Hello all, welcome back! In today’s DevBlog, we’ll show off the upcoming WARNO - Tropic Storm’s 8 new maps. You read that right: eight new battlefields will ship with the next major expansion coming to WARNO! Let’s take a look at the new Cuban battlefields of WARNO - Tropic Storm. The 8 New Cuban Maps
With WARNO - Tropic Storm, we will introduce a brand-new set of exotic environments and a whopping 8 new maps. We have decided to cover several new terrains, from vast agricultural plains to built-up areas and towns, tropical rainforests, pristine beaches, and industrial estates. In the same vein as the European battlefields of the WARNO’s base game, all the maps have been inspired by the real landscapes and locations of Cuba. We have taken the due diligence to update them to the unique gameplay requirements of WARNO, ensuring not only realism in terrain but also plentiful tactical options. Without further ado, let’s explore the new lands ahead! ALQUIZAR
Size: 3x3 This map puts players straight into the Cuban countryside inspired by Alquízar, in the Artemisa Province, west of Havana. Being 9 by 9 kilometers, it is a medium-sized map, much like the majority of other WARNO - Tropic Storm battlefields. You’ll find cultivated fields surrounding a large central village. The position of this settlement makes it one of the main objectives on the battlefield. The terrain itself is particularly flat, with long sight lines and plenty of room for armored units to maneuver. Tobacco farming, iconic for Cuba and especially this region, gives the map part of its distinctive visual identity (though not smell). In Alquizar’s open environments, going on the attack also means exposing yourself. Every piece of cover, every hut or building, every cove of trees will be a potential site for ambush or flanking attack. Pick your defensive positions wisely and don’t blunder into a headlong offense without some good reconnaissance. BAHIA
Size: 3x3 The Bahia battlefield opens directly onto the Caribbean Sea, inspired by the coast of northwestern Cuba. Here, the plains meet the mountains. Water reaches deep into the map, creating a natural flank which can be exploited by air and amphibious units. An extra juicy way to bypass pesky land-based defenses and enemy positions, opening up the possibility for offenses from an unexpected direction. There are some small cultivated areas which alternate with vast open fields, palm plantations, and houses and other residential dwellings. Keep in mind that Bahia’s coastline is much more than simple scenery, and allows you to open up new avenues of attack (and to be actively defended at the same time). CIENFUEGOS
Size: 3x3 The Cienfuegos map offers a radically different battlefield, as it is dominated by one of Cuba’s most impressive industrial facilities: the Cienfuegos oil refinery. Built in the late 1980s as part of the close economic partnership between Cuba and the Soviet Union, the refinery became one of the communist nation’s major petroleum complexes. In WARNO, it will serve as the central focal point of some heavy fighting. The industrial infrastructure, from pipelines and chimneys to technical installations and workshops, will form the scene and setting. The layout of the complex follows the real-life example pretty closely, but of course, we made some adaptations to create more tactical “fun” in WARNO. DELSUR
Size: 3x3 This battlefield once again takes its cue from the Cuban countryside, this time from the central part of the island with its plentiful farming lands and man-made irrigation systems. These canals run through the fields, making tactical movement harder while also creating natural defensive lines. Small farming villages dot the open lands, while the scattered woods provide a bit of cover. Delsur varies often in open and closed spaces. We have tried to balance semi-urban combat, easily found defensive positions, and open areas suitable for large maneuvers. Choosing the right division and the right avenue of attack will be crucial for success. JATIBONICO
Size: 3x3 With Jatibonico, the fighting moves closer to Cuba’s main urban areas. The map is inspired by the real town of Jatibonico, located in Sancti Spíritus Province, in the heart of Cuba. Once again, we find plentiful farmland, specifically sugarcane cultivation. We also expanded the scenery with some new buildings for this map, specifically designed to represent Cuban architecture: detached houses, apartment buildings, and various other types of residential structures. These new assets helped us create a denser urban section, with plenty of new defensive positions. Jatibonico favors close-quarters combat with a heavy focus on infantry combat. However, armored units will still be able to maneuver around the outskirts of the town. SOROA
Size: 3x3 If we head west to the Sierra del Rosario, the landscape changes spectacularly. The Soroa map draws on this mountainous region, known for its lush tropical forests and numerous waterways. The battlefield is organized around three very different avenues of advance. On one side, there is a large, dense urban sector. It provides an easily defensible environment. In the center, we have featured more open and relatively flat terrain. On the other end of the map, we have created the forests and mountainous region. This is much more enclosed and difficult to traverse, meaning units specializing in this type of difficult terrain should be favored. Elevation will be a true weapon on Soroa. Exploit the high ground, advance through the wooded areas, take advantage of chokepoints; all these will allow a skilled commander to seize the initiative. REPRESA
Size: 4x2 Represa is dominated by water. The map is inspired by the real-life Zaza Dam in central Cuba, which has created the largest reservoir on the island. This rather large body of water divides the battlefield and creates major flanking opportunities. You’ll need to keep an eye out for threats and opportunities. Furthermore, we have dappled villages, water treatment facilities, woods and forests, and palm plantations around the reservoir itself. These different environments will provide a variety of defensive positions and lines of resistance. The real challenge in Represa will be the control of the available battle space. The reservoir can be either an obstacle, a natural defensive barrier, or an opportunity to outflank the enemy amphibiously. ROSARIO
Size: 4x3 At 12 by 9 kilometers, Rosario is one of the largest maps in the WARNO - Tropic Storm set. We took our cue from the rural landscape of western Cuba for this vast battlefield. We have combined farmland, forests, villages, and various defensive positions on this map. Rosario’s size will allow it to be played for 10vs10 battles, but you can also play on smaller sections of the map depending on the size, rules, and format. We have designed Rosario to encourage teamwork, with various smaller defensive areas followed by larger open spaces. This allows units to maneuver and support allies while looking for the right opportunity to break through. WARNO - Tropic Storm
WARNO - Tropic Storm gives you access to 6 new divisions and 4 new nations, plus an arsenal of new units, models, weapons, new terrain sets, and maps, and more, all set with its brand-new theater of operations, the Caribbean and South America. Just a quick reminder: each of the eight new maps will be part of WARNO - Tropic Storm, and will be hostable only by owners of the expansion. This means that everyone can play one of the new maps on an Eugen official server, or when the private host is the owner of the expansion. You can check out more details on the new maps, who can play them, our rationale behind them, and the environments featured in this DevBlog. Until Next Time
The Strike Team has been busy previewing the first divisions for WARNO - Tropic Storm and will continue to do so this week. Up next will be the newly communist Venezuelan battle groups: the well-equipped light I División and the airborne-armor hybrid IV División. On top, when deemed ready, the Strike Team will be able to show off and stream some of the new maps in the later this week. That’s all for this week’s DevBlog! Don’t forget to check out the ever-awesome WARNO community. Find the latest news on the Steam News page or visit the Steam Forums. Get together with other players on either the excellent Discord server, Reddit page, YouTube or our Instagram. As always, see you on the battlefield.