N Germania
31-08-2006, 04:27
[5:13 AM
Northern Lithuania...]
Even in late August, the Northern border of Lithuania was a chilly 55 degrees Fahrenheit. A heavy rain was blown through the air by a strong wind, with scattered sleet mixed in.
The weather was nothing new to the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Armies -- the native armies of Germany and Austria, as well as the oldest. They were poised in three different fronts and would open the assault of the crumbling nation of Latvia. The Geneticon government had failed to maintain control and looting and riots were widespread throughout the countryside and cities.
Reichskanzler Heydrich Kübler would not have intervened had it not been for the fact that some of the population of Latvia had attacked several German border guard posts in an attempt to flee to Germania. Noting that the Geneticon military could not be reigned in, he saw an opportunity to send in several armies to capture the region of Latvia, something he had long wanted to do.
Now, der Führer had a legitimate reason to do so.
Leading the three veteran armies, a total of over 930.000 fighting soldiers and 22.000 tanks and armored vehicles, was OS-Oberstgruppenführer Heinz Guderian -- the most experienced and skilled Field General of the Fourth Reich. Commanding the 1st Army was OS-Brigadeführer Klaus Burgdorf; commanding the 2nd Army was Generaloberst Jürgen Heidel; commanding the 3rd Army was Generalmajor Heinrich Fegelein.
The assault began at 5:14 AM with an artillery barrage, launched against the remaining border forces of Geneticon. Supporting the bombardment of Southern Latvia by over 9.000 artillery pieces - roughly 3.000 for each army - were the 7th, 10th, and 11th Luftwaffe Divisions.
The Luftwaffe dropped over 2.000 tons of bombs and missiles within the first two hours of the assault into Latvia. The bombardment could be described as completely relentless: bombs, missiles, artillery shells, and rockets slapped the defenses of Geneticon constantly.
Soon, the three armies native to Germany and Austria would be pushing hard into Latvian soil...
N Germania
03-09-2006, 07:16
1:29 PM
Southern Latvia...
After over eight hours of constant bombardment by the Luftwaffe and Artilleriekorps, the 1st Army made its first push into Geneticon soil. They were met with the remnants of what intelligence had reported was once the Geneticon 8th Army.
Despite the low morale of the Geneticon troops and their lack of resources and manpower, they were still putting up one hell of a fight. Dug in deep into the Latvian countryside, the 8th Geneticon Army was resisting with every fiber of their being. The German 1st Army was met with heavy artillery and mortar fire, and in turn replied with relentless MLRS and fighter/bomber attacks.
OS-Brigadeführer Klaus Burgdorf's Army - even though beginning to be bogged down by intense Geneticon resistance - was still a well-oiled, efficient war machine, pushing forward with LBTs, IFVs, and AAAVs at a hellish pace.
The first close combat encounter with Geneticon forces occured at what Fourth Reich Intelligence had deemed 'Trenchline 16' -- a network of trenches and machine gun nests defending the Southern city of Jelgava.
Noting the ferocity and fanaticism of the remaining Geneticon soldiers, OS-Brigadeführer Burgdorf had decided to counter them with Germany's own Waffen-OS -- an elite group of men trained from a young age to be fearless and completely loyal soldiers. Their tactics and behavior towards enemy forces was often seen as barbaric, but it was more often than not a necessary evil in protecting the armies they were attached to.
Their grey uniforms blending in well with the muddy Earth of Southern Latvia made them seem to Geneticon forces as creatures that suddenly emerged from the ground itself. Orders from Burgdorf himself were simple: "...storm the Geneticon trenches in 'Trenchline 16' with infantry and do not cease the assault until every trench, tunnel, and hole in the ground is in German possession."
This was a command taken as easily as if someone had requested you to pass them the salt at a dinner table. Without thought, the 119th Waffen-OS Infantry Brigade - a force of some 5.000 combat soldiers - began their assault on 'Trenchline 16'. While the German- and Austrian-only infantry began close combat with the Geneticon infantry, the Fourth Reich's Panzerkorps kept any enemy armor at bay with heavy cannon fire, supported by the Artilleriekorps.
The first two hours of 'Operation: Währung' were some of the bloodiest in German Military History. In those two hours, it was estimated that the total number of attritions exceeded 600 -- roughly 200 OS soldiers and 400 Geneticon soldiers killed. Fourth Reich Medics had passed along reports as well that in those two hours, they had received over 300 wounded OS soldiers.
That battle in Southern Latvia, which historians would recall as the 'Battle of Trenchline 16', was turning rapidly into nothing but a field filled with trenches, foxholes, charred soil, and blood-red mud scattered with the bodies of both German and Geneticon soldiers; deep holes in the ground from mortar, tank, or artillery rounds; bullet shells splattered all over the grey earth; and the sounds of what some would describe as hell itself.
