Hello commander!
"Black Sunday" date is confirmed!
Good news, our Black Sunday History Expansion finally has a release date.
This Monday, 17th of August, we'll launch the new DLC!
Slovak Uprising
We will be dedicating ourselves today to revealing the second potential Nemesis DLC bringing a brand-new nation - Czechoslovakia - and a series of cool new units to Steel Division 2. Let’s take a look at what Nemesis: Slovak Uprising might have in store for you!
The new DLC option offers a host of Czechoslovakian weaponry, plus one Axis, the German Panzerdivision Tatra, and one Allied division, the Czechoslovakian Slovak National Uprising (SNP) partisans.
If you are wondering what the ballyhoo is with this Nemesis DLC, take a gander at our original reveal here.
The Historical Context
When Nazi-Germany fully occupied Czechoslovakia in 1939, a fascist Slovakian puppet state came to be. By 1943, discontent in the country had grown strong, including in the army. In 1944, as the German defenses were crumbling, a general uprising - with the full support of the military - was rushed in motion. However, the Germans had anticipated the Slovak insurgency, and additional troops were sent to quell any sign of resistance.
As a result, the Slovak National Uprising (SNP) faltered, even though the partisans still managed to gain control of about a third of the country in a week’s time. The rebelling Slovak Army - left leaderless and without orders - was pounded into submission, surrounded and disarmed. SNP partisans continued the struggle, pinning down thousands of Axis units and troops.
The Allies actively supported the uprising. A multinational mix of Slovak regular soldiers and rebels fought side-by-side with Soviet and French partisans, either dropped as saboteurs or escaped from POW camps, Czechoslovakian paratroopers from the Red Army, deserting Hungarians, and American OSS guerilla instructors, amongst others.
Despite tenacious efforts, the SNP’s headquarters was captured by the Germans after two months of heavy fighting, signaling the conclusion of the Slovak National Uprising in October 1944. Many partisans continued to resist in the mountains and forests, severely hampering German forces in the region until the end of the war.
Nemesis: Slovak Uprising
As the new Nemesis DLC will represent the Slovak National Uprising, we will feature one German and one Czechoslovakian division: we’ll have the Axis Panzerdivision Tatra, an ad hoc formation that proved itself to be an efficient combat unit, while the Allies will be able to deploy a Czechoslovakian partisan-heavy SNP battlegroup.
From SMGs to tanks and planes, Czechoslovakia was a major arms producer before the start of World War II. Many of the country’s excellent pre-war materiel found its way to other armies already featured in Steel Division 2 including Skoda 75mm and 100mm howitzers, Hruby 105mm howitzers, Panzer 35 and 38, etc. Nemesis: Slovak Uprising will feature even more new units.
Panzerdivision Tatra
During the uprising, Panzerdivision Tatra was initially a barebone headquarters formation armed with outdated tanks and fielding Panzergrenadiers in training. Its infantry was a mixed bag, with a number of Ersatz regiments providing the bulk of its soldiers. After several weeks of combat, Panzerdivision Tatra was reinforced with a Kampfgruppe from 18. SS-Freiwilligen-Panzergrenadier-Division “Horst Wessel” bringing more reliable and better-equipped infantry.
- Panzerdivision Tatra only has a limited amount of tanks at its disposal, roughly balanced across Panzer IV, StuG III G, StuG 40 and Panzer 38 (t). And exactly three Tiger Es - not a single more!
- The formation’s troops vary between Landeschützen and Volkssturm raised from local Volksdeutschen to more reliable Hungarian SS and even elements from the (so-called) Sturmbrigade Frankreich.
- The SS reinforcements bring self-propelled FlaK units, PaK 40 AT guns, and plenty of half-tracks for transportation.
- Artillery support is provided by a few training batteries fielding Hruby and leFH 14/19 Czech guns.
The SNP
The Slovenské Národné Povstanie (SNP, in English known as the Slovak National Uprising) is a catch-all name for the regular and partisan troops who fought on the Allied side during the resistance campaign in Slovakia. This battlegroup is not unlike the Polish Armia Krajowa - found in the first History DLC Death on the Vistula. Expect to find a ton of different equipment and infantry in this division, from indigenous Czechoslovakia arms to captured German tanks and Soviet AT guns.
- Built around a cadre of regular Slovak Army infantry, with these units retaining most of their small arms: ZK-383 SMGs, Vz. 26 LMG, ZB-53 MMG.
- Additionally, a large formation of multinational partisans can be deployed by the SNP. This includes the Suvorov Battalion, made up of escaped Soviet POWs, Foch Battalion, featuring French (and a few Belgian) escaped POWs, and a Slovak partisan battalion.
- Soviet and American supplies have found their way to the SNP as well, which in the latter case are featured as OSS teams wielding UD M42 SMGs and bazookas. British SOE Jedburgh teams are also deployable.
- Outdated tanks forms part of its armored force: LT-40, Vz.33 tankette, T-35 (Panzer 35) and T-38 (Panzer 38). Units such as the Marder III, as well as a few Panzer II and III can be found within the formation’s ranks.
- The Slovak Air Force, aside from a handful of German Me-109 fighters, Fw 189A recon planes and Italian SM.84 bombers, was mostly composed of indigenous biplanes and light trainers: Avia B534, Letov S28, and Praga E-39.
- Finally, SNP also received regular reinforcement from the major Allies: the Soviet airlifted paratroopers from their Czechoslovakian Airborne Brigade, as well as providing Czechoslovakian pilots flying La-5FN. The Americans sent flights of P-51 to support the uprising.
Nemesis DLC Explained
To reaffirm the Nemesis DLC concept:
- 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. No new maps will be included in these DLCs.
- 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 first Nemesis DLC will be FREE and likely release in September. This is Nemesis: Battle of Sandomierz Bridgehead and will contain the 16. Panzerdivision versus the 97th Guards Rifle Division. Read more about it here.
- After this, our second Nemesis DLC will be one of three choices. You get to decide which one in a community-wide vote at the end of August! Whichever option wins, gets released first. This means that certain Nemesis divisions might return in future votes.
- The first option is Nemesis: Lvov Offensive with its two rather unusual divisions: the 20. Panzergrenadier-Division versus the 10th Guards Tank Corps.
Coming up next
Next week, we’ll look at the third option for the new Nemesis DLC. We are keen to hear 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 on the battlefield, commander!