Deploy for combat, commanders!

Valley of Death, a brand-new map for Steel Division 2, is out now for free to all owners! The new battlefield comes part as the Reinforcement Pack #15: Valley of Death available today.

https://gtm.you1.cn/storesteam/app/3204550/Steel_Division_2__Reinforcement_Pack_15__Valley_of_Death/

Valley of Death

As mentioned in previous Steel Division 2 DevBlogs, Valley of Death is intricately linked with the Slovak National Uprising (talked about in this post here). The failure to capture the Dukla Pass in October 1944 resulted in ferocious fighting as Allied Soviet forces tried to battle their way into Slovakia. The once pleasant valley was so littered with Soviet burning and destroyed tank hulls that it received the moniker “Valley of Death.”

The Valley of Death in Steel Division 2 will rely on real-life terrain height variations with a river splitting the area. The four hills in this sector are on high plateaus, separated by a geological rift. Taking advantage of the rocky edges will give your units excellent sight lines, plus there are several patches of wood to find much-needed cover.

What else?

No patchlog nor major balance change with this release, we are busy preparing Nemesis #7 - Hell's Highway, modeling units, integrating them, ...
If you want proofs of it, check the armory: you'll see that the new Netherlands nation is already live. It only features one unit so far, the 1st SSB's Dutch SPITFIRE Mk.XIV which we have already converted to its proper nationality.

We have also used the opportunity of modeling the Dutch to already rework the Lewis M20 LMG's model, currently used ingame by the SS-LANDSTORM as the l.MG 100(h).

Until next time

That’s it for this DevBlog. Get downloading and start playing Valley of Death. We look forward to hearing what you think of the latest Steel Division 2 battlefield!

Be sure to join the Steel Division 2 community on our Steam forums. If you want to keep up to date with the latest Steel Division 2, keep an eye out on our Instagram[www.instagram.com]. Looking for an online game? Visit the Discord server[discord.gg] or Reddit page and get involved with the lively Steel Division 2 community!

Before we leave you be, a small housekeeping note. We will be back with a Steel Division 2 DevBlog, but it won’t be on a weekly or even bi-weekly basis. From now on, we will only post something when we have a new announcement to make or when detailing the progress in the lead-up to a major update.

See you on the battlefield, commanders.

Good news, commanders.

A brand-new map, Valley of Death, will be coming to Steel Division 2 next week!

As promised in last week’s DevBlog’s update, the new battlefield has been made ready for imminent deployment!

Valley of Death

So what is this new Valley of Death map? As a matter of fact, the Valley of Death is not a catchy name thought of by us, but a historical nickname given to a small valley on the border between Poland and Czechoslovakia in the autumn of 1944. The Slovak National Uprising (talked about in this post here) failed to capture the Dukla Pass, which resulted in ferocious fighting as Soviet forces tried to battle their way into Slovakia later on. The once pleasant valley was so littered with Soviet burning and destroyed tank hulls it received the moniker “Valley of Death.”

The Valley of Death in Steel Division 2 will rely on real-life terrain height variations. A river splits the area. The actual plain follows the river’s path, creating enough space in its center for a village. The other side of the combat zone is defined by very large forests on small hills. The four hills in this sector are on high plateaus, separated by a geological rift. Taking advantage of the rocky edges will give your units excellent sight lines, plus there are some patches of wood to find cover. We can’t wait for you to start playing Valley of Death!

Steel Division 2’s Roadmap

There are more exciting things in store for Steel Division 2.

• We are also working on the free new map DUKLA PASS. A DevBlog with more details can be found here.
  
• The next Nemesis #7 Hell’s Highway coming at a later date. We are actually integrating and modeling all the Nemesis new units. What can you expect? Check out all the details in this DevBlog.
  
• The next new major expansion for Steel Division 2 will be the Army General-focused DUKLA PASS. Make sure to read more in this dedicated DevBlog.

Until next time

That’s it for this DevBlog, commander! We’ll be back next week as promised!

Be sure to join the Steel Division 2 community on our Steam forums. If you want to keep up to date with the latest Steel Division 2, keep an eye out on our Instagram[www.instagram.com]. Looking for an online game? Visit the Discord server[discord.gg] or Reddit page and get involved with the lively Steel Division 2 community!

See you on the battlefield.

Hello commanders!

