NationStates Jolt Archive

OOC: You'll have to talk to Moorington about a Presidential seizure, not me. Plus, the League was ineffective even when there wasn't an all out war in one of its main Great Power nations! The Reichstag can't really declare much at the moment either, there is something of a civil war going on! But, nevertheless i still think Moorington should seize the Presidency.

Yes, those troops are still crossing into Germany.

IC:

The Italian pilots rejoiced over their radios as the last soviet plan limped away into the dark night. 12 Italian Fiat fighters and 2 Bombers had been destroyed by the nippy and agile soviet fighters, but the sheer size of the Italian bomber force meant they couldn't keep the pressure on. The Italians simply barged their way through the skies above Berlin, their deadly cargo raining down hellfire on the communist positions right across the city.

Reinhard looked at this Karenet. He got a lettter from Krohl allowing him into the city. Hans and Heinrich handed Reinhard his sniper rifle and got their weapons out. Reinhard gave the letter to Karenet. Heinrich got on the second floor of the building and got his sniper rifle out. He was looking for a target. He saw the red armband of the communist. He got an aim and shoot the gun. The communist's body fell to the ground. Heinrich was already going for a new target.

Hermann was very bored. There had been no fighting for a couple of days. Also there was no peace because the anti-facist sent no messagers. Hermann still had his machine gun. Then Hermann saw some men coming. Hermann told his men to get their guns ready. Everyone of them had their Kar98's pointed at the men coming. Hermann had heard that the anti-facist were running low on supplies and were returning to Berlin to fight the Stahlhelm. Also all of the Stahlhelm had left the Ruhr area. The men had their hands up. There was at least five men. They looked to be in a pretty bad shape. Hermann talked with them and found out that they had lost most of their artillery, ammo, and food. Hermann remembered when something blew up a couple of days ago. He told three of his men to take them to the Essen jail house were the other man was being held. They took the prisoners off.

OOC: Comstan, there's still 25,000 Stalhelm troops outside Essen, they ain't left the Ruhr at all, they're still there.
Demo, I'll wait for you to RP the bomb damage.

OOC:

Hermann was very bored. There had been no fighting for a couple of days. Also there was no peace because the anti-facist sent no messagers.

What about Dorenmann? He was sent as a messenger.

IC:

Central Berlin

The soldiers took cover in doorways and houses as the bombs rained down, obliterating entire neighbourhoods. One T-26 and two armoured cars were crippled by the high-explosive downpour, and a firestorm was spreading across central Berlin. The Reichstag building had been all but demolished, its ruins burning by the still waters of the River Spree.

Southern Berlin

The armoured train braked and ground to a halt, as a handful of Anti-Fascist officers surveyed the battle raging north of them. They were the leaders of the Munich companies, sent to the capital as reinforcements after their evacuation from Bavaria. While resting in Weimar, they had had time to recuperate and re-arm, even picking up a few extra volunteers, and replace the armoured cars they had been forced to burn in Munich for fear of them falling into Stahlhelm hands.

But they were still not prepared for this. A dark cloud of smoke hung over the city, glowing with the light of many raging fires; on the horizon, they could make out the distant explosions of shells and bombs. The major signalled one of his lieutenants over to him and whispered in his ear.

"Looks like we've arrived a bit too late, comrade. But we better make the best of things: send the men up through the back alleys - I think it'll be better if the enemy don't know we're here."

OOC: Demo, remember there are patrols around the Volkspark in the South of the City, and 35,000 Stalhelm, moving into the city from the North, with another 135,000 in a Park north of the city, with patrols surrounding it.

IC:

Bavaria


On the border with Austria Italian troops poured into Germany. They marched to the sounds of rapturous applause from citizens of Munich and other cities in Bavaria. A seemingly never-ending column of men, trucks, tanks, artillery and strange new 'Tank Destroyer' prototypes. Overhead the people who had turned out were presented with aerial displays of strength and aviation skill as the Italian pilots flew in perfect formations overhead.

The Italians planned to march through Munich, to pick up 50,000 Stalhelm. 25,000 Italian Troops and 25,000 Stalhelm troops would split and march on Essen, through the Ruhr and Rhineland while the other 200,000 Troops would march on the capital.

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Berlin

Some of Italian Fighter planes lingered still in the hazy, smoky skies above Berlin, swooping in every now and then to fire at communist troops in the open and to spot for Italian Artillery, which was marching its way onto the communist positions near the city centre.

Nearly 25,000 Stalhelm troops were still pushing into the city from the North, encountering heavy resistance, while 10,000 moved on their flanks to deliver a double-headed blow to the communist troops.

From the South the Italians were still pushing with what armor they had left into the burning remains of the Reichstag area.

OOC: Hirgizistan I wait for you to answer Reinhard to Karenet.

IC:

Central Berlin

Karenet and the three other men had huddled into their small room when the planes began their bombing run. Karenet read the letter from Captain Krohl but didn't speak until the bombers had finished their work.

"Mr. Reinhard, I know Captain Krohl from when he was in Bavaria. I can't personally take you to the Italians at Major Nize's position but i can tell you the safest route. Go out of this building, run straight across the street and into the old library opposite. Continue to head in that direction, don't use the streets, go through the buildings if you can. Get to the Volkspark on the Southern Side of the city. You'll hear the Italian guns, head toward the sound. Watch out for Stalhelm patrols, try to get their attention, but mind they don't shoot you."

OOC: I would advise Moorington to take the Presidency ASAP. Otherwise, if the Italian intervention is found to be an act of war, there may be fighting between the Italians and the Reichswehr.

IC: Central Berlin

Amongst the flames and ruins, the tanks moved down Unter-den-Linden, grinding rubble beneath their tracks. The Italian tankettes were easy targets - their machine guns barely dented the T-26 and T-28 armour, and their own armour was paper-thin in comparison - but the other enemy vehicles, although inferior, had the advantage of numbers.

Reinforcements poured into the street, desperate to hold the line, but their rifle bullets merely ricocheted harmlessly off the Italian tanks. Recently, the more inventive soldiers had realised that petrol bombs thrown at the tank exhaust could destroy the vehicle, but only the bravest would dare attempting such a move under the fire of a machine-gun turret. As the bodies piled up and tanks burned, the air was filled with the stench of death and destruction.

Kremlin, Moscow

ENLIST TODAY!

Fewer than three decades ago, the forces of imperialism and nationalism brought Europe to its knees in the great bloodshed of the Great War. Today, German militarists are attempting to seize control of the democratic government and create a new German Empire. For the sake of peace, Germany must be defended against the fascists.

Our brave comrades and allies of the Communist Party are defending their freedoms with their lives - support them today! The Anti-Fascist International is recruiting volunteers from all over Europe to serve in international brigades to fight the German nationalists. Enlist today for peace in Europe!

Maxim Litvinov, Foreign Commissar, looked down at the newly printed poster before him. The ink was still wet and the paper warm from the press, but as usual, the Commissariat for Popular Education had excelled.

"Perfect," he said. "Send these to the Comintern. By midday, I want every communist organisation in Europe to be distributing them."

OOC: This could be like a Spanish Civil War thing. I wonder if i should contact Britain and France. Demo, who's RPing them?

IC:

The near 30,000 Stalhelm troops and 50 Armoured Cars were steadily making in-roads into the city. Their paths had been cleared by well spotted Italian Artillery and most of the enemy tanks seemed to be trying to hold off the advancing Italians.

The Stalhelm were attempting to outflank the Communist positions while the Italians attacked frontally in from the south.

Reinhard told Hans and Heinrich to get their weapons. He told Karenet thank you and said good bye. Reinhard and his men were running until they got to the Volkspark. Reinhard found a Stalhelm patrol come by. Reinhard told them that a Karenet sent him to speak with Major Nize. They lead him to Major Nize. Reinhard told Hans and Heinrich to wait outside when they got to the building where Major Nize was. Reinhard walked in and saw this Major Nize.

Nize was, as usual bent over a map, with the impeccably dressed Lt. General Nunizo opposite. They talked loudly over the constant roar of the heavy artillery nearby. Nize turned to see this Reinhard fellow walk in and stand at the side of the bunker dug into the Volkspark. He nodded at Nunizo and walked over.

"So, I understand your a communist turncoat and you want to help? Tell me, what can you do that our men cannot? Why should we trust someone who would turn his back on his so called 'comrades?"

OOC: Britain = Gibraltarland
France = Drakkari

IC: Red Town Hall, Nikolaiviertel

Walter Ulbricht was in the command room, surrounded by radios, officers and maps as the reports came in. They were in the basement of the town hall, deep enough to protect them from enemy shells and bombs, but Ulricht still jumped whenever the ground shook from a nearby explosion.

There were now fifty battalions involved in the battle, and almost all the reserves had been mobilised and were ready for action. As the commanders spoke, ten thousand men were heading south from Museumsinsel, attempting to outflank the main Italian-Stahlhelm army. A smart-suited officer tapped Ulbricht on the shoulder.

"Comrade?" he said. "We've just received this radio report from a battalion in the south of the city. They're from Munich, just arrived." He thrust a transcript into the leader's hands; Walter read it with interest, not speaking a single word until he had finished. Finally, he handed back the sheet of paper and gave a mischevious grin.

"Tell the major to send one company to the Stahlhelm's Airfield - create as little noise as possible. The rest of his troops shoud continue on their heading north to meet up with our troops heading south from Museumsinsel."

Reinhard told Nize."Yes we want to help you take back Berlin. Also we know this city like the backs of our hands. We are skilled at using sniper rifles. You can trust us because we helped take back Munich from the Bavarian's People Army."

Hermann was waiting he heard news of fighting in Berlin. The Ruhr's Red Army sent a representative to go talk with the anti-facist. His name was Gustaf. Gustaf went over the lines with his white flag.

Gustaf walked into the anti-facist camp. Then he talked with at
Lt.Braun."Leave now and we will return your captian. Your deserters have now join us and have gone to a normal life in Essen. Plus you are despartley needed in Berlin. The Stalhelm have attacked the town with the Italians. We will not attack you. Plus we have regain power in Essen since Stalhelm left. We hope you choose the right decision are communist brothers."

Wilhelm left Gustaf to make the anti-facist leave. Captain Dorenmann was in better shape since the operation. A anti-facist deserter came up to Wilhelm. "Thank you for saving his life, but we are not going back to the anti-facist we are sick of fighting." Wilhelm said they could live in the town. Wilhelm was still wondering where Nireken was, but he sent out a patrol to find the Stalhelm.

Lt. Lugwig was leading a squad of five men into a forest north of Essen. He had heard that the Stalhelm left and went to the north. So far his search was in vain. His men all carried Kar98s. Soon Lugwig was going to have to make camp.

Lieutenant Braun looked at the messenger before him. From his dirty clothes, he was probably a miner. We shouldn't be fighting them, he thought to himself.

"We want an end to the bloodshed," he told Gustaf. "But we will leave only one one condition. You seem to be co-operating with the Stahlhelm, our enemies and the enemies of all freedom and socialism. We implore you, comrades, to reject these imperialist pigs."

He turned and gazed around the hillside. "Look around you," he said in a far-away voice. "A few hundred miles away, the Stahlhelm are bombing our capital into the ground. They have joined forces with the fascist Italians. How can you appease them? These dogs will outlaw every trade union, crush every Soviet, murder every dissenter if they win. Including you, and Wilhelm Diesmann. We can not allow that to happen."

Sighing, Braun turned back to Gustaf. "We will withdraw to our comrades in Köln," he told him. "But we beg of you, Comrade Gustaf, join forces with us. Only by uniting can we resist the fascists, the capitalists, the imperialists. Join us before it is too late."

Gustaf stared back at Braun. "We must drive the facist out of this country we will fight until they are gone for good." Gustaf looked down the road. A truck was coming. They stopped and opened the back door. Their Captain was being returned. They got him out of the truck and carried to Braun, since Captain Doremann has no legs. "We must leave now" Gustaf got into the truck. The truck went down the street.

Stahlhelm Airfield, Outer South Berlin

The captain signalled a stop, his men silently halting behind him. A few metres away stood a sentry, dressed in the imaculate grey uniform of the Stahlhelm, his breath forming clouds of condensation in the cool night air. One soldiers stepped forward, brandishing his bayonet. It was of a Russian design, a four-bladed cruel device designed to tear through flesh. He stabbed it up to the end of the barrel into the man's back; the guard gave a grunt, and fell onto the concrete ground, his blood forming a pool round him.

The men moved quickly and silently. They soon located the fuel dumps and the hangers: the company split up into platoons and went to set their explosive charges. They were crude mechanisms - a clock set for two hours, wired up to some old explosives - but reliable. They were placed and armed, before the company retreated as silently as before, like ghosts, so that only their handywork remained as evidence of them ever existing.

The captain checked his watch as the sun began to rise, spilling its crimson light on the bloody scene of battle. The Italian aircraft would be reaching the end of their fuel supplies and ammunition by now, and would have to land if they didn't want to drop out of the sky on the return journey. The pilots would soon be in for a shock - in fact, it would be the surprise of their lives.

The 30,000 Stalhelm troops attempting to outflank the communists were still moving into the centre. They had suffered many casualties from snipers and machine guns, but nothing could asuage their rage as they simply charged over every communist position, like water over muddy ground.

In the south of the city Italian and Stalhelm snipers were encountering small groups of communists attempting to outflank the Italians pushing into the city.

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Nize scratched his chin for a second and thought. "Alright Reinhard. There is a group of Italian and Stalhelm snipers moving out in a few minutes. They're on the other side of the park. Join up with them and move out. If you cross us, we'll kill you. If you do as you say, you'll be well rewarded when we win. Good luck."

Reinhard went back outside to see Hans and Heinrich waiting. He grabbed his sniper rifle and told his men to go. Moving threw the buildings Reinhard saw a injuryed communist. He pulled out knife and stabbed him. Hans and Heinrich looked away. Reinhard knew that the communist was going to die so he helped the process. Weaving threw the buildings they finally got to the other side of the park. Reinhard saw the Italians and Stalhelm. He went up to a Stalhelm soldier. "We have orders Major Nize to come with you. I'm name is Reinhard. The other two guys are Hans and Heinrich. We have brought our sniper rifles to help take back the city. We are skilled at using it and helped take back Munich."

As the troops marched south from Museumsinsel, they came under a hail of fire from snipers. Left, right and centre, men were dropping with agonising screams or bubbling gurgles as they fell. The .5 guns on top of their armoured cars opened up on the snipers' positions, shattering masonry and setting houses alight. Eventually, the soldiers moved on, leaving in their wake huge numbers of their dying and bleeding comrades.

In central Berlin, tens of thousands of troops had rushed in to hold the line, and the atacking Italian tanks had to pass mountains of bodies even to approach the fiercely-defended machone-gun nests. The Stahlhelm and Italians were held back by sheer weight of numbers now that the reserves had been mobilised. The enemy had air support, sniper cover, more tanks and better-trained and -equipped soldiers, but the communists were defending their ground to their deaths. They were fighting for their city.

In Museumsinsel four snipers lay dead in the upper floors of a old Austrian style building, two more lay screaming, clutching sucking, bleeding wounds. One removed his pistol and shot himself, ending his pain. The other tried and failed, he couldn't do it. He managed to wrap the wound with a nearby piece of cloth and stand, leaning heavily on his rifle. He looked around at the carnage and the jagged holes in the wall, and began to make his way down the rubble strewn wooden staircase at the back of the building, growling in pain at every movement he made.

The other Sniper Units began to relocate using the sewers and drainage pipes at the back of the old buildings. They came out at a turn in the road, a few hundred metres ahead of the advancing communists. They would open fire again, hoping to harass them until they gave up their advance.

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Small Italian Fiat Fighter planes flew over the suburbs of Berlin. They were incoming from Munich. They had established radio contact with their artillery gunners and began to search for the main Italian units advancing into the city, who were coming under intense fire from MG nests at various places, holding back the advance.

The planes themselves circiled high above the carnage that was Berlin. Bombed out buildings, rubble and smoke characterised the great city now. Bodies littered the streets. The planes began to relay gun positions to the big guns and the artillery began to stomp its way into the communist lines, tearing up roads, sandbags, bodies and everything else the shells hit.

The Italian soldiers held back to wait for the barrages to finish, taking pot shots at the communists as they ran for cover, the tanks firing wildly into the smoke with their numerous machine guns.

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The group of snipers carried Colt 1911 Pistols and shiny looking Springfield 03 rifles, covered in burlap. The snipers themselves wore a mismatch of old sack, khaki, brown, red and grey colours. Their faces dark and dim, dirty behind hoods of grey cloth.

Their leader, a skinny and gaunt, but tall, Liutenant with scar down the left side of his face. He visibly disliked the prescence of three former commies, but they were all soldiers, and if the newcomers fought alongside them without falter, then that was good enough for him. He nodded at the three men and listened to the leader, Reinhard, introduce them.

"I'm Liutenant Katten. You three have been assigned to Sniper Unit 25, my unit. You will do as i say, and obey my orders like the rest of my men. Your freinds will be Privates, you will be a Corporal. We are known as SU25 and we have never lost a man. We do not surrender or take prisoners. Get used to going without food for a while, and get used to waiting, crawling and being shot at. You don't follow my orders I'll cut your throat. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes sir Lt.Katten. I will bring pride to SU25. I don't take prisoners. They are bothersome. We have brought are own sniper rifles." Reinhard showed Katten the Springfield 03 rifle. Also Hans and Heinrich showed their rifles. "So, what's our first mission?" Hans and Heinrich were putting their ammo on their belts. Reinhard was loading his ammo into his sniper rifle. They were ready to kill the communist pig dogs.

Hans went off a little bit while Reinhard was going to be debriefed. Hans got his rifle and found a spot to test his aim. He saw the red armband of a communist. With him were two other men. They looked to be losted. Hans took aim on the man who looked to be the officer. Hans pulled the trigger. The officer's body fell to the ground. The other two men ran. Hans shot the trigger again. One of the men fell to the ground. The man was clutched his stomach. He was bleeding all over the place. The other guy was hiding in the rubble. He looked up and was shot. The men on the ground was shot again, but in the head. Hans put the kills in a notebook he had. Hans ran back to where Reinhard and Heinrich where listening to this Lt.

Katten watched over Reinhard's shoulder as one of the newcomers blasted away at a few communists running through the buildings. The patrols would have mopped them up, so why not use them for target practice.

Katten turned to Reinhard, "We're moving in on the left flank of the Italians. We're going to use the buildings to scout ahead and take out any gunners and positions the artillery doesn't get. We may also have to reinforce some snipers at Museumsinsel. I need one of your men to carry a spare Italian field radio. Pick one up over at the command tent and have him report back here. We move out at dark."

In Unter-den-Linden, the Stahlhelm were pressing hard on the communist positions. The Russian tanks had mostly either been damaged or been forced back to refuel and re-arm, but their contribution to the battle was clear - lines of dead Italian soldiers and burning wreckage lay in the streets.

But now, the infantry were almost unsupported, and they were under constant artillery fire. AA guns on the University roof had managed to shoot down a couple of too bold Italian planes, but the rest were reporting back on their positions to the enemy gunners. The pounding of artillery was unrelenting throughout the early morning.

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The soldiers south of Museumsinsel ducked as they ran: it was the only way to avoid a bullet in the neck. A group of snipers had set up their positions ahead, and were firing bullets into the advancing ranks. They were not as successful as before now that they were in more open ground, but their presence was still holding back the advance.

Suddenly, three armoured cars burst through the snipers' lines, catching them in the rear. A hail of deafening machine-gun fire from their turrets mowed the remainders down, and a cheer went up from the troops as they saw friendly platoons move in and secure the area. The Munich battalion had arrived.

A colonel stepped forward from the Bavarian platoons and made his way to the major in charge of the detachment. "We bring fresh men, ammo and vehicles," he shouted above the din. "We must unite forces - head west and we'll cut off the enemy troops together."

OOC: When can the sabotage at Templehof Airport come into play?

Heinrich went to go get the spare Italian radio. He ran threw the buildings to where the command tent was. Heinrich saw some Communist coming near him. He got out his rifle and took a aim on the men. There was a truck filled with them. He took an aim on the driver and shot the gun. The glass broke and the truck went into a ditch. Heinrich took aim at the gasoline tank. He shot his rifle. The truck burst and blew up. Heinrich could hear the screams of the men. He went onto the tent and got the radio and went back to the camp.

Reinhard saw Heinrich run off to go get the radio. "Hey Katten since we are not doing anything can I talk with you?" Reinhard saw Hans talking with one of the Stalhelm soldiers. Reinhard followed Lt.Katten into a tent. "How did you join the Stalhelm army?" Then Reinhard heard an explosion. He wondered if Heinrich was all alright. Well Heinrich could take care of his self.

OOC: Is the Templehoff thing between you and Comstand, Demo?

IC:

Some forward elements of the hueg 200,000 strong Italian Army had arrived in the North of the city. They had 10 CV-33 and 5 Fiat 2000 Tanks, as well as 10 Autoblindo's. They began to move into the centre of the town, dissecting through streets littered with dead bodies and broken down or burnt out tanks. They were headed for Museumsinsel to cut off a large communist formation that had been joined, supposedly by reinforcements, according to spotter planes anyway.

Italian Artillery still battered away heavily at the communist positions, easing off only momentarily to re-stock on ammunition or re-aim the guns.

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In the tent Lt. Katten stared puzzled at Reinhard, "Well...bit of a weird question, but fair enough. Like most Officers I was in the Army during the War. I fought from 1914-1916 on the Eastern Front and then they pulled me back. I went from there to the Italian Front, advising the Austrians on sniping. They were fools, lazy and arrogant. No wonder we beat them in the 19th Century. Anyway, I spent the rest of the war lying in a muddy field on the Western Front, waiting for Ludendorff to begin the offense. I was shot in the chest, deflated lung, and then hit by shrapnel, hence the scar on my face. Spent the Armistice in Hospital and once I was fit to move joined the Freikorps and helped kick the reds out of Bavaria. Then the Freikorps collapsed and I joined the Stalhelm in Munich before being sent up to Berlin in 32. What makes you ask anyway?"

OOC: No, I've set bombs at Tempelhof Airport in the south of Berlin. The Italian pilots must have been flying for several hours now, so they'll be tired, running low on fuel and ammunition. They'll need to land pretty soon, and hopefully the bombs will detonate when most of the air force is in the airport.

Also, didn't the Italian Army only begin moving a few hours ago? Surely they won't be in Berlin for over a day?

OOC: The Italian Army has been moving for a few days now, i posted it a page or two back. Besides, its just a forward element, they're a day or two ahead of the main force anyway.

Also, the Italian Pilots are using an airfield in Munich and a makeshift farm airfield in the Countryside outside Berlin, not Templehoff. I actually assumed your planes were using Templehof?

"Just thought about asking you?" Then Heinrich came back and told them about the truck fulled with communists. He also said he blew them all up. Reinhard looked over to Lt.Katten. "Well it is about time we fight!"

Hans heard the news and got his sniper rifle ready. Hans thought he saw someone on the roof of a nearby building. "Get down!!" When Reinhard and Heinrich were coming out they went to the ground. The other men soon followed. Hans took an aim on the person. He shot the gun. The man fell off the roof and hit the ground. The men could hear the screams coming from him. Hans got up and wrote down another comfirmed kill. The other soldiers were stunned to see how good Hans really was.

One of the Italians couldn't stand the screaming, he removed a pistol and shot the roof jumper a couple of times, the shrill noise of the smaller cartridges making a welcome change. Katten led the way through the buildings as they weaved in and out of rubble, trying not to be seen as the moon peeped out from behind the clouds every now and then. Every few minutes one of the snipers would shoot at targets in the distance, it confused the communists as the snipers kept displacing their positions as they moved through the rubble of the city, running past nonchalant civilians scrambling about in the rubble here and there.

OOC: Aww, am I bombing my own base? ;) I don't think Po-2s need a long runway, so I was just landing them in any open space with flat ground. Is it OK if I relocate my bombs to the airfield outside Berlin?

