Hello commanders!

Two big Nemesis beats of news.

First, Nemesis #4 - Capital Defence has launched!

Second: another Nemesis vote is upon us! In today’s Devblog, we’ll be kicking off with Nemesis 6, the next community-voted mini-expansion for WARNO.

Our proposal for the first option? Nemesis #6.1 - The Mountaineers, has - as you might have guessed - a unifying theme which involves troops excelling in the difficult fight at great heights, and pits the French 27e Division Alpine against the Polish 5 Podhalańska Brygada WOWew.

Strap in, because this is going to be a big one. Let’s go!

Nemesis #4 - Capital Defence

A short detour, but our Nemesis #4 - Capital Defence is now available to all WARNO players.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/4030770/WARNO__Nemesis_4__Capital_Defence/

Get ready to defend the capital, with Nemesis #4 - Capital Defence featuring two unique battlegroups: NATO’s UK’s Home Defence Region London versus the Warsaw Pact’s Soviet 2-ya Tamanskaya Gvardeyskaya Motostrelkovaya Diviziya.

A whole bunch of new units will be available, from the ceremonial British GUARDS infantry, counter-terrorist SAS G special forces, BLOODHOUND MK.2 SAMs, GVARDEITSY infantry, advanced T-80U obr. 1989, and MiG-29 9.13 superiority fighters.

Get it while it’s still hot!

WARNO’s Nemesis Concept

A short reminder of what WARNO’s Nemesis DLCs entail. These are paid mini-expansions that contain two paired or themed divisions - frequently one from NATO and one from the Warsaw Pact - bringing new units, vehicles, and weapons.

Each Nemesis community vote features three different offerings. Once we have laid out all the juicy details in previews like today’s, you will have one week to choose your favorite option (get ready for some very persuasive propaganda battles). After the vote concludes, one Nemesis is crowned the winner and enters Eugen’s development and production pipeline. The other options are returned to the vault, perhaps to be recycled in a future offering.

Note that each of the Nemesis pairings are all “what if” battles, operations, or part of decisive campaigns in WARNO’s alternative World War III. They all take place within our fictional timeline, but are grounded in reality and informed by historical research.

We run the community vote only on every other offering, as this speeds up our development and production. Check out the preview of Eugen’s choice, Nemesis #5 - Southern Flank, which was revealed by us earlier this month.

And now, back to our first option: Nemesis #6 - The Mountaineers!

The French 27e Division Alpine History Detailed

There has been an unrelated military formation, a cousin of the French 27e Division Alpine, present to help defend the French Alps since 1873. This formation was first known as the 27e Division d'Infanterie, later rebranded as the 27e Division d'Infanterie Alpine, with a proud combat history in both World War I and in the first year of World War II. However, the division was disbanded after France’s defeat in 1940.

However, it isn’t this formation that the newly formed 27e Division d'Infanterie Alpine honors to this day. This particular formation can trace its roots to the 1ère Division Alpine FFI formed in September 1944 by French partisans to fight the Axis on the French-Italian Alpine border. If you are familiar with Steel Division 2, the Groupement Dody was a proto-formation of this division, sharing its coat of arms.

At the end of World War II, the fresh 27e Division d'Infanterie Alpine was used for occupation duty in Austria, to keep an eye on the new Soviet neighbours. By 1954, the division had been sent to fight in Algeria, where its mountainous training made perfect sense while operating in the hilly Kabylia region in northern Algeria.

Upon returning to France in 1962, the division was disbanded. Assets were moved around and converted into two Alpine brigades. A few years later, in 1976, both the 17e and 27e Brigades Alpines were reunited into a once-again 27e Division d'Infanterie Alpine, later rebranded the 27e Division Alpine. In 1984, the division was incorporated into the FAR (Force d'Action Rapide, France's quick-reaction corps).

The French 27e Division Alpine Continued

The 27e Division Alpine shares many similarities with the 11e Division Parachutiste, already present in WARNO.

• Although slightly smaller than the paratrooper division, the 27e Division Alpine is the only other formation of the French Army which could be called a “division” according to NATO’s standards, being much larger than all other French formations.
• Together with the 11e Division Parachutiste, it is one of the most professional divisions of the French Army, well-trained and equipped at a time when the armed forces were mostly conscription-based.
• Both divisions are light, envisioned to be quickly transported by air to any theatre of war in the world. As such, they had similar equipment and TO&E (though there was no official French Army’s “light division” blueprint).

