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Warno
Developer(s) Eugen Systems
Publisher(s) Eugen Systems
Director(s) Alexis Le Dressay
Engine Iriszoom
Platform(s) Windows
Release 23 May 2024
Genre(s) Real-time strategy, real-time tactics, turn-based strategy
Mode(s) Single-player, multiplayer
Warno is a 2024 real-time tactics and turn-based strategy video game created and
published by Eugen Systems, released into early access on 20 January 2022, and
fully released on May 23, 2024. A spiritual successor to Wargame: European
Escalation, also developed by Eugen, it takes place in a World War III setting in
the Fulda Gap, portraying a conventional conflict between NATO and the Warsaw Pact.
Gameplay
Warno is a strategy game with a real-time tactical layer (for the missions & map
levels) and a turn-based strategic layer (for the Army General campaigns). Players
control individual units meant to represent historical military vehicles and
infantry formations of the Cold War. There are many game modes in Warno focusing on
various goals, such as acquiring an amount of points from objectives in the
Conquest mode or destroying a number of enemy units in Destruction.[1] The game is
played by anywhere between 1 and 20 people, with multiplayer games scaling up to 10
versus 10. Single-player play takes the form of skirmishes against the AI, scripted
battles set in specific places, and a turn-based strategic campaign.
In both multiplayer and single-player modes, all players receive a ticking income
of points to spend on deployable units, such as infantry, artillery, tanks,
reconnaissance units, air defense units, attack helicopters, helicopter-borne
infantry, and aircraft. The units available to the player depend on their chosen
battlegroup. Various battlegroups have different specializations, such as a focus
on infantry combat or combined arms warfare. Some basic unit functions can be
assigned to the AI, but a majority of actions are done by the player. Units are
controlled in real time.[2]
The playable formations (known as 'Battlegroups') in game are inspired from the
orders of battle of divisions, regiments, and some corps that would have likely
engaged each other during the initial stages of war along the German border in the
year 1989, such as the American 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment or the Soviet 79th
Guards Tank Division. NATO forces are exclusively those based out of CENTAG, the
NATO formation which served in Central Europe, especially Germany.[3]
While the tactical gameplay is similar to Wargame, Warno has received considerable
quality of life improvements and gameplay changes seen in the Steel Division
titles, including allowing the AI to carry out smart orders for player units, the
reworked deck system incorporating the orders of battle of in-game divisions, and
variants and traits of units in the armory. Warno also incorporated dedicated
single-player content, such as (turn-based) Army General campaigns and (real-time)
Operations, from Steel Division 2.[4] The game includes a basic map editor for
player use which allows for simple asset manipulation.[5]
Story
The story of Warno takes place in an alternate world of 1989. The point of
divergence is in April 1987 when hardliners stage a coup against Mikhail Gorbachev
due to his perestroika reforms. The Communist Party, KGB, and Soviet Army form a
troika to restore glory to the Soviet Union. Unrest in the Baltic and Armenia is
crushed and, spurred on by the inaction of the West, the USSR launches a takeover
of Finland, installing a pro-Soviet government and bringing that country firmly in
their sphere of influence. This spurs the West, led by the United States under
Ronald Reagan, to increase military spending. Western sanctions and increase
military spending leads to food shortages and an oil crisis in the Soviet Union.
Meanwhile, NATO conducts a larger than ever Exercise Reforger in September 1989,
which the paranoid troika fears is a cover for conflict. Under the cover of their
own Zapad exercise, the Warsaw Pact prepares to strike first.
As of September 2024, there are five Army General campaigns taking place across
various parts of the conflict and in the CENTAG and lower NORTHAG areas of
operations. "Bruderkrieg", "Fulda Gap", and "Airborne Assault" take place on Day 1
of the conflict. "The Left Hook" takes place on Day 4. Lastly, "Highway 66" takes
place on Day 7. The new NORTHTAG DLC added two more Army General campaigns, taking
place along two main axis of attack by the Warsaw Pact armies in NORTHAG, "Four Day
To The Weser" (Lüneburg-Bremen) and "Armored Fury" (Hanover-Osnabrück). Both of the
campaigns take place on Day 4 of the conflict.
In addition to Army General, there are also eight single mission operations,
focusing on single engagements between various elements of NATO and the Warsaw
Pact.
Black Horse's Last Stand (21 June 1989) - Fulda was lost with 24 hours. 11th "Black
Horse" ACR fought valiantly but the 8th Guards Army was too strong. Now the
battered 1-11th ACR has fallen back to the town of Bad Orb, with the Soviet 39th
Guards Motorized Division hot in pursuit. 1-11th ACR is ordered to take up a
blocking position outside the town in order to cover the approach to Frankfurt,
while they wait for Bundeswehr reinforcements to arrive.
Sledgehammer (25 June 1989) - By the third day of the war, the Soviets had reached
Hanau, on the outskirts of Frankfurt-am-Main. Though they have been successful so
far, NATO resolve is stiffening. Eager to keep up their momentum, 57th Guards
Motorized Rifle Division has been tasked to conduct a combined arms assault to
clear the remaining outposts and blocking positions in the Main valley and enable
the 79th Guards Tank Division to exploit their success and drive on to Frankfurt.
Red Juggernaut (23 June 1989) - The 79th Guards Tank Division has led the Soviet
thrust into West Germany. Their advance has pushed elements of 11th ACR into U.S.
