Vanek Krieg
03-04-2005, 03:04
0700 Hours, Dawn
Rommel adjusted one of his gloves and sniffed the morning air. It felt good to be on the move again. Consul Krieg had given him command of the army many years ago when Rommel had shown himself the most promising of rising generals, and had backed Krieg's take over from Hitler with several Wehrmacht divisions. Rommel found that he liked Krieg much better than Hitler.
Major Dunkampf, Rommel's adjutant, opened the door of his car and got in. He sat accross from field marshal. "All operations are in full swing herr Field Marshal."
"Good, thankyou Herman. If you will have Capt. Vanns prep my Panzer. I'd like to watch the attack."
"But Sir! We can't have you so close to the combat! Impossible! I wont-"
"Herman. It makes me happy to know you fear for my safety, but I will be commanding from the front today. When did Kesselring say that his Luftwaffe would attack?"
Dunkampf looked at his watch. As if in answer there came the screaming yell of jet engines as four ME 262's came over head. Followed by a formation of some 40 or more 111 Bombers. "Right now sir."
"Excellent. Everything is now going according to my plan." Rommel smiled and got out of his car. Past him marched a company of storm troopers. The smash of their feet marching in step was exulting.
Five Infantry Divisions from 1st and 2nd Army spear headed by four Panzer Divisions, supported by 2/3rds of the Luftwaffe, was on the attack.
Front Line, Northern Advance; IV Company, XX Infantry Division attack
Hans dropped to the ground again. Another mortar shell fell yards in front of him. "Vorwärts schnell!!" Hans and 40 other storm troops ran forewards, firing as they came. A bunker ahead of them had been smashed open by a shell but was still being used for cover by Millerian troops.
"Hans! Granate, werfen Sie es!" Hans gripped one of his stiel grenades and pulled the pin. "1..2..3.." (Battlefield Photographer (http://www.temple.edu/history/images/germangrenaderussia.jpg))On 4 he stood up and threw it the last 20 yards. Just as it entered the openeing the grenade went off. A cheer echoed from the rest of the group.
"Guter throw Hans!!" The men quickly ran foreward and took possesion of the bunker. Hans went and sat on a rock, outside the bunker. He leaned foreward of his rifle and breathed deeply. The attack had gone well. He looked up and watched as several Panzers roled by, each carrying several men on top, they waved at Hans as they rode by. He waved back.
Hans's Lieutenant came out of the bunker. "Good job Hans, you saved many men from having to assault this place. But you are to get your squad into defensive positions. the Millerians will be counter attacking. Our platoon has been selected to now hold the line while the rest of the battalion moves on.
Hans nodded and began getting his squad to set up their MG 42 into position.
Southern Advance; IX Panzer Division and Artillery Attache attack
"Feuer!!" The 88 cannon roared as it fired a round. The crew quickly reloaded.
"Feuer!!" The command was repeated several times down the line as the three combined 88 batteries concentrated their fire on the Millerian lines. A radio man got off the head set.
"Captain!! New orders, we are to fire a progressive wall, grid 4 sector 8, high capacity rounds!" The captain nodded. He quickly set the crews to re-aiming the cannons and changing out the round to high explosives. Everything was ready. The radio man listened for a minute, the captain watched him closely. He nodded.
"Feuer!!"
Nine panzers and three companies of infantry sat as they watched a wall of death come down and move away from them towards the enemy lines. A Major in his tank nodded and spoke into his mike. "Vorwärts!" The tanks rolled forward the infantry jogging at a slow pace next to and around the tanks, as they moved behind the rolling wall of death which was covering their advance.
Several other such attack groups proceeded at the same time all down the line.
(Battle Photographer (http://www.tracks-n-troops.com/archive/24th%20Panzer%20on%20the%20way%20to%20Stalingrad.jpg))
Air; Luftwaffe attack group Delta
"Vati, we've encountered no resistence yet from the air, but we lost a few bombers back at the front from AA guns. No sign of enemy fighters." The flight captain nodded.
"Keep your eyes open Kurt. Have Kemmpel and Hantz swing wide left of the bomber group...and tell them they may lighten their missile load a little on that railway station as well."
"Ja Vati." Kurt smiled as he swung his ME 262 round the clouds and repeated the captains orders to Kemmpel and Hantz.