In our alternative timeline, the 27e Division Alpine, with the rest of the FAR (and a sizable Spanish contribution), strike through neutral Austrian territory to hit the Czechoslovakian 1st Army devastatingly hard in its flank (as depicted in WARNO - SOUTHAG). Once a foot is set on communist soil, unlike the other NATO units, the 27e Division Alpine wheels right to secure the FAR’s eastern flank and screen Linz (in case Austria is eager to join a global conflict… who knows?). To accomplish this particular task, the 27e Division Alpine is reinforced by the Spanish final contribution to World War III in West Germany: the BRILAT.

BRILAT stands for Brigada de Infantería Ligera Aerotransportable, the Spanish Army’s light airmobile brigade. While the División Mecanizada «Brunete» n.º 1 and the División de Infantería Mecanizada «Guzmán el Bueno» n.º 2 were earmarked for strategic redeployment to southern West Germany or northern Italy, other Spanish troops were held back for home defense or possible service in the Greek-Turkish theater. The BRILAT fell in between the cracks, with no clear role. That’s why we attached this formation to the Spanish expeditionary corps earmarked for service in West Germany. As an independent light brigade, it was perfectly suited to support a flanking or screening operation, and will fit right in with the 27e Division Alpine.

The French 27e Division Alpine in WARNO

How will the 27e Division Alpine look like in WARNO? New units are marked in both italic and bold. As always, units and categories might be subject to change.

LOG

• An average category, with the 27e Division Alpine lacking a FOB, similar to other light paratrooper or airmobile divisions.
• Supply vehicles include the new Spanish light URO 12.13 and French medium BERLIET GBC 8KT LOG. supply truck, as well as the tracked FN22L LOG. The Spaniards provide some heavy airlift capabilities with their HT-17 (which is a CH-47 CHINOOK).
• Command units available will be the P4 PC, ALOUETTE II PC, and Spanish HU.10 MANDO (which is a Spanish command UH-1H).

INF

• As can be expected, this is a very good category for this type of division.
• All of the French infantry are going to be Alpine troops, meaning they will feature the Mountaineer trait, and the trademark items of those troops: the specific large beret (called tarte, meaning pie) and yellow scarf.
  • The core infantry squad will be the CHASSEURS ALPINS: a 10-man squad with FAMAS, one AANF1 LMG, one FR-F1 and APILAS.
  • There will also be a few “March to War” CHASSEURS ALPINS (Eryx) squads, which in real-life only saw the light in 1990 with the introduction of the new short-range AGTM, which replaces the squad’s FR-F1 and APILAS.
  • And larger half-platoon 15-man squads called DIABLES BLEUS (meaning Blue Devils, the Chasseurs Alpins' nickname). These will field one AANF-1, one LRAC F1, plus one Minimi, which was a rare squad weapon in the French Army. The Chasseurs Alpins were known to love this machine gun for its lighter weight. All above squads will be able to deploy in the large BERLIET GBC 8KT truck, either unarmed or equipped with a ring-mounted .50 cal machine gun.
  • Reservists in this division were few and well-integrated, and will be represented by Veterancy-locked RESERVISTES ALPINS (not featuring Reservist trait). These squads will lack the FR-F1 and trade the APILAS for an LRAC F1.
  • SAPEURS ALPINS will be similar to their paratrooper counterparts, trading the Airborne trait for a Mountaineer one.
  • The 27e Division Alpine will deploy weapon teams featuring the Mountaineer trait: AANF-1 ALPINS and M2HB ALPINS HMG and MILAN 2 ALPINS.

• The Spanish BRILAT brigade will bring some more airmobile troops, with these squads having the first choice of the new CETME L and AMELI firearms, and also their specific models.
  • The main squad is the 10-man FUSILEROS AERO. with 8x CETME L, 2x AMELI LMG, and C-90 anti-tank weapons. Another variant will be the FUSILEROS AERO. (M65) with 7x CETME L, 2x AMELI LMG, 1x CETME LV DMR, plus the M65 recoilless rifle.
  • ZAPADORES AERO. will also be available, but this time with a M65 with incendiary ammo. All of the above squads will come either in an URO 12.13 light truck or HU.10 helicopter.
  • Also available will be an array of weapon teams: MG-42/58 AERO. HMG, LAG-40 AERO. AGL, MILAN 2 AERO. and TOW-2 AERO. ATGMs in SANTANA and HRU.15 transports.
  • The SANTANA CSR-106 AERO. is a jeep with M40A1 RCL plus the Airlifted trait.
  • Although no part of BRILAT itself, the Spanish Legión, from the 70s to the 90s, had the Bandera Motorizada "Millán Astray" X battalion attached either to BRILAT or BRIPAC (the Spanish Army’s parachute brigade). The battalion was specifically trained in airmobile operations. In our “March to War”, this capacity is reactivated, which means that the 27e Division Alpine will receive an extra card of LEGIONARIOS AERO. featuring the Resolute trait.