How have you been? We know the news has been relatively slow, but quiet doesn’t mean Eugen hasn’t been busy tinkering away with Steel Division 2 behind the scenes.

With team members off on holiday in the summer, our production rate always slows down a bit. However, plenty of exciting things are still lined up in the Steel Division 2 kitchen.

With the end of August in sight, we are slowly getting back into the groove again!

Today’s DevBlog is a sneak peek into what’s coming next.

Steel Division 2’s Roadmap

The Eugen team is at work on the following, to be delivered by default in that order:

• The free new map VALLEY OF DEATH is almost complete. It should be coming as one of the next updates for Steel Division 2. Check out a preview of this map in this DevBlog here.

• The free new map DUKLA PASS is being worked on and should be ready in the not-too-distant future. A DevBlog with more details can be found here.

• The next Nemesis #7 Hell’s Highway coming at a later date in the future. Check out all the details of what you can expect here.

• And, of course, the next new major expansion for Steel Division 2 will be the Army General-focused DUKLA PASS. Make sure to read more in this dedicated DevBlog.

While we've been silent during Summer, giving Wargame Red Dragon - Nation Pack: Italy some spotlight, we didn't remain idle regarding Steela Division 2. Although Summer vacations always slow things down, we've kept testing and polishing the new map VALLEY OF DEATH, which will be released soon, but also start working on Nemesis #7: Hell's Highway's models, as you can see below with the first Dutch infantry models below.

Until next time

That’s it for now. Short and sweet. We will be back with more exciting Steel Division 2 soon!

Be sure to join the Steel Division 2 community on our Steam forums. If you want to keep up to date with the latest Steel Division 2, keep an eye out on our Instagram[www.instagram.com]. Looking for an online game? Visit the Discord server[discord.gg] 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. With the dust settling after Nemesis #7 (the winner being Nemesis: Hell’s Highway), let’s give you a brief update on what’s cooking in Eugen’s kitchen for Steel Division 2.

We’d also like to share with you that from now on, the Steel Division 2 DevBlogs will be posted intermittently, no longer following the regular once-every-week structure.

What’s in store?

We are working on the following things:

• The free new map VALLEY OF DEATH is in the final stages of testing and should be one of the next releases for Steel Division 2. Check out a preview of this map in this DevBlog here.
  
• The free new map DUKLA PASS is being tested as we speak. A DevBlog with more details can be found here.
  
• The new major expansion for Steel Division 2 will be the Army General-focused DUKLA PASS. Make sure to read more about this expansion in this dedicated DevBlog.
  
• And, of course, the next Nemesis: Hell’s Highway coming at a later date in the future. Check out all the juicy details of what you can expect here.

Until next time

As mentioned above, we’ll be posting Steel Division 2 DevBlogs intermittently from now on. Keep an eye out on the news feed!

Be sure to join the Steel Division 2 community on our Steam forums. If you want to keep up to date with the latest Steel Division 2, keep an eye out on our Instagram[www.instagram.com]. Looking for an online game? Visit the Discord server[discord.gg] or Reddit page and get involved with the lively Steel Division 2 community!

See you on the battlefield, commander!

Gather round, commanders!

The Nemesis #7 vote is in. We’d like to extend our appreciation to all the Steel Division 2 fans and players for your dedication, support, and continued propaganda efforts. This Nemesis DLC wouldn’t be a reality with you!

…drumroll maestro please…

And the winner is…

And the winner for Nemesis #7 is …

Nemesis: Hell’s Highway!

The seventh Nemesis DLC will focus on the Axis Kampfgruppe Walther and British 43rd “Wessex” Infantry Division fighting during Operation Market Garden in September 1944. Some interesting new features of this Nemesis option will be the addition of the Allied Netherlands as a new nation and the new Axis PANZER IV/70, among other additions (more on that below).

But first, the full breakdown of the vote:

• Nemesis #7.3: Hell’s Highway captured your imagination with a resounding 46,99% of the ballot.
  
• Nemesis #7.2: Dodecanese Campaign came second with 29,56% of the vote.
  
• And Nemesis #7.1: Gothic Line third with 23,45%.

Nemesis #7.3: Hell’s Highway

With the vote now concluded, let’s go over what Nemesis: Hell’s Highway will feature. Note that the following is subject to change depending on development, design, and additional research.

