Genre: Real Time Strategy (RTS), Simulator, Strategy, Turn-based strategy (TBS), Tactical, Indie
Warno
SOUTHAG Division #9: 1. Luftlandedivision
Hello, hello, hello.
We are back with a WARNO - SOUTHAG division preview. In today’s DevBlog, the last one for NATO, we’ll deep dive into the West German 1. Luftlandedivision.
Ready? Go!
NATO’s West German 1. Luftlandedivision’s History
The West German 1. Luftlandedivision, or the 1st Air Landing Division, was raised in 1956, a year after the Bundeswehr’s founding. At first, only two airborne brigades were used, but by 1970, a third brigade was added.
Organized as a division with three brigades and an artillery regiment, the 1. Luftlandedivision’s combat units were distributed as reserves among the three main West German field commands: the I. Korps (with NORTHAG), the III. Korps (with CENTAG) and the II. Korps (with SOUTHAG). This left its divisional HQ and (only partially active) artillery regiment as administrative formations. It was quickly realized that these dispersed brigades were rather light, best used on the defensive, due to their limited number of soldiers and firepower.
This also led, turning to the end of the Cold War, to the Bundeswehr envisioning a different, more active role for the 1. Luftlandedivision. Although one of its brigades, the 27. Luftlande-Brigade would be kept separate and positioned in NORTHAG, the air landing division would regain control over its two more southern-located brigades.
These formations would operate in Bavaria, in a theater of war particularly well-suited for light infantry, defending the mountainous and wooded regions near the West German border with Czechoslovakia and Austria. The 1. Luftlandedivision was further bolstered by the addition of the Gebirgsjägerbrigade 23, and one armored recon company, courtesy of the 1. Gebirgsdivision. On top of that, a territorial brigade - the Heimatschutzbrigade 56 - would also join the division’s ranks. This latter formation was rather powerful, closer to a regular Panzergrenadier-Brigade than a rabble of reservists and local militia.
The 1. Luftlandedivision in WARNO’s history
In WARNO’s scenario, the CENTAG-assigned reserve 25. Luftlande-Brigade will aid the 2. Panzergrenadier-Division (as is depicted in this playable division, as well as Army General). This means it is not available to the 1. Luftlandedivision. Instead, our newest battlegroup will feature one airborne, one mountain, and one mechanized infantry brigade. A rather unique ratio of troops, which will be reflected within WARNO - SOUTHAG:
One-third of its troops will feature the Airborne trait. These stem from the single airborne brigade.
One-third mechanized infantry and units. Although part of the Heimatschutzbrigade 56 (HSB 56), these troops will not be considered Reservists. This particular territorial brigade was a cut above the rest, in terms of training and equipment, and instead will be represented as regular units with locked veterancy.
One-third, the mountain troops, will feature the new Mountaineer trait. These represent the Gebirgsjägerbrigade 23. These light units will have less to no movement penalty in rugged terrain, such as forests. This new trait will be retrofitted to existing units such as British Gurkhas and Soviet Afgantsy.
NATO’s 1. Luftlandedivision in WARNO - SOUTHAG
What can you expect from the 1. Luftlandedivision in WARNO - SOUTHAG? New units are both italic and bolded. All the following is subject to change.
LOG The logistics department is better than other comparable airborne divisions in terms of slots and their price. This is due to the 1. Luftlandedivision being only partially airborne, plus it was pre-positioned with close supply lines to the battlefields the battlegroup would be fighting on.
Like other WARNO airborne divisions, it doesn’t receive an FOB. Its supply units are airliftable KRAKA MUN., the light UNIMOG S404 MUN., and the medium (new) TYP 1017 MUN. supply vehicles, plus the CH-53G MUN. helicopter.
Command units are the Fs-FÜHRUNGS ILTIS and M577GA2.
INF As can be expected from a light/airborne/mechanized infantry division, this category is excellent in terms of the number of slots and their price.
Let’s start with the usual suspects (with some new variants):
The ubiquitous PZ.GRENADIER comes in command, IFV and APC variants, and represents the HSB 56. As such, they are veterancy locked. These squads are deployable in UNIMOG,M113GA1 or the new MARDER 1A1 or MARDER 1A1A MILAN.
The FS-JÄGER are available in command, "vanilla", and PIONEER versions, as well as the FS-JÄGER RESERVISTEN, which will deploy veterancy locked but without the Reservist trait and equipped with Carl Gustav recoilless rifles instead of the Panzerfaust 3. These squads all have the Forward Deploy trait and ride to battle in soft-skin vehicles.
Support weapons include MG-3 in regular and para versions, as well as MILAN 1 (representing HSB 56, hence vet-locked), MILAN 2, and FS-MILAN 2 ATGM teams. SICHERUNGS squads in UNIMOG and FELDJÄGER in their dedicated TYP 181 FELDJÄGER jeep and VW T3 FELDJÄGER bus fill out the ranks.
To be followed by new infantry: the Bundeswehr’s Gebirgsjäger. These come in various shapes and sizes, but all with the new Mountaineer trait.
GEBIRSJÄGER FÜH. are 4-man command squads with G3, Carl Gustav, and smoke. They can deploy in ILTIS and UH-1D.
GEBIRSJÄGER are 11-man rifle squads with G3, one scoped G3, one MG-3, and Panzerfaust 44. They come in TYP 1017 trucks or UH-1D.
GEBIRSPIONIERE are 10-man combat engineer squads with G3, one MG-3, and explosives. They come in the TYP 1017 truck.
LUFT.-GEBIRSJÄGER (the name was chosen to represent their role) are bigger half-platoon squads (as found in comparable WARNO divisions) to better fit inside the large helicopters. In this case, a single card of a 16-man squad with G3, one scoped G3, two MG-3, and a Carl Gustav. They can only deploy in the CH-53G helicopter.
The new HOCHGEBIRSJÄGER are the crème de la crème of Gebirgstruppen: a single card of an 11-man commando squad with G3, one scoped G3, two MG-3, and explosives. This unit also fields the Airborne, Shock and Special Forces traits and can deploy in TYP 1017 trucks.
ART An average category in terms of slots and their costs.
Mortars available are the MRS. TAMPELLA 120mm in both regular and Fallschirmjäger variants, plus the PANZERMORSER from the HSB 56.
Howitzers featured include the ubiquitous FH155-1 155mm.
A few (new) FS-M56 105mm taken out of storage, which are light Italian-made howitzers widely used in the NATO armies of the 1970s, specifically by airborne or mountain troops. This artillery comes with the Airborne trait, and can fire both HE and HEAT rounds.
