Hello commander!
Strap in, as today’s DevBlog will be a long, but exciting read! After the release of Nemesis: Raid on Drvar, we quickly realized that our latest Nemesis DLC was as popular as the previous ones. That’s why, after internal deliberation, we have decided to bring back the Nemesis community vote!
Today, we’ll kick off with our first new offering: Nemesis: Battle of Tienhaara.
Keep reading to find out more!
A Glorious Return
The Nemesis DLC community vote. What does that mean? In the coming weeks, we’ll be detailing two new battlegroups, one from each side. After we have finished, we open the vote, and you can decide which Nemesis groupings you would like to play next in Steel Division 2. Then we’ll develop these divisions (which might take some time). The historical origins of these pairs will always have a basis in a special or unusual battle or operation in World War II.
So, to break it down, we present one option of two divisions each week. In the end, you get one vote to choose between one of the three options. We hope the vote and results of this latest round of Nemesis can happen before the end of July!
In case you were wondering: the next Steel Division 2 expansion, the Romanian-Hungarian focused Battle of Turda, still has priority in our development schedule. Nothing changes there. We are launching this new Nemesis DLC vote now, so we can start putting the first pieces together during the “slow” month of August.
The Battle of Tienhaara
Let’s circle back a bit. In our second full-blown expansion, Steel Division 2: The Fate of Finland we focused on the Soviet attack on Axis ally Finland. The Battle of Tienherra is an integral part of this, but we only alluded to it. This encounter began a few days before our Army General Karelia scenario - and the results are directly connected to the opening situation of this campaign.
The Soviet offensive against Finland opened up on June 10th, 1944, and quickly reached the city of Vyborg, which fell on June 20th. Finland’s defenses were crumbling, and if the Soviet juggernaut had kept on rolling, they would have broken through the undermanned VKT line. This was Finland’s last defensive belt. However, as the Soviets took too much time to reorganize (and celebrate the capture of Vyborg), the window of opportunity (luckily for the Finns) was closed rapidly.
This delay in regrouping was more significant than you think.
The Soviets tried to exploit the fall of Vyborg and push forward immediately. However, they were stopped dead in their tracks by a rearguard detachment of die-hard Finnish soldiers. They repelled everything the Soviets threw at them during a three-day battle for the crossroads at Tienhaara.
Preventing the Soviets from advancing and establishing a bridgehead north of Vyborg, this rearguard detachment allowed the rest of the Finnish army to pour defenders into the VKT line, reorganize, and later stop the second stage of the Soviet strategic offensive - as depicted in the “Fate of a Nation” Army General campaign.
The 17. Divisioona
For the Axis, Nemesis: Battle of Tienhaara features the 17. Divisioona. They will be represented as they were during the two consecutive battles fought over five days for Vyborg and the northern outskirts. As with any Finnish infantry division, the 17. Divisioona had three infantry regiments. Only two will be involved in the Battle of Tienherra.
A Swedish Connection
Of the regiments taking part, the most committed to the battle was the 61st Infantry Regiment. Most interesting is that its men and officers didn’t speak Finnish, not as their native language at least, as this regiment recruited exclusively among Swedish-speaking Finns. This formation also included no small number of Swedish volunteers. The 61st Infantry Regiment went down in Finnish history books as the Sextiettan, meaning “61” in Swedish.
If you have played the Karelian Army General campaign, you might remember this regiment with its Swedish BARs, dialogue, and unusual Fanatical trait (which refers to the staunch defense at the Battle of Tienhaara a few days before). As such, the Sextiettan units (riflemen, commander, MG, mortar, etc.) form the core of the 17. Divisioona and will all be speaking Swedish and carry the Fanatical trait.
A Lack of Discipline
Not all defenders of Tienhaara were forged in the same fire. While the Sextiettan regiment was later honored for their combat performance, another formation became (in)famous for its conduct during the battle. The 20th Infantry Brigade was a completely green outfit left in charge of the defense of Vyborg. Quickly ending up on the frontline, the brigade was taken by surprise. Unprepared and inexperienced, many of its soldiers did the obvious: they threw their weapons and ran. Vyborg, the stronghold of Karelia, fell within a day.
These terrorized troops were put back in the line at gunpoint. They bolstered the 17. Divisioona’s strength. In-game, they will be composed of Disheartened recruits, lacking veterancy, led by command squads with the Discipline trait.