The British 43rd “Wessex” Infantry Division will feature not only the new Dutch forces, but also Polish paratroopers. The following new units will likely make their debut:

• Dutch troops from Allied Prinses Irene Brigade plus local Binnelandse Strijdkrachten, aka Dutch Resistance, forces. These also include a detachment of Dutch MARINIERS (Marines). The Dutch will also bring a host of “copycat” vehicles, including LYNX and HUMBER LRC scout cars, CMP POLSTEN 20mm portee AA gun, and MITCHELL II bombers, among others.
  
• Polish SPADOCHRONIARZE paratroopers and associated units.
  
• British ASSAULT TROOPS heavy recon squads.

Kampfgruppe Walter brings a host of new units, with a mix of different formations and battalions, including the brand-new and lavishly equipped Panzerbrigade 107. Some of the new units are:

• The PANZER IV/70 tank destroyer equipped with a Panther’s long L/70 75mm gun.
  
• SDKFZ 251/21 DRILLING Half-tracks are useful for direct fire support or AA defense.
  
• Truck-mounted DRILLING 20mm auf LKW.
  
• GEP. PZ.GRENADIER (PzF) and GEP. PZ.GRENADIER (MP-44) squads, as well as Lw.JÄGER z.b.V. and FS.-JÄGER (Hoffman) paratroopers.

Read more about Nemesis: Hell’s Highway in this dedicated DevBlog.

What happens next?

Nemesis: Hell’s Highway will now make its way to Eugen’s workshop. The release of this DLC might take some time, but we’ll try to keep you as much up to date as possible!

As you know, our Nemesis DLC only contains the two mentioned divisions or battlegroups with a host of new units and weapon systems. These mini-expansions do not contain new maps, campaigns, or scenarios.

The other Nemesis choices that didn’t make the cut will go back into the Eugen ideas cupboard. Who knows, we might dust them off for future use!

Until next week

That’s all for this week. We’ll be back soon with more Steel Division 2 news!

Be sure to join the Steel Division 2 community on our Steam forums. If you want to keep up to date with the latest Steel Division 2, keep an eye out on our Instagram[www.instagram.com]. Looking for an online game? Visit the Discord server[discord.gg] or Reddit page and get involved with the lively Steel Division 2 community!

See you on the battlefield, commander!

Hello, hello!

Good news, commanders: the new free Reinforcement Pack for Steel Division 2 featuring 10 new Aces is available now.

Reinforcement Pack #14 features two sets of Aces: several from our original Steel Division: Normandy ‘44 who haven’t made their appearance yet in Steel Division2, and a number of completely new ones.

Read more below!

Reinforcement Pack 14 - Aces

Aces are special Steel Division 2 units based on historically noteworthy soldiers, commanders, or airmen. Within the game, they have a unique golden-rimmed portrait, markings, and personal paint job. They don’t offer any gameplay advantage.

Which of the new war heroes courtesy of Reinforcement Pack #14 will you be able to command?

• Pierre Clostermann, as a SPITFIRE Mk.IX fighter with 2e Division Blindée.
  
• Ion S. Dumitru, as a T.4 COMANDA with 1 Blindata.
  
• Aladar Heppes, as a Hungarian M109G-6/R6 with 2. Pancelos.
  
• John Howard, as a AB LEADER with 6th Airborne Division.
  
• Ivan Savel’Evich Kravcov, as a LA-5FN fighter with 7. Eesti.
  
• Willy Kretzschmar, as a PANZER IV H with 12. SS-Panzerdivision.
  
• Leo Major, as a SNIPER-SCOUTS with 3rd Canadian Infantry Division.
  
• Walter Möse, as a STURMJÄGER with 28. Jäger-Division.
  
• Lafayette Green “Wardaddy” Pool, as a CMD M4A1 with 3rd Armored Division.
  
• Lauri Törni, as a JÄÄKÄRI (KPÄÄL) with Rhyma Raapaana.

If you want to read more about the Allied Aces, be sure to check out this dedicated DevBlog here. To know more about the Axis Aces, go check out this DevBlog.

The new infantry Aces will feature redesigned infantry cards, with the Ace’s face directly on the unit card and not stapled to it.

Until next week

That’s it. Don’t forget that the Nemesis #7 vote is still open. Don’t forget to cast your online ballot. Check out all the details in this DevBlog here.