The HSB 56's M109G is an older, short-barreled variant of this classic SPG, with less range than its more modern counterparts.
TANK Average category.
The 1. Luftlandedivision’s main battle tank is the HSB 56's LEOPARD 1A1A1, veterancy locked, but in command and vanilla variants.
There will also be access to one single card of the LEOPARD 1A1A2 which were used by the Gebirgsjägerbrigade 23’s anti-tank units in place of the JAGUAR. While the two above tanks share the same gun, the latter will use better ammunition and won't be vet-locked.
In the same fashion, the HSB 56 used some M48A2GA2 in place of KAJAPA. These vehicles will be vet locked, but without the Reservist trait. This means they will differ from the previous tank model, which we renamed HEIMAT. M48A2GA2 last week (which will retain the Reservist trait).
As for missile tank destroyers, the division can count on a card each of JAGUAR 2, KRAKA MILAN 2 and KRAKA I-TOW, the latter two available in Airlift versions.
REC A pretty good category.
Recon-based infantry includes:
FS-JÄGER AUFK. scouts and FS-JÄGER B1 recon commandos.
GEB. SCHARFSCHUTZE, a 2-man sniper team with two scoped G3, coming in ILTIS or KRAKA MG-3 recon transport.
GEB. AUFKLÄRER, a 10-man scout squad with G3, one scoped G3, one MG-3 and PzF 44 in TYP 1017, AUFKPZ. FUCHS, or UH-1D.
GEB. JAGDKOMMANDO, a 11-man scout squad with G3, one scoped G3, one MG-3, and explosives in TYP 1017 and UH-1D. This unit features the Shock trait.
Armored recon vehicles are detached from the 1. Gebirgsdivision, available only in a single card each:
LUCHS A1 and the new AUFKL. LEOPARD 1A5.
Aerial recon includes:
The ALOUETTE II and the new CL-289 fast recon UAV.
AA An average category. The division had no dedicated AA battalions, only a few anti-air defense companies organic to the brigades. However, the airborne and mountain Jäger had an impressive collection of single-barrelled 20mm guns. So, a few options, mostly light, but you can take a lot of them.
Towed guns include the single-barreled FS-FK20-2 20mm with Airborne trait and the KRAKA transport tractor, and regular FK20-2 ZWILLINGE 20mm.
Self-propelled guns include the airlifted KRAKA 20mm and truck-mounted UNIMOG S404 FK-20.
The only true SPAAG is a single card of GEPARD 1A1.
Rounded out with a number of FLIEGERFAUST MANPAD teams.
HEL Pretty mediocre. While the Gebirgsjäger had a large pool of utility helicopters for transport or airlifts, attack helicopters were nearly absent.
A single card each of the BO-105 PAH-1 and BO-105 PAH-1A1.
AIR Pretty good. The 1. Luftlandedivision has a large selection of new planes or loadouts.
Let’s start with the classics first:
The F-4F [HE2] and TORNADO IDS [MW1] in ground pounding roles.
Plus the new payload variant of the ALPHA JET A [RKT] with 72 SNEB rockets.
As it happened, within the division’s command area was located the WTD 61 (Wehrtechnische Dienststelle), the Bundeswehr's technical center for aircraft improvement. Basically, West Germany’s “Area 51.” We used the opportunity to include some variants or armaments being actively tested at the time; these include some precursors to post-Cold War equipment, while others were abandoned due to a lack of funding after 1989.
F-4F [LGB] with 2x GBU-12.
F-4F [AA2] with 4x AIM-9L(i), which is a local upgrade roughly equivalent to the American M variant, developed by West Germany due to difficulties toward the “USA's uncooperative attitude in correcting IRCCM deficiency in the former missile.”
TORNADO IDS [SEAD] with 2x HARM missiles.
ALPHA JET A KWS was the planned upgrade for the whole Alpha Jet fleet, but the project was canceled in 1988 (but no such thing happens in our timeline). This is a March to War prototype with 20% ECM and two AIM-9L, plus two AGM-65B Maverick, turning the Alpha Jet into a tiny multirole strike aircraft. This plane will come in its specific WTD 61's test livery.
Lastly, the final plane in the divisional arsenal isn’t a prototype but still rare and new in-game: the HFB-320/ECM electronic warfare aircraft. Unarmed, this is the West German counterpart to the American RAVEN, being in essence a flying scrambler to mess with the radar of enemy air defenses. We introduced this particular plane as an option in the Nemesis #2.1 Hof Corridor (which never made the cut), and felt sorry that it missed its opportunity to join WARNO’s arsenal. Consider this to be fixed.
The 1. Luftlandedivision is a light battlegroup, very versatile with its potent mix of airborne, mountain, and mechanized units. It lacks heavy armor, but makes up for this deficiency with great infantry, recon, and air categories.
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.
Today, we want to share an important update about a change coming soon to the game, AA Guns. Following recent adjustments, AA Guns have proven to be extremely effective, perhaps a bit too effective? Let’s take a closer look at the situation together.
Why this change?
Originally, anti-aircraft guns (AAG) did not have a ground support role in the game. However, in reality, these weapons have often been used for ground fire support, which is why we decided to give them this capability.
That said, AAGs can prove extremely powerful at short engagement ranges, especially in forests. While they are not unbeatable, countering them requires significant micro-management and can disrupt the balance of infantry combat.
Our goal is to address the overperformance of AAGs at short range while preserving their value as anti-air weapons and as ground fire support, while limiting their effectiveness against infantry at very close distances.
The Role of AA Guns
Before we discuss the upcoming changes, let’s take a moment to review the intended role of AAGs. Due to their vulnerability, these units whether towed or self propelled are meant to serve as second or third line support, covering the front from aerial threats or protecting against flanking maneuvers.
Ideally, AAGs should not be used alone, they are most effective when combined with other anti-aircraft units, either of the same type or equipped with missiles, to counter helicopters and planes. It is therefore normal that, in some situations, a lone AAG cannot deal with aerial units by itself. Conversely, it is also normal for a lone infantry unit charging an AAG to be destroyed. We want to make changes while respecting these core principles.
Our Work
We are working to find a solution that fits both our technical and gameplay constraints. AAGs are not designed to fire at ground targets, especially not at close range, yet this has become their most common use because of their effectiveness.
