Campaign scripts and storyboards

first-orders-r12-01

Zones of occupation

strategic

19

In the spring of 1946, Germany was still governed in zones of occupation. British forces held the north-west, the Americans the south, and the French the south-west. Soviet armies held the east. In Emsland, a Polish armoured division remained under arms in the British zone.

before

Period paper map of Germany in its 1946 borders. The four occupation zones are tinted in muted inks. Berlin's sectors appear in an inset, and the Oder–Neisse line marks the eastern limit of the Soviet zone. On-screen graphics: army-level markers anchored in their zones. Each marker is emblem, branch/echelon symbol and short title moving as one object, with no boxes or leader lines: baor 'BAOR' (uk national fallback); third 'Third US Army' (third); fr 'French occupation' (fr); 2gta '2 Gds Tk Army', 3shock '3 Shock Army' and 8ga '8 Gds Army' (su national fallback). The 7ad marker '7 Armd Div' (7ad emblem) stands at its Holstein departure point [9.98,54.07], not at its later anchor. The fo-ctx-pol1ad marker '1 Pol Armd Div' (pl national fallback) sits in Emsland at reduced weight, with no arrow. A small typeset date card reads '16 April 1946'. Hierarchy: none resolves yet; zones and armies only. No battalion or company symbols.

Slow push north-east from the full map to northern Germany. The US, French, 8th Guards and Polish markers fade as the frame passes beyond them.

first-orders-r12-02

Ordered south

strategic

20

When Soviet forces moved against the zonal boundary on 16 April, the British Army of the Rhine was an occupation army, its divisions dispersed among districts and garrisons. Major General Roberts's Seventh Armoured Division was ordered south from Holstein towards Brunswick. The north was thinner for its going.

moving

Northern Germany: the British zone and the western Soviet zone, with the zonal boundary as a heavy dashed period line. On-screen graphics: the baor marker. The xxx marker 'XXX Corps District' is drawn in hatched administrative style without a combat branch fill, so it cannot be read as a field corps. The 5id marker '5 Inf Div' stays in the north. The 7ad marker travels fo-m1 from Holstein past Hamburg to east of Brunswick as one object, leaving a faint outline at its old position. The 2gta and 3shock markers sit east of the boundary. Hierarchy: army level, with British district and divisional context beneath BAOR.

Follow the 7ad marker to its arrival, then descend and tighten on the Brunswick–Magdeburg area. BAOR, XXX District and 5th Division slide out of frame to the north-west.

first-orders-r12-03

A front improvised

division

20

East of Brunswick the division joined a front still being improvised: an infantry division on either flank, an armoured brigade in reserve, all under the army's direct command. Across the boundary stood Bogdanov's Second Guards Tank Army, with two tank divisions between Magdeburg and the line.

before

Period divisional-scale map from Brunswick to Magdeburg, with towns, the Harz edge to the south-west and the zonal boundary at Helmstedt–Marienborn. On-screen graphics: 7ad '7 Armd Div' east of Brunswick. Flanking it are fo-ctx-43id '43 Inf Div' to the north and fo-ctx-53id '53 Inf Div' to the south, with fo-ctx-4ab '4 Armd Bde' in reserve to the west (uk national fallback, infantry or armour symbol). No corps marker stands between these formations and the army. East of the line, 2gta resolves into 12gtd '12 Gds Tk Div' opposite Helmstedt and 9gtd '9 Gds Tk Div' to the north. The 2gta marker remains at reduced weight as a command mark only. Hierarchy: army resolves to divisions on both sides.

Push in on the Helmstedt gap. The 4th Armoured Brigade and 2nd Guards Tank Army markers leave the frame, and the flanking divisions remain at the edges.

first-orders-r12-04

Converging concentrations

division

18

The Twenty-second Armoured Brigade led the British concentration towards Helmstedt. From the east, the Twelfth Guards Tank Division closed on Marienborn, its Thirty-fourth Guards Motorised Rifle Regiment in the lead. Neither main body would be assembled when the first contact came.

moving

Closer divisional map with Helmstedt, Marienborn and the boundary line central. On-screen graphics: the 7ad marker resolves into 22ab '22 Armd Bde' (7ad parent emblem, armour symbol), which moves east along fo-m2 towards Helmstedt. The 12gtd marker moves west along fo-m3 to Marienborn and resolves into 34gmr '34 GMR' (su fallback). The 7ad and 12gtd markers remain at reduced weight as command marks with no added strength. 9gtd, fo-ctx-43id and fo-ctx-53id hold the frame edges as neighbours. Hierarchy: division resolves to brigade and regiment.

