Current Date: June 26, 1941
1st Campaign: Operation Barbarossa | Chapter One: Battle of Białystok–Minsk
Ostroshitski Gorodok, Occupied Soviet Union, Oberst Dierk Holst
The map before the regimental commander was covered with figures showing the approximate positions of both friendly and enemy units in and around the area of Minsk. Aside from the many nigh unpronounceable names upon the map of enemy villages and towns, it seemed all was well for the Wehrmacht. The Bolsheviks had put up next to no resistance to the German advance which had seen the Wehrmacht advance hundreds of kilometers in a mere four days as well as the situation the Oberst found himself in. Currently to his southwest the Bolsheviks were performing a haphazard attempt at a breakout as hundreds of thousands of Soviet soldiers found themselves within an ever closing pocket. Their last hope lay in the city of Minsk, which German units were already assaulting in order to fully close said pocket, according to reports the fighting was fierce but ever gaining in the Wehrmacht's favor.
Unfortunately for Oberst Holst, the glory to be gained by taking Minsk was not to be his, as his regiment had been chosen instead to guard the pocket's northeastern flank from any Bolshevik units that may be in position to attack the pocket from the other side. Intelligence had pointed to that possibility to be unlikely at best, so in reality Holst's men would more than likely simply be idle until such time that the 2nd Panzer Group could advance once again. Nevertheless Holst had made certain to be thorough in the preparations of his regiment's defensive line, just in case the "nigh impossibility" (as one Intelligence Officer had put it) of a Soviet counter attack came to be far more possible than expected. His 1st Battalion had been ordered to a farming commune north of the town Holst had chosen for his HQ, alongside them the 1st Company of his attached Panzer Battalion would be assigned to the commune as well due to the Oberst's belief that such a point was most likely to be attacked due to both its bridges over the nearby river as well as it's thick forest cover from any recon planes the Luftwaffe might have out. To the 1st Battalion's Southeast the 3rd Battalion would also be stationed while the 4th Battalion would take positions to the 1st Battalion's West.
2nd Battalion was to be held in reserve with the rest of the Panzer Battalion in Ostroshitski Gorodok with the Regimental HQ in order to respond to any fierce attacks that could potentially push back Oberst Holst's forces, as unlikely as that was. Unfortunately, this did lead Holst to the conclusion that the area he'd been told to guard was too large, his regiment was stretched over six kilometers in total...something his higher ups had ignored as they had placed more priority on assaulting Minsk and fully closing the pocket rather than protecting the pocket's outer flanks. In the end, Holst was informed that his Regiment would have to do, and that although his due diligence had been "appreciated" it was undue as the Soviets would not be counter attacking in the current state they were in. Oberst Holst for his part simply hoped that Military Intelligence was right on this one.
Farming Commune North of Ostroshitski Gorodok, Occupied Soviet Union, Leutnant Heinrich Gunther
The last four days had been nothing but aches and pains for Heinrich as he and his men were crammed into the back of an Opel Blitz like a can of sardines. So despite being ordered to dig a firing trench with his platoon to cover his company's northern flank, Heinrich was in a decent mood as he was finally able to stretch his legs. Aside from a few grumbles here and there, it seemed the Leutnant's men agreed with him on the mood as they dug just a few tens of meters north of a dirt road intersection their company had been ordered to hold alongside the bridge behind it over the river. Some onlookers might have found it strange that a platoon's officer was digging a trench with his enlisted men, but Heinrich was not a normal officer, and he prided himself on that as well. After fighting with these men through France and Yugoslavia, Heinrich had learned that the best way to inspire those he led was not just to be brave in battle as he fought alongside them, but to do all things by them.
As such, Heinrich took pride in the fact that he slept in the same conditions as his men, ate alongside them, conversed with them like they were friends and family, and in general treated them like the second family they'd become with Heinrich as their pseudo father. Over time Heinrich had earned both his men's respect, and their trust, and Heinrich knew how valuable both of those could be in the heat of battle after needing use of both in France and Yugoslavia...and soon he'd need to call upon them again here in the Soviet Union. As he dug his part of the firing trench, Heinrich wondered how soon he'd need to call upon his men again in the face of this new foe of the Reich.
Starting Positions
