Genre: Real Time Strategy (RTS), Simulator, Strategy, Turn-based strategy (TBS), Tactical, Indie
Warno
Milestone GROUCHY Coming Soon!
Prepare oneself, commanders!
The latest milestone for WARNO, GROUCHY, has a release date! It will arrive next week, on Tuesday the 13th of February! With this major update, we are happy to introduce finally the new Army General mode! The new mode comes with one campaign - BRUDERKRIEG - plus four Army General tutorials.
GROUCHY brings much more, however: a new map, configurable map “ambiance”, tank rework, divisional updates, new vehicles and traits, VFX updates, and more.
Happy? Happy!
Let’s go and give you a preview!
Milestone’s historical namesake
You know the drill. Each and every WARNO milestone features a name given by a Napoleonic military commander. It is a bit of a Eugen tradition. If you are keen to read more about the actual milestone, you can safely skip this section. For all of you who are interested in some military history, keep on reading.
The son of a small but old noble family, Emmanuel de Grouchy started as an officer in the Royal Guard before embracing the French Revolution by 1789. He fought in almost all the major wars, becoming undoubtedly one of the best cavalry commanders of the Grand Armee. However, he is most famous for his role in Napoleon’s Battle of Waterloo (more on that, further below).
Napoleon regarded him with suspicion due to his opposition during the Brumaire Coup. However, Grouchy’s skills couldn’t be overlooked. After campaigning in Germany and Spain - where he was the governor of Madrid during the French occupation - he continued to see action in Italy and Russia. Here, he was present during the initial invasion, the hard-won victory at Borodino, and the painful retreat from Moscow.
Claim to Fame After the return and a personal fall-out with Napoleon, he returned with a bang in 1814, commanding the entire cavalry of the Grande Armée. Out of action after being wounded, he pledges allegiance to Louis XVIII, but when Napoleon returns, he is the first to support his old commander. Rallying troops, this loyalty will earn Grouchy his marshal's baton, the last ever being granted by the Emperor.
Grouchy’s claim to fame came during the Battle of Waterloo. While Napoleon and Ney were focused on Wellington’s multinational army, finally catching him at Waterloo, Grouchy was pursuing Blücher’s Prussians. He was under the impression the Prussian army was in disarray, but on the fateful day of the battle, Grouchy was - in fact - being lured away by a single decoy Prussian Corps. Grouchy wouldn’t budge from his marching order, even though the main battle could be heard erupting to the west. Learning of Napoleon’s defeat, he retreated without losing a man. After the war, he fled to the United States before returning to France, where he died in 1847, having recovered all his titles and ranks.
Now, Grouchy, in military history, is famous for being the reason why Napoleon lost at Waterloo. If only he had “marched to the sound of battle.” This dark legend continues to stick to Grouchy’s reputation still to this day. He is one of three marshals not to have a boulevard named after him in Paris (the other two were “traitors”), and Grouchy is derided for eating strawberries rather than joining the battle. A bygone word for “being late.”
Hence our decision to name this WARNO milestone after GROUCHY. No more than fitting with Army General’s hotly anticipated, much commented, eagerly awaited release!
Milestone GROUCHY features
So, what does the GROUCHY milestone bring on Tuesday 13th of February?
Army General’s four tutorials. These explain everything from movement to combat, action points, AA interception, reinforcements, what you must do to win, and more! Read more about the tutorials here.
The first Army General campaign, BRUDERKRIEG, playable as both NATO and WARSAW PACT only in single-player mode. Versus and cooperative online will be added later. This is an “extra” campaign on top of the four Army General campaigns originally envisioned to be featured in WARNO. We converted an initial prototype into a condensed campaign, with BRUDERKRIEG pitting the armies of a divided Germany against each other. Note that this campaign is shorter and more compact than the other campaigns, which are larger in scale (some are truly massive!). Still, BRUDERKRIEG should give you plenty of fun, Army General experience, and battle time! Read more about the campaign in this DevBlog here.
New vehicles and unit Traits: Electronic Warfare helicopters equipped with the Jammer trait can now be deployed in WARNO.
New configurable map ambiance. From now on, in the game creation lobby, players will choose which lightning setting they want to play the map on. You’ll get the option between night, morning, or afternoon. Note that in Army General, this ambiance setting will automatically match the in-game time depicted. This is just the first batch of ambiance options - more will follow!
Major SFX pass, including:
Tracer rounds for machine gun, flak, autocannon, etc. will have their correct NATO/Warsaw Pact specific colors.
More compression effects on explosions (read: shockwaves).
Reworked and optimized MLRS smoke trails.
Reworked and optimized airplanes and helicopter flares.
Until next week
GROUCHY is close to being released. This means that from this weekend onwards, our Strike Team and your favorite WARNO YouTuber will be able to stream and video preview the milestone’s content to their heart’s desire.
It’s good to be back. In the last couple of DevBlogs, we focused on the divisional housecleaning “sweeping” through WARNO. In today’s post, we’ll take a break and preview a brand-new map coming to our game: HESSE.
Don't worry: we have some very exciting things coming very soon (Eugen trademark). Keep reading for a sneak peek at the next milestone, GROUCHY, which will bring a hotly anticipated major new feature…
Onwards!
A new map coming to town
With the new HESSE map, we wanted to give a sense of urban complexity that surpassed our previous city-focused maps.
Getting more urban goodies and visual assets in place was chiefly made possible by some heavy-duty optimization efforts running in the background. Thanks to this, we achieved an even higher level of realism when it comes to WARNO’s cityscapes.
Beyond its basic design, HESSE introduces a new element: the map is divided by a railway track. This rather distinctive feature is elevated higher throughout the path it takes. We used the rails to create new tactical situations and influence how commanders need to approach the map. Making the best use of the new railway line will prove pivotal in seizing control of the battlefield.
Furthermore, the map features expansive areas with enhanced visibility. That means some great sectors for flanking maneuvers. But, if you want them to succeed, you need to consider the railway line and the advantages (but also risks) it offers.
We can’t wait to hear from the community. We are very much looking forward to seeing how combat will evolve on our latest map (crafted with care and consideration). Let us know what you think!
GROUCHY and Ranked Changes
One last thing before we are off. The next milestone for WARNO will be GROUCHY, and one element we’ll introduce is the Ranked reboot. We talked about this update a while back (in this DevBlog).
Essentially, it means that we’ll feature Ranked “seasons” when WARNO will launch out of Early Access. However, to make sure that the reboot will work, we are going to do a little “pre-season” reboot during the release of our GROUCHY milestone. And this milestone will also contain… drumroll maestro, please... WARNO’s very first Army General campaign.
This means that as soon GROUCHY lands on WARNO’s shores (bringing the first Army General campaign), we will reboot Ranked. Then, with the new system in place, on WARNO’s official launch out of Early Access, we’ll reboot it again and introduce seasonal Ranked play for real.
Until next week
That’s all for this week. Not too long now - promise!
We will continue our “divisional house cleaning” series with a new installment in today’s DevBlog. Each WARNO division will spend some time in the Eugen workshop updating its arsenal and unit roster. We want to ensure that each battlegroup is up to scratch, has a unique flavor, and - of course - is fun to play!
The first part you can read here, and part deux here. The Warsaw Pact will take center stage in today’s part three.
We’ll tackle the Soviet 39th Guards Motor Rifle Division, the tankmen of the 79th Guards Tank Division, the East German 4. Mot-Schützen-Division, plus some miscellaneous updates.
Let’s go!
39th Guards Motor Rifle Division
Let’s begin with the motorized riflemen of the Soviet Army. Like updates to other battlegroups, we found the time was right to add a bit more flavor to the 39th Guards Motor Rifle Division. A jack-of-all-trades, the battlegroup didn’t have any apparent weaknesses. For this particular Soviet division, we focused on its infantry, with strong helicopters, but streamlining its armor component. We wanted to remove the “substitute tank division” the formation had going for it.
What will we change?
One 1-point TANKL slot to be removed.
All T-62 tanks have been removed (see the previous DevBlog regarding the K.d.A changes).
One 1-point HELO slot added.
Mi-24P added.