Continue the push to the boundary, framing Helmstedt and Marienborn together. Divisional markers and neighbours dissolve out.

first-orders-r12-05

The nearest infantry

battalion

17

Each side reached forward with the infantry nearest to hand. For the British, that was the First Battalion of the Rifle Brigade, the armoured brigade's motor battalion. For the Soviets, it was the First Battalion of the Thirty-fourth Regiment.

before

Large-scale period sheet of the Helmstedt–Marienborn ground. Helmstedt, Morsleben, Harbke, Marienborn and Büddenstedt are lettered, and the zonal boundary runs between Helmstedt and Harbke. On-screen graphics: 22ab resolves into fo-1rb '1 RB' (7ad parent emblem, motorised infantry battalion symbol) west of the boundary. 34gmr resolves into fo-i34 'I/34 GMR' (su fallback, motorised infantry battalion symbol) east of it. Brigade and regiment markers recede to reduced weight. No company symbols yet. Hierarchy: brigade and regiment resolve to parent battalions.

Settle onto the board's frame. A neat-line draws in around the 9×7 extent, and 22ab and 34gmr fade out.

first-orders-r12-06

One company each

battalion

13

Neither battalion went forward whole. Each sent a single company ahead of it; the remainder stayed with the concentration behind, where it was still needed.

before

The board extent framed by a neat-line on the same period sheet; no grid overlay is drawn. On-screen graphics: a company marker separates from each parent battalion as one object. fo-rifle 'A/1 RB' (7ad parent emblem, infantry company symbol) appears at its departure cell (0,2). fo-east '1/I/34 GMR' (su fallback, infantry company symbol) appears at its departure cell (8,3). Both parent battalion markers drop to reduced weight with a small detachment notch, showing that the companies are drawn from them and not added to them. Hierarchy: parent battalions resolve to the company detachments (the First Orders exception).

first-orders-r12-07

Forward to the boundary

battalion

16

A company of the Rifle Brigade came up to the south-eastern edge of Helmstedt. A company of Guards motorised riflemen moved west from Marienborn into the ground towards Harbke, on the eastern side of the boundary.

moving

Same frame. On-screen graphics: fo-rifle travels fo-m4 from (0,2) to (2,2) on the south-eastern edge of Helmstedt. fo-east travels fo-m5 from (8,3) to (5,3), between Harbke and Marienborn and east of the boundary. Each marker moves as one object, with thin period-ink track lines fading behind. Parent battalion markers stay at reduced weight. The two companies end non-adjacent. Hierarchy: company level only.

Hold the frame. Track lines and parent battalion markers fade out, leaving the static opening disposition.

first-orders-r12-08

Before contact

battalion

16

Between them lay the line that had divided two zones of occupation. The first encounter would fall to these two companies, while the divisions behind them were still assembling. Its outcome remained undecided.

initial

Static opening disposition on the period sheet: landmarks lettered, the zonal boundary inked, no arrows. On-screen graphics: fo-rifle 'A/1 RB' at (2,2) and fo-east '1/I/34 GMR' at (5,3), each an emblem, symbol and short-title object. No headquarters markers, reinforcement symbols, entry markers or strength figures appear. Hierarchy: the full opening roster, both supplied placements and nothing else.

Hold for two seconds, then cut to the mission briefing.

Use existing verified 1pol divisional emblem asset for the Polish context marker.

helmstedt-r12-01

An occupation becomes a front

strategic

18

In April 1946 the Western occupation armies in Germany were still dispersed among garrison duties. When the Soviet offensive opened on the sixteenth, the British held the north-west, the Americans the south, and the French a zone beyond the American western flank.

before

Period paper map of Germany with 1946 frontiers and the four occupation zones in muted tints, Berlin's sectors inset. Typed caption at upper left: 16 April 1946. Six army plaques sit at their anchors. Each plaque is one object: the verified or national-fallback emblem (uk, third, fr, su) above a NATO-style command/army symbol and a short title. There are no boxes and no leader lines. The British zone and the inner boundary from Lübeck to the Harz are lightly emphasised. A faint rectangle marks the Brunswick–Magdeburg extent. Southern plaques stay static and are not elaborated. Nothing resolves below army level.

Slow push-in north-north-east from the full country toward the British zone and the boundary; the southern plaques slide off frame.

helmstedt-r12-02

Halting the release

strategic

19

In London, Churchill's government suspended demobilisation, and the Western powers concluded hurried agreements for liaison. The Army of the Rhine coordinated its divisions directly. In Emsland, Polish armour, kept under arms, began organising to move east. Opposite stood Third Shock and Second Guards Tank Armies.

before

British zone and the opposite Soviet zone at army-command level. BAOR directly coordinates its forward divisions; no reactivated field-corps marker appears. 5th Infantry Division remains northern context. The 1st Polish Armoured marker uses its sourced divisional emblem and an armour-division symbol in Emsland, with a stippled assembly outline. It has no arrow and is not on the front. East of the boundary: 3rd Shock, 2nd Guards Tank and 8th Guards Army markers. All symbols have integrated short titles, no leader-line boxes, and no strength figures at headquarters level.

