AAR-Scenario # 2 Pillbox from the book, Hrtgen

The date is November 3, 1944, and I am Leutnant Jrgen Keuppe, commanding

Pillbox 302. American armor has penetrated the Stolberg Corridor to the second
band of our fortifications. We are only eight men attempting to garrison this
decrepit pillbox. Upon our arrival, we find everything in disarray. No
emplacements have been dug from which to defend against an American attack and
the mutually supporting pillboxes to our left and right are vacant. We have heard
that the American 28th Infantry is working together with armor to reduce our
bunkers and pillboxes. So, our future looks bleak. Although the war may be lost, we
will defend our fatherland to the end.

The Garrison
Sergeant Karl Sieg and I have served together since the early days of Normandy, and
I trust him completely. For this reason, I have divided my garrison and placed three
of the men with him. One of them, Otto Schmidt, claims to have survived Stalingrad,
but judging by his age, I would say the Somme is more like it. Then there is Wilhelm
Alstadt, who carries an MP-44, which was supposedly proclaimed Sturmgewehr by
our little corporal. The fourth man of Karls team is known as Ivan. I dont know his
real name, but we think he is a Ukrainian conscript from the Atlantic Wall. The

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three with me are an interesting lot. The machinegun crew, Walther Dietz and
Marko Hannemann are far too young to be in the army, and under different
circumstances, they would be at home with their mothers. Their identity cards
indicate they are both 18, but they look more like 16. Neither of them has more than
a rudimentary understanding of the weapon, but because our survival depends on
this gun, I want them with me. Finally, there is Angel Santos, a Spaniard who fought
with Franco during the civil war. He is a solid rifleman, but sometimes his German
is difficult to understand.

The men have strung barbed wire along the perimeter and planted hundreds of S-
mines. I have heard the Americans fear them the most. When they are triggered,
they pop up at about groin level and explode, sending 350 steel balls in every
direction. If a man is not killed outright, he will be maimed or emasculated. I have
zeroed in a battery of 8.0cm mortars on the crossroads. I trust the barrage will
arrive when and where I want it. The conditions are also working to our advantage.
The ground is snow covered and the roads are muddy, making navigation for
wheeled vehicles virtually impossible.

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Pillbox 302

The day begins as so many before it. We awaken to numbing cold and an icy drizzle.
Although this is our soil, we understand the forest befriends no one. Santos informs
me that Karl is signaling to him. Four enemy soldiers have been spotted near the
firebreak up ahead. I know Karl is savvy enough to hold his fire until, POP POP
POP POP! I exclaim, Verdammt! We show no fire discipline. Whats the matter
with Karl? Why did he shoot? Santos says, I think it was Alstadt, and he hit one of
them. I shake my head and say, Well, its on now.

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Alstadt firing his StG-44 at the Amis

Now the Amis know we are here. They scatter throughout the forest and begin to
maneuver against us. I grab Dietz by the collar and drag him to the embrasure. He
fumbles with the bipod and finally manages to deploy the weapon. Frantically he
says, Wo sint sie Herr Leutnant? I tell him to keep his eyes peeled on the
southwest end of the firebreak, and I begin to scan with my binoculars.

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Inside the pillbox from left to right, Santos, Hannemann, Dietz and Keuppe

As I watch the firebreak, I see the enemy emerge from the trees. I yell, Dietz,
geradeaus! I can tell he doesnt see them yet. So, I slap him on the helmet and
point. He nods and says, Jawohl Herr Leutnant. Dietz squeezes the trigger, and the
gun roars to life. I see the dirt fly up all around the targets. But it is a wild burst, and
the Amis scramble in all directions. Suddenly, the weapon jams. Dietz panics and
says he doesnt know how to clear the gun. So, I push him aside and open the feed
cover. I find a spent cartridge wedged in the bolt. Deftly, I disassemble the roller
pin and extract the fouled casing. Once the weapon is reassembled, I pull the
charging handle and direct him to continue firing. Dietz engages the enemy, and I
notice at least one-man fall. The weapon stops again, but Dietz continues to traverse
it as though he were still firing. I notice he has burned through an entire belt in
seconds. I admonish him by saying, We only had 150-rounds you idiot. If you keep
firing like that, youll burn through all of it AND ruin the barrel. Now, reload the
weapon!

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76mm HE shells detonates near the pillbox

As my crew struggles to reload the machinegun, I detect the unmistakable sound of
armor. I look out of the embrasure and see an American tank destroyer. I yell to my
team, Die Panzer! Voller Deckung! Everyone drops prone just as a 3-inch high-
explosive shell detonates next to our pillbox. Although we are protected from
fragmentation, the shock wave is still crushing. My ears are ringing, and I feel
something warm and sticky on the side of my face. I touch it with my fingers and
realize my right eardrum is bleeding, but I know we only have a few seconds before
the tank fires again. So, I grab Dietz and guide him back to the machinegun. He
whimpers, Wir werden alle Sterben. I say, Shut up Dietz! No one is dying here
today. Sprt Munition (conserve ammo). But, Dietz ignores me and goes full cyclic
with the gun. Now I scream at him, Feurer einstellen (cease fire)!