The first step would be to introduce a minimum firing distance for these weapons. Currently, there is none. The goal is to allow infantry to destroy AAGs at close range. In reality, these weapons are difficult to use accurately against ground targets, especially at short distances, and can be dangerous to operate up close. It therefore makes sense that AAGs should not be able to fire below a certain range.
Alternatively, if needed, we could make towed AAGs targetable again by AT weapons and ATGMs. This would make them more vulnerable when used on the front line and would allow infantry to engage them with rocket launchers, addressing part of the problem.
Another possible approach would be to adjust the damage, accuracy, or splash radius separately for ground and air targets. This would allow us to fine-tune their effectiveness, for example by giving AAGs very low accuracy against ground targets. While this approach is being considered, it would require technical development and ongoing maintenance, and would introduce different stats for the same weapon depending on its target, which could be confusing for players. For these reasons, it is considered, but not prioritized.
Of course, we are exploring and testing other solutions for this issue.
The Change
At this stage, we cannot announce any definitive changes. As always, thorough testing phases are necessary to ensure the best possible balance for these units. These adjustments could affect several units, including both towed AAGs (such as the ZPU-4) and self-propelled AAGs (like the SHILKA). We are actively working with our QA team and Strike Team to evaluate the impact of these changes and will continue refining them based on their feedback and gameplay data.
Here is the list of divisions affected by these changes: NATO: 4e Divisie, 152e DI, 5e DB, 11E DP, 16de PD ; 24th (N.G.), 3RD AD, 8TH ID, 6th ID, 9th ID, 35th ID, 82ND, 101ST AD ; 11th ACR ; 2. PzGD, 5.PzD, TKS ; MNAD & Berlin Command.
Welcome back to another WARNO - SOUTHAG division preview. We turn to the Warsaw Pact once more with a division actually long requested by the community: the Soviet 31-ya Tankovaya Diviziya or the 31st Tank Division - the first Soviet T-72 battlegroup.
Let’s go!
The Warsaw Pact’s Soviet 31-ya Tankovaya Diviziya’s History
The 31-ya Tankovaya Diviziya is the direct successor to the World War 2-era 31st Tank Corps of the Red Army. Created in 1943, this particular formation took part in the battle of Kursk and subsequent Korsun-Schevchenko and Lvov-Sandomierz operations, as well as in the later stages of the Battle of Dukla (the central campaign in the upcoming Steel Division 2: Battle of Dukla Pass expansion). The 31st Tank Corps kept on fighting, including in the Vistula-Oder offensive, ending the war in Czechoslovakia.
Disbanded as a corps on May 11th, 1945, its units were reorganized and reformed as the 31-ya Tankovaya Diviziya less than two months later. Stationed in Hungary for a while, the tank formation was featured in various exercises before taking part in the Warsaw Pact’s invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968 to put an end to Dubček's regime's liberalisation attempts. From this point onwards, the division remained in eastern Czechoslovakia for the duration of the Cold War, forming part of the Soviet Central Group of Forces.
The division saw no more action after its brief foray during the 1968 Prague Spring. With the end of the Cold War, it returned to the USSR in 1990 before being converted into the 3rd Motorized Rifle Division in 1997.
The 31-ya Tankovaya Diviziya’s history in WARNO However, as you might have glimpsed into the Delayed Retribution intro video last week, the 31-ya Tankovaya Diviziya’s fate in WARNO’s timeline is rather different. An attempt by the Soviet Central Group of Forces to outflank CENTAG at Nuremberg was met by a West German-American counter-attack which crushed its spearhead… formed by the 31-ya Tankovaya Diviziya. This fateful battle will have serious ramifications for the Warsaw Pact, and in turn, leads to NATO’s SOUTHAG taking a much more active and aggressive role further down south. More on that later. Back to the opening stages of World War III. As explained repeatedly, the main Soviet combat formations facing NATO are the ones stationed in East Germany. These first echelon divisions were some of the best equipped, supplied, and trained, fielding the top-of-the-line T-64 and T-80 main battle tanks. But further south, the Central Group of Forces (CGF) (in the northern regions of Czechoslovakia) is slightly lower in the pecking order. Being part of an envisioned secondary front, the divisions assigned to this formation had to make do with whatever was to be gotten from the motherland: in 31-ya Tankovaya Diviziya’s case, the T-72.
As previously mentioned with the Czechoslovakian 19. Motostřelecká Divize, it was to pass its SKOT-equipped infantry regiment (the 104. MSP) to its cousin the 20. Motostřelecká Divize for latter operations as part of the CGF. In our WARNO scenario, the 20. MSD is locked down in fixing attacks, and the 104. MSP is instead used as a general CGF reserve, to be thrown into battle in an effort to break the hapless 31-ya Tankovaya Diviziya out of the NATO-sprung trap.
So, don’t be surprised to see some Czechoslovakian units make their appearance with the 31-ya Tankovaya Diviziya.
The 31-ya Tankovaya Diviziya in WARNO - SOUTHAG
How will the 31-ya Tankovaya Diviziya look like in WARNO - SOUTHAG? New units are both italic and bolded. The following is subject to change.
LOG Mediocre: meaning that the number of slots and their costs are average. This is to reflect the tank division’s fate within WARNO World War III scenario of ending up being surrounded.
Supply units include a FOB, as well as MT-LB SNAB., URAL-4320 SNAB., and KRAZ-255B SNAB. supply vehicles. Plus the heliborne MI-8MT GRUZOVOI.
Command units available are the MT-LBU, BMP-1K3 and the new Mi-22, a command variant of the large Mi-6.
INF Good: meaning slots available and their costs, and the availability of Czechoslovakian infantry, taking into account that the 31-ya Tankovaya Diviziya is an armored division.
The battlegroup gets the usual allotment of infantry as seen with other Soviet tank divisions, including MOTOSTRELKI partially deployable in BMP-1P (Fagot), part in BMP-2. No BTR-infantry, however (except for the SAPERI squads).
New for a Soviet division is the presence of several cards of Czech. VELITEL STŘELCŮ and STŘELCI squads, as well as the PTŘS FAGOT, all coming in either softskins or OT-64C APCs.
ART All right, this category is average. Meaning: decent availability of slots, but they quickly rise in costs.
An array of classic Soviet artillery can be deployed:
2S12 120mm mortar plus the D-30 122mm howitzers.
The 2S1 122mm and 2S3M 152mm self-propelled guns.
And a new unit: the 9A51 PRIMA, which is a heavier version of the Grad, using a URAL-4320 chassis and featuring 50 rocket tubes instead of 40. It can fire its ammunition at longer ranges, and will be loaded with cluster rockets.