One card of Mi-24V [AA] to be removed. Note that this helicopter is way too common in-game compared to its real-life presence.
One card of the (new) Mi-8MTPI electronic warfare helicopter added.
The 39th Guards will also see some changes to its infantry, specifically its IFV arsenal. The division wasn’t at the top of the replacement list for this type of vehicle. While it had some BMP-2, the first-generation BMP-1 remained the mainstay. We want to represent this better.
Another change, which sure will be more controversial (but which change isn’t, right?), is the removal of the BMP-3 from this division. It will be passed on to the 27th Guards. The reason? By 1989, roughly one battalion worth of the advanced BMP-3 had been delivered to the Soviet 8th Guards Army stationed in East Germany. But which division? We couldn’t pinpoint this in our research.
At first, the BMP-3 were housed in-game with the 39th Guards but, as we found out, the 27th Guards was earmarked to be the new “Division ‘90”, testing the more modern and latest equipment available to the Soviet Army. Hence, the transfer of the BMP-3 to this division allowing us to focus on the playstyle of each battlegroup.
The BMP-3 to be removed (transfered to the 27th Guards Motor Rifle Division).
MOTOSTRELKI (RPG-22) to be limited to the BMP-2.
All BMP infantry granted a truck as an alternative transport (on par with other divisions).
79th Guards Tank Division
Next up, the WARNO “old-timer” 79th Guards Tank Division. One of the main issues of this division was to distinguish it better from the 39th Guards, as historically (and in-game), a lot of units were shared. A Soviet Army tank division and motor rifle division had many commonalities, though they differed in the allocation of these units.
One thing we missed when designing the division, and we noticed only after researching the Army General Order of Battle, was that its (sole) infantry regiment - as well as its tank regiment’s organic infantry battalions - used BMP infantry fighting vehicles. None rode to battle on the wheeled BTR (except for its combat engineers).
Unlike the 39th Guards, the BMP-2 was featured more prominently. To give this division a bit of flavor, we changed it so that its infantry would be IFV-only (a bit like the U.S. 3rd Armored Division). This means lots of BMP-2, including some variants currently only found in the 27th Guards.
Changes to the division include:
BTR-80 to be removed.
BTR-60PB removed as a transport option for PULEMETCHIKI squads.
Two cards of MOTOSTRELKI (RPG-22) added as a replacement of the above units.
BMP-2D added.
BMP-2 RAZV. added as a transport option for MOT.RAZVEDKA squad.
All BMP infantry granted a truck as an alternative transport (on par with other divisions).
The 79th Guards Tank Division will see some more updates.
One 1-point LOG slot added.
One 3-point TANK slot changed into a 2-point slot.
One 1-point AIR slot changed into a 2-point slot.
BURATINO removed.
Mi-24V [AA] removed (featured too much, as explained above).
One card of the (new) KRAZ-225B heavy supply truck added.
The division was too limited in LOG, hence the addition of a 1-point slot and the new HEMTT-like heavy truck. And the Buratino’s removal? All the TOS-1 produced by 1989 could be counted on one hand. In our alternative timeline (and the Army General’s), they will be featured with the 21st Independent Flame Battalion. While the 79th Guards was in WARNO, we also released the tank-heavy 119th Independent Tank Regiment. The sole attached infantry to this division are the combat engineers from the 21st Independent Flame Battalion. Thus, to be consistent, the Buratino will move to the 119th Independent Tank Regiment.
4. Motorisierte Schützendivision
Onwards to the East German 4. Motorisierte Schützendivision, or 4. MSD. This motorized rifle division required some buffs, and in the same vein as the Soviets above, needed to be better distinguished from its armored counterpart, the 7. Panzerdivision.
The division's main boost will come from the Tank Rework (making older, “medium” tanks more efficient). All of its T-55 will perform better. But the 4.MSD is not a tank division. It has one category that is pretty well-equipped but tight on space: RECO. So, we focused on upgrading the East German recon.
The key changes are:
One 3-point LOG slot changed into a 2-point slot.
One 2-point ART slot removed.
One 2-point RECO slot added.
One 1-point TANK slot changed into a 2-point slot.
To set it apart further from the 7. Panzer another major change will affect its air support. We found out (a bit too late) that the East German Luftstreitkräfte’s Su-22M4 were all stationed in the north of East Germany (facing NORTHAG and Denmark). In the south, so in our CENTAG area of operations, the nation’s air forces were strike squadrons equipped with the MiG-23BN.
Now, the Su-22M4 is too widespread to be removed completely and retained only for NORTHAG, but we have made sure that the proper squadrons are featured in Army General. Since the BRUDERKRIEGArmy General campaign relies heavily on 4. MSD and MiG-23BN coordination, we changed (almost all) the Su-22M4 in this division. The new MiG-23BN - from the Army General - will play a much more prominent role!
The Su-22M4 [AT] will be replaced with the MiG-23BN [AT].
The Su-22M4 [HE] will be replaced with the MiG-23BN [HE].
The Su-22M4 [CLU] to be replaced by the MiG-23BN [CLU].
And the Su-22M4 [NPLM] by the MiG-23BN [NPLM].
The MiG-23bis [RKT] will be replaced by the MiG-23BN [RKT].
This means that the 7. Panzer will be the “Su-22M4” division, while the 4. MSD becomes the “MiG-23BN’s” domain. The one variant that will remain with the 4. MSD is the Su-22M4K. There was no dedicated East German SEAD version of the MiG-23BN (and we didn’t want to deprive the division of its SEAD capacity).
Miscallenous
We also have a bunch of assorted changes coming. One addition to an already addressed division (the 35th Guards Air Assault Brigade) is the Soviet Mi-24D DESANT. This is an older variant of the Hind gunship.
We decided to add it as a transport option for the RAZVEDKA (DSh) squads in the air assault division. The Mi-24 could carry up to 8 soldiers at the expense of most of its weapon loadout. Therefore, the Mi-24D DESANT. will be armed with its YaK-B nose gun and two 16-shot 57mm rocket pods. The helicopter’s armor, speed, and resilience will be a trade-off compared to the alternative Mi-8’s transport, which featured much heavier weaponry.
Furthermore, as we feature the new Mi-8MTPI electronic warfare helicopter to the 39th Guards, NATO we’ll also get the EH-60A QUICK FIX II to be added to the U.S. 3rd Armored Division.
Until next week
That’s all for this week’s divisional housecleaning. We can’t wait to hear what you think. Play it calm, cool, collected commander.
We hope you are well. As you might be aware, the latest WARNO milestone - KELLERMANN - has just been released. It brings not only new maps but also the map editor (in early Alpha state) and a host of unit and balance changes.
And there is more to come. In today’s post, we’ll look at some additional divisional housekeeping plus historical background on the long-gestated Tank Rework.
Let’s go!
Divisional Housekeeping Continued
As you know, we are doing some WARNo divisional house cleaning and updating our unit roster across the board. You can read the first details in the previous post here. Some of these changes have already found their way into the last milestone, but more is to come.
Today we’ll look at upcoming updates to the US 82nd airborne (currently still in its old “shape” but soon to be graced by a new look… and two new units), the US 3rd Armored, and the East German Kampfgruppe der Arbeiterklasse Bezirk Erfurt or KdA.
For you eager beavers out there, please keep in mind that each division will be addressed. So, if XX divisions has been updated, and its counterpart YY on the other side hasn’t, rest assured (and with a bit of patience)... it will.
82nd Airborne Division
As we talked about, airborne divisions are getting streamlined, losing their Forward Operating Base, as well as heavy armor plus other attached units. We aim to get them closer to their original TO&E. While the Soviet VDV of the 35th Air Assault Brigade already got the “treatment,” soon it will be the American 82nd Airborne’s turn. The paratroopers will lose access to the 194th Armored Brigade’s units, plus some other changes. What can you expect? (Keep reading to find the previously teased new American unit!)
Units to be removed:
M577
M1IP
M125 MORTAR
M3A1 BRADLEY CFV
FOB, as with all airborne divisions
There are some additional changes:
One 3-point TANK slot will be removed. In turn, a 2-point RECON slot will be added.
