Comrade commanders!

Another DevBlog, another Steel Division 2: Battle of Dukla Pass preview awaits! In today’s post, we’ll march to victory with the new Soviet 242-ya Gornostrelkovaya or the 242nd Mountain Rifles Division.

Davai!

In comparison to some of the other formations found in Steel Division 2, the 242-ya Gornostrelkovaya or 242nd Mountain Rifles Division has a richly documented World War II combat history. Originally formed as the lowest-number division of the Red Army after Operation Barbarossa, the 242nd Rifles Division was thrown into action without much preparation in the desperate summer months of 1941. It fought tooth and nail during the defense of Smolensk and Moscow, being subsequently overwhelmed, shattered, managing to break out and return to friendly lines, only to be utterly destroyed by the end of 1941. The division only existed for six months before being disbanded, the survivors too few and weak.

Like a phoenix from the ashes, the 242nd Rifles Division rose again in early 1942, this time in the North Caucasus. Still a rifle division, it participated in the early battles around Kharkiv, before being driven back and once again surrounded during the strategic German summer offensive, Case Blue. This time, the division’s fortunes were better, with a sufficient number of soldiers escaping to keep the formation on Stavka’s rolls.

Remnants of the division were sent to the North Caucasus Front to reorganize in August 1942. It reformed as a mountain rifle division (Gornostrelkovaya) and, as such, took part in successful Soviet defensive operations in the region, including battles around Europe’s highest mountain, Elbrus.

The War Continues
Further combat see the 242nd Mountain Rifles Division embroiled in action on the Taman Peninsula and the Crimea, where some elements took part in the liberation of Sevastopol.

Afterwards, the division was transferred to the 4th Ukrainian Front and the Carpathians. The mountain division did not fight on the main axis of advance during the Battle of Dukla Pass; instead, it deployed further east, where it attacked Uzhorod, which was captured on October 27th, 1944. This particular city had been Czechoslovak up to 1938, then Hungarian (which concerns our timeline) before ending up being Ukrainian from 1945 onwards.

The division would finish the war, officially, as the 242nd Mountain Rifle, Taman, Order of the Red Banner Division and a heap of combat accolades and honors in Czechoslovakia, with the division disbanded relatively soon after in 1946.

Specialized mountain divisions were rare in the Red Army, with only six such divisions ever formed, three of which eventually reverted to standard rifle formations. This was not the case with the 242nd Mountain Rifles Division, which will fight out the war in this unique capacity.

Soviet mountain divisions had four rifle regiments instead of three, but these weren’t subdivided into battalions. Instead, the regiments commanded directly over six companies. This unusual arrangement meant that Soviet mountain divisions were smaller than regular rifle divisions. An advantage was that they were better suited for semi-independent operations. With fewer men, they had a greater ratio of support weapons per soldier; this meant lots of mortars, machine guns, light infantry, and mountain guns.

Mountain divisions operated in difficult terrain and did not have any allocation of armor. This could be “problematic” for any action on a Steel Division 2 battlefield. Fortunately, the 242nd Mountain Rifles Division’s parent formation, the 18th Army, created on September 9th a unique "Separate Army Tank Battalion of Trophy Tanks" equipped entirely with… captured Hungarian armored vehicles. This unit will be attached to the 242nd Mountain Rifles Division to bolster its firepower. There is more: we’ve also attached the depleted 1-y OGTTP, a seperate Guards heavy tank regiment, with some IS-1. Both armored formations amount together to barely a single tank battalion.

How will the 242-ya Gornostrelkovaya in Steel Division 2: Battle of Dukla Pass look like?

All GORNO (mountain troops) will feature the Raider trait. Some units are shared with Gornostrelki elements from 126-ya L. Gornostrelkovy Korpus as found in Steel Division 2: The Fate of Finland while some others are new. New units are both italic and bolded, but might be subject to change.

RECON

• An average category with a decent amount of slots. You’ll get to play with the WLA DT sidecar, as well as a single Phase A-only card of MOT. RAZVEDKA, representing 1-y OGTTP’s motorized recon platoon.
  
• The GORNO. SNAYPERI and GORNO. RAZVEDKA (already featured in the 126-ya L. Gornostrelkovy Korpus).
  
• The new GORNO. RAZV. SAPERI, which are 6-man scouts with 2x PPS-43, 3x Mosin-Nagant, 1x scoped Mosin-Nagant, plus TNT charges.
  
• The division can also count on a few captured TOLDI I in a recon role.

INF

• As can be expected, a very good category for the 242-ya Gornostrelkovaya with lots of cheap, open slots. All units are of the ”Gorono” mountain infantry type.
  
• These include GORNO. SAPERI, GORNOSTRELKI, GORNO. AVTO. and GORNO. KOMROTI squads all featured with the previous 126-ya L. Gornostrelkovy Korpus.
  
• New units include:
  
  • GORNOSTRELKI (DT) are 11-man riflemen squads with 2x PPS-43, 7x Mosin-Nagant, and 2x DT light machine guns.
    
  • GORNO. SAPERI (ROKS) are 11-man engineers with 5x PPSh-41, 3x SVT-40, 2x DT LMGs, plus a 1x ROKS-3 flamethrower.
    
  • GORNO. AVTO. SAPERI are 11-man engineer squads with 6x PPS-43, 5x PPSh-41, plus TNT and smoke grenades.

TANK

• Average. The division had two independent armor battalions attached, both with quite a variety of choices. However, both formations are small, which limits the number and availability of the units to one card each.
  
• From the 1-y OGTTP, you get the IS-1 in a combat role but only in Phase A and B, plus a single IS-2 KOMROTI.
  
• From the “trophy” captured materiel battalion, you’ll get the TOLDI II KOMROTI, TURAN I, TURAN II, and ZRINYI II. All of these units are only available in Combat Phase A, with the exception of the TURAN II, which can also deploy in B.