Reinhard saw a machine gun nest when running through the buildings. He got on the ground and took aim. There was three of them. Hans and Heinrich got their aim too. Reinhard fired his gun and they did too. The communists bodies fell to the ground. They were still following Lt.Katten while killing the communists. Reinhard wondered were Lt.Katten was leading them to fight.

OOC: Yeah you can relocate the bombs. But there will be resistance, and there would only be around 10-20 planes there, the rest are elsewhere, in Munich etc, and better protected by Italian AA and Flak etc.

IC:

Katten kept pressing on through the rubble, the men out of breath and panting behind him, but still able to shoot the fleas off of a horses backside at 500 paces. He was immensely proud of his, and applauded the professionalism of the Italians, and the three communists were certainly eager to get killing. They seemed to be getting itchy about keeping moving though. The city was, after all, huge and they would be moving, still, for quite some time as now more and more communist patrols passed them at street level.

OOC: Yeah, I think your bombers have a much greater range than your fighters - the Italian bombers could probably make it back to Munich, but I think the CR-33s would have to land outside Berlin. I'll leave you to RP the damages.

IC: Central Berlin

Near the Reichstag, the communist line suddenly gave way, and the streets were at once filled with a hundred fleeing soldiers, dropping their empty rifles behind them. A machine-gun nest in Pariser Platz saw the retreat and its crew opened fire on the advancing enemy: many fleeing communists were killed by the hail of bullets, but their bodies served to slow the Stahlhelm behind them, caught in a crossfire. Patrols ran around screaming in fear and confusion, as hell raged around them.

A couple of kilometres south, the Munich troops and their reinforcements were engaged in a skirmish with a few Italian companies. The major watched from behind a wall of sandbags.

"They must be sending more troops up," he murmured. "Tell HQ: Italian scout troops are arriving in Berlin, ahead of the main force. We must act quickly."

Stahlhelm's Berlin Airfield

Klaus watched the planes coming down to land amongst the fields and farmhouses from the safety of his scout position in the woods. He was a communist trooper - had been for years, even if he didn't know a word of Marx - regarded for his loyalty and observation, and so had been dispatched to watch the result of the last night's sabotage mission.

The CR-33 fighters had been landing to refuel for the past hour: through his binoculars, Klaus could see Italian pilots climbing out of their cockpits, stiff and with rings under their eyes after their hours flying. A few old barns had been coverted into hangers and fuel dumps to cope with the sudden influx.

He glanced at his watch, listening to the morning birdsong. It was quiet this far from the city, and the battle raged many miles away. There was just the distant drone of aircraft engines to remind you of the fact that there even was a war.

With lazy interest, Klaus watched a plume of smoke erupt out of one of the hangers, specked with flames and aircraft parts. Around it, buildings suddenly burst into flame, and with a deep, booming sound which rolled over the countryside, the fuel supplies ignited. A nearby fighter, taxiing along the grass runway, was engulfed by a huge orange fireball; when the fire retreated, all that was left was the burnt-out shell of a wecked cockpit, almost unrecognisable beneath the melted and contorted metal.

Within minutes, wreaths of smoke lay over the airfield. Alarms and whistles sounded as men rushed forth from their barracks to the runway and hangers, desperately fighting back the flames and seaching for their friends amongst the wreckage. Klaus raised the field radio strapped to his back and depressed the button.

"Detonation confirmed. Heavy enemy losses are visible," he said, his voice cool and detached.

The barns had been nestling up to ten aircraft at once. The main barn had been hit bad and engulfed in a fuel fire, three of the pilots lay charred to the ground, two more ran out of the barn screaming in flames. They were doused with water by freinds running about trying to put out the huge, licking flames.

Every now and then something else exploded in the buildings sending debris and smoke high into the air. The few German pilots ran out of the farmhouse buildings and jumped into their planes, that had been luckily parked outside the farmhouse in a neat row. They pulled them way from the buildings and quickly jumped out again to go help the Italians.

Some of the pilots and ground crews were fiercely trying to keep the flames away from the silos behind the barns, and were making progress by dumping heavy, wet soil over the trailing flames. Some of the pilots jumped into Italian fuel trucks and hauled them away, one exploded as it pulled away from the barn killing the pilot inside and 2 more Italian pilots running near to it.

A German pilot had died in one of the barns and the plane taking off was flown by a German, the wreckage of which lay at the end of the run way burning.

After nearly an hour the fires in the three barns had been put out, they just smouldered now, as the pilots shovelled wet soil onto the blackened dirt. Ten planes had been outright destroyed, six more were probably beyond repair. Three German planes were untouched by the fire and eight CV-33's were still running, but without enough pilots. In all 2 Germans and 10 Italian pilots had been killed, along with 7 more Germans and 6 Italians being burned badly.

Stalhelm trucks began to arrive as dusk fell on the burnt out barns, helping to bring in more fuel, water, ammunition and more ground crews, and also to ferry out the dead and wounded.

Hans was walking right behind Reinhard. Hans saw something out of his eye. A truck. He took an aim on a tire. The rifle was fired. The truck severed into a ditch. Heinrich and Reinhard all ready aiming for the communist to come out of the back of the truck. The men started to run out. The men were bleeding all over the place. Then Hans fired the gun and one the communists fell to the ground. Heinrich and Reinhard were firing their guns. Some of the communists were helping other people out of the truck. Hans got a grenade and pulled the pin. Hans threw the grenade at the truck. It blew up and all the men were screaming. Some of them were running around when they were on fire. Hans walked away with Reinhard and Heinrich.

Red Town Hall, Nikolaiviertel

Walter Ulbricht looked down at the draft telegram he had worked hours on to perfect each word. He still wasn't sure he should send it, but it was clear the KPD could not fight Italy on their own, and desperate times called for desperate measures. He sighed and read it again under his breath.

"Sehr geehrte General von Schleicher,
greetings from the party leader, Walter Ulbricht. It is under grave conditions that I write this. As has you have no doubt noticed with considerable alarm, Benito Mussolini has authorised the Italian state to intervene in our sovereign affairs, and has dispatched a large force into the south of our nation. Our scouts estimate it at around 200,000 men; the size of the entire standing Italian army, minus reserves.

Such an act is one of provocation; an act of war on the German state and German people. Mussolini wishes to impose his fascist will on us, by turning Germany into no more than a puppet of the Italian Empire. This invasion is nothing but an attempt to destroy this nation, and replace its leaders with the fascist's Stahlhelm allies. It is clear that Theodor Duerstburg, the Stahlhelm leader, has been aiming for Commander-in-Chief for some time.

Should the Italians and the traitors succeed, Germany will be ruined, its people imprisoned, its political - and military - leaders murdered. We, like you, cannot allow this to happen. We will gladly form a truce with the Reichswehr and unite forces to drive the foreigners from our country; as they betrayed us in the Great War, so the Italians will betray us again. Should you accept this offer, we will release all our Reichswehr prisoners as a gesture of goodwill.

Furthermore, we understand from informed sources that the army has considerable interests in the Soviet Union. Investments in Gefu, armaments factories and aviation schools amount to several million Marks. Although it may be prohibited by the hated Treaty of Versailles, we know that German soldiers train alongside our Russian comrades regularly, although this special relationship is in severe crisis. If you take this offer, our friends in the Kremlin will be happy to continue training German soldiers, and may well increase funding to the Reichswehr programs.

We hope that, with your help, we may put our differences aside us for the time being and protect Germany from the Italian invaders.
Yours Sincerely,
Walter Ulbricht."

OOC: Now there's an interesting post...

IC:

Worried about the current state of affairs Theodor Duesterberg had called a number of key PPP and Stalhelm Leaders to an undisclosed location outside Berlin. In a dusty basement they debated over the fact that some, especially the communists, and maybe the Army, could see Italy's deployment of 60% of their Army (OOC: Demo, at this time Italian Volunteers would have numbered about 250,000, but as per this time they had millions of volunteers to call on, so it isn't all their Army, as you probably understood.) as some sort of belligerent declaration of affairs on Germany.

Theodor presented the fact that General Von Sleicher was a Nationalist and possibly a Fascist was deeply in their favour, and since he was the ranking Political figure in Germany, this did, on the surface bode well. In many towns the Italians weren't even discussed as the war did not touch many places now but Berlin and Essen.

However, some believed the situation was less galvanized and some wild thoughts were thrown up about Theodor securing power for himself. Theodor dismissed them, with a simple wave of his hand and a tap on the glass of his watch.

However, he was forced to draw up a telegram to General Von Scleicher to re-assure the man about the recent goings on.

TELEGRAM

FROM: Colonel Theodor Duesterberg, Stalhelm.
TO: General Von Scleicher, Reichswehr.

My dear freind,
As you know the Stalhelm has recently secured the entire state of Bavaria and Munich is completely at peace, due to the recent pullout of all communist forces. This is indeed a great victory for our nation. But this victory has been greatly overshadowed by the recent troubles in Berlin and Essen.

As you probably know i secured initial support from the Italians but the support was not enough, and due to heavy Italian losses and the collapse of Germany under communism, Herr Mussolini has seen fit to divert 200,000 troops and much armor and aircraft to our aide. This is not a sign of war. We, as German patriots, asked for the help of our ideological allies, and we received it in force.

The Italian troops are still making their way to Berlin and Essen, as I understand, but the Communists cannot hold out against such force, victory for our nation is secure.

I only write to ensure that the Stalhelm and the Reichswehr are on the same page when it comes to the support from our Italian cousins.

Yours,

Theodor Duesterberg.

South Berlin:

General von Schleicher was analyzing and comparing all of the info. Communist forces falling back sending peace proposals and the invasion of Germany by Italy with the purpose of "Helping" them kick them out. He looked it over, and decided. He called a general staff meeting and sent off a series of telegrams....

==========================================================
To: Benito Mussolini
From: Rhiechswehr High Command

You know that your troops have entered German territory with the intention of riding us of communists. We though, do not need help. We may need help ,but would prefer to have supplies. So I hope to have a reply from you with the promise of immediate withdrawal.
==========================================================
To: Theodor
From: Schleicher

Italian troops have moved in. I have not asked them nor have you, you still must leave me in the lop for these big decisions. My troops have taken most of Berlin and are concentrated mostly there. A detachment is going to Cologne, my new base of operations, and hope to have a continuing correspondence. You must though keep a tight rein on your political implications.
==========================================================
To: Soviet High Command
From: Rhiechswehr High Command

I know you have no official links wit the recent revolution but let us be direct. I have forces and investments for my command in your country. This I hopes let you have patience with me. So just direct your forces to let off the south side of Berlin and Cologne for this period.
==========================================================

OOC: Moorington, your forces control about 1% of Berlin. You have under 10,000 troops in the entire city, and under 100,000 in the entire country. On the other hand, I have over 500,000, plus over 200,000 Italian troops, replete with tanks, aicraft, artillery etc. I would say the communists control just under half the city, while my forces control the rest.

IC:

Theodor read the two telegrams that had recently arrived. One from the Italian Ambassador, confused over calls for his troops to pull out, the other from Schleicher who was seemingly not in control or even knowledgable about the situation in Berlin.

Theodor sent a reply to both men as quickly as possible.

TELEGRAM

FROM: Colonel Theodor Duesterberg, Stalhelm.
TO: General Von Scleicher, Reichswehr.

General,
I am not sure from what mouth you have been listening from, but whatever is coming it is falsehood. I, personally, asked the Italian Ambassador for 'any and all' Italian help, and I, and the Stalhelm, welcome our Italian cousins who are helping us rid this country of the red evil.

You also mention the fact that your forces control 'most of Berlin'. I don't know where from you received this information, but from first hand knowledge I can tell you it is entirely untrue. The communists control just under half the city, whereas Stalhelm and some Italian forces control the rest. Your SDU sqauds have not been seen for days, and they are not here in any visible force.

I should think you need more eyes and ears in Berlin who are perhaps less prone to spreading falsehood about the actual situation. I asked the Italians for help because the communists brough Soviet aircraft, artillery and Soviet tanks into Berlin. My forces do not have the equipment to deal with this in a timely or efficient manner, but the Italians do.

You also seem to have a misconception about my supposed 'political implications', there is no Government in Germany, you are about the most high ranking official of the former Government. I personally don't care if some think 200,000 Italian troops is a declaration of war, it isn't. They are here to help get rebel, traitorous forces out of Berlin, not to invade. The Duce does not want a communist nation eating at the heart of Europe and biting at the heels of Italy's interests in Austria and Albania.

General, you must support me in my decision or, like the communists, we will be divided. Now is not the time to bicker about political implications, now is a time for action.

Yours,

Theodor.


TELEGRAM

TO: Italian Ambassador
FROM: Colonel Theodor Duesterberg

Dear Sir,
I understand how receiving such a telegram could provide a puzzling dilemma for you at this time. However, i believe that General Von Schleicher is operating with falsehoods, possibly provided to him by adjutants scared to present the reality of what is going on in this country.

Italian Troops have been welcomed by the German people, I am sure there are many photographs of German citizens from Munich to outside Berlin cheering you troops as they marched toward the capital and Essen.
I have made my intentions clear to General Von Scleicher and hopefully the situation will resolve itself.

Colonel Theodor Duesterberg.

Lipezk Aviation School, USSR

Of all the German military investments in Russia, Lipezk was the greatest. Moscow's factories may make tanks; Leningrad's munitions; Kuybyshev's chemical weapons, all for the German Army, but Lipezk was the German Command's pride and joy.

Almost ninety German pilots attended a joint aviation school here, training alongside Russian recruits, forming the basis of a secret Luftwaffe. German planes used the airfields for testing, and in turn, they taught the Russians military tactics. It was a very special relationship: the two pariahs of Europe were united.

Leon sucked at his cigarette, watching the smoke curl up into the sky. He was a Russian recruit, testing the new Polikarpov fighters, but in the few months he had been here, he had made good friends with a German pilot named Rainer. The two stood side by side, watching the planes land around them, as snow began to drift down.

Suddenly, there was a commotion at the north gate. Leon's mouth dropped, his cigarette falling onto the floor, at the sight. A convoy of armoured Rolls-Royces were driving down the long, winding road; red stars were painted on their sides. They could only be official Red Army cars, which meant...

Leon saluted as the cars drew to a halt, followed by the rest of the recruits. A crowd had gathered to watch these visitors, and they held their breath as one of the doors opened, and out stepped a man in full general's uniform. It was Comrade Voroshilov: Commissar for Defence and commander of the Red Army.

"Zdrasvuyte," he grinned at the faces around him, before adding, "Guten Tag," for the Germans present. He walked briskly to the command hut, accompanied by a group of bodyguards. In a moment, Voroshilov was inside, the door swinging shut behind him. The rest of the recruits were left wondering at what merited such a grand visit.

**********************************************************

"It's freezing!" hissed Voroshilov as the door closed, frantically rubbing his hands together. "Somebody give me a pen, I want this telegram sent to General von Schleicher." He began to write hurriedly, his fingers stiff with cold, scrawling across the paper.

Dear General von Schleicher,

Greetings from your comrades in the Red Army! But let me be blunt, I have received word of the KPD's message to the Reichswehr, and that of the Italian's occupation of your country.

First of all, let me assure you that your investments in Russia are safe. I am presently at our joint flight college at Lipezk, and I am pleased to see our armies co-operating in such a manner. However, our special relationship can only remain intact if the Italians are not allowed to break it. You are fully within your rights to demand that the fascists leave your country, and if they do, I personally promise you that your military projects in Russia will be allowed to continue.

However, the Italians have been spreading lies about our involvement in your troubles...

Voroshilov paused for a moment, deep in thought, before beginning to write again.

The Soviet Union sometimes sells weapons to other nations, and we can confirm that the Anti-Fascist Front did receive a consignment of equipment. This is purely in self-defence against the Italians. In fact, we have dispatched one of our most esteemed generals, General Tukhachevsky, to oversee the consignments and ensure they are not misused.

We have deployed no troops in Germany, but we are saddened by the fighting between the KPD and the Reichswehr. Perhaps a ceasefire, mediated by ourselves, could help. We must warn you, though, the ceasefire would only stop hostilities between the German Army and the communists: the Stahlhelm will have to write their own ceasefire.

As a sign of good will, we will ask the KPD not to advance any further into Berlin, and to fire only if first fired upon. It is my understanding that Köln is part of the Rhineland demilitarised zone, and so Reichswehr troops are forbidden to enter it. However, we will insist to the KPD not to harm the local populace or property. Rest assured, we do not want these troubled times to come between our two nations.

Yours Sincerely,
Commissar Voroshilov.

"Very good, sir," remarked a general as Voroshilov finished writing. "Is there anything else?"

"Yes, comrade," replied Voroshilov. "Scamble a hundred Tupolev heavy bombers, and station them at the border with Poland. If General von Schleicher does not take up our offer, we may have to use them."

Hans was walking from the back of the line. So far they had killed a bunch of those communist swines. Hans looked around and saw something from the shadows. He went over to go look what was over there. Then he saw a person. He got out his knife and was ready to attack him. The man blocked his knife and threw Hans to the ground. Hans' knife went into a ditch. He grabbed his sniper rifle and shot his gun. The man fell over. Hans got up to look at this guy. The guy wore a Red Army uniform. Hans saw him say something in Russian then die. Hans took the guy's idenfication card to show Reinhard. Hans ran up to Reinhard to show him. Reinhard looked at it and ran to Lt.Katten. "Sir we found some paper from a Red Army men. Why in hell are Russians in Berlin?" Reinhard gave the papers to Katten to look at.

Wilhelm Diesmann saw in a chair of the town hall. The town had went back to normal since the anti-facist troops left. All the weapons were returned. Wilhelm saw the number of dead. He lost 100 men trying to defend the town. He had plans to make a statue to honor the men who had die. The town was now in control of the Ruhr's Red Army since the Stalhelm left. He wondered if they would ever come back. He got a note from Reinhard telling him that he was going to be gone for a while to find out what his life was really about.

OOC to Comstan: The Russians are not sending troops, only supplies and equipment.

OOC: Demo, you had a poster thing a while ago applying for 'volunteers' from the USSR, could that maybe be them. Just a couple?

Katten looked at the ID gravely but knowingly. He turned to the puzzled looking Reinhard and Hans, crouching in a crater of a house. "This is the second ID card we've found as a Unit. Last time out one of the Italians found one on a dead red. Major Nize passed it on to HQ and they replied. Apparently the USSR has been sending in 'volunteers' from the border, not all that many, but some. They're not volunteers, they're soldiers, and we're all fairly worried to say the least. You did good bringing this to me. We're going to camp here for the night. We're moving into our position tomorrow before first light. You two get some rest, your on watch with an Italian from midnight to one o'clock."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Theodor was woken before midnight by Hanz Kollerman. He had a lamp in his hand and a letter in the other, covered in stamps. He handed it to the still groggy Theodor and, without a word, left the room.

Theodor sat up and turned the lamp light up to read. The letter was from Italy and it had come via Munich, and the handwriting was oddly familiar.

Once open Theodor's eyes lit up as he read the letter, an old freind and leader had just made himself known once more.


"Rome, Italy
The Royal Palace

Dear Theodor,
I have not written you for a long time. As your aware I haven't been home for many years. The last time I was in Germany was during the Kapp Putsch of 1922. I was nearly caught by a British Agent, so i didn't dare come back again.
At the moment I am sitting in a rather nice room in the Royal Palace of Italy, in Rome. King Vittore Emmanuelle III is my host, a most gracious and hearty one at that. I also met Herr Mussolini today, and he informed me about the recent situation in Berlin. Naturally, I have been trying to keep track of things, but it now really does sound most grave.
I thought I would write you then, to see how things are going for you. I also wrote you as I hear there is now no legitimate governmental authority in the entire country, and that the only nationwide authority, is from your forces. Perhaps it is time to make my prescence known once again? Could it be that you and I might be able to unite Germany once more under a common banner, strong as it once was.
I know what your thinking now, 'Versailles'. But things have changed since 1919. My official residence is in Britain, I'm quite the freind of the Royal Family, as I am related to them! I even have some business ventures in the United States, albeit in a German company, but its still something. I even had dinner with the French Premier a month ago, he was asking me whether i happend to want to invest in a French car company.
I have excellent standing in the world, and as you might know Austria, France and Britain are worried about a communist government on their doorstep. Indeed, Herr Mussolini was telling me that the Prime Minister of Great Britain actually urged him to send more troops as he though the 'dynamo of Italy' could handle the problem.
In any case my freind, our German cause is not alone in the world, our virulent anti-communism is supported worldwide. I believe that maybe my prescence would unite Germany against such traitors. Perhaps we can form a semblence of order in our country.
I eagerly await your reply my freind.

Yours,

Wilhelm III."

Another set of telegrams left the German High Command...

==========================================================
To: German Command East
From: German High Command

I'm stopping this here and now. So I ask for the majority of troops to cross the border and go straight for Hamburg and Cologne, put one division of troops and make them rest at Danzig, these will be boarded later this month. The Russian and communists troops will not fire upon you, if they do fire back. Paint the insignias of the Soviet Russia but wear your regular uniforms.

To: Berlin Command
From: German Command

Commence pull back operations, this will be effective immediately, you are to be directed to Cologne and take any one who opposes you in custody.

To: Prime Minister of Britain
From: German High Command

I hope that Lloyd George's impression is still fresh in your mind and communist Russia even more so. So I ask, in the name of sanity you will not commence an invasion of Germany when large Russian forces come across he border, for these are actually German forces in disguise. I have did this to keep the world in the dark about a number of things that have happened.

To: Soviet Russia
From: German High Command

Will it be acceptable for a division of troops to be boarded in Danzig, Poland? My forces are coming across proudly singing German songs and I hope some of yours. I though am still highly discouraged at th fact that some of your troops are with the insurrection forces.

To: Insurrection Forces
From: German High Command

Is this your "New Germany"? A country turning into a battlefield for countries? We are not so much a country as a buffer state. On one side is Russia and another Italy highly supported by Britain. France is a step away from taking more land while even Denmark is sniffing proudly at it's immaculate borders. So lay down your arms and join the Rhiechswehr ranks, or you can go back to starving. I have heard that some of you have been going on for quite some time on zeal and pride. I will give you both but in not communism but for Germany! You can still go back to fighting the fanatical Steel Helmets...but if you want to see fresh bread and a nicely paved road lay down your arms and follow Germany to greatness.

To: Rhiechmarine Command
From: German High Command

Get all ships and head forth for Danzig, there you will prepare to load troops but do not do until further notice. Get all the supplies needed and charge it to Germany and send me the bill.

To: Prussian Political Party Staff
From: General Von Sleicher

The new headquarters of the PPP is Cologne, you will probably have little or no trouble making it past the Americans (if they are still there) and immediatly send about for a good location, my friend is he governer and will let you have any place.
==========================================================
All across Germany and Poland troops were goose-stepping to General Von Sleicher's plans and by the end of the month the PPP and German High Command had a new safe headquarters in Germany and General Von Sleicher waited for the world to catch up.

After eating and sleeping some Hans and Reinhard woke up. Heinrich had already done his shift. Hans and Reinhard were doing guard duties with an Italian. They didn't talk to him because they didn't know any Italian. Hans had his sniper rifle up and was aiming at a communist patrol. He aim for the last man. The last man fell and the others didn't even know he die. Reinhard saw someone move in a building nearby. He saw the person was a sniper. He aim and fired. The bullet went threw the scope of the other sniper and into his head. He fell down to the ground. After a couple of hours Katten woke up and told the men to get going. Reinhard woke up Heinrich. Hans was already marching with the other men.

Heinrich when Reinhard and Hans were doing there shift he went off to go to the bathroom. He found a dead body of a Russian. He grabbed the dead guys food and his knife, hat, and pistol with ammo. He was going to send home the knife and hat as a present to his brother. He got back to camp put the pistol in a holster he got from the Russian. Then he went back to sleep.