Two new units will be introduced:
M551 ACAV (aka M551 Two Boxes). This variant is used in a recon role and is a SHERIDAN tank lacking the Shillelagh missiles. It carries more 152mm shells and MG ammo.
M1047. Under this obscure US Army designation hides the… USMC LAV-25. As the Army was looking for a replacement for its aging Sheridan tank, it borrowed 14 vehicles from the Marines for testing. These were assigned to the 82nd Airborne in the late 80s, which in real life brought them during Operation Desert Storm in Iraq. The M1047 is a fast-wheeled recon vehicle, armed with the same 25mm chain gun as the Bradley IFV, but lacking a TOW launcher.
3rd Armored Division
The American tankmen of the 3rd Armored Division will see some changes to their firepower. In this case, we found the division too strong in the “wrong” areas. For the 3rd Armored, it wasn’t the tanks, but rather the air power, with its lethal combo of planes and helicopters making it a bit too powerful on the battlefield. That’s why we refocused this division with the following changes.
One 3-point TANK slot has been changed to a 2-point slot.
One 3-point ART slot has been changed to a 2-point slot.
One 1-point HELO slot has been removed.
MECH. RIFLES has been removed. The few present depicted rare HQ service troops, but were relied on a bit too much as frontline combat troops in-game. That’s why we removed them, with the division focusing once again on smaller fireteam half-squads in Bradleys.
M270 (HE) MRLS removed.
A-10 removed (all of them).
Please note that the 3rd Armored Division will benefit from the Tank Rework (read more about it further below), which will offset some of the above changes.
Kampfgruppe der Arbeiterklasse Bezirk Erfurt
Last up, the “worker soldiers” of the East German K.d.A.. Unlike the rework affecting the two airborne divisions, the K.d.A.’s turn in the workshop wasn’t because the division was too powerful. Instead, it lacked a specific flavor, overlapping (and being overshadowed) by the very similar Warsaw Pact’s Berliner Gruppierung. That’s why we went to work and gave it some much-needed depth.
The new K.d.A should better reflect the ad-hoc second-line reservist battlegroup, hastily cobbled together to protect heavy SAM and artillery sites in the Warsaw Pact’s rear. To make this a reality in WARNO, we added quite a few new models (destined for our Army General campaign but unused for multiplayer so far).
Tank changes
T-55AK replaced with (new) T-54BK.
Two cards of T-55A replaced by one of the (new) T-54B.
One card of KPz. PT-76 removed.
One card of T-62MK added.
One card of T-62MV added.
One 3-point TANK slot changed into a 2-point one.
The idea behind these armor changes is that the division has a wide choice of tanks, but no card can be taken twice. You’ll be forced to use several tank types. Note that the Tank Rework will also have an effect in this case (more about that below).
As for the T-62; these older generation tanks will all end up in this division and this formation only. That’s why they will be removed from other divisions, such as the Soviet 39th Guards. Most Soviet tanks or motorized rifle divisions in East Germany kept a handful of T-62 on duty after transitioning to the T-80. But these were kept in the barracks for training purposes only, not intended to be used in wartime. However, in the case of an enemy breakthrough or an airborne drop deep in the rear, these worn-out “school” tanks would be called upon to fight.
Infantry
All SPETSNAZ removed.
All VOPOS removed.
One card of (new) RESERVISTEN (s.MG) added.
One card of (new) ZAGRADOTRYAD added. These are heavy Soviet “combat” military police, mirroring the squads from the US 24th Infantry Division. The name stands for “blocking troops,” those infamous units tasked with keeping soldiers on the frontline… by any means necessary.
Two cards of SICHERUNGS added (now equipped with AT weapons).
Miscellaneous
Two cards of (new) K.d.A. AUFKLÄRER added.
One 3-point RECO slot removed.
One card of ZU-23-2 AA was replaced with one (new) ZPU-4 quad heavy machine guns.
One card of (new) GR.WFR. M43 82mm mortar added.
Both cards of RM-70 replaced by the (new) BM-24 240mm MLRS.
Once again, our intention with the refreshed K.d.A is to emphasize the “reserve” flavor of the division. We are giving it a motley assortment of everything, but with some limitations on the numbers that can be deployed.
Tank Rework, Part Deux
You might remember, but we have been reworking how tanks operate in WARNO with our Tank Rework. We are back to give you more details.
So, all the upcoming changes related to tanks have been researched, vetted, and organized for quite some time now. All of it is meant to give WARNO’s armor, range, accuracy, and other values the same set of real-life-inspired hard data as its core foundation.
The Tank Rework will pivot on the following research and will give older generation “medium” tanks, such as the T-55, M48, etc., a boost. While they will be nowhere near modern main battle tanks in terms of performance, they at least can distinguish themselves better from armored cars and IFVs below them. In turn, some of our “heavy” tanks (Leopard 2, Challenger) were a bit overestimated and will be brought down a peg to more reasonable values.
What does this mean?
ARMOR The armor scale Eugen uses for its tanks in WARNO has its basis in real-life considerations:
Armor 1: resistant against small arms.
Armor 2: resistant against 12.7mm ammo.
Armor 3: resistant against 14.5mm ammo.
Armor 4: resistant against 20/23/25mm ammo.
Armor 5: resistant against 30mm ammo.
After this, we abstract a bit, but the general idea is to boil down an Armor number to tank protection levels against HEAT, KE, and their historical counterparts. We created a massive collection of documents to guide how and when vehicles get their Armor levels.
Explosive Reactive Armor (ERA) throws a wrench into the process. While it dramatically improves HEAT protection, it does almost next to nothing against Kinetic Energy (KE) munitions. Previously, tanks with ERA would receive a blanket +2 Armor. We didn’t think this was very accurate. That’s why we use the new ERAUnit Trait.
One major element of the Tank Rework is making the average Warsaw Pact and NATO tank feel more relevant. For instance, we are talking about the Leopard 1, the AMX-30, the early Patton, or the T-55 or T-62. As these first and second generations of tanks will form the core of many a nation’s armed forces (including future ones), it is paramount that the gameplay with these “medium” tanks feels good and useful as the lowest common denominator.
GUN RANGE Shooting shells over large distances involves not only a tank gun and the ammunition used. We are also talking about the effects of fire control systems, optics, rangefinders, reference sensors, etc. All these augment accuracy, especially on the move, but also how far a tank can fire.
We settled on a Gun Effective Range, which is the range a tank can engage a target with all the types of ammo available - and expect a good effect. In real life, this lies around the 2km mark, give or take. This is why we chose 1925m as the baseline Gun Effective Range.
This range can be modified by two elements: laser rangefinders, allowing for quick, accurate range measurement, and automatic fire control computers. These two technologies came to fruition in the Cold War, resulting in more advanced sensor input to improve tank accuracy.
The above, in WARNO’s case, directly impacts the range of a tank gun.
Baseline tank range is 1925 m.
Having a Laser Rangefinder allows for a 2100 m range.
Having an Automatic Fire Control Computer allows for a 2275 m range.
ACCURACY Already touched upon, but there was a host of other tech and equipment that could influence the accuracy of a tank gun. The following influences the general accuracy found on a WARNO’s tank:
Coincidence Rangefinder.
Stereoscopic Rangefinder.
Meteosensor.
Fire Gating.
Manual Entry Ballistic Calculator.
Muzzle Reference Sensor/ Thermal Cowling.
Of course, accuracy decreases while on the move. Only with the advent of stabilizers did accuracy while moving increase sufficiently so that targets could be hit while traversing cross-country. Cold War tech can be divided into four different groups:
No stabilizer - can not fire on the move.
Single-axis stabilizer - 40% less than static accuracy.
Twin-axis stabilizer - 20% less than static accuracy.
Twin-axis stabilizer with stabilized sights - 10% less than static accuracy.
Tank Rework Expectations
The above details should give you an insight into how we proceed with giving each tank in WARNO is place within the hierarchy. We don’t assign random numbers. Instead, we do our due diligence, backed up by mountains of research, to find the real-life equivalent in terms of accuracy, tank gun ranges, armor, and more.
The upcoming Tank Rework will see some profound changes, but you have to wait a little bit longer until we can give you solid gameplay details!
