• We have updated our Community Code of Conduct. Please read through the new rules for the forum that are an integral part of Paradox Interactive’s User Agreement.
vladimirowich: That's the kind of guy you're glad is on your side. As long as he's not standing behind you anyway. ;)

Kurt Steiner: Indeed. :)

Note: OK, some good news. My OJT schedule is actually pretty kick ass, so expect updates as normal for the next two weeks at least.
 
Damn fine posts you've had there, my friend, and while I'm happy to read that your schedule is going to be kick ass, that kinda sucks 'cause now I've got to find a way to shoehorn more time into my day so that I don't get left behind again on your story.

I'm really beginning to REALLY like Helmut, but at the same time I'm missing hearing of Otto's exploits and how he faces combat knowing he has duties as a father about to begin along with his duties as a soldier of the Reich.

As always, great work, my friend.
 
Draco Rexus said:
Damn fine posts you've had there, my friend, and while I'm happy to read that your schedule is going to be kick ass, that kinda sucks 'cause now I've got to find a way to shoehorn more time into my day so that I don't get left behind again on your story.

I'm really beginning to REALLY like Helmut, but at the same time I'm missing hearing of Otto's exploits and how he faces combat knowing he has duties as a father about to begin along with his duties as a soldier of the Reich.

As always, great work, my friend.

I have been featuring Helmut an awful lot haven't I? Have no fear though, I have not forgotten Otto and his merry band. Look for their exploits in the coming updates.

Thanks for reading and commenting.
 
November 23, 1939
Outside of Brussels, Belgium

Otto Wolf shivered and adjusted his jacket as he stepped from the warmth of division headquarters and into the winter cold. Though the path he walked was clean, the snow piled to either side gave evidence to the heavy snow that had fallen that morning and Otto thought for the hundredth time since the start of the Belgian campaign that this was no weather for panzer warfare. The offensive would continue tomorrow in the direction of Namur, and Otto prayed that it did not warm enough to turn the roads to muck. A buzzing sound from overhead interrupted his thoughts and Otto looked up to behold the impressive sight of a flight of bombers returning to their airfields around Brussels for the night.

Otto was still amazed at how quickly the Belgian capital had fallen. When I. Panzerarmee had engaged the defenders of the city they had retreated within hours. The government had fled and the military commander of the district had declared Brussels to be an open city and I. Panzerarmee had marched triumphantly through the Belgian capital shorty thereafter. All in all, Otto reflected, the offensive was going very well. Everywhere the German Army struck, the Belgians had fallen back. It seemed evident that the entire country would be occupied soon, though there were reports that French armored divisions were appearing around Ghent and holding up the right flank of the advance with counterattacks and defensive actions. The right flank of the offensive was the heaviest though, consisting of both II. and III. Panzerarmees as well as I. Motor. Armee and High Command had no doubt that they would soon break through the French and Belgian resistance. They had better, thought Otto, the whole offensive depends on it.

As Otto carefully continued to walk back toward the front line he thought of his brother fighting that very same battle and worried for his safety. Otto had met up with him in Amsterdam during lull before the Belgian offensive and Helmut had enthusiastically regaled him with his battle experiences as well as showing off his newly awarded Iron Cross, Second Class. Otto had been horrified to hear Helmut recount how he had won the medal and now feared that it would only encourage his little brother to commit more acts of foolish bravery. Must be the influence of those Waffen-SS people, most of them seem nuts. , thought Otto. As they always did when he had some free time, his thoughts turned next to his wife at home pregnant with their first child. Otto was constantly tortured by worry for her. Was she healthy? Was the baby? Not being able to be at her side was killing him and he almost preferred to be in combat where his only thoughts were how best to direct his men and staying alive. Otto had seen many battles and come under direct fire numerous times, but he had never known the kind of fear that he had for his wife so many miles away without him. As Otto finally reached the area where his crew had set up for the coming night, he shook his head and supposed that he would have to trust her safety to God for the time being.

