Tonight we ran another TOTAL WARNO Breakthrough operation, this time with NATO on the offensive.

Battle Summary

The NATO attack ultimately achieved a successful breakthrough.

One of the defining moments of the battle was the Warsaw Pact's employment of tactical nuclear strikes. Both detonations landed directly on the advancing armored spearhead, forcing NATO to halt the offensive, regroup, and reorganize before continuing the attack.

The strikes bought valuable time for the defenders and demonstrated exactly how tactical nuclear weapons were intended to disrupt an operational offensive.

However, the Pact defense faced another problem.

The defensive line was spread too thin across the battlefield. Once NATO identified weak sectors, reinforcements from neighboring positions simply required too much time to arrive. Several defensive positions were overrun before reserves could intervene.

NATO also demonstrated excellent fire discipline throughout the battle, frequently achieving the first shot in armored engagements.

At the same time, parts of the Soviet artillery effort proved less effective than expected, with several fire missions landing on positions that had already been abandoned or were only lightly occupied.

Air Operations

One unexpected issue occurred with the Warsaw Pact bomber force.

Several aircraft appear to have been equipped with bomb loads intended for much lighter targets, resulting in significantly reduced effectiveness against NATO armored formations. We will investigate whether this was caused by incorrect loadout selection or configuration issues within the mod.

Technical Performance

The technical side of the event was a major success.

After several optimization changes, the match remained stable throughout the operation, even as casualties increased. We experienced far fewer performance issues than in previous events, giving us confidence that the latest optimizations are moving the project in the right direction.

Looking Forward

Overall, the operation was another great success and provided valuable feedback for future improvements.

Our next goals include:

• Expanding the number of available battlegroups.
• Introducing additional historical air regiments and aviation formations.
• Continuing to refine support assets and weapon systems.
• Investigating the Warsaw Pact bomber loadout issue.
• Fine-tuning scenario timing and balance while keeping the focus on realistic Cold War operations.

Every event brings TOTAL WARNO one step closer to the experience we originally envisioned: large-scale, coordinated Cold War battles fought by specialized formations operating as part of a real military operation.

A huge thank you to everyone who joined tonight. We had a fantastic time, and we're already looking forward to the next operation.

See you on the battlefield!

Hey guys!

We've only got 5 spots left for tonight's game, so I thought I'd throw one last post out there.

If you haven't heard of TOTAL WARNO yet, it's basically how we always imagined Cold War battles could be played.

Instead of everyone bringing a deck with a bit of everything, each player gets a specific role. One player commands a tank battalion, another runs artillery, someone else flies the air wing, another takes recon or air defense. Suddenly you're not playing six individual games anymore, you're fighting one big battle together.

We've also ditched the usual Conquest mode and built our own Breakthrough rules. The attacker has to break through the defense and still have enough combat power left to keep the offensive going. The defender has to stop the attack without getting bled dry.

It's honestly been a lot of fun seeing how different the game feels when people actually have to rely on each other instead of everyone trying to do everything themselves.

If that sounds like your kind of thing, come join us tonight. Doesn't matter if it's your first time, we'll get you sorted before we start.

🕤 Start: Today at 21:30 CEST

Hope to see a few of you there!

Discord: https://discord.gg/sy5E48pZ6

One thing I've always missed in modern RTS games is the feeling of commanding part of a real military operation instead of a self-contained army.

Games like Total War excel at battlefield scale, while games like WARNO deliver incredible tactical depth. We wanted to combine those ideas.

That's how TOTAL WARNO started.

Instead of every player bringing a complete combined-arms force, players command specialized battlegroups based on real Cold War formations:

• Tank Battalions
• Mechanized Infantry Battalions
• Reconnaissance Battalions
• Artillery Groups
• Air Defense Groups
• Helicopter Commands
• Air Wings

Each player has a specific battlefield role, and success depends on coordination rather than everyone trying to do everything themselves.

We've also replaced standard Conquest with a custom Breakthrough mode inspired by operational Cold War doctrine.

The attacker must break through prepared defenses, reach the operational objective, and preserve at least 50% of their combat power. The defender must stop the breakthrough while ensuring their own losses do not exceed those of the attacker.