Other units
Anti-tank units include the ubiquitous captured Soviet 45mm and refurbished French 75mm PaK 97/38, but also some of the rare PaK 40 available to the Finnish army.
Vyborg’s defenders were reinforced by the vanguard of the Panssaridivisioona (Finland’s sole armored division) with its Separate Armor Company … bringing the BT-42. Also, a few StuGs will be present as late reinforcement.
The formation can also count on many AA guns, which formed the anti-air defenses of Vyborg. Mobile batteries were pulled out in a hurry, adding their guns to the division’s defense. Alongside the 20mm and 40mm Bofors, you will also be able to find the heavier 76 ltK/34 V, known as the Vickers 76mm, firing both AA and AP rounds.
Divisional artillery was made up of old WW1 British 84mm and French 155mm guns. The main artillery support of the 17. Divisioona came from further back (and flying above). Corps, and even army, artillery was brought to bear in support during the Battle of Tienhaara. This includes guns of all origins and calibers, from WWI British BL-8 203mm super-heavy howitzers to modern captured Soviet M-10 152mm or German 210mm Mörser.
The German Luftwaffe detachment Gefechtsverband Kuhlmey (Detachment Kuhlmey) was especially active and will be featured in support of 17. Divisioona with its fighters and fighter bombers.
90-ya Strelkovaya Diviziya
Our Allied, and thus, Soviet counterpart is the 90-ya Strelkovaya Diviziya or the 90th Rifle Division. Going into the attack at the Battle of Tienherra, this infantry division was supported by a heavy tank regiment. Unusually so, they fielded some surviving KV-1 and lend-lease Churchill tanks, as well as an heavy assault gun regiment with the formidable ISU-152 and SU-152.
The 90-ya Strelkovaya Div. has its origins in the Karelian isthmus, formed in the 1930s in the region before participating in the Winter War. After this conflict, the formation was sent to Leningrad and afterward to annex the Baltic States. It was here that the 90-ya Strelkovaya Div. found itself under German guns at the beginning of Operation Barbarossa in 1941.
It was a devastating battle, with the long retreat beginning soon after, leading the Soviets back to Leningrad. The formation helped defend the perimeter during the Siege of Leningrad until 1944. Detached once again to the Finnish front, it fought to break through successive Finnish defenses, helping to capture Vyborg.
Some heavy units
At the spearhead of the Soviet offensive, and pursuing the routing garrison of Vyborg, the 90-ya Strelkovaya Div. could also count on its share of heavy artillery support, including mobile units such as the SU-76 and BM-13 MLRS.
Advancing rapidly, it outran some of its supply lines. The 90-ya Strelkovy Div. took to equipping its forces with the looted remnants and equipment from the Finns in Vyborg. This included small arms (especially SMGs) to towed guns (PaK 40, howitzers, etc.).
Another feature of the division is that it's commanding general, Nikolay Grigorevich Lyashchenko, previously commanded the 73rd Naval Infantry Brigade during the Siege of Leningrad. When the latter brigade was dissolved due to excessive losses, Lyashchenko was put in command of the 90-ya Strelkovaya Div.. He brought an entire recon company of veteran sailors with him!
90-ya Strelkovaya Div. can count on a large amount of infantry, including specialized assault and recon infantry), as well as artillery. Armored firepower is brought to bear by older but well-protected tanks and assault guns.
Nemesis: Raid on Drvar
Don’t forget to check out the latest Nemesis DLC for Steel Division 2: Nemesis: Raid on Drvar.
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1833830/Steel_Division_2__Nemesis_5__Raid_on_Drvar/
Nemesis: Raid on Drvar takes the player into one of World War II's most unusual airborne operations: the ambitious Axis air assault to neutralize Yugoslav partisan leader Tito in the spring of 1944. Nemesis: Raid on Drvar gives you the command of two unique battlegroups in skirmish or online multiplayer: the Axis air assault troops of Unternehmen Rösselsprung and the partisans of the Yugoslav NOV.
Until next week
That’s it for our new Nemesis deep dive this week. Let us know what you think. Until next week!
Be sure to join the Steel Division 2 community on our Steam forums. If you want to keep up to date with the latest Steel Division 2, keep an eye out on our Instagram. Looking for an online game? Visit the Discord server or Reddit page and get involved with the lively Steel Division 2 community!
See you on the battlefield, commander.