The Thousand Year Reich : Chapter 1, Blitzkrieg and Destruction

The Thousand Year Reich : Chapter I, Blitzkrieg and Destruction
(Author note, Start is text heavy if you wish to skip scroll down a bit for the war)
On the first of January 1936 Adolf Hitler was greeted by a young man in Berchtesgaden. He offered the Führer his undying loyalty and advice for the upcoming years of the struggle to restore Germany. A very confused Hitler was not very impressed but when the man threatened to "delete your political leader brigade in game" Hitler was amused and decided to go along with it. He was then informed that mysteriously all the stockpiles of the Reich had reduced drastically and all that was left behind was "GROFAZ" written in blood in the warehouses. More concerning was the complete disappearance of 10.000 officers. Hitler was in a severe state of shock and turned to the young man and asked for some of the advice he had promised. At first he mumbled something about an "Iron price" but Hitler just waited for a real answer. "A communist plot backed by the Jewish conspiracy of course." Maybe he could get along with this man after all Hitler though to himself as he called Himmler and Viktor Lutze, just maybe.

The disturbing news continued to filter in. Somehow all the people of majors nations all over the world had grown more efficient. Hitler raved about the Abwehr outraged about how it had no idea about this until now. The young adviser was quick to suggest sacking the leader of the Abwehr since "He gives a -10% Leadership Modifier god he is bad" Although he wasn't sure what Leadership Modifier meant Hitler agreed about him being bad and so Wilhelm Canaris was sacked.

The next three years proved miraculous for the Reich. When the adviser suggested to the Führer that they should march their troops into the Rhineland Hitler was nervous but willing. "Don't worry this isn't hoi4 we'll be fine." Hitler felt as though this man was from another world but they seemed to agree on everything so far. After the British and French gave nothing but protests over the Rhineland Hitler grew bolder. It turned out that his adviser had already set to work improving the popularity of the National Socialist party in Austria and in March 1937 Austria joined with the Reich.

This trend continued with the Sudetenland and finally with the annexation of Czechoslovakia in 1938. Next Hitler wanted to take Poland he though the western allies would again bow before the threat of war but the adviser told him that there would be no more peace before the entire world bowed before Germany. Hitler worried but world domination sounded alright.

His adviser had been very clear about how inept Göring was. While Hitler never agreed to sack Göring, over time Göring lost much of the power he held over the Luftwaffe. The Adviser in turn gained much power by putting the right people with the right loyalty in the right places. Often with the support of the Führer.

The Luftwaffe was thus modernized heavily in 1938. New BF-109's, HE-111's and the JU-87 'Stuka' dive bomber planes replaced the old biplanes.

All on the advice of the adviser who recommended stopping IC production. Hitler was again confused and asked what IC meant. The adviser just sighed and left.

The panzer arm of the Heer had also been heavily improved in 1939 again on the advice of the adviser who asked to be allowed to put Speer in charge of armaments production. When Hitler pointed out that Albert Speer was a architect and not a minister the adviser sighed "You just don't understand". They eventually settled for Fritz Todt although the adviser grumbled about "bureaucratic inefficiencies and something about Speer's miracle." Hitler dismissed it as the normal grumbling of the adviser. The panzer arm did however grow under Todt. With the Panzer I's being refitted to tank destroyers and Panzer II's and Panzer III's taking over the main part of the panzer arm.

In the east the adviser managed to arm 4 SS divisions by using army equipment which Hitler had tried to acquire for years. Hitler was happy and wondered how he had gotten the Heer to give up this valuable artillery and other equipment. His response that "I just built them another 5 panzer divisions" satisfied Hitler. This man gets things done he though to himself as he went to bed on the 31 of August 1939.

In the west the adviser had recommended putting all the panzer divisions the Reich could muster on the border with Belgium. When Hitler asked how Poland was going to get beaten "The superiority of the German man over his inferior Polish foe will give us all the advantage we need" Hitler was again satisfied. He had been right all the other times after all surely it would be the same again.

The adviser had lobbied heavily for giving Erich von Manstein control of the entire Panzer Armee in the west. Hitler recommended someone more experienced again the adviser grumbled "Do you even backhand blow? Third Battle of Kharkov never 4 get." But this time Hitler was determined to get his way. He said Gerd von Rundstedt should get the command. His response that he was leading a fortress buster unit in an attack on the Maginot line Hitler went into such a rage that he nearly passed out. After he was done he stared at the adviser. "Never been wrong before right?" Now it was Hitlers time to sigh as he walked defeated out of the war room. He sat down by Blondi who was chewing on a bone with a note. "For the best Führer Hund."Hitler smiled to himself, he wasn't half bad Hitler though to himself. After all dog people are always nice people.

