A New Way of War - A Narrative AAR

[soulking]

The Crete Campaign

The Fallschirmjager will be critical during the invasion of Crete​

Date 18, Month October, Year 2019

Eric entered the dimly lit room; one hand was holding onto a small stool and made his way to where ‘the rock’ laid. Well, it was actually a holographic projector that displays scenarios and allows the user to interface with it and since calling it a holographic projector was too much of a mouthful, Eric decided to go with ‘the rock’. General Graff was standing beside ‘the rock’, silently observing Eric and more importantly, the stool as he walked towards the projector. Dropping the stool neatly beside the rock, he turned to face the General and said. “Good Morning General Graff.”

Graff didn’t reply instantly but was in thought. Seriously what the hell is with the stool? Did I choose the wrong cadet? Seemingly out of his trance, the General replied as if nothing had happen. “You did take your time getting here.”

“That was because I had a late night’s rest.” responded Eric, “The other Cadets came to ask me about what it was like in AST, how were the professors and that such.”

“And you told them…” started Graff, letting the cadet to calmly reply.

“What was written for me to say when I signed the Non-Disclosure Order. Many of them didn’t buy it; thinking that there was more to it than what I was saying.” If only the others knew…

“Well, that’s good.” Replied a suddenly cheerful Graff, grasping his hands together. “Let’s get on with the simulation.” His change of mood confused Eric, but he let that slide as Graff directed his attention towards the projector.

Going over the instructions that he had memorized from the memo, Graff started. “Okay, the projector will start up on the 1941 Crete Campaign. The strategy that you created will be implemented here.” Then Graff started to leave, leaving the confused Eric even more confused.

As he started towards the door, Eric asked. “Are there any rules?”

Graff replied. “No, just beat the scenario. If you want to input something, just instruct the computer. It’ll do the rest.” Then he continued towards the door.

Before his hand reached the door handle, Graff paused, and then turned towards Eric. “One more thing. I will be monitoring your actions, but don’t worry about me. When you are ready, just say “Ready” and the campaign will start.” With that he left.

So… I’m here to ‘train’? still… I do want to try this out. If what Graff said was true, then it could be an interesting thing. Thinking a little longer, Eric set himself a goal. Not a Pyrrhic… just not a Pyrrhic.

“I’m ready.” Said Eric in a voice which some will say is cocky and others, defiant.

The projector started to flash; lights started to dim and Eric started to plan…

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

Quietly closing the door, General Graff walked slowly since he was trying to produce as little sound as possible and that the round was black with the exception of the light emitting from the one-side window that linked the room he is in with the ‘war room’. He finally got to where he wanted; beside another person standing.

“Why did you tell him that there are no rules?” asked the standing man.

Graff replied to his companion who was just about the opposite of him in every way, shape and form. The most obvious difference, though not viewable in Graff current lighting, was that the man has a darker complexion. “To let the creativity flow.”

“And what if he decides to add in the M2 Abrams or other non-period technologies?” questioned the man with a slight hint of an Arabic accent.

“He won’t.” replied Graff in a confident manner.

* The Italics here were used for either emphasis or thinking.

 

[unmerged(140338)]

But why not? having one would turn the game on its head. isn't that what every strategist wants?

 

[soulking]

But why not? having one would turn the game on its head. isn't that what every strategist wants?

Sorry for asking, but was your question directed towards having no rules for Eric or something else?

 

[unmerged(140338)]

The no rules Abrams comment. Sorry, i like to talk to my tv

 

[soulking]

The no rules Abrams comment. Sorry, i like to talk to my tv

Oh, I see. I too, do that during the fifa matches and during the Olympics.

And as for your question, it's more to 'mold' him into using whatever he currently has to complete the objective. It's semi-related to another book.

I should of added a "...or other non-period stuff".

Also, thanks for reading!

 

[Kurt_Steiner]

If he doesn't uses Hannibal elephants, all will be fine.

 

[4th Dimension]

This smells of Ender's Game.

 

[unmerged(140338)]

This smells of Ender's Game.

So THATS what i drew a parallel to!

 

[Kurt_Steiner]

This smells of Ender's Game.