The result is a very different style of RTS:

• Battles involving entire regimental and divisional formations.
• Dedicated artillery, reconnaissance, aviation, and air-defense commanders.
• Real reserves and operational planning.
• Teamwork that feels closer to a military command structure than a traditional multiplayer match.

If you're interested in large-scale strategy, realistic combined-arms warfare, or you've ever wished RTS games leaned more into operational command than constant micromanagement, we'd love to hear your thoughts—or have you join one of our operations.

We're still actively developing the format based on community feedback, and every event helps us refine it further.

Join our discord: https://discord.gg/5V48rME7xR

TOTAL WARNO transforms WARNO from a traditional RTS into a large-scale operational Cold War battlefield inspired by World in Conflict.

Instead of each player controlling an entire division-sized deck, every player takes command of a specialized battlegroup with a clear battlefield role.

Examples include:

• 🛡️ Frontline Armored Battalions
• ⚔️ Mechanized Infantry Battalions
• 🎯 Artillery Groups
• ✈️ Air Wings
• 🚁 Helicopter Commands
• 📡 Reconnaissance Battalions
• 🛡️ Air Defense Groups
• ⚙️ Engineer and Support Battalions

Each player focuses on their specialty while working together under an overall battle plan. This creates a true combined-arms experience where communication and coordination matter just as much as tactical skill.

Because every player manages only a portion of a real formation, we can field far larger and more realistic forces than in a standard WARNO match. Entire regimental and divisional operations become possible, with dozens of armored companies, artillery batteries, reconnaissance elements, helicopters, and dedicated air support fighting simultaneously.

The result isn't just a bigger battle, it's a different kind of battle.

Instead of every player trying to do everything at once, each commander has a meaningful role within a larger operation. Artillery supports the frontline, reconnaissance finds targets, air defense protects the force, aviation shapes the battlefield, and armored battalions execute the decisive attack.

If you've ever wanted to experience WARNO as a true Cold War battlefield rather than a standard RTS match, TOTAL WARNO is exactly that.

Join us tonight!

Discord: https://discord.gg/5V48rME7xR

Yesterday we hosted another TOTAL WARNO Breakthrough event with 17 players on West Fulda, and overall it was a fantastic evening.

Forces Committed

Both sides operated under a dedicated Commander for the first time, a new role we introduced during this event. The system was well received and added another layer of operational planning and coordination.

Warsaw Pact

• 2× 39th Guards Motor Rifle Division Battlegroups
• 1× 79th Tank Division Battlegroup
• 2× NVA Artillery Battalions
• 1× NVA Air Defense Battalion
• 1× Air Assault Helicopter Battalion
• Warsaw Pact Air Force

NATO

• 8th Infantry Division
• 5th Panzer Division
• 5th Panzer Division Recon Battlegroup
• Divisional Artillery Group
• Bundeswehr Air Defense Battalion
• NATO Air Force

Battle Summary

The NATO defenders initially established a strong defense, but as the intensity of the fighting increased, command and control gradually broke down. This allowed the Warsaw Pact to identify weak points, prepare an assault with air assault forces, and exploit the breakthrough with armored formations, ultimately reaching the operational objective.

One of the most memorable moments of the battle occurred when the 79th Tank Division advanced directly into an area covered by nuclear artillery fire, losing roughly half of its battlegroup during the opening stages of the assault. It perfectly demonstrated the destructive potential of the new strategic commander assets.

The updated suppression and damage model for artillery and support weapons also performed exceptionally well. Heavy bombardments created realistic suppression effects, forcing players to maneuver under fire rather than simply absorbing artillery strikes.

Feedback & Future Development

The feedback from both sides was overwhelmingly positive. Players particularly enjoyed the slower, more strategic pace of Breakthrough, where success depends on planning, communication, and coordination rather than individual micro-management.

One of the biggest strengths highlighted by the players was the emphasis on operational planning. Instead of constantly reacting to the battlefield, commanders prepared artillery fire plans, coordinated assaults, and executed operations together. This created a much stronger feeling of participating in a real Cold War military operation.