OOC: Listen Moorington: Comstan began to God-Mod earlier on in this thread and myself and Demo asked him to fix his posting, and he did. Now I'm asking you to do the same. You have some sort of delusion about your Army being rather large and capable. Read your Faction Description again...100,000 men, mostly conscripts, you can't recruit, have no tanks, planes and only 3 ships after Demo's antics in Kiel. Some of your men are in the USSR, some are fighting in Berlin, many are dead. You don't very many forces and you control no towns/villages/cities in the whole of Germany. So clear up your posts, and make them more representative of your factions actual situation.




IC: Theodor still had the letter from Wilhelm III in his pocket, he felt good. But was saddened by the recent news that the so-called Reichswehr were succumbing to the enemy. He wasn't all that concerned. The Reichswerhr were all but gone, the Stalhelm controlled every town from Bremerhaven to Munich. The people were behind the Stalhelm, the forces who provided law and order, food and firewood, the everyday things people needed to continue their everyday lives. Even villages formerly constituted with 'Soviets', were now coming round to the Stalhelm who provided people with the support, both socially and economically, that they desperately needed.

Theodor hurriedly typed up a telegram on a typewriter.

TELEGRAM

TO: 'General' Von Schleicher
FROM: Colonel Theodor Duesterberg, German Army

Dear sir,

You are inches away from becoming a traitor to your country. If you decide to bring communist forces across our borders I will be forced to take control of the nation and declare you and your supporters traitors.

Your forces, the so-called Reichswerhr do not support the communists. Your SDU squads have freinds in the Stalhelm and will not fight against them, even if you order them. If they do, they will die as traitors to their country, as brigands, as rebels. What sort of history do you want to leave for yourself? As the man who rescued Germany, or the one that betrayed it?

Make no mistake, in Danzig, in Colonge, we will come after you if you betray your country. The people in those towns support the only law and order they see, the Stalhelm, the men who fought bravely for their country, the men who still do fight for their country.

The Italians are here to push back the rebels from Berlin, not take over. Herr Mussolini has support from the wider European community. That means your running out of options. Either re-think your position and we'll say no more, or sign your death warrant.

Signed,

Colonel Theodor Duesterberg, German Army.

OOC: No the majority of my forces are inside Poland. You do not honestly think that Nazi-Germany made all of those tanks, bombers, divisions, and ships in a couple of years? No there is considerable forces inside Poland and you are the one over-bearing the Italians might. They were incompetent at best with out-dated guns and old tanks. This can be best described in the Egyptian desert with Rommel as he tried to support the Italians. Go and read some history books, they all have something about Rommel and his Italian counterparts.


IC:
The Prussian Political Party was moved inside the main plaza of Cologne overlooking the market-place. By then the supplies were hastily made but now the members were organizing and buying proper supplies. The old building was being retro-fitted with telephone lines, telegram lines, and more electricity.

In Berlin the SDU units re-emerged from the rubble, with hearing the recent gossip the majority of them left after a Hollywood scene with all of them leaving their equipment in a pile before some of the other SDU members and their NCOs. They prepared to leave and loaded up their supplies and men into trucks heading for Cologne.

The few vessels under the Rhiechmarines command and were wondering how big this division of men was since they could barely hold 1,000 extra hands.

In Danzig the "Black Rhiechswehr" was happily singing German songs in their Soviet colored tanks and as ordered left about 2,000 men at Danzig were they were warmly welcomed after they passed through the market place showing happiness about their back pay.*

In Hamburg some 3,000 men streaked towards the city in trucks, horses, and bicycles wondering if there was going to be fighting.....

*High Command had not issued pay to “Russian Civilians” for their whole stay on Soviet Russia.

OOC: Nice plotline, Hirgizstan, and kudos for the research on Wilhelm!

As for the strength of the Reichswehr, invading Poland would be a bad idea. The Polish army outnumbers the Germans about 8-to-1 at this stage, and so a war would probably fail. Before Hitler began re-arming in 1935, the Reichswehr was basically pitiful (you already know the conditions of the Treaty of Versailles, so I won't repeat them).

Having said that, the Reichswehr is in a better shape than 1918. All German soldiers in the Reichswehr are volunteers, meaning that they are generally better trained than either the Stahlhelm or communist forces. Their main problems are that they are under-equipped and outnumbered compared to their enemies.

And about the International Brigades: they're aimed at all of Europe, not just Russia. But you could say the USSR is supplying the uniforms, yes.

IC: Hamburg Harbour

A chilling sea breeze wafted over the deserted docks, bringing with it a heavy cloud of fog. Mist filled the alleyways and drifted over the ships bobbing gently in the high tide. Between them, the dark hulls of several freighters cut through the dense mist, the red flags they displayed fluttering wildly in the wind.

"Where the hell is everyone?" hissed General Tukhachevsky, leaping down onto the gangway. "I can only see a couple of platoons, where are the rest?"

A seargeant in communist colours ran up to meet the general. "The Reichswehr are mobilising outside the city; every available unit has been set on defence duties." He coughed nervously. "The equipment - shall we start loading it onto the trains?"

"Not yet, comrade," Tukhachevsky replied. "We must secure our supply lines. Boris!"

A sailor from the Aurora came running up and saluted smartly.

"Tell the Kremlin of our predicament, tell the Reichswehr to back off. If they don't withdraw...perhaps we will be able to test this new equipment."


FROM: Commissar Voroshilov, War Commissariat, Moscow
TO: General von Schleicher, Köln

We have received correspondance from our representative in Germany, General Tukhachevsky STOP He reports the Reichswehr is threatening trading routes in the Baltic, particularly Hamburg port STOP We must insist in the strongest possible terms that you withdraw STOP

OOC: Moorington, don't presume that because the Italians made a poor showing in WW2, after 1940, that they were always a poorly equipped army. In 1932 they were perhaps the premier military force in the world. Let me explain. Germany had a tiny, virtually ineffective military force at this stage, Britain, whilst its Navy was dominating, its Air Force languished and its Army was too spread out over the globe and antiquated. Russia was in the grip of Stalin's purges and his FYP's, France was in a state of complete turmoil and its military was the last thing on their mind, and America, while it had a large military, was struggling with new developments due to the depression.
In 1932 Italy, was perhaps, the most professional and perhaps the best equipped military force in the world. Only Japan could hold a torch to them at this stage. Remember, this is 1933 now, not WW2.

Also, German forces in Russia were not extra forces to the 100,000 allowed by Versailles, the forces in Russia were from the 100,000 allowed. Germany had relatively few tanks at the end of WW1, so it wasn't all that difficult to give them up and scrap them, most went to Poland and Czechoslovakia. The Germans also failed to develop anything more than a trade agreement and several failed tank prototypes from 1922-1932 when they trained with the Red Army.

I'm trying to keep things real here. I hate God-Modding and I don't want it to start here.

Info on the Italian Army at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian_military_history_of_World_War_II

Soon Reinhard, Heinrich, and Hans came to a stop. They got their sniper rifles ready and took out some ammo. It was dawn and the sun was barley yet. Reinhard could not see really where they were until the sun came out more. Heinrich took out a pistol and loaded it with a magazine. Reinhard looked at the pistol and it was pretty new. He gave it back to Heinrich and looked ahead to see any targets.

OOC: Like i said Demo, info on the Italian's during WW2 is pretty useless to me. I know a good bit about it anyway. What i need, or refer to, is the Italians during the inter-war years.

IC:

It turned out that Katten had led the group, via bombed out ruins, sewer tunnels and hiding, into Nikovarietal, the hub of the communist machine. What he hadn't told them was that, if they were found out, chances were they were as good as dead. But he didn't plan on being found out.

OOC: The HQ has moved from the town hall to the city palace in Berlin, because it's larger.
For the most recent battle, would 10,000 Stahlhelm-Italian casualties and 18,000 communist casualties be OK?

Berlin City Palace, Museumsinsel

Ulbricht sat in one of the grander offices of the palace, looking out over the ruins of Berlin. It had been a beautiful sight once: the museums down below, the ancient tower of the university, the tree-lined avenue of Unter-den-Linden stretching away into the distance, ending with the sun's glint on the Brandenburg Gate.

But those days were gone. The city was in ruins: the historic museums burned and pillaged; the university, once so full of young student life, deserted; Berlin's historic squares and once-peaceful avenues lined with rubble, wreckage and dead bodies. Tears pricked Walter's eyes.

His aide, Hans Schalmann, coughed nervously behind him. Discreetly wiping his eyes, Walter turned round to face him and raised his eyebrow in questioning. Hans thrust a wad of papers into his hands.

"It's the latest field reports, comrade. The Russians have stationed bombers on their borders with Poland, Comrade Tukhachevsky informs you that the supplies have arrived, but our positions in the Rhineland are being encroached upon."

Ulbricht nodded. "Dictate this, telegram it to the Ruhr Red Army:"

TO: Wilhelm Diesmann, Essen
FROM: Walter Ulbricht, Berlin

Comrade,
It would appear General von Schleicher wants to make Köln his base for operations STOP His troops are heading into the demilitarised zone STOP I urge you to prepare your forces and tell all railway workers supporting your cause to halt the military trains heading in STOP We need reinforcements in Köln and Duesseldorf, but please do not engage the Reichswehr until you have received clearance from my command STOP
Yours,
Walter Ulbricht.

Once Hans had finished jotting the telegram down, he looked up from his notebook. "And about the Russian bombers?"

Walter Ulbricht nodded. "I was getting to that. Prepare four divisions of men. I want any able women to report to the factories; we need to replace the planes and vehicles we have lost recently. Now that the Reichswehr have gone to the Ruhr, we will soon be able to launch an attack on the Stahlhelm in the south: we must take Tempelhof Airport."

OOC: Those casualty figures sound about right, go ahead. By the way, Templehof is your airport, I have no troops near there, so you won't have to 'take' it, as such.

IC:

The Italian troops in the city took cover in the rubble, brewing strange smelling coffee and watching the Stalhelm troops eat cold sausages, cheese and even stranger black bread. The troops mingled together, talking in broken language, making the best of their misunderstandings, and sharing food and supplies wherever.

In Major Nize's embattled position the bedgraggled Major, canteen in hand, walked briskly over toward the Artillery pieces, lined up in the park. He made a pulling gesture with his hands and the crews stood at their guns. Orders were shouted and fresh shells loaded into the guns. An almighty roar broke the early morning as the guns bucked and sent numerous shells into the air. A few seconds later the distant thuds and explosions could be heard across the city. A shot rang out in between the guns firing, another sniper hard at work. Lt. General Zorrini stumbled out of his tent, pistol belt slung hap-hazardly around his chest, his boots barely pulled on.

He looked worried. Nize laughed, "Morning General, we're not being attacked, just welcoming the communists to another week of heavy shelling. Hope you got some sleep last night, this barrage is scheduled to go on for the rest of the week, if more ammo arrives that is." Zorrini smiled, relaxed and yawned. He walked over to a nearby fire and began to get some coffee on the go.

Reinhard took an aim of someone on the roof. He shot his gun. The guy fell off and was slient. More communist rushed outside to see what had happened. Hans aimed his weapon at an officer. The officer fell down. All the people around him started to scream. Heinrich took aim at someone threw a window. The window shattered and the men fell down a bullet inside his head. Has put down his sniper rifle and ate some bread. Reinhard took aim at another men. He was running back and was shot. The men was shot in the head. Reinhard was going to wait awhile for another target. He saw Lt.Katten aiming at the men inside the builidng.

Wilhelm Diesmann got the telegram and told all of his fellow comardes in the railroad industry to stop. All the trains that carry people have gone to a grinding halt. Most of the trains in Germany are under the Ruhr's Red Army and won't conduct any business with the Reichswehr.


Reinhard moved his position to the top of a building he was trying to get a target inside of the Berlin City Palace. Most of the people inside had gotten away from the windows. Now the communist sent troops to flush them out. Reinhard saw a kid no older than sixteen come up. Reinhard took aim and fired. The boy fell down and a stream of blood hit the ground.

Hans was in a crawl space between to fallen walls. He was reading a book. Then he saw something out of his eye a tank. Hans scurred back to where Reinhard was. He told Reinhard he saw a tank what they were going to do about it. Reinhard looked at the T-26 and was thinking of an idea. Reinhard told Hans to go back to the position and wait for the driver to come out. Hans went back to the crawl space and waited.

Two hours later the driver opened the hatch. Hans aimmed and fired the bullet went threw the drivers head. One of the men came out and was shot in the head by Reinhard. Hans gave him the thumbs up. But another man came out and got the machine gun ready. He looked about ready to shoot near Hans. Then a shot rang out and the man fell over with a head shot. Heinrich went down and found a new position after killing the machine gunner.

Katten was holed up in the fireplace of an old house. He sat sideways into the large opening, looking through pieces of rubble at buildings in Nikolavarietel. So far he'd killed three soldiers and two officers. He spotted a truck rolling down the street, soldiers sat in the back, a couple standing. Katten aimed at the driver and squeezed off a shot. The truck lurched to the left and skidded up over a pile of rubble, dumping the truck onto its side.

Soldiers climbed out of the truck, some dazed, others already looking for cover. Katten picked a few of them off, and then another sniper took over, as Katten moved to displace his position.

Reinhard was taking a break for a while. The T-26 was empty. Reinhard was in the direction of the tank to see if anyone was going to hide behind it. It was pretty quiet during noon. Reinhard looked around and saw a man run by. Reinhard got out his sniper rifle and looked for the man. He took aim on his and pulled the trigger. The man fell down with his hands around his neck. He was bleeding all over the place. Then a shot rang out and a bullet wound was in his head. Reinhard looked behind him to see Hans. Hans gave Reinhard some sausage. Hans told Reinhard that Heinrich was facing the other direction. Heinrich was making sure no one came from behind.

OOC:

even stranger black bread

Ah, Pumpernickel. It looks, feels, and tastes like cork. ;) Anyway, I'll be sending a battalion just to guard Tempelhof. In the future, I'll be planning to attack all Stahlhelm positions south of the river, but I want to build my strength up first.

IC: Nikolaiviertel, Berlin

Disguised by the noise of artillery fire, Reinhard's gunshots went unnoticed. A platoon, heading east from Alexanderplatz, began to march through the narrow street, between them humming the tune of the Internationale. Their light-hearted humming faltered as they saw the halted tank in front of them, its lifeless driver slumped forward over the turret.

Their seargeant swore under his breath, and signalled for the rest of the platoon to take cover. With his three most trusted men covering him, he began to creep forward.

Reinhard thought he saw something near the T-26, so he gave a signal to Hans and Heinrich. They got their sniper rifles ready. Reinhard saw what to be a Sgt. Reinhard gave a signal not to fire and wait. If there was a Sgt here thought Reinhard there must be a Lt. The Sgt. came out and walked close to the tank.

IC:

An Italian was aiming his rifle through a number of missing bricks, on the floor above Reinhard and Hans, he had a better view of the group beginning to move up near the tank. They had taken cover on seeing the dead crew. They had kept their heads down for about ten minutes, probably scanning the buildings nearby.

A Sergeant suddenly appeared from a shell of a building, he kept low, nervously looking at the buildings around him. He moved behind the tank and the Italian lost his view, but he came around the other side of the tank, and checked the crew, slumped about over the body of the tank. The Italian steadied the gun, tracing the Sergeant as he moved back to his position. He went behind the tank and then reappeared, a shot rang out, and the Italian slowly reloaded, and looking through his sight he saw the Sergeant falling to the ground, clutching a wound over his heart, blood starting to seep out over his hands.

A soldier jumped out of cover and the Italian repositioned himself for another shot, but a hand quickly pulled the impudent soldier back into cover, as the Sergeant lay dying, face up into the sky, steam rising from the bubbling wound in his chest. The snipers had all day and all night, they had food and patience, the communists were dead, they just didn't know it yet.


OOC: Demo, remember there's an arty barrage going on for the next few days.

Reinhard noticed the Italian above him. Damn him he thought. He was going to starting firing when more of the communist came out. Reinhard saw the Sgt lying on the ground. He looked to be still breathing. Then a bang and a puff of smoke, but blood appeared on the Sgt's head. Hans had taken him out of his horiffic death. Hans changed his position and saw a hand he pulled the trigger. The communist's hand was bleeding all over the place. He made the poor decision of putting his head forward to much. Hans knew that was going to be his last decision. He pulled the trigger again and the communist fell to the ground. The other men pulled his dead body around the corner. Hans saw the blood trail on the ground were the man laid. Hans was going to have to wait until they did something.

OOC: Comstan, just some freindly RPing advice. Don't use 'Hans' too much. It gets kinda repetitive. Try using 'He' and 'Then' etc. :)

As the Rhiechswehr passed into Cologne they immediate set about replenishing their ranks. The "boots, food, and a gun" slogan immediate won the young adults looking for a fight and food. After sending off telegrams to France and Britain of this non-permanent militarizing the British and French pretty much posted messages of "It is up to Italy"*. The German High Command set up a treasury building which set about getting the finances and to get as many Marks as it could, the printing press's had been all but destroyed in Berlin and only a few were left. A tractor factory was bought from a family and started building armored cars and trucks. In Bavaria troops started to occupy the countryside with explicit orders to help the farmers free of charge. Another division of 1000 was set up from young kids looking to escape the farm. Sadly most of the SDU units left the ranks to return to the Steel Helmets and the ships steaming towards Danzig broke down multiple times on their quest. The left over SDU men were changed into one big platoon and sent over to the recent fighting to see if they could help the Steel Helmets in espionage and to see if they could find some plans for the Italian tanks. The newly formed German Airforce** was sent by rail to Cologne but was delayed by the usual Russian incompetence and then broken rail lines near Berlin and central Germany.

ooc: Nothing amazingly un-realistic, right? If so send hate mail.

OOC: Nope, all sounds good.

Just a couple of things. How many soldiers do you have left? And where are you moving into Bavaria, its 100% Stalhelm territory, like most of the country at the moment, so I need to know whether your allied with the Stalhelm or not? And don't expect an easy time from people in Bavaria if your seen as in cahoots with the Russians.

Like about 7,000. For the most part the Rhiechswehr is happy to call the Steel Helmets friends, the reason a platoon of men is even going into Bavaria is to make the people more happier with the Rhiechswehr. The only time the German High Command went against (or for the communists) in only asking the Italian Forces to leave. We left Berlin in a more capable set of hands.

OOC: @ Moorington: General Tukhachevsky, who's in charge of the Russian supplies, is respectfully requesting the Reichswehr to withdraw from the area outside of Hamburg. What is von Schleicher's response?

IC:
Nikolaiviertel, Berlin

"Alarm! Snipers on Spandauer Strasse!"

Even above the deafening pounding of the Italian artillery, and the communists' own returning volley, the young private's shout was heard by his comrades a few hundred metres away. Immediately, three platoons began to close off either end of the street: a squad, protected by an armoured car, began to fan out and sweep-search the area, while their radio operator called for medics and tank support.

Berlin City Palace

"What's all that noise about?" inquired Walter Ulbricht, with a half-interested air. Hans, his aide, shrugged.

"Just some training exercise, or else they've found some Stahlelm scouts. We should be safe here, in any case. Would you like me to show the other party comrades in?"

Walter nodded, and Hans obediently walked over to the door, holding it open for a procession of grave-faced, smartly-uniformed men. Once they had all found their seats around the central mahogany table, their leader began to speak.

"Comrades, today we are the new government of Germany. We control the capital -"

At a few uncertain glances, he hurriedly corrected himself.

"...for the most part, and soon we shall have captured the entire south bank. Then we control the railways, the main port of Hamburg, the factories through our various Soviets. We have the Reichsbank* safely in our possession. What remains then, is to establish our legitimacy.

"I have, after careful consultation with my most senior advisers, decided on a new provisional government. We shall rule executively for the forseeable future - that is, until the counter-revolutionaries have been vanquished. Following that, a parliament of Soviet deputies shall be appointed. Until then, the arrangements are as follows:"

People's Chancellor - Walter Ulbricht
Commissar for Defence - Erich Honecker
Commissar for Justice - Werner Seelenbinder
Commissar for Foreign Affairs - Clara Zetkin
Commissar for Industry - Wilhelm Diesmann
Commissar for Popular Education - Willi Münzenberg

OOC:
*the central bank, in Duesseldorf
All the people in my cabinet can be looked up on Wikipedia, but it's not that important.

No, the Rhiechsmarine's main port is there.


In Cologne the men were reparing the old trucks and some of the new ones which had set a new record in being made. The factory only made about 20 trucks an day which was about 20% of the maximum capacity. The platoon heading for Bavaria was bored out of their minds whle the problems affecting the few boats were fixed and they set off again. The airplanes had reached past Berlin and were almost towards Cologne.

Reinhard told Hans and Heinrich to get a position to look around the corner. They went off into another building. He was going to get rid of the armoured car. Then he aimmed and fight his gun. The bullet ripped threw the tire. Reinhard moved his position to another window. The car had stopped Reinhard was going to start picking off the men inside. A man stood up and checked the tire he told another guy to help him, but Reinhard shot the guy coming out. He aim at the guy outside and shot him in the head. The armoured car only had one men left inside. Reinhard saw him threw a slilt in the windshield. He aimmed and fired. The drivers was bleeding all over the place. Reinhard saw the communist firing their weapons at him. He ran over into the position where Hans used to hide.

Hans found the position where they could see around the corner. They could see the armoured car stopped. He knew Reinhard was going to wipe them out. Heinrich came up and found a target a man on the radio. Hans told Heinrich to aim for the radio while he would aim for the radio operator. Heinrich fired then Hans fired their guns. They looked and saw the radio operator on the ground with a bullet in the radio. The communist looked to be not able to use the radio any more. Hans got a grenade and threw over the armoured car. They heard the grenade go off and went to find Reinhard.

IC:

Thankfully Katten and some of the Italians were well hidden in the rubble, some even in crawl spaces inside the bowels of the house. He was happy to let the newcomers deal with the armoured car, while the other snipers covered them as they changed position every so often.

OOC: Demo, when will you publicly announce the Government?

IC:

Berlin

Luckily the remainder of the Italian troops were only one day away from the outskirts of Berlin. So far over 100,000 had set up camp inside the city suburbs, armoured cars, tanks, tank destroyers and soldiers stetched as far as the eye could see, and still more poured into the city. More and more artillery pieces were brought up and the odd squadron of spotter planes flew fast and low over the hazy sky.

Outisde Hamburg, in the Countryside

Ernst Krave sat in the bar at the small village, outside of Hamburg, he looked tired and haggard. Other soldiers milled about behind him, cleaning weapons and talking.

A Sergeant came in through the front doors, mud caked all over his grey uniform, binoculars hanging around his chest. He had been on patrol all night, collecting information for what was being termed 'the big push'. The Sergeant handed a list of observations with plots and information about them. He saluted and walked away to another part of the bar, which was serving as the HQ for the exiled Hamburg Stalhelm.

Krave carefully made out a letter.



Captain Ernst Krave
Hamburg

Dear Colonel Duesterberg,

As you know we have been collecting information and preparing to assault the city of Hamburg. We are now ready. The communists are well prepared and it will be a tough fight, but we are ready to do our duty for the Fatherland.
I do however, wish to request a bombing raid on the city to commence at 0600 hours 2 days from now. I would also appreciate fighter support.

Captain Ernst Krave.

OOC: The new government will be telegrammed to all Soviets in Germany and the German embassies abroad.


Letters from Berlin, Part I


Berlin, den 3. Oktober

Liebe Mutti,

I'm sorry for not having written recently: I've been too busy, what with all the training and everything. They've got in artillery specialists from the Soviet Union, who drill us every day - I swear my targetting's never been so good.

But when we're not training, we're bombarding the Stahlelm and Italians, day and night. They fire back, of course - you should see the capital now, it's all ruins. The streets are covered in rubble, and you can't sleep at night from the noise. You remember Rudolph, from the Hauptschule? He was killed two days ago by a high explosive shell. In his place, I've been promoted to corporal. I think about him all the time.