SUPP

• Another good category, with a decent amount of units available. These range from GORNO. RM-38 50mm, GORNO. DUSHKA, GORNO. OB-25 76,2mm field gun and the GORNO. KOMBAT (as featured in the 126-ya L. Gornostrelkovy Korpus), as well as the new GORNO. MAXIM.
  
• Other units include STUDEBAKKER SNAB. supply vehicles, and the WLA KOMBAT and M2 KOMBAT commander units.
  
• And, a single A-only card, an ISU-152. It was historically found attached to the 1-y OGGTP.

AT

• Average in slots, mostly light in options. These include the GORNO. PTRS-41 (from the 126-ya L. Gornostrelkovy Korpus).
  
• This category also includes a handful of PTRS-41., plus a a few ZIS-2 and a fair amount of [b[]ZIS-3

[/b] - the latter anti-tank gun straight from corps reserve.[/list]

AA

• Pretty unbalanced, with the division only relying on some 61-K 37mm guns for organic AA defense.
  
• However, the “trophy” battalion attached brings two to three NIMROD SPAAGs, which will be added here.
  
• And we’ve also added some elements from the Red Army’s 32-ya Zen. Art., in the form of a card of 85mm OBR. 39 and a few captured FLAKVIERLING 20mm.

ART

• A good category for the 242nd Mountain Rifles Division but with light options.
  
• Plenty of mortars are available, be they 82mm, 107mm or 120mm.
  
• It also had a good number of light 52-P-356 76,2mm mountain howitzers.
  
• Corps support will be provided by a forward observer DZHIP KAO (152mm).
  
• Lastly, the mountain troops fielded their own version of “pocket artillery” in the form of a makeshift MRLS: the new BM-8-8 82mm. It was no less than a jeep with rails for eight 82mm rockets.

AIR

• Air support for the division might be average in terms of slots, but it comes with varied choices.
  
  • Fighter planes include YAK-1B and LA-5FN.
    
  • While recon aircraft featured are the heavy IL-2KR and new YAK-9R.
    
  • Fighter-bombers featured are the LA-5FN(in various bomb loadouts) and IL-2M (AT rockets and napalm).
    
  • Plus bombers include the A-20C BOSTON in various heavy HE loadouts.
  The 242nd Mountain Rifles Division is a light infantry division, with plentiful hardened specialized soldiers excelling best when fighting in rugged terrain. Various attached elements boost its firepower but are only available in smaller numbers.
  
  
  Battle of Dukla Pass Expansion
  
  What can you expect from the Steel Division 2: Battle of Dukla Pass?
  
  
  • The expansion features 1 massive Army General campaign centered on the Battle of Dukla Pass.
    
  • Plus 6 new Divisions, playable in both single-player and multiplayer. These include the Allied [url]1. Československý Armádní Sbor
  [/url], Slovak National Uprising, and Soviet 242-ya Gornostrelkovaya, while the Axis deploy the 208. Infanterie-Division, Hungarian 13. Gyaloghadosztály, and 18. SS-Fr.-Panzergrenadier "Horst Wessel".

See you on the battlefield

We’ll be back next week with another Steel Division 2: Battle of Dukla Pass preview!

Make sure to join the Steel Division 2 community on our Steam forums. The latest Steel Division 2 news can also be encountered on our Instagram[www.instagram.com].

Looking for an online game? Visit the Discord server[discord.gg] or Reddit page and get involved with the lively Steel Division 2 community!

See you on the battlefield, commander.

Hello commanders,

We are back again with a new Steel Division 2: Battle of Dukla Pass preview! In today’s DevBlog, we’ll focus on the Axis German 208. Infanterie-Division.

Onwards!

The 208. Infanterie-Division was formed in 1939, seeing first action during the invasion of Poland as a reserve formation. In much the same vein, it would participate in the invasion of the Low Countries, finding itself on occupation duties in northern Belgium afterward. From 1942, the infantry formation was sent east and fought exclusively on the Eastern Front.

As part of the 1. Panzerarmee from early 1944, the division was trapped in the Kamenets-Podolsk pocket during the Soviet Dnieper–Carpathian strategic offensive in March 1944. The Germans managed to break out, evacuating all their wounded with them but losing a substantial amount of heavy equipment in the process. To this day, this particular battle is considered to be an excellent lesson in a successful breakout from a military encirclement.

During the fateful summer of 1944, the 208. Infanterie-Division was allowed to catch its breath momentarily. It was transferred to the newly created XI. SS-Armeekorps (which included no SS troops, only the staff) from the 17. Armee. Once again, it was at the forefront of the fighting when the Soviet 1st Ukrainian Front reached the Beskid mountains.

Down to 60% combat strength in early September 1944, the division was positioned in and around the city of Krosno, the gateway to the Dukla Pass. On its left flank, the weak and green 545. Grenadier-Division, and itself was the right flank of both the XI. SS-Armeekorps and 17. Armee. On the right was the 68. Infanterie-Division, with the battlefield space filled up in between by the Sicherungsbattalion 1004, a weak security unit.

Holding Krosno was vital for German defensive plans. The Soviets had to be prevented from advancing through the mountain pass - and to link up with the Slovak Uprising insurgents. However, even taking into account the critical strategic importance, what occupied the junction of two corps - two armies even - was a solid but weakened division flanked on both sides by inexperienced and unreliable formations.

And, as can be expected, that’s exactly where the Soviets decided to strike. While detachments fixed the left flank in place, two main groups struck straight at Krosno, and at the Sich.Bat. 1004. With the security troops utterly wiped out, the 208. Infanterie-Division’s right flank also took heavy casualties. Still, the battlegroup managed to regroup and hold to Krosno as long as possible.

Two days later, Jägerregiment 228 (from 101. Jägerdivision) and Sturmregiment Panzer-AOK 1 arrived to bolster its strength, followed by additional reinforcements from the 8. Panzerdivision. Although the Soviets had managed to take Krosno by then and were already driving south through the Dukla Pass, the whole Allied offensive was in jeopardy from that day onwards. The Germans managed to maintain pressure on the pass, and with it a chief bottleneck.

