Genre: Real Time Strategy (RTS), Simulator, Strategy, Turn-based strategy (TBS), Tactical, Indie
Warno
SOUTHAG Army General #1 - Holding Attack
Hello commanders!
At long last, in today’s DevBlog, we will be able to share the very first (of two) Army General campaigns to be featured in WARNO - SOUTHAG.
What do we have in store for you with Army General’sHolding Attack?
Let’s find out!
WARNO - SOUTHAG’s Strategic Situation
To recap: in WARNO - SOUTHAG, the Warsaw Pact sees the southern stretch of the Iron Curtain, from the CENTAG to the border with Austria, mainly as a secondary effort. The Czechoslovakian People’s Army (ČSLA) attacks across the frontier, into West Germany, but doesn’t advance much. The dallying communists are more than happy to fix local NATO units in place.
This gives NATO a chance to reform SOUTHAG under French command, and bring in reinforcements from its allies, including forward-deployed Canadian units, and mobile forces from Spain. It is a risky move, as in the north, the Warsaw Pact seems poised to break through.
(insérer vidéo AG08_Fixation)
Another opportunity is presented when the Soviet Group of Central forces opens up a new offensive axis towards Nuremberg, which gets crushed by a combined West German and American task force. This puts the communists in this theatre of war on the back heel.
Meanwhile, SOUTHAG command is cooking up a storm, and NATO plans to take the fight to the Warsaw Pact. This strategic counter-offensive will be the focus of WARNO - SOUTHAG’s two Army General campaigns. It will be played out in two distinct phases, of which the first is Holding Attack.
WARNO - SOUTHAG’s Holding Attack
Holding Attack is, chronologically, the first of the two Army General campaigns. In it, we focus on the West German and Canadian divisions fixing the Czechoslovak People’s Army’s 1st Army in front of Plzeň.
The Army General campaign will feature a number of divisions already presented as multiplayer-capable battlegroups. However, Army General will also contain some campaign-only divisions.
NATO On NATO’s side, you get to play with:
The 4.Panzergrenadier-Division is situated on the northern part of the Army General battlefield. This is a standard Bundeswehr Panzergrenadier division.
The 1. Luftlande-Division (as previewed in this DevBlog) holds the center. It is here that the terrain of Holding Attack is the most rugged. This formation also acts as a link between NATO’s two main mechanized divisions. The 1. Luftlande contains a very useful airmobile infantry battalion, which can be used as a mobile projection force.
The 10. Panzerdivision in the south, but still assembling. This means one of the division’s panzerbrigades has yet to arrive at the start of the Army General campaign. While the German II. Korps in SOUTHAG was the only one to be assigned a single Panzerdivision, this particular formation was special in the way it was the first to be entirely equipped with Leopard 2A4 across its three brigades. This makes it the most powerful Panzerdivisions of the Bundeswehr in the late 1980s.
The 1st Canadian Division, likewise, isn’t deployed at the beginning of the campaign, instead expected later as reinforcements. The formation includes the 4 CMBG (the powerful brigade deployed in West Germany), the 5 GBMC (the light air-transportable brigade from Quebec), as well as the 1 CMBG (a reservist brigade arriving last). The Canadian CF-188 squadrons are available as air support from the start.
Warsaw Pact For the communists, from north to south, the following divisions will be available:
The 2. Motostřelecká Divize, which is a typical ČSLA motorized infantry division, modeled along Soviet lines.
The 19. Motostřelecká Divize (as previewed in a previous DevBlog).
The 20. Motostřelecká Divize, in the same vein as the formations mentioned above.
The 1. Tanková Divize (as previewed in this DevBlog) isn't deployed at the start, only arriving later as reinforcements from the east.
The three Motostřelecká divisions follow roughly the same structure with the 2. Motostřelecká Divize and the 20. Motostřelecká Divize featuring one BMP-1 and two OT-64-equipped infantry regiments, while the 19. Motostřelecká Divize has one BMP-1, one BMP-2, and one OT-64 regiment. All of these motorized infantry divisions field the T-55A as their main battle tank in their infantry regiment, while the improvised T-55AM-1 forms the backbone of the tank regiments in these divisions. The 1. Tanková Divize is equipped with T-72s and BMP-2s.
The 2. Motostřelecká Divize and 20. Motostřelecká Divize occupy a wider front, while the 19. Motostřelecká Divize has a shorter stretch, but deploys more in depth, covering Plzeň to the rear. The Czechoslovakian city is furthermore garrisoned by security troops and the famous 22. Výsadkový Pluk, which are the ČSLA’s elite special forces airborne regiment, acting as the ultimate 1st Army reserve.