The rations aren't too bad, but I'm not sure they'll support us when winter sets in. The captain says that we'll have won by then, and the troops are terribly excited - there's been talk of a massive counter-attack. We were supposed to get Russian bombers landing in Tempelhof yesterday, but they're grounded in Poland due to technical failure. It should be at least a couple of days before they arrive.

Anyway, my shift starts soon and I need to report to the captain. I hope dad's leg has mended after his fall, and give little Nina my best wishes.

Deine Ernst
(Obergefreite Nowak!)

As Corporal Nowak put down his pen, there was the sound of an explosion terrifyingly nearby. From the barracks in Alexanderplatz, two armoured cars roared into life and zoomed off towards Spandauer Strasse, closely followed by a T-26 and a T-28. There were men shouting all around him, running off with their rifles clutched to their chests.

With a detached sense of half-interest, Nowak momentarily wondered what it was all about. He stood up slowly, and made his way to the artillery store, thinking no more about it.

Town Hall, Hamburg

In a damp and dark cellar of the ancient town hall was the headquarters of an organisation which would come to strike fear into the hearts of the German people. KRAFT - die Kommission fuer Revolutionaere Antifasciste Taten* had been created that night, under direct order from Walter Ulbricht himself.

There were two people in the room, their names unknown outside the party circle. KRAFT director Wilhelm Zaisser and party thug Erich Mielke** sat in the poorly-lit cellar, engrossed in a mass of reports. At length, Zaisser broke the silence.

"Go upstairs and send the following message on to General von Schleicher: 'We have had disturbing news that the Italians are still in this country. The KPD has had your word that they will withdraw: a ceasefire between our groups is entirely dependent on the Italians not involving themselves in Germany's business. We hope you will exert your authority over these disobedient foreigners.'"

As Mielke saluted and backed out of the room, his commander went back to studying the intelligence papers. Thanks to the tireless efforts of this man, the Terror was about to start.

OOC:

*Literally, "The Commission for Revolutionary Anti-Fascist Activities" - the abbreviation means "power" in German. From now on, it will be my intelligence service and secret police.
**Here's a challenge: most of my characters are real people. Guess who these people grew up to be in real life...;) But once again, don't feel you have to remember their names.

Tens of thousands of people eagerly took to the streets of Munich and towns across Bavaria to protest against the heinous announcement that the rebel traitors, the reds, had declared a government. People were up in arms and fury over this betrayal. They marched, shoulder to shoulder, their banners proclaiming slogans such as 'Death to the Reds', and 'Communist=Traitor'.

In East and West Prussia people dragged suspected communists from their houses and turned them over to the Stalhelm authorities, their heads shaved and their bodies bruised and bloodied. The people, all across Germany were livid. In Kiel people proclaimed their support for the Stalhelm and the true German authority. In the space of 24 hours nearly 50,000 new recruits had signed up for the Stalhelm all across Germany.

Due to intense demand a Women's Auxiliary Corps was set up within Bavaria and the Baltic/West Prussia, allowing women to serve their country within the Stalhelm. The non-combatant unit began to move into purpose built hospitals and aid stations to help continue the vital effort against the traitors.

Inside Cologne the factory was up to 60% efficiency and new facorys were being built and bought. The Rheichswehr were recruiting new troops and giving them the regular training. The PPP was getting out it's posters and were helping the Rheichswehr by giving money. Now there were armored cars, about 5, and 20 good Volkswagon trucks. The Rheichswehr needed little persuasion with the German Automobile companies, they were happy to get any buisness at all. As that happened in Bavaria the newly formed SDA (Special Directive Army) was helping farmers get back on tracks with a lot of money and hardwork. The airplanes coming up were once again stopped but now the signs were finally saying were Cologne was. The Rheichmarine had finally reached Danzig and were loading men into anthing that could be pulled. It seemed like just barely it was enough room.

Reinhard saw Heinrich and Hans come down. He asked them if they killed anyone. Hans said they killed a whole squad behind the armoured car. Then Heinrich noticed two more armoured cars, a T-26, and a T-28. Reinhard thought of an idea to get rid of one of the tanks.

Later that night Reinhard and Hans saw the tanks in the same position as they were during the afternoon. The tanks were about 100 yard away from the abandoned T-26. They found a way into the sewer system. The sewer system lead to a manhole direct near the abandoned T-26. Heinrich already was under a manhole near a armoured car. Reinhard took off the manhole cover and went up. Behind him was Hans they climbed into the tank and moved the turret at the T-28. Reinhard looked at the dead driver. He loaded the shell into the cannon. Reinhard made aim and saw Heinrich getting ready to put 2 grenades armoured car. Reinhard was ready and shot the cannon. Hans was already outside and Reinhard saw the tank blow up. He rushed outside and went down the manhole. Heinrich threw the grenades under the armoured car and ran into the manhole. He put the cover back on and heard a blast. He meet up with Reinhard and Hans the mission was a sucess. They walked back to the building they were staying in.

OOC: Demo i found the name of some Soviet armoured car names you can use instead of armoured car. BA-20 and KV-1.

Katten grinned as he watched the newcomers destroy the rebel tank with one of their own tanks, and then watched as the communists tried to scramble out of the armoured car before the grenaded blew up.

The street was now littered with the debris of battle, soldiers lay dead, tanks lay out of action. Fire burned into the sky. Katten shuffled through the rubble and came out looking at Hans and Reinhard smiling. "You two...good work. Get packed up, were moving positions. Have you got enough ammunition?"

OOC: Thanks for the armoured car names, I couldn't find any.

IC:

"They did WHAT?!"

Hans quivered under the force of Ulbricht's anger. The party leader was somewhat known for his temper, but he had never seemed this angry before. The man's face was bright scarlet, a few flecks of saliva around his lips.

"Th-they managed to infiltrate N-Nikolaiviertel," Hans managed to stammer. "We've had eight deaths, a dozen casualties and three vehicles either destroyed or heavily damaged. The snipers managed to withdraw before we could catch them."

Ulbricht stood silently for a moment, seemingly taking the information in. The only sound was his deep breaths, echoing through the room. Suddenly and without warning, he swept the piles of reports off his desk, leaving the office filled with fluttering sheets of important files. Hans began to pick them up, avoiding Walter's eyes: the communist leader began to speak again, in a much calmer voice.

"All models of fighting vehicles must be equipped with rubber-filled tyres from now on. We don't want any repeats of this."

Hans nodded, and scooped up the last of the files into his hands. He paused, and studied one carefully.

"We've had two divisions of volunteers arrive in Hamburg. They're part of the International Brigade, want to know your orders."

Walter Ulbricht turned to him and smiled. "Why, attack of course. The Russians have reported that their bombers are finally ready to fly: I want fifty in Tempelhof Airport, fifty in Duesseldorf Airport, with a fighter escort of the new Po-2s. We will attack at dawn."

He strode confidently out the door, leaving a confused and shocked Hans in his wake.

My troops in Hamburg
(posted again for convenience)

Infantry
4000 Anti-Fascist Front guards
30,000 militia
20,000 International volunteers

Mechanised support
20 BT-2 "fast tanks" (used for scouting and attacking other tanks)
50 T-27 tankettes (used for scouting and infantry support)
40 T-24 medium tanks (excellent against other tanks)
80 T-26 medium tanks (used for infantry support)

Aircraft
50 Tupolev TB-1 heavy bombers (max. load 1 tonne)
25 Po-2 fighters (17 of which are new)

Reserves (in North Germany)
2000 AFF guards
10,000 militia

"Yes we have enough ammo and grenades to last us a while." Reinhard told Heinrich and Hans not to leave anything. They had done better good at this spot. Killed a whole tank crew and BA-20 armoured car crew. They also destoryed a T-28 tank and another armoured car, but it was getting a little too crowded here. Reinhard saw the smoke coming from the tank. His men had done a good job. Reinhard went up to Lt.Katten "Whats are next mission?"

Katten looked outside and then back at Reinhard, "We're pulling out of here for now. We're moving back into Museumsinsel, so get packed and ready, we move out in an hour."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Italian Fighters flew well ahead of the SM.81 bombers. There were 25 new G.50 Freccia fightes, faster than the Fiat CR.32's that flew with the bombers.

In all there were 100 SM.81 bombers, accompanied by 100 CR.32 Fighters, plus the 25 G.50's out in front.. All headed for Hamburg to smash communist positions in the town before a Stalhelm assault. Two of the bombers carried canisters full of Phosgene gas. The neared Hamburg...


OOC: Demo, i guess we'll have a bit of a dogfight?

Hamburg

Down on the ground, General Tukhachevsky watched the approaching bombers intently, never taking his eyes from the binoculars seemingly glued to his face.

The artillery barrage was just starting: over one hundred tanks, scores of field guns and hundreds of mortars were pounding the enemy positions into the ground: even through the last gloom of the night, the horizon was lit with explosions and clouds of heated dust silhouetted against fires. Nothing could survive a barrage that intense, Tukhachevsky was sure of it.

In the sky, however, there was a problem. A cloud of Italian fighters blocked out the rising sun as they approached, and at once the Po-2s and TB-1s dropped their bomb loads onto the Reichswehr, and began to swerve and weave through the ranks of the attacking enemy. It was a spectacular sight: planes whined overhead, twirling and spiralling, zooming down in intense dogfights, tumbling from the sky with smoke pouring from their engines.

"Everyone, gas masks ready! All gunners, cease fire - we don't want muzzle flashes giving our positions away. Cease fire, damnit!"

Tukhachevsky smiled to himself. His fighters may be forced from the air, but they had already dropped their deadly load anyway. And with the Italian Air Force so engaged in Hamburg, the remaining half of the Russian bombers were free to bomb the enemy into oblivion in Berlin.

After a hour of talking and eating it was time to go. They were going to Museumsinsel. While walking they saw a lot of planes fly over head. They didn't leave anything for the communist. Did see some communist running toward where they left. Reinhard killed a couple along with Hans and Heinrich. When they finally got about one mile Museumsinsel they unpacked and camped for the night. Reinhard wondered what they were going to do in Museumsinsel. It was getting pretty dark and in a hour it was going to be his time for guard duty.

The pilots left outside Berlin scrambled into their fighters. They wouldn't be much of a match for the oncoming Russians, but they would try. 20 G.50 fighters took to the skies and made headway for Berlin, where they could already see the Russian planes coming over the horizon, a grim sight.

The newly arrived Italian troops were hurriedly rolling AA guns into position, a couple of flak guns were also being loaded up ready to fire.

In Munich 50 Fiat and G.50 fighters took off and made for Berlin, but each pilot knew they wouldn't arrive in time. But they would sure as hell chase those Russian bastards into the ground.

Berlin

Thousands of feet above the ground, Russian pilots cheered as they watched their bombs hit home, sending up plumes of smoke from the Italian positions. After being bombed almost constantly for a week, they were pleased to have their chance at revenge. They took that chance well: in four missions, the bombers dropped 200 tonnes of high explosive from above, and strafed the enemy AA guns with their twin machine-guns.

As another G.50 fell screaming from the sky and burst into flame far below, one pilot turned his plane in a victory roll, to the cheers of his comrades. This time, it was the Italians who were outnumbered, and so far only one bomber and three Po-2s had succumbed to enemy fire.

Over the radio, the pilots' voices were hazy and distorted, each message interrupted with burst of crackling static. The flight commander opened a channel to base. "Requesting I-5 fighter escort - reports of incoming fighters from Munich, ETA four hours. Scramble all I-5s on the Polish border, send back-up."

Hamburg

The last of the TB-1s landed, their bodywork torn from machine-gun fire. Two dozen planes had been lost fighting the Italians, and now the survivors were being hastily repaired under the cover of the communist AA guns. Tukhachevsky shrugged, and passed the binoculars to a lieutenant next to him.

"It doesn't matter if they have air superiority now," he said. "They'll have to run back to Berlin soon, if they don't want to desert their friends there. Organise the tanks for the attack: send out a dozen BT-2s and T-27s as scouts."

Captain Ernst Krave had watched the communist's trying to shell their positions. They were about a mile off each time, the men watched, catiuously but animatedly. There were heavy forces in Hamburg, but the Stalhelm had the element of surprise and numbers on their side. It was dusk already, the sky was turning to blue and the last vestiges of light were disappearing.

In abandoned farms, fields and deep forests 50,000 Stalhelm troops mounted into trucks, horses and armoured cars. Shock Troopers busily donned gas masks, added more grenades to their chests, attached bayonets, and helped their freinds heave on the heavy blue steel canisters of the flame throwers, something the communists would not expect.

As darkness fell on the city Krave ordered his men forward. Across miles of farmland Stalhelm soldiers moved briskly, not walking but running and driving hard into the city to avoid accurate artillery fire. Snipers and spotters opened up from positions near to the town, eliminating sentries.

The Stalhelm, in the darkness, began to descend on the city, a tidal wave of raging, angry men, ready to do vicious battle to retake their city.

OOC: Moorington, I've had a thought as to how to use my new KRAFT secret police. What would you say to a kidnapping of General von Schleicher's wife?

IC:

As night fell, the command centre in the town hall came alive. General Tukhachevsky sat before a great map, at least two by two metres, of the area around Hamburg. Occasionally, an officer pushed little scarlet models across the map, signifying their own troops, and added in the grey shapes of the enemy forces as the scouts reported them.

What the German communists didn't know was that Tukhachevsky had been specifically selected for this mission by none other than Comrade Stalin himself. During the Russian Civil War, Tukhachevsky had proven himself as an excellent commander, and he had ample experience of urban warfare too. Trotsky had appointed him to attack the Kronstadt naval base, defended by the treacherous communist elements, and it was the fiercest fighting he had ever seen.

But the general learned from his mistakes, and the new Red Army Field Operations handbook detailed his plans for a new school of military tactics. He alone in the Red Army had realised the future of warfare through the implications of armoured vehicles. How had he explained it to the German soldiers? It was like...a lightning war. Blitzkrieg.

"Comrade Tukhachevsky, disturbing transmission here," came the voice of one of the radio operators, jolting the Russian general out of his daydream.

*********************************************************

"Los, los, los!"

The driver screamed at the top of his voice as the BT-2 reversed at full speed, spraying bullets wildly. The tankette fifty metres in front of them had suddenly burst into flame, and was belching thick black smoke. By the glint of the firelight, he could just make out a platoon of Stahlhelm shock troopers, armed with fragmentation grenades. The scout in front had driven into a trap.

As the tank's machine guns spat out lead slugs at the shadows of soldiers before them, the radioman was already alerting base and calling for back-up. The Stahlhelm had obviously been advancing, and were almost now at the outskirts of the city. It was time for battle.

They had reached Museumsinsel, or Museum Island, in the northern part of the half of an island in the Spree River. Reinhard wondered what the hell they were going to do in Museums. Reinhard, Hans, and Heinrich with the radio went into the Altes Museum. They made their way to the roof to make a good position and to kill the communists. Reinhard saw some of the communists running threw the buildings. Lt. Katten came up to their position to call HQ. Heinrich turned on the radio and called in HQ. "This is SU25 we are at Musemsinsel waiting for orders. We have taken the Island and have set up positions to kill the communists."

Berlin


Katten grabbed the radio from Henrich, "What the hell do you think your doing!" he bellowed. "If you ever do anything like that again I will shoot you, understand?" Katten sighed and lifted the radio phoneset to his face as Hans slowly walked away. "HQ, HQ, apologies for last message. This is SU-25, we have our orders, are about to commence phase two. Plan is still operational, no casualties, repeat no casualties, over."

HQ replied and then Katten shut off the radio, handing it to his spotter. "Reinhard, stay up on the roof with Zisse, he's coming up now. I'll be on the next building. Displace after every 2 shots, or judge it yourselves. If your about to be captured...well you know what to do." Katten turned and talked with the young Zisse briefly as he reached the roof. He then left.


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Hamburg

The Stalhelm were making excellent progress into the town. They had taken the communists by surprise and they were fumbling in the darkness of the night. Men with flamethrowers ran through buildings, pumping super-heated jets of flame into the upper floors, and watching as burning, twitching communist bodies fell out of the windows and rolled around on the street.

Mortar teams set up small Trench Mortars and began to lay a barrage in front of the communist positions, helping the advancing troops to get closer and closer. Troops with rockets concealed themselves in buildings, firing at tanks and armoured cars and then moving quickly away.

Shock troop squads began to attack on the flanks of the city, hounding the enemy into crossfires and blue-on-blue incidents. The night air was filled with the sound of raging battle.

OOC: I'll delay the kidnapping of von Schleicher's wife until after the attack on Hamburg.

IC:

Hamburg

General Tukhachevsky marched up and down the command centre, barking orders left and right.

"You! Notify the BT-2s and T-24s. They are to form a search and destroy detachment; target all Stahlhelm armoured vehicles. You, captain! Mass the T-26s into four groups: they will form the front line. Order them to advance, I want them to smash the enemy line. The tankettes and infantry will follow them."

The assembled officers got to work straight away. Back in Russia, the senior, upper-class officers often disobeyed him, but not here. Ulbricht's own secret police, the KRAFT, where here to back him up if anyone dared to disobey orders.

Northern Germany

The remaining TB-1 bombers from the earlier raid were scrambling and taking to the air, aiming their bombs by the muzzle flashes of Stahlhelm artillery and the orange licks of flame that signified flamethrowers. But as half the squadron released its deadly cargo, the other half were gliding away into the night, flying low. They carried an altogether different load.

The idea had come to Tukhachevsky the previous year, watching an experimental training exercise at the Lipezk air base, no less. Russian soldiers, equipped with American parachutes, had held onto the wings of German planes and jumped off mid-air. It had seemed dangerous, but the brave volunteers had landed safely, and that picture had sparked something in the young general's mind.

This time it was for real. The Third Hamburger Company were on board hastily-adapted TB-1s, flying low and far behind the Stahlelm lines to escape detection. As the bombers slowed, they opened their hatch doors, and two hundred men jumped from the underbellies of the planes, clutching their DP-28 light machine guns close to their chests in fear.

Their descent was broken as their parachutes opened, one after the other, the dark fabric like blots of ink against the pitch-black sky. Gently, the paratroopers drifted down to earth, and cut off the strings of their silk parachutes, while the planes high above wheeled away back to base. They were well equipped: machine guns, explosive devices and even a few mortars had been dropped.

As ordered, they would destroy the Stahlhelm's communications lines, report back on their positions, and then encircle the confused and unsuspecting foe. Between Tukhachevsky's iron wedges as the tanks advanced, and the hidden parachutists in the night, the Stahlhelm would be trapped.

Köln

TOP SECRET

TO: Wilhelm Diesmann
FROM: Erich Mielke, KRAFT

Tomorrow, we will carry out a raid on the traitor von Schleicher's residence in the city. We request a platoon or two of Ruhr Red Army volunteers to give us support. Thank you for your assistance in apprehending this fascist leader.

A couple of Shock Troopers lay up in a forest watching the attack. They were focusing on the Armoured Cars that ground into the town, under heavy small arms fire, the riccochets bouncing off onto walls and roads.

They heard the bombers before they saw the bombs going off amongst the Stalhelm positions. There were still thousands of troops nowhere near the town, still running in for the attack, after all it took a long time for 50,000 troops to traverse almost a mile of countryside.

Then, something strange happend. Some planes had sounded very close and low to each other and one of the snipers in the group picked out something ahead, "I've got troops between our rear positions and us. Like they just dropped out of the sky?" The commander of the group, a Lt. Nunen, paused, thinking for a second. Then it clicked. Nunen had been a soldier in the Reichswerhr after the war, a Shock Trooper sent to train in Russia in the 20s. He remembered seeing a new parachute demonstration and remembered it.

His order was clear, he spoke low and fast, "Those are enemy troops you see. Lets move in, two snipers and two radio men, along with one flamethrower, stay here, everyone else, move out. You see something call out the code, if no replies comes, send it to hell." He got up and began to move, shuffling all around him suggested the other men were doing the same.

In a field a few minutes later a long tongue of flame shot out down the line, and in front of the shock troopers around 20 enemy troops burst into flames, running wildly, breaking their cover, setting fire to their comrades. The shock troopers opened up (OOC: There's 20 of them) with five flamethrowers, two Lewis Guns, thompsons and Mauser Rifles, the enemy was in chaos.


In the town itself the forward Stalhelm forces had taken many casualties from the bombing raid, but they still poured into the town, crashing over communist positions like a body infested waterfall. They would take back the city, it was only a matter of time.

Outside Hamburg, the paratroopers were just struggling out of their heavy 'chutes when one platoon was attacked by screaming Stahlelm running out of the forest. Cries of pain and fear shattered the night air: the unfortunate platoon was wiped out by enemy gunfire and flamethrowers.

The remaining troops, dispersed after the parachute jump, opened fire on the small group of Stahlhelm. A .3 machine gun tripod was hastily assembled and began to belch lead at the attackers, while three platoons, well-equipped with their Soviet DP-28s, began to set up a crossfire on the Stahlhelm position.

A few hundred metres away, a communist sniper had already primed his rifle and was peering down the telecopic sight at the new attackers. He picked off the two radiomen: a bullet in the neck for one, in the chest for the other seemed to do the trick. But, just in case, the paratroopers better get moving. As the Stahlhelm were pinned down and began to fall, the non-engaged forces started to march, before dawn came.

Back in the city, the counter-attack was beginning. Luckily, the communist troops had been preparing for an assault when the Stahlhelm had attacked, and now they advanced. Tukhachevsky had sent the armoured vehicles first: the heavy guns of the T-24s pounded, their shells easily able to penetrate the Stahlhelm armour. By their side, came massed groups of other tanks, mowing down the enemy infantry and bursting through their lines. In their wake came floods of fieresome riflemen, bearing down on the unfortunate survivors. The general had been right - the communists really did move like lightning.

Rheichswehr Forces:

Cologne:
8,000 Rheichswehr Regulars-Veteran
2,000 PPP Guards- Green isn't just their condition
50 Volkswagon Built Diesel Trucks
20 Volkswagon Built Armored Cars
50 Fokher Wolf Bi-Planes (I need help with what type and name)
1,000 Rounds of the new "Panzerfaust"
50 Assorted Artillery Piaces*

Hamburg (Harbor0
3 Frigates
2,000 "Black Rheichswehr" Men- Veteran

Bavaria:
600 Special Directive Army Members
1,000 Rheichswehr- Green
200 Rheichswehr- Trained

Scale of Fighting Prowness:
Green- None
Trained- Boot Camp is done
Veteran- Went through battle or very good training
Crack- Went through battle
Elite- Went through a caimpaign

Need some help but I think that is all, also I am okay with the General's wife getting captured.
*Probably not but....

Berlin:
Reinhard, Hans, and Heinrich were very worried about adding a new person to their group. They had been a group since before the Great War. Heinrich looked to be kind of worried, but happy he got rid of that stupid radio. They saw the young Zisse come up. They got their sniper rifles and didn't talk to him. Reinhard found a communist looking around. Boom!. The communist fell to the ground.

Essen:
Wilhelm saw and read the later again and again. He wondered if he should let a platoon ago. It would be good training. So he let the platoon go meet up with the communist you were going to attack von Schleicher's residence in the city in Köln. The men loaded up into a truck with Kar98's and Thompsons. The truck was going to Köln.

OOC: Berlin:
Hans and Heinrich saw a armoured car. They shot the tires and it was stuck. So they were going to wait until they go out of the car to shoot.

A couple of posts back, my faction leader ordered all tires for armoured vehicles to be filled with rubber, so they're bullet-proof. We learn from our mistakes. ;)

@ Moorington: artillery is allowed, so long as it's "field" artillery (ie. has a range of no more than about 5km). There's a list of Fokker planes at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fokker if you need them. Oh yeah, and Kurt von Schleicher's wife is called Elisabeth - you can RP her if you want, too. She's going to be taken to Duesseldorf and then Hamburg - the communists will tell you their demands later.