The 208. Infanterie-Division in Steel Division 2 will be a melting pot of different units cobbled together under the battlegroup’s tactical command.

Reflecting the division’s experience during the course of the Battle of Dukla Pass:

• The 208. Infanterie-Division’s own forces, reduced to 60% combat strength, can be deployed during all Combat Phases.
  
• With the addition of several new formations attached, represented as being available from Phase B onwards:
  
  • Jägerregiment 228.
    
  • Sturmregiment Panzer-AOK 1, a regiment under 1. Panzerarmee's direct command, acting as its ultimate reserve unit.
    
  • Kampfgruppe 8. Panzerdivision, not a detachment, but technically what still remained in the field after the division was mauled during the failed counter-offensive against the Sandomierz bridgehead.

How will the 208. Infanterie-Division look like in Steel Division 2: Battle of Dukla Pass? While the battlegroup doesn’t have many new units, it does combine existing Axis German forces in original new ways. As always, new units are both italic and bolded. All of the following is subject to change.

RECON

• A decent but not spectacular category. The 208. Infanterie-Division’s own recon elements only amounted to the BMW R.75 and FUSILIER.
  
• From Combat Phase B onwards, the battlegroup has access to more options.
  
• These include the Jägerregiment 228’s JÄGER SPAHTRUPP.
  
• Plus Sturmregiment Panzer-AOK 1 AUFKLÄRER recon squads in SDKFZ. 222.
  
• And Kampfgruppe 8. Panzerdivision SPAHTRUPP, SDKFZ. 231, and AUFK.PANZER IV.

INF

• Very good, as can be expected from an infantry division. The 208. Infanterie-Division’s GRENADIER squads are available in command, MG-42, and Panzerfaust variants. You’ll further get to deploy PIONIER in command, regular and assault versions, plus ERSATZTRUPPEN.
  
• From Combat Phase B onwards, you’ll get more options, including Jägerregiment 228’s JÄGER in regular and command variants, as well as the new JAGER (MP-44) and JÄGER (MG-42), both organized along a “trial” TO&E which accompanied the delivery of the new MP-44.
  
• new GRENADIER (GrB) representing Sturmregiment Panzer-AOK 1.
  
• Furthermore, there are KG 8. Panzer's PZ.GRENADIER in command and Panzerfaust variants, though they deploy without half-tracks.

TANK

• Mediocre with the division's organic tank firepower being provided by a handful of STUG III G.
  
• From B onwards, a few cards of KG 8. Panzer's PANZER IV H in command and regular variants can deploy.

SUPP

• Balanced with the usual complement of FELDGENDARMERIE, s.MG-34 and MG-42 machine gun teams, IG 18 and IG 33 infantry guns, KOMMANDANT, and BEF.BMW R.75.
  
• From B, some additional GEB. IG 18, JÄGER MG-42 and BEF.PANZER IV H become available.

AT

• A pretty good category for the 208. Infanterie-Division. The battlegroup can count on a motley assortment of anti-tank guns, be it of German manufacture or captured pieces.
  
• These include PANZERSCHRECK, PAK 184(r) 45mm, FK 288(r) 76,2mm, PAK 40 75mm, and MARDER III M.
  
• A few cards of MARDER II, PAK 43/41 88mm and (Jäger) PANZERJÄGER can deploy after Phase B.

AA

• Not very impressive. Though the 208. Infanterie-Division was no mountain division, its own AA guns were GEB.FLAK 38 20mm units. This is all what the battlegroup had either saved or received in terms of anti-air defenses.
  
• Luckily, the Jägerregiment 228 and Kampfgruppe 8. Panzerdivision bring some heavier pieces. These are additional (regular) FLAK 38 20mm, FLAK 43 37mm, and SDKFZ. 7/1.

ART

• The division has access to a sizable amount of artillery, such as the GrW. 34 80mm mortars, le.FH 18M 105mm and s.FH 414(f) 155m, as well as BEOBACHTER and BATTERIE FÜHRER squads.
  
• From Combat Phase B, its firepower increases significantly with the addition of s.FH 18 150mm, SK 18 100mm, WESPE 105mm, JÄGER GrW. 34 81mm, and GrW. 120mm mortars.

AIR

• The air cover for 208. Infanterie-Division is pretty decent. At the start of the battle, in Phase A, you get Bf. 109 G-6/U3 recon planes, Ju-87 D-5 bombers in HE and cluster loadouts, Bf 109 G-6 fighters, and the Fw-190 F-8 in new Panzer-Büchsenrohr configuration with its 8x Panzerschreck strapped under its wings.
  
• In B, the Ju-87 G-1 Panzervögel and Ju-88 A-4 with various HE loadouts can deploy for action.
  
• In Combat Phase C, the Bf 109 G-14 fighter becomes available.

The 208. Infanterie-Division is a solid infantry division, with a great variety of choice, including some limited mechanized support. This allows the battlegroup to build up strength and counter-attack from Combat Phase B onwards.

Battle of Dukla Pass Expansion

What can you expect from the Steel Division 2: Battle of Dukla Pass?

• The expansion features 1 massive Army General campaign centered on the Battle of Dukla Pass.
  
• Plus 6 new Divisions, playable in both single-player and multiplayer. These include the Allied [url]1. Československý Armádní Sbor

[/url], Slovak National Uprising, and Soviet 242-ya Gornostrelkovaya, while the Axis deploy the 208. Infanterie-Division, Hungarian 13. Gyaloghadosztály, and 18. SS-Fr.-Panzergrenadier "Horst Wessel".[/list]

See you on the battlefield

We’ll be back next week with another Steel Division 2: Battle of Dukla Pass preview!

Make sure to join the Steel Division 2 community on our Steam forums. The latest Steel Division 2 news can also be encountered on our Instagram[www.instagram.com].

Looking for an online game? Visit the Discord server[discord.gg] or Reddit page and get involved with the lively Steel Division 2 community!