The Campaign Itself
A special note, but Holding Attack is - for once - an Army General campaign that will not feature any US or Soviet troops. This is (mostly) a West German versus Czechoslovakian affair, with the Canadians lending a hand when they hear another “brawl” is happening in Czechoslovakia (of course, this is a reference to the infamous Canada-USSR "Punch-Up in Piestany" from 1987).
Unlike most other Army General campaigns, where there are multiple far-away objectives, to be captured by rupturing the enemy front and breaking through, Holding Attack represents a grinding offensive. In this campaign, you need to repeatedly attack and erode the enemy’s will for resistance, and achieve victory through a slow but steady advance.
NATO’s goal is to secure the intermediate objectives within a given time frame. This should wear down (but also concentrate) the enemy in a specific number of locations, one by one. However, the ultimate price is the capture of Plzeň.
The Warsaw Pact will need to hold the outer defenses before falling back around Plzeň and “doing an Alamo.” Their hope is that the reinforcing 1 Tanková Divize would prove ultimately more reliable than Colonel Fannin in the aforementioned siege.
WARNO - SOUTHAG Expansion In Short
WARNO - SOUTHAG is WARNO’s second expansion after WARNO - NORTHAG and showcases the fighting in southern West Germany near the Alps and on the Czechoslovakian frontier.
In the southern reaches of Germany, the Warsaw Pact with the Soviet Central Group of Forces, bolstered by the communist Czechoslovakians, battles against a counter-attacking NATO SOUTHAG command led by France, with American, West German, Canadian, and reinforcing Spanish troops.
2 new Army General campaigns, including Holding Attack.
We return yet again with another WARNO - SOUTHAG preview; this time focusing on the third of four Operations: Hydra.
Onwards!
WARNO - SOUTHAG’s Strategic Situation
In WARNO - SOUTHAG, the Warsaw Pact sees the southern front in West Germany to be a largely secondary effort at first. As such, the Czechoslovak People’s Army only launches a series of fixing attacks early in World War III, to keep local NATO forces in place, but they are mostly perfunctory.
After several small-scale battles, and a failed offensive by the Soviet Central Group of Forces defeated near Nuremberg, a reformed SOUTHAG command is ready to take the fight to the communists. A daring plan is devised, which sees first a series of fixing attacks keeping the Warsaw Pact in place, while a massive counter-offensive across the Iron Curtain is unleashed in the second phase.
[/p][p]
In this second stage, NATO briefly breaches neutral Austria’s borders in order to outflank and surprise the Czechoslovakians. Soon after, and for the first time during WARNO’s frontline, the war is brought to communist territory.
From reluctant socialist Czechoslovakians, with the Soviet repression after the Prague Spring of 1968 still acutely felt not only in its society but also in the ranks of the ČSLA, the army now turns to defend its home territory - and does so with renewed vigor.
Hydra
SOUTHAG’s coordinated and aggressive counter-offensive has put the Czechoslovakian forces in a difficult position. Now turned to fighting for every inch of their own territory, the communists have been pushed back on a broad front, while a swift and highly mobile flanking assault is threatening to cut open the rear of the Czechoslovak People’s Army completely.
[img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/41657262/f09d4edad2b437167ee7bb3daf635f2be54a8418.jpg"] [/p][p]Across the southern front, Warsaw Pact units have been forced on the back foot, including retreat, but the withdrawal is severely hampered by a relentless NATO that harasses the enemy at every turn. After several pitched battles, the Czechoslovakian city of Plzeň has become the final battleground. It is one of the last chances for the communists to halt the multi-pronged NATO advance.
The Czechoslovakian 1st Tank Division will do the heavy lifting in this Operation. The formation’s T-72M-EM3 battle tanks and Motostrelci infantry in BVP-1s, backed by Vysadkáři special forces, have to fight against no less than five different NATO formations converging on the battlefield. Hence the name Hydra.
[img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/41657262/12c9b8ae26d8a22522d82a6a2357598fe5099300.gif"][/p][p][/p][p]The player as the ČSLA commander does battle against a mobile spearhead of the French 6th Light Armored and 11th Paratrooper Division. Plus follow-up forces of the West German 1. Luftlande and the 4. Panzergrenadier Division, and further units from the 1st Canadian Division.