Now I know why this part was so uncannily familiar to me...

 

[soulking]

This smells of Ender's Game.

That's because you're correct. My AAR is somewhat like Ender's Game.

So THATS what i drew a parallel to!

Yea!! Another person that found out what my AAR is related to

Now I know why this part was so uncannily familiar to me...

Correct.

The only difference I currently have between Ender's Game and this is that the latter main character skips what Ender had to endure when he fought in the 'space training' place.

 

[soulking]

Let see if any of my readers are paying attention. There is a small scene somewhere in my AAR that was taken from a video game. To be more exact, it was a PC strategy game. The first person who finds this easter egg and posts a reply telling me the name of the game it was taken from will get a medal

Yep, a medal. I've created one and I think its good enough to host a small look and find contest...thing.

So, get cracking to find the easter egg

EDIT: Don't forget to vote for my AAR in the AARland choice awards. Mine is, if you haven't guessed it already, in the narrative section.

 

[soulking]

General Graff​

Date 18, Month October, Year 2019

For the past minute, Graff was focused directly onto the cadet. The room in which he stood was silent, except for the slight hum coming from the control panel located just in front of the one-way window. Though Graff’s physical body was stable, calm and to some, attractive; his mind was the complete opposite. Somehow, looking at Eric triggered a memory release that opened the locks which held his deepest memories, confined to the farthest reaches of his mind. Like a raging storm, the memories of his youth appeared before his eyes and started to play like a movie roll.

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

Graff was standing in a living room that was decorated with flowery wallpaper. Around him, an ‘L’ shaped couch with an antique armchair to its side; all facing towards a mid-sized CLR television. I know this. This is when- Graff’s thought was interrupted as the small figure of a boy ran into the room and sat in front of the television and turned the power on. Amid the sounds from the television, the boy wasn’t able to hear the sound of the front door opening and then closing. Oh God NO! GO! RUN!! Shouted Graff but nothing came out of his mouth.

He watched in agony as the figure of a man appeared. “DAMMIT BOY!!!” shouted the man.

The boy turned in horror and replied. “Papa! No! Please!”

The father came closer and raised his hand, a fist being formed. “No! Papa! PLEASE!” beg the child, tears streaming from his eyes as the father landed a blow to the back…then to the side. All the while Graff, a spectator, invisible to both the man and the child watched helplessly as the child was abused with punch after punch till he could watch no more. God why the hell, of all the memories did it have to be this. Thought Graff as he closed his eyes.

Opening them once more, he discovers that he is in a new location. Replacing the flowery wallpaper are four concrete walls, the furniture with a single wooden table, horizontal to the chairs located on either sides. Including Graff, there were four other men, two of them sitting, one in a suit and tie while the other in the clothes of a simple middle-class. Behind the person wearing the suit were two other men. However, the difference being that these two were armed with P90 assault guns, each caressing it, as if to increase the tension.

Not this…thought Graff. The Man in the suit started talking. “You see Mr. Kregs, I work for an organisation that was founded before you were born. After the end of World War II, a number of…” considering the word, the suit man continued “my bosses decided that the world wasn’t ‘enough’, so they spent their time, slowly gaining power and influence. Now you may think ‘what has this got to do with me?’ Well Mr. Kregs, to answer your question, a number of my bosses have shown interest in the work that you’ve done during the 4th Balkan War and the 2nd Afghan Civil War. Now they want you to work for them.”

“You may also be thinking, ‘Why the Hell should I work for these people?’ Well, to answer this question,” said the suit man as he pulled a black walkie-talkie from his pocket, “listen to this.” And he turned the device and a voice spoke. Please GOD! NO! Graff was now crying, though the people around didn’t see or hear a thing. “Papa? Papa?” said the voice of a young female toddler. The man named Mr. Kregs started for the walkie-talkie, but the suit man pulled it away from him. “Not until you work for us.” Replied the suit man with a large grin.

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

It was as if time had just stopped. The experience that General Graff felt saw and heard was only visible in the mind. In the physical world, his body wasn’t damaged and number was out of the ordinary. However, had the lights been on, then the staff currently in the room would have been able to see a single tear rolling down to his left cheek.

