Hello commander!
We hope you are well. Good news! We know you have been waiting eagerly for the next
WARNO milestone; we are happy to tell you that
MURAT is going to drop very, very soon!
However, to make this happen, we had to take out one particular category of units: towed weapons. They proved to be even more troublesome than previously noted. This does mean the
MURAT update is coming shortly!
What can you expect? Keep reading to find out all the details.
Update on MURAT
You know the drill: game development is at times waylaid by delays and reschedules. Such is the way of life. In
MURAT’s case, we had issues getting the towed weapon systems to work. To speed things up,
MURAT will release without them as we take the time to iron out the kinks of this feature. Instead, ATGM crewed units will make their official debut (even though they were originally planned for
LANNES, the milestone update after).
Therefore, be ready for
2. Panzergrenadier &
4. MSD, as well as some
Royal Air Force and even Belgians!
Towed weapons such as howitzers and gun pieces will launch soon after
MURAT!
There is more. Another feature we are delivering in advance is the correct
BTR-60 model, which we initially set to ship after
MURAT but have been made ready earlier.
New units coming with MURAT
So, let’s take a detailed look at all the crew-served weapon systems (and towed weapons) that are going to be delivered with
MURAT or shortly after.
Anti-Tank Teams
You read that right:
anti-tank teams feature not only
ATGM units but also
recoiless rifles. All these new units will be released with
MURAT.
MILAN 1 and 2 ATGM The French-German (but
clearly more French…;)
Missile d’Infanterie Léger ANtichar or
MILAN system was designed in the 60s and introduced into operational service in the early 70s.
Fast forward to the Afghan War in the 80s. While everybody remembers the clandestine-delivered Stinger MANPAD as a potent opposer of Soviet airpower, the MILAN proved its worth in the Mujahideen’s hands as the defeater of armored columns. The
MILAN 2 saw a major warhead improvement, including increased armor penetration. In general terms, the
MILAN systems pack more of a punch than era-appropriate ATGM counterparts from other nations, but with a shorter range.
In-game, the
MILAN 1 and
MILAN 2 will be found in both
West German divisions. The
MILAN 1 will also be deployable in the U.S.
8th Infantry Division courtesy of its attached German
Jäger battalion.
9K111 Fagot ATGMThe
Fagot (meaning
“Bassoon” in Russian) is a light Soviet ATGM system, similar in performance to the
MILAN 1, but with less penetration. Known in NATO parlance as the
AT-4 Spigot, it entered service in 1970, eventually finding its way into the arsenals across the Warsaw Pact. In
WARNO all
Soviet and
East German divisions will have access to
Fagot ATGM squads.
9M113 Konkurs ATGMDeveloped alongside the
Fagot, the
Konkurs looks visually very similar but packs a heavier punch and flies a greater range compared to its lighter cousin. Introduced in 1974, it carries the NATO designation
AT-5 Spandrel. In-game, the
Konkurs can be deployed in all
Soviet and
East German divisions.
BGM-71 I-TOW and TOW-2 ATGMFirst produced in the 1970s, the original
TOW anti-tank guided missile was followed up by the enhanced
I-TOW in the early 80s. This variant was subsequently further improved by the
TOW-2, deployed in the late 80s. This latest version was larger, bigger, and more deadly than any comparable weapon system. The
TOW-2 is one of the most powerful ATGMs, save for some airplane-delivered ordnances. In
WARNO, both
TOW variants will be featured with the
U.S. divisions.
M40A1 recoilless rifleThe recoilless rifle finds its origins in World War II, much like the rocket-propelled grenade. This weapon was designed to give infantry and light troops, for example, paratroopers and mountain forces, an easily transportable, ranged mobile anti-tank gun. The recoilless rifle subsequently found its hour of glory in early Cold War conflicts, such as Korea, Indochina, and Vietnam, before being replaced by more advanced ATGMs.
The light and mobile
M40A1 106mm recoilless rifle, with its large array of ammunition, retained a place in some units’ Table of Organisation and Equipment (T&OE). While mostly obsolete against main battle tanks, the recoilless rifle is still a versatile system as it can be used as a fire support weapon firing both HEAT & HE rounds. In
WARNO, the
M40A1 will be found in both
German divisions as part of their
Sicherungs (security) battalions.
SPG-9 recoilless rifleThe Soviet 73mm
SPG-9 was developed in the early 60s and is closely related to the
Grom main gun fitted to the
BMP-1. It shares ammunition with this weapon. Lighter and less powerful than its American counterpart, the system’s overall low weight and mobility made it a perfect fit for Warsaw Pact airborne troops, which kept the recoilless rifle in operation until the end of the Cold War. In
WARNO the
SPG-9 is included with the
Fallschirmjäger attached to upcoming
4. Motorisierte Schützendivision (4. MSD).
Towed gun systems
Next up are the towed guns and howitzers. These will
NOT be featured in
MURAT, but will come shortly after.