[img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/41657262/4a915b3b95644f136f9cf58a97a04a359cbf4b96.jpg"] [/p][p]The HydraOperation won’t be a walk in the park. You will need to repel the final combined NATO assault while defending against a variety of different attack avenues from the west, north, and east. Defending the battlefield, you might want to emphasize a defense in depth, or perhaps a wiser approach would be to split your forces? If each individual NATO sector can be captured, the respective reinforcements and supply lines will be severed, which will give you a little bit more breathing space.
[/p][p]Across the southern front, Warsaw Pact units have been forced on the back foot, including retreat, but the withdrawal is severely hampered by a relentless NATO that harasses the enemy at every turn. After several pitched battles, the Czechoslovakian city of Plzeň has become the final battleground. It is one of the last chances for the communists to halt the multi-pronged NATO advance.
The Czechoslovakian 1st Tank Division will do the heavy lifting in this Operation. The formation’s T-72M-EM3 battle tanks and Motostrelci infantry in BVP-1s, backed by Vysadkáři special forces, have to fight against no less than five different NATO formations converging on the battlefield. Hence the name Hydra.
[img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/41657262/12c9b8ae26d8a22522d82a6a2357598fe5099300.gif"][/p][p][/p][p]The player as the ČSLA commander does battle against a mobile spearhead of the French 6th Light Armored and 11th Paratrooper Division. Plus follow-up forces of the West German 1. Luftlande and the 4. Panzergrenadier Division, and further units from the 1st Canadian Division.
[img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/41657262/4a915b3b95644f136f9cf58a97a04a359cbf4b96.jpg"] [/p][p]The HydraOperation won’t be a walk in the park. You will need to repel the final combined NATO assault while defending against a variety of different attack avenues from the west, north, and east. Defending the battlefield, you might want to emphasize a defense in depth, or perhaps a wiser approach would be to split your forces? If each individual NATO sector can be captured, the respective reinforcements and supply lines will be severed, which will give you a little bit more breathing space.
WARNO - SOUTHAG is WARNO’s second expansion after WARNO - NORTHAG and showcases the fighting in southern West Germany near the Alps and on the Czechoslovakian frontier. In the southern reaches of Germany, the Warsaw Pact with the Soviet Central Group of Forces, bolstered by the communist Czechoslovakians, battles against a counter-attacking NATO SOUTHAG command led by France, with American, West German, Canadian, and reinforcing Spanish troops. [/p]
[p]This patch contains a few but important fixes, which are as follows:[/p]
[p] Fixed a crash that occurred when the AI was controlling certain units, particularly when it regained control of units from a player who left a game.[/p]
[p]Fixed an error that occurred with a transport model that was towing a unit.[/p]
v157953: Patch notes
As a side-effect of our work on the blackscreen issue, some graphic options were resetted to their default values.
Features
Introduced the new Militia trait to better distinguish between trained reservist units and freshly enlisted militia : Militia units take longer to aim and reload compared to regular units.
Rework the Reservist trait to reduce its penalties : Reservist units have reduced weapon accuracy and take more suppression in combat.
RP#9 Surrounded is playable in 3v3 Conquest, 3v3 Destruction, and 10v10 modes
Code fixes
Fixed spawn zones that were previously fixed per camp, causing NATO or PACT to always spawn on the same side of the map. Spawns are now randomized again.
Fixed units that could no longer move after being repaired following a critical hit.
Special symbols are no longer interpreted in lobbies and player names
DESANT. LuAZ-967M FAGOT : Base Availability increased 5 to 7
URAL-4320 SNAB. : Health points increased 5 to 8
KS-30 130mm : Base Availability increased 4 to 5, Aircraft weapon Range increased 2,300m to 3,525m
2K22 TUNGUSKA : Helicopter weapon Range increased 2,650m to 2,850m
27-YA GV. MOTOSTRELK. DIV.
Recon RAZVEDKA SAPERI : added Mi-2T as transport option
56-YA OG DESANTNO-SHTURMOVAYA BRIG.
M-240 240mm [HE Cluster] : base Veterancy decreased from XP1 to XP0
M-240 240mm : base Veterancy decreased from XP1 to XP0
Changed one 1-pt INF slot into one 3-pts
Changed one 1-pt LOG slot into one 2-pts
79-YA GV. TANK. DIV.