Be sure to join the Steel Division 2 community on our Steam forums. If you want to keep up to date with the latest Steel Division 2, keep an eye out on our Instagram[www.instagram.com]. Looking for an online game? Visit the Discord server[discord.gg] or Reddit page and get involved with the lively Steel Division 2 community!

See you on the battlefield, commander!

Hello commander,

The time has come again; get ready to cast some votes! Your propaganda efforts can begin, as the latest Nemesis DLC community vote - the seventh to be exact - is online!

Which Nemesis option would you like to see developed for Steel Division 2? You will find the link to vote further below.

A quick recap of Nemesis 7

Before we stampede to let our preference known, no doubt loud and clear by some of you, make sure to take another good look at the three Nemesis DLC options we are offering for Nemesis 7:

• Nemesis #7.1: Gothic Lines details the actions of the Axis 71. Infanterie-Division and American 1st Armored Division on the formidable German defenses in Italy.
  
• Nemesis #7.2: Dodecanese Campaign shines the spotlight on an overlooked theater, the Dodecanese Islands, with the Axis Sturmdivision Rhodos facing two old enemies-turned-allies, the Italian-British Egeomil.
  
• Nemesis #7.3: Hell’s Highway, brings us back to the Netherlands, with the Axis Kampfgruppe Walther and British 43rd “Wessex” Infantry Division fighting during Operation Market Garden.

The Nemesis vote is now open!

Our Nemesis 7 community vote is now officially live!

You can find the vote on our dedicated page by following this link[youengage.me].

Voting will close on Thursday, June 20th, at 12:00 (CEST) / 11:00 AM (BST) / 6 AM (EDT). We will publish the results the next day.

You can vote multiple times, but only your LAST vote will be taken into account! Be respectful of the vote and your fellow players. As always, no cheating, bullying, or insults will be tolerated.

May the most popular Nemesis DLC options win!

Nemesis DLC Overview

In case you have never heard of our Nemesis DLC concept, this type of mini-expansion brings you two themed Steel Division 2 divisions. These DLCs do not contain any missions, maps, or Army General campaigns. Instead, Nemesis DLC only focuses on featuring two new divisions, including potentially new nations and new units, with inspiration from a particularly noteworthy or unusual World War II battle or operation. The twist is that you decide in a community vote which mini-expansion out of a series of three choices should be developed and released by us.

The following Nemesis DLCs are out in the wild:

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

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

Nemesis: Battle of Rimini is our third Nemesis DLC, available now for €4.99 / $4.99. It features the 1. Fallschirmjäger-Division for the Axis, and the combined Allied battlegroup of the 2nd New Zealand Division with the 3rd Greek Mountain Brigade attached. Access new units such as British Bristol Beaufighter heavy fighter, Greek Martin Baltimore bomber, German (captured) Re.2005 fighter, as well as various new infantry units such as Oplites Greek mountain infantry, and New Zealander Maoris.

Nemesis: Storming Toulon is our fourth Nemesis DLC. It contains two divisions from Operation Dragoon, the Allied invasion of Southern France in August 1944: German Verteidigungsbereich Toulon and Free French 1e Division Française Libre. A host of new units are available, including Kriegsmarine Marineinfanterie, Commandos d'Afrique special forces, heavy Flak 38 105mm guns, Flakzwilling 37mm, M6 Fargo, M3 Gun 37mm, and more.

The fifth DLC is Nemesis: Raid on Drvar, taking players into one of World War II's most unusual airborne operations: the ambitious Axis air assault to neutralize Yugoslav partisan leader Tito in the spring of 1944. Nemesis: Raid on Drvar features the Axis air assault troops of Unternehmen Rösselsprung against the partisans of the Yugoslav NOV. New units include fanatical SS-Fs-Jäger, Croatian Domobran, partisan Snajper, homemade Yugoslav Partop infantry heavy mortar, BH-33E-SHS biplane, pre-war IK-2/ fighter or the L35 tankette.

Nemesis: Siege of Dunkirk is our sixth Nemesis DLC. It centers on a long-running operation, far behind the front, that began in September 1944 but only finished after World War II: the remarkable Allied siege of Axis-held Dunkirk on the French coast of the English Channel. Pitting together the Axis Festung Dunkirchen against the Czechoslovak Independent Armoured Brigade Group (CIABG), it brings to you new units such as Jagdkampf raiders, Erdkampflafette 43 and captured French K 419(f) 155mm, new Czechoslovakian infantry, Humber LRC Mk. III or BL 7,2-inch 182,9mm.

