Hello commander!
Another day, another deep dive into our new Steel Division 2 DLC: The Battle of Turda. Let’s look at the final Axis division of this upcoming Army General expansion: the “blocking detachment” task force of Sperrverband Kessel.
Keep on reading!
A personal connection
Sperrverband Kessel is a German task force formation comprising a motley collection of independent German and Hungarian units grouped temporarily under one command. Fighting near Turda, the division was known as a “blocking detachment.” As such, it received the name of its commander: German General Mortimer von Kessel.
Before we continue, let’s talk a bit more about this officer, which is present in more of our Army General campaigns than anyone else. Born into nobility, Mortimer von Kessel joined the German Imperial Army in 1914 at age 21. He survived World War I, having pocketed not only an Iron Cross First Class but also the rank of lieutenant. During the interwar period, von Kessel remained in the army, rising to the station of lieutenant colonel. At the start of World War II, during the Poland Campaign, he was at the forefront, commanding a reconnaissance regiment and becoming a full colonel in the process. He kept climbing the ranks, as he ultimately was appointed commander of the 20. Panzer in 1943.
In more ways than one
And now we make our connections: the 20. Panzer has been featured in Steel Division 2 in multiple ways:
- In the Army General Bobruisk campaign, the 20. Panzer is one of the divisions trapped in the city. The division, together with von Kessel, spearheaded the garrison’s breakout.
- In the Army General Baranovichi campaign, the 20. Panzer - reduced to Kampfgruppe von Kessel - tried to fight its way towards the defenders in the city from the north.
- In the Army General Iasi campaign, there is a Divisions-Gruppe Kessel. This battlegroup represents the 20. Panzer sent to Romania… for rest and refit! Instead, another Soviet offensive had to be faced again. The few combat-ready elements were formed into a single mixed battalion (playable in the campaign).
After Iasi, what was left of the 20. Panzer was utterly worn out. Our general, with barely anything to command, was ordered to Hungary.
Service in Hungaria
In Hungary, von Kessel was to command all independent German armored forces sent to support the Hungarian offensive in Transylvania. In the process, the German commander also ended up taking charge of several infantry formations, including Hungarian soldiers.
A small note: in German, “Kessel” means “cauldron”. This is also the word used in German military language to describe pockets of troops surrounded by the enemy. Now, which commander had found itself in cauldron after cauldron on the Eastern Front? From Brobruisk, cut-off north of Baranovichi, almost surrounded at Iasi; luckily, Mortimer von Kessel avoided the distinction of forming a “Kessel’s Kessel” by always being able to break out.
Into Romania
In our DLC The Battle of Turda, Sperrverband von Kessel exists from the starts, although historically was only officialy formed in the last days of our timeframe. Yet, all the sub-units it involves were already there and engaged.
As mentioned before, this task force groups a whole array of forces under one banner. These include:
- StuG-Brigade 905 - StuG III G and StuH 42
- StuG-Abteilung 1015 and 1176 - StuG III G and IV
- Panzerjäger-Abteilung 721 - PaK 40 and StuG III F
- III./Brand. Jäger-Rgt. 4 - Brandenburger
- II,/241. Flak-Abteilung - Flak 88mm and Flakvierling
- 92. Panzer-Pionier-Abteilung - Armored Engineers
- KG Fessner - remains of infantry regiment
- KG Abraham - Ersatztruppen
- KG Gradl - 13. Panzer remains, mixed battlegroups, survivors that fought at Iasi.
- KG Eder - 10. Panzergrenadier’s remains, mixed battlegroups, survivors that fought at Iasi.
- 1st Mtn.Repl. Brigade - Hungarian mountain troops with Raider trait, but veterancy locked. The same as those troops embedded with the Hungarian 25th Infantry.
- various smaller units, such as Hungarian Csendőr (=Royal Hungarian Gendarmerie).
What can you expect in-game?
Sperrverband Kessell is roughly a Panzergrenadier-Division, with fewer tanks but more, and more diverse, infantry.
- Recon is nothing to write home about. Most of the options in this category are infantry, with only a few slots open. It does include some elite Brandenburger recon squads though.
- Infantry forces are potent, with many cheap slots and a large array of choice, from Erzatstruppen to elite Brandenburg commandos, Hungarian mountain troops, combat engineers, and Panzergrenadier (some of them deployable in half-tracks).
- There are only a few armored slots open. Most of the cards available are StuG III G, rounded out by a handful Panzer IV and StuG IV.
- Support forces are pretty decent, with more options than normal. You will find Hungarian and German MG squads, including Brandenburg versions, as well as SdKfz. 251/16 flamethrower and StuH 42. You will also be able to deploy large Hungarian gendarmerie squads, the Csendőr, being Disciplined and Fanatical, the gendarmes being the most hardcore nazi within the Hungarian regime. Csendőr can also be deployed as the old CV.33 tankettes, which is a Military Police tank (yup) coming with the Disciple trait ... but not Fanatical: nobody could be riding in such a tankette in 1944!
- The Anti-Tank category features towed Hungarian 40mm and German PaK 40 guns at its core, and a few lighter s.PzB 41, Marder tank destroyer and StuG III F/8.
- You can’t call much, but you can rely on the efficient 88mm AA gun, the Flakvierling or the SdKfz. 7/1.
- The division is seriously lacking in artillery, with an average number of slots, but very restricted in choice. You only get mortars and the Hungarian 75mm howitzer, a few self-propelled mortars or the Wespe.
- Airforces overhead are a mix of Hungarian and German planes, including the Ju-87, Ju-88, Me-109 and Fw-190.
A brief summary
In case you missed it, the latest DLC for Steel Division 2, The Battle of Turda will contain the following.
- One new Army General campaign centered on the Battle of Turda, Transylvania, pitting Axis Hungary versus Allied Romania.
- Six new divisions.
- Of which three will be Romanian, including the Divizia 9 Infanterie and the Divizia 8 Cavalerie Motorizata.
- And two will be Hungarian, with one German. This includes the Hungarian 2. Páncéloshadosztály (2nd Armored Division) and 25. Hadosztály (25th Infantry Division). The Germans are represented with the Sperrverband von Kessel.
- Mixed divisions, with units from various nations, such as Romanian-Soviet or Hungarian-German.
- One new map.
- 2 Aces: the Hungarian tank commander Lieutenant Ervin Tarczay and Romanian fighter ace, Captain Dan Vizanti.
Until next week!
That’s all! Keep a close watch on our Steam forums and Instagram to keep up to date with the latest Steel Division 2 talk. Looking for an online game? Visit the kick-ass Discord server or Reddit page and get involved with the lively Steel Division 2 community!
See you on the battlefield, commander!