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JustThatGuy

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Mar 31, 2012
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The Memoirs of Erwin Keller


225px-1st_Panzer_Division_(1935-1940).svg.png



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Erwin Keller (right) along with his fellow platoon commanders


This is my first (and probably last; it all depends on the community here) after action report, so please bear with me. I will play as Germany with TFH 4.02 and Black I.C.E 3.0.

I'm entering a critical phase of my education in September and I would like to hone my writing skills, at the same time accepting constructive criticism from the awesome community here, before my maturity exams in 2014.

This will be diary/letter based AAR with inspiration taken from the writings of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe of the Romantic period, so don't expect much 'gameplay' updates although diary/letter entries will be mostly based on what happens in-game. I will post *some* screenshots to show my in-game progress across the various fronts. I will try very hard to update this AAR every two or three days. The first post should be up today and will contain a Wikipedia-esque description of the protagonist.

Basic information:
Game version: TFH 4.02 with Black I.C.E. 3.0.
Game difficulty: Black I.C.E. on normal and TFH on normal.
Start date: 1936 in-game, diary entries and letters will begin a few months before Fall Weiss.
Style: Diary/letter
Protagonist: Erwin Keller
CGM: No
 
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Don't worry, we won't hammer you with our criticism... too much :D

You can count on me, as long as you won't do lenghty updates :p
 
Don't worry, we won't hammer you with our criticism... too much :D

You can count on me, as long as you won't do lenghty updates :p

As I said, the first post will be a description of the protagonist, so expect it to be a little lengthy. :p
 
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Is the AAR protagonist Erwin Keller a field hockey player from Germany national team? :eek:hmy:

I just looked up the guy. Honestly, I never knew such a man existed.
 
Erwin Keller, born June 22, 1909 in Munich, is a German soldier serving in the Heer branch of the Wehrmacht. A fanatic of literature from the Romantic period, highly athletic, fluent in English, French and Russian, and sometimes criticized for his black sense of humor, he received his degree in literature at the University of Munich in 1932 at the age of 23. However, with the Great Depression in full swing he could only find a job at his uncle's bakery, "temporarily" shattering his dreams of becoming a translator.

image007.jpg

A homeless person on the streets of Munich.

The creation of the Wehrmacht on March 16, 1935 opened a new window of opportunity for him and was one of the first men to sign up to the 'new' force, albeit against the wishes of his father, Heinrich, who had served in the Great War of 1914-1918, narrowly surviving when a French bullet missed his heart by literally millimeters during the battle of the Somme.

Westfront-deutscher-Soldat-300x226.jpg

A German soldier during the battle of the Somme, where Erwin's father cheated death.

After completing his basic and advanced traning with some of the highest scores in the history of the Wehrmacht, Erwin entered the Heer as an Unterfeldwebel and posted to the 2. Infanterie-Regiment of the 1. Infanterie-Division commanded by Generalmajor Ludwig Beck and was given command of a rifle squad. After taking part in the re-occupation of the Rhineland and showing outstanding leadership qualities, he was recommended by his superior officers to the General Staff and took part in a grueling officer training course. After completing training, he obtained the rank of Leutnant and was commissioned into the Panzerwaffe gaining a post in the 1. Schützen-Regiment of the 1. Panzer-Division (commanded by Generaloberst Maximilian von Weichs) as a platoon commander.

image0123vf.jpg

Tanks and panzergrenadiers of the 1. Panzer-Division taking part in exercises near the Ruhr.

Acknowledging the fact that war is getting closer by the minute, Erwin has spent the months before the conflict preparing mentally, for during it, he and his comrades could die at any moment.

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

How's that for my first post? :p
 
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subscribed. This is a promising aar
 
subscribed. This is a promising aar

Thank you. I really appreciate it. :)

The next update should come tomorrow or Saturday.
 
It looks cool. If you keep it like that, I can sustain all those noble namings :D

subscribed. This is a promising aar

No Greek around here can escape from here without seeing my first AAR; Greece in '36! Check out my inkwell! :)

Sorry JTG; I just taught Greeks are big nationalists and definitely want to see Greece averting the WWII...
 
