
• KM KÜSTENPOLIZEI to keep order among the rank-and-file.
  
• Plus the usual supply and commander units.

ANTI-TANK
Likewise, a pretty good category with plenty of availability and good prices.

• The division had a range of anti-tank guns: Soviet PAK 184(r) 45mm, PAK 38 50mm, PAK 40 75mm and even some PAK 43 88mm.
  
• A small number of self-propelled 75mm AT guns were also available (of type unknown, but likely stemming from Baukommando Becker). We decided to model the new Panzerjäger 39(H) mit 7.5cm PaK40/1 Marder I, or known as the MARDER I H-39 ingame. This is a PaK 40 mounted on the hull of a captured French H-39 tank.
  
• From Combat Phase B onwards, Kampfgruppe Rauch brings more self-propelled anti-tank guns as the S307(f) PAK.

ANTI-AIR
Decent in terms of slot and cost, but limited choice.

• Only the FLAK 38 20mm and French FLAK 36(f) 75mm will be available.

ARTILLERY
Rather impressive. The 716. Infanterie-Division was a World War I-style division with infantry in bunkers and trenches calling pre-sighted artillery strikes.

Expect to find guns of all origins and calibers. These include:

• Czech. le.FH 14/19(t) 100mm
  
• Soviet s.FH 396(r) (a M-30) and K.390(r) 122mm (the A-19)
  
• French K 419(f) 155mm howitzers (which are GPF)
  
• as well as off-map 152mm.

AIR
Air cover is pretty good for the 716. Infanterie-Division.

• In real life, only a few Fw-190A-8 and Me-109G-6 and G-8 reached the invasion sector on D-Day. These aircraft will be available from A. The former will come in fighter, fighter bomber, and recon roles.
  
• From Combat Phase B onwards, JU-87D-3, D-5 and even a few cluster-loaded Hs 129 B-2/R4 will join the fight. The latter were rare in Normandy, as only a single Staffel was left at Carpiquet airfield when the rest of its squadron was transferred to the Eastern Front.
  
• The division will receive a new air unit: the Ar 234 B-2 in the recon role. This was the first use of these latter-to-be jet bombers and made fast recon passes over the Allied armada lying in front of the Normandy coast.

The 716. Infanterie-Division is a very defensive division. Static, with few armored vehicles and no tanks, but able to bring a mass of infantry and a lot of artillery firepower to the battlefield

Steel Division: Tribute to Normandy ‘44

Keep in mind that the Steel Division: Tribute to Normandy ‘44 is a work-in-progress name. What will this expansion contain?

• It will include ALL the missing Steel Division: Normandy 44 divisions, including those that were featured in subsequent DLCs (First Blood, Second Wave, Back to Hell).
  
• This means 7 Axis and 7 Allied divisions, with one Allied formation being brand-new!
  
  • Get ready to take command of the Allied US 101st Airborne Division, US 4th Armored Division, US 1st Infantry Division "Big Red One", UK Guards Armoured Division, UK 7th Armoured Division “Desert Rats” and French Demi-Brigade SAS. The 4th Canadian Armoured Division will be brand-new.
    
  • On the Axis side, the new Tribute expansion will feature the 91. Luftlande-Division, 716. Infanterie-Division, 1. SS-Panzerdivision "LSSAH", 16. Luftwaffe-Feld-Division, 9. Panzerdivision, 2. Panzerdivision, and Festungs Gross-Paris.
• This will result in the biggest Tribute expansion for Steel Division 2.
  
• It will contain only divisions. As this is a recurring question, the answer remains the same. NO new maps!
  
• The new divisions will be updated to take advantage of Steel Division 2’s mechanics, traits, equipment, etc. They will be closer to historical reality and maybe different regarding unit disposition, materiel, weapons, etc. The new divisions will keep their main features and playstyles, of course.

Steel Division: Tribute to Normandy ‘44 Versus

In our Versus DevBlogs, we highlight a pair of new divisions coming to Steel Division 2. We take a look not only at their historical background and combat history but also at new units and weapons, and how the formation would operate on the Steel Division 2 battlefield.

If you want to read more about the new divisions to be shipped with Steel Division: Tribute to Normandy ‘44 check out the following Versus DevBlogs:

• The Allied US 4th Armored Division and Axis Festungs Gross-Paris are detailed in Versus #1, which you can check here.
  
• The Allied US 1st Infantry Division "Big Red One" and the Axis 16. Luftwaffe-Feld-Division get their chance to shine in Versus #2 which you can read in this dedicated DevBlog here.

See you on the battlefield

That’s all for this third Versus. Let us know what you think.

Don’t be shy, 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!

Hello, hello!

Welcome back to the second Versus of our upcoming new Tribute-style expansion. As you should know by now, this new DLC will bring all remaining Steel Division: Normandy 44 divisions to Steel Division 2.

Let’s welcome to the stage the Allied U.S. 1st Infantry Division “Big Red One” and the Axis German 16. Luftwaffe-Feld-Division.

Please remember that we are still actively testing, so treat all the following as work-in-progress!

The 1st Infantry Division “Big Red One” History

The 1st Infantry Division “Big Red One” is an “old school” combat experienced (with lots of World War I veteran cadres) infantry division, featuring very strong infantry and artillery but less armor support compared to other Western Allies infantry divisions.



Created in 1917 as part of the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF), the “Big Red One” (BRO) fought with distinction in France, ending the war for occupational duties in Germany. It was one of only four divisions in the U.S. Army to remain active during the interwar years. In 1940, the formation was brought up back to strength, reorganized, and reinforced, being one of the first Army divisions to undergo amphibious training. As one of the best prepared, BRO was first to fight and sent to North Africa, where it landed near Oran in Vichy French Algeria, during Operation Torch.



The division further saw action in Tunisia, including the Battle of Kasserine Pass, then landing and campaign of Sicily, before being assigned as one of the assault divisions for D-Day. BRO famously landed on Omaha Beach before battling itself onto shore after suffering serious casualties. It kept on fighting in Normandy. Later on, BRO pursued the retreating German units after the breakout through northern France, all the way to the Siegfried line, before attacking the German city of Aachen. It continued to battle, including the Hurtgen Forrest and Battle of the Bulge, before ending the war on the Czechoslovakian border.

As a sign of its combat prowess, the division gathered an unequaled tally of sixteen Medal of Honors over the course of World War II.

The 1st Infantry Division “Big Red One” Combat Power

The 1st Infantry Division “Big Red One” deployed in Steel Division: Normandy 44 as part of the free First Blood expansion.

In Steel Division 2, all of BRO’s infantry units (including weapon teams, mortars, recon, leader, infantry, and AT guns) will come with minimum veterancy level 1 and no penalties to availability. Long-range support or vehicles will be standard.

However, most of these units will only be available from Combat Phase B onwards. In Phase A, representing the D-Day assault waves hitting the Normandy beaches, BRO’s infantry will be task-oriented “assault squads.”

• ASSAULT TEAM - with Garands, BARs, flamethrower, and smoke grenades.
  
• ASSAULT BREACHER - with Thompsons, Garands, TNT, and smoke grenades.
  
• ASSAULT LEADER - with Thompsons, Carbines, scoped Springfield, and Bazooka.
  
• ASSAULT FIRE SUPPORT - with Carbines and two M1919A6 LMGs.
  
• ASSAULT BUSTER - with Carbines and “Rocketgun” (HE bazooka for bunker-busting).