The Czechoslovakians also bring some of their own firepower:
The M Vz.52 82mm mortar and H D-30 122mm howitzers, with the latter being the same as the Soviet weapon above.
The RM Vz.51 130mm MLRS.
TANK Very good: which means lots of slots, all being cheap.
The 31-ya Tankovaya Diviziya relies mostly on the T-72A Obr. 79 (which is the T-72M) and T-72A Obr. 81 (the T-72M1), with both tank models coming in regular and command variants.
With the addition of the more modern T-72B (the T-72S) with its Svir missile, as well as the ATGM-less new T-72B1 and command T-72BK variants.
Lastly, the Czechoslovakians are also featured, bringing two cards of the much cheaper T-55AM1.
REC An average category. You know what this means: lots of choices, but the slots swiftly become expensive. You get to choose from the following:
Soviet and Czechoslovakian recon infantry is made up of:
Soviet RAZVEDKA, RAZVEDKA SAPERI, and MOT. RAZVEDKA, as well as RT RAZVEDKA.
Czechoslovakian PRŮZKUMNÍCI in UAZ-469 or OT-65.
Vehicles include:
BRDM-2 and BRM-1K radar recon.
Plus the new BMAN. A curiously looking spotting vehicle to guide in air strikes. Based on a STRELA-10 anti-air unit, it replaces the two AA missile pods with two pods of 24x (direct fire) 80mm HE rockets. In real life, these were used for marking targets for upcoming air attacks. The unit is also fitted with smoke launchers and will be the first Soviet vehicle to feature the Electro-Optical Dazzler trait.
And lastly, air recon units are:
The Mi-2, Mi-24K, and Mi-8MTPI flying jammer.
AA Pretty good (once again, we refer to the availability of slots and their cost).
AA units include Soviet IGLA and Czechoslovakian PPLRKS S-2M (which are Strela) MANPAD teams.
Some standard choices here: Mi-8MT [RKT1] gunships and MI-24V in [RKT], [RKT2], and [AT] loadouts.
AIR Bad. Yes, this refers to the category. This means only a few slots and all are being pricey.
You only get the MIG-23ML [AA] as a fighter.
Plus the MIG-27M in [HE] and [NPLM] roles, and the MIG-27K [AT2] in a tank buster one.
The 31-ya Tankovaya Diviziya is well-rounded in all its combat arms, from infantry, tank, artillery, to recon, as well as AA. It lacks, however, in supporting arms, especially in air and helicopter support, but also logistics to a certain extent.
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.
We wish to address the freezing issue plaguing some of you for quite some time now. As we mentioned before, we have several engineers working full-time on it, and we even bought several RTX cards for the sole purpose of studying that issue, which seems to be a lot less likely on other cards, especially AMD cards.
When this issue occurs, the Nvidia driver crashes, causing the black screen. It's not supposed to crash (whatever the application does), and Nvidia is currently working on fixing this issue. However, we can't place our faith in them fixing it soon. Our strategy right now is to understand what triggers this driver issue, and from there we will try to work around it.
Be sure that we are dedicating all our energy to solving that issue, and we won't stop until it is fixed, but that means analyzing, understanding, and hopefully fixing third-party code.
Meta IFV ? - Upcoming Changes Explained
Hello commanders!
Today, we want to share an important update we are currently developing regarding IFVs. As part of our ongoing effort to keep the game balanced and engaging, we have been closely analyzing the role of IFVs on the battlefield and how their versatility has shaped the current meta.
Why this change?
IFVs (Infantry Fighting Vehicles) have become extremely versatile units, excelling in anti-infantry, anti-light armor, and even anti-helicopter roles thanks to their autocannons. Additionally, their access to ATGMs allows them to threaten even heavy armor. Their numbers often lead to situations where ATGMs can saturate the battlefield, making IFVs reliable in almost any situation.
This has resulted in a gameplay meta heavily centered around IFVs, sometimes overshadowing other unit types. The goal is to reduce their impact without making them irrelevant, keeping their presence as a signature element of certain divisions, and representing their key role in modern conflicts.
The Work
To address this, we will focus on maintaining the multi-role aspect of IFVs while slightly toning down specific strengths. We will avoid simply reducing their availability, as IFVs are a defining feature for some divisions, and we will also avoid only increasing their price, since they are key infantry transports. Instead, we will explore targeted adjustments:
Autocannon: Air range will be reduced, giving helicopters a more noticeable advantage. Precision will also be slightly lowered to make IFVs less dominant in certain engagements.
ATGM: Missile reload times will be increased to limit the saturation effect and make massed ATGM fire less overwhelming, as IFVs are not purpose-built for ATGM deployment and their reloading mechanisms are often less efficient or more restrictive.
Additional tweaks will be tested to fine-tune their impact.
And, we are looking into increasing the price gap between different versions of the same IFV, specifically between models equipped with ATGMs and those without. This adjustment aims to better reflect the added value and battlefield impact of IFVs carrying ATGMs, while offering divisions more meaningful choices when building their decks.
The Change
The changes described above are still being tested and discussed, and our work on IFVs is not finished. If these first adjustments are not enough, we are ready to consider broader modifications to ensure a healthy balance. We are actively working with our QA team and Strike Team to evaluate the impact of these changes and will continue refining them based on their feedback and gameplay data. Our shared goal is to ensure IFVs remain enjoyable and essential, without dominating the meta.
Here is the list of divisions affected by these changes: NATO: 4e Divisie, 5e DB, 16de PD ; 24th (N.G.), 3RD AD, 8TH ID, 82ND ; 11th ACR ; 2. PzGD & 5.PzD ; MNAD, 2nd ID, 1ST AD, 4TH AD & Berlin Command.
We are back with another WARNO - SOUTHAG division preview! In today’s DevBlog, we’ll look at the NATO’s French Division du Rhin (Rhine Division) battlegroup.
Onwards!
The NATO’s French Division du Rhin’s History
The French Division du Rhin is the shortest-lived French division in our WARNO timeline, having been created in 1984 only. After its brief Cold War career, the formation was downsized to a “Brigade d’Alsace” in 1993 before being officially disbanded in July 1999.
When raised in the 1980s, the Division du Rhin consolidated a bunch of existing units and equipment under a unified command. As such, it amalgamated the Zone de Franchissement du Rhin ("Rhine Crossing Area") with command-and-control elements from the 62e Division Militaire and recently disbanded 6e Division Blindée. The division wasn’t assigned to any corps or NATO command; instead, it was directly subordinated to the French First Army.