See you on the battlefield, commander.

Hello commanders,

Hot on the heels of last week’s Steel Division 2: Battle of Dukla Pass Recap, we are back with the very first division preview of our next expansion. Nice!

In today’s DevBlog, we’ll put the spotlight on the Allied 1. Československý Armádní Sbor or 1st Czechoslovak Army Corps.

Let’s go!


The 1. Československý Armádní Sbor was a Soviet-controlled fighting force of the Czechoslovakian Army in exile. It was also known as the Svoboda's Army after its wartime commander, Ludvík Svoboda. The Corps started as a mere battalion, the 1st Czechoslovak Independent Field Battalion, which had the honors of being the premier foreign unit to fight alongside the Red Army. Formed by Czechoslovakian refugees living in the Soviet Union, Slovak POWs and defectors, and Soviet citizens of Czech origins, the formation saw first light in 1942.

There was a political push-and-pull between this unit - and its officers - and the Czechoslovakian government in exile based in London. The communists wanted combat straight away, while the Western Allied leaders wished for the battalion to be retained during the liberation of Czechoslovakia. Ultimately, the formation went to war pretty quick, seeing first blood during the Battle for Kharkiv in 1943. An infantry-heavy unit, it was mauled by German armored formations and consequently pulled off the line and refitted as the 1st Czechoslovak Independent Brigade.

As more and more Soviet territory was liberated, the ranks of the brigade grew tremendously. By 1944, the number of new recruits allowed a (small) army corps to be created. As such, it entered the fight to liberate its home territories in the Battle for Dukla Pass. While combat was hard and ultimately proved unsuccessful in freeing all of Czechoslovakia, the 1st Czechoslovak Army Corps did see the end of World War II liberating Prague. Disbanded quickly after the war, the corps’ forces became the foundation for the post-war communist-ruled 1st Czechoslovak Army.


Featuring three brigades (not divisions as comparable in other corps), the 1st Czechoslovak Army Corps was small compared to other Red Army formations. The Corps did have some unique features:

• The 1st Brigade was composed of battle-hardened veterans.
  
• Out of the three infantry brigades, one - the 2nd Brigade - was actually a paratrooper unit.
  
• Unique for a Soviet infantry corps, but the Czechoslovakians had access to their own fighter regiment.
  
• And its infantry was lavishly equipped with PPS 43 instead of the older PPSh 41.

Moreso than other Soviet rifle corps, the 1st Czechoslovak Army Corps had its own roster of specialized units permanently attached to the formation.

• the 1st Czechoslovakian Independent Tank Brigade, the size of a small regiment in our timeframe.
  
• Each brigade featured its own artillery battalions, giving it light but ample fire support.
  
• And lastly, it had its own Czechoslovakian penal company.

It should be noted that all of the paratroopers and associated units will only be available in Combat Phases A and B. These were, historically, withdrawn from combat during the battles for Dukla Pass and instead airlifted into the insurrectionist pocket, where they will appear again fighting for the Slovak National Uprising division (also featured in our expansion).


How will the 1. Československý Armádní Sbor look like in Steel Division 2: Battle of Dukla Pass? New units are both italic and bolded. The following is still work-in-progress and subject to change!

RECON

• An average category for the 1st Czechoslovak Army Corps with no organic recon units, and scouts being detached from regular infantry battalions.
  
• The 1st and 3rd Brigade's scouts are represented by:
  
  • CARRIER DUŠKA, their main tracked light recon unit.
    
  • The new PRŮZKUMNÍCI, being 2-man recon teams.
    
  • And the new MOT. PRŮZKUMNÍCI larger 6-man recon team with PPS 43, Bazooka and smoke grenades, coming in softskin trucks or CARRIER.
• The 2nd (Paratrooper) Brigade had a dedicated recon company at brigade level, which included:
  
  • Recon T-38M2 light amphibious tanks.
    
  • The new PARA. ODSTŘELOVAČ which are 2-man sniper team with PPS 43 and SVT-40 PU.
    
  • The PARA. PRŮZKUMNÍCI being heavy 9-man recon team with PPS 43 and DT machine gunes, plus smoke grenades.

INF

• A very good category for this battlegroup. The regular 1st and 3rd Brigade infantry include all new units:
  
  • The STŘELCI rifles squads come in regular, SVT, PTR, and command variants.
    
  • SAPÉŘI combat engineers can deploy in regular and command versions.
    
  • SAMOPALNÍCI are similar to the Soviet Avtomatchiki squads, in regular and command variants, armed with a mix of PPSh41 and PPS 43. A few Soviet MOT. AVTOMATCHIKI (fielding one DP-28) are also present from Combat Phase B, as the attached 12-ya Gv. Tank. Brigada's infantry. The former Czechoslovakian units come in softskin trucks, and the later Soviet ones are in half-tracks.
    
  • TANKOVI STŘELCI are similar to the Soviet Tankodesantniki, featured in both regular and command variants, with access to half-tracks as transports.
• The paratroopers from the 2nd Brigade are locked in Phases A and B, and all come with the Raider trait. These will be represented as:
  
  • PARAŠUTISTÉ coming in regular, DT, engineer, and command variants.
  The 1st Czechoslovak Army Corps’s penal company provides the 20-strong TRESTNÍ STŘELCI squads.

TANK

• The Corps’ own tank “brigade” was quite limited at the start of the Dukla Pass offensive. The formation later received reinforcements from the Soviet 12-ya Gv. Tank. Brigada.
  
  • Czechoslovakian armor includes the following, often in only limited numbers:
    
    • T-38M2 amphibious command light tanks from the paratrooper brigade.
      
    • T-70 light tanks.
      
    • T-34/76 obr.43 in regular and command versions.
      
    • A handful of T-34/85 obr.44.
  • Soviet tanks, available from Combat Phase B:
    
    • T-34/76 obr.42 in regular and command variants.
      
    • T-34/85 obr.43.
      