As Otto reached his crew, he detected a note of tension in the air and had this feeling confirmed when Hertz suddenly lunged toward Schneider and tried to snatch a piece of paper from his hand that Schneider seemed determined to defend from him. As Hoff and Lorenz leaped to get between the two Otto stepped up and shouted, "What's the meaning of this? Explain yourselves!"

Hertz turned to him and jabbed a finger at Schneider while replying, "Sir, you have to stop him. He'll be the end of us."

"Screw yourself Hertz, and stay out of my business.", shouted Schneider in response.

"Someone explain this to me right now.", said Otto in an angry voice.

Schneider spoke up first, "Sir, Hertz is acting crazy. All I'm doing is writing a letter and what I write in it is my business alone."

"It is our business damn it!", retorted Hertz. "Sir, he's writing a letter to Marlene."

"So?", asked Otto in confusion.

"So? So tell him what you're writing, Schneider.", said Hertz.

Still glaring at Hertz, Schneider explained, "Sir, it's been almost two months since I asked Marlene to marry me and she still hasn't given me an answer one way or another. So, I'm writing a letter to her asking for an answer. I'm also letting her know that if she doesn't have an answer for me, we're through."

Otto looked over to Hertz and asked, "And this bothers you why?"

Hertz looked at Otto as if he couldn't believe that he didn't see the problem already before pounding his fist against the hull of their panzer where they had drawn the letter "M" surrounded by a heart and replying, "If he breaks it off with her it'll be bad luck. We might as well blow ourselves up and save the enemy the trouble."

Otto rolled his eyes and asked, "Are you serious?"

"I'm telling you now sir, it's bad luck of the worst kind.", came the stubborn response.

Otto folded his arms across his chest and said in a stern voice, "You will drop this foolishness immediately. Schneider's personal life is his own affair and it will remain that way. Now stop quarreling and start acting like friends."

After receiving nods from the two Otto pulled Hoff aside and whispered, "Keep a lid on this, I've got to get the company officers together for a strategic conference and I want this dropped when I get back."

"Yes sir."

Otto took a couple of steps away, but turned back as asked Hoff, "What do you think the chance is that she'll write back and say yes?"

Hoff thought a moment before replying, "Just to be safe I'll be sending up a couple of extra prayers for the time being, sir."

"Great.", muttered Otto as he walked off to prepare his unit for yet another battle.
 
Last edited:
Shiver me timbers, an update!

So you DoWed Belgium only after the Dutch capitulation?
 
Have you considered to change the "M" for a "E" and to become platonic lover of fräulein Braun? :D Like medieval knights, so to speak, but with a tank instead of a horse and a 75mm insteand of a spear:D
 
trekaddict: Yes, I only moved against Belgium after I had secured Holland. This is my usual strategy when playing as Germany as it allows to me position all of my forces exactly as I want them for the push into France. My plan is to attack the right and left flanks of the Belgian forces with my panzers and other fast moving troops. These two pincers will then meet in France(Rheims to be specific) and trap the entire Belgian Army as well as any French troops that enter Belgium before the encirclement. After that, I will have a large concentration of panzers ready to move on Paris.

Kurt Steiner: :rofl: Interesting idea, but doing something like that might earn them a visit from some of Helmut's old friends.

Commander-DK: I kind of like it too.....

rcduggan: thanks.
 
November 24, 1939
Ghent, Belgium

aivsized1eeaacvr6.jpg

German troops fighting in the streets of Ghent

Helmut Wolf covered his head as debris from the building behind him rained down on the position he and his men were holding. He shook his head to clear it and looked over the top of the low wall that he was crouching behind. What he saw did not please him. Two French tanks were pushing toward his position backed by substantial French and Belgian soldiers. Helmut had sent a runner back to request armored support, but none had arrived and Helmut was beginning to wonder if it would ever come. As the ringing in his ears from the tank shell that had impacted behind him began to dissipate, Helmut became more fully aware of the furious sound of small arms fire as enemy infantry began to rush his position.