Reinforcement Pack 14 - Aces

Now that you have finally been able to vote, let’s move the subject to our next Reinforcement Pack, an upcoming free DLC. This Reinforcement Pack will be the 14th and be released on Tuesday 18th.

It will feature 10 new aces for existing divisions:

• Pierre Clostermann, as a SPITFIRE Mk.IX fighter with 2e Division Blindée
  
• Ion S. Dumitru, as a T.4 COMANDA with 1 Blindata
  
• Aladar Heppes, as a Hungarian M109G-6/R6 with 2. Pancelos
  
• John Howard, as a AB LEADER with 6th Airborne Division
  
• Ivan Savel’Evich Kravcov, as a LA-5FN fighter with 7. Eesti
  
• Willy Kretzschmar, as a PANZER IV H with 12. SS-Panzerdivision
  
• Leo Major, as a SNIPER-SCOUTS with 3rd Canadian Infantry Division
  
• Walter Möse, as a STURMJÄGER with 28. Jäger-Division
  
• Lafayette Green “Wardaddy” Pool, as a CMD M4A1 with 3rd Armored Division
  
• Lauri Törni, as a JÄÄKÄRI (KPÄÄL) with Rhyma Raapaana

For this occasion, we decided to redesign infantry aces' cards more in a WARNO style, with the Ace's face directly on the unit card and not stapled to it, which we felt was too small. We hope you will like them.

Until next week

May the most popular Nemesis DLC options win. Get voting! We will be back next week with the results.

Be sure to join the Steel Division 2 community on our Steam forums. If you want to keep up to date with the latest Steel Division 2, keep an eye out on our Instagram[www.instagram.com]. Looking for an online game? Visit the Discord server[discord.gg] or Reddit page and get involved with the lively Steel Division 2 community!

See you on the battlefield, commander!

Hello commanders!

We return with the last installment of Nemesis #7, with today’s Nemesis #7.3. In this DLC option, we focus on a previously not-covered sector during Operation Market Garden in September 1944.

Let’s look at the British 43rd (Wessex) Infantry Division and the German Kampfgruppe Walther.

Nemesis 7 DLC Vote

The Nemesis DLC is back with Nemesis #7. We have already detailed two paired offerings, one from the Axis and one from the Allied side. These battlegroups are typically thematically or historically linked, often based on special or unsung battles of World War II. Very soon, we will open the vote so you can decide which Nemesis DLC should be developed next.

• Nemesis #7 kicked off with the Italian-themed Nemesis #7.1 featuring the Allied US 1st Armored Division “Old Ironsides” versus German Axis 71. Infanterie-Division. Check out all the information in this dedicated DevBlog.
  
• In the second option, we highlighted the Dodecanese Islands and the special Italian-British Egeomil plus the Axis German Sturmdivision Rhodos. You can find all the juicy details in this DevBlog.

Operation Market Garden Revisited

With Nemesis #7.3, we return to the famous “Bridge Too Far” airborne operation in the Netherlands that began on September 17th. We briefly touched upon it in our Steel Division 2: Men of Steel expansion with the Axis battlegroup Kampfgruppe von Tettau.

Much like this previous improvised battlegroup, the Axis Kampfgruppe Walther was short-lived. The major difference is that this Nemesis’ Axis division fought against the Allies further south during several pitched battles and counter-attacks between Eindhoven and Nijmegen along the infamous “Hell’s Highway.”

Here, on September 22nd, Kampfgruppe Walther led the attack to keep the American and British relief forces from advancing around Veghel, roughly midway between the two major Dutch cities. The counter-attack was a tough affair, temporarily disrupting the corridor centered on Highway 69, though American paratroopers ultimately repulsed Kampfgruppe Walther’s attempts to sever the connection.

As we know, the airborne landings in the Netherlands during Operation Market resulted in a string of American and British paratroopers occupying various towns and defensive positions on the axis of Eindhoven, Nijmegen, and Arnhem. Rushing ahead to link up with the beleaguered airborne troops was the Allied XXX Corps, with the Guards Armoured division in the vanguard. The British 43rd (Wessex) Infantry Division followed closely behind.

