Steel Division: Normandy 44

[1stLt (Ret) R. Nelson]

So, after watching a good few videos of this game, I was convinced to buy and try. After playing several skirmishes, and reading up on the game and what it'll be on proper launch, I have to say I'm glad I purchased it. 

For those who're familiar with the Wargame series, the controls and overall mechanics won't come as anything new. However, this is far more than a Wargame re-skin to WW2 era. It will have mechanics similar to Wargame (suppression, etc) though vastly more improved, and serving mechanical and tactical value. The damage models remind me a lot of Robz Realism Mod for Men of War: Assault Squad 2. If that makes you go, 'Oooooooooo', then keep reading. 

The game has three phases of battle: Phase A (recon), Phase B (Skirmish), and Phase C (Battle). These phases are meant to represent a more realistic combat or two armies coming to clash. This makes all the more sense on a conquest game mode (more on that later). These phases represent a unit's logistics, communications, leadership, planning, etc. Different decks have different units available in those different phases. Also, depending on the unit, your requisition points (now a flat tick amount) are dependent on the unit you're playing as. A highly mobile unit with its focus on speed (such as a ranger unit) will have more requisition points in Phase A than an armored unit--since armor is slow, and takes time to be brought to bare. However, once in Phase C, that armored unit will have far more requisition points than the rangers. This again represents those logistics and comms. coming together, and the heavier armor finally arriving to battle. 

In addition to those phases, some equipment is available only when a certain phase is met. As well as the amount of units per card, tend to increase the further phase card you select. Example: Phase A cards, I can choose a P-51. However, that Phase A card will give me only one plane. If I go Phase C P-51, that singular card will give me 3 planes. So not only do you need to decide what equipment you want, but WHEN you want it, and HOW much you want. This ties in directly to when your deck is at its strongest, and what phase of combat your deck build is meant for. A lot of this game is timing. 

This game is NOT a spam fest. Even in Phase C, a single card of Shermans may only give me 4 or 5 tanks. Fewer, if it's something heavier (like a Jumbo). Every unit you bring out matters, and every loss is something to be concerned about. 

Let's go back to mechanics for a moment or two. Suppression plays an even more important role in Steel Division, than in Red Dragon. Suppression will begin to wear on the unit's morale, and the more fire they take (and the heavier caliber of fire), they will become all the more concerned for their safety. Not only does this effect their combat performance (which was basically the extend to Wargame's), but will provide different repercussions depending on what's shooting at them. Example: I'm shooting some German infantry with an HE cannon. They will suppress quickly, due to the nature of the projectile being fired at them. When their morale is broken, they will go into a Pinned Down state. When pinned, if I push infantry (not recon, more on them later) on them, the Pinned Unit will surrender, and be taken off the field. Example 2: when being suppressed by other infantry/smaller caliber, when the morale is broken, they will Fall Back. Armor will do this too. This is a mechanic you cannot control, and they will fall back in the most direct route away from the enemy. Once out of fire, they will hold position, gather themselves, and you then can return to controlling them. This is important, since Supply does NOT replace infantrymen. ONLY ammo.

Recon does as you'd expect--recon the area, and provide better spotting for those with bad eyes/optics, like tanks. However, recon--due to their sneaky nature--do not have any conquest control. Meaning, they do not affect the battle line. Different unit deck's have different recon types. More infantry centric decks, may have recon who are more straight up infantry, while some may be AT heavy. What this means, is you can be very sneaky. Sneaky your recon Panzerschreck unit into some nice dense hedgerows along a road, and turn off all their guns, sans the AT. Not only will you give yourself good spotting, but, should a vehicle drive by, they'll be in for a rude surprise. Because you don't affect the line of battle with recon units, there's no way to know you're there, until you fire--or are spotted. 

 

The gameplay is even slower than Red Dragon. This is very much focused on tactical smart thinking, than twitch reaction. The right unit, in the right place, at the right time, often means the difference between winning or losing. 

What I like, is how they've made the game very tight, regarding decks. As it states in the title, this is focused ONLY on Normandy in 1944. So, ONLY the units that partook in that fighting, are available. So; no Russians, Japanese, US Marines, etc. They've chosen some of the more iconic units (101st, duh) to represent the different deck styles: Airborne, Armored, Motorized, Mechanized. BUT! There is less symmetry than you may think. Example!: one of the German units, an SS division that was stationed on the Atlantic Wall, as many might know, were given some of the finest of equipment, but due to that whole Eastern front deal, many were conscripts. To represent that, many of the line infantry, are in fact, conscripts. They take a 25% more morale penalty, due to their lack of formal training. So an armored v. armored deck, may not be so clear-cut, as one might think. 