Hold, then pan north-east to Holstein and Lower Saxony as the Emsland marker fades to half opacity.

helmstedt-r12-03

Roberts comes south

strategic

18

Major General Roberts brought the Seventh Armoured Division south from Holstein to concentrate east of Brunswick. Other British divisions covered the neighbouring sectors. The Fourth Armoured Brigade was held in army reserve. Beyond Marienborn, Bogdanov's forward divisions were already closing.

moving

The 7th Armoured marker (verified jerboa emblem key 7ad, armour division symbol, short title 7 Armd Div) travels as one object along hel-m1 from Holstein to its concentration east of Brunswick. Under BAOR coordination, the 43rd (Wessex) and 53rd (Welsh) Division markers ink in north and south of the corridor. The 4th Armoured Brigade marker (uk fallback, armour brigade symbol) sits in reserve west of Brunswick. 5th Infantry Division stays static in the north, showing that 7th Armoured is one formation among several. East of the boundary, 2nd Guards Tank Army resolves into 12th and 9th Guards Tank Division markers, with 3rd Shock to the north.

Zoom down to the Brunswick–Magdeburg sector as Holstein and 3rd Shock drop out of frame; army plaques fade and divisions remain.

helmstedt-r12-04

Neighbours on the line

division

17

Roberts held the corridor itself, with the Forty-third Wessex Division to the north and the Fifty-third Welsh Division to the south. Across the boundary stood the Twelfth Guards Tank Division, the Ninth to its north. A breach at Helmstedt would threaten both British neighbours and expose Brunswick.

before

Divisional front on a period sheet showing the inner boundary, Brunswick, Helmstedt, Marienborn and the Elm as shaded relief. Three British division markers form a front from north to south: 43rd (Wessex), 7th Armoured, 53rd (Welsh). Faint pencilled divisional boundaries run between them. 4th Armoured Brigade is in army reserve to the west. The 7th Armoured marker resolves its 22nd Armoured Brigade marker (7ad parent emblem, armour brigade symbol), which waits at the hel-m2 origin west of the division. 12th Guards Tank is shown at the hel-m3 origin east of Marienborn and 9th Guards Tank to the north-east. A single dashed pencil arrow from Marienborn toward Brunswick shows intent only and moves no marker.

Tighten on the 7th Armoured sector; the neighbouring divisions stay at the frame edges and the reserve slides out.

helmstedt-r12-05

Closing on the boundary

division

16

Roberts pushed the Twenty-second Armoured Brigade forward to Helmstedt and took under command a covering infantry brigade lent by the army. The Soviet division closed on Marienborn, its motorised riflemen entering the woods towards Harbke and Beendorf.

moving

22nd Armoured Brigade moves east along hel-m2 to Helmstedt while 12th Guards Tank moves west along hel-m3 to Marienborn. Both travel as single emblem-symbol-title objects. As the brigade arrives, the Covering Infantry Brigade marker (uk fallback, infantry brigade symbol) inks in beside 7th Armoured. As 12th Guards Tank halts, the 34th Guards Motorised Rifle Regiment marker (su emblem, motorised infantry regiment symbol) resolves out of it toward Harbke. The 43rd (Wessex) and 53rd (Welsh) markers stay at the north and south edges to keep the corridor in context. 9th Guards Tank remains to the north-east.

Continuous zoom into the corridor until the frame fits the campaign extent; the neighbouring divisions dissolve at the edges.

helmstedt-r12-06

The ground between

battalion

17

Between Königslutter and Marienborn lay a short belt of towns and woodland, bounded by the Elm to the south. The Eleventh Hussars watched the northern flank at Rennau; the divisional guns gathered at Süpplingen. Soviet artillery stood behind the woods facing Helmstedt.

before

Campaign-extent paper map with the nine named towns and the woods, and no visible cell lines. Each division and brigade marker resolves into the battalion markers already in place. The frontline layer appears first: 1 RTR at Königslutter, 1 RB west of Helmstedt, COVER INF 2 and 3, 11 H at Rennau. On the Soviet side: 48 GTR at Marienborn, 49 GTR and 49 GTR MR at Beendorf, I/34 and II/34 GMR, and 18 G Recon. The support layer then fades in as separately anchored markers: the Süpplingen stack (3 RHA, G/5 RHA, AT group, 2 LAA det), RE on the Elm, and the Soviet fire-support stack (122-mm group, 226 G Mort, 75 G AA) with 136 G Sap. Stacked markers fan slightly so that each emblem, symbol and title stays legible. HQ plaques sit dimmed above their children and carry no strength. 5 RTR, 1 KOYLI, COVER INF 1 and 48 GTR MR are not yet shown.