Progress was difficult, and by the 21st of September, the paratrooper’s situation at Arnhem was becoming dire. Leapfrogging ahead of the Guards, the 43rd (Wessex) made an all-out effort to reach Arnhem from Nijmegen at the same time as the Germans were counter-attacked from the flanks further south. Though the division made it to the opposite side of the Arnhem bridge at Driel and even reinforced the beleaguered British paratroopers, it was too little, too late. A few days later, hundreds of surviving airborne troops were ferried back to Allied lines.

43rd (Wessex) Infantry Division

The 43rd (Wessex) Infantry Division isn’t that different in terms of organization and equipment compared to the existing 15th Scottish Division. What makes this Nemesis division unique, though, are its multi-national attachments. One of the most noteworthy ones will be the Prinses Irene Brigade, which is composed of Free Dutch soldiers fighting for the Allied cause. It was formed during the war in the United Kingdom by attracting a wide variety of Dutch citizens from across the globe (such as South Africa, the Dutch West Indies, Canada, the United States, etc.). These included some Dutch marines (Mariniers).

The Dutch brigade landed in Normandy in August before fighting its way to home soil in time for Operation Market Garden. Named after the Dutch royal family, the PIB is closer to a reinforced Motor Rifles battalion. Some local Dutch resistance members acted as impromptu recon troops.

The other interesting detachment to the division is the Polish Independent Airborne Brigade. These were the trapped paratroopers the 43rd Wessex linked up with south of Arnhem. The third noteworthy element was the 8th Armoured Brigade, attached to the formation to bolster its firepower during the airborne landings. It had twice the number of tanks compared to the 31st Tank Regiment supporting the 15th Scottish, and unlike the latter’s Churchills, the 8th Armoured Brigade were chiefly SHERMAN III and FIREFLIES.

Besides infantry, the 43rd Wessex will have a heavier focus on tanks and air support, with only divisional artillery and recon and only a little support. Because of the nature of the battles, the division will be phase-locked:

• The Dutch Prinses Irene Brigade marched with the 43rd Wessex until Nijmegen, where it was left behind to guard the key Grave bridge. This means this formation will be only available in Phase A (or Phase A and B, to be decided).
  
• The Polish paratroopers will only be available in Phase C.
  
• Dutch resistance fighters can deploy in all Phases.

Make way for the Dutch

The new units of the 43rd Wessex will be chiefly infantry ones.

• Dutch GEMOT. GEVECHTSGROEP are organized along British lines but feature more Sten SMGs. GEMOT. MARINIERS also fields more Stens, plus a Bren LMG, and might carry additional Veterancy besides the potential Fanatical trait representing their USMC training and esprit de corps. Lastly, the MOT. RIFLES LDR will also be included.
  
• Dutch BS GIDS as recon.
  
• Polish SPADOCHRONIAREZE (paratroopers), similarly equipped as their British counterparts, but also including a few specialized ASSAULT GROUP (name to be translated) commandos with extra automatic small arms. The Polish airborne forces had spent so long training in the United Kingdom that by September 1944 they had experience in an unequaled number of skills, from infiltration to demolition to even… tank driving. This aptitude for everything will be duly reflected.
  
• British ASSAULT TROOP were large-sized scout platoons organized the same way as MOT. RIFLES and riding CMP trucks within the 43rd Wessex’s divisional recon regiment.

The Dutch will bring some existing “copycat” vehicles.

• LYNX scout car (currently only used by the New Zealand).
  
• HUMBER LRC scout car (currently only with the Czechoslovakian CIABG).
  
• CMP POLSTEN 20mm portee AA gun.
  
• SPITFIRE MK. XIV fighter (currently only with SSB).
  
• MITCHELL II bomber.

The 43rd Wessex will be the opportunity to add Allied Netherlands as a new nation to Steel Division 2 with the (lone and British-flagged but as a matter-of-fact Dutch-flown) SPITFIRE XIV joining its rightful nation.

43rd (Wessex) Infantry Division Detailed

Let’s detail each category. Note that units bolded and italic are new!

• RECO - not stellar, with only a few slots and not many heavy units.
  
• You get to play with the usual WILLYS HMG, SCOUTS, RECCE, SNIPERS, and their assortment of CARRIERS. The heaviest unit available will be the HUMBER M.KIV (37mm).
  
• The new British ASSAULT TROOP heavy recon squad.
  
• Dutch LYNX and HUMBER LRC light armored cars, as well as Dutch resistance BS GIDS.