These “heavy” squads will only be available in Combat Phase A, being replaced by regular infantry from B onward. They have more men than regular squads, having received extra men in expectation of the heavy losses on the beach. They also all have DUKW as transport options.

Recon, Armor, Support, Anti-Tank

BRO’s armored support was unlucky in the early days of the Normandy campaign. While one of its attached tank battalion’s companies was equipped with M4 DD to support the invasion on the beach, all but two sunk to the bottom of the Channel. Later on D-Day, the rest of the battalion made up of M4A1 and M5A1, landed but within a week were decimated and had to be pulled out.



This is why the division’s TANK tab will be somewhat uneven, with only an average amount of slots and all the tank types mentioned above only available from Combat Phase A. The M4A1 (vanilla and command variants) will be unavailable in B before reporting for duty in Combat Phase C again. This represents the refurbished battalion returning to the division. The M4 DD will only be available in A and the M5A1 in Combat Phases A and B.

The SUPP category includes the M4 105 (with the same availability pattern as the M4A1) and the M7 DD (which is a Priest), as well as the usual complement of MGs, supply trucks, commanders and M3 105mm infantry guns.

BRO has organic 57mm and 76mm AT guns, but no tank destroyers. Dedicated tank destroyers were only briefly attached to it, which leads to a handful of B-only M10A1 DESTROYER units.



Recon is pretty standard with only a few slots, filled with classic choices such as JEEP .50, infantry recon squads, and M8.

Anti-Air, Artillery, Air

Let’s go triple AAA now. The Anti-Air units for this division are rather special. You can consider them light, as they only amount to M16 MGMC and BOFORS. However, the latter units were towed to shore by even more M16 MGMC to provide immediate fire support. This means they can be brought in their own cards as towed-transport combos, which means they are more expensive but double the division’s slot value.



Artillery is the division’s second strong point - after infantry - with plenty of powerful, deadly options. Aside from the usual 81mm and 107mm mortars and M2A1 105mm howitzers (the latter brought ashore by DUKW, doubling as supply trucks), additional support comes from an entire battalion of attached M7 105mm (Priest). Besides, only in Combat Phase A, the USS Texas’ big 356mm naval guns will provide off-map support. Later on in the battle, which means from Combat Phase B onwards, BRO will receive LONG TOM 155mm on-map support.



Air support will be pretty decent with P-51 fighters, P-38 fighter-bombers, and new A-20G light bombers. This latter unit is not actually the same model as the Soviet equivalent, but a brand-new one.

The 16. Luftwaffe Feld Division

Luftwaffe-Feld-Divisionen can trace their origins back to the winter of 1941 and 42. Meaning “field divisions,” these infantry formations were formed from Luftwaffe with excess military or ground personnel. To counter the constant Soviet attacks, all and every kind of soldier were thrown into battle. At first, the Luftwaffe raised four provisional infantry regiments after a personal appeal for volunteers from Reichsmarschall Göring.



Although inexperienced in ground combat and lacking equipment, the Luftwaffe regiments distinguished themselves well on the Eastern Front. This fate would not befall the subsequent Luftwaffe-Feld-Divisionen raised starting in 1942, including the 16. Luftwaffe Feld Division.

Each Luftwaffe field division was much smaller than its Army counterpart, almost half the size. Their artillery guns were often second rate, and their anti-tank ones were mostly restricted to the smaller caliber. However, they could deploy a large number of Flak 88mm guns. After a disastrous Eastern Front campaign, by November 1943, all remaining Luftwaffe field divisions passed to Heer control and were reorganized along infantry division lines.



After forming, 16. Luftwaffe Feld Division was sent to the Netherlands for training and coastal defense duties. In 1943, the Army took over before it was moved piecemeal to Normandy and thrown into combat around Caen next to 21. Panzer. A large part of the division was first destroyed during the artillery and aerial bombardment of Operation Charnwood before Operation Goodwood wiped out the remaining units of the 16. Luftwaffe Feld Division. With most officers gone, its back broken, the scant remaining units were absorbed by the 21. Panzer.

The 16. Luftwaffe Feld Division

The 16. Luftwaffe was featured in Steel Division: Normandy 44’s expansion Second Wave.

By 1944, the Luftwaffe-Feld-Divisionen had passed under Army command, which organized them by their own standards. The 16. Luftwaffe remained noticeably weaker than regular Wehrmacht infantry divisions when it first arrived in Normandy in early July 1944.

An overview of the divisional state of affairs.

• Its entire artillery regiment was equipped with captured Soviet guns. This means F-22 76,2mm and M30 122mm gun-howitzers instead of more powerful German-made 105mm and 150mm.
  
• Some of its anti-tank guns were the old medium PAK 38 50mm with only part of PAK 40 75mm.
  
• A complete lack of IG 18 or IG 33 infantry support guns.
  
• Its assault gun support was also lacking (only two old vehicles out of nine promised). In-game, this will be represented by the STUG III F/8 tank destroyer in the AT category.
  
• Particularly shameful for a Luftwaffe division, the 16. Luftwaffe only had a dozen light FLAK 20mm guns for anti-air defenses.
  
• As a cherry on the cake, the average soldier’s morale was low.

Pretty gloomy, right? Not to worry.

The 16. Luftwaffe Feld Division beefed up

We will beef up the 16. Luftwaffe with some locally sourced detachments. You might remember that we mentioned the number of mighty Königstiger from 21. Panzer had been lowered? They belonged to the s.Panzer-Abteilung 503, which fought alongside both the 21. Panzer and 16. Luftwaffe. The latter will now receive a share of the heavy tanks!



That’s why the TNK category of the division will be cramped, but feature:

• Both TIGER E and KÖNIGSTIGER.
  
• STUG III G in both Combat Phase A and B.

The s.Panzer-Abteilung 503 also had access to a prized booty, which it used against its former British owners: a single Sherman Firefly. Too few to be worthy of a unit card in the TANK tab and never used by recon elements (such as the one found in the 12. SS), we decided to create a new AT unit: the unique PANZERJÄGER FIREFLY, available in the AT tab.



Some other “Beute” units you’ll find here are:

• A Combat Phase A-only card of British 17-PDR captured by the 21. Panzer while fighting in Colombelles alongside the 16. Luftwaffe. Three were captured and one reused, but they would be pointless with the 21. Panzer, hence their new owners being the 16. Luftwaffe.
  
• A few PANZERJÄGER BREN. These are Bren Carriers captured at Dunkirk and worked on by Baucommando Becker to have them carry (also captured) Belgian 47mm AT guns. While it is difficult to pinpoint the formation these units belonged to, these vehicles clearly fought their last battle in Normandy.

The 16. Luftwaffe Feld Division’s extra toys

Another important attachment was the III. Flak-Korps, another Luftwaffe unit. These plentiful guns, ranging from 20mm to 88mm, would be the division’s anti-tank shield against the British armored offensives. This means that in-game, the division’s AA tab is significant and expansive.

• FLAK 36 37mm. These will be available in earlier phases. Later on, FLAK 43 37mm will replace them towed by heavy NAG 4500 trucks, themselves armed with triple Drillinge 15mm AA machine guns.
  
• FLAK 37 88mm. This currently in-game unit will be renamed. Some batteries of the “true” FLAK 41 88mm will be introduced in the division. This later variant of the gun had a lower profile, better rate of fire and anti-tank performance.
  