A recurring discussion concerned faction identity. We are currently exploring whether NATO should command fewer battlegroups with greater individual autonomy, while the Warsaw Pact continues to rely on larger formations coordinated through centralized command. This could create two distinct playstyles:

• NATO: Smaller forces, greater autonomy, and stronger emphasis on tactical micro-management.
• Warsaw Pact: Larger formations, centralized command, and coordinated mass offensives.

We believe this approach could make both factions feel even more authentic while remaining faithful to their historical doctrines. It is still under evaluation and will require additional testing.

The event also highlighted one gameplay element that still needs refinement: integrating the Breakthrough objectives with WARNO's victory point system. We want operational success to remain the primary objective while still providing satisfying win conditions within the game.

Finally, we also identified a technical limitation. While players with high-end PCs experienced no problems, larger battles began to push lower-end systems to their limits. As TOTAL WARNO continues to increase in scale, optimization and performance will become an increasingly important part of development.

Conclusion

The Warsaw Pact successfully achieved the breakthrough and secured victory.

Overall, the event was another major step forward for TOTAL WARNO. Every test helps us refine the experience, and the feedback from the community continues to shape the project. Our goal remains the same: transforming WARNO into a large-scale operational Cold War experience while staying entirely within the game itself.

Thank you to everyone who participated—we're already looking forward to the next operation.

Looking for a large-scale, realistic Cold War battle? Join us tonight for another TOTAL WARNO Breakthrough operation!

Instead of standard WARNO gameplay, we recreate real 1989 battalion and divisional combat, with every player commanding a specific part of a much larger military formation.

What makes it different?

• ⚔️ Battalion-sized battlegroups based on historical OOBs
• 🪖 Dedicated roles for Armor, Mechanized Infantry, Recon, Artillery, Air Defense and Air Force
• 🎯 Realistic breakthrough scenario inspired by Cold War doctrine
• 🚫 No economic constraints – fight with the forces your formation would actually have
• 🤝 Heavy emphasis on teamwork, communication and operational planning

Tonight, one side will attempt to break through prepared defensive positions, while the defenders must delay, disrupt and ultimately stop the offensive before it reaches the operational objective.

Whether you're an experienced WARNO player or simply interested in large-scale combined arms warfare, you're welcome to join us!

We're still looking for more players for tonight's battle.

Join here: https://discord.gg/sy5E48pZ6

JUNE 20TH

ATTENTION ALL NATO FORCES.

TOTAL WARNING ORDER HAS BEEN INITIATED.

I REPEAT. TOTAL WARNING ORDER HAS BEEN INITIATED.

Warsaw Pact battle elements are assembling along the Inner German Border.

Reconnaissance reports indicate large-scale troop movements across multiple sectors. Armored divisions are moving into attack positions. Artillery formations are preparing fire missions. Air defense networks are activating. Aviation assets are standing by.

The enemy is preparing for war.

For the last two years we have trained for this moment.

Every skirmish. Every multiplayer match. Every battlegroup. Every operation.

All of it was preparation.

Now the divisions are arriving.

Now the artillery is in position.

Now the air forces are ready.

Now the war begins.

Today we are releasing TOTAL WARNO.

TOTAL WARNO is our attempt to bring the scale of WARNO's World War III into multiplayer.

Army General shows us hundreds of tanks, massive artillery formations, integrated air defense networks, mechanized infantry battalions, and large-scale offensives stretching across entire sectors of the front.

In multiplayer, however, much of that scale is lost.

Our goal was simple:

Fight the war as it was meant to be fought.

Instead of individual battlegroups operating independently, TOTAL WARNO organizes players into roles that reflect the structure of a real Cold War battlefield.

• Frontline Battalion Commanders
• Artillery Commanders
• Air Defense Commanders
• Aviation Commanders
• Reconnaissance Elements
• Reserve and Support Forces

Communication becomes essential.

Artillery requires reconnaissance.

Reconnaissance requires protection.

Frontline forces require air defense.

Air assets require coordination.

Every role matters.

Every player contributes.

Combined with the incredible work of the WARNO map-making community and increasingly realistic battlefields, TOTAL WARNO aims to create the closest thing possible to a playable World War III simulator inside WARNO.