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Dietz killed by an American rifleman

Furious, I raise my fist just as the back of his head explodes. I watch him crumple to
the floor, and I notice that his jaw is missing. As everyone cowers below the
embrasure, I protest against the power of the American bullet. My father told me of
this cartridge during his experience in the Great War. Why should they use such a
bullet? The Geneva Convention should outlaw it, I exclaim.

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M-10 Wolverine followed by infantry

Now, the American tank destroyer turns its attention to Karls team. They see the
turret rotate, but there is no time to run. So, they hunker down in their
emplacement. Once again, the steel beast growls and sends a deadly 3-inch high-
explosive projectile downrange.

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The HE shell kills Alstadt, while the others are rendered unconscious

Even in the pillbox, I can feel the overpressure from the exploding shell. I yell to
Santos, and he peeks out at Karls men. Ich sehe nichts, Herr Leutnant, he says.
Keep looking Santos, I scream. Finally after what seems like an eternity, he says, I
see Ivan, Otto and Karl. They are alive. Und Alstadt? I ask. He replies, Nein, Herr
Leutnant.

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Smoke billows as the Wolverine moves up

The Americans deploy a smoke grenade, and the tank destroyer uses it to mask its
lateral movement. Pillbox 304 has yet to reveal itself. I wonder why the delay? The
Americans begin a flanking maneuver, and I am powerless to stop it. I order Santos
to instruct Karl to move to the tree line. Pointing towards the new position, Santos
yells out of his embrasure, Karl! Stellung gehen. Karl acknowledges the order
with a nod, and the trio moves out.

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Pictured from left to right are, Otto, Karl and Ivan

As bullets chew up the snow around them, Karl and his men dash to the new
position. They are clearly not safe from the marauding tank destroyer, and if
successful, this move could neutralize the American flanking maneuver currently
underway.

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Victim of the MG-42

Satisfied that I have made a sound tactical decision, I turn my attention back to
Hannemann. Marko, get busy and re-crew the weapon, I shout. He begins another
full cyclic attack, wasting ammunition, as Walther Dietz had done before him. But
his aim is true and another enemy soldier falls. I am hopeful our MG-42 can disrupt
the flanking maneuver without reliance on Karls pitiful little fire team. Then,
Santos spots more American soldiers gathering in the trees to the right of our
pillbox. Perhaps it is time to dial up those mortars?

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U.S. casualties from the mortar barrage

I call in the fire mission, and the Americans instinctively hit the dirt. However, the
fuses are timed to explode in the trees, and the men are shredded by shards of hot
fragments. One U.S. solider goes berserk in the chaos and charges our pillbox.

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Berserk American soldier is finally killed

This soldier made it farther than he should have. He was wounded by the initial
mortar barrage and took more damage from the PaK-40 in pillbox 304. But, Otto
finally shot him twice with his Gewehr-43 rifle from about 140-yards, thus ending
his rampage.

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Keuppe, Santos and Hanneman (trailing) run out of the pillbox

Now, the tank destroyer is once again focused on my pillbox. So, I order my team
out. We take up positions on either side of the door and shelter behind a trench.
The tank fires on us with its .50 caliber machinegun, and Hannemann is shaken. I
get him under control and send him back into the pillbox, to eliminate the soldier
firing at us.

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Hannemann lies dead, struck by several ricocheting bullets

Hannemann fires at the soldier manning the .50-cal on the back of the tank
destroyer just as the gunner returns fire into the embrasure. Although he does not
fire directly at Hanneman, 7-bullets enter the opening, and he is struck by two
ricocheting projectiles.

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Ivan, Karl and Otto counter the U.S. flanking maneuver.

As the game nears its climax, the Germans seem to be in a good position. Karls trio
is pressuring the American right flank, and they close in for a shot at the tank
destroyer with their panzerfaust.

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Santos is killed when the pillbox explodes

Santos and I stare at one another for a moment. Its just the two of us left to defend
the pillbox. I am undecided about my next move, and I hesitate for a moment. Then
out of nowhere, the pillbox explodes from a well-aimed high explosive projectile
that enters the open embrasure. The blast rips the massive steel door off its hinges
and hurls it into Santos, killing him instantly. I am knocked to the ground by the
concussion, dazed and semi-conscious.

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Keuppe (standing) and Santos (dead)

When I come to, I realize my war is over. I am one of many German POWs. At least I
know I will survive. I can only hope that Karl makes it to pillbox 300 and continues
to defend our homeland.

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