IC: Köln

It was still dark on the Rhineland city, as three trucks and an armoured BA-15 fighting car pulled up outside a riverside house. It was an old manor house, baroque: with the exception of the guard tower and sentries outside, it could have fallen from a Bavarian fairytale.

The faint noise of a silenced pistol echoed through the grounds, and two guard slumped. Erich Mielke, a specially-recruited professional thug, stepped out of the BA-15 and made his way through the great iron gate and walked up to the elaborate front of the house, flanked by a handful of militamen. He rapped gently on the oak door, and afer what seemed like an eternity, it opened.

A young officer cadet stood framed by the light behind him, glancing nervously through the doorway. Erich smiled reassuringly. "Is Elisabeth von Schleicher in the house?" he asked softly.

The cadet answered automatically, "No!", but not before his eyes had flicked upstairs, betraying his words. Erich nodded.

"That's what I thought."

The cadet felt something cold and hard against his stomach, and gasped as he looked down. Steadied by Erich's hand, a Luger was pressed tight into the man's stomach. The kidnapper pulled the trigger, felt the violent recoil, saw the officer sag and sink to his knees as a groan escaped his lips. A crimson stain was spreading across his shirt, like the petals of a rose unfolding, and then he fell to the floor.

Stepping over the man's body, Erich held the door open for the men behind him. They stormed in, waving Tommy guns, rushing through the house. A few bursts of gunfire and screams broke the night silence before the platoon re-emerged, Erich dragging a woman along by her hair. As the poor woman screamed, she was thrown into the back of the BA-15, and the car's engines roared into life. The vehicles drove off into the night, disappearing into the moon-lit horizon.

In the town itself around 200 Stalhelm had already been cut to pieces by the vicious communist counter attack. A retreat was sounded and the Stalhelm lines broke and fell back, or so it seemed. The communists, followed in vehicles, with cheering, smiling men running wildly after the retreating troops.

The fleeing Stalhelm ran down a wide street, almost like a square. Numerous tanks raced down the street after them. Suddenly streaks of fire and smoke erupted from nearly every building on the street as trench mortars and rocket launchers were fired at the unsuspecting communist forces. From down the street a roar filled the air as around 3000 Stalhelm troops burst forth from the houses and allyways, smashing straight into the confused communist soldiers, hacking slashing and shooting their way through.

In only a few minutes numerous tanks lay charred and burned, communist bodies lay everywhere and still hundreds, thousands of Stalhelm troops continued to pour into the city.

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The radio man had gotten one message away before he was killed, it was clear, "ENEMY IN THE REAR, ENEMY IN THE RE-" Luckily a force of mounted Stalhelm, on horseback, had been dispatched from the left flank of the main attack and were now barrelling down into the fields toward the sound of machine gun fire, ready to cut and shoot their way through the hated enemy sabouteurs (sp?).

In the field Lt. Nunen kept his head dug firmly into the ground, bullets whizzed by overhead, snipers tried to get shots off, flamethrowers stayed low. They would wait, soon the communists would get bored, think them dead and move on, or they would reload or run out of ammunition, and then they would burn them alive.

As the paratroopers made their way to the Stahlhelm support lines, the troops disengaged the enemy. Despite the initial shock, they had managed to fight off the flamethrower troops, having outnumbered them 10-1. Now, they could regroup and get on with the mission.

The troops stopped at a bridge over the River Elbe: the dozen or so Stahlhelm guarding it were quickly captured, and the soldiers went about cutting the telephone wires to the front. Their commander paused. Far off, he could just make out the rhythmic beating of hooves, somewhere off to the south...

"Alarm! Take defensive positions! Mount those Maxim guns, grenades at the ready."

His orders were quickly obeyed, and the company set up positions at the north end of the bridge, bristling their guns in a crossfire towards the south end. The beat of hooves was coming closer.

Back in the town hall, Tukhachevsky was being told of the news. Five tankettes and one T-26 had been lost, together with two platoons. He cursed whatever stupid captain had told them to keep persuing. The faces around him were suddenly contaminated with a hint of doubt, for the first time this mission. He must crush all uncertainty now, or else it would consume his soldiers and rot their morale until they lost the will to fight.

"Never mind, comrades," he spoke. "It is a minor set-back, but already the central division has proven through the middle of the Stahlhelm lines, and the enemy is now under attack from two fronts. We have superior numbers, more and better armoured vehicles, and better tactics. Those relics from the World War, those elderly fools that the Stahlhelm have made their leaders still think in terms of trenches and cavalry. We have iron cavalry. We have no need for trenches."

The soldiers burst into cheering, and applause from the more restrained men. They ere recruiting more and more soldiers by the day: the Italian bombing raid the day before had had a devastating effect, killing hundreds through gas poisoning. The people of Hamburg had never been so outraged, and for the past few hours, literally thousands had agreed to defend their city, whether proletariat or Mittelstand. It was the perfect army to show what Blitzkrieg could become.

Köln:

The Ruhr's Red Army Platoon headed by Otto was going to the headquaters of the Communist. When they when they finally got near Köln it was dark. They were driving along when they saw a when they saw two guards killed. Otto when over and saw them dead. He called to men over to search the house. When they walked over near the house they saw the sentry tower with another dead guy. Otto wondered what the hell happened here. He looked to see the house's door open. He reconzied the house as von Schleicher's. They saw a young officer cadet on the floor. The officer must of been no younger than 18. Otto went up to the officer and checked his pulse. He was still alive. Otto told the men to carry him back to the truck and to treat his wound. Otto knew that the man could still be kept alive because it was only a wound to the stomack. Otto's men took the young officer and Otto closed the doors behind him. When he got back to the truck the young officer was in the back being treated by a doctor. The doctor was taken out the bullet. Otto got in the front and told the driver to get to the communist HQ in Köln. After a couple of miles they finally got to the HQ. Otto got out and knocked on the door to the HQ. The truck was waiting too.

Duesseldorf International Airport

Dawn was just breaking as the trucks and BA-15 pulled up onto the deserted runway. They had driven for hours to make it this far, as the further away from Köln they were, the better.

The door of the armoured car was opened, letting morning light flood over the captive. Elisabeth had stopped screaming after an hour, knowing no-one could hear her, but as the door opened, she began shouting for help again. A rough hand was clasped over her mouth; she bit down hard, and her assailant drew his hand away in agony, blood trickling down his wrist. Elisabeth lept to her feet and was about to run when she heard the sound of a Luger pistol being primed behind her.

"Don't move," said Erich, raising the gun to aim at the back of her head. "You are to come with me."

Two soldiers turned the general's wife round and pushed her towards an aeroplane waiting on the runway. It looked like a Fokker FVII passenger aircraft, its triple engines gently humming.

"Get on," ordered Erich. He didn't waste any words. As Elisabeth climbed the gangway, he kept the pistol aimed at her the whole time and followed her up. They were taking no chances: there were six more guards on the plane, all armed.

She heard the whir of the propellors rise, and with a jolt, the plane began to move and gather speed as it hurtled down the runway. The landing gear lifted off, the nose of the plane tilted upwards, and suddenly they were airborne. But out of the windows, she caught a glimpse of two I5 fighter biplanes, one either side, and her heart dropped. Escape was impossible.

The horses squealed as the cavalrymen pulled on the reins of their horses. The rythmic beating of their hooves stopped abruptly. The only sounds now where the odd crack of rifle fire in front, the faint nose of metal grinding on metal and the sounds of battle in the town behind them.

One of the soldiers, had stopped, while the rest rode ahead, and scanned the area via a pair of binoculars. He had obersved the communists shifting position with the MG's, and had sounded a halt. Now, the horses breathed hard, and shook their heads every so often as the Officers debated what to do.

The men decided to move ahead, the horses at a gallop. As they came into a difilade before the MG's, they halted, the communists hadn't seen them yet. The frontrunners pulled crude looking smoke grenades from their belts and tossed around ten of them up high. They heard the hiss of the canisters and then the bounce on concrete. The communists began to shout about Gas, and then a bugle sounded amongst the cavalry and they shot off into the smoke, the communists scared and unable to see.

200 Heavy horses and Cavalry soldiers, brandishing pistols and swords barelled down upon the bridge, ready to cut and shoot their way through the sea of traitors.

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In the city proper, around 10,000 Stalhelm had pulled back south of the city and were busy digging trenches and fortifications under Machine Gun and Armoured Car protection. All in all 15 Armoured Cars, 3 trucks and around 350 men had been killed, with a further 100 wounded.

The main Stalhelm forces had been split down the middle. But that wasn't as bad as the communists believed. They had been trying to set up defences for hours, harried constantly by small mortars and snipers. An attack by around 3000 men was launched on the central communist position, trying to break through to the other Stalhelm lines, hopefully they would slice their way through.

OOC: The paratroopers have set up defences on a bridge over the River Elbe, so that they can be attacked only from one direction.

IC:

Hamburg

As the central attack bisected the Stahlhelm forces, a new wave was launched against the communist flank. The soldiers struggled to hold the line: their commanders had set clear goals as to what land each division must hold, and by what time. Failure was not an option: for Tukhachevsky's tactics to work, the attackers must constantly have momentum.

The central division was ordered north, to attack the weaker Stahlhelm flank from behind. Machine-gun nests were hastily erected to combat the 3000 Stahlhelm in the south, while two battalions manned them and screened the movements of the main body.

Fokker Dr.1 is a good bet, the famous Red Baron drove that over a few wrecked allied planes.

IC:
As the Fokker Dr.1's were unloaded in the center of Cologne the pilots looked on. They were making sure no bumbs or scratches affected the planes. The leader of them Ersmer Timmler, was toting a pistol as he looked around for communists.
A workman looked at the man bemused, "I though you wanted to join the infantry, if so it is on the corner of Browsfaush, the recruiting office I mean."
Ersmer Timmler looked at the coolly, "If they needed someone dum and follows the orders like an ox I know who to come to."

As they bickered the unloading continued....

In the port of Hamburg, the glad to be stopped, Rheichswehr troops went over the side to retake the harbor. The little craft had a gasoline engine but was loud as thunder. The men shot at a few of the communists on the shore and when they got to the beach established a beach head along the coast.
Then they counted the dead and mourned over the dead.

OOC: I amended the above post about the Cavalry.


IC:

In the rear word was spreading fast. Supposedly some Reichswerhr troops had arrived in the enemy's rear, to try and re-take the port. This spurred on the 3000 men beginning their attack. Many were cut down by MG fire, but they were mostly WW1 veterans, just a normal day for them. Unfazed they continued their charge, some stopping to shoot communists as they ran from their positions.

Behind the main lines of attack snipers worked round the clock to pick off officers and Machine Gunners attemtping to break up the Stalhelm lines.

Essen:

Otto knew that they had come to Köln for nothing, but they completed the mission. On the wait back the young officer was sleeping and resting. When they finally got back to Essen they put him in the town hospital. Otto wondered who attacked the place. He also didn't know the young officer's name. Otto had two guard and himself protect this man.

Berlin:
Reinhard saw a man with a radio. He could see him talking into a radio. Reinhard aimmed and fired. The bullet went threw the communist's head. The communist fell to the ground. Reinhard told Hans and Heinrich to find a boat. During the night they went into the boat and went to the other side. They went up to a BA-15 and got their knifes out. They opened the hatch and killed the men inside. Reinhard told Hans and Heinrich to get into the boat. Reinhard threw two grenades into the armoured cars and ran. The armoured car blew up Reinhard got into the boat and went back to the musuems.

OOC: Moorington could you tell me the name of the young officer who was shot while the communist stole Elisabeth von Schleicher.

Hamburg

At HQ, the commanders were being informed of the Reichswehr's attack on the harbour. Immediately, General Tukhachevsky radioed the Russian crusier, Aurora, which was stationed there.

"Captain, this is Tukhachevsky. We have reports of Reichswehr troops landing in the harbour using motor boats. Order them to turn around and leave the harbour - if they do not comply, blast them out the water. I am sending a battalion to reinforce our defences: the enemy will be trapped between our men and the water."

River Elbe

The paratroopers were half-way to fitting their gas masks when they heard the sound of hooves on concrete. Without hesitating, the guns opened up into the smoke cloud, and the screams of wounded horses and men echoed forth. Despite the awesome stopping power of the machine-guns, a small group of cavalry managed to avoid the hail of lead, and charged headlong into the communist ranks.

OOC: Information on the cruiser Aurora (including weapons) can be found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cruiser_Aurora

Hamburg

The streaks of bullets rasped and hissed through the dense grey, acrid smoke from the grenades. The sound was defeaning, the hooves on concrete, the rattle of the poorly built Soviet MG's and the shouts and screams of men.

The 200 Cavalrymen charged head-on into the defeaning maelstrom, firing pistols at shaows and slicing through the smoke. The front runners had been cut to pieces and then some. Their bodies lay as hurdles on the run up to the bridge, other horses chasing shakily over dead bodies of men and horses, some men even falling off, but continuing the attack on foot.

The MG's were easy to spot, the flames from the barrels making huge targets. Once the MG's went silent and almost eery calm fell over the place. The odd pisto, and rifle shot went off here and there, dead bodies of both sides now appeared. The horsemen sat still, silent in the stirrups.

A sabre was pointed forward in the gloom and they charged down the bridge. They were shot at and collided heavily with the retreating lines of communists, hacking them to pieces, sabres into the backs of retreating traitors. There would be no mercy, they would chase them and run them into the ground, now they didn't have their precious Machine Guns.

Lesser troops may have turned and ran, but the Third Hamburger Company was renowned as one of the toughest in the Anti-Fascist Front. Now that the Maxim guns had been lost, the soldiers knelt and fired round after round from their DP-28s into the mass of horses and men.

In the midst of the confusion, came the shout, "Werfen Handgrenade!" A series of booming explosions pierced the smoke, as shrapnel tore apart the bodies of those unfortunate enough to be nearby. As light began to shine through the smoke, it revealed heaps of dead cavalry and soldiers, yet the overworked light machine guns began to jam and overheat. They had not been intended for such continuous fire.

So, at once, the paratroopers switched to bayonets, pistols and knives. Through the chaos, they moved quickly among the frightened horses, stabbing their riders and firing shots into the broken formation of the Stahlhelm.

Sadly, it was not enough. Only a fraction of the cavalry company remained, but they soon surrounded the surviving paratroopers, and cut swathes with their sabres among them. The huddled men threw their hands above their heads and shouted their surrender.

As the fighting subsided, one sapper broke rank from the captured paratroopers, making for the guard box at the end of the bridge. A rifle shot cracked through the air, and a bullet hit the man in the back. He stumbled and fell into the guard box, and as he did so, the sapper pushed two wires together. An ear-splitting explosion resounded from the Elbe valley beneath the bridge, as masonry began to fall; and as the shocked Stahlhelm looked on, the bridge collapsed into the waters below. The Third Company may have been defeated, but at least they had completed their mission first.

A few of the Officers cursed loudly as they saw the bridge go up in a pile of smoke and broken masonry, landly haphazardly in the murky waters below.

They had battled hard, and retained their rear area, their mission was complete, there were other bridges, and shallow crossings, heavily garrisoned by Stalhelm, in the grand scheme of things one bridge didn't matter much, but it still pissed off the Cavalry who had fought and lost freinds for such a cowardly thing to happen, typical of the communists.

Nevertheless, the prisoners would pay the price. At the tip of sabres the Cavalry marched the 20 odd communist survivors back into a forest a mile or so away. They came upon Liutenant Nunen, and a few survivors, some injured and resting. A shock trooper got up, pointed to the communists and ran flat out toward one with a trench knife, driving it deep into the bastards stomach. The rebel, taken by surprised, coughed up dark blood, while the shock trooper looked on, murder in his eyes.

The other prisoners, shocked at this, turned around, expecting some sort of sympathy from the cavalry, but they got none.

A few of the traitors were set aside, made to watch their freinds being executed one by one, either by sabre or pistol as the Cavalry took their time. A few of the soldiers wet themselves before they died. Something expected of men before the knife.

The three men left alive had the letter 'T' cut into their stomachs with trench knives and were tied up behind a truck, and were kicked and beaten for hours before they were led back toward the bridge. They were shoved across at a shallow point, into the hands of more Stalhelm.

Two of them were hung in the early morning, from factory windows, high up where the communist brass could see what Germany did to traitors, and what awaited the rest of them.

The lone survivor was sent scurrying back into the rubble, tied up, bruised and stumbling. A note hung around his neck read, SURRENDER OR DIE.

It was almost mid-day when a communist lookout spotted a lone soldiers stumbling across the rubble. Medics rushed to tend the man's wounds, as he fainted from pain and exhaustion. He was immediately rushed back to HQ for emergency treatment and questioning.

As the general was too busy commanding the ongoing attack, the paratrooper was met by a senior aide, by the name of Wilhelm Zaisser. No-one in Hamburg knew his true purpose, as the new director of the KRAFT secret police. As the man's injuries were bandaged, he began to question him.

"Name?" Wilhelm asked softly.

"Sergeant Timpe," the paratrooper croaked through blood-stained lips.

"Can you recount the mission?"

Despite his agonies, the man dutifully reported every detail to Zaisser, who began to make notes. The police director did not interrupt until the soldier had finished.

"I see. I have just one more question: can you tell me what the cavalry lieutenant looked like?"

Closing his eyes, Sergeant Timpe described Nunen's grim, hard looks. It was a great testimony to his memory that he managed to describe the lieutenant's appearance so accurately, and when he finished, exhausted from the effort, Zaisser silently left the room.

"I want photos of his injuries and of the two soldiers we found hanging," he told an aide standing outside the room. "Send them to the Commissariat for Popular Education; I will want copies here too. Notify the printers for an order of posters - we cannot let this propaganda opportunity pass."

As the aide saluted and turned to go, Zaisser called him back. "From the sergeant's description, the Stahlhelm bastard responsible sounds like Lieutenant Nunen. We have files on the commissioned officers leading the attack, try to find a photo of him. I want this order relayed to all our operatives:"

WANTED: LIEUTENANT NUNEN

GUILTY OF THE EXECUTION OF ANTI-FASCIST SOLDIERS. SHOOT ON SIGHT.

As Zaisser watched the aide go, he was tapped on the shoulder by a man he instantly recognised as one of KRAFT's thugs. The man whispered in his ear.

"Von Schleicher's wife had arrived: her plane touched down at the airport ten minutes ago. They're bringing her here by armoured car."

A smile slithered across Zaisser's thin, tight lips. "Well then," he said with glee. "Let's prepare the cellar for our guest."

Hamburg:

The three ships started shelling the immediate area around the beachhead and the Rheichswehr troops added their fire to the din. The communist forces started to go down all over the place. Though well trained the communists were not accustomed to having well regulated fire and tactics of a real military force. The Rheichswehr troops advanced through the wharfs and warehouses as heavy urban fighting ripped through the docks. As this continued more troops were off loaded and brought out some of their smaller infantry support weapons; mortars, machine guns, even a few panzerfausts. These helped considerably but the fighting was still mostly regulated to making every single building into a rubble pile before getting on the continue.

Cologne:

The Fokher Dr.1's were flying in the sky and establishing an area of protection around Cologne. Also the new factory was making new parts for now another factory going up. So by now the Rheichswehr had about 200 trucks and about 100 armored cars ready to go into the fight. Some disturbing news though was the kidnaping of the General's wife, she was not considered a liable target but as Shliecher said to the men, "If we were fighting a real military I would be surprised". With that the men were encouraged but at the same time the SDA formed another platoon on Cologne with the sole task of getting the General's wife back into safe hands.

Bavaria:

The SDA went about the usual tasks and it's new orders were to see fi they could build another regiment out of Bavaria for the Rheichswehr and to start the construction of an railroad line and an airport. This would be a Rheichswehr area of importance and hopefully begin the retaking of Bavaria back into the fold.

Von Homer:

Walking through the plush corn belt, though not as plush as most years most farmers assured him, he could still not get over seeing something o alive after Berlin. He was actually quite glad he didn’t have to pick off the communists one by one or even see another communists. But he always had a good impression of their handy work anywhere he went in Bavaria. He still of course had his old trusty rifle well oiled and ready to do more campaigns then he was willing, but it was not needed. If a communists would show either the farmers or the Italians would get them first. (Are the Italians in Bavaria?). He was here to do mostly peace keeping missions and the recent orders were the only to have to do anything with a military objective in mind He was to get a good design from the Italian wreckage of tanks and any Soviet tanks and hope to have something marketable at the end of this adventure. For the Rheichswehr tanks were mdein the Soviet Union and no factory in the Weimar Republic even new what a tank was. He continued walking along the long and dusty, but still green road.

OOC: No Italians in Bavaria, some in Essen, mostly all in Berlin.

IC:

In Hamburg the attacks continued night and day. The Stalhelm, hardened warriors of a world war, were steady and fought bravely. The communists, mostly farm-workers, labourers and youngsters didn't put up much of a fight without their MG's and Tanks, which were being taken out by trench mortars, rockets and snipers.

Another attack was launched outside of the main Stalhelm lines, sending 5000 soldiers plunging into the outskirts of the city, heading down to the harbour quarter to support incoming Army troops.

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In Munich someone important had arrived. So important it drew Theodor Duesterberg all the way from outside Berlin to Munich, the de-facto capital of Germany, as Italy, Britain, France, Japan and the US did not recognise the pitiful little 'Government' thrown up in the ruins of Berlin.

Duesterberg stood, in his best uniform, medals spread across his chest, helmet polished with sheen, in the middle of the courtyard of the now expansive Stalhelm base. The motorcade arrived, flanked by Italian and Stalhelm armoured cars, all cleaned up for the occasion. A Stalhelm honor guard stood by, as well as a military band.

They struck up the German national anthem as Kaiser Wilhelm II rose up out of the Mercedez Benz and took the fervoured salute of the honor guard.

Duesterberg bowed deeply as the stately royal approached. He was told to rise and the Kaiser, looking older yet more graceful, shook his hand.

The Kaiser, still relatively young when compared with men lik Hindenburg, was dressed in a red trimmed grey fieldcoat and wore a typical Germanic Army helmet, with the golden spike replaced with an eagle, wings out-stretched.

Outside the two men could hear people cheering and shouting for the Kaiser.

The stone walls of the base provided an excellent balcony for the scheduled speech. Duesterberg went up to greet the crowd first. The plaza was ringed by Stalhelm, police roamed the crowd.

Theodor went up to the balcony and stood while the crowd quieted. "People of Germany, I give you the Kaiser."

The crowd exploded with adulation. Many in Bavaria had deeply supported the Kaiser, like the majority of Germans. He had fled for his life because of liberals and communists. He had been betrayed by them. Now he was back, and his people let him know how they missed their strong nation.

The Kaiser gracefully looked over the crowd for what seemed like an age before they finally fell silent. He began to speak, his great oratorical skills showing from the outset.

"Freinds! Countrymen! GERMANS! For almost 15 years i have lived in exile from my beloved land, the land of our glorious ancestry. I have watched as vile, evil forces from the East vie to take over our land, OUR LAND. From the west i watched as they bargained our land away to peasants in the East. But now, our fortunes have changed. The west is supporting Germany in her time of need, as the East vies to take over our country. Our Italian cousins, that you see today, are helping to re-take our land, to make it strong again. I hear the traitorous reds in Berlin have set up a Government, WITH WHAT AUTHORITY...STALINS? IS STALIN GERMAN? We are Germans, we are patriots, and we will save our country. From today i declare Munich the new capital of Germany, until we can re-take Berlin from the enemy. I will take the reins of power in Germany, and I tell you freinds, I will make us strong once more." The Kaiser took the applause of the crowd as Duesterberg looked on, smiling.

Aurora, Hamburg Harbour

Their warnings unheeded by the Reichswehr, the guns of the Russian cruiser opened fire, starting a series of deep, reverberating explosions. The great 152mm shells tore the vulnerable landing craft into matchsticks, while heavy machine guns strafed any soldiers who had made it onto land. As a torpedo destroyed a flimsy Reichsmarine ship, sending a spray flecked with shrapnel soaring into the air, the dark waters were blanketted with the flotsam of battle.

