User:Tybaltcapulet/Sandbox 2

Other Battles

O Soldier: 76 (Overwatch) vs Oscar Mike (Battleborn)

O Steven Universe(Whole crew) vs Stardust Crusaders (JJBA) (Because Appel really wanted me to do this one)

R (Long future)Rematching Wehrmacht v Fourth Reich (Metro 2033)

R Roger's Rangers vs Caçadores ( New Hampshire pride)

(Again long future I wanna keep off WW2 for a while after my season is over) Władysław Raginis vs Yakov Fedotovich Pavlov ( Lack of real description, x-factors are lacking, and there is only one really semi-detailed vote. Your standard 2011 battle.)

R Overwatch vs RED Team ( If LB doesn't plan on finishing it. This really deserves a sim and there are several parts I would change.)

Gru vs Megamind ( Two of my favorite Anti-Heroes of all time deserve a better set-up battle and sim)



They are called many things. Infantry, Soldiers, grunts. They are the front line men and women who sacrifice their lives on the bloody soil across the entirety of the world. One can create massive technological advancements in the air and sea, fighter, cruisers, destroyers, bombers etc. But at the end of the day the war is mostly decided on who has the most powerful land army.

Today I will be using two major commanders/ generals who are criminally unmentioned and unused on this site. They both were major contributors to their fronts. One proved himself by fighting in the Russian Revolution, Civil War, Khalkhin Gol, and went on to not only dominate vast part of the Belorussian and Ukrainian Fronts, but went on to secure major power post-WWII. The other after making multiple strong attempts against Yuan Shikai to undermine control of Northern China, went on to lead the National Revolutionary Army to victory, and become the Premier of the Republic of China...

Georgy Zhukov: The Soviet Marshal whose commanding skill in the Eastern front and his role in Barbarossa led to recognition by Joseph Stalin himself.

vs

Yan Xishan: The Chinese general, who excelled in both guerilla tactics and anti-guerilla tactics led him to victory against the Japanese.

Georgy Zhukov
Georgy Konstantinovich Zhukov (1 December [O.S. 19 November] 1896 – 18 June 1974) was a Soviet Red Army General who became Chief of General Staff, Deputy Commander-in-Chief, Minister of Defence and a member of the Politburo. During World War II he participated in multiple battles, ultimately commanding the 1st Belorussian Front in the Battle of Berlin, which resulted in the defeat of Nazi Germany, and the end of the War in Europe.

In recognition of Zhukov's role in World War II, he was chosen to personally take the German Instrument of Surrender and to inspect the Moscow Victory Parade of 1945.

Yan Xishan
Yan Xishan  IPA:  [i̯ɛ́n ɕíʂan]; 8 October 1883 – 22 July 1960) was a Chinese warlord who served in the government of the Republic of China. He effectively controlled the province of Shanxi from the 1911 Xinhai Revolution to the 1949 Communist victory in the Chinese Civil War. As the leader of a relatively small, poor, remote province, he survived the machinations of Yuan Shikai, the Warlord Era, the Nationalist Era, the Japanese invasion of China and the subsequent civil war, being forced from office only when the Nationalist armies with which he was aligned had completely lost control of the Chinese mainland, isolating Shanxi from any source of economic or military supply. He has been viewed by Western biographers as a transitional figure who advocated using Western technology to protect Chinese traditions, while at the same time reforming older political, social and economic conditions in a way that paved the way for the radical changes that would occur after his rule.

Mauser C96 (Xishan):
The Mauser C96 (Construktion 96)[4] is a semi-automatic pistol that was originally produced by German arms manufacturer Mauser from 1896 to 1937.[5] Unlicensed copies of the gun were also manufactured in Spain and China in the first half of the 20th century.[5][6]

The distinctive characteristics of the C96 are the integral box magazine in front of the trigger, the long barrel, the wooden shoulder stock which gives it the stability of a short-barreled rifle and doubles as a holster or carrying case, and an iconic grip shaped like the handle of a broom. The grip earned the gun the nickname "broomhandle" in the English-speaking world, because of its round wooden handle, and in China the C96 was nicknamed the "box cannon" (Chinese: 盒子炮; pinyin: hézipào) because of its rectangular internal magazine and the fact that it could be holstered in its wooden box-like detachable stock.

Round: 7.63×25mm Mauser

Weight: 1,130 g (40 oz)

Length: 99 mm (3.9 in) (post-Bolo)

Effective Range: 150-200m

TT-33 (Zhukov):
The TT-30 (Russian: 7,62-мм самозарядный пистолет Токарева образца 1930 года,  translit.  , 7,62 mm  Samozaryadny Pistolet Tokareva obraztsa 1930 goda, "7.62 mm Tokarev self-loading pistol model 1930", TT stands for Tula-Tokarev) is a Russian semi-automatic pistol. It was developed in the early 1930s by Fedor Tokarev as a service pistol for the Soviet military to replace the Nagant M1895 revolver that had been in use since Tsarist times, though it ended up being used in conjunction with rather than replacing the M1895. It served until 1952, when it was replaced by the Makarov pistol.

Round:7.62×25mm Tokarev

Weight:854 g (30.1 oz)

Length:194 mm (7.6 in)

Range: 50m

Hanyang 88 (Xishan):
The Type 88, sometimes known as "Hanyang 88", is a Chinese-made bolt-action rifle, based on the German Gewehr 88. It was adopted by the Qing Dynasty towards the end of the 19th century and was a standard Chinese rifle, being used by multiple factions and formations, until the end of the Chinese Civil War. The name of the rifle is derived from Hanyang Arsenal, the main factory that produced this rifle. The rifle was due to be replaced as the standard Chinese rifle by the Chiang Kai-Shek rifle. However, manufacture of the new rifle never managed to match demand, and the Type 88 continued to be manufactured and to equip the National Revolutionary Army during the Second Sino-Japanese War.

Round: 7.92x57mm Mauser

Weight: 4.06kg (9.0lbs)

Capacity: 5 round en-bloc clip, external box magazine

Range: 500m

Mosin-Nagant M1891/30 (Zhukov):
The 3-line rifle M1891 (Russian: трёхлинейная винтовка образца 1891 года, tryokhlineynaya vintovka  obraztsa 1891 goda), colloquially known as Mosin–Nagant (Russian: винтовка Мосина, ISO 9: 'vintovka Mosina') is a five-shot, bolt-action, internal magazine–fed, military rifle developed from 1882 to 1891, and used by the armed forces of the Russian Empire, the Soviet Union and various other nations. It is one of the most mass-produced military bolt-action rifles in history with over 37 million units having been made since its inception in 1891, and, in spite of its age, it has been used in various conflicts around the world up to the modern day.

Round: 7.62×54mmR

Weight: 4 kg (8.8 lb)

Capacity: 5-round non-detachable magazine, loaded individually or with 5-round stripper clips

Range: 500 m

ZB vz. 26  (Xishan)
The '''ZB vz. 26''' was a Czechoslovak light machine gun developed in the 1920s, which went on to enter service with several countries. It saw its major use during World War II, and spawned the related ZB vz. 27, vz. 30, and vz. 33. The ZB vz. 26 influenced many other light machine gun designs including the Bren light machine gun and the Type 96 Light Machine Gun. The ZB-26 is famous for its reliability, simple components, quick-change barrel and ease of manufacturing. This light machine gun in the Czechoslovak army was marked as the '''LK vz. 26' ("LK" means "lehký kulomet", light machine gun; "vz." stands for "vzor", Model'' in Czech). ZB vz. 26 is incorrect marking because "ZB-26" is a factory designation (Československá zbrojovka v Brně), while "vzor 26" or "vz. 26" is an army designation.

Round: 7.92×57mm IS

Weight: 9.650 kg (21.27 lb)

Rate of Fire: 500 rounds/min

Capacity: 30 round magazine

Range: 1,000 m (1,100 yd)

DP-28 (Zhukov)
The Degtyaryov machine gun (Russian: Пулемёт Дегтярёвa Пехотный Pulemyot Degtyaryova  Pekhotny "Degtyaryov's infantry machine gun") or DP-27 is a light machine gun firing the 7.62×54mmR cartridge that was primarily used by the Soviet Union, with service trials starting in 1927 followed by general deployment in 1928. Besides being the standard Soviet infantry light machine gun (LMG) during WWII, with various modifications it was used in aircraft as a flexible defensive weapon, and it equipped almost all Soviet tanks in WWII as either a flexible bow machine gun or a co-axial machine gun controlled by the gunner. It was improved in 1943 producing the DPM, but it was replaced in 1946 with the RP-46 which improved on the basic DP design by converting it to use belt feed. The DP machine gun was supplemented in the 1950s by the more modern RPD machine gun and entirely replaced in Soviet service by the general purpose PK machine gun in the 1960s.

Round: 7.62×54mmR

Weight: 11.5 kg (25 lb)

Rate of Fire: 550 rounds

Capacity: 47-round pan

Range: 800 m (874.9 yd)

M1917 Browning machine gun (Xishan)
The M1917 Browning machine gun is a heavy machine gun used by the United States armed forces in World War I, World War II, Korea; it has also been used by other nations. It was a crew served, belt-fed, water-cooled machine gun that served alongside the much lighter air-cooled Browning M1919. It was used at the battalion level, and often mounted on vehicles (such as a jeep). There were two main iterations of it: the M1917, which was used in World War I; and the M1917A1; which was used thereafter.

Round: 8mm Mauser (specifically for the NRA)

Weight: 103 lb (47 kg) (gun, tripod, water, and ammunition)

Feed System: 250-round belt

Rate of Fire: 450-600 round/min

Range: 1,500 yd (1,400 m)

PM M1910 (Zhukov)
The PM M1910 (Russian: Пулемёт Максима образца 1910 года, Pulemyot Maxima obraztsa 1910 goda or "Maxim's machine gun model 1910") was a heavy machine gun used by the Imperial Russian Army during World War I and the Red Army during Russian Civil War and World War II. Later, the gun saw service in the Korean War and the Vietnam War, and some have been spotted in the War in Donbass.