ART

• Pretty average, with a good selection of light artillery pieces, but no self-propelled options.
• All of the mortars are towed: the French are 81mm and 120mm ones with softskin transports, while the Spanish 120mm AERO. features the Airlifted trait.
• In real-life, the 27e Division Alpine only received its new TRF-1 150mm towed gun a few months into 1990. We have “March to War” expedited a single card, towed by FN22L tractors. The remaining howitzers are HM2A1 105mm.
• The Spanish bring a few M56 105mm guns either with softskin transports or Airlifted by the HTU.17.

TANK

• By 1989, the 27e Division Alpine was transitioning from the AML-90 to the ERC-90.
• This means that this decent category will be closer to the 11e Division Parachutiste, but without the VLRA MILAN, and the P4 MILAN not featuring the Airborne trait.
• The “tanks” of the Alpine troops will be the ERC-90 SAGAIE, much in the same way as the airborne division.

REC

• Pretty good. The division could count on ALOUETTE III recon helicopters, plus a few Spanish HR.15.
• The sole armored recon vehicle was very well-regarded, and unique to the 27e Division Alpine: the AML-90 LYNX, which is an upgraded AML-90, with a reshaped turret and brand-new new optics, acting as the missing link between the recon AML-90 and ERC-90 in terms of range and firepower.

• Infantry scouts aplenty:
  • Such as the 4-man ECLAIREURS ALPINS in P4 and ALOUETTE II transports, as well as larger PATROUILLE ALPINE in VAB RECO, the only VABs available in the division.
  • Although the Commandos de Montagne did not exist at the time, their precursors came in the form of SR squads (Section de Recherche, or Search Platoon) which were sneaky 4-man recon squads with SMGs, sniper rifle, and carrying the Special Forces and Ground Surveillance Radar traits.
  • The last detachment are the new BAGHEERAS squads. Under this special name, taken from the Jungle Book’s black panther (the same animal as their coat of arms), the unit hid some very secretive operators. These are not soldiers of the French Army, but the DGSE (Direction générale de la Sécurité extérieure, France’s foreign intelligence agency). A little bit more background. The 11e Régiment Parachutiste de Choc was the French intelligence service's action group, training other spies in being airdropped in enemy territory, or pretty much anyone willing to fight a dirty war, and as such, providing a covert pool of operators for black ops. In our war scenario, these special forces will accompany the 27e Division Alpine, to be let loose in enemy territory to sabotage, wreak havoc, or contacting local partisans and anti-communist groups. We are still considering the squad’s loadout, but they will be large Special Forces-traited “assault recon” squads focusing on close quarters combat.

AA

• Pretty average, with a good number of slots, but all unit options are quite light.
• The division’s main anti-air defenses will consist of 20mm guns and MISTRAL MANPADs, either towed or mounted on a light vehicle.
• BRILAT's own AA defence are the now gloriously named GAI-BO1 AERO., with the 20mm automatic gun this time Airlifted by a HTU.17.
• One new unit will be a few, modified, Algeria-war style, BERLIET GBC 8KT POLSTEN, sporting a quad 20mm system on the truck’s back.

HEL

• Rather mediocre, with neither the 27e Division Alpine nor BRILAT featuring any organic attack helicopter detachment.
• However, the French will scrounge together some ALOUETTE III SS-11.
• And the Spanish provide a handful of 20mm armed HR.15 and several makeshift HU-10 MAMEE gunships.

AIR

• The division will have strong air support, chiefly provided by a selection of JAGUARS, including the new JAGUAR [LGB2] with a single BGL-1000 laser-guided bomb.
• We will also try to model the MultiDart rockets as a payload, which are "shotgun cluster rockets." If their specific attack pattern can't be represented in-game, we'll turn them into CRV-7 FAT-like AT rockets.
• Air superiority will be provided by MIRAGE 2000C.

The 27e Division Alpine will prove to be a hard-hitting mobile battlegroup, with a great selection of special forces and hardened French mountaineers and Spanish airmobile troops.

We’d also like to thank valued WARNO community members chema1994 for detailing BRILAT.

Furthermore, a special spotlight on RamTank, who posted a description of both Nemesis #6.1 divisions in the last two weeks, right about when we were knee-deep shaping them. We owe thanks to him for revealing the existence of the FN22L tractor and inspiration, though in a different way, of attaching the operators of the 11e Régiment Parachutiste de Choc.