The Division du Rhin was a task-oriented division with one mission: to allow (and protect) the swift transfer of twelve divisions from France to West Germany in case of conflict. These amounted to two army corps, and all their organic units, two logistic brigades, and in the second phase, keep the supply lines open to the front.
To accomplish this, the formation was to organize traffic through existing bridges over the Rhine, ferry-boat services, as well as create new military ones (deploying good ‘ol World War 2 Bailey Bridges, which the French used well into the 2000s, including original instruction manuals!). Having set up the means, the Division du Rhin would then defend these river crossings against potential air attacks, raids, enemy commandos, and the like.
Close Cooperation The French Division du Rhin was also to coordinate with the West German territorial units on the other bank of the Rhine, to the point that by 1989, there were talks on high political levels to merge the formation into a combined French-German division. However, both parties couldn’t see eye to eye on the bi-national division’s mission: one wanted it to be static, protecting the Rhine crossings; the other saw it as a mobile engineering division able to follow NATO’s field armies deeper into combat. These disagreements, combined with the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, put a premature end to this particular cooperation. However, the French and Germans didn’t completely abandon the idea, which paved the way for the creation of the smaller Brigade Franco-Allemande (French-German Brigade).
The NATO’s French Division du Rhin’s History
The Division du Rhin had a special organization: built around three engineer regiments (two of them being reservists), the formation could also call on an independent engineer battalion, one infantry regiment, and three further infantry battalions (all reservists). On top of this, the French had access to an entire AA regiment (to fend off the inevitable enemy air attacks on the bridges and ferries).
The Division du Rhin hardly had any armor or artillery, but in case of potential enemy ground attacks, nearby units would have been folded into the battlegroup’s command.
Not too far away, the French 7e Division Blindée would provide some additional armored reinforcements. A mobilization division, this particular formation was the “lesser equipped” French armored division, still operating older AMX-30, as well as being famously the last operator of AMX-13 in active service in 1989 (those in West Berlin were supposedly kept in storage). The divisional infantry was equipped with AMX-10P and AMX-13 VCI, and a minimal number of VABs.
The Division du Rhin, being located in French I Corps’ area of operations, could count on its medium- to long-range artillery cover.
The West German Heimatschutzbrigade 55 was located on the other side of the Rhine. After 1989, elements of this unit that weren’t disbanded became the German part of the French-German Brigade.
The Division du Rhin was France’s rear area reserve division, much akin to WARNO’s West Germany's TerrKdo Süd featuring both French and West German units.
The Division du Rhin in WARNO - SOUTHAG
How will the Division du Rhin look like in WARNO - SOUTHAG? New units are both italic and bolded. The following is subject to change.
LOG
A good category, much like any other WARNO reserve division playing home advantage.
Supply units include DEPÔT DE MUNITIONS (FOB), TRM-2000 LOG. and TRM-10000 LOG. supply trucks.
Command units are the M201 PC, the new AMX-13 MOD.56 PC, as well as ALOUETTE II PC, plus the West German FUCHS FU.FU..
INF
Very good, with lots of options and plenty of variety of infantry. The Division du Rhin relies heavily on SAPEURS combat engineers and RESERVISTES for the boots on the ground.
CMDT RESERVISTES, RESERVISTES and RESERVISTES (LRAC), both featured previously in the Nemesis #2 - Plateau d'Albion’s152e Division d’Infanterie, and RESERVISTES (FR-F1) with MAS-49/56 rifles, AA-52 LMG, one FR-F1 DMR, and one LRAC 73. All squads are deployable in trucks or AMX-13 VCI 12,7mm APCs.
CMDT SAPEURS, SAPEURS and SAPEURS (FLAM), as well as RESERV. SAPEURS with MAT-49 SMG, MAS-49/56 rifles, AA-52 LMG and explosives, plus the Reservist trait. They come in trucks and AMX-13 VCG F1 dedicated combat engineer APC.
Anti-tank weapons include the M40A1 RCL.
Securing the rear area against enemy saboteurs, maintaining security, and improving the flow of traffic:
Regular PREVOTE riding in P4 GENDARMERIE both coming with the Military Police trait.
New CMDT GENDARMES MOBILES which are 4-man command squads armed with MAT-49 and the Military Police trait, also deploying in P4 GENDARMERIE.
GENDARMES MOBILES are 8-man squads armed with 2x MAT-49, 5x FAMAS and 1x AA-52 LMG, plus the Military Police trait. They come in TRAFIC GENDARMERIE utility trucks or the VRBG, a Gendarmerie-dedicated VAB armed only with an AANF1 7,62mm, but coming with the Security trait.
With the 7e Division Blindée, heavier reinforcements arrive in the form of one card each of:
CMDT CHASSEURS in truck, AMX-13 VCI 12,7mm or AMX-13 VCI 20mm, and CHASSEURS in truck or AMX-13 VCI 20mm.
Coming from the Heimatschutzbrigade 55, the West German provides all the following squads, vet-locked at experience Level 1 max:
JÄGER FÜH.,JÄGER and JÄGER (PzF) squads, plus PALR MILAN 1, all deployable in softskin and FUCHS or FUCHS MILAN.
ART
Balanced with some choices and several slots, but quickly rising in cost. Only a handful of artillery pieces were historically available to the Division du Rhin.
The only organic piece is the ubiquitous MO-120RT61 mortar.
The division was not foreseen to really need its own artillery arm, supposedly being a static formation within the I Corps sector. As such, this neighbouring formation provided:
M50/63 155mm howitzers.
LRM (the French designation for the M270 MLRS). This is a slight “March to War” unit, as the 12e Régiment d'Artillerie, the one earmarked to first convert to the M270, only started receiving the MRLS in the early part of 1990.
The West German HBS 55 brings its own light artillery, in the form of the FH M1A2 (A2) 105mm.
Lastly, local artillery schools would have drawn (from storage) some older AUTOMOTEUR AU 50 105mm and F3 AUTOMOTEUR 155mm SPGs, to be crewed by reservists (and hence gaining the Reservist trait). The latter F3 pieces are the ones just given up by the 12e Régiment d'Artillerie mentioned above.
TANK
A balanced category with a good number of slots, including their price. Choice is mostly limited to older tanks, though.
The very few tanks available to the Division du Rhin would have been the combat engineers’ M47 DOZER, equipped with dozer blades and a 90mm gun.
