User blog:El Alamein/Aldo Raine vs. Otto Skorzeny



 Checkmate

The night was especially cloudy as the 5-man German patrol walked down the dirt path, their rifles slung over their shoulders. Behind them loomed an imposing castle, a faint yellow glow poking through some windows despite the blackout lights in use. Inside sat Benito Mussolini, a tired, feeble husk of the imposing caricature he had constructed for himself. But though Mussolini was long since broken, especially now that Hitler had been killed in that theater in France, he still had an army at his command. The war was lost, but there was still hope for Il Duce. Luckily for him, he was under the care of the legendary Otto Skorzeny.

Skorzeny stood at one of the towers, cloaked in darkness. He was small before the backdrop of the castle tower and the expansive nighttime landscape, yet this imposing figure exuded confidence nonetheless. The shadows deepened off the scar that ran down the side of his face—a token from his fencing days. But his mind was far from the past as his watchful eyes scanned the treeline on the rocky paths leading down the mountain. There was tension hanging thick in the air. He could sense that shift—almost like a change in the air pressure—right before death struck.

The sentries down below descended slowly into the forest, following a sudden whistling sound. Eyes adjusting to the darkness, they strained to look for the source of this noise. A leering face suddenly lunged forward from the undergrowth, followed by the point of a bayonet. The first sentry managed to cry out once—a gurgling choke that bubbled up from his gut and out through his blood-soaked teeth—but this was swiftly interrupted by a gunshot. The struggle was over in moments. A few staccato barks echoed sharply into the air, the lingering hiss of the gun's report drifting up in the wind. The work was sloppy, but it was work well done by the Basterds as they gazed up at the castle above. Skorzeny would have heard it in an instant, too, if it had not been for the near-simultaneous eruption of anti-aircraft fire from down at the base of the mountain. Following the tracer rounds and puffs of flak up into the night sky now pierced by searchlights, he stared at the rolling wave of incoming Flying Fortresses and their escorts. The white beams of the searchlights lingering over the exposed bellies of the B17s, painting the targets wistfully, as if they were reaching up in a fruitless effort to pull the offending planes down through sheer power of will. Sporadic small-arms fire emerged from down in the mountain trails below.

The Allies were advancing.

Lieutenant Aldo Raine sat hunched on the balls of his feet, watching proudly as his men paused to scalp the guards they had killed. He squinted as he looked up at the magnificent light show playing out in the air above. Sliding his massive bowie knife back into its sheath, he stood up and clasped his hands together. Life was good. His Basterds were on the hunt, and he was one step closer to his long-anticipated victory. Mussolini somehow inspired even more disdain and hatred, Raine decided. At least Hitler remained defiant up until the end, despicable as he was. Mussolini just cowered behind whoever could present the biggest shield. Today, though, thought Raine, ''I'm 'boutta knock down whatever shield that sum'bitch's got. ''He looked over at his Basterds, who had finished their grisly work and were looking at him expectantly. Nodding curtly, he motioned with his hand and they were on the move once more.

Up above, Skorzeny ducked back down and hurried through the tower into the castle. His brow furrowed, his mind racing even as he took the steps down three at a time. He had to get Mussolini to the basement for the time being. That was crucial. After that, and no less important, he had to mobilize the defenses. He recognized this was a battle he could not win. But that didn't mean it had to be a battle he would lose, either.

Aldo Raine and the Basterds


"Once we're in enemy territory, as a bushwhackin' guerrilla army, we're gonna be doin' one thing and one thing only... killin' Nazis."

- Aldo Raine

Lieutenant Aldo Raine was the leader of the Basterds, a Jewish-American guerrilla force that was inserted behind Axis lines sometime before the D-Day landings on June 6, 1944. The product of a hard Appalachian upbringing, Raine led the Basterds to great effect, ambushing and killing German units. They become notorious to the point of inspiring fear in the hearts of ordinary German soldiers. Having created a name for the Basterds, Raine and his men planned to partake in Operation Kino, where they hoped to assassinate leading members of the Nazi government (including Hitler) at a local theater in France. After a rendezvous went horribly wrong, however, killing the German-speaking Basterds, Raine and his men are forced to improvise. Nazi Colonel Hans Landa sees through their disguises, but negotiates an end to the war that suits his needs. The Basterds successfully kill Hitler and much of the Nazi high command, although several die in the process. Landa surrenders, but, not wanting to let the Nazi colonel escape completely unpunished, Raine carves a swastika into his forehead—his "masterpiece."

