Hello commander!
Time for some action again. We will take another look at the upcoming MURAT milestone. In today’s post, we put the spotlight on our West German friends and the new 2. Panzergrenadier-Division.
Before we continue, a brief message from the team. Game development takes time and sometimes schedules slip. We wanted to highlight that with MURAT we are adding in features from future milestones - case in point being… a certain set of missile platforms and units. These are ready earlier than expected. Now, several other game elements are still in the Eugen workshop and come a bit later than predicted.
As we stated in our Early Access roadmap for WARNO, delays might be encountered along the way with timelines difficult to predict. Such is the reality of life. Please keep this in mind.
Now onwards to panzergrenadier business!
2. Panzergrenadier
You might think that panzergrenadier is a decidedly World War II name. Make no mistake, as a catch-all German term for mechanized infantry, so too did the West German Bundeswehr used the name for its mobile foot soldier accompanying main battle tanks. Not only that, the panzergrenadier act as escorts for armor while being transported on the battlefield (and supported while dismounted) by APCs or IFVs.
As a mechanized infantry formation, the 2. Panzergrenadier division was formed in 1956 in Kassel, West Germany. It was first established as a grenadier formation, made up of volunteers and a cadre of West German border troops, before being designated a panzergrenadier division in 1959, featuring brigades. Primarily based in Hesse, a central German region, the division’s coat of arms features the Hessian lion in red and silver. For a moment in the early 70s, it was known as the 2nd Jager Division and moved headquarters before returning to Kassel and ultimately regaining its original name in the 1980s.
As part of III Corps, it served alongside 5. Panzer and 12. Panzer in CENTAG’s area of responsibility. Interestingly enough, the 2. Panzergrenadier was situated in the far northern reaches of the command zone, above the U.S. 11th Armored Cavalry in Fulda. This placed it in an enclave in NORTHAG’s area. After the Cold War, the 2. Panzergrenadier was disbanded in 1994.
What to expect in-game?
Using the same brigade structure as the 5. Panzer, the 2. Panzergrenadier obviously features more panzergrenadier infantry brigades than armored ones. That means more soldiers on the battlefield and fewer tanks, though both types of Bundeswehr division rely on the same equipment and vehicle pool. There are some notable differences, though. What can you expect from the 2. Panzergrenadier in WARNO?
- Though the 2. Panzergrenadier receives its share of Leopard 2A3 tanks, the mainstay of the division is the older Leopard 1 (both Leopard 1A1A1 and Leopard 1A5 variants).
- No Marder Roland SAM, as these were not divisional but corps assets. In our wartime scenario, these have been attached to 5. Panzer.
- Instead of Alpha Jets, close air support will be provided by the older G.91 R/3 Gina light CAS jets.
Being so near to NORTHAG, some reinforcements will come 2. Panzergrenadier’s way from nearby NORTHAG nations.
- As the 2. Panzergrenadier was the vital link between the two NATO commands, the division will receive additional troops from a Belgian recon regiment securing NORTHAG’s right flank.
- Practically, this means that we will feature some units from other NORTHAG nations. This includes Belgian Scimitar and Scorpion recon tanks, Spartan’s scout APC, Sultan CV and Striker ATGM launcher, plus some light Eclaireurs (scout). They will get their own infantry models and camo, but acknowledgment dialogue will be French or German until the time we fully release the Belgian army.
- The 2. Panzergrenadier will also benefit from NORTHAG’s air cover, in the form of some RAF planes (first British units unveiled!). This support comes as Harrier GR.3 and Tornado ADV F.3 fighter planes, as well as the Tornado ADF F.3 SEAD.
- Situated close behind the division was the Luftlandebrigade 27, a West German paratrooper and special forces formation. Much like the Luftsturmregiment 40 from our NVA’s 4. Motorisierte Schützendivision, it means the 2. Panzergrenadier will have access to some heliborne support units. This might be either Fs.-Jäger Füh. and Fs.-Jäger in UH-1D, and the CH-53G heavy supply chopper.
- Short but sweet: yes, we will also include new German plane loadouts.
- And we will feature the Fuchs RASIT radar recon to both the 2. Panzergrenadier and the 5. Panzer.
See you on the battlefield
That’s all for this week.
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See you on the battlefield, commander!