Round: 7.62×54mmR

Weight: 64.3 kg (139.6 lbs)

Feed System: 250-round belt

Rate of Fire: 600 round/min

Range:2,000 m (2,187 yd)

National Revolutionary Army (Xishan)
The National Revolutionary Army (NRA), sometimes shortened to Revolutionary Army (革命軍) before 1928, and as National Army (國軍) after 1928, was the military arm of the Kuomintang (KMT, or the Chinese Nationalist Party) from 1925 until 1947 in the Republic of China. It also became the regular army of the ROC during the KMT's period of party rule beginning in 1928. It was renamed the Republic of China Armed Forces after the 1947 Constitution, which instituted civilian control of the military.

Xishan will receive 28 NRA soldiers equipped with Mausers and Hanyang 88's. There will also be 10 light machine gunners with ZB vz. 26s, and 3 M1917 Browning crews, each with 4 soldiers manning them.

Red Army (Zhukov)
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army (Russian: Рабоче-крестьянская Красная армия (РККА), Raboče-krestjjanskaja Krasnaja armija (RKKA)), frequently shortened to Red Army (Красная армия (КА), Krasnaja armija (KA); also in critical literature and folklore of that epoch – Red Horde,[1] Army of Work) was the army and the air force of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, and, after 1922, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. The army was established immediately after the 1917 October Revolution (Red October or Bolshevik Revolution). The Bolsheviks raised an army to oppose the military confederations (especially the various groups collectively known as the White Army) of their adversaries during the Russian Civil War. Beginning in February 1946, the Red Army, along with the Soviet Navy, embodied the main component of the Soviet Armed Forces; taking the official name of "Soviet Army", until its dissolution in December 1991.

Zhukov will recieve 28 Red Army soldiers equipped with Tokarev TT-33s and Mosin Nagant M1891/30s. There will also be 10 light machine gunners with DP-28s, and 3 PM 1910 crews, each with 4 soldiers manning them.

X-Factors
Training: Xishan attended a free military school in the very late 18th century, and was then sent to Japan in 1904 to Tokyo Shimbu Gakko, a military academy and finally entered the Imperial Japanese Army Academy until 1909 where he was sent back to China as a division commander. Zhukov on the other hand only had one year in the Higher School of Cavalry. He was a conscripted soldier, and didn't have much in the way of formal training.

Experience: Xishan and Zhukov had various fronts and armies they have led and have had early experience before WW2. Xishan first got involved in 1911 in the Shanxi Revolution and eventually took control of the province. He led led the Beiyang Army, The Army Of Shanxi, and fought in various battles/war such as the, The Central Plains War, the 2nd Sino-Japanese War and the Chinese Civil War. Zhukov was conscripted as a soldier in the Russian Empire in 1915, then after various decorations in WW1 for his bravery, joined the Bolshevik Party after 1917. He then served in the Russian Civil War and went in various Cavalry Regiments from the early 20's all the way to the late 30's. In WW2 he served in Khalkhin Gol and then was a major general through the 1st Belorussian Front, all the way to the fall of Berlin.

Tactics: Xishan's best example of tactical thought is his battle at Taiyuan. He used guerrilla factions to initiate skirmishes from the front and rear of the Japanese, while he mobilized the rest of his army to wait in a targeted city for the battle weary and exhausted soldiers. He did eventually lose, but only due to being outnumbered and having inferior technology. The Japanese suffered very heavy casualties. Zhukov's tactics, as shown by Khalkhin Gol also called "Soviet Offensive" consisted of Zhukov using heavy artillery and aircraft fire to support what seems to be a conventional offensive front, but was supported by 2 reserve tank divisions, which then assisted them in completely overwhelming the Japanese 6th Army.

Setting/voting requirements
This will be a 50 on 50 engagement, taking place in Northern Shanxi. After their major takedown of Nazi Germany, the Soviet Union wishes to expand it's borders and make new allies. They find a perfect ally in the future People's Republic of China, who is currently struggling to get support to begin an uprising. Stalin sends in one of his most trusted generals, Georgy Zhukov to begin a front through Mongolia to Shanxi, and declares war of the Republic of China and it's allies.

Being one of the major leader of the republic, Yan Xishan moves his forces to the border to defend from any invasion. Both leaders will know that this battle is taking place and will attempt to plan accordingly. Obviously when Zhukov arrives, the battle will rage on.

Datong,Soviet Republic of Shanxi, 1986
An Bambang was always interested in war and weaponry. Ever since he was a child, he tinkered with small objects and created the strangest of weapons. As he grew into a teenager however, he became much more interested in the men themselves and how their minds won wars. He read various books of war, The Art of War, The Five Rings etc.

He of course wanted to join the Red Army, but his mother forbade it. She always would tell him to go visit Li Shen, an old veteran of the National Revolutionary Army if he truly wanted to know what war was like. Bambang always laughed at her, thinking that he was just an old fool of a forgotten army. But one day something was different. He again boasted on how he would one day join the Red Army, and his mother again screamed at him about Li Shen. And Bambang actually accepted. He thought it was odd too, but if he was to truly understand what war was like, he'd need someone experienced.

His mother then gave him directions to the old man's home, on the south side of Datong, and wished him good luck. When he arrived to the Li Shen's home, the veteran was confused at first. But after explaining himself, Li was happy to let him in. Li Shen was an odd looking man to say the least.

A tall and gaunt looking man, Li Shen. He was blind in one eye, with a massive black eye patch covering it. He was quite fair skinned, and was covered in wrinkles. Li Shen had a noticeable limp, as he reached for his cane. The oddest thing Bambang noticed though, was that the old man was still wearing his uniform from all those years ago.

"你為什麼穿著制服?" ( Why are you wearing your uniform?) asked the confused young man. The disabled veteran howled with laughter, so much that he started to cry from his good eye. "當你找不到工作而你卻沒錢"(When you can't find work and you have no money) he mused, "你有一個選擇" ( You don't get a choice). An then understood. This man who fought for his country, could not afford basic needs such as clothing.

Before he could voice his discontent, Li Shen raised his hand to silence him. Seeing that the boy was confused, he smiled and simply said "我對自己的生活感到滿意. 你是來這裡了解戰爭的，你會的" (I am satisfied with my life. You came here to learn about war and you will.)

He pulls out a small journal and hands it to Bambang. As the teenager inspects the book, he sees how old the book is. It's from 1940-1945, and is covered with dust. As he blows it off, Li Shen grabs a lantern and brings it over to where Bambang is sitting. He instructs him to open to where the last bookmark is. The page is dated October 7th 1945.

Li Shen then directed him to return the opened book to him, and began to read from the old book.

Northern Shanxi, 1945
The year was 1945, and the region of Shanxi wasn't the most stable of areas. They had just fought an almost decade long war and were desperate for peace for at least enough time to regroup and re-evaluate their strength. This however, they would not receive, as power-hungry dictator, Joseph Stalin of the Soviet Union, was desperate for two things, allies and land.

And what better land to take than China? They were ravaged by years of conflict and weren't unified due to Japan's occupation of the nearby territories. Even more in their favor was there was a Communist faction within China that would create even more chaos if they were able to connect. They had already received assistance from the Soviets before, but now that they were free from their conflict with the fascist German Reich, they were free to dedicate more resources towards the struggle.

Now the Soviet Union would send one of their finest marshals to push into the fractured land of the once powerful Chinese empire. And this was none other than the famous Georgy Zhukov, the terror of the Eastern Front.

''BOOM! ''The sound of artillery shelling the National Revolutionary Army's makeshift base rang through the air, letting loose pieces of dirt all across the floor. Around 200 soldiers were lined up in formation awaiting orders. A thin, moustached man in his 60's slowly walked towards his men. Medals lined his uniform, which was brandished with his General rank and a strap covering his right shoulder.

The man who would be later known as the " Model Governor", Yan Xishan approached his defensive force, the first line of defense between them and the power of the Red Army. They were organized into four groups, with fifty men in each. Groups B,C and D were assigned as follow-up reserve groups to harass the enemy.

Group A, led by a younger Lieutenant Li Shen, would be the first part of the force to be sent in. Grabbing their rifles, pistols, machine guns and LMG's, they mobilized to defend their homeland. Group A plunged into the rocky mountainous terrain of the Shanxi, moving as silently as they could, searching for the first Red Army group they could find.

Airplanes. The metal creatures that allowed man to imitate the natural actions of the bird. They've been used for many purposes both uplifting and horrifying. They've allowed the world to connect to each other, for the continents to be united in trade and diplomacy. But such a useful utility such as this almost always finds its way to war.

What started from the Wright brothers' first powered flight in the early 20th century evolved into a sundry of much more advanced aircraft that were capable of such power that their pioneers would be unable to understand. From the Dresden bombing, to the destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, to more modern atrocities such

So today, I wish to use two mostly forgotten air commanders, whose battles are untold in the history books. A Russian squad car slowly moved through a makeshift road beside them, and it was none of than the man who bent Germany to it's knees, Marshal Zhukov.

x50(Georgy Zhukov) x50 (Yan Xishan)

Li Shen ordered his men to get to whatever cover they could find and prepare to attack. After getting their machine guns set up, and the Red Army soldiers getting closer, they opened fire. Startled the Red Army soldiers quickly organized a defensive front in a desperate attempt to ward off the guerrilla soldiers.

"Защити маршала!" (Protect the Marshal!) the leader cried as the squad car moved as fast as it could across the land, and was able to to escape just barely as the hailfire of bullets went past him. Trying to assist his comrades, one of the higher ranking rifleman ran over to cover the PM 1910 but was struck in the eye by a Browning round.

The Russians quickly figured out that trying to maintain a position like this would result in complete failure and they would end up entirely surrounded. So with the cover of DP-28 ground fire, they began to slowly push up towards the Shanxi soldiers. Initially panicking at the sudden charge, Li Shen realized this would be a perfect opportunity to exploit their home-field advantage.

