The long awaited second chapter of the National People's Army of East Germany crossing into the world of GATE is finally here, it's short for now but don't worry I'll add more in the future when I can.
November 12th, 1971
German Democratic Republic, East Berlin, The "Gate".
"Eyes forward! Stand at ease!" Was called out by Armeegeneral Willi Stoph of whom stood atop a makeshift stage in a closed collar grey uniform and shined black jackboots, saluting the troops before him. "My comrades, soldiers of the National People's Army, our Romanian, Czechoslovakian, and Polish allies, today we shall cross this gate and utterly destroy whatever force stands in our way! We shall liberate the oppressed peoples on the other side of this gate in the name of Socialism, freedom from imperialist slave gathering and oppression! We shall make the anger of our people known to these bastards and we shall pound them into dust! For operations in this new world I shall be your commanding officer, now there is no time to be wasted, we must commence operations!"
General Stoph saluted his men of whom saluted in turn then left the stage, afterwards it was pushed aside by the NVA's construction troops out of the way of the tanks and armoured vehicles. Karl sighed while his squad got loaded up in a BTR-60 while others loaded up in Urals, and BMP-1, while a few had the misfortune of being stuck with open top BTR-152s. Looking to the very rear of the formation Karl saw a column of old ISU-152 SPGs. "Huh... Wonder why those were brought back into service, the BTR-152s were understandable as the NVA had started to mount ZPU-2 anti-aircraft guns on them to complement a squad's anti-air capabilities with Strelas and RPGs. Maybe the NVA command was expecting something and had intended to treat it as top secret. Something that not even his own superior officer in the Stasi was allowed to tell him.
Whichever way it goes, it wouldn't matter, nothing would change the plans of the NVA/Warsaw Pact command, they'd march through that gate and destroy whatever stood against them no matter what. Karl was the last inside of the BTR, sitting next to Sergeant Vogel a tightness had begun to be felt by Karl, of course this was usual before going into battle, he was nervous about the whole thing. What was on the other side of this gate? He supposed time would tell, looking out of a slit in the BTR, the formation had already started moving with T-55s in front and towed Artillery in the back with the ISU-152 SPGs. Entering the Gate the light of the outside world was gone, replaced with a cold darkness. "Think we'll see anything stranger than those creatures we shot when the Empire invaded?" Vogel asked Karl looking to him.
"Maybe, maybe." Karl sat back readying his MPI-KM while he had begun to hear just outside one song everyone in the NVA was familiar with, Karl recalled on the rear vehicles some lucky bastards in the Construction troops had managed to get their hands on loudspeakers and attached them to a vehicle, the song they chose to play of course they figured for intimidation factor was "Our Tank Division", which caused Karl to almost breakout laughing as did the rest of his squad. "I guess if we're going in we might as well go in loud and proud right Genossen!" Karl yelled to his squadmates of whom all replied with "Yes sir!", hearing over the radio in the vehicle from the forward units a message of which was expected. "Enemy contacts! I repeat enemy contacts!" Karl's BTR had left the Gate finally and everyone climbed out of the hatches above them dropping down onto the ground, they moved into position with their RPD in the middle.
"Vogel! Keep the RPD firing! If they get close cut them down like the rats they are!" Karl called out while the tanks and APCs began firing at the Imperial troops and late to the party, the BTR-152s with the anti-aircraft artillery affixed to the back began firing on the dragons in the sky while the music Karl had heard before ceased almost just barely disappointing him. Battle music almost made him feel as if he was in one of those smuggled in films he had seen from the west. "Keep firing we almost have them beat!" Karl himself was firing his MPi-KM at Imperial troops, taking quite a number down while machine guns both from infantry units, APCs and tanks were firing on them.
For two hours the battle would rage on, the fire of the T-55s, anti-aircraft guns, mortars, light artillery and ISU-152 SPGs would resound in the surrounding area like the beating of drums, the drums of war.
After combat operations had concluded...
It was established early on after the battle, most of the enemy force of which hadn't be killed were the remnants of the Imperial Army that had attacked East Berlin, earlier in the year, Karl himself sat in a foxhole he and his men had taken turns digging through the battle, their only cover to start with was essentially a fallen tree, watching through his binoculars, Karl scanned the horizon to keep watch for the enemy, earlier Vogel and a private from the construction troops had ran a wire to their position and a field telephone, their position was the furthest out so they were expected to be first watch and first contact had the Empire decided another round with the Warsaw Pact was worth it.
Ultimately the counter attack hadn't come, not for another day... However, Karl's men had been posted as the forward most position for the WarPac forces in the western sector of the defensive area around the Gate to Alnus hill, during the last round of Imperial attacks, Karl's squad had dug a rather large foxhole with the RPD set up with it's Bipod extended and pointed to the enemy lines with the drum magazine removed off to the side and the ammunition belt ran through the feed tray. Karl watched the horizon through his binoculars scanning it for threats to the WarPac forces. Private Krüger just happened to be awake, leaning over the MG, watching out to the horizon, humming a tune to himself while Karl continued his watch with his binoculars. After almost five minutes of humming, Karl lowered his binoculars and looked over to Private Krüger.
"Have you nothing better to do? Secure your weapon Genosse. And let me have some peace and quiet." Krüger then stopped humming and began to check over his weapon. Not a moment later, Senior Sergeant Vogel came back with a large container on his back. It was a food transport, great for running food from rear line kitchens and to the front. Though not used since the second world war it seemed to be in fair condition. Some scratches and dents aside.
"I'm back." Vogel said nonchalantly while he climbed into the rather larger than normal regulation foxhole, taking the food transport off his back. "Willkommen." Karl said, not taking his eyes off the horizon. "See anything out there?" Vogel asked, looking to Krüger of whom simply shrugged, then looked over to Karl of whom set his binoculars down and wiped sleepers from his eyes. "No. Just dead bodies, human, dragons, whatever in hell those other creatures with them are supposed to be, want to take over? Maybe you'll have better luck since you've actually had some rest?"
Karl proposed, handing his binoculars off to Vogel. "Alright Genosse, Major. I'll take over." Vogel said, taking Karl's place while Karl moved off to the side, lowering his helmet over his eyes. "Thank you." Karl said before he started off to get some quick shut eye, confidant if anything came up, Vogel would wake him up. "No problem." Vogel took up the binoculars, watching out to the horizon himself. Whomever said there was a calm before the storm wasn't kidding... And underestimated that there may not even be a storm. Just endless waiting.
Finally after some hours had passed there was a sign of trouble. Vogel lowered the binoculars given to him by Karl and tapped Karl on the shoulder, waking him up, of course thinking it was likely an enemy attack Karl reached for his MPi-KM and hurriedly looked around. "Huh?! What?" Vogel quickly got Karl's attention and handed him the binoculars he was using to keep watch. Taking the binoculars up, Karl looked through them to see a large formation of troops heading his way... Of course this wouldn't be the case for long.
Just as soon as the enemy force had come into view they were immediately decimated by artillery, the whistle of shells overhead was almost a comfort. Atleast the artillery units were doing their job... Soon, Krüger began firing on the troops that were scattering, with the RPD. It seemed to Karl it was a good call to keep the RPD at the ready... Just encase. Though this wouldn't be the last "assault", four more would come, following into the night and artillery would simply decimate them before finally at the end, the enemy made a large push, just barely reaching Karl's position before they were cut down by Machine Gun fire and Artillery. Just to watch the sight was almost enough to cause Karl to feel some slight pity for the fools set against them. However the German Democratic Republic didn't start this war. It was just acting in self defence against the enemy bandits that dared to bring war to his fatherland.