    • And a few (new in this role) IS-1 (as a regular tank, not command) plus IS-2 obr.44 heavy tanks.

SUPP

• A pretty good category for the 1st Czechoslovak Army Corps.
  
• Fire support units include the following:
  
  • SG-43, PARA. MAXIM and PARA. DUŠKA machine guns.
    
  • PARA. OB-25 76,2mm infantry guns and RM-35 50mm light mortars.
• Commander units are:
  
  • Czechoslovakian DESANT. KOMBAT paratroopers.
    
  • Czechoslovakian WLA KOMBAT.
    
  • Soviet T-34/76 KOMBAT from Phase B.
• Supply is being provided by the ever-reliable lend-lease STUDEBAKER.

AT

• The anti-tank tab is pretty good but chiefly features lighter options:
  
• Infantry anti-tank squads include:
  
  • The new AMPULOMET unit. The original Czechoslovakian infantry in Red Army service was initially given older weapons. These were never fully replaced in the brigades when they expanded to a Corps size, meaning they can still be found with their rank and file. This particular weapon is basically a tube launching a green sphere filled with phosphorus (an intriguing concept, clearly obsolete when it was designed in 1941 and especially so against armor by 1944). However, it remains an effective long-range flamethrower-type weapon useful against infantry and light vehicles.
    
  • The ubiquitous PTRS-41 anti-tank rifle.
    
  • The new PARA. LOVCI TANKŮ which are 7-man tank hunter squads with PPS 43, three PTRD, plus smoke and AT grenades.
• Towed anti-tank guns include the M-42 45mm (both in infantry and paratrooper flavors), ZIS-2 57mm, and the ZIS-3 76,2mm.
  
• Lastly, the Czechoslovakian tank brigade could also count on a handful of SU-85 tank destroyers.

AA

• Prettty dismal, with the battlegroup having no organic AA battalion. It can only count on a few smaller anti-air defense units attached to the brigades.
  
• The sole self-propelled anti-air weapon is the good ’ol GAZ-AAA MAKSIM M4.
  
• Some of the heavier AA guns available are 61-K 37mm guns, historically often crewed by female gunners and with a gunshield.
  
• Being under Soviet command, the Corps benefited from their AA defenses. This means we have attached one card of ZEN. ART. obr.39 85mm.

ART

• Artillery is well represented with the 1st Czechoslovak Army Corps, though it might lack some of the heavier calibers.
  
• The usual BM-37 82mm and PM-38 120mm mortars.
  
• The mainstay of the Czechoslovakian artillery, numerous and organic to each brigade, was the M-30 122mm howitzer. Gunners also get access to a few heavier ML-20 152mm pieces.
  
• An early war gun that found its way into the Czechoslovakian arsenal of 1944 was the M-60 107mm field gun. Although light, it had a much longer range than the M-30. It could also be used as a (very good) anti-tank gun, with much better performance than the ZiS-3.

AIR

• Average, with the Corps’ own air regiment flying the La-5FN in fighter and fighter-bomber roles. However, this formation was removed before the Battle of Dukla Pass and sent to help the Slovak National Uprising alongside the paratroopers.
  
• The Soviet Air Forces will help out to provide the rest of the air cover. These come in the form of Pe-3R recon planes, IL-2M with HE rockets, and the IL-2M3, B-25J-30 MITCHELL, and Pe-2-83 bombers in various bomb and cluster loadouts.

The 1st Czechoslovak Army Corps is a well-rounded battlegroup with a good infantry and tank synergy, but with its most glaring disadvantage being the lack of anti-air defenses.

Battle of Dukla Pass Expansion

What can you expect from the Steel Division 2: Battle of Dukla Pass?

• The expansion features 1 massive Army General campaign centered on the Battle of Dukla Pass.
  
• Plus 6 new Divisions, playable in both single-player and multiplayer. These include the Allied 1. Československý Armádní Sbor, Slovak National Uprising, and Soviet 242-ya Gornostrelkovaya, while the Axis deploy the 208. Infanterie-Division, Hungarian 13. Gyaloghadosztály, and 18. SS-Fr.-Panzergrenadier "Horst Wessel".

See you on the battlefield

That’s all. We’ll be back soon with more Battle of Dukla Pass previews.

Make sure to join the Steel Division 2 community on our Steam forums. The latest Steel Division 2 news can also be encountered on our Instagram[www.instagram.com].

Looking for an online game? Visit the Discord server[discord.gg] or Reddit page and get involved with the lively Steel Division 2 community!

See you on the battlefield, commander!

Hello, hello!

It has been a long time coming, but in today’s DevBlog, we will finally be able to cast our eyes on the long-gestating upcoming Steel Division 2 expansion: Battle of Dukla Pass!

The expansion is slowly getting ready. As such, a great opportunity to revisit The Battle of Dukla Pass and lift the tip of the veil on the Army General campaign and divisions you’ll be able to play with in Steel Division 2: Battle of Dukla Pass.

Onwards!

Battle of Dukla Pass Expansion

First things first: what can you expect from the Steel Division 2: Battle of Dukla Pass in terms of content?

• The expansion features 1 massive Army General campaign centered on the Battle of Dukla Pass (more historical info below).
  
• Plus 6 new Divisions, playable in both single-player and multiplayer.

Dukla Pass Historical Context

The Battle of Dukla Pass, which anchors the expansion's new Army General campaign, was considered to have officially started on September 8th, 1944, when the Soviets assaulted the Laborec Highlands. It ended on October 28th, 1944, when the Slovak Uprising was crushed and the communist offensive was halted. The Battle of Dukla Pass officially concluded with the failure of the insurrection.

But let's rewind a bit. In March 1944, dissidents within the Axis Slovak Army, in league with the Allied Czechoslovakian government-in-exile in London, started planning for a military uprising. The rebels envisioned the Axis being kicked out of their country as the Soviets were getting closer and closer to lend support. Key to the entire operation was the Carpathian bottleneck, connecting Slovakia to Poland, known as the Dukla Pass. It would have been secured from the Germans and held long enough for the Red Army to pass through and advance straight into Slovakia.