I like the smaller focus. This means greater refined balance in the units. This means each and every deck is viable. 

Oh, and the AI doesn't suck anymore. They don't spam. They actually try and fight over strategic areas. Will hold ground. Will fight, in a half-way intelligent manner. It feels more like playing a player, than it does an AI. Since this game is to have a single player campaign, I look forward to it being more thoughtful, and more satisfying, than the Red Dragon, 'find a chokepoint and just stick tanks on the other side and go afk' approach. 

Alright, I've typed enough. There's still more fantastic things they've done, but I'd rather play more Steel Division. 

[Maj (Ret) Whitby]

Once I get some £££ I'll pick it up, Been looking at getting for a while. 

[SSgt (Ret) McCelvy]

Nelson, you might have convinced me to give it a shot. I will still probably wait for it to go in sale. Hopefully they do it soon. I don't know when the Steam summer-sale event is, but they damn sure better have it on sale then.

[GySgt Cole]

56 minutes ago, SSgt McCelvy said:

Nelson, you might have convinced me to give it a shot. I will still probably wait for it to go in sale. Hopefully they do it soon. I don't know when the Steam summer-sale event is, but they damn sure better have it on sale then.

The game doesn't officially release until May, and the summer sale is usually early July. Even if it did go on sale then, it would probably be for a nominal few bucks. 

 

I picked up the game, make sure to directly support the devs and get it through the Paradox Store (they send a Steam key).
I've only played a few skirmishes and as a very casual player of Wargame over the course of the series, I can say I like Steel Division more at the outset. The phase mechanic and map "frontline" mechanics are really, really cool, and actually make it quite unique.
I'm a little mad they're obviously pulling the same shit with one year release schedule for sequels, but whatever. 

Edited April 19, 2017 by Cpl Cole

[1stLt (Ret) R. Nelson]

2 hours ago, SSgt McCelvy said:

Nelson, you might have convinced me to give it a shot. I will still probably wait for it to go in sale. Hopefully they do it soon. I don't know when the Steam summer-sale event is, but they damn sure better have it on sale then.

I'll have to play a skirmish match and stream it for ya sometime, so you can get a more eyes on look. Plus, I can answer questions as you have them. 

[Specter]

Well shit, if Black Irish picks it up, I might have to as well.

[1stLt (Ret) R. Nelson]

Allies-
101st Airborne (American)
6th Airborne (British)
3rd Canadian Infantry
1st Polish Armored
2nd French Armored
15th Infantry (British/Scottish)
2nd Infantry (American)
3rd Armoured (American)
1st Guards Armoured (British)



Axis-
12th SS Panzer 'Hitlerjugend'
21st Panzer
Panzer Lehr
116th Panzer 'Windhund'
352nd Infantry
716th Infantry
17th SS Panzergrenadier 'Gotz von Berlichingen'
3rd Fallschirmjager Division
91st Luftlande Division

I believe these are the confirmed game-launched divisions that will be in the game. I was also a bit wrong about the 4 division types: Armored, Infantry (not motorized, duh), Mechanized, and Airborne. 

 

[Sgt (Ret) Coburn]

God this game sounds fucking awesome.

[1stLt (Ret) R. Nelson]

Oh, it's amazing, up until your opponent rolls out multiple Panzer D's, and all you have are some basic-bitch Shermans, and you watch your flank just fall apart because they can out-range, and out-penetrate, and they're the heaviest thing you have at the time. 

[Sgt (Ret) Coburn]

Nelson please you are leading me to a very financially stupid situation don't do me like that

Edited April 20, 2017 by Sgt Coburn

[GySgt Cole]

For those curious, here's some current info on the pre-order beta running from now until launch:

Three Maps:
Point-du-Hoc
Collombes
Omaha Beach

Three Allied Divisions:
15th Scottish Infantry (Infantry)
3rd US Armored (Armor)
2nd US Infantry (Infantry)

Three Axis Divisions:
12.  SS - Panzer (Armor)
17. SS - Panzergrenadier (Mechanized)
91. Luftlande (Infantry/Airborne)

here's a cool webm
http://i.imgur.com/PrpZVnA.gifv

[Cook]

The newest map is Sword Beach and all I want too see is a tiger tank or two 

[Cpl (Ret) Baker]

