Back again, commander!
In today’s Versus we will highlight two Infantry divisions to be featured in our upcoming new DLC, Tribute to the Liberation of Italy.
For the Axis, the elite 4. Fallschirmjäger, a battlegroup made up of not only German but also Italian paratroopers, and the return of a familiar Allied face, the US-led international Task Force 45.
This latter division previously starred in Nemesis: Ligurian Standoff, which didn’t make the cut in the last voting round. More about that later, but first...
Before we begin
Talking about Nemesis DLC, a short sidetrack but Nemesis: Storming Toulon, is still being actively worked on. Why is it taking a little bit longer than expected?
Nemesis: Storming Toulon will be brought in combination with several other features planned for Steel Division 2, including Army General Coop Mode and the increase to 5 battalion selection in Army General. We don’t want to release one feature without the other, and we need to make sure that each element is properly finished and polished.
We intend to launch the above new features at the same time. Keep in mind that Nemesis: Storming Toulon will be a paid-for DLC, which will launch alongside the free new update containing Army General Coop Mode, including the new 5-battalion combat system.
We hope to give you some more details on a release date soon! Now back to Tribute to the Liberation of Italy.
4. Fallschirmjäger
A defining feature of the 4. Fallschirmjäger is that the division is made up of both German and Italian paratroopers, the latter coming from the fascist puppet state RSI. Formed in 1943 in Venice from elements of the 2. Fallschirmjäger division, volunteers from the Italian 184th and 185th Airborne Brigade were also recruited into the formation.
The 4. Fallschirmjäger saw the first action around Anzio before fighting a delaying rearguard battle in Rome. After this, the division was reinforced by the RSI Reggimento Ardito Paracadutisti “Folgore”. Near Florence, the formation halted the Allied advance with subsequent combat on the Gothic Line, Rimini, and Bologna. The division surrendered at the beginning of May 1945.
The volunteers from the Italian 184th and 185th Airborne Brigades were interspersed within each squad. In-game, these battlegroup’s airborne squads (including support units such as guns, MGs, mortars, etc.) are not listed as Italian but German. However, the units stemming from Reggimento Ardito Paracadutisti “Folgore” will be featured separately as Axis Italian (and will have native voice lines).
4. Fallschirmjäger’s main features
What can you expect from the 4. Fallschirmjäger in Steel Division 2? Several of the highlighted units are listed as new.
Don’t forget that some of the other listed units are actually new in Tribute to the Liberation of Italy but were already highlighted in a previous Versus post (such as the new Lince unit or Semovente tank and its variants).
- In the RECON tab, the new Paracadutisti Esploranti, a 6-man full Beretta SMG and Panzerfaust squad. A German Beute AS-42, the excellent Italian open-top armored car, armed with an HMG and a 20mm, can also be deployed.
- The INFANTRY category will see a majority of German paratroopers (and associated equipment), while one-third will be composed of RSI paratroopers (and their weaponry). The latter nation’s squads are divided between the new Paracadutisti, Paracadutisti (Beretta), Guastatori Para. and Paracadutisti Cmdo units. These units field a variety of Carcano carbines, Beretta SMGs, and Breda 30 LMGs.
- TANK forces feature a mix of Beute StuG M41(i) Füh. (Semovente M41 Commando) and StuG M42(i) 75/34 (Semovente 75/34) and heavier-hitting vehicles, from Gruppe Hinz historically attached to the division for the defence of Rome, deploying a makeshift tank company of a handful of Panthers and Tiger Es.
- The SUPPORT category contains a bunch of rather potent units (considering its airborne pedigree), which include the usual Fallschirmjäger’s LG-42, MG-42 and Kubel. Mun.. A new unit is the RSI Brixia 45mm light mortar. This section also includes the heavier StuG M42 75/18 (Semovente 75/18) and StuG M43 105/25 (Semovente 105/25). The category also features several cards of Sturmpanzer IV (Brummbar) from the attached Sturmpanzer-Abteilung 216. The Commander units come either on foot, in a Lince, or in the new Panzer L6 770(i). Füh. (Semovente 47/32 Commando).
- The ANTI-TANK units include RSI Cannone 74/32 CC 47mm (with Raider trait), German Gerlich 42mm and PaK 40, as well as the new StuG L6 660(i) (Semovente 47/32). Lastly, there is one ... Elefant (as part of Gruppe Hinz detailed above).
- ANTI-AIR features Fs-Flak 38 20mm (with Raider trait) and Flak 41 88mm towed guns, as well as the SPA-38R Breda 20mm truck. A new unit is the Luftwaffe-fielded SP-37mm armored truck, the NAG 4500.
- One of the 4. Fallschirmjäger’s lesser categories is the ARTILLERY section, primarily due to the complete lack of organic howitzers, only divisional mortars being available. A few attached K18 172mm guns and off-map artillery provide a bit of additional firepower.