Removed 9K33M3 OSA-AKM
German Democratic Republic (Deutsche Demokratische Republik)
Command FÜPZ. PT-76B : Stabilizer increased 10% to 25%
Recon AUFKL. PT-76B : Stabilizer increased 10% to 25%
SCHWIM.PZ. PT-76B : Stabilizer increased 10% to 25%
KPZ. T-34/85M : Side Armor increased 3 to 4, Rear Armor increased 2 to 3, Speed decreased 50 km/h to 45 km/h, Stabilizer decreased 10% to 5%, weapon PKT replaced by DTM
Command FÜPZ. T-54AMK : Price decreased 100 to 90
KPz. T-54AM : Price increased 65 to 70
Command FÜPZ. T-55AM2K3 : Price decreased 160 to 145
Command FÜPZ. T-72MK : Price increased 175 to 190
KPz. T-72M : Price increased 155 to 170
Command FüPz. T-72M1K : Price increased 200 to 215
KPz. T-72M1 : Price increased 175 to 195
KPz. T-72MÜV2 : Price increased 160 to 180
FlamPz. TO-55 : weapon PKT added
L-39ZO [RKT] : Price increased 50 to 60, Base Availability increased 3 to 5
M wz.37 82mm : trait Airborne added,Added Forward Deployment trait
Recon HONKER RYS : Price increased 30 to 35
TOPAS-2AP : Speed increased 40 km/h to 55 km/h
TOPAS-2A : Speed increased 40 km/h to 55 km/h
Command NIEB BER. TOPAS R-3M : Speed increased 40 km/h to 55 km/h
SKOT-2AM : Price decreased 40 to 35
Recon OT-65 : Speed decreased 85 km/h to 75 km/h
4 DYW. ZMECHANIZOWANA
Recon SAPERZY ZWIADOWCY : added Mi-2P as transport option
Added Su-20 [CLU]
Changed one 3-pts AIR slot into one 2-pts
20 DYWIZJA PANCERNA
Recon SAPERZY ZWIADOWCY : added Mi-2P as transport option
KORPUS DESANTOWY
NIEB. BERETY STRZAŁA-2M : base Veterancy decreased from XP1 to XP0
Add one 1-pt ART slot
New Map Eiche
[p]Hello, hello!
Another new map is hitting WARNO’s shores in the not-too-distant future: Eiche! Much like the recently announced Ohmen and Surrounded, the new map Eiche will come part as the free Reinforcement Pack #10.
Let’s go!
New Map Eiche Explained The new map Eiche is inspired by the topology on the outskirts of Hamburg, with the usual Eugen treatment blending realism with tactical options. A dense mix of urban, industrial, and farm fields will be available for Eiche, set to be a 3vs3 battlespace, spanning an area of 81 km² (9x9 km).
[img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/41657262/18b9a524052c3143a5c4702dc8e61f5090f350fa.jpg"]It’s got the whole gamut of tactical options: choke points, dense forests, and built-up areas perfect for well-planned ambushes.
[img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/41657262/b6b6b1f67c65121ac87b56760db37759485be544.jpg"][/p][p]Several key central plateaus dominate the battlespace. Hold on to them if you want to have a shot at winning on Eiche.
[img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/41657262/afc2ac88fd5028f4a88b8d2419c94acaae6ae10a.jpg"][/p][p]On the edges, various command zones can be found. These will prove the right incentive for flanking manoeuvres or bold breakthroughs.
[img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/41657262/0cf22f862017310917a389cf8b2fc2d50855fc2f.jpg"][/p][p]Eiche has been created for both Conquest and Destruction modes, but there is more: the new map has also been made for WARNO - SOUTHAG usage (in a variety of ways during the Army General campaigns). As such, Eiche as part of the free Reinforcement Pack #10 will be launched at the same time as our new expansion.
[img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/41657262/942bb9485a208fda55441f4d41d1e4bd2cad3157.jpg"]WARNO - SOUTHAG Expansion In Short WARNO - SOUTHAG is WARNO’s second expansion after WARNO - NORTHAG and showcases the fighting in southern West Germany near the Alps and on the Czechoslovakian frontier. [/p][p][/p][p]In the southern reaches of Germany, the Warsaw Pact with the Soviet Central Group of Forces, bolstered by the communist Czechoslovakians, battles against a counter-attacking NATO SOUTHAG command led by France, with American, West German, Canadian, and reinforcing Spanish troops. [/p]
We want to share with you the upcoming changes for Ranked mode and the next season.