Hold the frame; the four remaining markers fade in at their movement origins at the board edges.

helmstedt-r12-07

The final hours

battalion

16

In the final hours, the Fifth Royal Tank Regiment entered Helmstedt, the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry passed below the Elm to Schöningen, and covering infantry occupied Grasleben. Soviet motor riflemen closed up west of Marienborn.

moving

Four markers animate along their authored paths, each moving as one emblem-symbol-title object: 5 RTR from the Königslutter railhead into Helmstedt (hel-m4), and 1 KOYLI south of the Elm to Schöningen (hel-m5). COVER INF 1 moves to Grasleben (hel-m6). 48 GTR MR closes to its position west of Marienborn (hel-m7). Faint ink trails fade behind them. The other twenty markers stay still. There are no route labels or road callouts.

Trails dissolve; slight pull-back to settle the composition on the complete opening disposition.

helmstedt-r12-08

An unresolved operation

battalion

18

Two divisions now faced one another across a narrow stretch of country. Bogdanov's opportunity lay in the interval before the British defence settled; Roberts's task was to make that interval pass without losing cohesion. Neither commander could yet see how the corridor would be decided.

initial

Static opening disposition: exactly the 24 supplied placements and no others. There are no arrows. The Süpplingen and Marienborn-area support stacks are fanned so that every marker is legible. HQ plaques are dimmed above their formations and add no strength. No reinforcement or offboard formation appears. Typed caption at lower right: Helmstedt, April 1946.

Hold on the full disposition, then fade to paper texture.

Corrected opening to Western occupation armies, avoiding a claim that Soviet armies were mere garrisons.

Removed unsupported early field-corps activation and context marker; restored direct BAOR coordination.

Replaced proposed Guards northern neighbour with 43rd (Wessex), matching First Orders; aligned the neighbouring context concentrations.

Changed generic shot IDs to campaign-specific IDs.

Use existing verified 1pol divisional emblem asset for the Polish context marker.

campaign-r12-01

An occupation becomes a front

strategic

18

On 16 April 1946 the occupation of Germany became a front. British forces held the north-west, the Americans the south, the French the south-west. Across the boundaries stood the Soviet armies. Within days, emergency agreements bound the Western governments to act together.

before

Visible HQ: baor, third, fr, 2gta, 3shock, 8ga. Visible units: none. Base map: a period paper map of Germany within 1946 occupation-zone boundaries. The British, US, French and Soviet zones are in muted washes, with Berlin's sectors as a small hatched inset. The Oder–Neisse line marks the eastern limit. Markers: each army marker is one object (emblem + NATO-style army command symbol + short title) anchored at its HQ coordinate: - baor: UK national fallback emblem, 'BAOR'. - third: emblem key 'third', 'THIRD US ARMY'. - fr: emblem key 'fr', 'FR OCC CMD'. - 2gta, 3shock, 8ga: Soviet national fallback emblems. The southern zones stay muted and no southern hierarchy resolves. A thin red pencil line outlines Schleswig-Holstein and the lower Elbe. A typed dateline '16 APRIL 1946' sits in the lower margin. No counters, no strength figures, no title boxes or leader lines.

Slow push-in toward Hamburg. The southern zones fade to plain paper tone and the frame settles on northern Germany.

campaign-r12-02

Armour leaves Holstein

strategic

18

The British Army of the Rhine was an occupation force, its divisions spread across districts rather than gathered for battle. Its Seventh Armoured Division left Holstein for the Helmstedt sector. Behind it, the lower Elbe and the Baltic approaches were thinly held.

moving

Visible HQ: baor, 7ad, 2gta, 3shock. Visible units: none. Movement: nf-m1. Base map: the northern British zone and the adjacent Soviet zone on period paper. Markers: - baor stays at its anchor. - 7ad: 7th Armoured Division emblem (key '7ad', kept distinct from BAOR's UK fallback) + armoured-division symbol + '7 ARMD DIV'. It starts at the Holstein origin of nf-m1 and travels as one object via Hamburg and the Lüneburg area to its Helmstedt-sector anchor. - 2gta and 3shock stay static east of the zonal boundary. After 7ad passes, a faint pale wash over Holstein and the lower Elbe marks the thinned sector. Neither army marker resolves into children.

