Well, hello there!
Glad to have you back so soon. You might have noticed, but we are dropping these articles hard and fast, and we are not letting up until our first History DLC, Death on the Vistula, launches on October 17th. Hoorah!
In today’s post, we’ll shine a light on the Army General campaign and the four Historical Battles which will be included in the new DLC.
Get ready to recreate some of the most challenging and nail-bitingly intense battles witnessed on the Eastern Front during Operation Bagration.
But before we continue: a little bit of background information.
The History
It is the end of July 1944. Operation Bagration has already been a resounding success for the Soviets. The Eastern Front is in flux; the German lines have been broken. A whole Army Group has been destroyed, and the Wehrmacht is reeling from the loss of hundreds of thousands of soldiers and countless tanks, artillery, and planes.
An overconfident Red Army, tired but with high morale after their impressive successes in the preceding weeks, crosses the river Bug into occupied Poland. The Soviets prepare to assault Warsaw and to force the Vistula, aiming to establish vital bridgeheads on its western banks – getting them one step closer to the ultimate prize: Berlin.
However, the Wehrmacht is far from defeated. The Germans are finally able to muster enough reinforcements from across the Third Reich to set up a more coherent defensive line. Five elite Panzerdivisions are hurried towards Poland and, seeing the Red Army overextending themselves, are ordered to prepare for an immediate counter-attack.
At the same time, the Polish government-in-exile and the underground Armia Krajowa believe that the moment has come to launch a general uprising. Several towns are liberated, but the insurrection is only partially successful, as bitter fighting erupts in Warsaw. Essential support from the nearby Soviet formations never materializes.
This explosive cocktail of events is the setting for the Death on the Vistula DLC.
The Army General Campaign
Our new Army General campaign centers on the Red Army’s attempt at liberating Warsaw while at the same time establishing a secure foothold on the western banks of the Vistula river. The Germans, freshly reinforced, actually have an opportunity to halt and maybe even inflict severe damage on the Soviets, if they counter-attack in the right place.
However, the pressure is on for both sides: the Germans cannot let Warsaw fall, not only as one of Hitler’s symbolical “last stand” cities but also as it serves as a major logistical hub. The Soviets aim to defeat a still capable Wehrmacht, and while the Polish capital is a critical objective, encircling enemy troops to the east of Warsaw and establishing a foothold on the other side of the Vistula to the west, are deemed equally important.
As always, all the military formations in this Army General campaign, down to the last soldier and tank, are historically correct. On the Axis side, you’ll be able to play with well-known divisions such as the Fallschirm-Panzerdivision “Hermann Göring”, 3. SS-Panzerdivision “Totenkopf” and the 5. SS-Panzerdivision “Wiking”, as well as elements from 4. and 19. Panzerdivision.
On the Soviet side, you get your hands on the 8th Guards Tank Corps, 3rd Tank Corps and 16th Tank Corps (all part of the 2nd Tank Army), 2nd Guards Corps and
11th Tank Corps (both from the Mobile Group), and the Poles of the 1st Infantry Division “Tadeusza Kościuszki” (Polish People’s Army).
The occupied Polish capital is the centerpiece on the new Army General map and will allow you to recreate some of the actual major battles fought during this time: Praga (eastern suburbs of Warsaw), Siedlce, and of course the massive armored confrontation at Radzymin.
The Historical Battles
The Death on the Vistula DLC also contains four new Historical Battles, each covering a different engagement. They will be playable up to 3v3, either solo or cooperatively
- MEMENTO MORI This Historical Battle sees a small battlegroup from the 3. SS-Panzerdivision “Totenkopf” trying to beat back a ferocious attempt of the Soviet 11th Tank Corps to encircle the German garrison at Siedlce.
- ESCAPE FROM BREST An ad-hoc Kampfgruppe tries to break out of the “Fortress Brest-Litovsk” and in the process is left stranded behind enemy lines. This Historical Battle has a special rule that to make the Soviets lose, the German side needs to control ALL the flags on the map.
- FIGHTING RETREAT The Siedlce pocket is in danger of being overrun, and while the Germans try to cover the withdrawal, the Soviets try to stop the escape at any cost. Both sides will depend on cavalry troops to achieve their goals in this Historical Battle.
- RIVER OF BLOOD Crossing the Vistula and establishing a bridgehead on the other bank is the key objective in this scenario. Taking place a couple of kilometers south of Warsaw, the Soviet-controlled Polish People’s Army will have to breach tough defenses in order to reach the other side of the river.
What’s Next?
If you thought that was all – you are dead wrong! We have plenty of new Death on the Vistula content to highlight in the coming days. So, keep on holding tight and watch out for the next post – which should come in the not too distant future.
Don’t forget to get your hands on the History Pass Season. With this pass, you’ll receive access to all three History DLC’s, with Death on the Vistula being the first, which are planned for Steel Division 2. These will be released in the 12 months after the launch of the game.
You can always check out our Steam and Eugen forums and social channels Facebook and Twitter).
See you soon, commander!
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