• Finally, some FLAKZWILLING 37mm twin guns.

Recon, Infantry, Support, Art, and Air

Recon forces are pretty minimalistic, with the usual AUFKLÄRER and FÜSILIERS squads plus motorcycles with side-cars. Sidenote: these recon soldiers are the only ones without the Disheartened trait, and better equipped with the division's few MG-42.

Infantry is a mixed bunch. Plentiful, as expected, but all of them feature the Disheartened trait (except for recon and leader squads). The latter unit will receive the Discipline trait, being Luftwaffe officers and whatnot, more indoctrinated and quick to draw a pistol to force an order. 16. Luftwaffe’s strong point is not its infantry, with poor morale, outdated equipment, and veterancy locked.

The SUPP category includes various MG models (all Disheartened), German or foreign, as well as FLAKPANZER BREN (20mm Flak guns mounted on captured Bren Carrier and used in direct fire support role) and a handful of SDKFZ. 135/1 heavy direct fire SP 150mm guns (both courtey of Baucommando Becker). You’ll also be able to find large 13-man LW-FELDGENDARMERIE squads with both Discipline and Fanatical traits to keep the troops in line.



The ART tab is likewise nothing to write home about, but rather average. Lighter Soviet gun pieces double as makeshift anti-tank guns. These units are supported by a handful of attached NEBELWERFER 41, 150mm and K 18 170mm howitzers.



AIR support, on the other hand, will be plentiful, especially in close air support bombers and anti-tank planes. At least one good thing about being a Luftwaffe division.

16. Luftwaffe in Summary

The 16. Luftwaffe will be a slightly strange division. It is technically an infantry formation, but filled with unreliable and lower quality infantry. However, it can count on a sprinkling of some of the strongest units out there (KÖNIGSTIGER, PANZERJÄGER FIREFLY, Beute 17-PDR, etc.) to provide critical support. It means that the division is highly versatile and unpredictable for both the opponent and the player.

And before people ask: no, the FT-17s won’t make a return. Much like the recon UE630s, these vehicles were rear-area airfield security units added in Steel Division: Normandy ‘44 because they were also “Luftwaffe.” In Steel Division 2, these hopelessly obsolete units have nothing to do near the frontline - nor did they come in sufficient numbers - to justify a unit card.

Steel Division: Tribute to Normandy ‘44

Keep in mind that the Steel Division: Tribute to Normandy ‘44 is a work-in-progress name. What will this expansion contain?

• It will include ALL the missing Steel Division: Normandy 44 divisions, including those that were featured in subsequent DLCs (First Blood, Second Wave, Back to Hell).
  
• This means 7 Axis and 7 Allied divisions, with one Allied formation being brand-new!
  
  • Get ready to take command of the Allied US 101st Airborne Division, US 4th Armored Division, US 1st Infantry Division "Big Red One", UK Guards Armoured Division, UK 7th Armoured Division “Desert Rats” and French Demi-Brigade SAS. The 4th Canadian Armoured Division will be brand-new.
    
  • On the Axis side, the new Tribute expansion will feature the 91. Luftlande-Division, 716. Infanterie-Division, 1. SS-Panzerdivision "LSSAH", 16. Luftwaffe-Feld-Division, 9. Panzerdivision, 2. Panzerdivision, and Festungs Gross-Paris.
• This will result in the biggest Tribute expansion for Steel Division 2.
  
• It will contain only divisions. As this is a recurring question, the answer remains the same. NO new maps!
  
• The new divisions will be reworked to take advantage of Steel Division 2’s mechanics, traits, equipment, etc. They will be closer to historical reality and maybe different regarding unit disposition, materiel, weapons, etc. The new divisions will keep their main features and playstyles, of course.

See you on the battlefield

That’s all for the second Versus. Let us know what you think. We’ll be back next week!

Don’t be shy, 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!

Hello, commanders!

Welcome to the first Versus of our upcoming Tribute-style expansion which will see all remaining Steel Division: Normandy 44 divisions appear in Steel Division 2.

Keep in mind that much of the following is still a work-in-progress, including the name of this expansion. For the time being, we’ll call it Tribute to Normandy ‘44.

In this first Versus, let us cast our eyes on the Allied US 4th Armored Division and Axis Festung Groß-Paris.

US 4th Armored Division’s Combat History

The US 4th Armored Division was not part of the first wave of units arriving on Normandy’s shores. It only set foot on French soil in July, where it was mostly kept in reserve. Under General Patton’s command, the American tanks would serve a crucial role in the subsequent Operation Cobra, the breakout from Normandy. Situated on the extreme right, along the coast, the unleashed 4th Armored Division managed to advance rapidly through the German lines, allowing the Americans to turn the whole Axis flank in northwestern France.



After this success, the 4th Armored Division cut the Britanny peninsula, breaking new “speed” records, liberating town after town, and often engaging unaware German columns deep in the Axis rear. After Operation Cobra, the American tankmen repulsed a major armored counter-attack at the Battle of Arracourt. It later helped relieve the besieged American defenders at Bastogne, with “Cobra King,” a M4A3E2 Assault Tank being the first to enter the Belgian town. The 4th Armored Division finished the war at the Czechoslovakian border, meeting Allied Soviet troops advancing from the east.

4th Armored Division, fast and mobile

The US 4th Armored Division saw the light in Steel Division: Normandy 44’s expansion Second Wave.

The move to Steel Division 2 means we will try to reflect better the formation’s historical Table of Operations & Equipment. For instance, as a “light” tank division, the 4th Armored Division featured fewer tank battalions (compared to the 3rd Armored Division), resulting in a reduction of 50% in Stuarts and 33% fewer Shermans. However, emphasizing battlefield mobility, it received an entire battalion of M18 Hellcats.



In true “Patton” fashion, the division never bothered much about its flanks or rear. The tankers would frequently “borrow” an infantry battalion or regiment from nearby infantry divisions to secure these sectors.

In terms of Steel Division 2 playstyle, the US 4th Armored Division will appear closer to a “mechanized division”, providing a missing link between the US 2nd Infantry and 3rd Armored Division, with fewer tanks and less powerful variants, but with more diverse infantry. It will feature light but fast units, with a strong recon tab, somewhat similar to the French 2e Division Blindée.

4th Armored Division in-game

So, what can you expect from the 4th Armored Division in our next Tribute expansion? Let’s talk units and weaponry details!

• As mentioned, due to its make-up, the 4th Division puts a premium on speed, which means you’ll able to deploy, for instance, the M8 Greyhound in both recon and “tank” roles and a serious quantity of M18 Hellcats.
  
• This is also reflected in the “true” cavalry regiment’s recon battalion, which will feature CAVALRY SCOUTS and BANTAM jeeps.
  
• The division relies on older stock M4 and M4A1 Shermans, having access to only a few 76mm ones, plus a few M4A3 in later phases.
  
• The formation will also be able to call on the self-propelled M12 GMC 155 mm gun, plus the armored supply M30 CARRIER.
  
• Furthermore, it will feature the M1 155mm howitzer (not a Long Tom, mind you), the same as featured in Task Force 45.
  
• You’ll also find the missing ROSIE THE ROCKETEER Piper Cub plane with 6x bazooka-loadout. Unlike as depicted in Steel Division: Normandy 44, this unique airplane was not part of the 3rd Armored Division but the 4th Armored Division!
  