Hamburg Town Hall

"What was that?"

A fearful silence had fallen over the commanders at the sound of the cruiser's guns. Tukhachevsky smiled to himself.

"Nothing but the sound of victory, comrades. Those are the Aurora's guns."

The command room breathed a collective sigh of relief, and gradually went back to their duties. Despite the loss of the paratroopers, the assault was going well: in most places, the battle had been taken out into the countryside, where the tanks were less vulnerable to ambush. The Reichswehr landing, however, could prove a problem. The town hall was fewer than 2km from the harbour, and so two battalions of fresh volunteers had been sent to quell the attack. He still had a division in reserve, should the worst come to the worst.

Suddenly, there was a commotion at the entrance to the operations room. Two men - one of them he recognised as an aide, the other he did not know - were pushing a screaming woman down the stairs to the cellar. The general made a move to intervene, but found himself staring into the face of the aide.

"Stay out of this, Tukhachevsky. Get back to your command station," Zaisser spat at him. The three disappeared into the cellar, but the noise of muffled screams and sobs were audible through the floor.

TO: The traitor, General von Schleicher
FROM: Wilhelm Zaisser, The Commission for Revolutionary Anti-Fascist Activities

"General",
As you have broken your end of the deal by failing to make the Italians leave, we have taken your wife as retribution. If you want to see her again - alive - the fascist dogs of the Italian Army must leave our land within 72 hours. Failure to comply will result in her execution. Any rescue attempt will result in execution. The clock is ticking.

Hamburg:

The three ships moved into position to begin a eavy bombardment and while getting inpostion continued to provide covering support for the restricted beach head the ever depleting fleet of floatables. The forces on the coast were extending deeper but not wider. In this pell mel confusion a mostar team set up and began to fire off rounds around them. Adding to the confusion too was a new weapon caled the panzerfaust which shot a small grenade shaped to explode forward but not behind or to the ides. These caused flying masonery and bodies as the beachead was put through it's trial.

Hamburg

The tanks were coming, right were the Stalhelm wanted them, in the open.
They were pushing outside the city, into the surrounding fields and flatlands, right where the Stalhelm had their trenches, heavily mined of course.

The tanks began to appear one by one, Stalhelm soldiers layed down carpets of small mortars on the fields, drawing the attention of the tanks to the giant gash in the surrounding fields, their professionally dug trenches.

The tanks formed into an arrowhead attack and began rumbling over the hard-packed bumpy ground toward the trenches. They picked up speed and the Stalhelm gunners jumped down into the trenches, making sure their helmets were tight on their heads. Thousands of soldiers lined the trenches and waited for the sound of sucess.

Right on queue the ground shook and reverberated with the sound of explosions and twisting, burning metal and exploding ammunition.

Many communist tanks had stumbled right into the minefield, their tracks and undersides being blown clean off, the crews bailing out and succumbing to sniper fire from the town and trenches.

As other tanks retreated they were caught by rocket and mortar rounds. The fields were, in the space of only fifteen minutes, littered with bodies and hulks of charred metal.

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Hamburg

The 5000 Stalhelm were moving well on the flanks, careful not to engage the enemy too much to give away their plan. They came within view of the harbour and stopped abruptly as they heard the heavy guns from the Aurora. The CO immediately got on the radio and told HQ of the situation, a bomber force from Munich was hastily being launched to turn the battleship into driftwood.

The soldiers pushed on, hoping to capture the harbour.

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Near Munich

The SM.81 bombers lifted heavily into the sky, their cargo waying them down slightly. All 20 of the elegant looking bombers were off the ground within half an hour, followed by 20 G.50 and 10 Fiat fighters. The entire group began racing for Hamburg and the baltic port.

"Our Stahlhelm friends have been busy," remarked Tukhachevsky as he listened to the radio report from the front. "Our scouts have driven straight into a minefield. There is no option but to retreat."

A shocked silence followed. One of the officers began to stammer his objection. "But general...we have taken so much ground, we cannot retreat now..." the man gulped.

"Those are my orders: the tanks in the countryside are to withdraw at full speed, back to the edge of the city. You, flight commander - what's going on with these planes that have been spotted over Weimar?"

"They would appear to be Italian fighters and bombers, heading in our direction."

"Then scramble our planes; the pilots have had plenty time to rest," the general answered briskly. "And another thing - I want four reserve battalions brought in to defend the harbour. See to it."

As Tukhachevky left, the command room was filled with a tangible air of shock and disappointment. Relunctantly, one radioman relayed the general's orders to the tank crews.

Hamburg:

As the Rheichswehr troops were hammered by the communists ship the other three cruisers finally set the traitorous ship in their sights. With a swoosh 8 guns opened up at the communists ship and immidilty went about shooting everything at her. On and the Rheichswehr had finally gotten out of their little boats and were making headway, their training was paying off in the urban combat for i was heavy casualties with good command and guns. The communists did not give up, the Rheichswehr troops were always forced to literally blow up the house and the area of 10 meters around then hopefully cleaned the house out with 20 troops. If not a communists troops were appear later and kill a few medics or officers to die in a blaze of glory.

Bavaria:

The work on the rail station was starting up and the crew was about finished with the foundations's. The airport was still being surveyed and the rail line itself was being built out here so that by the time the rail station would end so would the rail line.

Hamburg

The men in the trenches began to cheer as the tanks withdrew. Stalhelm rushed from the flanks of the tanks, from nearby buildings, throwin Molotov cocktails and crude explosive devices on to the hastily reatreating monsters. Some blew up and were abandoned by their frightened crews, some were taken prisoner, others fled. Other tanks rolled away into the city, behind their lines, burning like a piece of coal under so many Molotov Cocktails.

The 5000 Stalhelm were within 1 mile of the harbour, they could see the Aurora anchored off the shore, getting pounded by smaller guns from Kreigsmarine ships. They could see Reichswerhr soldiers storming along the piers at the port, fighting hand to hand with communists, some falling off into the water, still fighting as they vied for air in the murky waters of the port.

The 5000 men began their attack from a farmhouse overlooking the harbour area of town, leaving around 20 snipers and three Maxim MG's to cover their advance as they screamed down the hill, over-running communist postions from behind, pushing in towards the port.

Just outside Hamburg the sky was alive with planes, dipping and looping, firing round after round at each other, trying to knock the enemy out of the sky. The bigger SM.81 bombers fired multiple MG's from the sides and top, the Italian fighters, lighter and more agile than the lumbering Soviet planes, outmanouvred them, but not without many casualties.

Several bombers were downed, along with 10 Fighters. The communist planes were still giving chase over the city, as the bombers dropped their ordnance over the Aurora's position, whil some bombers dropped their ordnance on the town hall. Only seven bombers made it out of Hamburg, and only 19 Fighters, still being given chase by communist fighters, who had also taken a beating.

Aurora, Hamburg Harbour

The deck was filled with screaming sailors as the cruiser began to pitch alarmingly. Shells and bombs had punched a hole in the hull, and the ship was rapidly taking water. The six-hundred-strong crew were manning the lifeboats, while a few of the bravest continued at their stations, firing their AA guns at the Italian bombers overhead.

"Captain!" yelled the first mate. "We must give the order to abandon ship."

The captain paid no attention. He was fixed on the German ships moving into the harbour.

"That cruiser is the Köln," the captain remarked flatly. "She's at the entrance to the harbour: if we can sink her, the other ships won't be able to come any closer."

The first mate was already ahead of him, calling on the torpedo room. Seconds later, a torpedo streaked towards the Köln, leaving behind a hissing white wake. Meanwhile, the crew of the Aurora jumped overboard, deserting their stricken ship.

Hamburg Town Hall

Several furious officers, dismayed at the retreat, burst into Tukhachevsky's office only to find him radioing a pilot.

"Can you repeat the movements of the Stahlhelm, please," they heard the Russian general say calmly, as the attack was in chaos. He then unhurriedly said goodbye and turned to the officers, holding a scrap of paper.

"A kind Po-2 pilot has told me of the Stahlhelm movements as they attempt to follow our tanks. Relay them to the front line commanders: we now know the path through the minefield. Counter-attack, and force those bastards over their own mines."

Reichsbank, Duesseldorf

The bank's printers worked day and night, filling the grand building with the constant noise of machinery at work. Fifty printing firms had been brought in to fill the latest order: every hour of every day, the Reichsbank printed millions of paper Reichmark notes. Commissioned by none other than the federal bank, they were indistinguishable from any other banknote, and trucks arrived round the clock to transport them across the country.

It had been part of Walter Ulbricht's plan. Within days, the German economy would be flooded with worthless Reichmarks, valued at less than the paper they were printed on. It would be a crisis on the scale of 1924, when hyperinflation destroyed savings for thousands of families, reparations went unpaid and workers received worthless paper in exchange for hours of toil.

Then, the communist government would be the saviour. A new currency, the Volksmark, was being planned by the People's Commissariat. In a few weeks, it would replace the devalued Reichsmark. It would be a great stroke. The liquid assets of the Stahlhelm and other enemies of the Socialist Republic would be worthless, and the communist government would hold the reins of the economy.

Hospital, Essen:
The young cadet had been getting better and started to talk, but lost all his memory. Otto didn't tell the young boy about his old job. The young cadet was going to be a citizen in Essen known as Alfred. It would be a couple of more days before he got out of the hospital.


Berlin, Germany:
Reinhard was very bored in this musuem. During his free time he looked in the basement to look at records. Hans and Heinrich killed at least twenty communist each so far. On a radio they found in the basement they heard about the fierce fighting in Hamburg. One night Reinhard set up a trip wire to five mines in the road. The next day a T-26 went by and was blown to pieces. The men tried to get out but Reinhard shot the men before they could get out. So far the communist hadn't sent that much to this area.

Munich, Bavaria

Theodor as talking with the dressed down Kaiser over a meal of venison and potatoes, with sauerkraut. They were both drinking nicely sweet German wine and discussing the strange, and somewhat inexplicable rising inflation.
Theodor spoke up about the situation, "Naturally, Wilhelm, I moved all the Stalhelm's assets into US Dollars and British Pounds, we also have some in gold in Switzerland, so naturally the crisis, if it grows, will not affect us. But I'm worried about the marks over all. We have an old Imperial Mint in Munich, perhaps we could create a new currency, and stockpile it in case?"

The Kaiser thought about the idea for a second, he took a sip of his wine and went back to cutting a piece of venison. "My dear Theodor, thats an excellent idea. I'll put forward the money to set up the operation. We'll call the new note the Duestchemark."

"Excellent, I'll get it started in the morning, and begin trying to stockpile it safely. By the way, did you hear about General Von Schleicher's wife?"

"Yes, I did actually. Awful business that, who knows what those barbarians are doing to that fine woman. I met her a few times, when I presented medals to Von Schliecher. I'll send him a telegram, he's in Bavaria, I wonder if he would like to come and talk with us?"

Theodor slushed the wine in his glass before downing it. "Indeed, that would be an excellent idea."

TELEGRAM

TO: General Kurt Von Schleicher, Bavaria
FROM: Kaiser Wilhelm II, Munich, Bavaria


My dear General,
It has be brought to my attention that very recently your dear wife was kidnapped by traitorous bastards in the middle of the night, as she slept. This dishonourable act just goes to show the treachery of the communists.
As you know I am now the Kaiser of Germany once more, and I would much appreciate if you could visit me in Munich, we have much to discuss.

Regards,

Kaiser Wilhelm II

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Hamburg

Planes buzzed about overhead, catching the attention of the Stalhelm in the trenches. They watched as their comrades were driven back into the outskirts of the minefield, some being blown to pieces. But the communists didn't have the manpower. Thousands of men opened fire from the trenches with MG's, rifles, rockets and small mortars. The Stalhelm soldier's retreating broke their lines and used the resulting cover fire to dodge into buildings and outflank the enemy as they attempted to over-run the minefield.

But the sheer amount of fire from the well defended trenches was phoenomenal. Wave after wave of communist was cut to pieces. Most had never experienced the trenches, the Stalhelm had and they had held off British and French advances for nearly four years, a bunch of communist traitors was just an entree.

Communist soldiers began to try and flee, into buildings and into ditches where they were met with withering fire from surrounding buildings and snipers in hedgerows. If the communists continued to attack the bodies would soon start to pile over one another.

-

At the port the Stalhelm attack was going well. They had taken the communists completely by surprise as most were concentrating on the advancing Reichswehr troops. The Aurora was keeling over to one side as men frantically rowed for the shore, trying to avoid the Maxim guns firing into the port from the farmhouses overlooking the area.

The 5000 Stalhelm men had burst into the harbour area directly behind the communist lines, still concentrating on repelling the ferociously angry Reichswerhr. The Stalhelm began to make short work of the overstretches communist lines, moving in with bayonets drawn.

When the tanks had counter-attacked, they had caught the Stahlhelm line in chaos, as men had broken rank to pursue the fleeing vehicles. Now, they had mown them down, while others ran wildly into their own minefield, and the tankette scouts began to lay out markers through the sea of mines.

After an infantry attack failed to break the front line, the T-26s were sent in. Stahlhelm machine-gunners watched in dismay as their bullets rattled harmlessly off the inch-thick steel armour, and the powerful 45mm guns of the tanks opened up. Those foolhardy enough to remain at their MGs were blown to pieces by high-explosive shells.

A flurry of smoke grenades were thrown into the trenches, followed by a charge of furious recruits pouring over the parapets. They shot and stabbed their way through the trenches, as mist from the smoke grenades clung to the damp walls. They would face bittter hand-to-hand fighting to take the trenches, but the assault vehicles were needed elsewhere. Thirty T-26, protected by scouts in BT-2s, headed north, hoping to catch the Stahlelm attacking the harbour in the rear.

Berlin City Palace, Museumsinsel

"And that, comrades, concludes the ongoing success of Operation Bear."

A wave of applause greeted Walter Ulbricht as he finished the latest briefing to his staff. Communist operatives had been buying all the weapons and supplies they could with the new banknotes and exchanging them into gold and US dollars, before hyperinflation took over. They had been forced to act quickly: the Reichsbank was reporting inflation of up to 300% already. Unfortunately, informers had told him that the Stahlhelm had managed to convert their assets to foreign currencies in time, but he was content in the knowledge that the old government would soon be bankrupted.

Suddenly, a fireball burst into the air across the street. Pistols drawn, three officers ran to the window, only to catch a glimpse of a couple of soldiers lying moaning on the ground beside the burning wreckage of their T-26.

"Guards!" Ulbricht yelled. "Search the area! Use the sewers and the back alleyes, but for God's sake don't show yourself in the open."

Two lieutenants saluted, murmuring, "Of course, comrade," and ran out the door, shouting to their repective platoons.

Hamburg

The trenches, a zig-zagging muddy mess of wood, supplies and bodies.
Just as the tanks were seemingly being repelled the lines of Stalhelm in the flanks were broken and the minefield breached. Now it was up to the 5000 men in the trenches to hold of an attack.

Smoke engulfed the trenches, acrid and dry. The men in the trenches donned gas masks and set about their plans with punash. The tanks, now retreating to go elsewhere were caught in between buildings as they backed away from the trenches. Stalhelm soldiers in a trench bunker threw down a plunger and a thunderous explosion rocked the ground as nearby buildings were blown apart, the tanks being buried under huge chunks of solid concrete.

As the front trenches were breached and the communists piled in the Stalhelm retreated, and another two plungers were set off, causing the foremost trenches to literally dissappear in a cloud of fire and dust as mines were remote detonated with much TNT.

Some Stalhelm soldiers, retreating, were caught in the explosions, but the majortiy had made it to the fallback positions and now 2000 of them erupted from trench bunkers and charged across the trenches, bayonetting and shooting communists stumbling around in the smoke, dazed and shellshocked.

The battle was over, the persistence of the communists had been their undoing once more.

Berlin,Germany:

Reinhard saw the men come out and stayed low to see what they were going to do. He had his rifle ready to get a shot off. Then he saw a head pop out. He aimmed and fired. The man's brains flew out. The man fell on the ground. He had the uniform of a lieutenant. Reinhard had killed a lieutenant so that means a whole platoon was out there. He put his sniper rifle down and was going to wait until the platoon left.

Reichsbank, Duesseldorf:

Wilhelm and his two right hand men were getting out of a car. They were walking up the steps. Wilhelm Diesmann had answered Walter Ulbricht to take the job of Minister of Economy. He had answered yes and wanted to few the Reichsbank in his terrritory. Wilhelm went inside and went up to a guard. "I demand to speak to the superior officer here. I'm Wilhelm Diesmann Minister of Economy." The guard ran off to go get the superior officer. Wilhem and his two guards looked around. They wanted to see the new money of Germany. The officer came out and walked toward Wilhelm.

Munich, Bavaria

The new notes, fresh of the press, were being eagerly photographed in an expertly choreoghraphed press event. Reporters from the USA, UK, France, Italy, Austria, Japan, Spain, Canada and Australia were present for the event.

The Kaiser and Theodor Duesterberg, both in their finery, flanked by masses of bodyguards, who also ringed the entire room and mingled with the reporters, stood behind a podium as the frenzied reporters vied to take pictures of the new German currency. An Italian Army Officer also stood in the room, next to and Italian Economic Monitor, giving respectability to the whole event.

After a short while the Kaiser, the new Sovereign of the German State stood and appealed for quiet while his picture was taken numerous times. The microphones on the podium bore a whole range of letters, from ABC to BBC.
He began.

"Today is a new day for Germany. I have officially approved a new currency for the country to alleviate the suffering we are going through. The communists, currently under siege in Hamburg and Berlin, have sought to destroy our economy by flooding it with Reichsmarks, well they didn't think through. They may have control of the Reichsbank in Dusseldorf, although not for very much longer, we have control of the second largest mint in Germany. The new Reichsmark will enter circulation from tomorrow and denominations will be changed and organised at local banks. I would ask my fellow Germans to be patient. Do not race to the bank tomorrow, the notes take time to print and move, but they will come, I assure you of that.
I would also like to take this oppurtunity to address several issues surrounding this country, and my own position. The International Community, excluding the Soviet Union, has approved my position as heard of the German nation, and they have given approval for this note on the free markets. The Italian Government is supported in its gracious intervention on behalf of Germany, The communists only have support from the USSR, and what good is that when real Germans have the support of the rest of the world? My freinds, Germany is entering a new age, a strong age...let us enter it together."

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Museumsinsel, Berlin

Katten made his way slowly to Reinhard's position, taking cover and stopping every time he heard a rifle. He tapped Reinhard on the back and began to talk while he still searched for targets. [I]"Sergeant, those troops out there, I think they are from the red HQ. I think you were near it last night when you destroyed that armoured car. Do you think we could get close enough to get a bomb into building.

Reichsbank

Moments later, the guard reappeared with a spectacled clerk, who extended a hand to Wilhelm Diesmann.

"I'm Comrade Mengel; I'm director of the Reichsbank. Can I help you, comrade minister?"

Hamburg

An unfortunate radioman relayed the bad news to Tukhachevsky, who remained silent throughout. At least a dozen tanks had been taken out of action for the time being, buried under tonnes of concrete and soil, and two entire companies had been wiped out.

"Very well," the general said at length. "The Stahlhelm have destroyed their front line of trenches: they should be vulnerable to artillery fire. I want mortarmen to barrage their positions, and our troops can set up defences under their covering fire. Do not advance, keep your positions."

He sighed, and turned to the window facing the harbour. Even this far away, the gunfire was still audible. "Send the remaining attack vehicles up to the harbour, and I want the two divisions that have signed up today to reinforce our troops there. All planes that are still ready for action, I want in the air now."

Official response to the Stahlhelm conference


The People's Commissariat is the only true and legitimate government of Germany. It is the only body which represents the interests and beliefs of the German proletariat, rather than the aristocracy or foreign imperialists. The Stahlhelm's fake government and their puppet Kaiser are dedicated to restoring the monarchy which ruined the country with endless wars and censored our people. But it lacks legitimacy, it lacks the support of the German people, and it will fail.

Long live the Socialist Republic of Germany,
Walter Ulbricht.

Hamburg


Mortar fire rained down on the rougly 5000 men left in the trenches. It was incessant, but laughable compared to what they had already gone through in 1914-1918. Their trenches were built so that the walkways were visible and were disintegrating under the artillery, but where the men stayed was diagonally under the ground, and heavily structured and padded out. Sure it was wet, there was dust and it was noisy as hell, but they'd give the communists another bloody nose if they tried to attack again.

(OOC: The Germans built their trenches differently than most people think, it was so British Artillery could not actually kill the men, rather it just pounded away above them. Look for diagrams on the internet.)



A sniper, on a farm above the city, picking off Officer's as they wandered into the streets, could see pilots rushing from their bunkers, obviously planning to take off later in the day. He got on his radio immediately.


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Munich, Bavaria

20 SM.81 Bombers, followed by 30 G.50 and 30 Fiat Fighters lifted off the expansive runway and clambered up into the sky, heading once more for Hamburg.

At a second press conference later on in the day the Kaiser was showcasing his plans for the future of the German Government when an over-eager reporter slammed a piece of paper down in front of the great man. It was the communist response to their actions earlier in the day.

The Kaiser read it and laughed, then passing it to Theodor, addressed the assembled reporters.

"My freinds, as I was explaining to you just now, I don't plan to rule Germany any more than the communists claim to be nice men. At the moment, yes, the International Community and the League of Nations has given me a silent mandate to rule the country until this nasty insurgency is crushed and order restored. The League, on the other hand, as well as the International Community, has blasted the tactics of the communists and the USSR mercilessly, and rightfully so. They claim government, yet they control only one town and one city. That is hardly a country, nor can it be needing of a Government. The German people know their facts and their history, it was the communists, with the support of the USSR that rebelled against an elected government, and now they claim they 'represent' the German people. I'll tell you, they represent a bunch of lazy, parasitic workers in Berlin and Hamburg, not Germany, not by any stretch of the imagination. Once this rebellion is over, Germany will become a de-facto Monarchy, and I will not be in charge. A Government of the people, by the people will be. But a Government of rebels is certainly not representative of the tens of millions of Germans not in Hamburg and Berlin. And to further re-iterate my point, the Stalhelm are granted full Emergency Police Powers, and I throw open the doors to recruitment. Now, if you will excuse me Gentlemen, I have a country to run, and two towns to save."

Reichsbank:

"I'm Wilhelm Diesmann the Minister of Economy. I have come to inspect this place and also have a look at this new currency. And I don't want to bother you but I would also like a tour." Wilhelm looked at Mr.Mengel.


Berlin:

Reinhard looked at Lt.Katten. He didn't know he got so close to the red HQ. " I will accept this mission Lt.Katten and I will not fail." Reinhard looked at Katten and saw him leave. Reinhard was going to succed with this mission. Since being the head of the Ruhr's Red Army army he had seent the inside of Berlin Palace. Also he could say he was coming from Essen from orders of Minister of Economy Diesmann. Reinhard had kept a letter from Wilhelm saying to let him in. All Reinhard need with him was a uniform and he knew were he would find one. During the night he went up to the dead lieutatant buried him and stole his uniform. The next day he dressed up in the Lt.'s uniform and told Hans to come with him with the Thompson he stole from the Lt. Hans packed some ammo for his Thompson and a couple of bombs. Reinhard loaded his Luger and put it in his holster. He made his way to the Berlin City Palace and went inside. He went up to a desk and said. "I'm Lt. Reinhard head of the Army in the Ruhr area. Here are the orders from Diesmann. I have come to talk to someone about the condition of the Ruhr's Red Army. I demand to speak to one of your top generals."

Hamburg

Informant reports had confirmed that Italian fighter and bombers were heading in from Munich. Tukhachevsky chuckled as he heard the news.

"I pity those poor pilots. Isn't that the third time in two days they've had to fly the length of the country? They're probably exhausted."