• INF - a very strong category, being a British infantry division reinforced with both the Dutch Princes Irene Brigade in Phase A and the Polish Paratroopers in C. See above for some of the new units they bring.

• TANK - another strong area for the 43rd Wessex division with more and cheaper slots compared to any other Commonwealth infantry division. Also, unlike the 15th Scottish, it was not supported by Churchill tanks. Instead:
  
  • STUART III which are M3A1.
    
  • SHERMAN III, meaning the M4A2 variant.
    
  • FIREFLY Vc, the latter being featured at a more generous ratio than in any other British division.

• SUPP - nothing inspiring here with an average number of slots and costs, and the usual complement of VICKERS HMGs, 2-PDR MORTAR, SUPPLIES, COMMANDER, and the like.

• AT - Very similar to the previous category, with a decent amount of options and reasonable cost. These include PIAT teams.
  
• The 43rd Wessex’s anti-tank regiment only fielded towed 6-PDR and 17-PDR guns.
  
• The division makes do with its lack of self-propelled tank destroyers with the detachment of FIREFLY in the TANK tab (see above).

• AA - not very good with only BOFORS and Dutch CMP POLSTEN anti-air units.

• ART - a normal category, almost identical to the 15th Scottish.
  
• This means 3-INCH and 4,7-INCH mortars, backed by 25-PDR howitzers.
  
• No heavy 5,5-INCH guns, but the lighter self-propelled SEXTON will be available.
  
• There is less off-map support compared to the Scottish division.

• AIR - pretty powerful with a good mix of ground attack planes. These include aircraft from Dutch, British, and American air forces.

The 43rd (Wessex) Infantry Division is closer to a mechanized division than an infantry one with strong offensive firepower, including infantry, tank, and air forces. It is quite light in supporting arms.

Kampfgruppe Walther

Kampfgruppe Walter played a major role in the failure of Market Garden. It was an accumulation of various battalions, including an SS battalion, Luftwaffe penal troops, paratroopers, and the like. But the ace up its sleeve was the brand-new and lavishly equipped Panzerbrigade 107 with its new PANZER IV/70.

This battlegroup’s role of harassing the XXX Corps’ line of communication along Highway 69 was successful enough to force the leading Allied units to stop and wait before its flanks were secured.

Much like Kampfgruppe von Tettau, this Nemesis battlegroup is very “fluid” in its composition. The formation changed almost daily, depending on whatever German reinforcements were around. The core of Kampfgruppe Walther was organized around:

• KG Heinke: a Panzergrenadier regimental battlegroup from the 9. SS-Panzerdivision. It was so reduced that the actual formation was closer to a (small) infantry battalion.
  
• Fallschirm-Rgt. Von Hoffman: a paratrooper school unit created less than a month before Market Garden. When the Allied airborne operation was launched, the Germans went into battle, deprived of almost everything, from weapons to uniforms. They had to scrounge their equipment from local depots and even schools. Though completely inexperienced - officers included - this detachment’s soldiers were well-spirited.
  
• 6. Fallschirmjäger-Rgt.: von der Heydte’s famous veterans, with an uncanny ability to be part of most major battles on the Western front. By September 1944, the original four-battalion regiment was down to a single battalion-worth battlegroup.
  
• Luftwaffe-Bewärhungsbataillon z.b.V. 6: a Luftwaffe penal unit formed in Romania and hastily transported to the Netherlands. Unlike the hard-fighting Lw-JÄGER z.b.V introduced with Axis 715.ID, these troops will be Disheartened, widely regarded (backed up by a slew of historical sources) to be utterly unfit for combat, better seen as a burden rather than reinforcements!
  
• Several smaller AA, AT, or artillery batteries, often just a handful of guns each.

Panzerbrigade 107 unleashed

The main asset of Kampfgruppe Walther was the entire Panzerbrigade 107, freshly stood up, fully equipped, and recently transferred from Germany.

• This brigade is equipped with over 30x PANTHER G.
  
• Plus new GEP. PZ.GRENADIER (PzF) with a post-August 1944 TO&E. These squads are quite similar to the PZ.GRENADIER LSSAH (gep.) but without the Fanatical trait and with Kar.98K rifles instead of the G43.
  
• And, the new GEP. PZ.GRENADIER (MP-44), as well with post-August 1944’s TO&E, including a full load-out of MP-44s with Panzerfaust.
  