• There will be strong P-47 Thunderbolt support. In real life, the 4th Armored shared its bounties with the XIXth TAC pilots, so close was the cooperation. You will also be able to call on the B-26 medium bomber.
  
• The division will gain Creighton Abrams (who gave his name to the modern M1 Abrams tank) as a M4 tank leader Ace.

Festung Groß-Paris Combat History

As you might remember, the German term “Festung” (“fortress”) applied to sectors of particular importance to Hitler, regarding locations or cities that needed to be defended at all costs. So too Paris. Its German garrison forms the base of Festung Groß-Paris, translated to “Fortress Greater Paris,” with a core made up of the 325. Sicherungs-Division, a second-rate security division. This composite battlegroup was reinforced by Flak-Brigade 1, which formed a defensive arc around the French capital with its heavy Flak guns. Furthermore, a host of retreating or otherwise hastily mobilized Germans, from security troops to hardened combat soldiers, saw service in this improvised battlegroup.



While Festung Groß-Paris prepared, the local Parisians, on word of the Allied advance onto the capital, threw up barricades and started harassing the German occupiers en masse. However, while the uprising was city wide and with German internal lines of communication blocked, both sides were at a bit of an impasse. Full-out combat erupted as the French Resistance, local population, German troops, and French collaborationist auxiliaries battled to control vital cross points, buildings, and strategic locations.



The Allied French military was determined to liberate their capital and raced forward, even before receiving the official go-ahead from Allied high command. They pierced their way through the ad-hoc German defenses and roadblocks, and Paris was liberated officially with the first Allied tanks and half-tracks rumbling into the capital on the 23rd of August.



Festung Groß-Paris battled not only against Allied forces but also in chaotic happenstance combat within the city. The commander, Von Choltitz himself, surrendered on August 25th without giving the order to detonate the many explosives set on Paris historical buildings, as Hitler originally intended for him to do so.

Festung Groß-Paris, a wide range

The German Festung Groß-Paris was featured in the Steel Division: Normandy 44’s expansion Back to Hell.

The Axis division will have a motley assortment of units drawn from various sources, with quite a few mediocre ones backed by a handful of elite units. Festung Groß-Paris will chiefly depend on infantry, with a good bit of variety on offer. Think of cobbled-together Wehrmacht stragglers, a full company of retreating panzer grenadiers from 2. SS-Panzerdivision “Das Reich”, Flak guns, inexperienced riflemen, Vichy troops, and even a self-propelled 600mm Karl Gerät. Tanks come in many shapes and sizes, from French Beute to German heavy ones. Anti-air units will be strong, as well as Air, but only in later combat phases.



In terms of Steel Division 2 playstyle, Festung Groß-Paris will be close to a Panzergrenadier division, versatile thanks to its wide range of units, with more tanks (not all being particularly modern) but fewer anti-tank units.

Festung Groß-Paris in-game

What are the divisional units and weapons you get to play with?

• The core of Festung Groß-Paris is made of second-rate SICHERUNGS troops.
  
• A great variety of infantry will be deployable, including ERSATZTRUPPEN PARIS, made up of Wehrmacht, Kriegsmarine and Luftwaffe administrative personnel, unruly OST-LEGIONÄRE, halftrack-mounted PZ.GRENADIER from 2. SS-Panzerdivision “Das Reich”, military inmates thrown into combat as last-minute BEWÄHRUNGS penal troops, and even a handful of FALLSCHIRMJÄGER.
  
• We will introduce some Vichy troops (under the German flag) in the form of FRANC-TIREURS MILICIENS. These were die-hard collaborationists who either remained behind or got trapped; expecting no quarters, they will be best remembered as the “rooftop snipers” who terrorized the local Parisian population.
  
• Several tank training units equipped with outdated French Beute tanks (R-35, R-40, H-39, Somua, PzJäger 35R, B1, etc.).
  
• A handful of individual elite tanks and their crews from 21. Panzer, 1., 2. and 12. SS-Panzer including experienced TIGER, PANTHER, JAGDPANZER IV, etc.
  
• AA defenses will include quite a number of heavy guns, divided between the ubiquitous FLAK 88mm and the FLAK M36(f) 75mm (without AP rounds), as well as smaller 20mm and French 25mm.
  
• Artillery was plentiful but nothing spectacular, featuring le.FH 16 105mm alongside s.FH 18 150mm howitzers. A noteworthy unit will be the off-map KARL GERÄT, the monstrous 600mm railroad siege mortar specifically requested to bolster the garrison’s firepower. Arriving too late, it fired a few revenge shots after combat had already concluded. This particular off-map unit will be combat phase-locked.
  
• A training squadron provides air cover in the early stages of the battle, flying a great different models of planes. Among the most common ones were French D.520 Dewoitine with some Potez recon planes. Later on, the Luftwaffe was tasked with retaliation flights against Paris, with a good number of Ju-88 and Ju-188 bombers becoming available in later combat phases.

The new Tribute expansion

So what will the new Tribute to Steel Division expansion contain?

• It will include ALL the missing Steel Division: Normandy 44 divisions, including those that were featured in subsequent DLCs (First Blood, Second Wave, Back to Hell).
  
• This means 7 Axis and 7 Allied divisions, with one Allied formation being brand-new!
  
  • Get ready to take command of the Allied US 101st Airborne Division, US 4th Armored Division, US 1st Infantry Division "Big Red One", UK Guards Armoured Division, UK 7th Armoured Division “Desert Rats” and French Demi-Brigade SAS. The 4th Canadian Armoured Division will be brand-new.
    
  • On the Axis side, the new Tribute expansion will feature the 91. Luftlande-Division, 716. Infanterie-Division, 1. SS-Panzerdivision "LSSAH", 16. Luftwaffe-Feld-Division, 9. Panzerdivision, 2. Panzerdivision, and Festungs Gross-Paris.
• This will result in the biggest Tribute expansion for Steel Division 2.
  
• It will contain only divisions. As this is a recurring question: the answer remains the same. NO new maps!
  
• The new divisions will be reworked to take advantage of Steel Division 2’s mechanics, traits, equipment, etc. They will be closer to historical reality and maybe slightly different regarding unit disposition, materiel, weapons, etc. The new divisions will keep their main features and playstyles, of course.

See you on the battlefield

That’s all for this very first Versus. Let us know what you think. We’ll be back next week!


Don’t be shy, 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!

Hello, commanders!

We hope you are well. In today’s DevBlog, we’ll take a good look at the other new expansion planned for Steel Division 2.

While lots are still under wraps, including the name of this soon-to-be expansion, we can reveal the contents: divisions!

The next Tribute to expansion coming to Steel Division 2 will bring all the remaining Steel Division: Normandy 44 divisions to Steel Division 2. This satisfies a popular community’s request and, at last, introduces all of the original divisions into our second instalment, too!

Steel Division 2’s Roadmap

Not long ago, we laid out Steel Division’s 2 Roadmap. We revealed that two new expansions would come to our World War II battle simulator: an Army General expansion and a Tribute-style expansion.

• The Army General campaign will focus on the Battle of Dukla Pass. You can read more about this Slovakian campaign in this DevBlog here.
  
• A Tribute expansion focusing on introducing several new divisions. These would be in the style of Steel Division 2: Tribute to the Liberation of Italy or Steel Division 2: Tribute to D-Day

Please note that this new Tribute expansion might have been revealed later, it will likely be one of the first DLCs to be delivered.