End of Season 2
Season 2 of Ranked will end on Monday, July 7th, 2025. A reset will take place on the same day to mark the beginning of Season 3. For the end of this season, we want to implement a system to preserve the results of previous seasons, highlighting your achievements and showcasing each season’s standout performances. This system will be set up on our Discord server, where the Top 20 will be displayed, and we will do our best to include as many statistics as possible.
Season 3
For Season 3, we want you to vote for the maps that will be featured in the rotation. The poll will run for one week. You can find it at the link just below.
The seven most voted maps will be included in the season. An eighth map, Ohmen Duel, will be added to the rotation without being part of the vote. To remind you, Ohmen Duel is a new map specifically designed for 1v1 matches and features a mirrored layout. You can find more details in the DevBlog dedicated to this map : https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1611600/view/497193144876532432
What about the other game modes?
Our goal is to offer the best possible gaming experience to everyone, no matter your favorite game mode. We know that our community is diverse, including solo Army General players, multiplayer groups who only play 10v10 with friends, experienced ranked players, and many more. Rest assured, we are not forgetting anyone. We will also be addressing topics and updates that affect players who do not play in ranked mode.
What do you think about these upcoming changes to ranked play? Feel free to share your thoughts or ask any questions, we’ll do our best to answer them.
We have finished with our divisional previews of WARNO - SOUTHAG, but we turn - once again - to the Operations and Army General campaigns that will be featured in our upcoming new expansion.
In today’s DevBlog, we’ll look at the second of four Operations: Glory or Attrition.
WARNO - SOUTHAG’s Strategic Situation
Let’s briefly return to the WARNO’s battlefields of southern West Germany and Czechoslovakia. At the start of World War III in Europe, combat on this part of the frontier mostly consists of small-scale local battles, keeping a struggling NATO off-balance, but lacking any kind of vigor or determination on the part of the Warsaw Pact to make a lasting impact.
This proves to be the communists’ undoing, as the Soviet Central Group of Forces and the Czechoslovak People’s Army find themselves facing a rapidly reorganizing and reforming SOUTHAG command, with its reinforcing West German, American, Canadian, French, and Spanish troops.
While the battles in the north and in CENTAG’s area of command are putting NATO on the back foot, an over-extended flanking attack by the Central Group of Forces is squashed by a combined West German and American task force near Nuremberg.
Follow-up attacks by NATO intend to fix a wavering Warsaw Pact in place, while a more audacious strategic counter-attack is planned to strike through the Czechoslovakian flank, and take the fight to enemy territory. In order to do so, as many of the CSLAs 1. Armáda needs to be engaged as much as possible, some of them already beating a retreat; a task that falls on Canadian shoulders.
https://youtu.be/E1PmvDn5O0k?si=cmmRhr4DiX_09vms
Glory and Attrition
The communist forces are reeling on the southern front. The 1st Canadian Division receives the orders to continue the attack. They are to stop the retreat of the Czechoslovakian 19th Motorized Rifle Division. However, the arrival of the reinforcing elements of the 1st Tank Division throws a wrench into the planning. With more and more armor standing in the way, success in this NATO attacking Operation follows two strands of thought: battlefield domination or the total destruction of the enemy.
Highly mobile, the 1st Canadian Division brings Grizzly APCs, supported by swift Cougar fire support vehicles, medium Leopard C1 tanks, M113 ADATS which is able to engage heavy ground units as much as air targets with its unique missile system, and last but not least, an aerial support from CF-118, the Canadian designation of the F/A-18 Hornet.
In Glory or Attrition, you’ll be presented with several tactical choices. The first one could be seizing the high ground, with three elevated plateaus giving you positional superiority. Alternatively, you can dive deep into the attack, and bludgeon the Warsaw Pact into submission before they establish a new defensive foothold?
As the communists are rallying in the mission, and pouring in reinforcements, Glory of Attrition is going to be a showcase of a commander’s tactical ingenuity. Either destroy all the units, or gain control over a sufficient number of command sectors to win by points. This sounds easier said than done; in the end, the Czechoslovaks will fight for survival, with plenty of combined mechanized-armor units rolling up to the Canadian positions.
Let us know what you think of Glory and Attrition!
WARNO - SOUTHAG Expansion In Short
WARNO - SOUTHAG is WARNO’s second expansion after WARNO - NORTHAG and showcases the fighting in southern West Germany near the Alps and on the Czechoslovakian frontier.
