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Forever Babra

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Posts posted by Forever Babra

  1. Originally posted by RMC:

    Is it certain that Viezenz was an Oberstleutnant (LTC) and not an Oberleutnant (1LT)?

    While I am no expert by any means on German rank insignia, there are four distinct bars on his collar visible in the pic. An Oberleutnant would have only three. Also, the pic comes from a German-language web site, which is less likely to make that sort of error.

    Re senior officers at the front, there is some debate as to whether the morale effect on the lower ranks witnessing such scenes outweighs the loss of control inherent in such activity. Certainly Rommel's biographers have laid this charge at his door. But, if an officer is already out of contact and has no control to begin with, he loses nothing and gains everything by going forward. I'm wondering if the latter situation didn't occur in the German Army more frequently than we might suppose.

    In the case of Viezenz, 21 tank destruction badges would definitely indicate either some sort of hot-head or the unluckiest Colonel in the Wehrmacht. But, as Armornut suggests, he still had balls as big as church bells.

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    "Good for burn infantry. WERY cheap!"

  2. Originally posted by wwb_99:

    Well, leading from the front is a long standing German tradition, stretching all the way back to Roman times...

    Such behaviour was in no way limited to Germans in olden times. We have the examples of Wolfe and Montcalm, army commanders killed in the same battle; the Duke of Wellington yelling "92nd, LIE DOWN, and leaping his horse over the prostrate square to escape the pursuing French cavalry; and thousands of others.

    But in WW2 it seems the Germans were the only ones with senior officers in the thick of it consistently enough to be notable.

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    "Good for burn infantry. WERY cheap!"

  3. Originally posted by Michael Dorosh:

    How many American, British, Russian, French or Canadian Lieutenant Colonels could claim to have knocked out one single tank, much less 21? On this board we've witnessed two colonels with multiple single-handed tank kills. Of course, they had a somewhat target-rich environment....

    This is precisely one of the points Reynolds drives home repeatedly (and then some more) in <u>Steel Inferno</u>, taking especial care to describe German divisional and corps officers with headquarters in the saddle. Other notable examples of gold braid in the firing line, such as Rommel in Africa, stand out. I have a theory about this.

    Ahem. My THEORY, (by A. Elk).

    I am wondering whether the less advanced communications net (or interdicted communications net) in the German Army didn't spawn this fortunate by-product of senior officers up front. If regimental or divisional commanders have rapid access to full and complete tactical updates and good communications with their subordinates, they not only have no reason to leave their HQ, they are foolish to, since they will then lose control. On the other hand, when information is sparse or conflicting, competent senior officers MUST go up to find out the situation, which can drop them into some interesting situations. Urquhart at Arnhem is a fine example of this. Just a thought.

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    "Good for burn infantry. WERY cheap!"

  4. Originally posted by Pvt.Tom:

    I remember High School, but we didn't have computer games back then...

    Hell, we didn't even have calculators. But back in those prehistoric days when we did draughting with a pencil and typing was for girls and sissies, every test and every assignment in every course had marks deducted for spelling errors. My, my, how the times have changed... wink.gif

  5. Originally posted by russellmz:

    doesn't reactive armor precluse the use of dismounted infantry?(shrapnel from the reactive armor when tanks get hit)

    There isn't much shrapnel effect from reactive armour. It is still dangerous, but by keeping a safe distance and/or in cover, the infantry is not unduly threatened.

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