Hold as 7ad settles. Pan north-west and widen the frame west to the Emsland and the Rhine–Ruhr while new markers fade up.

campaign-r12-03

A command for the north

strategic

17

London suspended demobilisation in the zone and ordered a field command raised for the north. It went to Brian Horrocks. The First Polish Armoured Division, retained under arms, began concentrating from the Emsland; Belgian troops began relieving British garrisons farther west.

before

Visible HQ: baor, 7ad, horrocks, uk-gds, uk-15s, 1pol, pl-para, be-bde, roko, 2gta, 3shock. Visible units: none. The army and corps level resolves on the western side: - horrocks fades in beneath baor: UK fallback emblem + corps-equivalent command symbol + 'N FIELD CMD'. - Neighbours: uk-gds in the Holstein rear and uk-15s on the Elbe's southern bank, each with UK national fallback emblem + infantry-division symbol + short title. - 1pol: emblem key '1pol' + armoured-division symbol + '1 PL ARMD DIV', static at its notional point. A hatched, static concentration band runs from the Emsland toward it, captioned 'Polish concentration'. It is not a unit movement. - pl-para: a separate marker in the north-west, Polish national fallback + infantry-brigade symbol + '1 PL PARA BDE'. - be-bde: on the Rhine–Ruhr communications, Belgian national fallback + infantry-brigade symbol + 'BE BDE GP'. On the eastern side, roko appears at low emphasis east of the boundary, and 2gta and 3shock stay static. 7ad remains at Helmstedt. HQ markers show no strength.

Swing east across the zonal boundary and zoom to the Hamburg–Schwerin frame. Western markers dim and roko opens into its divisions.

campaign-r12-04

Rokossovsky's northern forces

division

18

Opposite, Konstantin Rokossovsky commanded the Soviet forces between the Baltic coast and the Elbe. A rifle division held the boundary; behind it, elements of the Ninth Guards Tank Division gathered west of Schwerin. The Third Shock Army stood on his southern flank.

before

Visible HQ: horrocks, 5id, narmor, 1pol, uk-gds, uk-15s, roko, nr, 9gtd, 3shock, su-3sa-rd. Visible units: none. The division level resolves on the Soviet side: - roko splits into nr (Soviet fallback + infantry-division symbol + 'RIFLE DIV') near the boundary and 9gtd (Soviet fallback + tank-division symbol + '9 GDS TK DIV') west of Schwerin. No Guards divisional emblem is invented. - 3shock stays at the southern edge. - su-3sa-rd ('RIFLE DIV 3 SHOCK') sits toward Ludwigslust as flank context. On the western side, at reduced tone: - 5id ('5 INF DIV') sits at the Hamburg origin of nf-m2. - narmor ('N ARMD GP') sits beside horrocks. - 1pol is static at its notional point, with uk-gds and uk-15s. The Ratzeburger See, Schaalsee and Schweriner See are drawn in period blue as proposed outlines. No counters.

Ease the camera west onto the British side. Soviet markers dim to half tone.

campaign-r12-05

To the boundary

division

18

Horrocks's own strength rested on elements of the Fifth Infantry Division and a provisional armoured group. The Fifth moved east from Hamburg to the zone boundary, holding a line from Lübeck through Ratzeburg and the Schaalsee country to the Elbe at Lauenburg.

moving

Visible HQ: horrocks, 5id, narmor, 1pol, uk-gds, uk-15s, roko, nr, 9gtd, su-3sa-rd. Visible units: none. Movement: nf-m2. - 5id travels as one marker from Hamburg along nf-m2 to its anchor east of Mölln. - As the narration names each place, a red pencil line traces the zonal boundary from Lübeck Bay to the Elbe at Lauenburg, and Lübeck, Ratzeburg, the Schaalsee and Lauenburg take period lettering. - narmor, 1pol, uk-gds and uk-15s stay static. - Soviet markers stay static at half tone. No intent arrows. No counters.

Zoom into the western half of the campaign sheet. The 5id and narmor markers open and their children drop from the HQ points to their cells.

campaign-r12-06

The British line

battalion

18

Along that line, battalions took station from Lübeck to the Elbe. The First Seaforth Highlanders came up to Mölln as a central reserve; an armoured regiment assembled to the west. Guns, engineers and supply columns settled behind them, from Schwarzenbek to Bad Oldesloe.

moving

Visible HQ: horrocks, 5id, narmor. Visible units (12): n-green, n-inn, n-yl, n-wilts, n-cam, n-sea, n-ukarmor-A, northern-front-support-1 to northern-front-support-5. Movements: nf-m3, nf-m4. Battalion resolution: - 5id's frontline children appear at their opening cells: 1 GREEN HOW at Lübeck, 2 INNIS FUS at Ratzeburg, 1 Y&L west of the Schaalsee, 2 WILTS at Büchen, 2 CAMERON at Lauenburg. - 1 SEAFORTH appears at the nf-m4 origin and travels to Mölln. - narmor's child N ARMD A appears at the nf-m3 origin and travels to its reserve cell west of Mölln. - A second beat brings up the support layer as independent counters at their own cells: N UK RECCE, N UK ART, N UK ENGR, N UK AA, N UK SUP. Every counter is one object: the parent's UK national fallback emblem (regimental badges unverified) + NATO-style branch/echelon symbol + short title. HQ markers stay small and carry no strength. The Soviet half of the sheet is blank paper.