In the southern reaches of Germany, the Warsaw Pact with the Soviet Central Group of Forces, bolstered by the communist Czechoslovakians, battles against a counter-attacking NATO SOUTHAG command led by France, with American, West German, Canadian, and reinforcing Spanish troops.
New Maps, Improvements, and Balancing: Preview of the Next Update
Hello Commanders,
Let’s take a closer look at the content coming in our next update, which is arriving very soon.
New Maps: RP#8 & RP#9
First, you’ll be able to enjoy two new maps that were previously showcased in earlier DevBlogs: Ohmen and Surrounded.
Ohmen will be available for 1v1 games. https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1611600/view/497193144876532432
Surrounded will be playable in 3v3 Conquest, Destruction, and also in 10v10. https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1611600/view/497193785816515090
Important Changes
Freeze/Blackscreen Issues: Our teams are still working to resolve this issue as quickly as possible. Thank you for your patience and understanding while we work on a solution.
We’ve made several improvements to the Armory, including unit display with veterancy levels, improved filters, and an updated visual design.
Units that have suffered a critical hit will now be usable again after repairs.
Balancing Changes
As previously announced, this update will also introduce some reworks and take the first steps towards balancing:
Rework of the Reservist trait and introduction of the new Militia trait. https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1611600/view/497193785816515131
IFVs: We’re making initial adjustments to autocannons and ATGM variants: Autocannons: Reduced effective range, decreased accuracy, and slightly lowered area-of-effect and suppression capability. ATGMs: Increased reload time between salvos. https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1611600/view/497195047298532967
AA Guns: We are introducing a minimum range for all anti-aircraft guns. https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1611600/view/704361359570109584
The changes mentioned above are a first step. We are implementing these adjustments to gather more data and player feedback. Depending on their impact, further changes may follow, this is not necessarily the final solution, but part of an ongoing process to improve the experience.
And of course, as always, there will be plenty of smaller tweaks and changes for you to discover in the Patch Log on release day!
Please note that last-minute adjustments may lead to minor changes.
What are your impressions of these upcoming changes? Please feel free to discuss or ask any questions, we will do our best to answer them.
We return with the last of the WARNO - SOUTHAG divisional previews. That doesn’t mean there isn’t more good stuff coming your way, but with today’s DevBlog, we close a chapter as we turn to the final Warsaw Pact division to be featured: the Soviet 17-ya Gvardeyskaya Tankovaya Diviziya or 17th Guards Tank Division.
Onwards!
Warsaw Pact’s Soviet 17-ya Gvardeyskaya Tankovaya Diviziya’s History
The star of today’s show is the 17-ya Gvardeyskaya Tankovaya Diviziya. The 17th Guards Tank Division was, despite its renowned “Guard” designation, a low-readiness mobilization division based in Ukraine. It was the sister formation to the previously released 157-ya Motostrelkovaya Diviziya (from Nemesis #3 - Home Front).
In our war scenario, upon mobilizing on the eve of World War III, the latter division stays in Crimea to guard the Warsaw Pact’s Black Sea flank, while the 17th Guards Tank Division musters and deploys rapidly to Czechoslovakia, picking up whatever reinforcements and detachments along the way to meet the NATO threat near the Iron Curtain.
One of the formation’s distinguishing features was the concentration of all the remaining T-64R of the late 1980s in its arsenal. This variant is an upgrade of the original production batch, retaining the early model’s 115mm tank gun, instead of the latter 125mm one. Together with this tank armada, the division also featured - in storage, not scrapped - a sizable contingent of venerable ISU-152K (of World War 2 fame) assault guns. In the division, they were used in a self-propelled gun role.
The 17th Guards Tank Division’s barracks at Krivoi Rog, in Ukraine, also accommodated about 500 T-10M heavy tanks in storage, to be used to equip future reserve divisions of the Soviet Army. In our case, all the locally available early mobilized elements would be regrouped into an extra tank regiment for the 17th Guards Tank Division, which was deployed immediately.
The T-10M is the ultimate tank in the IS series; it was renamed when the Iosef Stalin or “Father of the Nations” designation fell out of favor after Stalin’s death in 1953. This armor is the last in line of the Soviet heavy tanks, being displaced by the main battle tank concept and the T-62 and especially T-64, with equivalent armor but better mobility, sensors, and tank guns.
In WARNO, the 17th Guards Tank Division is rushed to nearby Czechoslovakia, much like a fire brigade. This means that anything and everything was used to bring the formation up to fighting strength while deploying for battle; this includes additional army-level attachments, which will be represented in some of the categories (like artillery).