At this point, we consider TOTAL WARNO to be in a Pre-Alpha stage. The core concept works, we've successfully run multiple large-scale test battles, and now we want to take the next step:

Play it with more people.

We want to stress-test the format, gather feedback, improve the balance, and continue refining the experience together with the community.

Going forward, we also want to shift more of our battles toward dedicated Attack/Defense scenarios, allowing us to create more realistic operational situations and better represent the challenges both sides would have faced during a real Cold War gone hot.

This is only the beginning.

We'll continue posting regularly, sharing our experiences, lessons learned, battle reports, and updates as the project evolves.

Tonight, the first operations begin.

Welcome to TOTAL WARNO.

Fight the war as it was meant to be fought.

Modlink: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3748499352

Discord: https://discord.gg/YQ2Z56rh

JUNE 20TH

ATTENTION ALL NATO FORCES.

TOTAL WARNING ORDER HAS BEEN INITIATED.

I REPEAT. TOTAL WARNING ORDER HAS BEEN INITIATED.

Warsaw Pact battle elements are assembling along the Inner German Border.

Reconnaissance reports indicate large-scale troop movements across multiple sectors. Armored divisions are moving into attack positions. Artillery formations are preparing fire missions. Air defense networks are activating. Aviation assets are standing by.

The enemy is preparing for war.

For the last two years we have trained for this moment.

Every skirmish. Every multiplayer match. Every battlegroup. Every operation.

All of it was preparation.

Now the divisions are arriving.

Now the artillery is in position.

Now the air forces are ready.

Now the war begins.

Today we are releasing TOTAL WARNO.

TOTAL WARNO is our attempt to bring the scale of WARNO's World War III into multiplayer.

Army General shows us hundreds of tanks, massive artillery formations, integrated air defense networks, mechanized infantry battalions, and large-scale offensives stretching across entire sectors of the front.

In multiplayer, however, much of that scale is lost.

Our goal was simple:

Fight the war as it was meant to be fought.

Instead of individual battlegroups operating independently, TOTAL WARNO organizes players into roles that reflect the structure of a real Cold War battlefield.

• Frontline Battalion Commanders
• Artillery Commanders
• Air Defense Commanders
• Aviation Commanders
• Reconnaissance Elements
• Reserve and Support Forces

Communication becomes essential.

Artillery requires reconnaissance.

Reconnaissance requires protection.

Frontline forces require air defense.

Air assets require coordination.

Every role matters.

Every player contributes.

Combined with the incredible work of the WARNO map-making community and increasingly realistic battlefields, TOTAL WARNO aims to create the closest thing possible to a playable World War III simulator inside WARNO.

At this point, we consider TOTAL WARNO to be in a Pre-Alpha stage. The core concept works, we've successfully run multiple large-scale test battles, and now we want to take the next step:

Play it with more people.

We want to stress-test the format, gather feedback, improve the balance, and continue refining the experience together with the community.

Going forward, we also want to shift more of our battles toward dedicated Attack/Defense scenarios, allowing us to create more realistic operational situations and better represent the challenges both sides would have faced during a real Cold War gone hot.

This is only the beginning.

We'll continue posting regularly, sharing our experiences, lessons learned, battle reports, and updates as the project evolves.

Tonight, the first operations begin.

Welcome to TOTAL WARNO.

Fight the war as it was meant to be fought.

Modlink: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3735085122

Discord: https://discord.gg/MCM8eE6P

So guys, DID YOU SEE THIS WOMAN IN YOUR DREAMS? I saw her last year in a series of dreams in which i got drawn deeper and deeper to limbo, till i was met by an seraphim like creature. If you have dream stories about meeting her, please feel free to write it down or text me. I think this shit is real, and i have my personal factual reasons that i know something really is big is coming to humanity.

OPERATION STAHLKEIL

The reconnaissance battles are over.

After the destruction of the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment's screening forces, Warsaw Pact commanders have identified the NATO defensive line in the Fulda Gap. Now the main offensive begins.

The 79th Guards Tank Division, reinforced by elements of the 39th Guards Motor Rifle Division and independent armored formations, prepares to smash through the defenses of the West German 5th Panzer Division.