However, in a cruel twist of fate, when the uprising was executed on August 29th, the Slovak Army’s chief of staff fled by plane to the safety of the Soviet Army, leaving the rebels with no strategic direction.

The Army General campaign

In Steel Division 2, the Battle of Dukla Pass will see the Soviets try to seize the Laborec Highland’s pass at Dukla, in order to reach the insurgents of the Slovak Uprising. But the national liberation campaign was sprung hastily, with the Germans and other Axis troops reacting swiftly to secure and hold the strategic pass.

As depicted in the Army General campaign, the battle will be fought in-depth along the Krosno-Dukla-Presnov-Kosice corridor. Combat flares around Krosno, with the Soviet 1st Ukrainian Front striking at the boundary between the German XI. SS-Gebirgs-Korps and XXIV. Panzerkorps. It is here that the Allied troops aim to brush aside the thin defensive line of German defenders.

The Axis will, in the beginning, have no immediate reserves. This means standing fast or performing an arduous fighting retreat where every meter will be used to stall for time. Later during the campaign, reinforcements will arrive from the south, as well as both sides of the corridor.

The Divisions

The Battle of Dukla Pass expansion will feature 6 new divisions, playable in Skirmish and multiplayer. Note that some of the following battlegroups are directly lifted from the Army General campaign itself, while others were either located very close by or deeply involved in the series of battles in other ways.

More detailed previews of each individual division will come soon!

From the Army General campaign
We picked two divisions straight from the Army General battlefield:

• The Axis 208. Infanterie-Division. Prior to the battle, the formation led by General Hans Pieckenbrock was considered by Soviet intelligence to be down to 60% strength. However, unbeknownst to the Allies, the remaining manpower was composed of the division’s best soldiers. Battle-hardened, the 208. ID found itself in the thickest of the fighting, being in charge of the Krosno sector. This put it right in the path of the Soviet offensive. Although the division’s right flank was mangled, with the Red Army achieving a narrow breakthrough, the German survivors regrouped in Krosno. The 208. Infanterie-Division would not yield, and when joined by elements of the 1. and 8. Panzerdivision, they even managed to go on the attack.
  
• The Allied 1. Československý Armádní Sbor, or the 1st Czechoslovak Army Corps of the Red Army. This formation was created from Soviet citizens of Czechoslovak origins, Czechoslovakian refugees from the Sudenten occupation, or prisoners of war. It grew from a simple battalion (the first foreign unit to fight alongside the Soviets) to a three-brigade (plus smaller units) army corps. Although considered small for an army corps, even by Soviet standards, the 1st Czechoslovak Army Corps had an unusual organization, featuring its own tank regiment, penal company, plus one out of three brigades being completely formed out of paratroopers. Thrown into the meatgrinder at Dukla Pass, the corps had the painful honor of fighting its way into their homeland. The paratroopers were pulled out from the battle early to be airlifted to the help of the Slovak Uprising.

Fighting nearby Dukla Pass
The next two divisions will not appear within the expansion’s Army General campaign, though they were fighting just outside of the scope of our map.

• The Axis Hungarian 13. Gyaloghadosztály or 13th Infantry Division. This formation was positioned on the east side of the Axis defensive lines, next to the German 101. Jäger-Division. The Hungarians had to cover for the redeployment of the Jägers when they were sent into battle at Dukla Pass. The 13th Infantry Division received reinforcements from the Hungarian 1st and 2nd Mountain Brigade, plus some welcome armor support in both the form of the German StuG-Abteilung 1101 and Hungarian 1st Assault Gun Battalion.
  
• The Soviet 242-ya Gornostrelkovaya division, or the 242nd Mountain Rifles Division. It comes as no surprise that this formation was specifically deployed to the Carpathian mountain ranges. While the 126-y L. Gornostrelkovy Korpus included one mountain brigade, the 242nd was one of the few Soviet divisions entirely specialized in mountain warfare. Although lightly equipped, this battlegroup will receive as an attachment a rather unusual unit (which we will reveal in due course).

Deeply involved in the campaign
The final two divisions to be featured in the Army General campaign were located further afield, not fighting directly in the Laborec Highlands but beyond. They were both deeply involved in the greater scheme of things and the very reason the 1st Ukrainian Front surged forward.

• The Axis 18. SS-Fr.-Panzergrenadier "Horst Wessel". This division's main mission was not to stop or delay the Soviet offensive but to crush its very objective: cracking down on the Slovak Uprising. The 18. SS, although a German division, was made up almost entirely of Hungarian Volksdeutschen. Over the course of the campaign, it amalgamated several smaller units of various origins, turning into a genuine Tower of Babel: from Slovak collaborationists, French SS, to German security troops, single tanks, and Ukrainian SS troops.
  
• The Slovak National Uprising or SNP. Once proposed as a Nemesis choice, this formation makes - at last - its Steel Division 2 debut. Represented as a phase-locked battlegroup, with the rebellious regular Slovak army available in Phase A, partisans in B, and Czechoslovakian “red” paratroopers detached from 1. Československý Armádní Sbor arriving in C. There will also be a sprinkling of OSS and Jedburgh special forces, plus Western Allies and Soviet Air Forces flying top cover.

As mentioned before, we’ll return soon with more details and information on each division and campaign!

War Reserves’ New Units

In case you missed it, we recently released the free-for-all Reinforcement Pack #17 - War Reserves. The War Reserves free DLC features 18 new units with 11 brand-new models.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/3508600/Steel_Division_2__Reinforcement_Pack_17__War_Reserves/

See you on the battlefield

That’s all. We’ll be back soon with the first detailed Battle of Dukla Pass preview.

Make sure to join the Steel Division 2 community on our Steam forums. The latest Steel Division 2 news can also be encountered on our Instagram[www.instagram.com].

Looking for an online game? Visit the Discord server[discord.gg] or Reddit page and get involved with the lively Steel Division 2 community!