Pan east across the boundary to frame the full sheet. British counters dim to 40 per cent.

campaign-r12-07

Opposite the lakes

battalion

16

Across the boundary, Soviet rifle battalions held a line from Schönberg southward towards Boizenburg. A tank regiment moved up to Gadebusch; another assembled at Wittenburg, each with its own motor-rifle battalion. Howitzers took position behind the centre.

moving

Visible HQ: horrocks, 5id, narmor, 9gtd, nr. Visible units: all 25 opening placements, with the 12 western counters held dimmed at their final cells. Movement: nf-m5. nr resolves: - N RIF 1 near Schönberg, N RIF 2 east of the Ratzeburg lakes, N RIF 5 at Zarrentin, N RIF 6 toward Boizenburg. - Support: N SU HOW east of the lakes, N SU ENGR behind the southern battalions, N SU AA at Schwerin. 9gtd resolves: - N TANK A appears at the nf-m5 origin south-east of Schwerin and travels to Gadebusch. - N MR A near Rehna, N TANK B and N MR B at Wittenburg. - Support: N SU RECCE and N SU SUP. Soviet counters use the Soviet national fallback emblem + branch/echelon symbol + short title as one object. The empty Schaalsee cells stay water.

Restore British counters to full tone, clear all path traces and pull back about 5 per cent to frame the whole sheet.

campaign-r12-08

Lower Elbe to the Baltic

battalion

18

Neither concentration was complete. The Poles were still organising in the rear, and more battalions on both sides had yet to arrive. Horrocks had to hold between the Baltic and the Elbe; Rokossovsky had to choose where a northern advance would press hardest.

initial

Visible HQ: horrocks, 5id, narmor, 1pol, 9gtd, nr. Visible units: exactly the 25 supplied opening placements at their frozen cells, both frontline and support layers at full tone. - No arrows, no intent axes and no reinforcement symbols. - 1pol appears only as a western-margin tab on its latitude, with a period annotation reading '1st Polish Armoured Division — concentrating'. No Polish counter appears. - HQ markers stay small and carry no strength. - The coastline, lakes and Elbe edge are drawn as the proposed board terrain.

Hold on the full disposition, then fade to paper.

Added explicitly proposed 26 April northern opening and 20 April northern-command order, allowing a single conserved 9GTD element pool to transfer after Helmstedt.

summer-central-r12-01

A war of rebuilding armies

strategic

26

By the summer of 1946 the war in Germany had become a contest between armies rebuilding their strength. The emergency agreements of April had grown into a political council in May, and then into a combined staff coordinating the national armies, each still answering to its own government. French forces held their own zone; their part in an offensive would depend on events in the field.

before

Period paper map of occupied Germany with 1946 borders, the four occupation zones in muted wash and a Berlin sectors inset. The 1945 inter-zonal boundary is drawn as a heavier line; no southern front detail. Army-level aggregate markers sit at their anchors, each moving as one object: national emblem, NATO-style command symbol with army echelon, and short title. Visible: baor (BAOR), third (Third US Army), fr (French occupation), 3shock (3rd Shock), 2gta (2nd Gds Tank), 8ga (8th Gds), r12-su-altmark (Soviet army, Altmark). A thin typeset strip along the lower margin reads 'April — emergency agreements · May — political council · Summer — combined staff', with no emblem attached. The French zone tints slightly at the French line, and the fr marker carries no arrow. No battalion counters.

Slow push north-east to frame northern and central Germany; third and fr fall out of frame.

summer-central-r12-02

Contributions and their limits

strategic

23

National orders had halted demobilisation, and British formations scattered across occupation districts were rebuilt into field commands. Belgian brigade groups secured the Rhineland approaches, a Dutch battalion guarded communications to the Weser, and Polish formations remained assigned to the northern front. Australian and New Zealand brigades prepared for Europe; their arrival depended on shipping and refit.

before

Same paper map, tighter on the north. BAOR district outlines fade, and r12-uk-ncorps resolves as a field corps marker in the northern British sector. National contingent markers ink in at their anchors as single emblem+symbol+title objects: r12-be-bde-rear (Rhine–Ruhr), r12-be-bde-fwd (west of Brunswick), r12-nl-bde (Ems–Weser, captioned 'one battalion present'), r12-pl-1ad (northern front). Belgian, Dutch and Polish markers use national fallback emblems. A margin cartouche without a leader line or map position reads 'Australian 34th Infantry Brigade (65th, 66th, 67th Bns) · New Zealand brigade group — from Japan, staging'. Soviet aggregates 3shock, 2gta, 8ga and r12-su-altmark remain. No Polish II Corps, Canadian, Romanian, Bulgarian or Czechoslovak markers.