The Polish 5 Podhalańska Brygada WOWew History Detailed

Let’s cast our gaze on the Warsaw Pact offering in this Nemesis #6.1 DLC, the Polish 5 Podhalańska Brygada WOWew or 5th Podhale Brigade of the Internal Defence Forces (WOWew).

The Podhale Rifles are the traditional mountain troops of the Polish Armed Forces, first formed in 1918 in the Podhale (hence the name) region, also known as the “Polish Highlands” in the foothills of the Tatra Mountains. Having formed two divisions and several independent brigades at the beginning of World War II, the mountain troops were famous for their trademark hats and capes, being regarded as Poland’s elite forces. After 1939, surviving elements were reorganized in France as an independent brigade. These took part in the Allied expeditionary campaign in Narvik, Norway, in 1940. Defeat there meant repatriation back to France, which was soon after invaded by the Germans. The Poles retreated to Switzerland, where they were interned, although many found their way to occupied Poland to join the underground army.

Fast forward to Poland under communist rule. The Podhale Rifles and their traditions were breathed into new life in 1956, first with a battalion, later enlarged to the 5th Podhale Brigade of the Internal Defence Forces. These units were tasked with protecting government infrastructures, as well as fending off enemy saboteurs and paratrooper drops. In times of war, it was envisioned to be expanded to almost divisional size. Another unit, the Carpathian Brigade of the Polish WOP (border guards), also carried the traditions of the Podhale Rifles.

In our war scenario, Polish authorities, seeing the dangerous NATO breakthrough in Czechoslovakia, are sent into a frenzy. Fearing that the enemy offensive will keep driving east and reach Poland proper, they scramble everything they can get to stem the tide. This means:

• The 5 Podhalańska Brygada WOWew forming the core of this defensive battlegroup.
• The Karpacka Brygada WOP, the Carpathian Brigade of the Border Guards. This was a high-readiness brigade, with very few reservists. These are considered regular soldiers.
• Elements from the 9. Dywizja Zmechanizowana, a cadre-filled mechanized infantry division, chiefly functioning as a training formation, being seconded from Rzeszów.
• Detachments from the Kraków ZOMO. These were the dreaded riot police of communist Poland, allegedly the best police force operating to maintain internal stability in the Eastern Bloc.
• Units from the Soviet 502nd Separate Anti-Tank Artillery Brigade, on its way from Belarus to join the troops advancing against Denmark. Instead, halfway, the Poles commandeer them to put a stop to the NATO offensive in the south.

The 5 Podhalańska Brygada WOWew in WARNO

How will the 5 Podhalańska Brygada WOWew appear in WARNO? New units are marked in both italic and bold. As always, units and categories are subject to change.

LOG

• A pretty good category made up of command units which include WD-43 jeeps and SKOT-R2M command APCs.
• Supply units include a FOB, STAR 266 ZAOP. and civilian but military-comandeered heavy truck JELCZ 315.

INF

• Very good, as can be expected from this mountain infantry division.
• The Podhale infantry form the core of the battlegroup, all featuring the Mountaineer trait.
  • PODHALANSCY are 10-man squads with kbk AKM, one RPK, and RPG-2 (in real-life, they would likely just have hand grenades). Variants of this base squad are the DOW. PODHALANSCY leader squads, the PODHALANSCY (RPG-7) with the better RPG-7VM, and a few PODHAL. DRUZYNA PPANC. tank hunters will get the only available RPG-7VL.
  • The PODHAL. SAPERZY combat engineers will also be featured, although we are gathering more details about their equipment and organization.
  • The usual array of weapon support teams, including PODHAL. PKM, PODHAL. DShK HMG and the PODHAL. SPG-9.
  • All Podhale squads come in softskin transports (either UAZ-469 or STAR 266).

• The Polish Border Guards (WOP) will all feature the Mountaineer and the Security trait.
  • The WOP are 6-man squads, fielding kbk AKM and RPK light machine guns, while their DOW. WOP leader variants are equipped with an SVD.

• The 9. Dywizja Zmechanizowana provides a few cards of reservist units, all carrying the - you guessed it - Reservist trait.
  • The DOW. REZERWISCI are leader squads pared down to the bare minimum of 3 men with PM-63, kbk AK, and Smoke grenades. They lead the REZERWISCI squads in STAR 266 and SKOT-2A.
  • Support weapons include the REZERWISCI B-10 SPG, and the World War II-era REZERWISCI SG-43 HMG.