The division also had a number of M201 MILAN jeep-based missile tank destroyers.
The West Germans bring a sprinkling of PZBEF. M48A2GA2 and HEIMAT. M48A4GA2. The latter armor is the current M48A2GA2, which we will rename (for reasons to be explained in a future DevBlog).
Finally, the 7e Division Blindée features the AMX-13 T75 PC (command variant with 75mm gun), AMX-13 T75/TCM, and AMX-13 T75/TCA. The latter two vehicles are armed with SS-11 rails over the main gun, with the TCA designation indicating a more accurate targeting system.
REC
Once more pretty balanced, including the (almost mandatory) AML-60 and AML-90 backed by M201 M40A1 recon jeep, and the M201 RASURA battlefield radar.
Recon infantry can deploy in a variety of disguises:
French RESERV. ECLAIREURS, with 3x MAT-49 and 1x AA-52, plus LRAC 73 and the Reservist trait. They come in either M201, M201 AA52 or ALOUETTE II.
The West German B.G.S. STREIFE in ILTIS or UH-1D.
Plus Bundeswehr JÄGER-AUFKLÄRER in truck, FUCHS, and AUFKPZ. FUCHS.
The division also receives the ALOUETTE II air recon helicopter.
AA
The divisional anti-air defenses are pretty good, with an entire AA regiment just for itself, further backed by independent SAM-equipped units.
The division’s AA regiment was entirely equipped with older AA guns to fend off low-flying attacks. The main weapon system is the M55 MAXSON quad, in either towed or M16 MGMC halftrack variant, and M38/55 40mm (meaning Bofors) pieces available. All in mint World War 2 condition!
On top of this, the SAM regiments provide I-HAWK and HS.831 twin 30mm guns.
Plus some FLIEGERFAUST MANPADs courtesy of the HSB 55.
HEL
Rather underwhelming. The Division du Rhin had no rotorcraft available, with only a few that could be spared from neighbouring formations.
You get two expensive slots, and the choice between one card each of ALOUETTE III AS.11, GAZELLE CANON, or BO-105 PAH-1.
AIR
Pretty good, as the division gets the French ALPHA JET in [NPLM] and [CLU] variants.
The nearby fighter squadron Navarre, flying the MIRAGE III, will be performing both air superiority and strike missions. This particular aircraft will duly come in [AA], [SEAD], and [AT] loadouts.
Local fighter squadron Alsace brings the MIRAGE 2000 RDM, being the predecessor to the Mirage 2000 RDI. This plane comes in two variants with [AA1] representing the Mirage 2000 Serie 1 and 2 with its 4x R550 Magic II missiles. The [AA2] is the Mirage 2000 Serie 3 featuring 2x R550 Magic II and 2x Super 530F missiles. The Mirage 2000 RDI, currently in-game, is actually a Serie 4, only one able to fire the Super 530D.
The air cover is completed by the MIRAGE 5 F [HE] and the German F-4F [AT].
The Division du Rhin, much like other reserve divisions, is most powerful in its infantry and AA departments, further backed by potent artillery and air cover. Tanks and anti-tank units are available in an acceptable number, but of older make and model, while helicopters are very rare. Like other reservist battlegroups, the Division du Rhin benefits from the recent Reservist / Militia rework.
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.
Today, we are interested in sharing with you a new rework we have been developing, which will soon be available in the game. The rework of the Reservist trait and the creation of the Militia trait.
Why this change?
This question has come up frequently, aren’t reservist units too heavily penalized? Currently, the Reservist trait comes with the most severe set of penalties in the game: +50% received suppression, -5% accuracy, +20% aim time, and +15% reload time. These cumulative drawbacks significantly reduce the effectiveness of reservist units on the battlefield.
As a result, decks that rely on a large number of reservists often struggle to remain attractive or competitive compared to those built around regular or elite troops.
The Rework
The goal is to make reservists more effective and, at the same time, create a real distinction between certain units that are fundamentally different and shouldn’t have the same penalties. Some units are reservists who receive regular military training, while others are simply freshly enlisted troops with no training and who have never handled a weapon. That’s why we want to create the “Militia” trait for the latter.
Here is how we will assign the traits: Reservists: Former servicemen recalled into service after they have returned to civilian life for a prolonged time, or national guardsmen. They know how to use military equipment, but military discipline isn't their way of life anymore. i.e. American National Guardsmen. Militia: Organized and disciplined units on active duty in peacetime, but not used to handle military-grade weapons or act as infantry. Most often law enforcement units. i.e BGS Reservist + Militia: Draftees just called to war or militias.
The Change
So, what’s actually going to happen? Units that are Reservists will have their trait updated to:
+50% received suppression
-5% accuracy
Units with the new “Militia” trait, will penalize them with:
+20% aim time
+20% reload time
There will be exceptions that could receive both traits, for example, the KdA Schützen.
The effects of the Military Police trait will remain unchanged, the MP trait cancels the penalties of nearby Reservist units. However, nothing will be able to cancel the penalties imposed by the Militia trait.
Here is the list of divisions affected by these changes: NATO: 4e Divisie, 152e DI, 16de PD ; 6th, 9th, 24th (N.G.), 35th ID ; 11th ACR ; 2. PzGD & 5.PzD, TKS ; 2nd ID & Berlin Command. PACT: KdA, Berliner Gruppierung, 6-ya Gv.OMSB & 157-ya MSD.
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.
Time for something new! We are going to pause (only momentarily so) our divisional previews of WARNO - SOUTHAG as we turn our eye on the upcoming expansion’s Operations.
The reason for this break is that we are catching up on our model production for WARNO - SOUTHAG. We want to give our 3D artists some time to create new models for the remaining battlegroups.
With that out of the way, today’s DevBlog will look at our first Operation: Delayed Retribution.
WARNO - SOUTHAG’s Strategic Situation
So, we’ll talk a little bit more about the full strategic situation further south of WARNO’s World War III in Europe, but suffice to say that the battles raging there are as brutal as those further up north.
In southern West Germany, including Bavaria, the Bohemian Forest, and around the torn-open Iron Curtain, as well as in Czechoslovakia itself, a reformed NATO’s SOUTHAG under French command battles against the Warsaw Pact’s Czechoslovakian People’s Army and the Soviet Central Group of Forces. NATO forces include not only the French but also West Germans, Canadians, and reinforcing Spanish battlegroups.