On his left however, his men were pinned down, about 10 of them in all. Reloading their ZB, one of them was struck in the arm and then the neck by two Mosin round. The lieutenant yelled as loud as he could to have them run while they got covering fire. Not wanting to end up prey to the Russians again, they quickly obliged.

Under the cover of their comrades, not only were they able to escape to safety, but three riflemen were annihilated by machine gun fire x3. Desperate to get close and use brute strength to win, the Russians sped again through the forest.

Lieutenant Shen could hear the angry sounds of the Russians behind him, soon threatening to get on top of them if they couldn't get away fast enough. But he was very fortunate that he found the perfect place to set up his men. It was a rocky, inclined hill with various boulders. Quickly, the machine gun crews set up on the left, right and middle of the hill, overlooking most of the land in front of them. Pulling out his pistol, Shen prepared again in silence for the approach of the Soviets

But the Soviets weren't nearly as fool-hardy as he thought, as they stopped well before they reached the trap, and were quickly attempting to regain the initiative.Utilizing the cover around them, they positioned their machine guns near each other. put their light machine gunners in between them, and split the remaining rifleman all throughout.

It was rudimentary, but just about their only escape from their fire. They had figured out the NRA's ways,and were determined not to fall subject to them.



Italo Balbo, the Italian Governor of Libya who served as the Marshall of the Air force

vs

Wolfram Freiherr von Richthofen, the Generalfeldmarschall who had great success in the Crimean campaigns and the Eastern front!

Wolfram Freiherr von Richthofen
Wolfram Freiherr von Richthofen (10 October 1895 – 12 July 1945) was a German field marshal of the Luftwaffe(German Air Force) during World War II. Born in 1895 into a family of the Prussian nobility, Richthofen grew up in prosperous surroundings. At the age of eighteen, after leaving school, he opted to join the German Army rather than choose an academic career, and joined the army's cavalry arm in 1913.

On the outbreak of the First World War, Richthofen fought on the Western Front, winning the Iron Cross Second Class. In 1915 he was posted to the Eastern Front, where he stayed until 1917.

After the war Richthofen resumed civilian life after being discharged from the army. He studied engineering at a university before rejoining the Reichswehr, the German armed forces of the Weimar Republic era. In 1933 Hitler and the Nazi Party came to power in Germany, and the Reichswehr was transformed into the Wehrmacht. Richthofen joined the new Luftwaffe. He also served as part of the Condor Legion which supported the Nationalists in the Spanish Civil War.

When the Second World War broke out in September 1939, Richthofen commanded a specialised ground-attack air unit, Fliegerkorps VIII (8th Air Corps), first as a small active service unit in the Polish Campaign, and then as a full-sized Air Corps in Western Europe, from May to June 1940. He was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Crosson 23 May 1940, in view of his achievements. He continued in frontline service during the Battle of Britain and the Balkans Campaign in 1940 and 1941.

Richthofen achieved his greatest success on the Eastern Front. In particular, he achieved notable success in the Crimean Campaigns during 1942. Despite offering vital tactical and operational support to Army Group South, after the victory at the Third Battle of Kharkov he was moved to the Mediterranean Theatre of Operations, where he commanded Luftwaffe forces in the Italian Campaign. He remained in active service until late 1944, when he was retired on medical grounds. Soon after the capitulation of Germany in May 1945, he was taken prisoner by the United States Army, but on 12 July he died in captivity of a brain tumour.

Italo Balbo
Italo Balbo (Ferrara, 6 June 1896 – Tobruk, 28 June 1940) was an Italian Blackshirt (Camicie Nere, or CCNN) leader who served as Italy's Marshal of the Air Force (Maresciallo dell'Aria), Governor-General of Libya, Commander-in-Chief of Italian North Africa (Africa Settentrionale Italiana, or ASI), and the "heir apparent" to Italian dictator Benito Mussolini.

After serving in World War I, Balbo became the leading Fascist organizer in his home region of Ferrara. He was one of the four principal architects (Quadrumviri del Fascismo) of the March on Rome that brought Mussolini and the Fascists to power in 1922, along with Michele Bianchi, Emilio De Bono and Cesare Maria De Vecchi. In 1926, he began the task of building the Italian Royal Air Force and took a leading role in popularizing aviation in Italy, and promoting Italian aviation to the world. In 1933, perhaps to relieve tensions surrounding him in Italy, he was given the government of Italian Libya, where he resided for the remainder of his life. Balbo was the only leading Fascist to oppose Mussolini's alliance with Nazi Germany. Early in World War II, he was killed by friendly fire when his plane was shot down over Tobruk by Italian anti-aircraft guns.

Fiat CR.42 x30 (Balbo)
The Fiat CR.42 Falco ("Falcon", plural: Falchi) was a single-seat sesquiplane fighter developed and produced by Italian aircraft manufacturer Fiat Aviazione. It served primarily in Italy's Regia Aeronautica both before and during the Second World War.

The CR.42 was an evolutionary design of Fiat’s earlier CR.32 fighter, featuring a more powerful supercharged Fiat A.74R1C.38 air-cooled radial engine and aerodynamic improvements to its relatively clean exterior surfaces. The aircraft proved to be relatively agile in flight, a factor that had been attributed to its very low wing loading and a sometimes decisive tactical advantage. RAF Intelligence praised its exceptional maneuverability, further noting that "the plane was immensely strong",though it was technically outclassed by faster, more heavily armed monoplanes. While primarily used as a fighter, various other roles were adopted for some variants of the type, such as the CR.42N dedicated night fighter model, the CR.42AS ground attack aircraft, and the CR.42B Biposto twin-seat trainer aircraft.

Top Speed: 274 MPH

Armament: Engine: 1 × Fiat A.74 RC38 radial air-cooled, fourteen cylinders radial engine (840 horsepower)
 * 2 × 12.7 mm (0.5 in) Breda SAFAT machine guns, 400 rpg.
 * 2 × 12.7 mm (.5 in) machine-guns in underwing fairing on some.

Crew: 1

Range: 780 km (420 nmi, 485 mi)

Messerschmitt Bf 109 x30 (Richthofen)
The Messerschmitt Bf 109 is a German World War II fighter aircraft that was the backbone of the Luftwaffe's fighter force.The Bf 109 first saw operational service in 1937 during the Spanish Civil War and was still in service at the dawn of the jet age at the end of World War II in 1945. It was one of the most advanced fighters of the era, including such features as all-metal monocoque construction, a closed canopy, and retractable landing gear. It was powered by a liquid-cooled, inverted-V12 aero engine. From the end of 1941, the Bf 109 was steadily being supplemented by the Focke-Wulf Fw 190. It was commonly called the Me 109, most often by Allied aircrew and even among the German aces themselves, even though this was not the official German designation.

Top Speed: 398 MPH

Armament: Engine: 1 × Daimler-Benz DB 605A-1 liquid-cooled inverted V12 (1200 horspower)
 * 2 × 13 mm (.51 in) synchronized MG 131 machine guns with 300 rpg

Crew: 1

Range: 850 km (528 mi)

Junkers Ju 87 x50 (Richthofen)
The Junkers Ju 87 or Stuka (from Sturzkampfflugzeug, "dive bomber") is a German dive bomber and ground-attack aircraft. Designed by Hermann Pohlmann, it first flew in 1935. The Ju 87 made its combat debut in 1937 with the Luftwaffe's Condor Legion during the Spanish Civil War and served the Axis forces in World War II.

The aircraft was easily recognisable by its inverted gull wings and fixed spatted undercarriage. Upon the leading edges of its faired main gear legs were mounted the Jericho-Trompete (Jericho trumpet) wailing sirens, becoming the propaganda symbol of German air power and the blitzkrieg victories of 1939–1942. The Stuka's design included several innovative features, including automatic pull-up dive brakes under both wings to ensure that the aircraft recovered from its attack dive even if the pilot blacked out from the high g-forces.

Top Speed: 242 MPH

Armament:  Crew: 2(One front and rear)
 * x2 7.62mm MG17 machine guns(front) x2 7.62mm MG15 machine guns (rear)
 * 1× 250 kg (550 lb) bomb beneath the fuselage and 4× 50 kg (110 lb), two bombs underneath each wing

Engine: 1x Jumo 211J-1 Inverted -V piston ( 1400 horsepower)

Range: 500 km (311 mi

Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 Sparviero x50 ( Balbo)
The  (Italian for sparrowhawk) was a three-engined Italian medium bomber developed and manufactured by aviation company Savoia-Marchetti. It could be the best-known Italian aeroplane of the Second World War. The SM.79 was easily recognizable due to its distinctive fuselage dorsal "hump", and was reportedly well liked by its crews, who nicknamed it il gobbo maledetto ("damned hunchback").

The SM.79 had been originally developed during the early 1930s as a cantilever low-wing monoplane employing a combined wood-and-metal structure. It had been designed with the initial intention of producing a swift eight-passenger transport aircraft, capable of besting even the fastest of its contemporaries at that time, however, the project quickly attracted the attention of the Italian government for its potential as an armed combat aircraft. Performing its first flight on 28 September 1934; between 1937 and 1939, early examples of the type established 26 separate world records, qualifying it for some time as being the fastest medium bomber in the world. As such, the SM.79 quickly became regarded as an item of national prestige in Fascist Italy, attracting significant government support and often being deployed as an element of state propaganda. Early on, the aircraft was routinely entered into competitive fly-offs and air races, seeking to capitalize on its advantages, and often emerged victorious in such contests.