The new Tribute expansion

So what will the new Tribute expansion contain?

• It will include ALL the missing Steel Division: Normandy 44 divisions, including those that were featured in DLCs.
  
• This means 7 Axis and 6 Allied divisions.
  
• This will result in the biggest Tribute expansion for Steel Division 2.
  
• It will contain only divisions. So no maps, be it new or based on Normandy.
  
• The new divisions will be reworked to take advantage of Steel Division 2’s mechanics, traits, equipment, etc. This means they will be closer to historical reality and maybe a bit different regarding unit disposition, materiel, weapons, and other stuff. The new divisions will keep their main features and playstyles, of course.

The division list

Which divisions will make their appearance in the new expansion?



Steel Division: Normandy 44

• Allied US 101st Airborne Division a.k.a "Screaming Eagles"
  
• Allied UK Guards Armoured Division
  
• Axis 91. Luftlande-Division
  
• Axis 716. Infanterie-Division

First Blood DLC

• Allied US 1st Infantry Division a.k.a "Big Red One"
  
• Axis 1. SS-Panzerdivision a.k.a "LSSAH"

Second Wave DLC

• Allied US 4th Armored Division
  
• Axis 16. Luftwaffe-Feld-Division
  
• Axis 9. Panzerdivision

Back to Hell DLC

• Allied French Demi-Brigade SAS
  
• Allied UK 7th Armoured Division a.k.a "Desert Rats"
  
• Axis 2. Panzerdivision
  
• Axis Festungs Gross-Paris

A brand-new division

As the SSB from the Second Wave DLC has already been ported with the Steel Division 2: Men of Steel expansion, this makes the number of divisions uneven in the new Tribute division. To balance this, we will include a brand-new division: the 4th Canadian Armoured Division.



Despite being the Western Allies' third largest supplier of manpower and equipment, Canada has been overshadowed (in Steel Division 2 at least) because its divisions and arsenal were very similar to Commonwealth or American divisions. For a long time, we have been looking for a way to add more Canadians, hence their inclusion into the new expansion.

All the new divisions will gain their spot in the sun in the upcoming DevBlogs.

See you on the battlefield

Let us know what you think!
As always, 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!

CODE FIXES:

• Fixed a crash that occurred on Ryzen processors
  
• Fixed a rare bug that did not display any units in some replays

DATA FIXES:

• fixed L22 gun (Centaur IV + CS Churchill & Cromwell)'s ammunition's supply cost, on par with its caliber. Hence increased.
  
• fixed ECLAIREURS-SKIEURS' number of weapons carried & displayed (two bugs at once!)
  
• fixed PZ.GRENADIER '41 (PzB)'s number of weapons carried
  
• fixed (American) AB JEEP COMMANDER's driver into an American one
  
• fixed D-CA ODDZIAŁU KARNEGO's availability from 2/4/8 to 3/6/9 on par with similar Soviet SHTRAF. KOMROTI
  
• fixed (American) AB PARAS's vet curve on par with British ones
  
• fixed HELLCAT F MK.II (AT rockets)'s speed on par with HELLCAT I one
  
• fixed SS-REIT.-AUFKLÄRER & STURMFÜHRER's MP-44 not having M&S trait
  
• fixed SHKODA S-35 KOM.'s missing Radio ... and Leader trait (despite being displayed as icons)
  
• increased the speed of several light infantry units which had been forgotten in the previous patch

FALLSCHIRMJÄGER REWORK:

• changed FS-JÄGER's MG-34 with MG-42 + unit renamed FS-JÄGER (FG-42) + price decreased from 40 to 35
  
• created a new FS-JÄGER (MG-34) squad with MG-34 but without FG-42
  
• created a new FS-JÄGER (ZF) squad with scoped Kar.98
  
• created a new FS-JÄGER squad.
  
• (1FJ) replaced 1 card of FS-JÄGER (FG-42) with 1 of FS-JÄGER (ZF)
  
• (1FJ) added one card (A/B) of s.FH 404 149mm
  
• (1FJ) added SDKFZ. 3 MAULTIER to the division
  
• (3FJ) replaced 6 cards of FS-JÄGER (FG-42) with 4 of FS-JÄGER (ZF) & 2 of FS-JÄGER (MG-34). That leaves only 2 of the current FS-JÄGER (FG-42), representing the rariry of that weapon.
  
• (3FJ) added 2 cards FS-JÄGER, vet-locked at 0 and from phase B only, representing the green 5. FJD recruits used to reinforce the division over the course of the battle of Normandy
  
• (3FJ) removed all cards of LW-JÄGER & LW-FÜHRER. Passed on to 21. Panzer
  
• (3FJ) added two cards of MAULTIER VIELFACHWERFER
  
• (4FJ) replaced all 6 cards of FS-JÄGER (FG-42) with 2 of FS-JÄGER (ZF) and 4 of FS-JÄGER (MG-34). The division had no FG-42 IRL.

21. PANZER REWORK:
Be aware, some of those changes will affect your current deck, make sure to check it and replace empty slots before using 21. Panzer ingame.

• SDKFZ. 135/1 re-roled as direct fire support gun and moved to SUPP tab
  
• created a new LORRAINE(f) 150mm SPG, identical to former SDKFZ. 135/1, replacing it in the SPG role
  
• removed GRILLE from division (replaced with SDKFZ. 135/1)
  
• changed KÖNIGSTIGER's availability, from 4 cards of 1/2/- to 1 of -/2/4
  
• added TIGER E to the division, with two cards of -/4/6
  
• increased PAK 43's number of cards from 2 to 4
  
• increased REIHENWERFER's number of cards from 1 to 2
  
• increased U304 FLAK's number of cards from 1 to 2
  
• added 2 cards LW-JÄGER & 1 card of LW-FÜHRER, vet-locked at 0 and from phase B only, representing the disbanded 16. LwFD personnel used to reinforce the division over the course of the battle of Normandy + increased number of available DMA transports to accomodate them

1. PANCERNA REWORK:

• created and added one card of REKRUCI in B/C, representing Polish POWs and French miners of Polish origins joining the division over the course of the campaign
  
• added one card of A-only STAGHOUND
  
• decreased ACHILLES IIc' number of cards from 4 to 2
  
• added one card of WOLVERINE

ALLIES:

• increased (American) AB SCOUTS' price from 20 to 25
  
• changed FORCEMEN (BAR)'s base availability from 6/12/18 to 5/10/15
  
• changed CRUSADER AA MK.1's base availability from 2/4/6 to 3/6/9
  
• changed CENTAUR IV's availability from 3/6/9 to 2/4/6 + price increased from 70 to 75
  
• decreased (all nations) M7 PRIEST's price from 105 to 90
  
• decreased LAGG 3-4 (with AT rockets) from 100 to 90
  
• decreased KV-8's price from 45 to 35
  
• decreased L3/35 LANCIAFIAMME's price from 20 to 15
  
• (9GCav) merged the two 1/2/4 cards of LAGG 3-4 (AT rockets) into one of 2/4/6

AXIS:

• changed PUPPCHEN's base availability from 6/12/- to 4/8/(12)
  
• decreased PZ.VERNICHTUNGS.' price from 30 to 25
  
• decreased PANZERJÄGER's price from 30 to 25
  
• decreased FLAMMPANZER III's price from 30 to 15
  
• decreased SDKFZ. 251/16's price from 25 to 20
  
• added S307(f) PAK 40 some HE rounds + decreased price from 40 to 35
  
• decreased WESPE's price from 80 to 75
  
• decreased NIMROD's AP round's accuracy from 45 to 40%
  
• increased NIMROD (no HEAT variant)'s price from 90 to 95
  
• decreased (both) TANKINTORJUNTA's price from 30 to 25
  
• (5SS) increased PAK 40 75mm's number of cards from 1 to 3
  
• (Hart) moved one (unused) 3pt slot from AA to ART
  
• (16Pz) moved one (unused) 3pt slot from AA to INF
  
• (116Pz) add one card of JU-88 (4x250kg)
  
• (116Pz) add one card of JU-88 (28x50kg)
  
• (715ID) replaced SDKFZ. 135/1 with new LORRAINE(f) 150mm (see "21. Panzer rework" above) in the exact same role. It needs to be reaffected to the deck though.