Rommel adjusted one of his gloves and sniffed the morning air. It felt good to be on the move again. Consul Krieg had given him command of the army many years ago when Rommel had shown himself the most promising of rising generals, and had backed Krieg's take over from Hitler with several Wehrmacht divisions. Rommel found that he liked Krieg much better than Hitler.
Major Dunkampf, Rommel's adjutant, opened the door of his car and got in. He sat accross from field marshal. "All operations are in full swing herr Field Marshal."
"Good, thankyou Herman. If you will have Capt. Vanns prep my Panzer. I'd like to watch the attack."
"But Sir! We can't have you so close to the combat! Impossible! I wont-"
"Herman. It makes me happy to know you fear for my safety, but I will be commanding from the front today. When did Kesselring say that his Luftwaffe would attack?"
Dunkampf looked at his watch. As if in answer there came the screaming yell of jet engines as four ME 262's came over head. Followed by a formation of some 40 or more 111 Bombers. "Right now sir."
"Excellent. Everything is now going according to my plan." Rommel smiled and got out of his car. Past him marched a company of storm troopers. The smash of their feet marching in step was exulting.
Five Infantry Divisions from 1st and 2nd Army spear headed by four Panzer Divisions, supported by 2/3rds of the Luftwaffe, was on the attack.
Front Line, Northern Advance; IV Company, XX Infantry Division attack
Hans dropped to the ground again. Another mortar shell fell yards in front of him. "Vorwärts schnell!!" Hans and 40 other storm troops ran forewards, firing as they came. A bunker ahead of them had been smashed open by a shell but was still being used for cover by Millerian troops.
"Hans! Granate, werfen Sie es!" Hans gripped one of his stiel grenades and pulled the pin. "1..2..3.." (Battlefield Photographer (http://www.temple.edu/history/images/germangrenaderussia.jpg))On 4 he stood up and threw it the last 20 yards. Just as it entered the openeing the grenade went off. A cheer echoed from the rest of the group.
"Guter throw Hans!!" The men quickly ran foreward and took possesion of the bunker. Hans went and sat on a rock, outside the bunker. He leaned foreward of his rifle and breathed deeply. The attack had gone well. He looked up and watched as several Panzers roled by, each carrying several men on top, they waved at Hans as they rode by. He waved back.
Hans's Lieutenant came out of the bunker. "Good job Hans, you saved many men from having to assault this place. But you are to get your squad into defensive positions. the Millerians will be counter attacking. Our platoon has been selected to now hold the line while the rest of the battalion moves on.
Hans nodded and began getting his squad to set up their MG 42 into position.
Southern Advance; IX Panzer Division and Artillery Attache attack
"Feuer!!" The 88 cannon roared as it fired a round. The crew quickly reloaded.
"Feuer!!" The command was repeated several times down the line as the three combined 88 batteries concentrated their fire on the Millerian lines. A radio man got off the head set.
"Captain!! New orders, we are to fire a progressive wall, grid 4 sector 8, high capacity rounds!" The captain nodded. He quickly set the crews to re-aiming the cannons and changing out the round to high explosives. Everything was ready. The radio man listened for a minute, the captain watched him closely. He nodded.
"Feuer!!"
Nine panzers and three companies of infantry sat as they watched a wall of death come down and move away from them towards the enemy lines. A Major in his tank nodded and spoke into his mike. "Vorwärts!" The tanks rolled forward the infantry jogging at a slow pace next to and around the tanks, as they moved behind the rolling wall of death which was covering their advance.
Several other such attack groups proceeded at the same time all down the line.
(Battle Photographer (http://www.tracks-n-troops.com/archive/24th%20Panzer%20on%20the%20way%20to%20Stalingrad.jpg))
Air; Luftwaffe attack group Delta
"Vati, we've encountered no resistence yet from the air, but we lost a few bombers back at the front from AA guns. No sign of enemy fighters." The flight captain nodded.
"Keep your eyes open Kurt. Have Kemmpel and Hantz swing wide left of the bomber group...and tell them they may lighten their missile load a little on that railway station as well."
"Ja Vati." Kurt smiled as he swung his ME 262 round the clouds and repeated the captains orders to Kemmpel and Hantz.