Top Speed: 286 mph

Armament:
 * 1 × 20 mm (0.79 in) forward MG 151 cannon
 * 2 × 12.7 mm (0.5 in) dorsal Breda-SAFAT machine gun 1 at the top, 1 in the belly (The belly gun was optional).
 * 2 × 7.7 mm (0.303 in) machine guns in lateral "waist-gun" ports (optional)

Crew: 6
 * 1,200 kg (2,645 lb) internal bomb load

Engine: x3 Piaggo P.XI air-cooled radial piston engines (1000 horsepower)

Range: 2,600 km (1,615 mi)

Luftwaffe ( 8th Air Corps)
The Luftwaffe[was the aerial warfare branch of the combined German Wehrmacht military forces during World War II. Germany's military air arms during World War I, the Luftstreitkräfte of the Army and the Marine-Fliegerabteilung of the Navy, had been disbanded in May 1920 as a result of the terms of the Treaty of Versailles which stated that Germany was forbidden to have any air force.

The Luftwaffe proved instrumental in the German victories across Poland and Western Europe in 1939 and 1940. During the Battle of Britain, however, despite inflicting severe damage to the RAF's infrastructure and, during the subsequent Blitz, devastating many British cities, the German air force failed to batter the beleaguered British into submission. From 1942, Allied bombing campaigns gradually destroyed the Luftwaffe 's fighter arm. From late 1942, the Luftwaffe used its surplus ground, support and other personnel to raise Luftwaffe Field Divisions. In addition to its service in the West, the Luftwaffe operated over the Soviet Union, North Africa and Southern Europe. Despite its belated use of advanced turbojet and rocket propelled aircraft for the destruction of Allied bombers, the Luftwaffe was overwhelmed by the Allies' superior numbers and improved tactics, and a lack of trained pilots and aviation fuel. In January 1945, during the closing stages of the Battle of the Bulge, the Luftwaffe made a last-ditch effort to win air superiority, and met with failure. With rapidly dwindling supplies of petroleum, oil, and lubricants after this campaign, and as part of the entire combined Wehrmacht military forces as a whole, the Luftwaffe ceased to be an effective fighting force.

Specifically in this battle, Richthofen will be in command of the 8th Air Corps:

8th Air Corps (VIII. Fliegerkorps) was formed 19 July 1939 in Oppeln as Fliegerführer z.b.V. ("for special purposes"). It was renamed to the 8th Air Corps on 10 November 1939. The Corps was also known as Luftwaffenkommando Schlesien between 25 January 1945 and 2 February 1945 and was merged with Luftgau-Kommando VIII on 28 April 1945 and redesignated Luftwaffenkommando VIII.

Regia Aeronautica
The Italian Royal Air Force (Regia Aeronautica Italiana) was the name of the air force of the Kingdom of Italy. It was established as a service independent of the Royal Italian Army from 1923 until 1946. In 1946, the monarchy was abolished and the Kingdom of Italy became the Italian Republic, whereupon the name of the air force changed to Aeronautica Militare.

The Italian air force became an independent service—the Regia Aeronautica—on March 28, 1923. Benito Mussolini's fascist regime turned it into an impressive propaganda machine, with its aircraft, featuring the Italian flag colors across the full span of the undersides of the wings, making numerous record-breaking flights.

The first test for the new Italian Royal Air force came in October 1935, with the Ethiopian war. During the final stages of the war, Regia Aeronautica deployed up to 386 aircraft, operating from Eritrea and Somalia. The Italian aviators did not have any opposition in the air, as the Imperial Ethiopian Air Force had just 15 transport and liaison aircraft, only nine of which were serviceable. However the Regia Aeronautica lost 72 planes and 122 aircrew members  while supporting the operations of the Regio Esercito, sometimes dropping poison gas bombs against the Ethiopian army. And after the end of hostilities, on 5 May 1936, for the following 13 months the Regia Aeronautica had to assist Italian forces in fighting Ethiopian guerrillas.

During World War II Regia Aeronautica had experience in Albania, France, East/West Africa, Britain, Greece, Yugoslavia, the Eastern Front in Russia, and various other European theaters, often times assisting the Luftwaffe, like in the Western Desert campaign and the later parts of the Eastern Front.

X-factors
Experience:

Richthofen/:  At the age of eighteen, after leaving school, he joined the German Army's  cavalry arm in 1913.Richthofen fought on the Western Front, winning the Iron Cross Second Class. In 1915 he was posted to the Eastern Front, where he stayed until 1917. His cousins, the brothers Lothar and Manfred von Richthofen both became flying aces and they encouraged him to join the Luftstreitkräfte where served multiple missions. Richthofen joined the new Luftwaffe when Hitler and the Nazi party took control. He also served as part of the Condor Legion which supported the Nationalists in the Spanish Civil War. in September 1939, Richthofen commanded the Fliegerkorps VIII (8th Air Corps), first as a small active service unit in the Polish Campaign, from May to June 1940. Richthofen achieved great success on the Eastern Front.He fought in the Crimean campaigns through 1942. After this he was moved to the Mediterranean Theatre of Operations, where he commanded Luftwaffe forces in the Italian Campaign. He remained in active service until late 1944, when he was retired on medical grounds.

Balbo/:During WW1, Balbo was an officer in the Italian Royal army and had experience in the Alpini Battalion before volunteering for flight training in 1917. Not long after this, the Germans and Austro-Hungarian forces broke through Italian lines, forcing him to return to the front. After the war he became a major Blackshirt organizer, and after that his next major experience was leading transatlantic flights through the 1930's. He secretly organized men to attack Ethiopia during the Abyssinia crisis. During the time of WW2 in 1940, he was planning an invasion of Egypt when on a mission, he was shot down by his own anti-aircraft weaponry.

Training:

Richthofen: Richthofen didn't really get any significant training until 1919 to 1922, where he studied aeronautical engineering at the Technical University of Hanover.

Balbo/Regia Aeronautica: Balbo lacked any real training until 1926, where he was appointed Secretary of State for Air and was given a crash course on aviation and began building the Italian Royal Air Force. Other than this he received no major training.

Tactics:

Richthofen: Richthofen was a champion of two forms of tactics, shuttle air and dive bombing. In shuttle air, to maximize support over the frontline, aircraft operated from bases near the front to keep and gain an advantage. Aircraft were sent in small formations to bomb frontline positions, while other groups of ground attack aircraft were en route and refuelling. Dive bombing involves a plane fly right at it's target to maximize accuracy.

Balbo/Regia Aeronautica: Since there isn't much information on Balbo's tactical style, so i'll have to take into consideration how Regia Aeronautica approached their battles. For this battle I will take their actions at the Siege of Malta as an example. In the Siege of Malta, Regia Aeronautica began the aerial bombardment of the island from airbases in Sicily. On the first day, 55 Italian bombers and 21 fighters flew over Malta and dropped 142 bombs on the three airfields at Luqa, Hal Far and Ta Qali. In the afternoon, another 38 bombers escorted by 12 fighters raided the capital. The raids were designed to affect the morale of the population rather than inflict damage to dockyards and installations. A total of eight raids were flown on that first day. The bombing did not cause much damage and most of the casualties suffered were civilian. It also seems that Regia Aeronautica relied on assistance from the the Luftwaffe to conduct air missions, or at least they frequently would.

Logistics:Richthofen: Germany always lacked resources throughout the war, and constantly had to base their strategy. They would frequently have to attack cities just to take their resources. That and intense bombing of their oil that they did have, caused them to lack resources altogether. This made it impossible to maintain the powerful planes that they made.

Balbo: Balbo and Regia and Aeronautica weren't much better off, as the organization lost many, many planes throughout their missions, leaving a limited amount of planes to use in general. Also, many of their planes were simply outdated compared to their contemporaries. Their construction lacked the necessary materials to create advanced planes, while having to maintain the ones they had.

Objectives and Battle Situation/Voting
This battle will have 35 fighters and 50 bombers on each side. Germany is in the middle of its oil crisis and is desperate to acquire the critical resource in any way possible. Adolf Hitler has decided that Italy has outlived its usefulness and that they would be a perfect opportunity to kill two bird with one stone. Richthofen, one of Hitler's most trusted Luftwaffe commanders, is sent to Libya to what is thought to be an easy invasion.

However, Hitler being the aggressive man he is formally declared war on Mussolini, and Italo Balbo, the governor of the land, had been notified, and ordered to establish whatever defensive they possibly can. Richthofen doesn't know that Balbo is prepared for an invasion, and therefore travels with a light force.

Note: Both sides have their own barracks/airfield that both sides will receive intelligence on as the battle is going on. I.E, bombers will not come into play until intelligence is received

Primary Objective:
Richthofen: Take the oilfield, and destroy any planes that get in the way of the invasion.

Balbo: Defend the oilfield, and force a retreat of the attacking German force.

Secondary Objectives:
Both: Destroy the other sides' barracks, which have the majority of their armaments and supplies for the engagements

Note: All objectives do not require either commanders to be active or even alive to achieve. Ex: If Balbo is killed in the air, and his men are still able to defend against Richthofen's mini-invasion, the objective is still met

You all know what I need for voting but just in case:

Format 1: Detailed edge based vote with good grammar and that isn't just a couple of words or a sentence.

Format 2: 7 sentence paragraph detailing why you believe a certain warrior will win.

Votes like: "Richthofen winns because Italllo's a fillthy spahgetti muncher" or " Italo wiins becausse Naziis badd" will not count.

X-factors are not required in your vote but are appreciated.

I hold the final say as to whether a vote counts or not, guidelines not withstanding.Voting will end when I am satisfied the the quality and quantity of votes.

Because Screw BF and his wishes for me to not vote on his Battle.