He faced the flight commander: "By the time they get here, we'll already have done our worst. Carry on."

Berlin City Palace

The receptionist eyed the young lieutenant standing in front of her cautiously. There were dark rings around his eyes, and the stubble on his chin told that he had not shaved for days.

"I'm afraid Walter Ulbricht is busy at the moment, but General Ernst Wollweber is free. But may I ask why a member of the Ruhr Red Army is in Berlin?"

Reichsbank

The clerk Mengel smiled nervously, and mumbled, "Of course." Accompanied by a couple of security guards, the group set off. Mengel waved his hand at a mass of printing machinery, as thousands of crisp, new sheets of notes were deposited onto a growing pile.

"We have already devoted part of the building to the printing of the new Volksmark," he shouted above the noise. "You can see some of the deisgns here: Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels, Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Liebknecht all appear on the notes. All true German socialists and patriots." He raised an eyebrow in a puzzled fashion. "The 50-mark note was set to be Lenin, but was changed to Bismarck on an order from Berlin. Our leader believes that we need to show our patriotism at this time."

They moved on, past a mountain of glinting gold coins, as a waterfall of metal Volksmarks cascaded down from one of the mints.

"Of course, without the stamp of the Reichsbank, the Stahlhelm's money is officially worthless. But we still need to give our currency dominance - we are creating a gold parity with the Volksmark, while watermarks should guard against fraud. Clara Zetkin, our Foreign Commissar, is already revising debts to be paid in Volksmarks. The currency will not be exchangeable with the Stahlhelm's new forgeries, but in a fortnight, we will begin distribution to the economic centres of Germany. Do you have any questions, Comrade Diesmann?"

OOC: Demo, just wondering how you plan on distributing the money. The Stalhelm and Reichswerhr control everywhere but Berlin and Hamburg. I haven't turned the Reichsbank into rubble for one reason, its the main German bank, and we plan to take it back. The Deuutschmark also has international approval, the Volskmark only has Russian approval. I'm thinking economics here, big time.

IC:

Munich, Bavaria

Theodor had been sitting in his room reading some Von Clausewitz when a messenger arrived with a telegram. He set down the large volume and opened the flimsy telegram.

REPUBLICA D'ITALIA

MINISTRY OF WAR AND THE ARMED FORCES

TO: Colonel Theodor Duesterberg, Munich, Germany.



Colonel,
Our Ambassador in Munich has told us recently of the trouble in Hamburg. We are glad to hear of the Aurora's destruction as that gives us a chance to retake the city by the sea. We want no trouble with the USSR, and with their ship gone we can move in.

We have decided to send in a fleet from the Atlantic. With British and French Permission it will enter the Baltic in around 48 hours. Four Cruisers, one battleship (the Littorio), one aircraft carrier and six gunboats will move into postion near Hamburg and begin attacking Communist positions in the city.
We hope this meets with the approval of the German Government.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hamburg

Troops began to assault the harbour in the early afternoon. The Stalhelm and Reichswerhr forces had managed to push the reds back and they had retreated to regroup, leaving behind only the odd sniper.

Now, however, they were using fresh troops to attack in droves. The Stalhelm had hastily blockaded the roads in several places and had set up Maxim guns in windows and behind barricades. Their bayonets were fixed as the communists came surging from buildings leading downhill to the port.

The mass of bodies was instantly sent into a crazed charge as grenades, small mortars and MG's ripped the front lines apart and began to trace their fire through the seething masses.

Some of the men were as young as 16, others were gaunt old men, limping down the road, forced into battle by an enemy who had promised them a paradise.

Some of the quicker communists reached the first barricades but were mercilessly cut down by rifle fire as they tried to get round or jump over the mass of bar stools, wooden rowing boats and hulks of automobiles and furniture. Grenades were tossed and a few Stalhelm men lay dead, blood gathering in pools on the uneven cobbles.

Some of the reds began to surrender, the old and the young.
The more quick witted of them began to retreat, following the gigantic red flag they carried with them, the bearer cut down as he turned around, no one dared pick up the flag again.

Some of the surrendering soldiers limped over the barricades, their hands behind their heads, shaking as the Stalhelm ushered them closer.

The old men and young kids were sat down on one side of the kerb, watched by a soldier with a Thompson. Middle aged men sat among them, looking angry, despite their injuries.

A Stalhelm Sergeant walked over the dozen or so wounded and said loudly, "A reward for the man or men who point out the Officers." The Sergeant removed huge blocks of Italian chocolate and rations of coffee showed them to the detainees. No one moved.

One old man moved his eyes though, to his left, at a middle aged man, balding and with round glasses. He was picked up by the Sergeant, taken to a wall and stood. The sergeant bellowed, "You are guilty of treason against the German Reich, the penalty is death." The sergeant raised his luger and blew the officer's brains out and into the wall behind him.

The detainees were stood up, sure there were no more officers present. The old man was given coffee and chocolate. The others were given mugs of stringy soup and chunks of bread. They were still scared, suspicious even of the Stalhelm from hearing about the hangings. The sergeant spoke up as he handed out bread, "You have nothing to fear from us. You are Germans. Your are our brothers. We won't make you fight, you can stay and fight with us if you wish, but your free to go. Do not go back to the enemy, they will torture you. The Stalhelm fights for Germany, with Germany. Do not fight against your motherland."

OOC: I've tried to contact the person playing France, but s/he hasn't accessed her/his nation for 9 days. I was planning to arrange a meeting between the French government and my Foreign Commissar.

IC:

Hamburg

"What are the latest reports, comrade?" Tukhachevsky asked a captain.

"The Stahlhelm and Reichswehr forces have captured most of the harbour but have suffered heavy losses: we sent a company to stop them, but we haven't heard anything for at least half an hour. We've begun work to free the trapped tanks, and there's a message from Moscow." The captain thrust a telegram into his general's hands.

Comrade Tukhachevsky,
As you know, the Cruiser Aurora is a historic Russian ship with great sentimental value STOP We have heard of its loss, and we believe that this news may have detrimental effect on morale STOP As it has been sunk within the harbour, it should be possible to re-float and repair the vessel STOP Those are your orders STOP
Commissar of Defence, Comrade Voroshilov

Tukhachevsky went pale for a while, and did not speak. This was a threat from the Kremlin: fail, and you will die. Only the long stare of the captain prompted him to answer.

"Very good, captain. Send a few platoons to investigate the loss of this company: make sure they pass through the buildings, to remain undetected." He strode off to his office before the captain could open his mouth again.

OOC: My forces and the Reichswehr have not withdrawn, they are still holding the port. The Italian ships will arrive within a day or so.

Berlin:

Reinhard looked at the receptionist. " I have come to talk to a superior officer about the training of the Ruhr's Red Army. I demand to speak to General Ernst Wollweber right now. We have traveled very far to speak to him. We have orders from the Minister of Economy to meet with him to talk about training our militia into a real army" Reinhard waited for a response while Hans looked around. Hans had his Thompson slinged around his shoulder while Reinhard held a breifcase. Reinhard hopped this work because he had a little hair going on his chin.

Reichsbank:

Wilhelm looked around he was very pleased what was happening here. "I have one question where is the gold that is going to back up the Volksmark? Also we must not have Leinin on our money because he is not German and might upset the people for having a non-german. I want a one of the bills of Karl Marx to hang in my office in Essen." Wilhelm was happy he was going to lead this new German Republic with him the head of Econmony. The Volksmark looked like a fine currency.

OOC: My forces and the Rheichswehr have not withdrawn, they are still holding the port. The Italian ships will arrive within a day or so.

In concordance with that post.

IC:

The Rheichswehr men were now ready to move on, after picking off many of the pathetic communist volunteers they were ready to get out of the densely packed landing zone, now there was a chance with some kind of medium weapons. In the stillness the Rheichswehr used their semi-perfected tactics of infiltration, and the use of pre-determined barrage points and using infantry charges on the heels of barrages. Though not to out of the book it was the best the Rheichswehr had. With a swoosh of many mortars shooting off the area around the Rheichswehr exploded and right behind the smoke was the best of the forces, quick and athletic they were equipped with some panzerfauts so they quickly over-ran the defensive border and before you could say "Uh-Oh!" the Rheichswehr forces were attacking the platoon headquarters and surrounding enemy positions, there was though to many holes in the line and to many positions of resistance for a sure victory.

Hamburg

The Italian planes neared Hamburg. The pilots were tired but hardened. Some German WW1 Aces had joined up merely days before the sortie was launched, thanks to the Kaiser's proclamation. They were fresh, and experienced. Two scout planes had already been downed in the fields outside the city.

Now the Italian planes soared toward the gaggle of rebel planes rising above Hamburg.

The Italian planes engaged the rebels over the outskirts of the city, one plane however, made a slight detour, racing low over the city, leaflets of paper blanketing the city, as the other Italian planes fought tooth and nail with the rebels.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------


The pieces of paper were scattered all over the city. It was a message. It read:

'GERMANS!
DO NOT FIGHT AGAINST YOUR COUNTRY,
DO NOT FIGHT FOR THE RUSSIANS.
THINK OF YOUR LOVED ONES.

ANY NCO/CONSCRIPT REBEL WHO SURRENDERS
TO STALHELM FORCES WILL BE GIVEN FOOD,
AID, QUARTER AND AMNESTY.
REWARDS WILL BE GIVEN FOR INTELLIGENCE
AND FOR THE IDENTIFICATION OF OFFICERS.

STALHELM'


OOC: Demo, you said some of your men in Hamburg were civilian volunteers, I would say some would heed the propaganda, you can RP that if you want to.

OOC: Will reply more fully when I have time, but I misunderstood your first post (I thought you were the one who had retreated to regroup).

Reichsbank

"Of course, comrade Commissar," smiled Mengel obsequiously. "But may I ask you something? It is a matter of great security."

The two went into Mengel's office, and the director locked the door behind him before sitting at his desk.

"We need to settle this problem now," he began. "Our party has always campaigned against the Treaty of Versailles. It is a rotten, corrupt, vile thing worth less than the paper it is written on. But we are worried. Since the general strike in August, no-one has been paying reparations. If the French get involved and enter the war on the side of the right-wing - highly unlikely, but still possible - we're finished. So, as Commissar for the Economy, do you believe we should resume paying reparations?"

Hamburg

Soldiers crouched in doorways and behind sandbags as Italian planes flew low overhead. They grimaced, waiting for the explosions, only to find none. Instead, on first glance it appeared to be snowing. Thousands of leaflets tumbled lazily down from the sky, landing in the streets. One captain took one beneath his fingers and read it aloud to his company.

As he spoke of surrendering forces receiving "food, aid, quarter and amnesty", several soldiers cast nervous looks at the posters already adorning the streets. Pictures of the damaged corpses of the Hamburg paratroopers, and the barely lifeless remains of their lone survivor. They had not even been given mercy. Others thought of the gas attack the day earlier, when hundreds of civilians had been caught in the open and succumbed to its agonising effects. There was no doubt that all these words were just meaningless lies.

The captain, once he had finished, looked around him. "Thank God they're not dropping bombs," he joked, and several volunteers laughed more out of relief than humour. There would be no surrender.

*****************************************************************
Erich Mielke, KRAFT deputy, had been sent to oversee the search for the lost company. As the men stole their way through the deserted houses, they came across a handful of Stahlhelm gunners, manning Maxim guns trained on the square below. They were concentrating too intensely on the captured soldiers before them to even notice the troops creeping up behind them. The last thing they felt was the chill of a pistol barrel on the back of their necks.

Pushing aside the slumped body of one gunner, Erich took a look through the window. Below, he could make out rows of the survivors of the lost company. It was a strange sight: as the their officer lay lifeless and spreadeagled on the floor, his blood slowly leaking into a nearby drain, one private sat eating chocolate with the Stahlhelm foe. It was almost humourous. Erich signalled for two of the platoons to leave.

"Head back around the corner and guard the exit to the square. Shoot anyone who tries to leave."

They nodded and crept away, leaving only Erich and a score of KRAFT footsoldiers, mainly picked from Hamburg jail. Silently, they took up positions at the Maxim guns, and at Erich's signal, they opened fire.

The Stahlhelm were the first to be cut down, along with the treacherous private sitting with them. He fell with a bullet through his head, still wearing a smile on his face. Then the gunner turned to the prisoners, who were panicking at the sudden gunfire. Men contorted in agony as they fell, and bodies littered the platz. The thunderous gunfire died away, leaving only the stench of cordite in the air and an unnatural silence.

Equipped with a Luger, Erich ran down to the square. He was greeted by a pale-faced lieutenant from the platoons he had sent away. "What happened?" the man gasped, retching at the sight of the bodies.

"We ambushed the Stahlhelm, but we were too late to save the prisoners. Their machine-gunners executed them all before we could overcome the defences," he replied nonchalantly, pulling a camera from his pocket. The lieutenant was doubled up in a corner, so Erich took the opportunity to take a few pictures of the chaos. "The St Pauli Massacre," he remarked as the officer returned, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. "Send these negatives back to base - I want them developed as quickly as possible."

Hamburg

Sitting stunned, mouth open, small video camera in hand, Erich Kockles slumped to the ground. His Stalhelm guard had run out o the building at the first shot to summon his comrades. But Erich had continued videoing the scene below. He had videotaped the communist surrenderees a few hours ago, and had chatted with them about their families before going back to the Stalhelm lines to get more film.

As he came back he wanted to go up high and record the Reichswerhr lining the streets in the lower harbour. Instead he had videotaped a massacre by red-armband rebels.

The Stalhelm positions were in dissarray after the attack. A lesson had been learned. A cordon was set up all over the harbour, no one would break through without being heard or seen by soldiers now. The Stalhelm and communist dead were left to one side and photographed one by one.

The photographs would be used in the next propaganda drop. The videotape, on its way back to Italy, would be seen by the entire world. The communists had literally shot themselves in the head.

OOC: The positions of the KRAFT machine-gunners are concealed; you wouldn't really have been able to see who was firing.

OOC: You used my MG's, they weren't concealed. Easily visible from where Erich was situated.

OOC: The positions of the KRAFT machine-gunners are concealed;

Even though it doesn't really concern me, the water cooled machine guns are usually very loud and very visible, unless you are using something else.

Hamburg:

The naval batteries on the Rheichswehr cruisers pounded the pockets of resistance as the new elite stormtroopers delved deeper and deeper into the opponents side as the platoon command posts were taken down one after another. Some of the many prizes was a detachment of medium* artillery. These were used to continue the advance but then the Rheichswehr troops started to flag. After so long of intense bombardments right in front of them or enemy fire coming on them otr the screams of the dying which finally forced their minds to shut down. One by one the men just did not advance and they finally stopped. A beachhead was established and that was all that was needed. About 6 miles inland the beachhead was and some heavy support was being unloaded.

Bavaria:

Clink, clink, clink, cl-cl-clink. The sounds of the spikes being driven in made Von Homer sleepy. The railroad had gotten in spiting distance of the half way mark and Von Homer and his friends were sent out to se that no communists had an easy target. He had not seen the airport but the last time he was there the landing strip was almost done and the holding port and barracks were being founded.

Cologne:

The flyers were the happiest men around and Henry Rhictovin was no exception. He had some much time in his brand new Dr.1 flew like a dream. Yes the wings were a little to forward but other than that it was one of the best planes alive. They were being re-fitted with the French's system to make sure that the prop wouldn’t get mauled in a air-air flight. The total air kills was just 2 which were just little pea shooters. In other parts of Cologne the factory was at highest output and they were so many of the Volkswagen newly christened Der Fuher. The leader was a good idea and Henry though so to. There were now 3 factories which made enough artillery, tractors, trucks, and armored cars for the newly made army.

The coast of the Baltic was clouded with a dense mist until a few miles from shore. The entire town of Hamburg had been drenched in the cold, salty gloom for most of the night. Now it was rolling back out to sea.

The sight that greeted the Stalhelm spotters on a rise above the city was amazing. Out on the sea, like proud lions, just escaping the mist, was the Battleship Littorio, her Cruisers, her escorts and the huge, flat and long aircraft carrier, bristling with planes and guns and men.

The Littorio was one of the biggest ships in the Italian Navy, and perhaps had the biggest naval guns in the world besides the British Navy. Immediately over the radio of the spotters the Italians could be heard speaking accented German as they announced their prescence with a trio of earth shattering gun salutes. The Aurora was scary, this was downright unbeleviable.

Within the hour an intense barrage was underway from out in the Baltic, huge shells were now added to the Kreigsmarines meagre assault. The city literally quaked under round after round as the Italian ships pounded the City Hall and communist positions all over the city. This would end the battle with their surrender, or their death.

OOC: Anyone watching the film would obviously be aware of the machine guns firing, and know that they were hidden in the windows, but surely placing them in full view of the street would defy their purpose? In any case, would you actually be able to see the gunners, or know who they were? These were uindercover KRAFT operatives, not uniformed soldiers, after all.

Patrol ship Metel

Metel. Its name meant "blizzard", and indeed it had sailed from the icy lands of the Soviet Union, to oversee arms shipments. But the most recent convoy had been delayed, after reports of Italian and Reichsmarine ships approaching Hamburg. This patrol cruiser had been sent to investigate.

As the mists parted and revealed the great hull of the battleship Littorio, the Russian crew let out a whistle of admiration. This was something unheard of; it was practically a city. Moscow would need to hear of this.

"Yes, Commissar Voroshilov, it's flying the Italian flag," echoed the captain on the ship's radio. "It has just opened fire on the shore. Size? Well...at least 30,000 tonnes. Yes, comrade, we will proceed."

The patrol ship, dwarfed by the malicious might of the Littorio, sailed on, hailing the Italian vessel.

Reichbank:

Wilhelm looked at Mengel like he was joking. "We are not going to pay those damn French any reparations. They should know that we are going threw a civil war and are to busy to even fight anyone else. I must be going soon so I would like the Karl Marx paper money and to leave. Also what amount will the Karl Marx have on it?"

Berlin:
Reinhard looked at the lady. "Come on I have been waiting here long enough. I demand to speak to General Ernst Wollweber now. Tell me where his office is and I might not tell him that you have been a pest and should be fired." Reinhard was very impacient and couldn't stand it anymore, but he kept his cool.

OOC: They were my guns, i know where they were placed. There were six of them, two in large shop windows, four behind barricades. Not out in the open but easily visible from above. It also doesn't matter whether the KRAFT were uniformed or not. They shot the gunners and then turned the guns on my soldiers. Stalhelm are uniformed only, and thus out the possibility that it was Stalhelm men gone mad. The film proves everything.

IC:

Dusseldorf town centre was quiet on a Sunday. Nobody noticed the Stalhelm soldiers mobilizing in the square. After all the people knew better than to mess with the official Government and the police.

Once the trucks and armoured cars were bristling with men and machine guns the convoy set off to the hulking building housing the Reichsbank. The guards outside were quickly dispatched by snipers and a cordon was hastily set up around the building, being reinforced as more and more troops arrived.

A recorded loudspeaker was brought to the front of the building and the same message was played over and over again:

The Official German Government has seen fit to re-take the Recihsbank from rebel forces. Any and all who surrender will be given amnesty, food and quarter. We wish no fighting or ill will. We simply wish to put the bank in the hands of the Government. Come out of the bank, unarmed, by the front doors. Wear something visibly white on your torso and you will not be harmed.

OOC: Neither the Stahlhelm's film nor the communist photographs actually prove who commited the massacre, as the communist story is that when red troops attacked the Stahlhelm, the machine-gunners shot the prisoners. The Anti-Fascist Front guards wear uniforms and the militia wear red armbands, so there is no reason to suspect the communists over the Stahlhelm. It would really depend on who had the best propaganda machine.

IC:

Berlin City Palace

"Of course you may go in. I'm sorry to have kept you waiting, comrade," the receptionist replied with a hint of reproach in her voice.

Reichsbank

"Comrade, I couldn't agree more," Mengel answered, smiling like a tiger. His constant eager-to-please attitude was beginning to annoy Diesmann, when suddenly shots came from outside.

The two rushed to the window, as a squad of communist guards burst into the room. They were ushered away from the window as a matter of safety, while three soldiers dragged in a Maxim gun and positioned it behind the glass, covering the entrance of the building.

"You can't fight in my office!" yelled the clerk indignantly, and turned to Diesmann when the troops ignored him. "Here," he said, picking up the telephone on his desk. "Call the Ruhr Red Army, tell them we need reinforcements now. If the lines have been cut, we have a radio on the top floor. Do something!"

Berlin City Palace:

Reinhard walked to General Ernst Wollweber office. He knocked on the door and told Hans to wait at the door. Reinhard walked into General Wollweber's office. "Hello General! I'm Erich Braun of the Ruhr's Red Army. Mr.Diesmann wanted me to meet with a high ranking officer to talk about the training of the Ruhr's Red Army."

Reichsbank:

Wilhelm looked outside to see the fighting start. He picked up the phone, but it was dead. He told his two guards to come with him up stairs to get the radio. Wilhelm, his guard, and Mengel made it up stairs to the radio. All Wilhelm was getting was buzzing sounds on purpose. One of his guards pulled out a pistol and shot the radio. The other guard pulled out his Thompson and aimmed it at Mengel. Wilhelm took the Karl Marx with him the Mengel had showed him. One of the guards told them that a car was waiting for them in the back. Wilhelm told the men to bring Mengel. They dragged him into the car. Wilhelm got inside. "Well it looks like the director of the reichsbank will be missing in action for along time." The car drove off into the direction of Essen.

Dusseldorf


The Stalhelm noticed the car leaving as they closed in around the rear of the bank. They shot at it fiercely, probably hitting it numerous times. But the driver didn't go down and the car kept on speeding away. It wasn't important, the bank was, and things were getting started.

A Maxim opened up on one of the upper floors, taking out a squad by the gates to the entrance. A Stalhelm squad made its way round the wall, their backs to the cold concrete. Shell cases bounced down in front of them, from the gunner above. Two of the men grabbed grenades, pulled the pins, cooked them and then chucked them up toward the gun. They exploded just in front of the window and abruptly the gun stopped. A scream or two was heard from the window before things quieted down again.

The loudspeaker could be heard clearly once more.

Reichsbank

The incident would have gone unnoticed, but for a secretary visting the radio room, only to find the equipment smashed and Mengel missing. Flares were fired from the roof of the building, exploding high over Duesseldorf and sending brilliant blood-red sparks raining over the town. The eight companies stationed there immediately sounded the alarm, and scrambled their troops.

Inside the Reichsbank, explosives borrowed from the Ruhr miners were being set up beside the printing presses. The minting had stopped, and the currency reserves were being hastily thrown into sacks, along with two of the bank's unique seals, the rest being destroyed. Carried by twelve courageous soldiers, the sacks were taken down into the sewers through a drain in one of the bathrooms.

Speeding away from the town centre, Mengel hissed in fury. "What do you think you're doing!?" he yelled, but with a tremble of fear. "You're making a big mistake."

Berlin City Palace

"Of course, comrade. What news do you have?"

As Reinhard opened his mouth to speak, the phone rang by Wollweber's desk. He picked it up and listened intently, before speaking to his guest again.

"It appears there's some trouble in Duesseldorf, and Commissar Diesmann is nowhere to be seen," he said coldly. "Perhaps you could inform us as to his whereabouts?"

Baltic Sea

With no reply from the Littorio, the Soviet patrol cruiser Metel drew closer. "You are in breach of the Washington Treaty and the sovereign rights of Germany," came a voice over the ship's loudspeaker in faltering Italian. "We order you to respond."