Warsaw Pact’s 17-ya Gvardeyskaya Tankovaya Diviziya in WARNO - SOUTHAG
What can you expect from the 17-ya Gvardeyskaya Tankovaya Diviziya in WARNO - SOUTHAG? New units are both italic and bolded. All the following is subject to change.
LOG Average in terms of slots. The 17th Guards Tank Division is still an armored division, meaning a more limited logistical footprint, but has a reasonable number of options available. Including:
BELOZOR, STADION, BMP-1KR3 and MI-9 command units.
An FOB, GAZ-66 SNAB., KRAZ-255N SNAB., MT-LB SNAB. and MI-6A GRUZOVOI supply units.
INF Likewise, pretty average in terms of slots and prices.
As a low-readiness division, the 17th Guards Tank Division only had a small core of regular soldiers, to be supplemented by a majority of reservists.
Two cards of MOTOSTRELKI (BMP) and one of MOTOSTRELKI KOM. being deployable with either softskin transports, BMP-1, and BMP-1 (Fagot).
Three cards of REZERVISTI and two of REZERVISTI KOM., in URAL-4320 or REZ. BTR-152K.
SAPERI come in "vanilla", KOM. REZ. and REZ. LPO variants, one card each. They can deploy in softskin or for non-reservist squads access to BTR-70 as well.
Support comes in the form of KOMENDATURA in dedicated UAZ-769 and BTR-70. Furthermore, PULEMETCHIKI can deploy in regular and reservist variants, plus the SPG-9 recoilless rifle weapon team.
Since the division would be operating relatively close to the Soviet Union frontier (with Czechoslovakia), the formation would pick up and get support from Soviet border guards, being no less than full-on KGB!
The new KOM. POGRANVOISK KGB are 7-man command security units with AK-74. They come in GAZ-66B.
POGRANVOISKA KGB are 8-man security units with AK-74, one PKM, one Dragunov, and one RPG-22. They come in GAZ-66B, BTR-70, or BTR-70 AGS.
DSH. POGRANVOISKA KGB are 11-man security units with AK-74, two PKM, one RPO A, and RPG-22. Transport options are GAZ-66B, MI-8T or MI-8T [RKT].
All KGB troops come with Security and Military Police traits.
ART Pretty good category in terms of slots and prices.
As expected, the divisional organic artillery doesn’t contain the most modern of arsenals:
BM-43 82mm mortars ("43" standing for "1943") and the ubiquitous 2S12 120mm.
M-30 122mm howitzers, as well as REZ. ML-20 152mm, the latter with the Reservist trait.
BM-14M 140mm MLRS.
Note, aside from the 2S12, all the other units above are new to the Soviet Army, but have been featured in WARNO with East Germany or Poland.
The division manages to grab some heavy artillery on the way to the front, greatly bolstering its firepower.
The 2S7M MALKA, until now never presented in a Soviet Army division, only with the East German K.d.A. Bezirk Erfurt.
The new 2S4 TYULPAN, the self-propelled variant of the Soviet-made super-heavy 240mm mortar.
TANK A very good category (slots and their costs).
Plentiful T-64R, but lacking command variants (as they were never made). The division’s command tanks will be the slightly more modern T-64AK OBR.83 model with a 125mm gun.
Several cards of the T-10M and T-10MK command tank, both with the Reservist trait.
Two cards ISU-152K, performing both as a heavy assault gun and indirect artillery.
Although this type of Soviet tank division didn’t have any organic missile tank destroyer battalion or regiment, we have managed to attach some:
One card of the BRDM-2 FALANGA-P, from an independent army-level tank destroyer unit. These are roughly similar to their BRDM-2 MALYUTKA-P counterparts, but with only four ready missiles (against six), but of the more powerful Falanga type (20 AP against 17).
One card of the REZ. BRDM-2 MALYUTKA-P, which is new in a Reservist role but not a new unit, likewise commandeered from a reserve motorized rifle division nearby.
REC Average category. Located in Ukraine, the 17th Guards Tank Division wasn’t exactly meant to have a large contingent of troops to weed out enemies on the battlefield.
Foot recon includes the following units:
REZ. RAVEDKA in URAL-4320 and BTR-40.
MOT. RAVEDKA in GAZ-66, RAZV. BMP-1P, and Mi-2T, Mi-8T, Mi-8T [RKT] helicopters.