Tybaltcapulet's " Rommel ain't got nothing on the blinding Sun" Edges:

Pistol: I'm gonna give this to the Hi-Power immediately because of its two extra rounds. Weight is about the same, and effective range isn't any different, so the pistol that can sustain fire for longer periods of time will simply do better here. Edge: Sun Li-Jen

Rifles: This one is again pretty close, but i'm giving a marginal, and I mean marginal edge to the M1917 Enfield. Both weapons have similar cartridges, with the M1917 having a slightly larger one, the weight difference is also tiny, capacity is equal, but the M1917 has about 50m on the Mosin Nagant. That may seem insignificant, but it's enough to boost the Enfield's effectiveness just a little bit. Edge: Sun Li-Jen

SMG: Oh look at this PPSH knockoff, it's an utter beauty. But in all seriousness, the Grease gun is just completely outclassed here. With a crippling 450 RPM, it'll take a long time to chug out the rounds that it has. The Type 50 is just better as an SMG in every aspect. An SMG isn't there to be a sniper rifle, it's there to get out as much firepower as possible within it's range semi-accurately. It even has more range and superior capacity. Edge: Peng Dehuai 

Machine Gun: I'm gonna give this straight to the M1919 for a couple of reasons. The M1919 may be licked on range, but there's two important things that help it out here. First is crew size, the M1919 only needs two guys to operate and move it around while the MG08 needs a whopping four. Secondly and directly relating to crew size is the fact that the MG08 is ''super fucking heavy. ''With water, which I doubt Peng is gonna go without, this hunk of metal weighs a whopping 152 lbs. Compare that with the Browning's 31 lbs, and you've got a mobile light GP machine gun that has the same capacity, and actually fires faster (it's 400-600 based on my findings) than the MG08 just making it better suited for changing combat. And further more this directly benefits Sun Li-Jen's type of strategy by making it much easier to move around for an indirect attack. Edge: Sun Li-Jen

Special: Um, where the hell are the Tanks? Yeah these are AT rocket launchers, and aren't designed to be used against regular Personnel. I mean it goes straight to the Boys Anti-Tank Rifle, as it has a way larger capacity at 5 vs 1 for the Type 51, but if you aren't adding tanks to this (Maybe you are but just haven't added them in yet IDK), they aren't at their full potential. But overall i'm going with the Boys AT Rifle just purely for it's large capacity. Edge: Sun Li-Jen

Chester Nimitz vs Karl Dönitz


Water. Around 71 percent of the world's surface is covered by it. So it would be no wonder that eventually humanity would design weaponry around it.What first came were humble wooden ships with sails to move them across and humble iron cannons for protection. This would evolve over the course of hudreds of years, until it became the basis for the battleships, cruisers, destroyers and submarines of the modern age.

Today I will be focusing on two prolific admirals who were on opposing sides of WWII but never met in battle. Chester Nimitz,the fleet admiral of the United States Navy, who faced superior forces throughout the Pacfic campaign and still defeated them with superior strategy.Karl Dönitz ,the Supreme Commander of the Kreigsmarine, who utilize wolf pack tactics with U-boats to strike fear into any ships entering his domain.

Who is DEADLIEST?!

Chester Nimitz
Chester William Nimitz, Sr. (February 24, 1885 – February 20, 1966) was a fleet Admiralof the United States Navy. He played a major role in the naval history of World War II as Commander in Chief U.S Pacific Fleet  and Commander in Chief, Pacficic Ocean Areas, commanding Allied air, land, and sea forces during World War II.

Nimitz was the leading US Navy authority on submarines. Qualified in submarinesduring his early years, he later oversaw the conversion of these vessels' propulsion from gasoline to diesel, and then later was key in acquiring approval to build the world's first nuclear-powered submarine,USS Nautlius, whose propulsion system later completely superseded diesel-powered submarines in the US. He also, beginning in 1917, was the Navy's leading developer of underway replenishment techniques, the tool which during the Pacific war would allow the US fleet to operate away from port almost indefinitely. The chief of the Navy's Bureau of Navigation n 1939, Nimitz served as Chief of Naval Operations from 1945 until 1947. He was the United States' last surviving officer who served in the rank of fleet admiral.

Karl Dönitz
Karl Dönitz ( 16 September 1891 – 24 December 1980) was a German  admiral who played a major role in the naval history of World War II Dönitz briefly succeeded Adolf as the head of state of Nazi Germany.

He began his career in the Imperial German Navy before World War I In 1918, he was commanding UB-68 when she was sunk by British forces. Dönitz was taken prisoner. While in a prisoner of war camp, he formulated what he later called Rudeltaktik  ("pack tactic", commonly called "wolfpack"). At the start of World War II, he was the senior submarine officer in the Kreigsmarine  In January 1943, Dönitz achieved the rank of Großadmiral (grand admiral) and replaced Grand Admiral Erich Raeder as Commander-in-Chief of the Navy.

On 30 April 1945, after the death of Adolf Hitler and in accordance with Hitler's last will and testament Dönitz was named Hitler's successor as head of state, with the title of President of Germany and Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces. On 7 May 1945, he ordered Alfred Jodl, Chief of Operations Staff of the OKW, to sign the German  instrument of surrender in Reims France. Dönitz remained as head of the Flensburg Government as it became known, until it was dissolved by the Allied powers on 23 May.

Despite his postwar claims, Dönitz was seen as supportive of Nazism during the war, and he is known to have made a number of anti-Semitic statements. Following the war, Dönitz was indicted as a major war criminal at the Nuremburg Trials  on three counts: (1) conspiracy to commit crimes against peace war crimes, and crimes against humanity; (2) planning, initiating, and waging wars of aggression; and (3) crimes against the laws of war. He was found not guilty on count (1) of the indictment, but guilty on counts (2) and (3). He was sentenced to ten years' imprisonment; after his release, he lived in a village near Hamburg until his death in 1980.

Karl Dönitz and the Kreigsmarine

 * -|Main Battleship x2=

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fe/Bundesarchiv_Bild_193-04-1-26%2C_Schlachtschiff_Bismarck.jpg/220px-Bundesarchiv_Bild_193-04-1-26%2C_Schlachtschiff_Bismarck.jpg

Bismarck class battleship  The Bismarck class was a pair of fast battleships built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine shortly before the outbreak of World War II. Bismarck was laid down in July 1936 and completed in September 1940, while her sister Tirpitz's keel was laid in October 1936 and work finished in February 1941. The ships were ordered in response to the French Richelieu-class battleships and they were designed with the traditional role of engaging enemy battleships in home waters in mind, though the German naval command envisioned employing the ships as long-range commerce raiders against British shipping in the Atlantic Ocean. As such, their design represented strategic confusion that dominated German naval construction in the 1930s.

Specifications:

Speed:35 mph

Range: 10,210 mi

Armament: 8 × 38 cm (15 in) SK C/34 (4 × 2)

12 × 15 cm (5.9 in) SK C/28 (6 × 2)

16 × 10.5 cm (4.1 in) SK C/33 (8 × 2)

16 × 3.7 cm (1.5 in) SK C/30 (8 × 2)

20 × 2 cm (0.79 in) FlaK 30 (20 × 1) (up to 4 planes could be held on these battleships, but for the purposes of this battle none will be on it)


 * -|Cruiser x5=

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c5/Bundesarchiv_DVM_10_Bild-23-63-35%2C_Leichter_Kreuzer_der_%22K-Klasse%22.jpg/220px-Bundesarchiv_DVM_10_Bild-23-63-35%2C_Leichter_Kreuzer_der_%22K-Klasse%22.jpg

The Königsberg class cruiser sometimes referred to as the K class, was a class of light cruisers of the German Reichsmarine and Kriegsmarine. The class comprised three ships named after German cities: Königsberg, Karlsruhe, and Köln, all built between 1926 and 1930. These ships were the first of the Reichsmarine with a modern cruiser design; their predecessor, Emden, was based on World War I-era designs. They were armed with a main battery of nine 15 cm (5.9 in) guns and with twelve 50 cm (20 in) torpedo tubes.

Specifications:

Speed:37 mph

Range:5,700 nmi

Armament: 9 × 15 cm SK C/25 guns

2 × 8.8 cm SK L/45 anti-aircraft guns

12 × 50 cm torpedoes

120 mines


 * -|Destroyer x 8=

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/17/German_destroyer_Z39_underway_off_Boston_on_12_September_1945.jpg/196px-German_destroyer_Z39_underway_off_Boston_on_12_September_1945.jpg

The Type 1936A destroyers, also known as the Z23 class, were a group of fifteen destroyers built for the Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine from 1938 to 1943. They were known to the Allies as the Narvik class. In common with other German destroyers launched after the start of World War II, the Narviks were unnamed, known only by their hull numbers - Z23 to Z39.

Specifications:

Speed: 41 mph

Range: 3,000 mi

Armament: 4 × single or 1 × twin, 3 × single 15 cm (5.9 in) guns

2 × twin 3.7 cm (1.5 in) AA guns

5–10 × 2 cm (0.79 in) AA guns

2 × quadruple 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes

4 × depth charge throwers

60 × mines The Type VII U-boat was based on earlier German submarine designs going back to the World War I Type UB III and especially the cancelled Type UG. The type UG was designed through the Dutch dummy company Ingenieurskantoor voor Scheepsbouw Den Haag (I.v.S) to circumvent the limitations of the Treaty of Versailles, and was built by shipyards around the world. The Finnish Vetehinen class and Spanish Type E-1 also provided some of the basis for the Type VII design. These designs led to the Type VII along with Type I, the latter being built in AG Weser shipyard in Bremen, Germany. The production of Type I was cut down only after two boats; the reasons for this are not certain. The design of the Type I was further used in the development of the Type VII and Type IX.
 * -|Submarines x10=

Type VII submarines were the most widely used U-boats of the war and were the most produced submarine class in history, with 703 built. The type had several modifications. The Type VII was the most numerous U-boat type to be involved in the Battle of the Atlantic.