The Moltov-Ribbentrop pact which was signed on the 23 of August on the recommendation of the adviser was the final nail in the coffin for Poland. The nation hadn’t existed for hundreds of years and it will be wiped off the map yet again.

When Mussolini heard the news that Germany had attacked 5 different nations within an hour he was in disbelief. He was quick to declare himself as a bystander to the conflict he was not going to let the mad dog Hitler drag down Italy with him he declared in private.

All over the front victories are pouring in. In Poland the well trained German Heer was quick in destroying the Polish army. German recon cavalry would often run into the Polish artillery units trying to retreat having been left behind in the chaos. Many of the captured guns were recognized by the older men in the units as being Krupp guns from The Great War. Goebbels had a field day with the propaganda value of the Polish using our old artillery so miserably.

Danzig was also seized after a short skirmish when the situation became impossible for the Polish soldiers in the city when the German population rose up against the Poles while the German infantry approached from the east.

In Belgium resistance was harder and the resistances of the Chasseurs Ardennais were particularly fierce. But no matter how brave a man is a bomb dropped from a Stuka will have the same effect and so our losses were very low. A great victory for the Reich!

Many divisions are currently inside of Brussels but many have been severely mauled by the now week long bombardment by the Luftwaffe. The allies were quickly chased out of the skies by the enormous numbers of BF-109’s roaming the skies.

The French were quick to send in reinforcements to the Ardennes but the failure to equip the troops with anti-tank guns lead to disastrous losses for the African troops. Some German troops claimed this was intentional and Hitler was happy saying that an African soldier was worth 0.007% of a German soldier.

Meanwhile in the east the rapidly advancing SS were wiping the floor with the Poles. Their fanatical resolve to crush the Poles and restore Germany lead to higher losses but swift results and Himmler was pleased with their performance.

After the adviser had gotten them the equipment they needed he went on a hunt for trucks, as they were harder to get a hold off many were armed with Czech trucks seized after The First Vienna Award.

In a mere 10 days the SS and the Großdeutschland division were on the outskirts of Warsaw, the Polish took immense loses in trying to repel them from the Capital, to no avail.

In Katowice a single armored car battalion detached from the motorized division ‘Ostmark’ made out of men from old Austria was holding the city against an attack of over 14.000 Poles. Entrenched on various streets all over the city the lack of anti-tank weapons again proved disastrous for the enemies of Germany. "Thank god that armored cars have frontage in Black Ice!" Black Ice? Hitler though to himself. There was no point in asking the adviser though he never made things any clearer.

The pictured armored cars were no doubt showing their worth.

In the west the southern spearhead breaks over the Meuse! Onward to Switzerland! Manstein was happy to relay news of the breakthrough.

In the Netherlands the German forces are running into very stiff resistance in Amsterdam and the surrounding areas. Even with Stuka support the going is tough for the Infantry.

After less than 11 days Warsaw falls to the SS. A jubilant Hitler who had excitedly followed their progress rejoiced about their progress. “The greatest victory since 1871 and it is firmly in the hands of the SS.” The Führer is quick to forget about the 300.000 Heer infantry who made the advance of the SS possible.

In Krakow the Polish managed to dig in but the SS supported by infantry units raised from ethnic Czechs are battering down the Poles.

The picture was taken from a Czech infantry unit on the front line.

The battle for Krakow would last for a full week as each house had to be cleared out. Sniping became common place even among the Polish civilians. The SS were quick in handing out reprisals. Buildings were set ablaze and many “enemies without uniform” were dealt with harshly. In total some 1200 casualties were taken on the German side. The Polish lost 4000 with another 9000 captured. The civilian death count is still being tallied.

Another harsh battle finished shortly after in Amsterdam. The many canals and bridges made the fighting rather complicated but nothing the German soldier can’t overcome!

In the historical battlefield of Verdun another crushing defeat is inflicted on the French.

Hitler nervously asked his adviser what he though of Poland. But he just nodded and so Poland would never return Hitler though, gone into the annuals of history.

As the German forces began overrunning Belgium the scattered French began collapsing rapidly. British support had been lacking with only 4 divisions being encountered in the battle of France. Where are all the British?