Helmut looked down the line and saw that his machine gun team was plying their trade with merciless efficiency and that the rest of his men were calmly holding their positions and cutting down the Allied troops as they came forward. Helmut grabbed up his MP38 from where he had dropped it and began to fire at the infantrymen who were dodging from rubble pile to rubble pile and slowly coming closer to him and his men. Even as these men advanced, their armored support continued to fire on his position and Helmut was dismayed to see a section of the wall blown apart and several of his men tossed backward like rag dolls. Fearing that the enemy would try to focus on this part of his line, Helmut instructed his machine gun team to focus on the breach and then began crawl down the line offering encouragement to his men and also searching for Max. When he found he tapped him on the shoulder and said, "Max, grab the PzB 38 and set it up over on the right flank. You'll get the best shot from there."

Max nodded and ran behind the line, returning a few moments later with the platoon's anti-tank rifle. As he set it up, Helmut grimaced inwardly that it had come to this. Personally, he felt that these weapons were useless and refused to deploy them, but those French tanks would soon be on top of him and he was desperate. If he and his men were going to die here behind this wall, he was going to make damn sure they took as many of the enemy with them as possible. Helmut watched as Max fired on the closest tank and saw him curse as the shot had no effect. As Max began to reload Helmut turned his attention away from him as a tank shell blew his machine gun team to pieces and the enemy began charging toward him, firing their weapons and throwing grenades as they came. A grenade landed next to Helmut and he quickly grabbed it and threw it back over the wall before once again raising his weapon to his shoulder and firing. As the enemy came within only a few yards of his line, he and his men began to desperately throw grenades of their own over the wall in an attempt to hold them back. A few Belgians rushed the wall, but were cut down short of their goal or forced to pull back to cover. It was the same along the line as the Germans stubbornly held their ground and blunted the enemy advance. However, they had advanced very close to the German positions and still had their armored support which continued to fire on Helmut and his men. Helmut heard the distinctive crack of the anti-tank rifle and was gratified by the sight of the French tank crew bailing out of their vehicle. His men immediately opened fire on the Frenchmen, but only managed to hit one of them before the rest scurried to safety. Now heavy fire began to be focused on Max's position as he reloaded the weapon and tried to line up a shot on the other tank. Certain that the enemy would try to assault Max's position in order to silence his weapon, Helmut collected a few men and moved to reinforce the position. As they moved, the man in front of Helmut fell limply and Helmut stepped over him without a look. Looking forward Helmut could see that Max was completely pinned down and would need the pressure taken off if he was going to use the anti-tank rifle. Reaching the area, he ordered the men he had taken with him to set themselves up in support positions and turned to head back down the line. He had taken two steps when he felt his leg buckle as if someone had kicked him in the thigh. He fell to the ground and saw that blood was rushing from a wound in his leg. As he gazed at the wound, he felt strong hands take hold of his shoulders and pull him backward and into a sitting position. Unterscharfuhrer Keller crossed in front of his vision and knelt down beside him to place a field dressing on his leg. As the man worked Helmut said, "I'm fine. See to the line, they'll probably rush us in a few minutes."

Keller just grunted and finished tying off the dressing. When he was done, he crawled forward and returned with Helmut's weapon in his hand. As he handed it over, Helmut actually saw a fine red mist explode from the man's back and Keller crumpled to the ground next to him. Looking forward, he could just see enemy infantry rushing the wall and Helmut began firing on them from his sitting position. He emptied and reloaded his weapon again and again with a growing feeling of despair. As he fired off his last round, he knew that he was going to die. The enemy was moving over the wall on the flank and he saw bodies piled around the anti-tank weapon. Helmut drew his pistol and opened fire on these men, dropping several. He calmly reloaded the pistol as bullets began to fly around him and continued to fire. As he emptied his clip he felt bullets rip into his arm and shoulder and realized that the end had come. His strength was leaving him and he had to make a quick decision. He could allow himself to be taken prisoner or....No, thought Helmut, there is no choice. Not for a soldier of the SS. He picked up his pistol and carefully reloaded it one-handed. After firing a few more shots toward the enemy, he turned the pistol toward himself and was about to squeeze the trigger when someone slapped the weapon from his hand. Helmut looked up and saw a dark form standing over him before he passed out.
 