Zoom to the central sector between Hesse and the Elbe; contingent markers outside the frame drop away.

summer-central-r12-03

Galloway's command

strategic

16

In the centre, General Alexander Galloway took field command east of Brunswick. American formations came north from Hesse and around the Harz to join him, remaining under national command while coordinating their operations with his.

moving

Army/corps view. The galloway marker (UK fallback emblem, corps command symbol, 'Galloway') inks in east of Brunswick beneath baor. The summer-us group marker (US emblem, armour group symbol, 'US central group') travels as one object along sc-m1 from Hesse, west of the Harz, to its anchor. A dashed, uncoloured line runs south off the frame edge, captioned 'US national command'. Neighbour markers stay in place: r12-uk-ncorps to the north, r12-be-bde-fwd west of Brunswick, r12-us-div-hesse on the Werra. Soviet aggregates 3shock, 2gta, 8ga and r12-su-altmark sit beyond the zonal line.

Pan east across the boundary and push in; 3shock begins to resolve.

summer-central-r12-04

Third Shock Army

division

16

Opposite stood Kuznetsov's Third Shock Army, its 79th, 12th Guards and 7th Rifle Corps holding the line before Magdeburg. East of the Elbe lay Bogdanov's Second Guards Tank Army; to the south, Chuikov's Eighth Guards Army covered Thuringia.

before

Corps view. 3shock opens into three corps markers ordered north to south (79rc, 12grc, 7rc), each with Soviet emblem, corps command symbol and short title, plus the ctank group east of the Elbe. 2gta and its forward corps r12-su-2gta-tc sit east of the river; 8ga at the southern frame; r12-su-altmark to the north. On the western side, galloway resolves into 7ad (7th Armoured emblem), 5id and summer-us. Neighbouring British formations stand to the north (r12-uk-ncorps with r12-uk-div-n) and south (r12-uk-div-harz). Corps sector boundaries appear as fine pecked lines. No counters.

Push in to the division frame between Brunswick and the Elbe.

summer-central-r12-05

Concentration on both banks

division

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During the summer, Soviet armour crossed the Elbe at Magdeburg to stand behind the rifle corps. The Seventh Armoured Division gathered east of Brunswick, with British infantry divisions holding the line to its north and along the western Harz.

moving

Densest command view. ctank moves as one marker along sc-m2 across the Elbe at Magdeburg to its anchor behind 12grc. At the same time, 7ad (jerboa emblem, armoured division symbol, '7 Armd Div') moves along sc-m3 from Brunswick to its anchor, and 22ab resolves beside it under the 7th Armoured emblem. Western division markers fill the line: r12-uk-div-n to the north, 5id at Helmstedt, summer-us to the south, r12-uk-div-harz on the western Harz, with r12-be-bde-fwd in reserve. Eastern division markers fill the opposite line: c79 and r12-su-79-2, c12, c7 and r12-su-7-2, with r12-su-2gta-tc east of the river. Corps markers dim to small command tabs. The campaign extent appears as a thin ruled rectangle.

Settle into the ruled rectangle at a slightly wider battalion frame; the division markers outside it stay as edge context.

summer-central-r12-06

The line of 1945

battalion

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Along the zonal boundary of 1945, British and American infantry held the ground from Grasleben southward past Helmstedt and Schöningen. Soviet rifle battalions faced them from Weferlingen to beyond Hötensleben, with a reserve at Haldensleben.

before

The ruled rectangle becomes the period paper board with landmark names only. The infantry layer resolves from its parent markers into battalion counters at their frozen cells. Each counter is one object: emblem (7ad, UK, US or Soviet fallback per emblem_parent), infantry battalion symbol and short title. Western counters: summer-cam, summer-inn, c-koyli, c-worcs, c-us-rifle-A. Eastern counters: c-79-1, c-79-2, c-79-3, c-12G-1, c-12G-3, c-7-1, c-smotor-A. Neighbour division markers r12-uk-div-n, r12-uk-div-harz, r12-su-79-2 and r12-su-7-2 sit outside the rectangle in muted ink, marked as adjacent sectors. Armour and support layers are hidden.

Tighten to the board edges; the outside neighbours fade.

summer-central-r12-07

Armour moves up

battalion

13

Behind them, British tank regiments and an American tank battalion moved into assembly. West of Magdeburg, a Soviet tank regiment concentrated on the open farmland of the Börde.

moving

The armour layer ink-fades in. summer-uk-1rtr and summer-rb appear at their cells. Three counters travel their existing paths as single objects: summer-uk-5rtr along sc-m4, c-us-tank-A along sc-m5, c-stank-A along sc-m6. The infantry layer stays at reduced contrast. No alternative axes, arrows of intent or road highlights are drawn.