Hello, commanders!

We recently laid out a Roadmap of what’s coming to Steel Division 2. One of the major reveals was a new Army General expansion, the details of which - the Battle of Dukla Pass (working title) - were revealed last week.

Instead of detailing the other new DLC, a Tribute-style expansion, we decided to make a quick detour and focus on some balance changes coming to several in-game divisions.

Keep reading to find out more!

A bit of balancing work

You might wonder where this rebalancing of several divisions is coming from. With the launch of Steel Division 2: Men of Steel, our most recent expansion, we set ourselves to work on a long-planned, but yet unrealized, rework of two existing “Normandy” divisions: the 3. Fallschirm-Division and the 21. Panzerdivision.

One thing led to another, and we realized more fine-tuning could be done on other divisions. At the root of it all was an inaccuracy we ported from the original Steel Division: Normandy 44. As you know, we introduced some battlegroups in Steel Division 2 through several expansions, including Steel Division 2: Back to War and Steel Division 2: Tribute to D-Day.

Artistic License versus History

Steel Division: Normandy 44 featured some artistic license, while Steel Division 2 veered towards following more accurately the historical Tables of Organisation & Equipment and Order of Battles. For instance, originally, we gave the 3. Fallschirm-Division some Luftwaffe-Jäger attachment “because they were both Luftwaffe.” In real life, when the 16. Lw-Felddivision was disbanded, its personnel were used to reinforce… the 21. Panzerdivision and other infantry divisions. Meanwhile, the 3. Fallschirm was, in turn, reinforced by a regiment from the green 5. Fallschirm-Division, which we treated as regular paratroopers.



Long story short: after MadMat punished himself severely by putting himself in the coal shed for a self-imposed “reflective” time-out, we got ready to fix some of these inconsistencies and historical errors that had snaked their way from Steel Division: Normandy 44 to Steel Division 2.

Fallschirm-Jäger Rework

While the 3. Fallschirm is the main focus of the upcoming rebalancing, we have extended the changes to all in-game Fallschirm-Jäger divisions. This lets us make each of the battlegroups a bit more special. What can you expect?



3. Fallschirm-Division

• The division will lose all its Lw-JÄGER units (passed on to 21. Panzer).
  
• Existing Fs.-JÄGER will be renamed to Fs.-JÄGER (FG-42) to differentiate them from new Fallschirm-Jäger loadouts.
  
• The G-43 and FG-42 small arms were not that common. We have created several new loadouts to reflect better the diversity found in Fallschirm-Jäger armaments.
  
  • Fs.-JÄGER (ZF) squad with MP-40, Kar. 98, and two l.MG-42 plus one sniper rifle. The 3. Fallschirm-Division was rather well-equipped with these scoped rifles.
    
  • Fs.-JÄGER (MG-34), as above but retaining the l.MG-34 and featuring a Panzerfaust instead of a sniper rifle.
    
  • Fs.-JÄGER featuring MP-40, Kar. 98, and one l.MG-42, plus PzFaust. More soldiers in a squad, but less experienced, representing 5. Fallschirm-Division reinforcements.
• While the 3. Fallschirm had eight cards of the FG-42 variant, they will now only have two. The other six will be either Fs.-JÄGER (ZF) and Fs.-JÄGER (MG-34), with additional green Fs-JÄGER replacing Lw-Truppen in latter phases.

The above changes will also affect other Fallschirm-Jäger divisions.

• The 1. Fallschirm-Division will replace one of its three Fs.-JÄGER (FG-42) with one of Fs.-JÄGER (ZF).
  
• And historically, the 4. Fallschirm-Division never received its consignment of FG-42. This means that the current six cards of Fs.-JÄGER (FG-42) will be replaced by four Fs.-JÄGER (MG-34) and two Fs.-JÄGER (ZF).

Some love for the 21. Panzer

As you can expect, one of the main changes coming to the 21. Panzer is getting hold of the 3. Fallschirm’s Lw-JÄGER and Lw-FÜHRER infantry as late-game reinforcements. But that’s not all.



The 21. Panzer didn’t use GRILLE fire support guns. It used its own specific SDKFZ. 135/1 instead. The same vehicle was also used to replace the HUMMEL in artillery battalions, as we already depict in-game. This is why:

• We have reworked the SDKFZ. 135/1 as a fire support gun, replacing the GRILLE, which has been removed from the division.
  
• The same SDKFZ. 135/1 has been duplicated under the LORRAINE(f) 150mm name (to match the smaller counterpart, the LORRAINE(f) 105mm) and given the very same stats. It replaces the SDKFZ. 135/1 in the ART tab.
  
• Another defining feature of the 21. Panzer was that it contained two entire companies of PAK 43 88mmAT guns (not just one, which, besides, was already unusual). Therefore, we doubled the number of cards for this unit.
  
• REIHENWERFER and U304(f) FLAK cards were also increased to better match historical numbers.

Another rework concerns the attached s.Panzer-Abteilung 503, which was made up of two companies of regular TIGER E and only one of the mighty KÖNIGSTIGER. This heavy tank battalion only arrived in the Normandy theatre in July, a good month after the battle had started. This means the heavy armor will arrive later in-game, not from the beginning.

• The four cards of 1/2/- KÖNIGSTIGER will be reworked to one single card with -/2/4 availability.
  
• Two additional cards of TIGER E with -/4/6 availability have been added.

1. Pancerna

Not all the changes are related to Axis divisions. The Allied Polish 1. Pancerna will also make its way through the workshop. Though not initially planned for a rebalance, it got swept up as happenstance collateral damage.

• The 1. Pancerna landed in Normandy with a shortage of personnel (meaning it couldn’t man as many tanks as other commonwealth divisions). However, the formation was (together with the French 2e Division Blindée) the only division for which the replacement issue improved during the course of the battle, with volunteers flocking in. These came from two sources: German POWs of Polish origins having been pressed into the Heer and a large community of local Polish miners in Normandy willing to join Maczek’s division. As a result, we have added a large, veterancy-locked Combat Phase B & C-card only of REKRUCI infantry, on par with the 2e DB’s VOLONTAIRES.
  
• As we were made aware, the 1. Pancerna’s tank destroyers, although generically labelled as “M10”, underneath were historically two variants deployed, the ACHILLES and WOLVERINES. To better reflect this, we removed two cards of the former and added one of the latter unit.
  
• We added a single Combat Phase A-only card of vetted STAGHOUND. Two were found at HQ, and we hadn’t considered adding them before due to their low number (not enough to make an unvetted card). This oversight has now been addressed.