Specifications:

Speed: 20.4 mph surfaced 8.7 mph submerged

Range:92 mi submerged, 9.800 mi surfaced

Maximum Depth: 230-295m

Armament: 5 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (4 bow, 1 stern)[1]

14 × torpedoes or 26 TMA or 39 TMB mines

1 × 8.8 cm SK C/35 naval gun with 220 rounds

Chester Nimitz and the United States Pacific Fleet

 * -|Main Battleships x2=

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/20/USS_Colorado_%28BB-45%29_New_York_1932.jpg/183px-USS_Colorado_%28BB-45%29_New_York_1932.jpg

The Colorado-class battleships were a group of four battleships built by the United States Navy after World War I. However, only three of the ships were completed: Colorado, Maryland, and West Virginia. The fourth, Washington, was over 75% completed when she was canceled under the terms of the Washington Naval Treaty in 1922. As such, the Colorado-class ships were the last and most powerful battleships built by the US Navy until the North Carolina class entered service on the eve of World War II.

Specifications:

Speed: 24 mph

Range:9,200 mi

Armament:

8 × 16 inches (406 mm)/45 caliber Mark 1 guns (4 × 2)

12 or 14 × 5 inches (127 mm)/51 caliber guns

2 × 21 inches (533 mm) torpedo tubes
 * -|Cruiser x5 =

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3d/USS_Northampton_%28CA-26%29_at_Brisbane_on_5_August_1941_%28NH_94596%29.jpg/193px-USS_Northampton_%28CA-26%29_at_Brisbane_on_5_August_1941_%28NH_94596%29.jpg

The Northampton-class cruisers were a group of six heavy cruisers built for the United States Navy, and commissioned between 1928 and 1931.

The Northamptons saw much action in World War II. Three (Northampton, Chicago, and Houston) were lost during the war. The other three were decommissioned soon after the end of the war, and scrapped in 1959–1961.

Specifications:

Speed: 37.4 mph

Range: 12,000 mi;

Armament: 9 × 8 in/55 caliber guns (3×triple turrets)

8 × 5 in/25 caliber guns[1]

2 × 3-pounder 47 mm (1.9 in) saluting guns

24 × 40 mm Bofors guns (4×quadruple turrets)

28 × 20 mm Oerlikon cannons

6 × 21-inch torpedo tubes
 * -|Destroyer x8=

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/07/USS_Allen_M._Sumner_%28DD-692%29_underway_in_the_Atlantic_Ocean_on_26_March_1944_%28NH_86272%29.jpg/192px-USS_Allen_M._Sumner_%28DD-692%29_underway_in_the_Atlantic_Ocean_on_26_March_1944_%28NH_86272%29.jpg

The Allen M. Sumner class was a group of 58 destroyers built by the United States during World War II. Another twelve ships were completed as destroyer minelayers. Often referred to as simply the Sumner class, this class was characterized by their twin 5-inch/38 caliber gun mounts, dual rudders, additional anti-aircraft weapons, and many other advancements over the previous Fletcher class. The Allen M. Sumner design was extended 14 feet (4.3 m) amidships to become the Gearing class, which was produced in larger numbers.

Specifications:

Speed: 39 mph

Range: 6,900 mi

Armament:

6 × 5 in/38 cal guns (127 mm) (in 3 × 2 Mk 38 DP mounts)

12 × 40 mm Bofors AA guns (2 × 4 & 2 × 2)

11 × 20 mm Oerlikon cannons

2 × Depth charge racks

6 × K-gun depth charge throwers

10 × 21 in (533 mm) torpedo tubes https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d5/USS_Balao_SS-285.jpg/183px-USS_Balao_SS-285.jpg
 * -|Submarines x10=

The Balao class was a successful design of United States Navy submarine used during World War II, and with 120 units completed, the largest class of submarines in the United States Navy. An improvement on the earlier Gato class, the boats had slight internal differences. The most significant improvement was the use of thicker, higher yield strength steel in the pressure hull skins and frames, which increased their test depth to 400 feet (120 m). Tang actually achieved a depth of 612 ft (187 m) during a test dive, and exceeded that test depth when taking on water in the forward torpedo room while evading a destroyer.

Specifications:

Speed: 23.6 MPH

Range:11,000 nautical miles (20,000 km) surfaced

Maximum Depth: 120 m

Armament:

10 × 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes 6 forward, 4 aft

24 torpedoes

1 × 5-inch (127 mm) / 25 caliber deck gun

Bofors 40 mm and Oerlikon 20 mm cannon

X-factors:
Nimitz: Nimitz originally applied to West Point to become an Army officer but no appointments were available. He then went to the United States Naval Academy and trained there from 1901 until he graudated in 1905, 7th out of 114. He also had limited study at the Naval War College in 1922.
 * -|Training=

Dönitz: Dönitz would've likely received standard Imperial German Naval training in his earlier career, and some form of officer training after being commissioned as a Leutnant. No other major training is evident throughout his career, due to him being constantly active throughout the Interwar period.

Nimitz: Nimitz has much in the way of naval experience, boasting around 40 years of commanding and being assigned to various ships. For two years he was a warrant officer at sea, and then went on to serve/command on the Panay, Decatur, Denver, USS Ranger  and other various ships all within the span of around 6 years. Throughout WW1, Nimitz was on a refueling ship when the US declared war in 1917. For most of the Interwar period, Nimitz served as chief of staff, and served out mostly administrative duties, with limited command of Submarine Division 20. Then in WW2 Nimitz was appointed as the Commander in Chief of the Pacific Fleet. He oversaw many of the campaigns and battles in the Pacific including: Midway, Coral sea, the Guadalcanal Campaign, and the Solomon Island Campaign, just to name a few.
 * -|Experience=

Dönitz: Similarly to Nimitz,Dönitz has 30 years of experience in many facets of Germany's navy. He enlisted in the Navy in 1910, and became an commissioned officer in 1913. He served on the SMS Breslau, was a commander of multiple submarines throughout WW1. After the war he was a POW for about 2 years before coming back in the Weimar Republic's naval arm. He commanded multiple torpedo boats throughout the 20's. Dönitz then in the early 30's commanded the Emden, a ship designed to train cadets. After this he became the leader of the U-boat section of the Kriegsmarine, and led them through the Battle of the Atlantic and in 1943, he replaced Erich Raeder as the Supreme commander of the Kriegsmarine, which he retained through the rest of the war. Nimitz: Nimitz, like Dönitz was quite qualified with submarines, but wasn't one to entirely focus upon this strategy. As shown with battles like Midway and Coral Sea, he was very adept at defensive strategy, and relied heavily upon intelligence and ambushing the enemy, as Nimitz would frequently be unable to go for a direct approach.
 * -|Tactics=

Dönitz: Dönitz was a major proponent of what would become known as the Rudeltaktik or Wolfpack tactic.Dönitz would organize a large group of U-boats and organize them in a coordinated line along likely convoy routes and strike in a mass-attack. Nimitz: Throughout the Pacific theater, the United States had an abundance of ships due to the mass industrialization of the United States. The Pacific fleet in particular had multiple divisions of destroyers, battleships and cruisers ready to mobilize very quickly.They were equipped with some of the most advanced weaponry and were well-armoured. Also being on one of the US's major fronts and being a major commander of the Naval forces there would afford Nimitz quite a bit of logistical power.
 * -|Logsitics=

Dönitz:The Kriegsmarine like the other facets of the German military, obviously suffered from lack of resources throughout the war,and this showed in the the lack of major battleships. However, the ships that they were able to produce, were well armed, fast and armored, due to Germany disregarding many naval treaties from WWI and continuing to produce ships secretly.

Voting/Situation
This is a 25 v 25 fleet battle in the West of the Baltic Sea. In this alternate history, Japan has surrended one year early, allowing the Navy to entirely focus upon the Western front. Nimitz is assigned to push through the Baltic and attack from the north. Dönitz is on a standard patrol with a small fleet, while Nimitz has done the same. Battle starts when they meet up, simple as that.

You all know what I need for voting but just in case:

Format 1: Detailed edge based vote with good grammar and that isn't just a couple of words or a sentence.

Format 2: At least a 7 sentence paragraph detailing why you believe a certain warrior will win.

Votes like: " U-boats aree awesomme wins" or " SCCrew the Naazis, Nimitz wins" aren't gonna count for obvious reasons.

X-factors are not required in your vote but are appreciated.

I hold the final say as to whether a vote counts or not, guidelines not withstanding.Voting will end when I am satisfied the the quality and quantity of votes.

Battle

 * CLINK*


 * CLINK*

Alcohol... beer... wine... the bottle... All words for the same concept. One of humanity's greatest vices to ever exist. Großadmiral' ' Karl Dönitz wasn't usually one to drink, but even his usual complete abstinence, even he needed a bit of wine to steady his nerves. Not enough to get drunk, but just enough for calmness.

Dönitz sighed to himself, knowing that Germany was in dire straits. The Soviet Union was battering their Eastern front, The Luftwaffe was being systematically defeated by overwhelming superiority, Germany lacked resources across the board and there was a new threat. The Empire of Japan had been recently defeated by the United States, with a combined arms mainland invasion, forcing them to capitulate quite quickly. This left the United States free to pull out of the Pacific front, and could dominate air, land and sea with even more force.

He stood up, and made his way towards the front of one of his main battleships, preparing to carry on his patrol. As he left his private quarters however, he was met with a loud explosion that just missed his ship. He ran towards the ship's command room to check the radar. The soldier manning it informed him that  there were no ships within its range. Dönitz looked in confused anger, knowing he was under attack. He knew that he had no choice but to make his ships trek forward to detect their unknown enemy...

Dönitz then decided he must spread his ships in a loose formation so that less of the shells actually hit their targets. His basic arrangement had the two Bismarck battleships in the rear, his Konigsberg cruisers and Type 1936 destroyers in the middle, and the crux of his attack, his U-boats in the very front. --- 2 minutes later---

The enemy had stopped firing for a moment, and again Dönitz was confused. Why would they all of a sudden stop after hammering them so consistently? Were they gathering information, preparing their ammunition? Dönitz decided now was the time to rush in and actually start the battle. Dönitz was falling back on his most famous tactic to hopefully rush the opponent into submission. The Rudeltakik...