Delayed Retribution’s Context
The action of our first previewed Operation, Delayed Retribution, takes place in Czechoslovakia proper, near the city of Plzeň, on July 1st, 1989. This means almost a full week-and-a-half has passed since the initial communist invasion further up north (as depicted in WARNO and WARNO - NORTHAG). For reasons we won’t go into detail today (yet, but we will surely do this in the future), the French 6e Division Légère Blindée manages to find a way behind the main screening force of the Czechoslovakian 1. Armáda (1st Army) and is in a great position to cut the communists off from reinforcements further east.
But in a turn of events, the Czechoslovakian 19. Motostřelecká Divize throws some delaying units in the French’s way, hoping to contain the mobile French vanguard long enough for the 1. Armáda’s reserves - the 1. Tanková Divize - to counter-attack the cocky Frenchmen and kick them out of Czechoslovakian territory!
Delayed Retribution’s in-game
In Delayed Retribution you command a battlegroup of the 6e Division Légère Blindée, the fast-moving, lightly armored but lethal French task force. In this Operation, they are the tip of the spear, using battle-hardened Legionnaires and supported by agile Legion AMX-10 RCs. Their mission is to outmaneuver a more ponderous but heavily armed opponent: the Czechoslovakian 19. Motostřelecká Divize reinforced by elements of the 1. Tanková Divize.
It’s not only going to be about firepower. This is a defensive operation, at first, for NATO. Stretched supply lines mean the French’s advanced position to the rear is tenuous at best. As a commander in this Operation, you get to make a critical decision: bolster the frontline with reinforcements and weather the communist storm, or thin out the front but ensure that your command sectors are secured.
You can push deep into enemy territory and hold out against counterattacks, denying the enemy the command points they need. Or will you act more cautiously and implement a defense-in-depth strategy instead? There will be many ways, and perhaps some patience only to strike in later parts of the battle, will do any commander good when playing Delayed Retribution.
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.
After the reveal of the new 2vs2 “Mirror” battlefield Ohmen, we return with another preview of a new map, this time themed to our upcoming WARNO - SOUTHAG expansion!
Surrounded is a brand-new 3x3 km² map inspired by the rolling, forested hills in southern West Germany, and will be released courtesy of the free Reinforcement Pack #9.
A Deep Dive Into Surrounded
Surrounded is the first of a set of new battlefields set to release at the same time as WARNO - SOUTHAG. These new maps are all inspired by the terrain in the south of West Germany or the border region of Czechoslovakia.
In Surrounded’s case, we took our inspiration from a Bavarian town called Eslarn, near the West German-Czechoslovakian frontier. This hilly, forested region features urban areas on plateaus, while dense woods circle the map.
When it comes to fighting on this new WARNO - SOUTHAG themed map, commanders need to choose between holding terrain or going for grand encircling attacks. At the heart of the map lies a city across two elevated plateaus.
These give a commanding view of the surrounding battlefield and act as crucial strongpoints. Surrounded’s real twist is its circular level design: players can maneuver around this central urban sector using the forests on the edge of the battlefield. The natural corridors allow for unexpected flanking attacks or deep penetration raids.
Some additional balance went into Surrounded to level the playing field, with multiple higher plateaus on the edges of the map to offset the stronghold position in the center. This means that the battlefield is pretty diverse when it comes to tactical options.
More fun to come. We are currently also working on a 10v10 and Destruction variants of Surrounded. This map should release at the same time as WARNO - SOUTHAG.
WARNO - SOUTHAG Expansion In Short
WARNO - SOUTHAG 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 reconstituted and counter-attacking NATO SOUTHAG command led by France, with American, West German, Canadian, and reinforcing Spanish troops.
We return once again with a brand-new WARNO - SOUTHAG preview! Today’s post marks the last of the Warsaw Pact’s Czechoslovakian divisions to be featured in our new expansion; let’s welcome to the stage the 303. Tanková Divize or the 303 Tank Division.
Let’s go!
The 303. Tanková Divize’s History
Much like its Soviet Army overlords, the Czechoslovak People's Army - shortened ČSLA - was composed of divisions with different levels of readiness.
Full Readiness These were formations that were close to full combat readiness and ready to deploy from their barracks within hours of receiving the order.
The Czechoslovakian armed forces contained six of these divisions: four from the 1. Armáda or 1st Army, namely the 1. Tanková Divize, the 19. Motostřelecká Divize, as well as the 2. and 20. Motostřelecká Divize.
There was also one from the 4. Armáda or 4th Army, the 9. Tanková Divize, plus the independent 7th Artillery Division.
Reduced Strength There were several active divisions that were of reduced strength. These were kept at two-thirds of their full manpower, and in case of war, would only be brought up by calling in reservists. The plan was that this should - ideally - take no more than two days.
There were the three remaining divisions part of the 4th Army: the 3. and 15. Motostřelecká Divize and the 4. Tanková Divize, as well as the independent 13. and 14. Tanková Divize.
Mobilization Divisions And lastly, there were also several formations at reduced staffing and equipment levels. These were the so-called mobilization divisions, operated by a skeleton crew of maintenance troops who watched over the weapon storage depots. Supposedly, these could be raised in three to four days, depending on the division, but it is likely nobody would believe this feat to be true.
The mobilization divisions in the ČSLA were the 18., 26., and 32. Motostřelecká Divize, and the 16. and 17. Tanková Divize.
As you can see, the 303. Tanková Divize was not listed. How come? Czechoslovakia had plans for three additional divisions for wartime service in an exclusive home defense role, but these never materialized. These formations were the 60. Motostřelecká Divize and the 303. and 304. Tanková Divize. The division’s cadre would come from training personnel; the rest would be filled up with reservists and conscripts. Equipment would be drawn from obsolete storage, along with a sprinkling of more modern vehicles and weapons taken from the military academies.
The 303. Tanková Divize was intended for the defense of the homeland only. In WARNO, this also means the division will defend important rear-area army assets, such as heavy AA guns, operating in close conjunction with territorial militia, the Lidové milice.
The 303. Tanková Divize in WARNO - SOUTHAG
How will the 303. Tanková Divize look like in WARNO - SOUTHAG? New units are both italic and bolded. The following is work-in-progress and subject to change.
LOG As the 303. Tanková Divize is a rear-area defensive formation, its logistical base is pretty good.
Logistics units include the ubiquitous FOB and V3S light supply truck, as well as the amphibious BAV-485 (a rip-off of the World War 2-era DUKW), as well as T815 heavy supply vehicles.
Command units include the (equally ubiquitous) UAZ-469, plus the OT-65VP and OT-62/R4MT.
