Since the release of the game in May, we have been listening very carefully to every comment made on the game. Forums, social channels, emails, reviews, survey made by and taken by our community... We already have released lots of free content and features to the game, including game modes, units, battlefields, dedicated servers, and more.

The next Steel Division: Normandy 44 update, "Santa Claws", will feature some significant meta changes, which aim to allow more tactical freedom, to increase the pace of the battles, and to make the game feel more authentic. As the changes are pretty heavy, we will make the beta version of this update available on Steam for everyone.

In a few words, here are the changes you'll be able to test in this beta:

• Vehicles can now go through forests & hedgerows, but have a severe speed penalty, and armed vehicles are not able to shoot for 5 seconds.
  
• Vehicles' critical hits can now be repaired, by supply units only.
  
• Light AT units (up to 57mm) can now enter buildings.
  
• Decreased plane resistance, especially on bigger planes like J88 or B26.
  
• Adjusted vehicle off-road speed, concerning about 80% of the vehicles
  
• Reworked damage & critical hit systems
  
• Increased Short/Mid range precision

How to download the beta:

• Go on your Steam Client
  
• Right-click on "Steel Division: Normandy 44"
  
• Select "Properties"
  
• Click on the "BETAS" tab
  
• Select the "santa_claws_beta", then click on "Close"

If you're experiencing any issue with the beta, just do the same process and switch back to "NONE" in the "BETAS" tab.

Send us your feedback!
As you can imagine, your feedback is essential for us. When you feel that you have played enough, please take 5 minutes to answer this survey. Take your time, there's absolutely no rush.

Known issues that will be fixed in the final version:

• Repairing time may be bugged on a vehicle that suffers several critical damages at the same time.
  
• Bailed out units might be stationary moving or keep moving their turrets.
  
• Some texts in English do not already have their translations in other languages.

The beta and the survey will be accessible to everyone until Monday, December 11th.

Thank you all for your help, and, the most important, have fun!

Steel Division: Normandy 44 is on sale for 50% off until next Tuesday for Steam Autumn Sale! Since the release back in May, we've added a lot of free content to the game: new game modes, news Aces and much more. Here are the newest additions.


SIX NEW UNITS
As scheduled in the content roadmap, Back in Black features the free unit pack! Now available for the Allies, the very rare Firefly 1C, the F-6CRecon aircraft, the French Volontaires, and the Brittish Ox & Bucks. On the Axis side, you'll be able to deploy the 10,5cm leFH-18/40 auf GW Lorraine Schlepper(f), as well as the 105mm le.FH 18M howitzer.


BREAKTHROUGH NOW IN 2v2
Since the announcement of Breakthrough, the first Attack/Defense scenarios, you guys requested to make it playable in 2v2, and guess what? Now you can! The two maps Cheux & Colombelles can now be played with up to 4 players or against AI.


BALANCING & MORE
Back in Black also includes balancing (as always, made possible with the help from our community), mainly focused on the Second Wave's divisions and adjusting Breakthrough's. We also have added the save game feature for Breakthrough, reworked FXs in Insane mode, and, of course, fixed a bunch of remaining bugs.


Continuous support on our games is part of our DNA, and Steel Division: Normandy 44 is no different. We are planning more free content until January 2018: coop mission pack and more to be announced.
Just keep an eye on the content roadmap page[www.eugensystems.com], updates are coming!

"Back in Black", the seventh free update for Steel Division: Normandy 44, is now available! It features 6 new units to deploy on the battlefield (read the full article about them here[www.eugensystems.com]), as well as the 2v2 versions of the new Attack/Defense scenarios, balancing, and new features & fixes.


Here's the complete changelog:

SIX NEW UNITS:

• 2 infantry units:
  
  • Volontaires (2e DB)
    
  • Ox & Bucks (6th Airborne)
  
  
• 2 vehicles:
  
  • Sherman IC Firefly (1. Pancerna)
    
  • 10,5cm leFH18 ausf Lorraine (21. Panzer)
  
  
• 1 artillery gun:
  
  • leFH 18M (716. Infanterie)
  
  
• 1 plane:
  
  • F-6C (3rd Armored)

BREAKTHROUGH SCENARIOS:

• Cheux and Colombelles maps are now playable in 2v2 games.
  
• Fixed a bug preventing to save Breakthrough solo games.
  
• In games versus AI: destruction points to reach by the defenders have been changed to fit AI level
  
• Improved AI in Breakthrough games: it now has a more complex attacking or defending behavior

BREAKTHROUGH BALANCING:

• Moved long-range artillery (except mortars and MLRS) from phase A to phase B for the Attacker
  Existing player's decks are still valid but will be automatically modified

IMPROVEMENTS:

• Loading a quicksave (F8) now displays the save menu
  
• In the Battlegroup lists, a filter allows players to display only "classic" or Breakthrough decks

FIXES:

• "FX quality" is now correctly set on insane graphics preset (Game needs to be restarted)
  
• Fixed some lag and speed problems while observing 10vs10 games
  
• Fixed some rare desynchronizations
  
• Fixed some rare crashes

UNITS BALANCING:
Global

• Unified Sherman gun accuracy and AP (5acc, 11AP)
  
• Renamed all Allied Firefly by "Firefly Vc" because of the new polish "Firefly Ic" (free new unit)

3rd Armored Division

• Added packs of 6 veteran Sherman 75 in phase C

4th Armored Division

• Increased Hellcat price from 100 to 110
  
• Increased M4 (75) Abrams price from 130 to 145
  
• Increased B-26B-10 Marauder price from 120 to 130

2nd Infantry Division

• Reduced Sherman DD XP by one step in phase A

Guard Armored:

• Increased Tempest fighters XP by one step

1st Special Service Brigade

• Increased Sherman DD price from 110 to 125

21. Panzer

• Moved PzH39 to support tab as direct fire unit
  
• Increased PzH39 frontal armor from 3 to 4
  
• Replaced PzH39 by 105mm Lorraine in its role
  
• Reduced Brummbar FAV from 14 to 12
  
• Reduced Brummbar gun accuracy from 5 to 3
  
• Reduced Brummbar gun power to match other 150m gun
  
• Changed Brummbar availability (1x1 in A, 2x2 in B)

16. Luftwaffe Feld Division

• Reduced 88mm flak veterancy by one step in phase A
  
• Regrouped Bef Stug in a single pack of 2 in phase C

Thanks for reading, enjoy the Normandy!

Note for modders: You will need to generate and upload your updated mod to make it compatible with this new version.