A reminder! When this next patch is released, make sure to check your decks, especially if you have any Fallschirm-Jäger or 21. Panzer. Units will have been moved from category to category, while some might have disappeared altogether to be replaced (manually) by new ones!

See you on the battlefield

Other changes on top of the ones detailed will come, but these three updated divisions will be the main feature of Steel Division 2’s upcoming patch.

That’s all for this DevBlog. 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!

Hello, commanders!

In last week’s Steel Division 2’s Roadmap, we revealed not one but two upcoming expansions being in the works. One of the expansions would focus on delivering a new Army General campaign. In today’s DevBlog, let's detail this expansion further.

Please remember that everything is still a work in progress, including the title. Any new Army General campaign takes a considerable amount of time and resources to make. This also means this particular expansion might not be the first ready or to be delivered to Steel Division 2!

A bit of a disclaimer

Let’s take a closer look at the Battle of Dukla Pass, a military campaign on the Polish-Slovak border lasting from early September to late October 1944. This series of battles featured the Axis Army Group Heinrici (made up of the 1st Panzer Army and the 1st Hungarian Army) opposed by the Soviet Marshal Konev, commanding elements of the 1st and 4th Ukrainian Front, as well as the 1st Czechoslovakian Army Corps (composed of former Czech soldiers exiled in the Soviet Union, refugees, Slovak POWs, etc.).



As some of you Steel Division 2 veterans might have noticed, the Battle of Dukla Pass is intimately tied to Nemesis: Slovak Uprising. This particular Nemesis option didn’t make the vote, even though we delivered Panzerdivision Tatra as a free division in the Reinforcement Pack #13 - Lucky 13. The roots of the campaign to be depicted in the Battle of Dukla Pass can be found in the uprising of Slovak forces in the summer of 1944.

Some history

So let's go back several months in time. In March 1944, dissidents within the Axis Slovak Army, in league with the Allied Czechoslovakian government-in-exile in London, started planning for a military uprising. The signs were on the wall. The Third Reich was faltering, and the fortunes of the German Army on the Eastern Front were, if not breaking clearly, under a lot of pressure. Operation Bagration hadn’t begun yet, but the Red Army steadily advanced towards the Slovakian border. It was only a matter of time.



The rebellion envisioned the Axis being kicked out as the Soviets were getting close to support the rebels. Key to the entire operation was the Carpathian bottleneck, connecting Slovakia to Poland, known as the Dukla Pass. It would have been secured from German hands and held long enough for the Red Army to pass through and advance straight into Slovakia.



When the uprising was executed on August 29th, the Slovak Army’s chief of staff fled by plane to the safety of the Soviet Army, leaving the rebels with no strategic direction. The Dukla Pass was not occupied, as soon after, secured instead by Axis-German and Hungarian forces. When the Red Army finally arrived, they faced a series of well-defended strong points centered on the mountain pass.

The Battle of Dukla Pass

The Battle of Dukla Pass campaign was fought in the second half of 1944. The Soviets, with their Czechoslovakian Corps, slogged through a Thermopylae-like battlefield to join up with Slovak Uprising rebels on the plains beyond. Time was of the essence; everything needed to be done to reach the insurrection before it would be crushed. But what was envisioned to take days turned into a grueling and highly contested battle that would last two months - and ultimately turn into a failure for the Allies.



Even when the Soviets forced the Dukla Pass, it didn’t result in a breakthrough into Slovakia proper. The Germans had prepared their defenses in-depth, turning the terrain into a verifiable “Valley of Death.” Countless Soviet tank wrecks could be counted after the campaign’s conclusion.



As we know, the Slovak Uprising was crushed on October 28th, 1944, mainly through the efforts of Panzerdivision Tatra. The Battle of Dukla Pass officially concluded with the failure of the insurrection.

Steel Division 2: Men of Steel

Before we forget: Steel Division 2: Men of Steel, the latest expansion to be released for our World War II battle simulator, has hit the digital Steam shelves!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2499890/Steel_Division_2__Men_of_Steel/

Steel Division 2: Men of Steel brings 8 new divisions, as well as new nations, including Bulgaria. There is much more, from a host of new and unusual units to expanded Unit Traits and 2 new Aces. A wide range of new infantry and combat soldiers await your command, from the fearsome French Goumiers mountain warriors, Canadian-American Forcemen to elite Decima Mas Italian naval troops.

See you on the battlefield

That’s all for today’s DevBlog. We’ll return next week with fresh details of the new content coming to Steel Division 2!

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!

Hello commanders!

It’s good to be back. Last week’s release of our newest expansion, Steel Division 2: Men of Steel, was an excellent way for us to hit the ground running! However, before we steam ahead, it is best to let you, our community, know which course we are taking.

Today’s DevBlog is a sneak peek into Steel Division 2’s roadmap. What does the future hold?

Steel Division 2’s Future

First things first: with Steel Division 2: Men of Steel’s launch, we are nowhere near close to being finished with our World War II battle simulator. As we speak, new content and features are being planned for Steel Division 2. Of course, with our latest expansion out in the wild, we’ll closely monitor the current gameplay meta and see if any tweaks, changes, or updates are needed. Keep us informed of anything untoward!

With that out of the way, what things can you look forward to in Steel Division 2?

New Maps
You want maps? You got maps! We are planning two new free maps for Steel Division 2. Our resident map builders extraordinaires were quite busy with WARNO but, in recent times, have found some space to get cracking with Steel Division 2 again. The two maps will probably come as two separate, free Reinforcement Packs.



New Aces
Another free Reinforcement Pack is currently in the works to provide several new Aces to some existing divisions in Steel Division 2 lacking them. In case you have forgotten, Aces don’t provide any gameplay bonus but do come with their own unique camouflage or vehicle paint jobs, markings, and personal histories (and a lovely shiny golden-banded in-game portrait).



A New “Tribute” Expansion
One major (meaning big) expansion in the pipeline is a “Tribute” style (so think Steel Division 2: Tribute to the Liberation of Italy or Steel Division 2: Tribute to D-Day Pack). More details to come. To make it super clear: this will be a divisions-only expansion, so no maps (handled above in free Reinforcement Packs) nor Army General (detailed below, in its own, separate new expansion).



A New Army General Expansion
Sure to satiate your hunger for more Army General, a new expansion featuring this strategic mode is in the works. Yah! This one is separate from the “Tribute” style DLC. Once again, more info will be brought to you in the future!



And a gentle reminder to your over-eager beavers who post if you like multiplayer or single-player best and don’t care about the other every time we release a DLC: we are not ignoring any of our players. Our policy is to alternate a multiplayer-focused expansion with a single-player one. Hope this clears things up. Stay cool, calm, and collected, commander!

Steel Division 2: Men of Steel

You couldn’t have missed it, but in case you did, Steel Division 2 has a new expansion!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2499890/Steel_Division_2__Men_of_Steel/

Steel Division 2: Men of Steel brings 8 new divisions, as well as new nations, including Bulgaria. There is much more, from a host of new and unusual units to expanded Unit Traits and 2 new Aces. A wide range of new infantry and combat soldiers await your command, from the fearsome French Goumiers mountain warriors, Canadian-American Forcemen to elite Decima Mas Italian naval troops.

See you on the battlefield

That’s it for this Steel Division 2 roadmap. Let us know what you think. We can’t wait to hear from you!