Hold the frame; the support layer fades in.

summer-central-r12-08

An undecided axis

battalion

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Reconnaissance, guns, engineers and supply columns took their own places. Each command could strike along more than one axis, and each knew that massing on one would weaken another. Neither had yet decided where the blow would fall.

initial

Static full opening disposition: all 29 placement counters at their frozen cells. Support counters (reconnaissance, artillery, engineer, AA and supply) are independent emblem+symbol+title objects at their own cells, not merged with manoeuvre counters. All layers at full contrast. HQ markers stay as small command tabs and add no strength. No French, reinforcement or neighbour counters. No arrows.

Slow fade to paper; end of film.

Aligned 43rd north and 53rd south with the early Helmstedt ledger.

Reused Horrocks and Rokossovsky northern command identities instead of inventing additional northern HQs; anchors represent command sectors.

Replaced unnumbered postwar tank-corps reserve with tank-division reserve elements and explicit stock deductions.

Reserved southern Soviet allocations and existing US/5th Division pools against cross-theatre duplication.

Added explicitly proposed 1 August opening and 1 July central-command order.

Use existing verified 1pol divisional emblem asset for the Polish context marker.

Removed unverified Lieutenant General rank from Galloway narration; uses General Alexander Galloway, with fictional command appointment retained.

s11-1

The southern hinge

theatre

The war in Germany exposed the southern flank of the Western armies. Beyond Bavaria lay Czechoslovakia, where Moscow had demanded passage for troops and supplies bound for its occupation zone in Austria. The dispute over access had become a struggle for control.

Theatre map: Germany, Czechoslovakia and Austria. Show the Austrian commands in place. Highlight a proposed Moravian transit corridor without depicting an Austrian withdrawal.

16

s11-2

The return to Bohemia

theatre

Under an agreement imposed on an emergency authority in Prague, Soviet detachments secured railway junctions and depots. Further formations followed. Some Czechoslovak commanders accepted the new orders. Others refused, dispersed their men, or sought a passage west.

Show route-security presence expanding into occupation; a provisional Bohemian group moves from Moravia through Prague to Plzeň. Historical parent and source allocation remain a production hold.

19

s11-3

Two approaches to Bavaria

command

Chuikov’s Eighth Guards Army threatened Franconia from the north. A second Soviet concentration now faced Bavaria across the Bohemian frontier. Truscott’s Third Army had to cover both approaches, with Patton directing its provisional field command.

Army/corps map: Third Army and Eighth Guards Army; Bohemian field-group placeholder. No Rodimtsev or 32nd Guards assignment in the default plan.

18

s11-4

The American covering forces

division

Soviet infantry gathered along the western approaches, with mobile forces held behind them. Czechoslovak troops occupied neighbouring sectors. Opposite them, American infantry left occupation duties to defend the towns and crossings through which the army’s reserves would have to pass.

Division aggregates for unallocated Soviet rifle/mobile requirements, 16th CS north and 11th CS south. American parent groups resolve separately. No 95th/13th Guards markers in Bohemia.

18

s11-5

New forces in the rear

division

In the American rear, German security units formed the nucleus of the First Panzer Division. Czechoslovak officers began assembling a division of their own. Neither headquarters yet commanded the field strength its title promised.

Cadre / formation-status markers only. German tanks, Free Czechoslovak tank battalion and full infantry division remain absent. Emblems and branch symbols stay together.

16

s11-6

The Franconian line

battalion

The American line in Franconia covered the approaches to Coburg and the Main valley. Behind it, guns, workshops and supply columns occupied positions of their own. The northern battle would draw on the same reserves needed farther east.

Show 28 existing western opening counters on the enlarged planning lattice. Original source cells remain provenance; these are proposed new positions, not runtime cells.

17

s11-7

The Bohemian frontier

battalion

Along the Bohemian frontier, American battalions took up the eastern covering line. The first Czechoslovak detachment reached their rear while larger formations were still being gathered. Beyond them lay the garrisons and assembly areas of the opposing armies.

Show corrected Czechoslovak sectors, unallocated Bohemian Soviet planning counters and American covering forces. The Free detachment reaches its proposed cell; all Soviet source gaps remain visible in the inspector.

18

s11-8

A front reaching toward the Danube

opening

For Third Army, the immediate task was to hold the communications centres of northern Bavaria and keep the route to the Danube open. Across the frontier, Soviet commanders prepared to seize those same junctions and divide the American defence.

Freeze the proposed opening with named objective overlays: Bayreuth, Weiden, Amberg and Regensburg; contested approaches at Cheb, Waidhaus and Cham. Final ownership and starting positions must be supplied by the selected chronological branch.

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