Milestone KELLERMANN out now
WARNO’s latest update is out. In case you have missed the news, or are wondering about all the good stuff that has arrived in our game, look below!
As teased in last week’s DevBlog, the first milestone of 2024 is available now for WARNO! Make ready for KELLERMANN, bringing a wallop of new features and updates, including new maps, divisional rebalancing, and - of course - the new (and very alpha) map editor!
Let’s dig in!
Milestone KELLERMANN historical namesake
You know the drill. Eugen’s tradition is to name all the milestones after famous Napoleonic military commanders. KELLERMANN is no exception. For you busy bees with little interest or time, please skip ahead to the next section. For all the others: let’s go, military history!
François-Etienne-Christophe de Kellermann was an old-guard military commander who served under Louis XVI. He was the only established general from the preceding regime to be made a marshal by Napoleon, mainly to recognize his expert military prowess during the Revolutionary Wars. His claim to fame came from his successful command during the Battle of Valmy in 1792. Kellermann saw service in reserve armies during the Napoleonic Wars, organizing and training troops. In fact, the far more interesting character is his son, the “marshal-that-never-was.”
The son, François-Etienne de Kellermann, was among the major figures in the Napoleonic French cavalry, perhaps the most able of them all. He saved the day at Marengo in 1800, one of Napoleon's rare blunders, with a perfectly timed cavalry counter-attack, allowing the battle to be “lost in the morning, won in the evening”. Controversy began when Napoleon bestowed the honor of winning this battle on the infantry commander (who died in combat). A peeved Kellermann wrote about this in private letters, which were duly intercepted and later shown to Napoleon. Historians attribute this faux pas to Kellermann “the Younger” never receiving the marshal’s baton.
However, the Kellermann son continued to serve with distinction in most of the major battles that came to characterize the Napoleonic Wars, including Austerlitz and Vimerio, during the Spanish campaign and at the very end of Napoleon’s reign at Waterloo. Kellermann’s final “charge” saw him in the lead of Ney’s cavalry attacks against the British squares, where after repeated, unsuccessful attempts to break the lines, he was wounded. After the war, Kellermann’s reputation as an exceptional commander was further tarnished by his looting prowess, widely known, with even Napoleon reproaching him for his thieving habits during the First Empire.
Added a new variant for maps: ROCKS, now on 10vs10 Conquest & Destruction mode
Features
It is now possible to load all infantry in nearby available vehicles, with a right click during a multi-selection
Overhaul of official premade and autofill decks to better represent each division
New unit trait: false flag
Operations
Götterdämmerung: Fixed a bug that was making the destroyed vehicles used for FX count in the final calculation of the player score.
Backhand Blow: Fixed a bug in which destroyed units used for FX were counted in the final calculation of the player score.
The Kitzingen Ruse: Fixed a bug in which destroyed units used for FX were counted in the final calculation of the score.
Hold Until Relieved: Fixed a bug in which destroyed units used for FX were counted in the final calculation of the score.
Fixing the 7e Blindée's coat-of-arms in "The Dieburg Salient" operation
Code fixes
Fixed the display of Stats in the armory
Fixed the shadow of certain units, like the M60 for example
Fixed skins that were sometimes those of another nation, in low graphics
Fixed crash that happened at launch for some players
Fixed automatic placement of FOBs by the AI, which was sometimes on the road
Data fixes
Fix Green Archer being able to deploy forward as para
Renaming AVENGER's missile from "Stinger RMP" to "Stinger POST"
Renamed R-37 missile into R-33S
Renamed MiG-31M into MiG-31B
Fixed MISTRAL PARAS (para veterancy + avail on par with other MISTRAL)
Fixed DDR drivers modeled as Soviet ones
New veterancy system
all "reservist" troops are locked at vet0 + get "negative XP"
all "line" troops start at vet0 but can be vetted
all elite (paratroopers, ...) troops start at vet1 but can be vetted
vet3 can only be achieved by special forces
Howitzer rate of fire adjusted to new XP (aim time / reload time)
Mortars' rate of fire adjusted to new XP (Aim time / reload time)
Specific XP values for artillery
Specific XP values for aircraft
All DDR units lose their free vet, which was now a duplicate since we introduced the "Resolute" trait for them
Generic
Mistral aircraft range reduced to 2475
Strella 2M aircraft range reduced to 2125
Adjusting aircraft recharging times at the airport
Air rocket HE splash reduced by 2
Air rocket suppress splash reduced by 2
Air rocket max dispersion raised by 2
Cluster bomb damage slightly increased
Reduced range accuracy gains.
HMG and MMG accuracy increased
MMG mounted or on tripods suppress increased
MMG mounted or on tripods accuracy raised
SAM accuracy varies accordingly to the distance to the target
HE radius of all GROUND to AIR / AIR to AIR missiles => +10%.
Suppress radius of all GROUND to AIR / AIR to AIR missiles => +35%.
Non radar anti-air missiles aiming time raised to 2,5 sec
STINGER, JAVELIN, IGLA aircraft range reduced to 2300
Unlocked all supply helicopter's veterancy from vet0 to vet2
NATO
Standardized all M40A1 RCL teams & jeeps' price at 50 + base availability at 6
Decreased (all) GREEN ARCHER's price from 40 to 25 + availability set to 4
Decreased (all) RASIT's price from 40 to 25 + availability set to 4
Decreased (all) SCORPION's price from 40 to 35 + availability set to 5
Decreased (all) SCIMITAR's price from 55 to 50 + availability set to 5
Decreased (all) ALOUETTE's price from 45 to 30 + base availability from 6 to 4
Decreased (all unarmed recon) GAZELLE's price from 50 to 35 + base availability from 6 to 4
Standardized (all non-para) MILAN 2 jeeps' price to 50 + base availability to 6
Standardized (all para) MILAN 2 jeeps' price to 55 + base availability to 4
Decreased (all) STRIKER's price from 80 to 55 + base availability set to 6, the number of cards increased to 2 where there was only one
Increased (all) M110's veterancy from vet0 to vet1
Decreased (all) UH-60A CO's base veterancy from vet2 to vet1
Opened (all) UH-60A SUPPLY's veterancy from vet0 to vet2
Decreased both Roland 2 missiles' reload speed from 16 to 10
Decreased both Roland 3 missiles' reload speed from 20 to 10
Decreased Roland 2 missile's anti-plane range from 4075m to 3525m + (all) ROLAND 2's price from 110 to 100
ROVER MILAN's stealth set back to good
WOMBAT teams & jeep' price set at 45 + base availability at 6
Decreased SPARTAN MCT's MILAN loadout from 12 to 6 missiles total
Decreased SCOUTS (LAW-80)'s price from 55 to 50
Decreased TERRIERS SCOUTS' price set to 20 + base availability set to 7
Increased AIRMOBILE SCOUTS's price from 45 to 50
Increased AIRMOBILE GUN GROUP's price from 40 to 45
Increased SAS PATROL's price from 65 to 70
Decreased FERRET MK.2's price from 20 to 15 + base availability from 9 to 4
Decreased FV438 SWINGFIRE's price from 90 to 55 + base availability set to 6, the number of cards increased to 2 where there was only one
Increased FV103 SPARTAN ZB-298's base availability from 3 to 4 + price decreased from 35 to 25
Increased CHIEFTAIN MK10 & M11's price from 175 to 190 (and CVs accordingly)
Decreased TERRIERS PARAS' base availability from 8 to 7
Decreased JAVELIN's base availability from 12 to 9
Increased AH.1 GAZELLE [RKT]'s base availability from 3 to 6
Increased VAB MILAN's price from 25 to 30
Increased VAB MEPHISTO's base availability from 3 to 5