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!

As always, see you on the battlefield, commander!

And don't forget, today is Rugby World Cup's opening day, with France vs. New-Zealand!

FIXES:

• fixed both RSI & ITA's BERSAGLIERI's AT icons: the one with an AT weapon didn't have it, the other the opposite. Display bug only
  
• fixed MONT. MITR. 7,62mm's weapon model which displayed a mortar. Display bug only.
  
• fixed HELLCAT I's 6x.50 cal's display stats issue. Now they are similar to HELLCAT II.
  
• fixed CENTAUR IV's aim tim from 6s to 20s, on par with other similar gun.
  
• fixed PANZER IV H's veterancy ratios for PzD "GD", 5.SS, Dünkirchen & 4. Munte, on par with other divisions.
  
• fixed PZ.GREN. (SCHRECK)'s NATO icon from AT team to Infantry
  
• fixed DECIMA's displayed weapon models (display issue only)
  
• fixed NISEI LDR.'s displayed weapon models (display issue only)
  
• fixed 72-K 25mm's picture
  
• fixed (US) ENGINEER LEADER's displayed hand grenades
  
• fixed (US) CMDT SAPEURS' displayed hand grenades
  
• add the KANGAROO RIFLES their missing AT icon (display issue only)
  
• removed all leaders & commanders the Raider icon when they had it: command traits already have their own rules regarding frontline, overuling Raider
  
• changed VALENTINE KOMROTI's coaxial MG from Besa to Browning, as historical for a Valentine VII variant

ALLIES:

• standardized all M16/M17 AA halftracks' price from 80 to 60
  
• standardized all M16/M17 AA halftracks' base availability from 2/4/8 to 3/6/9
  
• decreased SHERMAN CALLIOPE's price from 140 to 130 (announced previously but forgotten)
  
• increased FORCEMEN's price from 30 to 35
  
• changed AB PARAS' availability from 6/12/24 to 6/12/18 + standardized vet ratios with AB PARAS (PIAT)
  
• increased TANKODESANTNIKI (and foreign equivalents)' price from 20 to 25, since PPSh 41's buff
  
• (Tyurin) unlocked HE rocket PE-3BIS from A, on par with AT ones
  
• (126LGK) added a card of VZVOD UPR. (= artillery leader)
  
• (SSB) added WYLLIS as transport option for FIELD ENGINEERS

AXIS:

• reclassified DECIMA MAS from "Commando Squad" to "Assault Command Squad"
  
• removed SS-GEB.-PIONIER's Shock trait, restricted to assault pioniers only
  
• (GD) added a A-phase only card of STUH 42
  
• (PsD) added KOMSOMOLETS as transport option for 75 K/40 75mm
  
• (Raappana) added KOMSOMOLETS as transport option for 75 PstK/97-38 75mm
  
• (Raappana) added KOMSOMOLETS as transport option for 81 Krh/36 81mm
  
• (Raappana) added RSO HUOLTO as transport option for 155 K/17 155mm
  
• (17D) added KOMSOMOLETS as transport option for 81 Krh/36 81mm (both variant)
  
• (17D) added RSO HUOLTO as transport option for 152 H/37 152mm

Commanders, get ready to deploy!

The newest Steel Division 2 expansion has just launched. Make way for Steel Division 2: Men of Steel, available now.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2499890/Steel_Division_2__Men_of_Steel/

Steel Division 2: Men of Steel brings 8 new divisions, as well as new nations, including Bulgaria. There is much more, from a host of new and unusual units to expanded Unit Traits and 2 new Aces. A wide range of new infantry and combat soldiers await your command, from the fearsome French Goumiers mountain warriors, Canadian-American Forcemen to elite Decima Mas Italian naval troops.



What does Steel Division 2: Men of Steel bring to the table?

Steel Division 2: Men of Steel launch

The combat soldier of World War II takes center stage in Steel Division 2: Men of Steel.
From the elite to the weary, the historical fighting men from across the European front get their chance to shine in our latest expansion.

• Four new multinational Allied battlegroups and four Axis divisions await your command. From the legendary Allied Devil’s Brigade of the 1st Airborne Task Force to the staunch Finnish-Swedish defenders of the Axis 17. Divisioona, and the recently turned Allied Bulgaria with their armored Bronirana Brigada.
  
• Expand your arsenal with dozens of new units and soldier squads. These include Allied French Goumiers, a wide range of British Commandos, old and infirm Axis Grenadier, Dutch SS Landstorm, tank-accompanying Begeleittruppen, and many more. Other new units include the RM Centaur IV, wheeled armored C15TA, captured “heavy” Panzer P40 737 tanks, Schneider 220mm TR howitzers, while in the skies above the Spitfire Mk.XIV, P-61 “Black Widows”, and the heavy night fighter He 219 A-0 “Uhu” reign supreme.
  
• The Unit Trait system has enjoyed a major overhaul in Steel Division 2: Men of Steel. These include Tank Riders, infantry benefiting from staying close to armor to Shock troops, rear-line Security, and the new Commando trait.
  
• Two new Aces are included, providing a unique twist to existing units with personal backstories and new camouflage skins. You can deploy the Allied Sargeant Tommy Price deployable as a Forcemen Scout and the Hungarian tank commander Barnabás Kőszeghy in his Stug III G.

Note that Steel Division 2: Men of Steel comes with a balance update available to all non-owners of the expansion as well. Be sure to check out the patch notes for all the latest improvements and divisional updates, including the new Unit Traits being applied to a roster of existing units.

https://steamcommunity.com/games/919640/announcements/detail/3691316642328313280

Steel Division 2: Men of Steel Showcases

Do you want to know the latest gameplay and unit insights of Steel Division 2: Men of Steel? Check them out below.

• In Showcase #1 we highlighted the arsenals of the 1st Special Force Brigade and Kampfgruppe von Tettau.
  
• In Showcase #2 it was time to put the spotlight on the 1st Airborne Task Force and 715. Infanterie-Division.
  
• In the third one, aptly named Showcase #3, the units of the Groupement Dody and the 17. Divisioona were detailed.
  
• And finally, in Showcase #4, we shared how the Bronirana Brigada and 1. Páncélos Hadosztály would look like in our new expansion.

Steel Division 2: Men of Steel Versus

That’s not all. For more detailed historical backgrounds, read all about the new divisions (in pairs) in our Versus DevBlogs.



Versus

• The Wehrmacht reservist of the 715. Infanterie-Division and the paratroopers of the Allied 1st Airborne Task Force receive their highlight in our Versus #1 DevBlog.
  
• The Allied commandos of the 1st Special Force Brigade against the Market Garden-active Axis Kampfgruppe von Tettau in Versus #2 DevBlog.
  
• The Finish-Swedish Axis 17. Divisioona and the partisan-infused and mixed Allied Groupement Dody in the Versus #3 DevBlog.
  
• The Axis-Hungarian armored 1. Páncélos Hadosztály and the Soviet-allied Bulgarian Bronirana Brigada get their spotlight in Versus #4 DevBlog.

Aces
And if you want to read more about the two new Aces - Allied Sergeant Tommy Prince and Hungarian tank commander Barnabás Kőszeghy - you’ll encounter in Steel Division 2: Men of Steel, look no further and check out this dedicated DevBlog here.

See you on the battlefield

If you haven’t already gotten Steel Division 2: Men of Steel, grab it while it's still hot.

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!