See you on the battlefield, commander!

Hello commanders,

Get ready! The free Reinforcement Pack #17 - War Reserves is available now!

Next to a host of new and updated units, we’ve also released a new patch for Steel Division 2. Check out the details below!

https://steamcommunity.com/games/919640/announcements/detail/532092880811983019

War Reserves’ New Units

What can you expect from RP #17 - War Reserves?

https://store.steampowered.com/app/3508600/Steel_Division_2__Reinforcement_Pack_17__War_Reserves

The Axis receive a flurry of new additions to their arsenals. These include the German FLAKPANZER SFL IVc self-propelled anti-aircraft gun (26. Panzerdivision), the GRILLE Ausf. H assault gun (various German divisions), RSI’s CANNONE DA 75/46 C.A. M34 anti-aircraft gun (4a Alpina "Monterosa"), Hungarian TOLDI III light tank (1. Páncélos Hadosztály), the Finnish FOKKER C.X recon bomber bi-plane (Ryhmä Raappana), FORD V8 098T HUOLTO heavy supply (all Finnish divisions), and more.

Allied divisions also gain several new vehicles and units. Such as the American A-36A APACHE fighter-bomber (Task Force 45), British MUSTANG MK.1 recon fighter (15th (Scottish) Infantry Division) and TYPHOON MK.1B recon heavy fighter (Guards Armoured Division), the Soviet EMCHA RAZV. recon tank (29-y Tank Korpus) and Polish (LWP) WC-52 light truck (1 Piechoty "Tadeusza Kościuszki").

To get more insights into the addition to each side or nation, check out the following previews:

• Axis
  
• Finland
  
• Western Allies
  
• Soviet

See you on the battlefield

That’s all. We hope you enjoy the latest Steel Division 2 free Reinforcement Pack #17. Go forth to victory!

Make sure to join the Steel Division 2 community on our Steam forums. The latest Steel Division 2 news can also be encountered on our Instagram[www.instagram.com].

Looking for an online game? Visit the Discord server[discord.gg] or Reddit page and get involved with the lively Steel Division 2 community!

See you on the battlefield, commander!

Hello, hello!

Glorious news: the free Reinforcement Pack #17 - War Reserves will release next week!

We are in the very final stretch of getting the update out of the door. Not a specific date… but it is close.

War Reserves In Brief

RP #17 - War Reserves updates several Steel Division 2 units across the base game and its various expansions and Nemesis DLCs. In total, there will be 15 to 20 new units, including a dozen brand-new 3D models. The free Reinforcement Pack #17 - War Reserves is free to all owners of Steel Division 2

War Reserves’ New Units

What can you expect from RP #17 - War Reserves?

The Axis receive a flurry of new additions to their arsenals. These include the German FLAKPANZER SFL IVc self-propelled anti-aircraft gun (26. Panzerdivision), the GRILLE Ausf. H assault gun (various German divisions), RSI’s CANNONE DA 75/46 C.A. M34 anti-aircraft gun (4a Alpina "Monterosa"), Hungarian TOLDI III light tank (1. Páncélos Hadosztály), the Finnish FOKKER C.X recon bomber bi-plane (Ryhmä Raappana), FORD V8 098T HUOLTO heavy supply (all Finnish divisions), and more.

Allied divisions also gain several new vehicles and units. Such as the American A-36A APACHE fighter-bomber (Task Force 45), British MUSTANG MK.1 recon fighter (15th (Scottish) Infantry Division) and TYPHOON MK.1B recon heavy fighter (Guards Armoured Division), the Soviet EMCHA RAZV. recon tank (29-y Tank Korpus) and Polish (LWP) WC-52 light truck (1 Piechoty "Tadeusza Kościuszki").

To get more insights into the addition to each side or nation, check out the following previews:

• Axis
  
• Finland
  
• Western Allies
  
• Soviet

See you on the battlefield

That’s all. We’ll be back soon with the actual launch of RP #17 - War Reserves.

Make sure to join the Steel Division 2 community on our Steam forums. The latest Steel Division 2 news can also be encountered on our Instagram[www.instagram.com].

Looking for an online game? Visit the Discord server[discord.gg] or Reddit page and get involved with the lively Steel Division 2 community!

See you on the battlefield!

Hello commanders,

We are back with the last installment of the Reinforcement Pack #17 - War Reserves previews.

Today’s spotlight will be swung on the Soviet Union and its allies.

To glory!

War Reserves In Brief

RP #17 - War Reserves is the direct consequence of Eugen designers finding extra time to update several Steel Division 2 units across the base game and its various expansions and Nemesis DLCs. In total, there will be 15 to 20 new units, including a dozen brand-new 3D models. The free Reinforcement Pack #17 - War Reserves is in active development and shouldn’t take too long to release.

Soviet Union

Let’s look at the units of the Soviet Union and its allies.

• The first unit is not an addition, but a replacement. It corrects a long overdue mistake: the Soviet M5L (M5 Stuart), which only deployed into the Red Army in two models. Both of these were tested… and rejected. Instead, the more numerous variant used in the Soviet Union was the M3L (M3A1 Stuart).
  
  • The M3L will replace the M5L in both the 184-ya Strelkovaya Div and Podv. Gruppa Tyurina. These are base game divisions.
• The T-80 RAZVEDKA is next. Not the mighty Cold War T-80, but the latest upgrade in the World War 2-era light tank series of the T-60 and T-70. The T-80s' development as a more advanced offshoot of the T-70 with a two-man turret happened too late in the war. By this time, light tanks had mostly become obsolete, and production was halted in the second half of 1943. The handful of T-80s that were produced saw action mainly on the Romanian front.
  
  • The T-80 RAZVEDKA will be added as a recon tank to the 3-ya Gv. VDV Div from the Steel Division 2: Black Sunday expansion.
  