Decreased AML-60 GENDARMERIE's price from 50 to 35 + base availability from 6 to 3
Decreased AML-60-12's price from 50 to 35 + base availability from 6 to 3
Increased AML-90 LYNX's price from 65 to 70
Decreased AMX-10 VOA's price from 30 to 15 + base availability set to 5
Decreased VBL RECO's price from 45 to 30
Decreased (recon) GAZELLE CANON's price from 70 to 55 + base availability from 4 to 3
Decreased (French) ECLAIREURS's price from 55 to 40 + base availability from 9 to 6
Increased ERC-90 SAGAIE's price from 65 to 70
Decreased VLRA MILAN 2's price from 70 to 55 + base availability from 6 to 4
Decreased VAB MEPHISTO's price from 100 to 70 + base availability from 9 to 3
Decreased AMX-10 HOT's price from 95 to 70 + base availability set to 5
Decreased COMMANDO's base availability from 6 to 4
Increased GREN.-VOLT. (APILAS)' base availability from 6 to 7
Decreased AEROMOBILES' base availability from 9 to 8
Increased LEGIONNAIRES-PARAS' base availability from 4 to 5
Decreased MIRAGE IV [SEAD]'s price from 270 to 260
Decreased MIRAGE IV [HE]'s price from 265 to 260
Increased JAGUAR [HE]'s price from 245 to 255
Increased JAGUAR [CLUS]'s price from 245 to 255
Increased JAGUAR [NPLM]'s price from 245 to 255
Increased (all, including CV & N.G.) M1 & M1IP ABRAMS' price by +5
Decreased M1A1(HA) ABRAMS' price from 320 to 305 (and CV accordingly)
Decreased M1025 HUMWEE TOW-2's price from 90 to 70 + base availability set to 5
Decreased AB M1025 HUMWEE TOW-2's price from 95 to 75 + base availability set to 5
Decreased AB M167 20mm's base availability from 8 to 5 + number of cards increased from 1 to 2
Decreased AB AVENGER's base availability from 8 to 4 + number of cards increased from 1 to 2 + price decreased from 130 to 100
Decreased N.G. M151A2 I-TOW's price to 40 + base availability to 7
Decreased N.G. FIRE TEAM (LAW)'s base availability from 12 to 9
Decreased N.G. FIRE TEAM (DRAGON)'s price from 35 to 30 + base availability from 12 to 9
Decreased N.G. SCOUTS' base availability from 9 to 7
Increased M113 ACAV's price from 45 to 60
Decreased DISMOUNTED TROOPERS' price from 50 to 45
Increased MP PATROL's price from 15 to 20 + base availability from 12 to 9
Increased MP PATROL (M67)'s price from 40 to 55
Increased AB MP PATROL's price from 20 to 25 + base availability from 12 to 9
Increased AB MP PATROL (M67)'s price from 45 to 60
Decreased (American) SCOUTS' price from 30 to 25 + base availability from 9 to 6
Decreased LRS' price from 80 to 70
Decreased PSSE-B's price from 65 to 60
Increased RANGERS' price from 50 to 60 + base veterancy from vet2 to vet1
Decreased M150's price from 45 to 40 + base availability from 6 to 4
Decreased M3A1 BRADLEY CFV's price from 120 to 110 + base availability from 6 to 4
Decreased M3A2 BRADLEY CFV's price from 135 to 120 + base availability from 4 to 3
Decreased M901 ITV's price from 80 to 60
Decreased M901A3 ITV's price from 95 to 70 + base availability set to 5
Increased M981 FISTV's base availability set to 5 + price set to 15
Increased I-HAWK's price from 100 to 110
Decreased M1A1 ACAV's price from 290 to 270
Decreased OH-58C SCOUT's price from 70 to 45 + base availability set to 3
Decreased OH-58D KIOWA's price from 85 to 55
Decreased OH-58D KIOWA WARRIOR's price from 130 to 120
Decreased AH-64A APACHE [AT]'s price from 275 to 240
Increased AH-64A APACHE [RKT]'s price from 175 to 200
Increased CH-47C CHINOOK's price from 50 to 60
Increased F-4E PHANTOM [NPLM]'s price from 165 to 175
Decreased F-15C [AA2]'s price from 285 to 270
Changed F-111F [LGB]'s base availability from 2 to 1 + number of cards increased from 1 to 2
Decreased F-4G WILD WEASEl's base availability from 4 to 2 + number of cards increased from 1 to 2
Decreased (Belgian) ECLAIREURS's base availability from 9 to 6
Decreased Fs-JÄGER-AUFKLÄRER's price from 60 to 50 + base availability from 6 to 5
Increased Fs.-JÄGER B1's base availability from 4 to 5
Decreased FERNSPÄHER's base availability from 6 to 5
Increased HEIMATSCHUTZEN's price from 35 to 40
Decreased BGS' price from 40 to 35 + base availability set to 7
Decreased SONDERWAGEN 4 AUFKL.'s price from 30 to 15 + base availability from 6 to 3
Decreased LUCHS's price from 60 to 55
Decreased BO-105M VBH's price from 50 to 35 + base availability from 6 to 4
Decreased LEOPARD 1A5's price from 95 to 90 + base availability from 9 to 8
Decreased LEOPARD 2A4's price from 315 to 300
Decreased JAGUAR 1's price from 85 to 60 + base availability set to 6, the number of cards increased to 2 where there was only one
Decreased JAGUAR 2's price from 90 to 70 + base availability set to 5, the number of cards increased to 2 where there was only one
Increased ILTIS MILAN's base availability from 6 to 7
Decreased KANJPZ's price from 50 to 45
1AD
Replaced one card of BEDFORD supply truck with one of the (new) STOLLY amphibious trucks
Berlin
Add one extra card of M1025 HUMWEE TOW-2
11eDP
Increased VLRA MILAN 2's number of cards from 1 to 2
Increased MISTRAL's number of cards from 1 to 2
Removed the card of non-para ANF-1 HMG
5eDB
Add one extra card of VAB MEPHISTO
Removed one useless 3-pt AA slot
Removed one useless 3-pt ART slot
Added one 3-pt HELO slot
Added one 2-pt INF slot
Changed one 3-pt TANK slot into a 2-pt one
Added one card of GAZELLE CANON
Added one card of PUMA PC
8ID
Removed all German units from the battlegroup
Removed OH-58C C/S from the battlegroup
Removed OH-58D KIOWA from the battlegroup
Decreased OH-58C SCOUT's number of cards from 2 to 1
Adding one card of (new) M163 CS
82AB
Add one extra card of AB M1025 HUMWEE TOW-2
Decreased AB M1025 TOW's number of cards from 3 to 2
TKS
Changed one 3-pt AIR slot into a 2-pt one
Added 1x card of VLRA MILAN
Added 1x card of VLRA 20mm
Added P-4 jeep as a transport option to MILAN 2
Decreased both VLRA variants' number of cards from 2 to 1
WARSAW PACT
Standardized all SPG-9 RCL teams & jeeps' price at 50 + base availability at 6
Standardized all para SPG-9 RCL teams & jeeps' price at 55 + base availability at 6
Decreased (all) BRM-1's price from 70 to 60
Decreased (all) BRDM-2's price from 40 to 30 + base availability from 9 to 6
Decreased (all unarmed recon) Mi-2's price from 45 to 35 + base availability from 6 to 4
Standardized (all) MiG-23MF's ECM at 20%
Standardized (all para) KONKURS jeeps' price to 55 + base availability to 6
Standardized (all non-para) FAGOT jeeps' price to 40 + availability set to 7
Increased (all IFV) BMP-2, BMP-2D & BMP-2AG's price by +5
Decreased (all) MT-12 RAPIRA's price from 100 to 85
Decreased (all) BRDM-2 KONKURS' price from 70 to 55 + availability set to 6, the number of cards increased to 2 where there was only one
Increased GUV Gatling's range from 1200m (ground) / 1050m (air) to 1400m / 1225m
Decreased UAZ FAGOT's base availability from 12 to 7
Added 2S9 NONA-S an HE direct fire ability
Increased BMP-3's price from 85 to 90
Increased BMD-1P's price from 30 to 40
Increased BMD-2's price from 40 to 50
Decreased T-62M1's price from 115 to 110 (and CV accordingly)
Decreased T-62M's price from 145 to 140
Decreased T-62MV's price from 145 to 140
Decreased T-64B's base availability from 6 to 5
Increased T-64BV's price from 245 to 250 (and CV accordingly)
Decreased T-80B's base availability from 6 to 5
Increased T-80BV's price from 250 to 255 (and CV accordingly)
Increased T-80BV IZD. 29's price from 255 to 260
Decreased T-80U's price from 320 to 310
Decreased T-80UD's price from 350 to 340
Decreased BRDM-2 KONKURS-M's price from 90 to 65 + availability set to 5, the number of cards increased from 1 to 2
Decreased DESANTNIKI (BMD)'s base availability from 9 to 8
Decreased DESANTNIKI (DSh)'s base availability from 9 to 7
Decreased RAZVEDKA's price from 50 to 40 + base availability from 9 to 6
Decreased RAZVEDKA SAPERI's base availability from 8 to 6
Decreased DESANT. RAZVEDKA's price from 55 to 45 + base availability from 9 to 6