Weapons
|-| Long Range=

Karabiner 98k

 M1 Garand
 * Cartridge: 7.92x57mm Mauser
 * Action: Bolt-action
 * Muzzle velocity: 760 m/s
 * Effective range: 500 m
 * Feed system: 5-round stripper clip (internal magazine)
 * Weight: 4.1 kg (9 lbs.)
 * Barrel length: 600 mm (23.62 in.)


 * Cartridge: .30-06 Springfield
 * Action: Gas-operated, rotating bolt
 * Muzzle velocity: 853 m/s
 * Effective range: 450 m
 * Feed system: 8-round en-bloc clip (internal magazine)
 * Weight: 4.31 kg (9.5 lbs.)
 * Barrel length: 609.6 mm (24 in.)
 * -| Mid Range=

MP40


 * Cartridge: 9x19mm Parabellum
 * Rate of fire: 500-550 rds/min
 * Muzzle velocity: 400 m/s
 * Effective range: 100-200 m (250 m maximum range)
 * Feed system: 32-round detachable box magazine
 * Weight: 3.97 kg (8.75 lbs.)
 * Barrel length: 251 mm (9.9 in.)
 * -| Close Range=

Luger P08

 Bowie knife
 * Cartridge: 9x19mm Parabellum
 * Muzzle velocity: 350-400 m/s
 * Effective range: 50 m
 * Feed system: 8-round detachable box magazine
 * Weight: 1.92 lbs.
 * Barrel length: 100 mm (3.9 in.)

 Baseball bat
 * Blade length: ~10 in.
 * Clip-point blade


 * ~33 in. long
 * ~2 lbs.
 * -| Special Weapons=

OSS Pistol Glove


 * Cartridge: .38 Special
 * Feed system: Single-shot, break barrell
 * Mounted on the back of a glove
 * Trigger mechanism fired when pressed into target's body

Otto Skorzeny and his commandos


"My knowledge of pain, learned with the sabre, taught me not to be afraid. And just as in dueling when you must concentrate on your enemy's cheek, so, too, in war. You cannot waste time on feinting and sidestepping. You must decide on your target and go in."

- Otto Skorzeny

​SS-Obersturmbannführer Otto Skorzeny was a commando and military instructor for the German armed forces during World War II. Early on in the war, he fought on the Eastern front and was wounded; while recovering, he was assigned a staff role and set about developing commando tactics. His first mission was in Iran, but Skorzeny gained notoriety for Operation Oak, where he rescued Italian dictator Benito Mussolini from imprisonment in a ski resort in the mountains. He also successfully kidnapped the son of Hungarian leader Miklós Horthy in an effort to coerce Horthy to capitulate. Perhaps most famously, Skorzeny masterminded Operation Greif, during the Battle of the Bulge, where he led English-speaking German soldiers, dressed in Allied uniforms and armed with Allied weaponry, behind American lines in an attempt to incite disorder and confusion. After the war, Skorzeny was acquitted at his trial for war crimes and went on to serve in various advisory, intelligence, and special forces roles for the Egyptian and Argentinian governments, as well as for Israel's Mossad.

|-| Long Range=

Gewehr 41


 * Cartridge: 7.92x57mm Mauser
 * Action: Gas-operated, gas trap
 * Muzzle velocity: 776 m/s
 * Effective range: 400 m
 * Feed system: 10-round non-detachable magazine
 * Weight: 4.9 kg (11 lbs.)
 * Barrel length: 546 mm (21.5 in.)
 * -| Mid Range=

MP 751(e)

<p style="font-weight:400;text-align:center;"> Thompson
 * Cartridge: 9x19mm Parabellum
 * Rate of fire: 500-600 rds/min
 * Muzzle velocity: 305 m/s
 * Effective range: 100 m
 * Feed system: 32-round detachable box magazine
 * Weight: 3.2 kg (7.1 lbs.)
 * Barrel length: 197 mm (7.8 in.)
 * Suppressed

<p style="text-align:center;">


 * Cartridge: .45 ACP
 * Rate of fire: 600-725 rds/min
 * Muzzle velocity: 285 m/s
 * Effective range: 150 m
 * Feed system: 20-round stick/box magazine
 * Weight: 4.5 kg (10 lbs.) empty
 * Barrel length: 267 mm (10.52 in.)
 * -| Close Range=