Helmuth, can't you avoid this silly habit of searching death so eagerly, please?

Let's hope that the dark figure is some tank commander we know...

Or some Brittish ghost :D
 
Hannibal Barca2: Never in any game have I seen the French react so quickly to an invasion of Belgium. As soon as I attacked they started sending in troops, especially in Ghent. It is rough going.

Kurt Steiner: Am I detecting some concern for Helmut? The dark shape is certainly flesh and blood and that's all that will be said at this time. ;)
 
Hardraade,

Great battle sequence....I only hope that the line held. Could the savior of Helmut be Otto or his old Capt? I shall wait patiently for the next update.....

KLorberau
 
Hardraade said:
Kurt Steiner: Am I detecting some concern for Helmut? The dark shape is certainly flesh and blood and that's all that will be said at this time. ;)

Of course. It would be bad to loose him so early. There is so much war to suffer... :D
 
KLorberau: Thanks. Is Helmut really saved though? He was prevented from ending his life, but couldn't the dark form be an enemy soldier wanting to take an officer prisoner? Of course, he could have been saved by someone friendly to him. Which is it? Stay tuned. Next update tomorrow.

Kurt Steiner: Ah, the suffering. I should have known. ;)
 
imageid42461rendtypeid4az8.jpg

Generaloberst Gerd von Rundstedt- Commander of German Forces for Fall Gelb

November 26, 1939
Brussels, Belgium

Generaloberst Gerd von Rundstedt stared down at the planning map spread out before him as if he wanted to tear it to pieces. General von Kleist had just arrived with news that Ghent had finally been secured, but von Rundstedt could see that was already too late for his plans to work as intended. There would be no encirclement of the Belgian Army due to the quick response of French forces who had prevented both wings of his pincer movement from closing behind the Belgians. Though his men had eventually defeated these enemy formations and occupied almost all of Belgium by this point, the delay in the advance had allowed the Belgian Army to escape to the south to fight again. General von Rundstedt's face twisted up at the thought of all of the time and men he would lose throughout the rest of the campaign as a result.

Tearing himself away from the map he gazed around the table to his principal commanders and explained his new strategy.....
********************************************************

November 28, 1939
Near Namur, Belgium

Otto Wolf looked down at the infantrymen who were riding atop his panzer and momentarily felt sorry for those who had not been able to hitch a ride and
were struggling in the snow that covered the road. Of course, that was not to say that those who had gotten a ride were not uncomfortable as well: it had become extremely cold as day turned to night and they had to be freezing. Feeling that cold himself, Otto ducked down and closed Marlene's hatch in order to let the panzers internal warmth chase the chill away. One of the benefits of being a panzerman, he thought with a smile.

He and the rest of I. Panzerarmee were on the march toward the city of Namur, which was quickly being turned into a fortress city by the Allies. The actual attack on Namur was supposed to have begun days ago, but I. Panzerarmee had been diverted to assist in the Battle of Ghent and was only now prepared to begin the assault after crossing back over the ground between Ghent and the launching off point. Otto himself had not seen much action during the battle as his heavy panzers were not deemed suitable for combat in the close confines of the streets of Ghent. Instead, he and his company had protected the flank of I. Panzerarmees advance into the city from possible counterattack. While he had not gone into the city, those who had brought back images vivid enough to make Otto thankful for this fact. They painted a picture of a shattered city. The beautiful architecture of the medieval city now lay in ruin after almost a week of aerial bombardment and combat and the bodies of thousands of soldiers littered streets. A scene of particular devastation was the Graslei, where members of the SS "Das Reich" division had fought a brutal close range battle against the enemy with terrible casualties on both sides. By all accounts, the elements of the "Das Reich" division that had fought in this area of the city had been severely mauled and this filled Otto with worry. As a result of not having gone into the city as well as the quick eastward march toward Namur, Otto had not been able to search for word of his brother and feared for him in light of the rumored heavy casualties that his division had suffered.

