78. Sturm | Divisions of the Axis in Steel Division 2 Steel Division 2 guide, tips
Last update: 20 August 2019
Sturm (Motorised Divisions) are very strong battle groups on the German side and are more common on the Axis side. The 78th Assault Division is on a par with the Harteneck Group. The two battle groups have several differences, but are based on the same pattern - strong infantry, which is transported by trucks and armored transporters, and support for artillery, aviation and anti-tank guns. It is one of the strongest German divisions that can deal easily with infantry divisions, especially in urban battles or short distances.
In this division you will be able to call up as many as 10 types of infantry units, of which the first five cards will cost only 1 activation point. The infantry itself is quite diverse: in phase A you can put up a large number of Ersatztruppen - infantry with low morale. Good infantry troops are the Pioneers and the Assault Pioneers. Their task is to break the defense of the enemy and fight against a strengthened opponent. However, the number of soldiers is small, which makes them a fragile unit. There are several reconnaissance units available for the division, but Jager Sharfschutzen snipers (who are able to eliminate entire infantry teams from a long distance) stand out a lot. Jager Fusilier is a large infantry unit, which has all the advantages of a small reconnaissance unit and is composed of as many as 9 well-armed soldiers.
The main troops on the front line are the Schutzen units. They count as many as 13 soldiers in the unit, including two armed troops with MG 42 machine guns that have a range of 750 meters. Additionally, the unit is equipped with anti-tank grenades. This is an effective weapon from a very short distance, so hide your troops in forests or buildings to attack enemy tanks with surprise. One of the best infantry units on the German side are so-called Sturmschutzen. This 13-person squad is equipped with the best infantry weapon, the MP 44. This is a great, fast-fire automatic weapon with a range of 300 meters that can nail enemy troops pretty well. In phase A, you can allocate between 2 (veterans) and 6 (recruits) troops on the battlefield, and in phase C between 6 (veterans) and 18 (recruits). It is worth choosing cheaper alternatives and support them with leader units, so you may provide them with more experience.
Other strengths of this division are the very strong and far-reaching artillery - 105mm and 150mm guns. With this unit you are able to destroy virtually any opponent's troops. Another unusual unit is the Nebelwerfer rocket artillery. It attacks the enemy with a powerful fire, but firing a volley reveals the position of the unit. Each Nebelwerfer volley depletes the missile stock, which means it always suffers from a lack of ammo. The 78th Division has exceptionally strong Nashron anti-tank units and the Pak 43 88mm cannon. Nashron has a weak armor, but it's quite mobile. Both units have very strong cannons, which have a very high penetration of 230mm, so they can penetrate virtually any armor.
The weakest link of this battle group is the anti-aircraft defense, although it has Flak guns and tanks available. In this division you have the possibility to use Stug III G tanks only. They are a relatively good combat vehicle, but the number of units you may use is limited and there are only 3 cards available. Similarly, aviation is quite limited and each card costs more and more activation points. They are only with fighters and heavy bombers. There are no light planes armed with missiles or medium sized bombs.