Hello commander,
Welcome back to our third (and currently final) Nemesis DLC unveiling. We are proud to present Nemesis: Battle of Montélimar!
As the other Nemesis DLC choices before it, our third option of the second run explores an entirely new battlefield. This time, we will find ourselves in the sun-kissed countryside of Southern France.
Nemesis: Battle of Montélimar pits the German 11. Panzerdivision against the recently arrived (and fast-moving) Task Force Butler during the pitched Battle of Montélimar.
Before we continue: we are still working hard on getting the first free Nemesis DLC into your hands as soon as possible. The release of Nemesis: Battle of Sandomierz Bridgehead is on the way, so hold on tight. Before you know it, you’ll be able to play with the 16. Panzerdivision and 97th Guards Rifle Division featured in the first Nemesis DLC.
The History of Nemesis: Battle of Montélimar
It is the summer of 1944, and we find ourselves in Southern France. While Operation Overlord has been a success, by July it’s clear that the bridgehead in Normandy was not expanding as quickly as originally envisioned. The need to unlock a second front in France became clear.
This secondary invasion aimed at the French Riviera kicked off on August 15th - Operation Dragoon was underway. Things on the ground moved fast: the first units from Normandy were already approaching Paris. In the southern Provence landings, the U.S. VI Corps, with three experienced divisions and a multinational airborne/commando task force, rode the initial assault wave north. Only a few scattered German units opposed them - mostly infantry formations with a single armored division (the 11. Panzerdivision) acting as a mobile reserve.
The Americans realized the need to keep the pace as quickly as possible and formed a fast strike force. This ad-hoc battlegroup will be known as Task Force Butler, which wastes no time to advance toward the Rhône valley up to Dijon, aiming to link up with units coming from Normandy. On the way, Butler was directed to Montélimar to secure the city’s high ground and cut off the main German body of troops in full retreat. However, as a mere combat command, it was pushed right in the path of a powerful Panzerdivision.
From August 21st to 29th, Butler’s small force and 11. Panzerdivision (with attached units) fought for Montélimar. For the Allies, communication issues and shortages in fuel and ammunition prevented them from completely blocking the road. After the initial confusion, the Germans saw an opportunity to destroy the isolated American forces but failed in their attempts to dislodge them.
In the end, neither side completed its objectives: the Wehrmacht was able to resume their retreat, although with terrible losses, while the isolated and out-of-supply Task Force Butler was lucky to have avoided destruction.
What will Nemesis: Battle of Montélimar feature?
As with our previous Nemesis DLC options, Nemesis: Battle of Montélimar presents you with two new divisions, one on each side.
We will feature several new units or new variants of existing units. As always, we have made sure that each battlegroup’s composition is as historically accurate as possible.
11. Panzerdivision
First up is the 11. Panzerdivision, badly mauled on the Eastern Front, it was the only armored division in the south of France, where it was in the process of being rebuilt and refitted.
Except for its FlaK detachment - without transport and left in Lyon - the division was otherwise back up to strength when Operation Dragoon swung around. The reconstitution of 11. Panzer was accomplished by scrapping all the depots in southern France and northern Italy, leading the division to field a dazzling mixture of (older) military hardware, from German, French, Italian to even captured American vehicles and tanks.
- The 11. Panzerdivision can count on a full battalion of Panther A tanks.
- Only a small amount of Panzer IV medium tanks are available - the rest have been sent to Normandy as replacements. A large number of older tanks, some used for training, have been put back into action, including Panzer II, Panzer III and the Italian M13/40.
- The battlegroup’s recon battalion is missing a sizable amount of its half-tracks but has received in their place the new SdKfz. 234/1, SdKfz. 234/3 and captured M8 Greyhounds.
- There is a noticeable lack in AA defenses, with the 11. Panzer only having a number of 20 mm guns and a select few Möbelwagen.