D-30 122mm howitzerThe workhorse of the Soviet and Warsaw Pact divisional artillery since the 60s, the
D-30 120mm howitzer was made to be reliable and robust. It could be found in almost all the arsenals of the Warsaw Pact, either as the towed variant or the self-propelled version (the
2S1 Gvozdika). Decked out in the latter unit, in true Soviet fashion, it keeps some AT rounds for self-defense.
In
WARNO the
D-30 will be deployable in both
Soviet divisions, as well as the upcoming
4. MSD, but not the
7. Panzer. The reason why is the East German division, as one of two armored formations of the
NVA, concentrated all the army’s available
2S1 Gvozdika to make the divisional artillery entirely self-propelled.
D-20 152mm howitzerAnother venerable system: the
D-20 152mm howitzer. The towed
D-20 was still widely used throughout the Warsaw Pact as an army-level heavy artillery battalion asset. Cheaper to produce than the self-propelled
2S7 Malka’s gun of the same caliber, it had less range. In
WARNO, the
D-20 will provide artillery support for the Soviet
39-ya Gv. MSD.
MT-12 Rapira 100mm AT gunIn an interesting turn of development, the
MT-12 Rapira 100mm AT gun stayed relevant until the end of the Cold War (and longer… actually being in service until today). As a 1970s modernization of the older 60s
T-12 anti-tank gun, the
MT-12 is cheap, mobile, and accurate. The 100mm gun can quickly engage most APCs, IFVs, and older generation main battle tanks. The unit might have more difficulties with advanced armored units, however. It is not entirely without teeth, as it can fire the
Bastion ATGM shell.
Think of the
MT-12 as a more fragile, but stealthier (and cheaper) towed version of a
T-55AM2B tank gun. The unit will be featured with both Warsaw Pact rifle divisions, the Soviet
39-ya Gv. MSD and the upcoming DDR’s
4. MSD. In these formations, the anti-tank battalions can count on the anti-tank gun, at least in equal numbers compared to ATGM-equipped vehicle carriers.
FH-155-1 155mm howitzer NATO’s standard divisional gun,
FH-155-1 155mm howitzer (also designated the
FH-70) was used by many of its members, such as West Germany, the UK, Italy, the Netherlands, etc. The howitzer was part of all TO&Es of all Bundeswehr divisions, even when armored or mechanized, serving alongside the
M110A2 in “heavy” artillery battalions. A much more modern artillery piece compared to Soviet (or even other NATO counterparts), the
FH-155-1 outranged most other 152-155 mm guns, being on even turns with NATO’s
M110A2 203mm range, though bested by the powerful Soviet
2S7. In
WARNO the unit will be deployable with both
West German divisions.
120-PM-43 and 2S12 120mm mortars We are going back again in time with the
PM-43 mortar, this being the very same Soviet weapon used in the last part of World War 2 (and also featured in
WARNO’s cousin
Steel Division 2!). Infinitely reliable, this particular mortar soldiered on until the end of the Cold War. The
2S12 is a modernized variant, made lighter (phew) and gaining in firing range. The 120mm mortars have a better rate of fire compared to howitzers. In-game, the
120-PM-43 will be featured as the
Gr.Wfr. M43 120mm in
both East German divisions; the
2S12 is deployable in both
Soviet divisions.
M30 4,2-inch mortars The
M30 4,2-inch mortar (107mm for reasonable people) was designed shortly after the Korean War and is forever associated with the Vietnam War. It is the same mortar as the one used by the
M106A2 (which can be dismounted to be fired outside the vehicle). After the end of the Cold War, in 1991, the U.S Army finally came to its senses and adopted a 120mm metric system mortar to replace this unit. ;)
In-game, the
M30 can be encountered in both
U.S. divisions. Unlike Warsaw Pact mortars, the one card of
M30 will come at the expense of some of the self-propelled
M106A2’s. This represents the
M-30 being used as dismounted units.
Tampella 120mm mortars The
Tampella 120mm was designed and built as the
Soltam M-65 by Finland from 1953. It might be one of the neutral Nordic country’s most successful export products. While an old design, the mortar features a shorter range than other 120mm units. In
WARNO it will be featured in both
German divisions. Just like the U.S.
M30 mortar, the
Tampella 120mm will replace some self-propelled
PzMörser 120mm.
MIM-23B I-Hawk anti-aircraft missile The
MIM-23B I-Hawk is the improved version of the venerable MIM-23A Hawk SAM produced in the early 60s. It saw service in most NATO nations. This SAM unit can be regarded as a counterpart to the Warsaw Pact’s
Kub system, with both units being armed with three missiles of roughly comparable performance. The main difference is that the Soviet unit is self-propelled, while the American one
I-Hawk is fired from a towed trailer. In
WARNO, the unit will be deployable with U.S.
8th Infantry Division and the German
2. Panzergrenadier.
See you on the battlefield
All right! We will leave you be. Join the awesome (and passionate) growing
WARNO community. Check the latest news on the
Steam News page or visit the
Steam Forums. Get to together with other players on either the excellent
Discord server,
Reddit page, or our
Instagram.
See you on the battlefield, commander!