Oh... i gotta say, after watching@2ndLt R. Nelson play for a while I downloaded an "alternative" version to try it out and its a solid "A" game. Will probably buy when its in offer: Awesome Discount Finder

[GySgt Cole]

On 4/19/2017 at 11:05 PM, Sgt Cook said:

all I want too see is a tiger tank or two 

Panzer Lehr division had Tigers and King Tigers

[1stLt (Ret) R. Nelson]

A neat thing I've learned, is the importance of open/closed tops for vehicles. In rather close proximity--urban combat, say--if you push up an open top half-track, the enemy (even if they don't have AT), will throw hand grenades and molotov cocktails, and with the top being open, I'm sure you can imagine what happens. A lot of great little nuances in this game I'm still learning. 

[Maj (Ret) Whitby]

I suck at this game. I'm yet to win a single game lol

[Maj Whelan]

16 minutes ago, Maj Whitby said:

I suck at this game. I'm yet to win a single game lol

Glad to know I wasn't the only one

[Sgt (Ret) Coburn]

Just now, 2ndLt(T) Whelan said:

Glad to know I wasn't the only one

17 minutes ago, Maj Whitby said:

I suck at this game. I'm yet to win a single game lol

I also suck really fuckin' bad at this game.

Its so much harder than Wargame in my opinion

[GySgt Cole]

1. Recon is still king. If you don't have recon your units will die. If you look at your front line and every "sector" doesn't have a recon unit, you need more. 
2. AT Guns are super powerful because not only can they destroy tanks with little threat to themselves, they have HE rounds to defend against frontal infantry attack. Knock them out with air, arty or flanking attacks with infantry
3. Mortars suppress the shit out out of everything and smoke rounds can protect and screen your advances. Arty is just a more expensive longer range version of this.
4. Hedgerows (as of right now) provide an unsurpassable barrier to vehicles, use this to your advantage. 

Those are the biggest tips I have for people who find themselves stuck on comp stomps. 

[SSgt (Ret) Oliveira]

it has a big learning curve than other games 

[1stLt (Ret) R. Nelson]

8 hours ago, Cpl Cole said:

1. Recon is still king. If you don't have recon your units will die. If you look at your front line and every "sector" doesn't have a recon unit, you need more. 
2. AT Guns are super powerful because not only can they destroy tanks with little threat to themselves, they have HE rounds to defend against frontal infantry attack. Knock them out with air, arty or flanking attacks with infantry
3. Mortars suppress the shit out out of everything and smoke rounds can protect and screen your advances. Arty is just a more expensive longer range version of this.
4. Hedgerows (as of right now) provide an unsurpassable barrier to vehicles, use this to your advantage. 

Those are the biggest tips I have for people who find themselves stuck on comp stomps. 

One thing to note, is not all AT guns have HE. Usually, the A Phase AT guns are strictly AP. You don't usually get HE addition until Phase B. 

Command units are absolute king. Veteran status in this game, is WAY more important than in Red Dragon. At chokepoints (such as an AT gun with backup, looking down a road) having that one addition level of veteran status, really improves their skill. The difference between Zero and One star Veteran is huge; the different between One Star, and TWO, is staggering. 

What I love about this game, is how much more intimate the battles are. Those little scraps in a hedgerow, and battling over a small town, feel so much more impactful, than from Red Dragon. 

Oh, and mortars are absolute monsters. US 2nd Infantry get access to 107mm (if memory serves) mortars in Phase A. They're beasts. Using recon, or some poor unlucky cheap vehicle, you can use it to spot AT and AAA positions, and that high HE makes short work of their static position. Really helps even the odds, if you're playing against an armor heavy deck, while your own lacks. 

Oh, and Stuart tanks, and ungodly. Really shows how American tanks were designed as troop support vehicles. Cannon and 3x machine guns, will absolutely destroy enemy infantry and half-tracks. The Scotts Avre..don't even get me started. It's like Mike Tyson in his prime. 

[GySgt Cole]

4 hours ago, 2ndLt R. Nelson said:

Oh, and Stuart tanks, and ungodly. Really shows how American tanks were designed as troop support vehicles. Cannon and 3x machine guns, will absolutely destroy enemy infantry and half-tracks. The Scotts Avre..don't even get me started. It's like Mike Tyson in his prime. 

Yeah, as a 3rd Armored main... Stuarts and Scotts are nasty

[Cpl (Ret) Baker]

frustrating...

[SSgt Benson]

Wow