Decreased MOTOSTRELKI (RPG-22)'s base availability from 9 to 8
Decreased MOTOSTRELKI (RPG-27)'s base availability from 9 to 8
Decreased 1V119 REOSTAT's price from 40 to 25 + base availability from 6 to 4
Decreased MT-LB SHTURM's price from 80 to 65 + availability set to 5
Decreased TOR's price from 110 to 135
Increased MT-LB STRELA-10M3's price from 100 to 110
Decreased Ka-50 AKULA [AT]'s price from 280 to 260
Increased Mi-8MTV's price from 115 to 130
Changed MI-8MT (UPK)'s rocket from S-5 (57mm) to S-8 (80mm) to match the model & number of rocket pods
Decreased Mi-8R's price from 70 to 50 + base availability from 6 to 3
Decreased Mi-24K's price from 180 to 155 + base availability from 2 to 1 but the number of cards increased from 1 to 2
Decreased Mi-26 GRUZOVOI's base availability from 2 to 1, the number of cards increased from 1 to 2
Decreased T-8M's price from 275 to 245
Decreased Su-17M4 [RKT]'s base availability from 3 to 2
Increased MiG-27K [SEAD]'s price from 230 to 240
Changed MiG-27K [LGB]'s base availability from 2 to 1 + number of cards increased from 1 to 2
Decreased Su-27S [AA]'s price from 270 to 260
Increased Su-22M4 [RKT]'s price from 135 to 155
Decreased Su-22M4 [RKT]'s base availability from 3 to 2
Decreased Su-22M4 [UPK]'s base availability from 3 to 2
Decreased MiG-23ML [AA]'s price from 180 to 165
Decreased AUFKLÄRER's price from 50 to 40 + base availability from 9 to 6
Decreased MOT. GRENZER's price from 25 to 20 + base availability from 12 to 7
Decreased GRENZER's base availability from 9 to 7
Decreased SPz BMP-1 SP2's price from 35 to 30
Decreased AUFKPZ. PT-76B's base availability from 6 to 5 + price increased from 30 to 35
Decreased KPz T-34/85's HP from 10 to 8 + price from 35 to 30
Decreased KPz T-55AM2's price from 105 to 100 (and CV accordingly)
Decreased KPz T-72M's price from 165 to 160 (and CV accordingly)
Decreased KPz T-72M1's price from 190 to 175 (and CV accordingly)
Standardized D-44 85mm's price to 50 (55 for the FD variant) + base availability to 9
Decreased SPW-40P2 MALYUTKA's price from 40 to 20 + availability set to 7
35DShB
Removed FOB from battlegroup
Removed all T-64B from battlegroup
Removed BRM-1 from battlegroup
Removed MOT. RAZVEDKA & RAZV. BMP-1 from battlegroup
Removed one 2-pt TANK slot
Added GAZ-66 SNAB. to battlegroup
Added (new!) NONA-K 120mm dual-purpose mortar to battlegroup
Turned one 3-pt ART slot into a 2-pt one
Turned one 3-pt HELO slot into a 2-pt one
4MSD
Changed RECO tab from 1/2/3/3 to 1/1/2/2/3/3
Changed ART tab from 1/1/1/2/3/3 to 1/1/2/2/3/3
Removed BM-30 SMERSH from this battlegroup
Added one card of M-46 130mm to this battlegroup
KdA
Removed PANZERJÄGER & MOT.-SCHÜTZEN (S.MG) from the division
Added 2x cards of RESERVISTEN
Restricted RESERVISTEN's transport options to soft skin truck & SPW-152
Added 1x card of new RESERVISTEN-FÜH.
WARNING
Due to the many (many) changes brought with this version, previous replays are being invalidated. To play those replays from previous versions, use the Steam compat_save_older_than_110364 branch.
Happy New Year, Map Editor Incoming!
Happy New Year, commanders!
We are back in action, and boy, do we have some exciting stuff to share with you.
Hitting the WARNO shores in the very near future (meaning between now and next week) is the very first super alpha version of our game’s map editor!
So, what can you expect?
Maps, maps, maps
WARNO’s map editor has been in the works for quite some time. Creating and releasing a map editor has not been an easy-peasy undertaking: Eugen’s proprietary engine for WARNO is a powerful beast, and optimizing the software (and letting it be used by the modders and community) took some hard crunching and plenty of development time.
But now, after laying the foundation and much tinkering, we are ready to share our first work-in-progress version with the community! The map editor will be part of the next milestone.
Now, please take note: this first version of the map editor is very much in alpha state. This means a list of considerations and limited features, bugs, and technical issues. Some key features will be missing. We will update the map editor along the way, adding, improving, and refining features.
Map Editor expectations
Our intention with map editor users is to get familiar with the tool and experiment with existing maps. What will you be able to do?
Open existing maps.
Move, delete, or add 3D elements. This means not only from the map itself but also elements (trees, buildings, roads, etc.) from other maps. We are talking about 2900 existing scenery assets (3D models, textures, patterns, ...).
Save all modifications on the existing map.
Create (and save) new building patterns. These are the assembled building elements grouped together. These can be reused in various locations on the map.
Get familiar with UI and shortcuts (though subject to change, especially taking your feedback into account).
There are some caveats to keep in mind.
Once again, the map editor will be in the alpha state when released. This means:
The terrain of the chosen map cannot be modified in this first version. You cannot add or remove hills, change a map’s HeightMap or relief, or create rivers and waterways.
The newly created maps cannot be played or tested in this first alpha version. No playable scenario can be exported as we don’t have export functionality yet. However, everything changed or modified in the map will be usable with later versions of the editor, which will include the play/test/export functionality.
There is no functionality to add new assets for the time being.
Your Help is Needed
This very first alpha version of the map editor serves as a proof of life. We are working on adding more functionality and use to this tool, to come in later updates.
However, we need your help to make the best out of the map editor.
We need testers to debug and improve the map editor.
We want modders to take their first steps with the map editor, learning the ropes, so to speak, and preparing their future maps. Any feedback or input would be helpful!
Our map builders have tested the alpha version of the map editor internally, but we need a larger range of hardware working with the tool. The more users we can have test and play around with the map editor, the more chance we will encounter issues, crashes, and bugs, which we can iron out in future updates.
While your work might not be testable or exportable in this first version, it can be saved and seen as doing the groundwork for future versions!
Map Editor’s Future
What can you expect from the map editor’s developmental timeline after the initial release in WARNO’s next milestone? Keep in mind that Eugen’s “soon” trademark is active, meaning that we can’t (and won’t) make any firm commitments on when to expect these updates!
The following list contains features we are planning to add. These are chronologically listed in terms of “soon” to later down the line:
Create and export Skirmish scenarios of existing maps (both Conquest and Destruction variants) for solo and online lobbies. You will be unable to modify the build. What does this mean? You can modify and change deployment zones, command zones, values, etc., but not the build (fields, patterns, buildings, ...) or relief of a map.
Create and export battleground scenarios for Army General. These are the tactical scenarios launched when manually entering a battle (so not auto-resolve). Once again, only existing maps can be modified, excluding the build & terrain.
Create and export brand-new Skirmish maps with existing scenery assets.
Integrate new assets (3D models, ground textures) to be used in the brand-new maps above.
And ultimately, but this will take a considerable amount of time: the ability to export newly scripted scenarios (meaning Operations).