***

As it turned out the mystery attacker Chester Nimitz had been doing both. Nimitz had just engaged a larger force of the remnants of the Italian Navy, that had feebly attempted to defend their limited territory. Nimitz originally believed that this was the rest of it, until he saw the size of the fleet. Nimitz then had to reorganize his entire thought process and throw off the enemy. Nimitz knew this was a German fleet, and that their ships weren't so easy to destroy.

As a scouting party, he sent his Balao-class submarines to root out any outliers or separated ships with the enemy fleet.

Dönitz: x25

Nimitz: x25

And pretty quickly, the Balaos found what they were looking for, overextended U-boats, looking to swarm Nimitz and his fleet. There was a slight problem though, the U-boats were deeper than them, and thus made it harder for the Balaos to fire at them. But the solution was simple really. Make the U-boats fire off all their torpedos, and force them to surface.

The American submarines immediately fired at the U-boat after, to draw their fire. Sucess was quite instant, for as the Balaos then spread out, the U-boats fired straight at them. But alas, they missed most of their torpedos, and only did slight damage to a couple of Balaos, giving them the opportunity to fire back even harder.

In the ensuing chaos among the U-boats, three American torpedos hit their mark, destroying two U-boats  x2. In desperation and lacking underwater munitions to fight for much longer, the U-Boats were forced to play right into the American hands and surface, slowing their speed down considerably. Then the Balaos began to utilize their  20/40 mm guns against the U-boats. But one of the Balaos was caught within its surfacing, and was destroyed by a SK C/35 gun, spreading debris across the Balao lines, momentarily distracting them.

This allowed the U-boats enough time to gain some distance on their American foes. The leading Balao officer then ordered them to retreat and regroup with the rest of the fleet. It was now time for the main battle to begin.

***

Dönitz was absolutely furious at this point. His main tactic had been thwarted by a simple scouting party. The ability for him to swiftly swarm the enemy had been crippled. Even if he attempted it again, Dönitz knew that this would be ultimately pointless. His U-boats were now forced to be supporting ships instead of his main attacking force, entirely flipping the script.

" Vollgas voraus" (Full speed ahead!), Dönitz yelled to the rest of the crew, and they relayed this order to the rest of the fleet. The submarines were spread across the formation to cover a couple ships each. Finally, the Americans were within their sight and range. Not wasting any time, Dönitz's fleet began opening fire upon his American foe.

Spreading out to reduce damage, Nimitz's ships remained mostly unharmed for the very beginning of the onslaught of Dönitz's guns allowing them to get very, very close in an attempt to overrun Dönitz before he could respond. First came the destroyers, the most manuverable and quick of both fleets.

1 of the Z23s dropped all of their mines, and then went at full speed, going to the front of his comrades. The rest began fire upon the M.Sumners, destroying two quite quickly x2. The M. Sumners then fired back, quickly firing off their Oerlilkon and Bofors cannons. While taking slightly longer, the M. Sumners too destroyed two Z23s x2.

At this time, the American submarines and a Northampton were getting very close to the destroyers, and they knew they'd be completely decimated if they stayed any longer. The Z23s then retreated as quickly as possible covered by mines in their retreat. The Northampton then turned back to join the other cruisers. The Northampton was only there to harass the destroyers into a forced retreat so the M. Sumners and Balaos could advance.

The M Sumners then decided to take the initiative and began to move forward. Unfortunately for them, they failed to see the mines in time. By the time the did see it, a massive explosion claimed one of the destroyers completely, and another was too incapacitated to continue, forcing it to retreat outside the battlefield x2

Forced to regroup as to not lose their best escorting ships, the M Sumners then retreated a short ways back getting out of the direct line of sight of the German fleet.Meanwhile, the Konigsbergs weren't nearly as able to fight back against the enemy cruisers as the two destroyers. The Northampton, having six times the guns of the Konigsberg, absolutely dwarfed it.

They attempted to manuver themselves in a half circle around the closely packed Northamptons, but the sheer volume of fire didn't even allow them to get close, let alone actually cause any major damage. They were forced to attempt a retreat and attempted to drop their mines as quickly as possible. But ultimately one by one they were taken down by the monstrous power of the superior heavy cruiser

The first to fall was utterly overwhelmed by a baptism of fire. It was struck by a Bofors cannon first, then hit by two torpdeos, and finally was destroyed with a final hit from the 47mm saluting gun. All the others shared similar fates being completely overrun by  multiple pieces of artillery and cannons. x5. Leaving a cascade of debris and fire, the cruisers then retreated back to Nimitz to restructure their tactics.

***

Nimitz's careful targeting and pressure had reaped its reward. Even though he was usually prone to a more defensive strategy, he knew had could not afford to allow Dönitz to gain the initiative. What Dönitz didn't know was that Nimitz already had gathered intelligence long before this battle based on past engagements with the Kriegsmarine. The Allies knew the types of ships and their usual tactics.

There was nothing that Dönitz could do whether it be Rudeltaktik or any other standard Kreigsmarine tactic that Nimitz didn't already know about. In short, Nimitz held all the cards. Nimitz's next goal was to draw out the battleships and quickly swarm them with their superior numbers. But first to successfully do this, they needed to weed out the other ships defending them.

This meant they had to get rid of Dönitz's submarines, to cut off any sneak or mass attacks. To do this, Nimitz knew he would have to leave one ship exposed for long enough to draw out the submarines and isolate them from the rest of Dönitz's fleet. Nimitz then sent out a lone destroyer, with one cruiser  flanking them widely on each side. There were two submarines sent to the backside, mimicking the cruisers.

***

"Was zur Hölle?!" (What the Hell?!) Dönitz exclaimed. Dönitz didn't see or have any communication with any of his cruisers.

Michael Wittman vs Welkin Gunther
Tanks. Their destructive power has shocked the core of every soul unfortunate enough to be within their path. They blasts holes into whatever stands in their way, travel miles where no man would ever dare go. But these massive metal vehicles would be nothing without the men who wield its awesome power.

Today we're going to for the first and only time this season compare a video game tank commander with a real life tank commander, to see who is the deadliest tank commander.

Michael Wittmann, the legendary Waffen SS Tiger I operator, who lead a daring lightning fast assault against British forces at the Battle of Villers-Bocage.

Welkin Gunther the Gallian 2nd Lieutenant who lead Squad 7 to victory against the East European Imperial Alliance in the Second European War through many perilous operations.

Welkin Gunther
Welkin Gunther was born in the small town of Bruhl, the son of the First Europan War hero and General Belgen Gunther. He enrolled in a university to study natural science, and while there decided to focus his secondary military education on tanks. After the Second Europan War broke out, he left school to help his adopted sister, Isara, pack up and flee the advancing Empire. The Empire attacked as he was doing so; after fighting through the initial wave, he took command of his father's tank, the Edelweiss, and bought time until the town fell after an artillery bombardment.

Welkin was then conscripted as a Second Lieutenant, and placed in charge of Squad 7 of the Gallian Militia, and was allowed to keep command of his tank. He won the respect of his men by leading successful and inventive campaigns against the Empire. One such battle was in the Barious Desert, where he ran into the Maximilian, Crown Prince of the Empire, and his durable, massive tank, the Batomys. After a long struggle, Squad 7 took the tank out of action.

After several successful operations, Welkin and Squad 7 were sent on a suicide mission to reclaim a strongpoint that guarded the Empire's sea supply lines. Despite the mission's success, his sister lost her life in the battle. With morale at an all-time low, Squad 7 was ordered to retake Bruhl, Welkin's hometown. With that boost in motivation, Welkin was then deployed to Naggiar Plains. After stopping an artillery barrage Squad 7 held off Selvaria Bles, a Valkyria who entered the battlefield after single-handedly destroying a Gallian tank regiment, long enough to complete their objective. Despite Alicia - his Sergeant and love interest - receiving an injury and subsequently awakening as a Valkyria, the operation was a success.

Later, Welkin would lead Squad 7 on another suicide mission to reclaim a border fort that would fully cut Imperial supply lines. They took a frontal assault as a diversion to allow a train filled with explosives to blow a hole in the entrance, and they then funneled in. They took the base with an all-out assault on its defenses, and captured Selvaria Bles; the general sacrificed her life to set off her Last Flame, which obliterated the fort. Maximilian took advantage of the situation and unleashed the Marmota, a massive armored vehicle that bulldozed all in its path.

After trying and failing to stop the Marmota with traps, Maximilian takes the Gallian capital and a superweapon hidden within. Welkin and Squad 7 lead an assault to disable the Marmota, succeeding and eventualy vanquishing Maximillian himself, who used technology to replicate the powers of a Valkyria. He retired from the Gallian Militia as the small nation's part in the war came to a close, a decorated war hero and still a Second Lieutenant.

Michael Wittmann
Michael Wittmann (22 April 1914 – 8 August 1944) was a German Waffen-SS tank commander during the Second World War. Wittmann is known for his ambush of elements of the British 7th Armoured Division, during the Battle of Villers-Bocage on 13 June 1944. While in command of a Tiger I tank, he destroyed up to fourteen tanks and fifteen personnel carriers, along with two anti-tank guns, within the space of fifteen minutes. The news was picked up and disseminated by the Nazi propaganda machine and added to Wittmann's stature in Germany.

Michael Wittmann was born on 22 April 1914 in Vogelthal, Bavaria, Germany. Between 1934–1936 he served in the German Army. In October 1936 Wittmann joined the SS. On 5 April 1937, he was assigned to the regiment, later division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler (LSSAH). A year later, he participated in the annexation of Austria and the occupation of Sudetenland and joined the Nazi Party.

Wittmann became a cult figure after the war thanks to his accomplishments as a "panzer ace" (a highly decorated tank commander) as part of the portrayal of the Waffen-SS in popular culture. Historians have mixed opinions as to his tactical performance in battle—some praising his actions at Villers-Bocage, and some finding his abilities lacking, and the praise for his tank kills overblown.