Remember to vote for my AAR in the AARland choice awards

 

[Kurt_Steiner]

This AAR is as messy as a messy AAR which has a good reason to be messy.

 

[soulking]

This AAR is as messy as a messy AAR which has a good reason to be messy.

uh....is that a good thing? I hope it is.

 

[soulking]

So....I want to know what are the readers liking in this narrative AAR?

Are there any suggestions for me to improve on? or just general congratulations? Anything that you like or don't like in this AAR?

 

[Kurt_Steiner]

Me likes it...

 

[4th Dimension]

Me. Too.

 

[soulking]

Me likes it...

Me. Too.

Just for you two, I'll soldier on.

 

[Timmie0307]

I like it too...very interesting storyline...

 

[soulking]

Student and his plan​

Date 10, Month May, Year 1941

Athens. The once beautiful, sprawl city of almost 2 million was now mostly in ruins. The German Blitzkrieg from Yugoslavia down to the Greek state had dissected the Greek Army and forced them to retreat with remaining civil defence forces to the capital and loosely fortify the city into a makeshift castle. Their German counterparts found an enemy to…respect; that the Greeks would still dare defy the Wehrmacht became a test of determination. When the German’s came knocking, the Greeks knocked back. Fighting for the Athenian capital cause the OKW to lose nearly five divisions worth of men but eventually the flag of the Third Reich was raised over the city.

The Commanders and the general air support that will be available during the invasion​

Kurt Student’s HQ was located at the Old Parliament House; damage to the area was light, in the room where the Prime Minister would once have sat. Sitting on the chair in the elegantly decorated room, the General studied the three men presently in front of his desk. From left to right they were Mj. General’s Longin and Ringel, the relatively young Admiral Bergamini of the Italian Regia Marina and Lt. General von Richthofen, fourth cousin to the German fighter ace of World War One. Longin and Ringel were having a debate as to how Ringel’s mountaineers would be transported to Crete for the upcoming invasion while Longin was rebutting that that transportation was not his ‘department’. All the while, von Richthofen blocked off the bickering of the two and concentrated on the map of Crete place over the desk of Student, studying the deployments of the airborne divisions and the area’s which air supremacy must be achieved. The Italian just stood there, minding his own business as he eavesdropped on the two.

“Generals.” Said Kurt Student in German as he stood up firm from his chair, his black dress shoes contacted the hardwood floor with a detectable Slap! At once, the two Generals in their heated argument stopped and faced Student as did Bergamini while von Richthofen, still carefully studying the map turned his head to Student’s direction. Normally, the Fallschirmjager General would have court-martial such behaviour, but von Richthofen was an exception given that Student and his Luftwaffe counterpart have the highest respect for one another.

Once he had all three of the Generals and the Admiral’s attention, Student started to speak. “The coming invasion of Crete will require the joint cooperation of the German Luftwaffe, Heer and the Italian Navy.” Nodding towards Admiral Bergamini. Continuing, Student said. “The Fallschirmjager divisions will drop overhead the major ports nearest to Athens while the majority of the Italian navy is to bombard the ports nearest to Sicily. This will hopefully distract the Allies on the island as our intelligence has informed us that the majority of their troops are closer to Sicily.”

It was the Italian Admiral who spoke next in an accented but fluent German. “And you require the Regia Marinato transport General Ringel’s mountaineers?”

“Ja und Nein,” replied Student, “I will require a battalion of them to be flown in and drop while the rest will be the responsibility of your nation’s navy.”

Satisfied, Admiral Bergamini took out a small notebook and began to jot down some notes, including one to have Admiral Iachino and his fleet to rebase in Athens. Looking at the four men assembled, Student asked. “Are there anymore questions?”

Both of the Major General’s didn’t answer since their question was given. It was von Richthofen that asked the most obvious question. “Was not the original plan different?”

“Ja, however I had a change of mind. Rest assured, I have informed Herr Hitler regarding the changes.”

Admiral Bergamini and the Italian Regia Marina​

Timmie0307 - I'm happy that one of my most commented viewer from my other AAR has decided to drop by