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Twice over the Vistula - a realistic Conquest modification

Now updated to Version 2.0 (All DLCs required)
Disclaimer: Due to recent changes to the game, somethings have been rolled back due to increased complexity of the game engine. As such the following things are no longer available in v2.0:
- Custom Doctrines


* ! ! ! * As of Update 26 - German MP custom doctrines are back. Please see patch notes!


What is Twice Over the Vistula?
Initially started as a Late War (1943+) centric mod to represent the battles fought on the Eastern Front, to include Operation Bagration, Siege of Warsaw and the Vistula-Order offensive. This has now since been expanded to be compatible with the Western Front.
This mod tries to be historically correct, with some leeway in regards to specific unit composition.
It aims to allow people to recreate the orders of battle of Bagration (78th Sturm), to Warsaw (IV.SS Panzer Korps) as well as units present in Normandy all the way to the Ardennes (Fuhrer-Begleit, KG Peiper, Panzer Brigade 111).

What are the big changes?
- Completely brand new research tree for USSR, USA and Germany
- New units (Roughly 80 on the German side)
- Lowered manpower costs for infantry and some vehicles. Main staple vehicles like the Panzer IV J and Panzer III L will have reduced manpower requirements. This should promote more usage of these mainstay vehicles over new wunderwaffen.
- Call-in-Stage 5 for the German side now presents a big tech wall. This represents a massive leap in available firepower from mid-1944, and should roughly coincide to when players begin to upgrade to the Tiger and Panther – allowing the unlock of panzerfausts and late-war infantry.
- German Armor research tree is now weapon/chassis dependent. In order to unlock the Panzer IV F2, you must have both the Panzer IV hull as well as the PaK40 research. A slight additional requirement for the Panzer IV G has been done in order to “force” players to continue unlocking the Panzer III tree, as historically the Panzer III saw usage alongside the Tiger. To offset the FlaK36 being far down the tree to unlock the Tiger, a new Luftflak air defense is now available so that the FlaK36 is still available early on, although manned by Luftwaffe personnel that have little appetite being on the front line.

Medic and Sniper changes (Command Squads):
Medics and snipers are now part of platoon command squads. Each unit “type” will have an associated platoon HQ unit available for research and purchase.

Pioneer changes:
There are multiple pioneer variants now available. Similar to command squads, different pioneers are available for different army branches.
Engineers are no longer able for individual purchase. They belong to engineering squads. Some rear-echelon engineering squads are available. This mod tries to differentiate between engineers and combat engineers.

Is this mod balanced?
No.

How come elite armored panzergrenadiers have old Kar98 but Volksgrenadiers get the new toys?
Historically, new Volksgrenadiers being raised had priority to new equipment, as opposed to older panzer divisions. So they are lavishly equipped. That said, the newly raised 106. Panzerbrigade FHH have access some new equipment.

Why are squads 8 man or 9 man? I have a Battle Order sources that says XYZ?
Units hardly ever resembled their full strength TOE on the battlefield, even during refit. As such, to represent growing manpower shortages, squads in this mod may be represented as being slightly “under strength”; this is certainly the case for SS who are known to suffer high casualty rates.

Can you include XYZ Division?
If 80+ units in the German tree is not enough… not sure what to say. Suggest and they’ll be considered.

What is the point of regular Infantry and Panzergrenadiers?
None. For people that want to play a vanilla infantry division (352. Infanterie Division) or a vanille Panzer division (9. Panzer Division), you can. They are just options.

Regarding weapon availability (StG44 and G43)
The G43 was/is an extremely rare weapon. Only senior riflemen from the the best equipped divisions will have a chance a getting their hands on them.
The StG44 on the other hand, is somewhat more common – depending on the unit. Some lucky units like the 78th Sturm had begun trialing the StG44 in StuG Belgeit units. From late-1944 onwards, newly (and hastily) raised divisions such as the Volksgrenadier and Panzerbrigades were prioritized in allocation for these weapons, in exchange for a reduction of overall unit manpower. These freshly created units compensate for their lack of experience more firepower (such as the Sdkfz 251/21 Drilling). Although ahistorical, if you want to field full sized armies of StG equipped units, you can.
Units that have access to StG44 in this mod:
78th Sturm – Begleit Grenadiers
Fallschirmjager ’45 (5. Fallschirmjager Division and ad-hoc FJ units during Berlin Defense)
Volksgrenadiers (26. Volksgrenadier Division)
Panzersturm (106. Panzerbrigade FHH)
Panzer Fusilier (Fuhrer-Begleit Brigade, only NCO/Senior Riflemen)


Regarding Waffen SS (ie “Electricians”):
Why are they included?
They are included for pure historical reasons. As despicable as they are, removing their historical presence serves no educational benefit other than allowing people to forget who they were and what they did – or worse, elevating them to occult mystery status that breeds fascination and admiration. They were present in the war, on both Eastern and Western fronts and so they are present in the mod.

Do SS get any bonuses?
No.
They do however come with an “ubermenschen tax” and are more expensive to field. The Fuhrer seemed to think they were elite, so they cost more. Historical reality is more nuanced.
Nevertheless, the SS in the mod represent the spearheads of “elite” SS panzer divisions so are themed around IV. SS-Panzer corps “fire brigade” armored kampfgruppes. They can equally represent the units that fought in Normandy as well as during the Ardennes Offensive.
D-tier SS like the SS-Kavalerie are present in order to represent the Siege of Budapest prior to Operation Konrad.

Why don’t the SS have collar tabs, cuff tabs, and other historically accurate detail?
Because such details have no benefit to the gameplay, other than promoting fascination over SS detailing. I know what they are, and where they belong on the uniform. The SS will not receive any further detailing other than the custom camo in-game and portraits/icons.
I’m sure there are other mods that will delve into deeper detail. This is a deliberate design decision and a hill I am willing to die on.

Where are all the transport options for the Soviets?
The Soviet Red Army was very poorly mechanized, even less than the German Wermacht. As such to represent Soviet doctrine and period theme, infantry (other than Ravzedki) come on foot. You may purchase vehicles separately (although not without a little effort) should you want to fully mechanize your army.
Or you can just have them ride on top of tanks.
Speaking of riding on top of tanks, AI will now deploy tankodesantniki on a regular basis on some tanks.