Warno (video game)

Warno is a real-time tactics and turn-based strategy video game created and published by Eugen Systems, released into early access on January 20, 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.

Warno
Developer(s)	Eugen Systems
Publisher(s)	Eugen Systems
Director(s)	Alexis Le Dressay
Engine	Iriszoom
Platform(s)	Windows
Release	May 23, 2024
Genre(s)	Real-time strategy, real-time tactics, turn-based strategy
Mode(s)	Single-player, multiplayer

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. 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.

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.

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. The game includes a basic map editor for player use which allows for simple asset manipulation.

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 NORTHTAG 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.

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 American's and West Germany's, 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.

Further reading

• Schneider, Max (2022-01-30). "Warno im Test: Kann diese Art Echtzeitstrategie heute noch funktionieren?". GameStar (in German). Retrieved 2024-08-26.
• "Recenzja gry WARNO. Nie ma HIMARS-ów i F-35, ale też jest spoko | GRYOnline.pl". GRY-Online.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 2024-08-26.