• The next one is not a new unit but an existing vehicle cast in a new role: the EMCHA RAZVEDKA. This is a recon M4A2 Sherman equipped with a radio as part of the Allied lend-lease effort to the USSR.
  
  • The EMCHA RAZVEDKA will replace the Valentine recon tank in the 29-y Tankovy Korpus. This is a division from the base game.
  
• The final updated Soviet unit is the additional of a new, heavier loadout to an existing plane: the La-5FN with a new payload of 2x 100kg bombs.
  
  • This aircraft will be added to the Podv. Gruppa Vyborg from the Steel Division 2: Fate of Finlan expansion.

Foreign corps in the Red Army will also receive some existing (from other parts of the Red Army) but missing (in their own arsenal) equipment.

• The Estionian 7. Eesti Laskurdiviis will receive its absent M3A1 half-track for the TANKODESANTNIKI squads. This division is featured in Steel Division 2: Burning Baltics.
  
• The Polish the 1 Dywizja Piechoty "Tadeusza Kościuszki" from Steel Divison 2: Death on the Vistula will get its missing WC-52 light truck. A small addition, but it will help add some speed to the deployment of several light squads and guns.

Lastly, there are several more new units in the pipeline. Note: these won’t be delivered with RP#17 - War Reserves. We have only discovered them recently, and there was simply no time to squeeze them into the development cycle for this Reinforcement Pack. However, we didn’t want to ignore them.

Instead, these new units will be modeled alongside the upcoming Battle for Dukla Pass. When this expansion releases, the missing units will be retrofitted to War Reserves - and as such - made available to all for free.

• The fast BT-5 light tank will be added to the 126-y L. Gornostrelkovy Korpus (Steel Division 2: Fate of Finland expansion).
  
• The VALENTINE X features a slightly different turret compared to its predecessor (the IX) and included a coaxial machine gun. This means the tank, notorious for its lack of HE, will receive some self-defense anti-infantry capability. This unit will be added to the 3-y Gv. Mekh. Korpus (base game).
  
• Finally, the YAK-9K was a not-so-lucky attempt at improving the YAK-9T's firepower by upgrading its 37mm nose gun to a 45mm one. The gun proved unreliable, and only two regiments fielded this variant. One of these formations supported the 39th Army during Operation Bagration. As such, the YAK-9K will be added to Podv. Gruppa Bezuglogo (base game).

See you on the battlefield

That’s all for the Reinforcement Pack #17 - War Reserves previews. We’ll be back soon with more Steel Division 2 news.

Make sure to join the Steel Division 2 community on our Steam forums. The latest Steel Division 2 news can also be encountered on our Instagram[www.instagram.com].

Looking for an online game? Visit the Discord server[discord.gg] or Reddit page and get involved with the lively Steel Division 2 community!

See you on the battlefield!

Hello, hello!

We return with another glorious Reinforcement Pack #17 - War Reserves preview. Today’s the day a trio of Western Allies’ units will receive their (flying) spot in the sun.

Let’s roll.

War Reserves In Brief

What’s the deal with this upcoming free DLC? The Eugen designers have found extra time to update a host of Steel Division 2 units across the base game and its various expansions and Nemesis DLCs. In total, there will be 15 to 20 new units, including a dozen brand-new 3D models. The free Reinforcement Pack #17 - War Reserves is being worked on as we speak and shouldn’t take too long to release.

Western Allies

It’s the turn of the Western Allies. What can you expect?

The new A-36A APACHE fighter-bomber will make its mark. Under this designation hides a stopgap fighter-bomber variant of the famous P-51 fighter. This was done to keep the P-51 assembly lines open in the early months of 1942 due to the US Army Air Force already having received all the P-51 fighters ordered. Soon, with military budgets skyrocketing, the North American Aviation was able to turn back the factories to restart the P-51’s production. The A-36A APACHE differs from its air superiority fighter cousin by the shape of its nose, air intake, bomb racks, three-bladed propellers, and (especially so) its distinctive air dive brakes, used in ground strike missions. Although rendering good service in the Mediterranean campaign, including dogfights, by mid-1944, most of these fighter-bombers had been replaced by P-47s. The last of the A-36As in Europe operated in Italy's theatre of war.

• The new A-36A APACHE will be assigned to the American Task Force 45, where it will replace the P-51B-10. This division is part of Tribue to the Liberation of Italy expansion.

On to new British plane variants of existing aircraft.

• Part one is the MUSTANG Mk. I, which the United Kingdom received first. This is an earlier variant of the MUSTANG Mk.III. Using the same airframe as the A-36A APACHE above, except for the dive air brakes. One of the first fighter variants to spring forth from the restarted P-51 assembly lines in 1942, the P-51s (not even with A designation then) were delivered to the British armed forces as part of a lend-lease program. By mid-1944, that old yet trusty fighter had been restricted to air recon missions only.
  
  • The MUSTANG Mk. I will be assigned to the United Kingdom’s 15th Scottish Infantry Division. This division is featured in the Back to War expansion.

• The second new variant is the TYPHOON FR Mk. IB, an unlucky attempt at creating a dedicated tactical recon fighter out of the heavy-weight TYPHOON. Its port inner cannons were removed, leaving it with four 20mm guns (out of six). These were replaced with forward-facing cameras. The plane was disliked by its pilots, who preferred the older MUSTANG I (see above). This recon aircraft only really served with one unit - the RAF’s 268 Squadron - doing duty over Normandy. By January 1945, all recon Typhoons had been phased out of service.
  
  • The TYPHOON FR Mk. IB will be featured in the British Guards Armoured Division. This division was featured in the Tribute to Normandy ‘44 expansion.

See you on the battlefield

That’s all for now. We’ll be back next week with another Reinforcement Pack #17 - War Reserves unit preview.

Make sure to join the Steel Division 2 community on our Steam forums. The latest Steel Division 2 news can also be encountered on our Instagram[www.instagram.com].

Looking for an online game? Visit the Discord server[discord.gg] or Reddit page and get involved with the lively Steel Division 2 community!

See you on the battlefield!