Subscribed. Narrative AARs are hardest to write but are the most enjoyable so keep up with good work. :)
 
Subscribed. Narrative AARs are hardest to write but are the most enjoyable so keep up with good work. :)

Thank you. :)

I'll try my best. :p
 
Subscribed. Sounds interesting. Let's see if you can find really rare or new photos from the 30's etc reference your main character. So far a good start. Ps-he got the some of the highest exam scores EVER recorded in history of the Wehrmacht?? Sounds like Feld Marshall material!
 
No Greek around here can escape from here without seeing my first AAR; Greece in '36! Check out my inkwell! :)

It is true :laugh:
Your Greek AAR was my first contact with AAR forum. I was looking for Greek strategy tips and i found them there. :)
 
Subscribed. Sounds interesting. Let's see if you can find really rare or new photos from the 30's etc reference your main character. So far a good start. Ps-he got the some of the highest exam scores EVER recorded in history of the Wehrmacht?? Sounds like Feld Marshall material!

By scores I mean PT scores, rifle qualification, small-unit tactics etc. He's still too young to be a Field Marshall. :p

I will look for the photographs, but if I can't find any I will use some more common ones.

PS. Thanks for following this. :)
 
What do you mean by "noble"? :p

You know, every word that isn't common :D

It is true :laugh:
Your Greek AAR was my first contact with AAR forum. I was looking for Greek strategy tips and i found them there. :)

I'm glad you've enjoyed it! I think more people should play minors, but not those "I lol-stomp everybody, PfW FtW". Shame, I guess I want everybody to play HPP :)

By scores I mean PT scores, rifle qualification, small-unit tactics etc. He's still too young to be a Field Marshall. :p

I will look for the photographs, but if I can't find any I will use some more common ones.

PS. Thanks for following this. :)

Name it correctly: Feldmarschall :p
 
Oberkommando des Heeres
Directive no. 1
February 27, 1938


1. This directive calls for the deployment of the III. Panzerkorps (containing the 1.,2., and 3. Panzer-Divisions and under the command of Generalleutnant Heinz Guderian), 5. Jäger-Division (Generalmajor Fritz Bayerlein), and "Deutschland" SS-VT Standarte (Brigadeführer Felix Steiner) to the Austrian frontier.

2. The Führer and Foreign Ministry will use all available diplomatic means to gain concessions for the NSDAP in Austria.

3. Should chancellor Wilhelm Miklas of the Austrian Republic resist or fail to comply with our demands, all troops on the frontier shall cross the border and move to occupy the major cities of Graz, Linz, Salzburg, and Vienna and protect German interests and assets in the country.

4. Our troops are authorized to fire ONLY when fired upon.

5. Should point three of this directive become a reality, the occupying troops will take the necessary steps for the annexation of the Austrian Republic into the German Reich.

6. Troops will be under the operational command of Oberbefehlshaber West.

7. A copy of this directive is to be given to every junior and senior officer in the Heer.

Signed,
Generalfeldmarschall Alfred Jodl
Oberkommando des Heeres
Commander, Oberbefehlshaber West​

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

February 28, 1938
Somewhere near the Austrian frontier, Germany​

"Our troops are authorized to fire ONLY when fired upon." Point four of this directive terrifies me. What if someone points a weapon at us? What if that someone fires that weapon? What if that someone kills one of our comrades? We won't be able to do anything until after someone gets killed. And what then? We can shoot the man, but then that's two human beings dead. We can disarm and claim him as a prisoner of war, but that would probably cause even more casualties and the man will be enjoying the wonderful company of the SS.

I despise Alfred Jodl..

We've been here for only a day, but most of us came to realize that war over Alexander Löhr and his cronies was inevitable. I've never experienced such high levels of adrenaline before and I can see anxiety in the men's eyes. I just hope that a miracle will save us from going to war.


Leutnant Erwin Keller
1. Panzer-Division​

257c299fc71f3e25e6ec16c1146fdc3361714dd5a7127e544b50d276b22894e96g.jpg

German infantry moving towards the Austrian frontier.
 
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