Hamburg:

The Rheichswehr troops advanced across the street and as the platoon commander crossed a machine gun chattered, cutting down the platoon commander and several other men. Maxen seeing the commotion turned around. He couldn't see the carnage but he did see the machine gun position. He lifted his rifle; put his finger on the trigger tensed felt the rifle and gently touched the trigger, with a few jerks the rifle spat out three lead balls. The machine gun team fell down with blood pooling in their little indention. The last man was not part of the team and as Maxen felt for another bullet the rebel turned his sights over to Maxen. Maxen belatedly backpedaled and dived for a low lying wall. Not a second to slow as the wall around him broke off in little chunks. As the firing stopped Maxen peered around the corner. The communist was running down from the three story house, Maxen took out his sidearm and shot the fleeing man. He went down with a jerk and he saw the receding form fly, literally, down the staircase. Maxen, breathing hard, stood up and looked around and listened for more of the fighting. The fighting died down and he turned towards the downed communist and walked over to him.

The communist, bleeding out his life blood looked up for a second, and from either exhaustion, blood loss, or fear put it back down. Maxen hardened his heart but when he saw the communist staring up at him it softened. He asked, "I have death or life, but I need to know. Why? What is so important about getting your way?"
The communist looked up for a second turned his eyes towards the sky and back to Maxen.
"It is just not about what I want."
And promptly died.

Maxen walked away thinking over what he said. Picked up a panzerfaust, strapped it to his back, and picked one of the reliable communist submachine guns.

Reichsbank:

Wilhelm looked back to see the Stahlelm a machine gun crew get killed. "That's why Mr.Mengel. I just saved us. If we would have stayed back there we would have been captured or killed. If I did call the Army wouldn't have made it in time. So now we go to Essen where you will be under are protection until someone picks you up." Wilhelm looked at one of his guards who was shot in the arm, but he would be fine.

Berlin City Palace:

Reinhard looked at Wollweber. "What ever his choice is it is probably the right one. He is going back to Essen. Now let's get down to business. Since we are part of your army we need to know how you are going to train are troops."

Dusseldorf

Once the flares went up that was it. The Stalhelm began to place mounds of explosives on the structural hardpoints around the building.

Once done the troops retreated under fire and once safely gone the building was blown. There was a thunderous explosion, concrete dust rising high into the air. Then the building shuddered and finally gave way, collapsing around itself.

The Stalhelm withdrew quickly from the city, they didn't get the bank...but they sure as hell got the bankers!

Baltic Sea

The small communist ship was dwarfed even by the smallest patrol boat in the Littorio's escort. It looked like a midget lost in a sea of giants, which in reality it was.

The radio transmission from the communists was being repeated often. The Italians listened for a few hours before deciding to respond.

"Battleship Littorio to Soviet Vessel, we wish you no ill. Soviet ships will not, repeat not, be fired upon. We have not broken the 1922 Washington Naval Treaty as we are acting under permission from the Conference of Ambassadors and silent permission from the League. The German Government has also given its permission. Hamburg port is closed to all non-essential vessels. We ask you to leave the area immediately."

It was some time before the Metel replied, having first translated and relayed the Italian response back to the Kremlin and awaiting orders. After a pause of almost ten minutes, the loudspeaker boomed again.

"Battleship Littorio, we repeat, you are in breach of the Washington Treaty through excess of displacement. Russian sailors from the Aurora are present in Hamburg: cease fire immediately."

Berlin City Palace

Wollweber didn't seem convinced, but let it drop. "I expect a report from him within the next hour, we've lost radio contact with the Reichsbank." He ruffled through his papers and shoved them into a drawer, but not before Reinhard had managed to catch a glimpse of the top memo.

Executive Decree (October 1932)

By order of Walter Ulbricht:

All transport links with Bavaria are to be closed, and all trade to the region must cease immediately. From the 1st November, all German citizens of the Socialist Republic will require permits to exit communist territory as an emergency (and temporary) measure against counter-revolution. Failure to comply will result in imprisonment.

Long live the Socialist Republic of Germany!

"Thanks to a 200 million Mark payment, the Soviet Union has agreed to supply us with 50% of their new T-28 tanks. It will be possible to continue arms deliveries through smuggling, but the potential content will be vastly reduced. So, I'm afraid for the time being, you may find the Ruhr Red Army is underequipped in some areas.
"We are planning to create three Anti-Fascist Front battalions from the best recruits of the Ruhr militias. Training will continue under the supervision of AFF, and we're beginning to think about training paratrooper companies from your men.
"In the meantime, we have noticed that the Reichswehr have stepped up military production. As many of your men work in these munitions factories, we suggest theft and sabotage, in order to supply ourselves while crippling the enemy war effort. Do you have any questions?"

Berlin

This was it. The final order had been given. The bombardment of rebel positions had begun early in the morning. It was still going on with ferocity.

Germand and Italian vehicles all over the city roared to life, creating a naseous din. Aeroplanes were also on their way from near Berlin and from Bavaria.

Today, would be the beginning of the end for the communist regime.

In the North of the city 140,000 Stalhelm troops and armoured cars, accompanied by 20,000 Italians with tanks and armoured cars, began their striking movement into the city.

In the south 180,000 highly trained Italian troops, along with hundreds of tanks, tankettes, tank destroyers and armoured cars moved off slowly into the city ruins, listening to the heavy bombarment over the chatter of freinds, officers and vehicles.

In all 220,000 troops were assaulting the city, ahead of a massive bombardment and a looming bombing campaign. The city would fall into its rightful hands soon.

The weakened communist positions really didn't stand a chance as the unbeleviable massive forces simply engulfed them in a mass of bodies. They Northern forces were already closing in on Nikolavarietal and Museumsinsel was steadily being attacked, the rebel forces being pushed back easily.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Baltic Sea

The Littorio sent a quickfire reply back to the tiny little ship.

"Soviet ship, you are in sovereign waters. This is the German Reich, not the Soviet Union. Officially there are no Soviet forces in Germany. Thus we will continue our attack. We ask you to leave the area immediately. These are German waters, if you have designs on the port then you are in violation of the Washington Treaty, not us.

Essen:

Wilhelm watched Mengel they were in Essen. They already dropped of the two guards and were driving to the town hall the HQ of the Ruhr Red Army. The car went up to the entrance. Wilhelm got out and lead Mengel to his office. Wilhelm told Mengel to sleep in the town hall. There was already a bed made for him. Wilhelm ordered Otto and his young cadet Erich to guard him.

Berlin City Palace:

Reinhard didn't care what he said. "That seems all good to us. We hope one day to rid Germany of the Stalhelm. I have to go now so good bye comarde also tell Wilhelm Diesmann that Erich Braun was finished his buiness and is going to his next assignment." Reinhard gave a salute to Wollweber. Reinhard left the room, but his suitcase filled with bombs and grenades was left behind. Closed the door and told Hans. "Mission completed so far." Reinahard plushed a button to set a time off for the bombs. In three minutes the bomb would go off. Hans and Reinhard walked out and went down a street and down another to Lt. Katten's position. When they got back they looked toward the Palace to see the bomb go off in five seconds.

Berlin


Lt.Katten watched with a grin on his face as the Berlin City Palace simply exploded. All of its windows shattered and smoke billowed out from most of them. As if that wasn't enough an artillery strike hammered the building for around five minutes. By the end of the barrage most of the building was rubble, only a few walls still stood.

All across the city incessant noise could be heard from Katten's position. He could see the thousands of Stalhelm soldiers pushing their way into Museumsinsel and he could see the vast plumes of smoke rising from all over the city as the attack proceeded.

Seconds after Reinhard had left the room, Wollweber had called the silent alarm. There was something that wasn't right about that lieutenant, he had seemed too nervous. General Wollweber looked across at the briefcase left behind, and something clicked in his mind.

Four guards burst into the room following the silent alarm, to behold a terrifying sight. A white-faced Wollweber stared horrified into an open briefcase, lined with explosives. He looked up open-mouthed at the soldiers, and then the bomb detonated.

Wollweber, the four guards and two unfortunate clerical staff were killed instantly, while forty others were injured by lethal shards of glass flying though the air like daggers. Several of the rooms filled with smoke, and dust rained down from the ceiling. Almost mournfully, an alarm began to sound, high-pitched and muffled by the smoke.

Walter Ulbricht had been two storeys up when he felt the floor shake and the windows in his office shatter. At first, he thought it was an artillery strike, until two guards - one bleeding from the hand - told him what had happened. He was soon escorted by KRAFT bodyguards down to the cellar, where the preparations for Berlin's defence were beginning.

********************************************************

Tiergarten, Berlin-Mitte

Sergeant Nowak puffed on his cigarette, watching the smoke curl up into the night sky. For a month now, the city had been relatively quiet, any fighting restricted to a few exchanges of artillery shells or a minor skirmish. He stood by the edge of the communist line, next to the ancient Tiergarten park. The park had been turned into a graveyard by both Stahlhelm and communist forces, with crudely-fashioned white crosses stretching away across the open emerald meadows. It was lonely, watching the graves, with not a sound in the world.

Suddenly, a rumbling started nearby, which Nowak immediately recognised as an Italian tankette. He shouted an alarm, and his platoon sprung into position. The tankette rounded the corner, only to burst into flame as a petrol bomb exploded on its turret, raining liquid fire onto the engine. Nowak's platoon retreated as the Italians found their path blocked by the stricken vehicle. Behind the communist soldiers, Stahlhelm shock troopers smashed the newly-painted sign, by the checkpoint, proclaiming:

"You are now entering the Socialist Republic of Germany."

******************************************************

The communists had been better equipped this time. They had had a month to train and build anew, as Berlin's mighty factories churned out dozens of tanks and BA-15s. The air force, too, had been joined by I-5s from Russia, and were in high spirits. In the sky, they found the Bavarian pilots sluggish and slow to react, turning too late to avoid the hail of bullets tearing their plane apart around them. It was no wonder; the poor pilots had been constantly flying to Hamburg and back for the past week, with little time for sleep.

The attack on the Berlin City Palace, however, had thrown the command system into confusion. By the time they had recovered, positions in Scheunenviertel were coming under heavy fire. All reserves were mobilised and thousands of men poured in to hold the line, as a counter-bombardment comprising all available artillery began. This was a battle for the future of the Republic.

Baltic Sea

"Battleship Littorio, the cruiser Aurora is present in Hamburg in order to safeguard supplies. Italian planes have sunk her, in breach of the peace between our nations. Sailors from her are now ashore: we command you to cease fire or face action.
"A small number of civilian Soviet personnel are present in order to oversee supplies, with the knowledge and consent of the German state. However, Commissar Litvinov of the Foreign Commissariat informs us that the Reichswehr have asked Italian troops to withdraw. You are in breach of German sovereignty. Withdraw your vessel at once."

In Red Square, radio commanders were issuing orders to scramble a squadron of Tupolev-2 heavy bombers. Should the worst come to the worse, they wanted them in the air as soon as possible.

Hamburg Town Hall

Alone in the dark cellar beneath the command station, Wilhelm Zaisser and his guest waited. Elisabeth von Schleicher had been here for two days, without food and without hope. Zaisser glanced at his watch, and hissed beneath his teeth. Taking a camera and a copy of the Stahlhelm newspaper - an ironic choice, he thought - he flicked the switch for the electric light.

A humming filled the room, and Elisabeth, who had been confined in the dark for 50 hours, shrank back. Zaisser took a few steps; there was a flash of steel, and Elisabeth was clutching her hand in pain. It had not been a deep cut, but it would work just as well.

Forcing the newspaper into her trembling hands, Zaisser took a few photos of the injured hostage, and packaged them into an envelope with a note.

"You have fewer than 24 hours. The Italians must leave now if you want to see your wife again."

It was sent to Kurt von Schleicher.

What is this thread about?

Reinhard looked at Lt.Katten. "Well mission completed. We better move since all the communist in Berlin are going to come here. Maybe we can go back to HQ to take a rest."

Berlin

Katten looked grim faced at Reinhard. "You accomplished your mission, very well done and we have struck a heavy blow to the enemy. But we can't retreate now. We need to move further into Museumsinsel to support our troops."

Katten didn't wait for a reply. He began gathering up equipment.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Stalhelm troops watched as Italian fighters danced the dance of death with Russian fighters high in the skies above Berlin. The Russians were defending like crazy, but wave after wave of Italian fighters and SM.81 bombers kept coming, despite their losses.

Once over Musuemsinsel and Nikolavaritel and the various communist artillery positions, the Italian and Bavarian pilots dropped their ordnance, their missions accomplished their planes turned to meet the heavy onslaught of rebel fighters.

On the ground the assault was going well all over. News had spread that the rebel command post had been destroyed, and it showed. The communist lines were set up all over the place, with hardly any co-ordination. The Stalhelm and Italian troops exploited this to the full, using the flanks to crush the enemy even if they retreated.

The Italians and Stalhelm were losing vehicles quite a bit, but the newer prototype Tank Destroyers, with their heavy armor and massive guns, were cutting swathes through not only tanks but buildings aswell.

Museumsinsel would be the first to fall, with communist forces in retreat all over the city.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Baltic Sea

The Italians again sent a quickfire reply to the somewhat annoying communist vessel.

"We have orders from the Government of the German Reich to enter German waters. We have Reichswerhr permission to be here and any other such orders are not applicable. The Aurora is on the sea bottom as intelligence suggests and any Russian civilians in the city are there by their own will and are not military. It is you who is in breach of sovereignty. Our vessel will cease fire if this will help you to leave the area."

Commissar Litvinov of the Foreign Commissariat informs us that the Reichswehr have asked Italian troops to withdraw. You are in breach of German sovereignty. Withdraw your vessel at once."

Later that day Rheichswehr High Command sends out a memo to all troops and countries of the world.

We rejoice that the Italians have helped us quell this rebellion of fanatics. Sadly we cannot do it and it has considerable power, but do not worry for our woes for now none of your concern should be directed towards us, for the Italians, May Gott forever rest their souls, have and are helping us with every intention to prevent anymore useless blood shed.



Alone in the dark cellar beneath the command station, Wilhelm Zaisser and his guest waited. Elisabeth von Schleicher had been here for two days, without food and without hope. Zaisser glanced at his watch, and hissed beneath his teeth. Taking a camera and a copy of the Stahlhelm newspaper - an ironic choice, he thought - he flicked the switch for the electric light.


In the quiet night Von Homer never ever though that he would get back into action, much less commanding an whole battalion of men. He was looking from outside and saw the man cut the general's wife. He tried not to get angry but he felt the usual heat that was always held in reserve for the communists. "You move to the front door, blow through it and head for the basement. Thomas, head with your troops around the backside and shoot anything that moves."
He motioned for his troops to head out and they crowded around the outside, the most delicate part of the procedure... and with a bang he heard the front door crash into one of the interior walls and then he leapt into the window. He crouched and saw a groggy sentry but fired a clip into him moved out of the way as the second SDA Soldier came through the window and advance through the house. He encountered light if non-existent resistance, but the basement had only one entry way, from the Kitchen and the surviving communists had gathered in the basement with Mrs. Schleicher. Von Homer looked around and got an idea.....

With a bang the refrigerator crashed through the top of the basement roof and with it were some of the best shots in the whole German Empire, Republic Homer reminded himself. He could only watch to make sure everything went right, he missed the grit of the front line fighting, but he thought, at least he wasn't a suit sipping champagne. As the last gunshots stopped he went down and looked around, communists and one SDA Stormtrooper lay dead and another wounded. There was one thing missing, Von Schleicher's wife.

BUMP, where's Demo?

OOC: Kinda busy because of Christmas and everything, so I might not be able to follow this for a week or so. As I don't have time to write a full reply:

IC: "Littorio, we repeat, Italian bombers have targetted the Aurora, in breach of the peace. Sailors have been forced to come ashore: cease fire immediately. All Soviet military vessels will withdraw if Italian ships also leave the area."

Town Hall

"And bring in the re-formed T-26 detachment from the east - we'll catch them in the flanks."

Tukhachevsky was gesturing to troop movements on a map when a shock rocked the building. Gunfire echoed from below, and a squad of guards opened the cellar door and sprinted down the steep steps, DP-28 guns held high.

"Surrender!" yelled their sergeant. "We have you surrounded. Drop your weapons and put your hands on the ground. Now!"

OOC: Remember, Berlin is under heavy assault. You need to RP it.

IC:

The Littorio decided to reply once more to the annoying Soviet vessel it could so easily crush.

"Soviet Vessel, we have permission from the German High Command, the Reichswerhr General Von Scleicher to enter German sovereign waters. We know of no such Soviet warships. A rebel cruiser was sunk by Italian planes, but the Soviet Union are not involved in this conflict, thus it could not have been the Aurora. The Conference of Ambassadors and the League of Nations have also given us permission to be in German waters. This is our final word on the matter."

OOC: Demo, the fact that the Soviet's are officially not 'involved' in this conflict makes it impossible for them to have had one of their ships in German waters. The ship was there, but its a technicality you see. So it really wasn't there, it was just a rebel ship in the eyes of everyone.

OOC: Well, I'm back. The USSR takes the following line on involvement: the Red Army is selling and donating weaponry to the rebels, and a few personnel are in Germany to ensure that the equipment is used properly. However, the USSR is not sending troops and has not declared war on Germany. The Aurora and other ships have been sent to escort and protect cargo vessels en route to Hamburg. They do not deny this.

On the other hand, they are not involved directly and are officially neutral, because they also want to keep co-operating with the German Army's secret operations in Russia. The Red Army and Reichswehr have been in unofficial alliance since the 1924 Treaty of Rapallo, so Russia is not going to openly state their support for the rebels, despite the fact that they would obviously prefer a socialist government in Berlin.

So, the Soviet Union does not deny that the Aurora is in Hamburg, and they are furious that it has been attacked. On which note...

IC:

Baltic Sea

The captain of the Metel slumped onto his desk, his head cradled in his hands. This negotiation was difficult, and all he wanted to do now was hit the sleeping quarters with a bottle of vodka. Yet it looked like the stand-off would not end soon.

"Tupolevs' ETA in two hours," called the radioman over his shoulder. The captain groaned and made his way back to the loudspeaker.

"Littorio, the Aurora was in Hamburg Harbour to protect our trade routes. This was an unprovoked attack without a formal declaration of war. As we have stated earlier, our military vessels will leave the area if you do likewise. Respond, please."

Berlin City Palace, Museumsinsel

Brushing some plaster dust off his jacket, Walter Ulbricht turned back to the emergency meeting of his top generals. Wollweber's place was empty.

"Now, comrades, we have managed to restore our communication lines. This attack has caught us at a bad time: we were hoping to have received reinforcements from General Tukhachevsky when this came, but it would appear von Schleicher has jumped the gun. So, what do we do?"

A tall man with sharp features almost chiselled into his face, stood and began to speak.

"As Commissar of Defence, I have taken preparations to prepare for the defence of our city. It would appear that the greatest risk is from the south, where the Italians are heading straight for Museumsinsel."

Panic seemed to spread around the table, as anxious faces looked to their neighbours in fright. Doubtful murmurs interrupted the Commissar, who tried to calm his fellow commanders.

"Comrades, please; the island is defended by four of our best divisions, even if the Italians should break through our other defences. Look around you: barbed wire, AA guns, machine-gun nests, mines, roadblocks. We are perfectly safe.
"Our men, however, are not. We are facing the most difficult challenge yet. Our troops are effectively matched in numbers, and -"

It was Ulbricht who interrupted. "Yes, yes! But get to the point! Where should we direct our attack?"

The Commissar smiled. "I have prepared contingency plans for this occasion. We use the bulk of our forces to defend Scheunenviertel and Berlin-Mitte, but we send five divisions to Alexanderplatz."

Ulbricht exploded in rage, virtually foaming at the mouth. "Have you realised..." he spat, "...that the enemy are attacking everywhere BUT Alexanderplatz? Are you an idiot, Honecker? Why on Earth would you - "

Suddenly, he froze, flecks of spit still on his lips. Realisation washed over him, and a great grin slithered across his face, before he sat back in his chair. "Commissar Honecker," he said with pride. "You are a genius."

Berlin, Museumsinsel

The artillery crashed and boomed long into the night and early morning as the rebels were steadily pushed back all across the city. They had tried several different counter attacks but had not succeeded and had lost more and more ground.

Now Museumsinsel was almost taken. A gauntlet of machine gun nests and hundreds, if not thousands of soldiers lay ahead.

The Italians and Stalhelm didn't waver for a second, the attack was continuous as tanks, tank destroyers, tankettes and armoured cars barrelled down the roads. If one went down the other tanks bashed it out of the way or drove over the hulking metal.

Soon all that was left between the Italians and the city Palace was a thin trench filled with a few ragged rebels. The Artillery fire, placed by accurate snipers, rained down over the large Palace, and the trenches outside. The walls of the building began to collapse spectacurlarly as the large tank destroyers began to pound it with their heavy guns at close range.

The building began to groan and shake with every shell that pounded into it, and then, as if slapped down by a mighty force, the roof suddenly gave way and the elaborate building of Germanic arhictecture simply collapsed in on itself, and the Italian troops moved in.

OOC: Seeing as the Red Army in 1945 didn't take Museumsinsel even with 2.5 million men, plus you need to get through almost 300,000 soldiers before you even get to it, and I haven't told you what my counter-attacks are going to be yet, isn't it a little presumptuous to say that you've already won?

And as for what my counter-attack will be, I'll leave you in suspense until tomorrow. ;)

Berliner U-Bahn, Alexanderplatz

Down beneath the streets of the capital, down in the deserted metro, something stirred in the darkness. Ever since the fighting began, the Berlin Underground had been closed, its only passengers the rats which had crept in from the sewers, scuttling through the damp and coal-black tunnels. But the truth was, the U-Bahn was an artery coursing through the heart of the city, and life was about to be restored to it.

"Jesus, Heinrich, you scared me there," came a voice through the gloom. An electric flashlight illuminated the grimy walls of the U-Bahn as it scanned the tunnel. Two men stood alone down here, where the only sound was the water dripping down the walls and the faint electric humming of the track. No-one could hear you down here.

The man named Heinrich moved closer. "I've checked the control box and the switches, Ernst," he whispered. "Everything is ready."

Ernst nodded. "Good. The chief engineer said that if the enemy finds us, they will try to mine the tunnels and make them collapse. I want extra support pillars placed around the track just in case, and please tell engineering team D to be on the look-out for any explosives set up near the track. I've booby-trapped the stations in case the Stahlhelm try to storm the U-Bahn, and I've told Mikhail's team to set up waterproof barriers at Friedrichstrasse, Spittelmarkt, Maerkisches Museum and Oranienburger Tor in case they try to flood us out."

His fellow engineer nodded, and sauntered over to the telephone by the side of the track. "We are go for Operation Maulwurf," he told the operator sitting behind a desk at HQ.

It was a few moments before anything happened. Then came a high-pitched whistling from down the tunnel, and the railway track began to creak and vibrate. The sound of metal clattering and groaning came closer, and closer, and suddenly the tube was lit up with a harsh electric light. A great wind whipped around the engineers as the train droned past, laden with hundreds of heavily-armed soldiers, and even a few T-26s and BA-15s. It hurtled on passed them, deafeningly loud, southwards.

At that moment, 50,000 soldiers were heading underground, travelling across the city in the great network which connected it from north to south, east to west. They could appear behind enemy lines and catch them in the rear, spreading chaos, and could reinforce any wavering positions at lightning speed with the aid of Berlin's arteries. Up above, the sound of the trains was inaudible over the relentless artillery barrages and explosions. The fascist foe were unaware of their peril from below.

OOC: Ok, I've had enough of this RP. I tried to end it quickly and it wasn't acceptable, and I understand. Its just getting boring now so I'm leaving it. Good Luck anyway.

OOC: I'm leaving too. It was good for a while, but now it is boring. The fighting will never end. So good bye.

Well these was sure a great RP. Now before everyone destroys their e-mail subscripton I would like to say that this has been really fun, nice, laid back with fun stories and really good RPing. This was actually al I was doing for a month or two and it kept the fun in the NS Forums alive for me. Anyhow all of the good RPing skills you guys have shown would be greatly appreciated by me. (especially in 2010) Look in my thread for some links. 424 post (maybe 425 with DB's last post).

In all due respect,
Maxen von Bismarck,
Chancellor and Duke of The Greater Prussian State of Moorington