- The AIR section is centered around heavy fighter and close air support, represented by the Bf 110 G-4b/R3 and its variant, the Bf 110 G-4b/R3 (M1/M5) equipped with x4 BR21 210mm HE rockets. These planes are backed up by the heavier He 111 H-16/R3 reconnaissance and the Fw 190G-3 fight-bomber. Several Italian-made planes are also present, including a Beute Z.1007ter serie XIII heavy bomber pressed into German service, as well as RSI air force’s 205V series I Veltro, a fast and agile but relatively fragile fighter.
Task Force 45
You might know about Task Force 45, as we already featured this Brazilian expeditionary force in our Nemesis: Ligurian Standoff proposal. Read more about the formation’s historical context here.
As the last Nemesis DLC vote was almost a draw, we decided to lift one of the more interesting battlegroups - Task Force 45 - and put it into our next expansion. See it as some sort of consolation prize!
In short: Task Force 45 mixes several different Allied infantry forces, including the Brazilian Expeditionary Forces (called the Smoking Cobras) and the unique Japanese-American 100th Infantry Battalion (dubbed the “Purple Heart Battalion” for most of its members had been wounded at least once in combat). These forces are backed up by American & British anti-aircraft gunners who, thanks to Allied air superiority, were left without a job to do and were reorganized as “boots on the ground.”
Task Force 45’s main features
Note that the following is new on top of the previous descriptions encountered in the original Nemesis DLC pitch (see above). What can you expect from Task Force 45 in Steel Division 2?
- The American-made T70 recon tank. No, not a Soviet T-70 lend-leased the other way, but a prototype designation for the M18 Hellcat. The very first of these vehicles were sent to the Italian front, where they were actively field-tested. Not really being appreciated as tank destroyers in Italy, deemed to be too lightly armored, some were repurposed as reconnaissance tanks. In this role, their speed and low profile worked wonders on the battlefield!
- Attached to the Task Force 45 was the 91st Cavalry Recon Squadron which brings M8 (Greyhound and M5A1 (Stuart) recon tanks. Not only that, it also fields Bantam armored jeeps, with its recon troops deploying as Cavalry Scouts (6 men with Grease Guns, Carbine and Bazooka) and Ammo. & Pionners (4 men with Carbine and TNT) recon squads.
- Brazilian soldiers, available in the later Combat Phases, are organized much like US infantry but instead of Thompsons deploy with Grease Guns and M1903A3 Springfield bolt-action rifles (except for Scouts and Leaders) replace Garand rifles.
- Nisei (Japanese-American) soldiers can be deployed from Combat Phase B onward. They all come with veterancy, and all feature the Fanatical trait (including MGs, AT guns, etc.). This isn’t some sort of “banzai” attitude, but rather that these men were known for fighting extra-hard to demonstrate their patriotism.
- Furthermore, US anti-aircraft gunners reformed into infantry squads of 15 soldiers with one BAR among them are also included. This is a new unit. Not particularly eager to fight, these squads carry the Disheartened trait.
- Some armored vehicles can be deployed, including Sherman and Stuart tanks and Wolverine tank destroyers.
- A good amount of M15 and M16 half-tracks will be available in AA, as well as some US M2 90mm dual-purpose (anti-tank and anti-aircraft) gun. The latter has the exact same performance as the German 88mm, although with (only very) slightly better RoF.
- The new heavy US Howz. M1 155mm, which was more widespread in Italy than the Long Tom (already in-game). These artillery units are brought on top of the new 8-inch/203mm previously announced.
- Air support includes napalm-equipped P-47D-22-RE Thunderbolt, as well as the new B-25J-25 Mitchell bomber and A-20J-5-DO Havoc recon variants. Fighter cover comes from the new P-51B-10-NA Mustang variant, as well as a few "early" C.202 Serie VIII Folgore piloted by experienced Italian Co-Belligerent Air Force pilots. These will be represented as a new Italian nation in-game, “Kingdom of Italy” in direct opposition to the RSI already confirmed as Axis troops.
What came before
We already detailed several pairs of new divisions for the upcoming Tribute to the Liberation of Italy DLC.
- In our first Versus post, we put the spotlight on two new Armored battlegroups: the 26. Panzerdivision with its special AA forces and the supersized 6th South African Armoured Division. Check out the Versus blogpost here.
- In our second Versus, we looked at two Mountain formations: the German 5. Gebirgs-Division and the specialised 8th (Indian) Infantry Division. Read all about it in this Versus blogpost here.
Coming up next
That’s it for this time. We’ll be back in two weeks, commander!
Let us know what you think through our Steam forums and Eugen forums, or check our (Facebook and Twitter). Looking for an online game? Visit the kick-ass Discord server or Reddit page.
See you on the battlefield, commander!