Otto shook his head and tried to force thoughts of Helmut from his mind. Between his wife and his brother, he was beginning to spend an awful lot of his free time in anxious worry but thus far was managing to keep his personal and professional concerns separate. As sweat began to bead on Otto's forehead, he cracked open the hatch and stood back up in the turret just in time to see an officer from the division's General Staff flag him down. Otto called for his column to halt and climbed down to see what the young officer had to say. The young man, who Otto figured was new since he had not met him before, informed him that he was only a short distance from his designated launching point for the attack tomorrow and gave him detailed directions to the area.

Once they had arrived, Otto instructed his crew to get as much sleep as possible and set off to ensure that his panzer company would be ready to fight in the morning and to give his officers their final instructions. As he stomped off in the snow, he took a moment to look across the long field toward the city of Namur with it's heavy fortifications. Intelligence reported that the French and Belgian defenders were manning an extensive trench system that was supported by numerous artillery and anti-tank pieces as well as at least one French armored division. By all appearances, Namur was going to be an even worse killing ground than Ghent had been and Otto turned away as a chill that had nothing to do with the winter cold ran up his spine.
********************************************************

Helmut Wolf opened his eyes and immediately became aware of terrible pain. It pulsed and throbbed through him and made him want to cry out. As he fought to bring the pain under control, he tried to make sense of his surroundings. It was dark, too dark to make out anything in detail. Does that mean I'm being held in the dark or that it's nightfall?, he wondered. Though the pain it brought him was excruciating, he tried to sit up but found that he was strapped down. While struggling weakly against these bonds he became aware that he was in motion. The rocking sensation put him in mind of a train, and Helmut wondered if it was heading north to German territory or south toward the enemy. Looking around, Helmut realized that there were other shapes moving around him and tried to speak but found that he was unable as his mouth was very dry and his tongue felt swollen. Feeling a sudden surge of panic, he bit his lip against the pain and began to struggle against his restraints with all the strength he could muster. He must have gained someone's attention because a dim shape suddenly appeared above him in the darkness. Helmut once again tried to speak before feeling something sharp go into his arm. Within seconds his head began to swim and darkness swallowed him.
*********************************************************



Next up: The Battle of Namur begins.
 
Hardraade said:
Ah, complete and utter silence: it so reminds me of the early days. Assuming that I haven't scared off my readers, the next update will post tomorrow.

Something is very f..ked up with the forum these days methinks. I am having trouble accessing the forum and reading/posting after midnight CET every night and even though I check in 3-5 times a day (yes, I am bored at work :rolleyes: ) somehow I have not seen your update yesterday?? :confused:

Rest assured, we are all here, your loyal readAARs! (now let me sit down with some tea and read what has happened to Helmut).

:) Jesper
 
Hardraade said:

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

Helmut Wolf opened his eyes and immediately became aware of terrible pain. It pulsed and throbbed through him and made him want to cry out. As he fought to bring the pain under control, he tried to make sense of his surroundings. It was dark, too dark to make out anything in detail. [I]Does that mean I'm being held in the dark or that it's nightfall?[/I], he wondered. Though the pain it brought him was excruciating, he tried to sit up but found that he was strapped down. While struggling weakly against these bonds he became aware that he was in motion. The rocking sensation put him in mind of a train, and Helmut wondered if it was heading north to German territory or south toward the enemy. Looking around, Helmut realized that there were other shapes moving around him and tried to speak but found that he was unable as his mouth was very dry and his tongue felt swollen. Feeling a sudden surge of panic, he bit his lip against the pain and began to struggle against his restraints with all the strength he could muster. He must have gained someone's attention because a dim shape suddenly appeared above him in the darkness. Helmut once again tried to speak before feeling something sharp go into his arm. Within seconds his head began to swim and darkness swallowed him. [/QUOTE]

Does this got something with me earlier request?

[QUOTE=Hannibal Barca2]Also, I suggest you should write something about William's friend and his adventures in the dangerous germany where he meets Otto, who's pissed on the man who nearly killed his brother![/QUOTE]

:D