RAZVEDKA PV KGB in GAZ-66, RAZV. BMP-1P, Mi-2T, Mi-8T and Mi-8T [RKT]. They are 8-man scout squads with AK-74, PKM, and Dragunov, including the Military Police and GSR traits.
Vehicle recon, one card of each, includes:
BTR-40A and BRDM-2.
BRM-1K.
Plus one card of Mi-2 air recon.
AA An average category.
Units include REZ. STRELA-3 MANPAD teams and ZU-23-2 23mm gun.
The ZSU-23-4M1 SHILKA (same as the East German army).
BRDM-2 STRELA-1 and OSA-AKM SAM.
HEL Rather bad.
Only the MI-8MT [RKT1] and MI-8MT [RKT3] gunships.
AIR Pretty good.
Air cover for the division relies on the MIG-23ML and MIG-23MLA.
Plus strong close air support, in the form of an all-out Su-17M4 fleet, featuring several new payloads:
Su-17M4 [RKT]
Su-17M4 [CLU], with 2x R-60M missiles and 6x RBK-500 cluster bombs.
Su-17M4 [HE], with 2x R-60M missiles and 6x FAB-500 HE bombs.
Su-17M4 [AT].
Su-17M4 [HE/CLU], with 2x R-60M missiles and 2x RBK-500 cluster bombs and 4x FAB-500 HE ones. Although mixed payload configuration has a feature on several NATO planes, it was seldomly used by Warsaw Pact aircraft.
Su-17M4 [TRM], with 2x R-60M missiles and 6x ODAB-500PM thermobaric bombs.
The 17-ya Gvardeyskaya Tankovaya Diviziya is a mobilization division with access to an array of interesting assets - including some jokers up its sleeve -, featuring a number of original units and models. It lacks infantry, but makes up with plentiful tanks, strong artillery, and potent air support.
WARNO - SOUTHAG Expansion In Short
WARNO - SOUTHAG is WARNO’s second expansion after WARNO - NORTHAG and showcases the fighting in southern West Germany near the Alps and on the Czechoslovakian frontier.
In the southern reaches of Germany, the Warsaw Pact with the Soviet Central Group of Forces, bolstered by the communist Czechoslovakians, battles against a counter-attacking NATO SOUTHAG command led by France, with American, West German, Canadian, and reinforcing Spanish troops.
As part of our ongoing commitment to improving the WARNO experience, we are currently working on a rework of artillery mechanics. Our goal is to better balance its impact on the battlefield while offering more tactical options to all players.
Why this change?
A closer look at current gameplay reveals that artillery units are able to relocate almost instantly after firing, making them nearly impossible to counter with return fire unless the opposing player remains completely static. This leads to situations where players can focus exclusively on artillery without ever being threatened. Artillery is unique in WARNO, it is the only type of unit that has no real counter. Our core design philosophy is that every unit should have both advantages, disadvantages and, crucially, that every unit must be counterable by others. Artillery’s current lack of vulnerability breaks this fundamental rule, creating an imbalance that undermines tactical diversity.
Our Work
To address this, we are introducing a set-up time and a displacement time for artillery units. When an artillery piece stops, it will need to remain stationary for a short period before it can shoot. After firing, it will also require a set time to pack up before moving again. These timings will vary by artillery type:
Towed artillery
Self-propelled artillery
MLRS units
This system is designed to make counter-battery fire a viable response, without making artillery universally vulnerable. The aim is not to reduce the overall power of artillery, but to ensure there are effective counters and to encourage more diverse tactics on the battlefield.
Also, in the future, we also want to give players the ability to adjust the size of their artillery salvos. This will allow you to tailor your firepower to the situation, whether you need harassment, saturation, or precision strikes. Giving you more control and strategic options.
We are continuously exploring new ways to improve artillery gameplay. Our team remains attentive to community feedback and actively studies how artillery can be further balanced and made more interesting.
The Change
As numerous other gameplay topics, the key is always to find the right balance between realism and gameplay. While it's clear that, considering the scope of the game, artillery gameplay can never fully replicate real-world artillery operations, our goal is to emulate and represent them, without compromising the core gameplay experience and fluidity
This artillery rework is currently in development. We are fully committed to improving this crucial aspect of WARNO and will keep you updated on our progress. Your feedback will be essential to fine-tune these changes.
These changes will affect all divisions in the game.
What are your impressions of these upcoming changes? Please feel free to discuss or ask any questions, we will do our best to answer them.