We want to repeat. The map editor that will be in your hands soon will be in alpha with bugs, crashes, technical limitations, and baguette language left over from the code’s earlier versions. With your help and feedback, we’ll do our best to fix everything untoward and update the map editor.
Until next week
As you can see, the Eugen team is back in action! We’re gonna be rocking into 2024, with a new major milestone coming very soon!
It’s that festive time of the year again. Shortly, we’ll enter the Christmas holiday break. This means no more DevBlogs for two weeks. The Eugen Systems team will back in full force in 2024!
And as this is the last DevBlog of this year, we still have plenty of interesting things to share.
Let’s go!
Foreseeable Future of Army General
We know you’ll miss us dearly during our break, especially our regular “soon” updates about Army General. While we understand your frustration, we want to ensure our new mode is up to scratch in all the important areas. We are keen to avoid pushing something that turns out to be incomplete, bug-ridden, or worse… not fun.
We are working on several major updates to WARNO (see below). Currently, the team is also in the process of testing and improving every aspect of the Bruderkrieg Army General campaign, from the AI to preventing “cheesy” tactics and updating the voice acting. As all the data is intermixed, we can’t release the one without the other.
Our strategic mode is a massive new feature and in (very much so) active development. We won’t share a potential launch date or news on when to expect Army General until we are absolutely sure we can deliver. So, keep tight, commanders.
But, the team is not only being a busy bee with Army General. One of the other things happening in Eugen’s workshop is the upcoming major rebalance of our existing divisions. We call it a bit of “divisional house cleaning.”
And we can lift the tip of the veil of what to expect.
Divisional House Cleaning
We are happy with the current roster of units and divisions in WARNO, but there is always room for improvement. For instance, such as the upcoming new Veterancy overhaul (which you can read more about in this DevBlog here). With all units done and all divisions released over a year (including new, unannounced ones), plus new mechanics, meta balance sweeps, individual new units, and more, we decided it was a good time to make a general balancing pass.
This means that the Eugen team is going through all divisions to fix balance issues and give each one a more pronounced flavor or playstyle. Expect some of our more infamous units to be toned down. At the same time, unsung soldiers will be beefed up, including slot allocation and shifting specific units from one formation to the other.
All divisions will keep to their divisional (historical) Order of Battle. This will not change. Formations attached to the divisions to fill certain gaps or to differentiate the battlegroups might be moved to other divisions, or removed. This can be a pretty thorough rehaul. However, one thing we can promise is that no unit will be removed from WARNO, instead, they will only be reshuffled.
The following is a preview of what’s to come. Some changes are still in progress, while others require testing. Keep that in mind!
35-ya Gv. DShB
Let’s start with an obvious candidate: the Soviet airborne assault troops of the 35th Guards Air Assault Brigade or officially the 35-YA OG DESANTNO-SHTURMOVAYA BRIGADA.
When we first launched our airborne division, we feared they might be too lightly equipped to stand on their own in WARNO’s battlefield. Thus, we attached heavier ground elements, chiefly armor, in a mistaken belief our paratroopers needed outside help. We already put the American 82nd Airborne Division on a “tank diet,” but now it is the turn for the 35th Guards Air Assault Brigade to slim down.
Less armor, more paratrooper The Soviet division will be streamlined to represent a more accurate Order of Battle. It will focus on its own equipment and less on other detachments. In practical terms, it means the division will lose all non-airborne armor and related units: T-64 (all versions), BRM-1, MOT. RAZVEDKA with their RAZV. BMP-1.
This also means some changes to the division’s unit category: in TANK, one of its 2-point slots will be scrapped entirely, but in both HELO and RECON, a 3-point slot will be made cheaper to 2 points.
Furthermore, as will be the case with every airborne division in our upcoming divisional rework, they will lose their fixed Forward Operation Base (FOB) “unit.” Of course, it wouldn’t make much sense to have a fixed structure filled with a pile of supplies when dealing with paratroopers dropping behind enemy lines.
New units The 35th Guards Air Assault Brigade will not only see the effects of the cutting axe. A new unit will also deploy: the NONA-K 120mm dual-purpose mortar. While designated a “mortar,” it looks more like a small howitzer, which can fire in both an indirect role or used as a direct fire gun, with either HE or HEAT rounds. Meanwhile, the 2S9 NONA-S from the same battlegroup will also receive HE direct fire capacity. This ability is further extended to the 2S23 NONA-SVK of the 27-ya Gv. MSD (as they all share the same gun).
To compensate for the removal of the FOB, the division will get access to the light GAZ-66B supply truck. This particular vehicle will feature a reskin of the existing transport variant. Plus, to be able to feature heavy recon infantry, the new helicopter-borne RAZVEDKA (DSh) will deploy (but without the support of a BMP-1).
82nd Airborne
Much in the same vein as their Soviet counterparts, the American paratroopers of the 82nd AIRBORNE DIVISION will be streamlined to follow a “purer” Table of Organisation and Equipment.
This means that attached elements from the 194th Armored Brigade will have to go. All the non-airborne armored elements will be taken out from the division: M1IP tanks, M577, M125 mortar, and the BRADLEY CFV. The division will also lose its FOB.
A bit of a reshuffle and new units The 82nd Airborne Division will also see a reshuffle of slots between TANK and RECON, with the latter category seeing some additional love. Two new units will deploy there:
The new M551 ACAV, also known as ”Two Boxes”. This is a version without the ATGM but with additional MGs, here put to use in a recon role.
And a surprise brand-new unit. Unfortunately, we couldn’t model it on time for this DevBlog. Expect it to be showcased in the first one of 2024!
8th Infantry Division
While the 8th INFANTRY DIVISION might not be as overpowered, in our eyes, it suffers from a different malady. This battlegroup has it all and does it all well. Consequently, it has turned into a grey and shapeless division, with an overabundance of specific units and no real defect. You will recall that the 8th Infantry Division was delivered WARNO’s second milestone. This update was used to tease the upcoming German units.
The Germans have been teased enough! Being featured with their own splendid divisions, we decided to get rid of zee Germans in this division. All of them! Furthermore, the 8th Infantry Division will also be thoroughly reduced in light helicopter power, with several of the OH-58 variants being either limited or removed entirely.
Rangers lead the way Again, not all is doom and gloom. While the 8th Infantry Division might have been referred to as “that US division with Germans,” it will now be known as the “Rangers” division. We decided to rework the existing RANGER squads and expand them.
Having made new RANGER units for Army General, reusing these in the 8th Infantry Division during our balancing sweep would make the most sense.
The existing RANGERS squads have been expanded from 6 soldiers to 9 men per squad. Their AT-4 has been replaced by a LAW, however.
The new RANGERS (DRAGON) has been added. This features the same organization as the first unit but contains a Dragon II ATGM as its anti-tank weapon.
The new RANGERS LDR. squad are 6-man Command squad with sniper rifles and a M67 recoilless rifle.
Each new RANGER unit will be available as one card, with either Humvee or helicopter transports.
In addition to the above, the new M163 CS will be featured. This is a cheaper and radar-less variant of the self-propelled anti-air vehicle. Found in the AA tab, this unit represents how it could have been used against flying targets and in a direct-fire ground role.
Territorialkommando Süd
Let’s fix our gaze on the “support” divisions, beginning with the West German TERRITORIALKOMMANDO SÜD. According to our server stats, this division is multiplayer’s ugly duckling. Rare to be played and even rarer to win.
We will buff this division by adding more units from the attached French 4e Division Aéromobile. This means:
The VLRA MILAN, which is the same Forward Deployment unit as found in the French 11e Division Parachutiste.
The VLRA 20mm, with Forward Deployment, again as found with the 11e Division Parachutiste.
The addition of the P4 jeep as transport for the MILAN 2 teams. In real life, the French 4e Division Aéromobile used a different model, the Auverland (see picture below), which is identical in role and performance.
One 3-point AIR slot has been made cheaper and is now 2 points.
We’ll keep an eye on seeing if the above changes give the Territorialkommando Süd a bit more viability on the online battlefields. If it doesn’t, we will look at additional ways to boost it.