- During the retreat, several scattered units were brought under the armored division’s command. This is represented by the availability of two battalions of Luftwaffe-jäger, support from super-heavy railroad artillery, and a few Flak 38 105mm guns.
Task Force Butler
Essentially an expanded recon unit, Task Force Butler was heavily reinforced with an infantry battalion, an armored artillery battalion, a reduced tank battalion, and a tank destroyer company. Intended to race ahead of the vanguard, this ad-hoc combat command featured two drawbacks: the lack of dedicated signal units and insufficient infantry to hold the ground for a prolonged period.
During the actual battle, only a trickle of follow-up infantry managed to join the fight, as well as some support from the U.S. VI Corps’ heavy artillery. More direct reinforcements appeared unexpectedly with French FFI (the local resistance) partisans rising up all along Task Force Butler’s route. French airborne Commando d’Afrique and American OSS Operational Groups also emerged. The latter were not advisory groups but rather “heavy commando” special forces squads made up of volunteers from airborne or U.S. Marines.
- In Phase A, Task Force Butler will be able to field a sizable amount of M4A1, M4A1(76) and M4(105) tanks, backed up by M5A1 Stuart light tanks.
- A large number of M8 Greyhound armored cars can also be deployed in the early stages of a battle, both in recon or combat roles.
- As a new unit, the older M6 Fargo (WC 52 light truck with 37mm AT gun) can be found with the battlegroup. Lots of jeeps and small scouts make up the rest of the recon forces.
- Likewise, Cavalry Scouts can be called upon, which are heavy recon squads.
- From Phase B onwards, Task Force Butler will be reinforced with Long Tom artillery support and the new OSS Operational Group which are 10-man squads with the Raider trait and armed with UD M42 SMG, M1919A6 LMG and Bazookas.
- A whole slew of different FFI units with captured German weapons can be fielded. While having appeared previously in Steel Division: Normandy 44, these partisan squads will be mostly new for Steel Division 2.
- Allied air units flying from Corsica provide top cover, including: USAAF B-26, RAF Spitfire and Beaufighter, Free French Air Force P-47 and P-38.
The Nemesis DLC concept explained
We are currently in our second run of future Nemesis DLCs, and if you were wondering how it all works, read the following carefully!
The first two DLC options have already been revealed:
- Nemesis: Battle of Rimini takes a cue from the Italian front, and promises to deliver the 1. Fallschirmjäger-Division for the Axis and the combined Allied battlegroup of the 2nd New Zealand Division with the 3rd Greek Mountain Brigade attached.
- Nemesis: Raid on Drvar presenting the Axis composite formation Unternehmen Rösselsprung featuring the fanatical SS-Fallschirmjäger-Bataillon 500 versus the Allied partisan Yugoslav Liberation Army known in-game as the NOV battlegroup.
- Each Nemesis DLC will bring two new divisions (one from each side) and will feature new units, new weapons, new models, and maybe even new nations. They will be PAID.
- Each Nemesis DLC focuses on a new historical Theater of Operations (think engagement or battle) that was relevant and set in the summer of 1944. This could be the Eastern Front, could be the Western Front, could even be other interesting… locales.
- The second Nemesis DLC - that you the community already voted on - is Nemesis: Lvov Offensive. This new DLC will feature the 20. Panzergrenadier-Division and 10th Guards Tank Corps with some shiny new toys, including the Elefant tank destroyer and the one-of-its-kind Tiger (P).
- At the end of this second run of future Nemesis DLCs you get to decide which one will be released first in a community-wide vote! Runner-ups might get a second chance and return in future votes.
Coming up next
We are wrapping up our second Nemesis DLC run with today’s Nemesis: Battle of Montélimar. We’ll have the community vote up very soon!
Let us know what you think.
Reach out to us via our Steam forums and Eugen forums, or keep an eye out on our social channels (Facebook and Twitter). Looking for an online game? Check out the kick-assDiscord server or Reddit page.
See you next week!