• The brigade had no tripod-equipped s.MG 42 machine guns since the formation fielded over 40x SDKFZ. 251/21 with Drilling 15mm, used in AA and fire support roles.
  
• New PANZER IV/70 tank destroyer (yes, not a tank, despite its name). This new unit is a JAGDPANZER IV equipped with the Panther’s long 42 L/70 75mm gun.

Kampfgruppe Walther Detailed

So how will the Axis division look in Steel Division 2? New units are bolded and in italic.

• RECO - rather mediocre with Kampfgruppe Walther not having any dedicated recon battalion. This means you’ll have to make do with a handful of SPÄHTRUPP, FS.-AUFKLÄRER, FS.-SCHARFSCHUTZE, and BMW side-cars.

• INF - pretty good with a balanced approach to slots and costs. The units on offer are an interesting mix rarely seen before. They are mostly available as a single card each. In real life, the battlegroup fielded fewer battalions than a regular Panzergrenadier-Division.
  • New GEP. PZ.GRENADIER (PzF) and GEP. PZ.GRENADIER (MP-44) (see above) with dedicated Leader variants. These represent the Panzerbrigade 107’s lone infantry battalion. All squads can only be transported in SDKFZ. 251s.
    
  • PZ.GRENADIER plus leaders, representing SS-KG Heinke. These are only available in trucks.
    
  • FS.-JÄGER (FG-42) representing von der Heydte’s paratrooper veterans. They will come with additional experience.
    
  • FS.-JÄGER (Hoffman) (work-in-progress name) will be experience-locked German paratroopers with a single MG-34. As they were fighting closely, even from, tanks they will feature the Tank Rider trait.
    
  • FS.-FÜHRER squads.
    
  • New Lw.JÄGER z.b.V., which is a cheap unit with fewer men compared to their 715 ID counterpart, also being burdened with the Disheartened trait.

• TANK - a pretty strong category, though not as good as a “true” Panzerdivision, though better than a Panzergrenadier one.
  
• This includes fielding PANTHER G and command variant.
  
• STUG IIIG and leader versions. These will also feature the Tank Rider trait to accompany the German paratroopers listed above.

• SUPP - an average category with fewer supply units than normal. It features a mix of various direct fire support units, including:
  
  • SDKFZ. 251/9D self-propelled assault gun.
    
  • SDKFZ. 251/16 self-propelled flamethrower.
    
  • A few s.MG 42 and FS.-s.MG 42 machine guns.
    
  • A handful of LG 42 105mm recoilless rifles.

• AT - Kampfgruppe Walther’s anti-tank forces are pretty respectable.
  
• You’ll be able to field some PANZERSCHRECK and one card each of PAK 40 75mm and PAK 36(r) 76,2mm.
  
• The JAGDPANZER IV.
  
• And of course the new PANZER IV/70.
  
• And a whopping two (2!) JAGDPANTHER tank destroyers. Historically, they were situated on the other side of the corridor, but they belonged to the same s.Panzerjäger-Abteilung 559 attached to the battlegroup.

• AA - light but with some good options.
  
• Such as the MOBELWAGEN.
  
• A lot of SDKFZ 251/21 DRILLING. Currently used as transport, in this division they’ll come as numerous cards of AA and fire support vehicles.
  
• FLAKVIERLING.
  
• FLAK 38 20mm.
  
• FLAK 18 88mm (two of them!).
  
• The new DRILLING 20mm auf LKW (triple 20mm guns mounted on trucks).

• ART - is pretty decent with some variety, but mostly light unit options.
  
• A few SDKFZ. 251/2 81mm self-propelled mortars, as well as a few infantry 81mm mortars.
  
• A dozen le.FH 18m 105mm howitzers.
  
• Half a dozen WESPE 105mm self-propelled guns.
  
• A handful of WURFRAHMEN 40.

• AIR - will be lacking, focused on fighters which can only be deployed from Combat Phase B onwards.

Kampfgruppe Walther is a versatile battlegroup, both on attack and defense. You’ll have plenty of good options, though most will be somewhat limited in number. This means this division will not be as resilient as other armored battlegroups.

See you on the battlefield

That’s all for this last installment for Nemesis 7#. We’ll be back soon with the kick-off of the Nemesis vote!

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See you on the battlefield, commander.