3rd Armored Division's lines and the Americans are rapidly trying to set up a
defensive line. The 79th Guards Tank must keep up the pressure on the Americans and
break through their lines at Ortenberg so the advance on Frankfurt can continue.
Backhand Blow (25 June 1989) - The Soviet offensive towards Frankfurt has been
contained, though the city of V Corps rear support area are still under threat. as
the 79th Guards Tank Division regroups at Bruchköbel, U.S. 3rd Armored Division
plans to launch a swift counterattack against them, in hopes of throwing the
Soviets off balance and allowing NATO to gain the local initiative.
The Kitzingen Ruse (20 June 1989) - In the opening hours of the war, the Warsaw
Pact prepares to attack Würzburg, hoping to open an alternate axis of advance
towards Frankfurt to the northwest. The VDV's 900th Air Assault Battalion is tasked
with seizing the town of Kitzingen and establishing a bridgehead over the Main
river. The 900th must hold this location against counterattacks by the Americans
and West Germans, while they await reinforcements that are surely on their way....
Götterdämmerung (28 June 1989) - Tasked with screening the southern flank of the
Warsaw Pact's thrust into CENTAG, the NVA's 11th Mot.-Schützendivision found itself
overextended and soon blocked by NATO forces. Forced to retreat with heavy losses,
its forces are in disarray as U.S. and West Germany armored formations purse it.
The 1st Battalion of Mot.-Schützenregiment MSR-17 is tasked with defending the town
of Stegaurach on the approaches to Bamberg in order to give its parent division a
chance to reorganize.
The Dieburg Salient (30 June 1989) - The outbreak of World War III has spurred
France into answering it obligation to NATO. However, France's scheduled deployment
is moved up as Warsaw Pact forces threaten to encircle Frankfurt. 7e Division
Blindée has been moved up to a salient protruding into the Warsaw Pact lines near
Dieburg. Here the division must hold their position while follow-on French forces
deploy behind it in preparation for the counterattack towards Frankfurt.
Hold Until Relieved (22 June 1989) - In the early days of the invasion, the British
Army of the Rhine found itself hard pressed on every side, and none more so than in
British I Corps area of operations. an infantry battalion from the Queen's Own
Highlanders has managed to take up positions behind the Diemel river but their
numbers are too few. A squadron of tanks from the Blues & Royals is sent to
reinforce them, check the Soviet advance, and if possible, launch a counterattack.
As part of the NORTHTAG DLC, four new operations were released.
Running the Gauntlet (21 June 1989) - The Warsaw Pact's offensive into NORTHTAG
quickly brushes aside resistance west of the Eble-Seiten Canal. One of the units
cut off in this rapid advance is the Bundeswehr's Kampfgruppe von Jagow. I Dutch
Corps has dispatched 42 Tankbataljon and some American units in an attempt to
rescue the West Germans. Their goal is to conduct a counter-attack, open a
corridor, and evacuate the West Germans before they are over run.
The Winged Hussars (26 June 1989) - The Polish Second Army attacks south of
Hanover, led by the Polish 11th Armoured Cavalry Division. However, their attack is
interrupted by a daring British air assault which cuts off elements of the
formations. Two armored companies are tasked with linking up with their besieged
compatriots and renew the attack on Hamelin.
Marauders (24 June 1989) - Warsaw Pact forces have successfully fixed NATO forces
outside of Hamburg and are prepared to open a new attack towards Denmark. However,
this move leaves them open to a daring attack by NATO. NATO's MultiNational
Airborne Division conduct a nighttime airborne operation against a logistical hub
in Kasseburg. While they seize their objective, the mixed force of British,
Belgian, and West German forces must consolidate their position and prepare for an
inevitable Polish counterattack
Survivors (28 June 1989) - After a week of hard combat, NATO forces have managed to
hold the line on NORTHTAG's southern flank. However, this defense is quickly
shattered by a surprise "left hook" attack by the 1st Guards Tank Army. In the wake
of the attack, several British, West German, and Belgian combat groups in the area
around Beverungen find themselves isolated. One of the groups, the 16th/5th The
Queen's Royal Lancers must fight their way back to friendly lines, gathering any
ally units they can in the process.
References
"WARNO - Early Access PC Review". thegamingoutsider.com. 21 March 2022. Retrieved
9 November 2023.
"WARNO: Early Access Impressions". superjumpmagazine.com. 9 April 2022. Retrieved
9 November 2023.
"Cold War RTS Warno is set in a convincingly plausible alt-history 1989".
pcgamesn.com. 11 January 2022. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
"WARNO - Army General Preview - Steam News". store.steampowered.com. 14 October
2022. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
"WARNO - Happy New Year, Map Editor Incoming! - Steam News".
store.steampowered.com. 3 January 2024. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
Further reading
Schneider, Max (30 January 2022). "Warno im Test: Kann diese Art Echtzeitstrategie
heute noch funktionieren?". GameStar (in German). Retrieved 26 August 2024.
"Recenzja gry WARNO. Nie ma HIMARS-ów i F-35, ale też jest spoko | GRYOnline.pl".
GRY-Online.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 26 August 2024.
vte
Eugen Systems
Categories: 2022 video gamesEugen Systems gamesMultiplayer and single-player video
gamesReal-time tactics video gamesVideo games developed in FranceWindows
gamesWindows-only gamesWorld War III video games
This page was last edited on 6 June 2025, at 20:21 (UTC).
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