• The Polish security apparatus will provide two infantry units with the Military Police and Militia traits.
  • The MILICJA (actually meaning police in Polish) is a 2-man military police squad with PM-63 and riding to battle in POLONEZ MILICJA cop cars.
  • The dreaded ZOMO riot police will provide larger military police squads in STAR 266, or BTR-60PB ZOMO with bull bars and Military Police trait.

• Lastly, the Soviets provide a handful of KONKURS ATGM teams.

ART

• Rather average as the security and border guards of the division were (surprisingly, at least from a Western point of view) well-equipped with artillery, but all pieces being either light or old.
• The Podhales bring the PODHAL. M Wz. 34 82mm and the PODHAL. M Wz. 43 120mm mortars, as well as the PODHAL. A Wz. 42 76mm (which is a World War II-era ZiS-3 gun).
• The 9. Dywizja Zmechanizowana features some slightly heavier but equally venerable guns: the H Wz. 1938/85 122mm howitzers and the BM-14M MLRS.

TANK

• Good in terms of slots, but mostly older tank models. Anti-tank units are more modern.
• The Podhales bring their own tank, and in quite generous numbers, the venerable T-34/85M2! Visually different from the older T-34/85M, this Polish upgrade - in game terms - will only improve its autonomy. They can deploy in regular and command variants.
• The 9. Dywizja Zmechanizowana is represented with a small selection of various units, all fielding the Reservist trait. This includes a few REZ. T-55U, which is a T-54 upgraded by the Poles to T-55A's standards, which can deploy in regular and command variants. Both will come with the Reservist trait.
• A handful of REZ. BRDM-2 MALUTKA-P and REZ. D-4 85mm.
• However, most of the weight is pulled by the Soviet units commandeered to serve in the division, with a strong contingent of BRDM-2 KONKURS and MT-12 RAPIRA.

REC

• Mediocre with only a few slots and all options being infantry units, although some can deploy in armored transports.
• ROZP. PODHALA are large Podhale Rifles recon squads in STAR 266 trucks.
• REZ. ZWIADOWCY are 3-man recon teams armed with PM-63 and come with the Reservist trait. They can deploy in UAZ-469. Regular ZWIADOWCY come in UAZ-469 or OT-65.
• Soviet ARTRAZVEDKA, a 3-man teams with RPG-7VL, from the anti-tank brigade, riding in UAZ-469 or the PRP-3, a BMP-1-based recon vehicle with a single machine gun but with Very Good optics.

AA

• The anti-air defenses of 5 Podhalańska Brygada WOWew are pretty decent, as the Internal Defence Forces were used to safeguard local light and heavy AA units protecting the homeland from aerial incursions.
• The division can only count on the World War II-era 61-K 37mm gun for its organic defenses.
• However, the 9. Dywizja Zmechanizowana are better equipped and bring REZ. STRZALA-2M, the REZ. ZU-23-2 and REZ. HIBNERYT, all coming with the Reservist trait, as well as the AZP S-60 57mm gun.
• The Soviets field a handful of IGLA MANPADS.
• Lastly, from the Polish home air defense forces, a few batteries of the towed S-125M WOLNA, a slightly less capable Warsaw Pact counterpart to the NATO I-Hawk.

HEL

• Mediocre with only a few slots available. The only combat helicopters available are Soviet MI-24V in transit from Belarus bases.

AIR

• Pretty good with the core of the air support being formed from the local Polish 2nd Fighter Aviation Regiment "Krakow Partisans", with MiG-21MF. Available in air defense and ground attack roles, these aircraft were previously featured in WARNO - SOUTHAG but in Czechoslovakian service.
• The MiG-21PFM can also deploy in an additional air superiority role.
• The Su-7BKL as a ground attack plane. This particular plane will also be featured in Czechoslovakian service, but this time as part of the upcoming Nemesis #5 - Southern Flank.
• The LiM-6M trainer in a ground attack role.
• Plus a few prototypes of the new domestic-made I-22 IRYDA trainer - being tested since 1985 - put to use as a multirole light bomber.

The 5 Podhalańska Brygada WOWew is a mixed light infantry and mountain division with the sizable backing of a mechanized reservist division. This means lots of cheap troops backed by a handful of modern units.

Until Next Time

That’s all for this week’s DevBlog. We’ll be back soon with the next Nemesis #6 offering!
Don’t forget the vibrant WARNO community. Check the latest news on the Steam News page or visit the Steam Forums. Get together with other players on either the excellent Discord server, Reddit page, YouTube or our Instagram.

See you on the battlefield, commanders.