INF Nothing too spectacular, though the 303. Tanková Divize can be seen not only as a reserve division with infantry but also with plentiful armor. Slots aren’t very cheap, but there is a good range of choice.
A small core of regular MOTOSTŘELCI squads in OT-62A and BVP-1, including a leader version, as well as the larger STŘELCI, which are 9-man squads with assault rifles, two LMGs and RPG-7VL. Next are the VELITEL STŘELCI command squads, being 8-strong with Skorpion, Vz.58P assault rifles, RPG-75, and smoke grenades. These later two squads can deploy in softskin transports, the OT-64C (with BTR-60 turret) or OT-62B (with hatch-mounted T21 Tarasnice recoilless rifle).
The division’s staple infantry are the reservist ZÁLOŽNÍCI in softskin, OT-64C or OT-62B, and their VELITEL ZÁLOŽNÍCI command squads. They also come in larger ZÁLOŽNÍCI (T21) variant, representing a half-platoon easily fitting in the very spacious (18 seats) turretless OT-64 and basic OT-62A. Specifically, the last squad is 16-strong, and equipped with 14x Vz.58P assault rifles, 2x UK Vz.59L LMG, RPG-75, and one T21 RCL. All reservists come with the Reservist trait.
Assisting the division in securing the rear areas are the Czechoslovakian People’s Militia, the Lidova Milice. The LIDOVA MILICE are 8-strong security militia with the Vz.58P assault rifle, one UK Vz.59L LMG, and RPG-75. Their VELITEL L.M. command variant is 5-strong, armed with Skorpion SMGs and a light T21 Tarasnice RCL. Both units come riding in V3S trucks, with the Reservist and Security traits.
Support weapon squads include the ŽENISTE combat engineers, T.A.I. military police, PROTITANKOVÉ DRUŽSTVO tank hunters, UK Vz.59 7,62mm HMG and the new BZK Vz.59 82mm recoilless rifle.
ART Pretty decent, but featuring the opposite slot allocation and price compared to the INF category above: the number of slots is good, but choices are more limited.
Starting with the basic M Vz.52 82mm mortar.
Followed up by the H Vz.38/74 122mm and KH Vz.18/47N 152mm howitzers. The former is the Czechoslovakian designation of the Soviet M-30s of World War II vintage (already featured with Poland and East Germany); the latter is no other than the German World War II s.FH 18 150mm gun modified to fire Soviet 152mm rounds.
MLRS come in the form of the old RM Vz.51 130mm and the RM Vz.70/85 122mm, the latter being a single battalion of the upgraded variant kept in an independent artillery unit.
TANK An excellent category, especially in the number of slots. In many cases, the 303. Tanková Divize had to make do with leftovers and obsolete storage equipment.
The main tanks include the T-34/85M and the new SD-100. The latter is a locally modified SU-100 tank destroyer from World War II. Czechoslovakia retained several battalions of these original Red Army tanks throughout the entire Cold War. Both units feature the Reversist trait.
Heavier firepower will come with the T-54B and T-54BK command variant.
With the most modern equipment available being a few T-72M-E2 (without smoke), represented with additional Veterancy options to highlight the military academy instructors manning them as crew.
Anti-tank units include the PTK Vz.52 85mm and PTK Vz.53 100mm towed anti-tank guns. The former is the original gun used by the East Germans under the designation PaK K-52 85mm, which was featured in the Rügen Gruppierung.
Plus the OT PTRK MALJUTKA missile tank destroyer, which is the BRDM-2 MALYUTKA.
REC
Decent with infantry-based recon squads including PRŮZKUMNÍCI and MOT. PRŮZKUMNÍCI. The first unit comes in either UAZ-469 jeeps or OT-65 armored cars. The second squad in V3S trucks, the OT-810 recon half-track or Mi-4 helicopter. The OT-810 is no other than the World War II German SdKfz. 251 half-track, which the original Czechoslovakian factories kept producing well into the 1950s. So painful it was to be seated in its back was that it was commonly nicknamed "Hitler's Revenge" in the ČSLA.
The new PRŮZ. L.M. militia scouts, being just 3 men with Skorpion SMGs, RPG-75, and the Reservist trait, riding to battle in a UAZ-469 jeep.
Recon vehicles included the new OT-65 DPP, unarmed but sporting a battlefield radar, and the OT-65A VYDRA, armed with an LMG and hatch-mounted T21 Tarasnice RCL.
The PRŮZ. T-34/85, acting as recon tank (still with Reservist trait), and the OT-810D, the World War 2 half-track mounting a BZK Vz.59 recoiless rifle.
AA
Pretty good with divisional anti-air defenses include the JEŠTĚRKA 30mm SPAAG (renamed from the PLDvK vz.53/59) and the PLDvK Vz.53 30mm, its towed variant, as well as the PPLRK S-2M (Strela-2M) MANPAD team.
Additional heavier units include the PLK CS 57mm and PLK KS-30 130mm AA guns, the latter being the same as added to the Soviet Army with WARNO - Nemesis #3 - Homefront’s 157-ya Motostrelkovaya Diviziya.
The only SAM unit is the PLRK KRUG.
HEL Pretty mediocre with only a few slots, quickly rising in costs.
Only two older helicopters can deploy, both being gunship variants of the Mi-4. These are the Mi-4B [RKT1] with 32x 57mm rockets and the Mi-4B [RKT2] with 16x130mm rockets.
AIR A good category for the 303. Tanková Divize. One of the Czechoslovakian Air Force’s aircraft was the light L-39, a jet trainer that saw widespread service among other Warsaw Pact nations. This plane will make a plentiful appearance flying top cover over home territory.
The L-39ZO in HE and RKT loadouts.
Czechoslovakia also operated an improved variant, the L-39ZA, which was able to fire A2A missiles, making it a cheap multirole fighter with bombs and R-13M missiles.
Additional air cover is provided by MiG-21MF [AA2] (which is a MiG-21bis) and the older MiG-21MA [AA] fighters.
Ground support planes are numerous and include MiG-21MF (the MiG-21bis) in various RKT, HE, NPLM and CLU loadouts, as well as the SU-22M4 [AT].
The 303. Tanková Divize is a reservist, defensive-focused division, relying on numbers and, in many cases, World War II-era vehicles. A handful of rare, more modern units, plus substantial air support, round out this battlegroup.
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 reconstituted and counter-attacking NATO SOUTHAG command led by France, with American, West German, Canadian, and reinforcing Spanish troops.