Hundreds of armored vehicles.
Massed artillery.
Close air support.
Large-scale mechanized warfare.

NATO must hold the line, preserve its combat power, and prevent a breakthrough.

The Warsaw Pact must destroy the defenders and force open the road to the Rhine.

Mission: Operation Stahlkeil
Scenario: Fulda Gap, D-Day H+4
Scale: Battalion-Level Warfare
Mode: TOTAL WARNO Campaign Event

Will the 5th Panzer Division stop the Soviet advance?

Or will the 79th Guards Tank Division achieve the breakthrough that changes the course of the war?

Join us and find out.

Briefing begins before deployment.

https://discord.gg/dgCh6wPV

Turning WARNO into a Brigade-Level Cold War Wargame

Over the past few weeks, we've been experimenting with a new way to play WARNO.

Instead of symmetrical matches, unrestricted deck building, and every player bringing a little bit of everything, we're trying to recreate how NATO and Warsaw Pact formations would actually have fought in a large-scale conflict in Germany in 1989.

The system is built around historical force structures:

Warsaw Pact

• 7th Guards Tank Division (T-64)
• 10th Guards Tank Division (T-80)
• Tank Brigades
• Motor Rifle Brigades
• Divisional Artillery
• Army Aviation and Hind formations

NATO

• West German Tank Brigades
• US Armored Brigades
• Apache formations
• NORTHAG helicopter assets
• Artillery and Air Defense formations

The idea is simple:

A player no longer commands a random deck.

A player commands a brigade.

Support assets such as artillery, air defense, helicopters, and air power are unlocked based on the number of combat brigades committed to battle.

The attacking side always fields more players than the defender, reflecting the historical ability to concentrate forces at a chosen point of attack.

One thing we've already noticed is how dramatically the battles change when players stop thinking in RTS terms and start thinking in operational terms.

Instead of:

• preserving every unit
• probing endlessly
• spreading forces evenly

you begin to see:

• concentrated armored thrusts
• brigade-level attacks
• artillery preparing breakthroughs
• massed air defense networks
• Apache and Hind formations supporting the operational Schwerpunkt

The result is some of the most cinematic Cold War battles we've ever seen in WARNO.

Entire tank companies charging across open ground while artillery pounds defensive positions, HAWK and KUB batteries firing volleys of SAMs into incoming strike aircraft, and fighter formations clashing overhead while armored brigades fight for a breakthrough.

We've put together a first version of the rulebook here:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1L5XROjJl80HH-4spjS50aHRzTujrpAe4POia6SbUH94/edit?usp=sharing

We're still testing and refining the system, so feedback from WARNO players, military history enthusiasts, Cold War nerds, and wargamers is very welcome.

The long-term goal is simple:

To make WARNO feel less like an RTS match and more like a real NATO vs Warsaw Pact operation unfolding somewhere in West Germany in 1989.

Have you ever wanted WARNO to feel less like a standard RTS and more like a real Cold War battlefield?

We're currently testing a Total War / Divisional Command format inspired by real NATO and Warsaw Pact structures from the late 1980s. Instead of every player bringing a little bit of everything, players take on dedicated battlefield roles and must coordinate as part of a larger formation.

Current 6v6 Structure (per side)

• 3× Frontline Commanders (Armor / Mechanized Forces)
• 1× Support Commander (Artillery & Logistics)
• 1× ADA Commander (Air Defense)
• 1× Helicopter Commander (Recon & Attack Aviation)

Future tests will expand even further with larger formations, dedicated air wings, divisional support assets, and multi-battle campaigns where losses and force composition matter.

What to expect

✅ Large-scale armored battles
✅ Dedicated artillery support
✅ Realistic command structures
✅ Coordinated helicopter operations
✅ Operational-level planning
✅ Cold War atmosphere and immersion

Meet-up today: 9:30 PM CET

Whether you're an experienced commander or simply interested in large-scale Cold War warfare, you're welcome to join us.

Discord:
https://discord.gg/rAKd7tVW

Contact:

Discord: falkuskibre

See you on the battlefield, commanders. NATO and the Warsaw Pact are preparing for war. 🔥🪖