Hours and hours passed by, but the battle still raged on. By nightfall, OS-Brigadeführer Burgdorf was beginning to doubt his own plan of action. The capture of 'Trenchline 16' was absolutely essential to the conquest of Latvia, but was it really worth the cost? At the end of day 1, the German 1st Army had only encroached 6 kilometers -- a record-slow rate of advance for the Reichswehr, Panzerkorps, Luftwaffe, Artilleriekorps, and Waffen-OS.
Even with heavy bombing runs from the Luftwaffe's best pilots begat limited results. Sixteen hours into battle and already over 800 German soldiers had been killed. Over 800 men for only six kilometers of land. High Command was already beginning to see the operation as a '...hopeless, dramatic, and embarrassing failure on the part of Burgdorf.'
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Northeast Lithuania
10:45 AM...
While the German 1st Army was struggling with 'Trenchline 16', the 3rd Army under the command of Generalmajor Heinrich Fegelein was advancing into Latvia at rate that 'impressed even the most veteran and experienced members of the German Military.'
The German 3rd Army was already on the outskirts of the Southeastern city of Daugavpils in Latvia. A discussion over a secure telephone line between Fegelein and the commander of all three German Armies, OS-Oberstgruppenführer Heinz Guderian, donated the following:
[Translated from German]
Guderian: "Burgdorf is embarrassing us all. Sixteen hours into 'Operation: Währung' and he has not advanced more than six kilometers."
Fegelein: "Perhaps Burgdorf underestimated the determination of the remaining Geneticon forces."
Guderian: "That is an understatement, Herr Fegelein. He is proving to be incompetant. Perhaps I should have thought deeply before electing him to lead such an important operation in this war.
"I have consulted with der Führer and he agrees with me on the following: After you have captured Daugavpils, direct half of the 3rd Army to flank the Eastern side of 'Trenchline 16.' Can you handle this mission, Herr Fegelein?"
Fegelein: "Without a doubt in my mind, Herr OS-Oberstgruppenführer."
Guderian: "Good. I expect a progress report sent to me in 12 hours."
The two generals hung up their phones and continued to conduct their business.
While the 1st and 3rd Armies were moving in on Latvian soil, the 2nd Army sat still in Lithuania. Their purpose, however, would be soon revealed...
Waffen-OS Soldier; Southern Latvia.
http://www.hebig.com/heiko_bw_01.jpg
Waffen-OS Platoon in Southern Latvia after heavy fighting in 'Trenchline 16'.
http://www.pixelmechanic.de/media/bundeswehr.jpg
N Germania
07-09-2006, 02:00
Northern Lithuania
6:23 AM
Day 2...
Generaloberst Heidel stood in front of the officers of the German 2nd Army, who had assembled behind him to listen to what the man had to say concerning Latvia...
[Translated from German]
Generaloberst Heidel: "Gentlemen... I have received orders from OS-Oberstgruppenführer Heinz Guderian. The German 1st Army under the command of OS-Brigadeführer Klaus Burgdorf is being heavily bogged-down and is struggling to keep his army intact in 'Trenchline 16.'
"Our job is now not to advance to the shoreline and secure a port for the Reichsmarine... now, our job is to save the German 1st Army. Orders from Herr Guderian are to flank the Geneticon forces in 'Trenchline 16' from the West and crush the Geneticon Army alongside the 1st Army.
"Fourth Reich Intelligence tells us that the Geneticon forces stationed in 'Trenchline 16' make up the bulk of the resistance army. Intelligence also tells us that this army is comprised of roughly 750.000 combat soldiers, but their armor presence is far less than ours -- roughly 1/5 of the 2nd Army alone.
"For this operation to be successful, their infantry must be completely obliterated. In order to accomplish this with maximum efficiency, Fourth Reich High Command has ordered that a tactical Thermite strike is to be used. The Luftwaffe has informed us that they will be using 1.000-pound Thermite-9 Airburst Bombs to carry this order out.
"However, the 1st Army must be moved out of 'Trenchline 16' to avoid attritions and casualties on our part. I have conferred with Burgdorf and we have agreed that the Panzerkorps will be responsible for keeping Geneticon Forces at bay while we pull our infantry back.
"Panzer-X's will be the primary vehicles used to keep the enemy infantry back. With their quadruple 88mm cannons, they are the most effective tool against Geneticon's Infantry Corps. Keep in mind, our primary objective is to kill as many infantry soldiers as is possible.
"Gentlemen, return to your positions..."
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OOC: If anyone wants to RP the Geneticon resistance, let me know.