Walther P38

<p style="text-align:center;">
 * Cartridge: 9x19mm Parabellum
 * Muzzle velocity: 365 m/s
 * Effective range: 50 m
 * Feed system: 8-round detachable box magazine
 * Weight: 1 lb. 12 oz.
 * Barrel length: 125 mm (4.9 in.)
 * -| Special Weapons=

Model 24 Stielhandgranate

<p style="text-align:center;">
 * Weight: 595 g (1 lb. 5 oz)
 * Length: 365 mm (1 ft. 2.4 in.)
 * Filling: TNT
 * Detonation Mechanism: Friction igniter and 4.5-second delay
 * Blast radius: ~14 yards

X-Factors
|-| Training & Experience=

Raine and the Basterds probably received standard US military training before being deployed. They operated for an indeterminate period of time behind enemy lines, though this was likely around a year at most. Raine proactively led his men in the field and recruited additional members, such as Nazi defector Hugo Stiglitz. Switching over to Operation Kino, they collaborated with British intelligence in a plan to kill Hitler and the high-ranking Nazi officials who would be attending the premiere of Nation's Pride at a French theater.

Skorzeny and his commandos similarly received standard Germany military training. Skorzeny developed tactical doctrine and operated as an instructor for many of his commandos. Such training included not only practical combat training but also English lessons (Skorzeny could speak English and French in addition to German). They operated in a variety of theaters of combat in specialized operations, ranging from Mussolini's rescue to the kidnapping of Horthy's son. After the war, Skorzeny himself continued to work in the field of espionage and military intelligence.


 * -| Discipline/Fanaticism=

Generally speaking, Raine and the Basterds operated as they pleased; however, all of Raine's men were bound to a code of honor. They owed Raine 100 Nazi scalps, and so were directed by clear goals.

Skorzeny and his men were the products of German military discipline. During Operation Grief, those soldiers who were captured wearing American uniforms were at risk of being subjected to a quick execution for violations of the Geneva Conventions—yet this did not dampen their enthusiasm for their mission.


 * -| Logistics=

Raine and the Basterds, operating behind enemy lines, would have had to rely on scrounging weapons and ammunition from the Nazis they killed. Luckily for them, they were very good at killing Nazis. While logistics was likely a concern, on-screen they are not conservative with their ammunition, so it is uncertain to what extent this was an issue.

Skorzeny and his commandos would certainly be well-supplied for their missions, at least initially. They would at least go into the fight with enough ammunition to start off. By the time Operation Greif rolled around, Skorzeny was cobbling together random weapons and uniforms for his men because the high command was unwilling to devote precious resources to a commando unit.


 * -| Intelligence=

Raine is more clever than his backwoods accent and mannerism might otherwise let on. He has a good tactical mind and is a natural leader of men. However, when things do not go according to plan, he is not the best at improvisation—the mission to kill Hitler only succeeded because Landa allowed it to succeed.

Skorzeny is also a very competent strategist and tactician, having devised commando strategies and instructed his troops during the war. Additionally, his expertise was sought out by the Egyptians, Argentinians, and even Mossad after the war was over.


 * -| Brutality=

Raine and the Basterds are insanely brutal. They beat victims to death with bats, and scalp them afterwards. Additionally, they carve swastikas into the heads of survivors before letting them go.

Skorzeny and his men were part of the Nazi war machine, and obviously killed opponents in battle, but there are no recorded accounts of their engaging in the type of violence that the Basterds repeatedly indulge in on-screen.

Battle
Otto Skorzeny and a group of commandos are guarding Mussolini on a mountaintop stronghold after hearing of Hitler's assassination in France. Aldo Raine and the Basterds are coming after Il Duce to kill him next.

A battle between American and British troops and German and Italian troops on the mountainside and in the surrounding area is slowly increasing in intensity. Raine must lead the Basterds to kill Mussolini to win. Skorzeny must protect Mussolini and evacuate him through friendly lines to win. NOTE: The two sides do not need to kill the entire opposing side to win (and, realistically speaking, they won't). The victory conditions stated above are all that are needed to win.

Will be Raine and 15 Basterds vs. Skorzeny and 15 commandos.

To be written

Expert's Opinion
To be determined