Kampfgruppe der Arbeiterklasse Bezirk Erfurt
The lovely named KAMPFGRUPPE DER ARBEITSKLASSE, or much easier K.d.A, is the East German “support” division. It will also see some love, but less for balance and more for flavor. We tried to focus on its reserve nature, decreasing the importance of the more standard, regular units. This new structure is modeled on Army General’s reserve divisions.
What does that mean? The PANZERJÄGER and MOT.-SCHÜTZEN (s.MG) infantry squads will be removed from the battlegroup. To make up for this loss, it will receive extra RESERVISTEN, as well as one card of the new RESERVISTEN-FÜH. This means the KdA will represent better the second-wave mobilization divisions within the East German Nationale Volksarmee.
We will make more changes to this division as soon as they are ready. This includes the new T-54B and new ZPU-4 light AA. Both of these units have been modeled for Army General and will now find their way into this division.
More Sneak Peek
As we teased you with the SPARTAN ZB-298 & WARRIOR CP last week, we’ve been pursuing our modelling effort toward the British Army with this cute, fully amphibious ALVIS STALWART. To be introduced soon!
Until next week
That’s all for now. The new year is shaping up to be very exciting indeed. We can’t wait to tell you about all the good stuff coming to WARNO.
From the whole Eugen Systems team: we wish you happy holidays and all the best for 2024. Expect us to be back in the second week of January!
We are back again! Today’s DevBlog will be slightly shorter. Nonetheless, we have some interesting tidbits to share with you.
First up is a sneak peek into the WARNO’s model workshop with a handful of new units coming your way.
Second, a hearty shout-out to the community-made WarYes website, which is rolling out an exciting new feature: the Advanced Damage Calculator. Read more about it further below.
A Sneak Peek
Our artists are working hard to put the finishing touches on some new vehicle models coming to WARNO. In last week’s DevBlog, we revealed the visually updated Abrams main battle tank. All of the models have been done, and some, reskinned.
However, we are not only updating existing vehicles. We also took the opportunity to add some missing units. First up, the WARRIOR CP, which you can surmise, is the IFV’s Command variant, which will be added to the British 1st Armoured Division.
Another brand-new unit is the SPARTAN ZB-298. A while back, our well-read community pointed out that by 1989, the British Army no longer used the American-made M113 Green Archer ground radar.
Instead, the British developed the indigenous ZB-298 radar, which could be fitted on an array of vehicles. We have chosen to model this piece of equipment on the FV103 Spartan which, as the SPARTAN ZB-298, will replace the Green Archer in the British 1st Armoured Division. It was on our to-do list to address this mistake, but an opening came up to add a new vehicle to WARNO’s roster only recently.
A new WarYes feature
We wholeheartedly support our community and player-based efforts. One of the most excellent community resources out there is WarYes. Created by StrikeTeam member Captain Toucan and community member izohek, WarYes provides an easy-to-use comparative tool of everything related to WARNO, from units to weapons, division breakdown and an automated patch note generator.
Captain Toucan with the fantastic help of NalydA have deployed a comprehensive new feature to WarYes: the Advanced Damage Calculator. This new tool will accurately display how much damage a specific weapon will do. What’s more, you can simulate this against a variety of units and across different ranges. The highly detailed Advanced Damage Calculator uses WARNO’s damage tables to calculate the damage from one unit firing at another unit.
Here, a British Challenger tank is taking on a Soviet T-80B.
In another example, we have a Soviet T8-M firing at a Challenger Mk.3, which shows missile travel time, ERA damage, and double shot mechanics.
The Advanced Damage Calculator can be configured to show a wide variety of different stats and variables, including Unit Cohesion, veterancy, terrain, range, which part of the armor to hit, static versus motion, damage per shot, missile travel time, which units can fire multiple projectiles simultaneously, optimal number of shots to kill, average time to suppress, and much more.
You can quickly access the Advanced Damage Calculator by selecting the option on the unit card. You can also find it on the website’s main menu. The WarYes team is keen to hear your thoughts. If you haven’t already, do join the WarYes discord - you can make requests, report bugs, or just tell how awesome the creators are!
We hope you are well. Let’s get cracking with today’s DevBlog. It will feature an assortment of tidbits about a variety of things, including a sneak peek at Army General tutorials, an update on Destruction mode maps and an Abrams unit model rework.
Let’s get to it.
Army General Tutorials
First things first: Army General. Yes, we know you are all passionately waiting for this major new mode - just hold on a bit longer!
What we can share in today’s DevBlog are more details on the Army General tutorials. Much like the current tutorials in WARNO, the Army General tutorials will be four fully scripted missions.
These missions will cover the first hours of our World War III scenario as it unfolds around the Fulda Gap, much like the game tutorials that are already present. The Army General tutorials will showcase operational strategy as experienced through the eyes of 1st Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment based in Fulda.
Roger Dodger, over and under! All the tutorials’ dialogues will be translated and dubbed in various languages for easy understanding. The different Army General mechanics will be explained and illustrated in detail, from simple to complex. These include such things as the interface, attacking and defending, formation composition (the pawns), combat and auxiliary battalions, unit fatigue, terrain modifiers, air attacks and interception, encirclement strategy, and so on.
We felt that delivering the Army General in your lap with no explanation might overwhelm players. Army General works on a strategic level, with the new mode combining that with the tactical battles we all know and love by heart. We made an additional effort to make the interface between the two fun and engaging, and while complex, not incomprehensible. Hence the new tutorials!
Now, some delays encountered with Army General have to do with production. Everything needs to be designed, voiced, tested, balanced, and written. Any major update to overall balance or game mechanics along the way have an effect on the mission (and the dialogue), meaning more changes. There is no ill will behind it, just the realities of game development for a small, independent studio.
An Update on Destruction
Leading us to Destruction mode and upcoming maps. During WARNO’s Early Access, we have noted that the Skirmish and Conquest modes have been particularly well-liked by the community. This is why we decided to prioritize the development of this mode, including new map delivery.
However, we understand that many of you eagerly await more Destruction versions of existing maps. And the time has come to refocus our efforts on the swift production and delivery of new Destruction variants of existing maps. So, for all you Destruction fans out there, get ready!
Abrams Rework
The Abrams main battle tank resulted from decades of middling programs by the United States combined with the threat of high-tech armored Soviet doomstacks in East Germany. After the catastrophic failure of the MBT-70 and XM803 programs, with some conceptual wandering through the M60A2 Starship, the United States decided to pull out all the stops and create a new tank “to end all tanks.”
Technology was pushed to the limits of what was possible in the era and used to design a main battle tank with unparalleled mobility, excellent protection, and a cutting-edge fire control system. Room for future modifications and upgrades was built in, allowing the Abrams to really get stronger and stronger with each new iteration.
This takes us to the M1(A0) Abrams, one of the earliest variants of this American main battle tank.
The visual highlights for the uninitiated include the 105mm M68 gun, mantlet peculiarities, and “shorter” turret compared to later variants (the M1IP and M1A1). Furthermore, 105mm-armed M1s had an unusual three-piece blow-out cover over the bustle. Early M1s lacked the turret basket as well. Finally, the sprockets were also different.
Camouflage Camouflage of U.S. vehicles stationed in Europe entered a tumultuous period in 1989. Tanks could be seen in MERDC Forest Green single-color, MERDC Winter Verdant pattern, or, more popular, three-color CARC camouflage patterns. We opted for Forest Green for the M1(A0).
The historical markings on U.S. tanks were kept relatively simple. Let’s take the following as an example:
As you can see, we are dealing with a vehicle of the 8th Division, 5th Battalion of the 77th Armored Regiment, Alpha Company, 1st Platoon, 3rd tank. Not too tricky, right?
Another marking is the military load classification in Europe. Many quaint and rickety bridges on the old continent do not handle the latest generation of armored vehicles well, not to speak of an entire armored division equipped with heavy tanks rolling over one. NATO implemented the Military Load Classification system to avoid collapsing bridges left and right. Each vehicle had to present its combat weight, but to avoid confusing the average American servicemen, this weight was in imperial short tons. No wonder France almost left NATO in disgust.
Until next week
That’s all for this week’s DevBlog. Let us know what you think.