The constant "I told you so" he got from the adviser was slowly driving Hitler mad but perhaps he had a point. After all victory was finally within their grasp!

Shockwaves ran through Europe as the French capitulated to the Germans. The large BEF that was supposed to bolster the French defense never came and alone France was hopeless against the well trained Germans. After the first few weeks of September the RAF had pulled back all its support for the French on the mainland wanting to conserve fighter strength. This was what the French dubbed “The First betrayal”.

The remaining British who were spread out all over France were quickly locked in and battered down. They fought harshly in the forests of Soissons but in the end 33.000 went into captivity.

But the real shock came in Rotterdam. As Paulus had captured most of the city forward units began running into British forces. It would seem that the British have chosen the Netherlands over France!

The fighting in the city was the worst seen. The Royal Navy although constantly harassed by the Luftwaffe provided immense support to the forces in the city. Whenever a German unit was located the entire street was obliterated by naval gunfire. Paulus was so distressed by this destructive display that he made sure the streets were opened for the floods of refugees trying to get out of the exploding city. Many of the Dutch citizens first reaction was fleeing to the British but the amount of Stukas in the air made evacuation impossible.

Mussolini being shocked by the blitzkrieg of the Germans can’t even get his declaration of war in before the French surrender. Our friend in the south is truly a confusing man Hitler though to himself as the adviser laughed at the news.

Guderian leads the German Fortress Buster Korps into the city to try and clear out the British but even a heavy tank is no match for the 340mm guns of the Elizabeth class battleships.

The Fortress busters consist of a heavy concentration of elite units. Engineers, heavy armor, heavy Artillery, well trained and heavily equipped infantry. This will be a good training ground for the Fortress busters that the adviser insisted on. "look man cities are crazy in Black Ice we need special units." Hitler tried getting information about Black Ice out of the adviser but the standard "You wouldn't understand." came as always.

Even the Luftwaffe is sent into the city to aid the German forces. Bombs, artillery, and the immense naval fire all adds to the destruction of the city. British on one side Germans on the other and the civilians stuck in the middle. Trying to get out through the German side.

On the 6th of January 1940 the battle finally ends. Driven to the coast evacuation becomes impossible for the British hundreds of Stukas roam the skies and bomb and ship that attempts to enter the port. As the German forces start accepting the surrender of major British units the naval fire finally stops as the risk of hitting their own grows so large.

Paulus would be celebrated as a hero by the people of the Netherlands for his attempts at saving civilian lives..

Although dampened by the horrors of Rotterdam the German people were in a state of euphoria. Germany had gone to war with enemies on both sides and utterly crushed them. Parades were held everywhere. Brussels, Luxembourg, Paris, Berlin, Warsaw and Amsterdam all saw the marching German columns. In Amsterdam however the British troops were shown to the Dutch walking defeated down the streets with Paulus in the front on top of a tank. "The hero of Rotterdam" rolled down the streets of Amsterdam. To a crowd mixed with emotions, anger, sadness and happiness. It all depended on the person.

Rotterdam is in ruins. Not a building remains and the losses are enormous on all sides. The German troops quickly set to work digging out the wrecks of the buildings. Sometimes a living person is pulled out of the ruins but many more are pulled out already dead. Men, women and children, shells show no mercy.

It would take years to clear out the city and the amount of unexploded shells would continue to add to the death toll long after. The brutality of Rotterdam would never be forgiven by the Dutch and the Dutch queen in exile publicly thanked Paulus for his efforts to save the civilians of the city. The British raved about the lack on transports and the brutally of the Luftwaffe in the city but the world was unwilling to hear it. The video footage from Germany showed entire streets being obliterated. Chamberlain was disgraced as he had not pulled on the reins of the Navy to stop the senseless fire and Churchill was villainized in the Netherlands but managed to deflect blame at home.

The love for the Führer had always been strong in Germany but after the 1939 blitz he was revered. Instead of dragging the Germans into long trench warfare where the sons and fathers were grinded into nothing he had delivered the greatest victory in the history of Germany. Just as the German people revere the Führer, the Führer in turns reveres the adviser. Perhaps Rundstedt would have failed? The German people stopped questioning Hitler and he stopped questioning the Adviser, so who is really the top dog in the Reich?

(Author note,Thank you for reading my AAR and I would be happy to answer any and all questions in the Reddit thread.)