Welkin Gunther and Squad 7
Edelwiess was the personal Heavy Tank of General Belgen Gunther during EWI, and constructed by Theimer. It was then used by Welkin Gunther of the Gallian Militia during EWII. Despite it's age, it was the first tank to heavily used angled, armor plating and other concepts, yielding very high results in the testing stages. It also appears to be easily upgrade able.
 * -|Main Tank=

Specifications:

Armament:

Theimer 40/88mm KwK cannon

Theimer 12.7mm tank machine gun

Mortar Rounds

ISARA Smoke Rounds

Top Speed:37 mph

Weight:32 tons


 * -|Light Tank=

The Shamrock is a modified Gallian Light Tank, the second tank of Squad 7. The first known sortie of this tank was during the Marberry Shore Invasion four months after Welkin Gunther took command of Squad 7. Zaka performs the job of both Tank Commander and Engineer, with Leon Schmidt servicing it as mechanic. Whether the Shamrock has a second operator or not is unknown.

(Gallian Light Tanks, or more simply Gallian Tanks, are fast, mobile, lightly armoured tanks which pack an unusually large calibre main gun (75mm) for their small size. These tanks are designed for hit and run tactics, rather than a stand-up fight)

Specifications(both): Armament:

Breda 24/75mm PaK mk.II cannon

Erma 7.92mm tank machine gun

Top Speed:31 mph

Weight: 11.2 tons

The Shamrock will be accompanied by 9 Gallian Light Tanks. The Shamrock for the purposes of this battle will not be outfitted with its optional flamethrower or "Gatling Gun" Machine Gun


 * -|Assistance=

Squad 7 is the seventh platoon of the Gallian Militia's 3rd Regiment and is commanded by Lieutenant Welkin Gunther and Captain Eleanor Varrot respectively. Welkin Gunther and Squad 7 are the protagonists of Valkyria Chronicles and have a number of cameos in its sequels, Valkyria Chronicles 2 and Valkyria Chronicles 3.

Welkin will be accompanied by 14 Squad 7 foot soldiers consisting of 7 Scouts equipped with Gallian-A rifles and 7 Shocktroopers equipped with Mag MXX submachine guns. All Squad 7 foot soldiers will be equipped with one B-Type grenade.

There will be no Lancers, Engineers or Snipers present in this battle

Michael Wittmann and the Waffen-SS
The Tiger I is a German heavy tank of World War II deployed from 1942 in Africa and Europe, usually in independent heavy tank battalions. Its final designation was Panzerkampfwagen VI Tiger Ausf. E often shortened to Tiger. The Tiger I gave the German Army its first armoured fighting vehicle that mounted the 8.8 cm KwK 36 gun (not to be confused with the 8.8 cm Flak 36). 1,347 were built between August 1942 and August 1944. After August 1944, production of the Tiger I was phased out in favour of the Tiger II.
 * -|Main Tank=

Specifications:

Armament:

1× 8.8 cm KwK 36 L/56

2× 7.92 mm MG 34

Top Speed:12–16 mph (cross-country)

Weight:54 tonnes

Panzerkampfwagen III, commonly known as the Panzer III, was a medium tank developed in the 1930s by Germany, and was used extensively in World War II. It was intended to fight other armoured fighting vehicles and serve alongside and support similar Panzer IV which was originally designed for infantry support. However, as the Germans faced the formidable T-34, more powerful anti-tank guns were needed, and since the Panzer IV had more development potential with a larger turret ring, it was redesigned to mount the long-barrelled 7.5 cm KwK 40 gun. The Panzer III effectively swapped roles with the Panzer IV, as from 1942 the last version of Panzer III mounted the 7.5 cm KwK 37 L/24 that was better suited for infantry support. Production of the Panzer III ceased in 1943.
 * -|Light Tank=

Specifications:

Armament:

7.5 cm KwK 40 gun

2–3 × 7.92 mm Maschinengewehr 34 machine guns

Top Speed:25 mph

Weight:23.0 tonnes

Wittmann will have 10 Panzer IIIs for the purposes of this battle

The Waffen-SS was the armed wing of the Nazi Party's SS organisation. Its formations included men from Nazi Germany, along with volunteers and conscripts from both occupied and un-occupied lands.The Waffen-SS grew from three regiments to over 38 divisions during World War II, and served alongside the Heer (regular army), Ordnungspolizei (uniformed police) and other security units.
 * -|Assistance=

Wittmann specifically was in the 1st SS Panzer Division "Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler", short LSSAH, which began as Adolf Hitler's personal bodyguard, responsible for guarding the Führer's person, offices, and residences. Initially the size of a regiment, the LSSAH eventually grew into an elite division-sized unit during World War II.

The LSSAH participated in combat during the invasion of Poland, and was brought into the Waffen-SS together with the SS-Verfügungstruppe (SS-VT) and the combat units of the SS-Totenkopfverbände (SS-TV) prior to Operation Barbarossa in 1941. By mid-1942 it had been increased in size from a regiment to a Panzergrenadier division and was designated SS Panzergrenadier Division "Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler". It received its final form as a Panzer division in October 1943.

Members of the LSSAH perpetrated numerous atrocities and war crimes, including the Malmedy massacre. They killed an estimated 5,000 prisoners of war in the period 1940–1945, mostly on the Eastern Front.

Wittmann will be accompanied by 14 LSSAH Waffen-SS foot soldiers, with 7 soldiers carrying STG-44s and 7 carrying MP-40s. All LSSAH Waffen-SS foot soldiers will also be equipped with one Model 24 Stielhandgranate.

X-factors

 * -|Training=

Wittmann would have likely received standard German army training for the beginning of his service. He would've also likely learned about tank operation, through LSSAH and obviously as a German officer, Wittmann would've received standard training on how to handle basic officer duties and combat.

Gunther,throughout his career, is not shown or mentioned to receive any major formal training, so it can be inferred he likely received very little from the Gallian Militia or none at all.


 * -|Experience=

Wittmann has around 10 years of experience serving from the 30s, to his death in 1944 in Operation Totalize. He first began to serve the German army in 1934 until in 1936 where he joined the SS. Wittmann was then assigned to the 1st SS Panzer Division "Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler" or LSSAH in 1937. Then a year later he participated in the annexation of Austria and the occupation of Sudetenland and joined the Nazi Party. He then was assigned to the Eastern front, where he commanded a variety of tanks in Operation Barbarossa and the Battle of Kursk. He then was transferred to Normandy where he famously fought in the Battle of Villers-Bocage and then was killed at Operation Totalize.

Welkin Gunther is actually quite limited in actual combat experience. Welkin is entirely used to smaller engagements ans skirmishes rather than larger scale ones. Valkyria Chronicles itself only takes place in a maximum of around 1-2 years which is around the time span of EWII. Even so, he has had many successful operations with Squad 7 within this time, including the liberations of multiple cities, two suicide missions that Welkin and his men have survived both times, and many other standard operations. Wittmann is quite the fan of ambushes. He uses overwhelming firepower to quickly take down as many enemy vehicles and artillery pieces as possible. His most famous showing of this was at Villers-Bocage. Wittmann led some of the Tigers of the 101st SS Heavy Panzer Battalion and ambushed the 22nd Armoured Brigade. In less than 15 minutes, Wittmann had already destroyed around 14 tanks, 15 APCs, and two anti-tank guns. Wittmann also pioneered a technique where he and his men could fire while on the move, allowing them to heighten their effectiveness and speed even more.(German tank regulation forbade this, as they believed it to be a waste of ammunition)
 * -|Tactics=

Gunther is very oriented towards a smaller skirmish or squad (hence Squad 7) setting. He is directly involved in battle as a result, and is constantly near his men as they approach an objective. Welkin uses his active role in battle and his small squad size to be able to effectively micromanage. To boost his strategies even more Welkin also uses the natural elements around him to create plans. For example in Kloden Wildwood, he used animal trails to discover where the Imperial supply base was and launch an attack.

Despite being an officer, Wittmann is shown through his career to be quite hands on and aggressive, engaging the enemy with his subordinates.Throughout Kursk and Barbarossa he personally was able to destroy 117 tanks. Wittmann was regarded as Nazi Germany's greatest tank "ace", and was lauded as a war hero by Nazi propaganda. He was basically regarded as the ace of aces of tankery, and presumably his men would treat him as such, following his orders completely.
 * -|Leadership=

Welkin Gunther is basically a parental figure to his squad. Hell he even calls himself the "dad" of the family of Squad 7. He is very focused on making sure that his subordinates get along and that their morale is maintained. He is usually very confident in his abilities, even making a bet with two other Squad 7 members that he could take back a Gallalian bridge in less than two days or he'd lose his post. Even with his high confidence, he is still fully aware of his lack of experience, and remains professional in combat.

Battle Notes/ Voting
This is a 25 v 25 battle somewhere near Normandy, France. Welkin Gunther is sent to defend against a major Imperial invasion that flanked their way through Federation Territory (which will be the equivalent of French territory). Wittmann near the area, is ordered by his superior officers to quickly dispatch this unfamiliar enemy. The battle starts when Wittmann ambushes Gunther and Squad 7 as they patrol their surroundings.
 * Welkin will have a small Base Camp from the beginning of the battle to organize Squad 7


 * Command and Action points do not apply at all in this battle for obvious reasons
 * Potentials will not have any affect on the battle, though some quotes from them may be used thematically
 * Destruction of main tanks are not a victory condition.
 * Wittmann will join his foot soldiers with a Luger P08 and Welkin will become a Scout (like in-game) if their personal tanks are destroyed.
 * Wittmann will lose only if all of his men die, or retreat.
 * Gunther will lose if his all his men die, retreat

You all know what I need for voting but just in case:

Format 1: Detailed edge based vote with good grammar and that isn't just a couple of words or a sentence.

Format 2: At least a 7 sentence paragraph detailing why you believe a certain warrior will win.

X-factors are not required in your vote but are appreciated.

I hold the final say as to whether a vote counts or not, guidelines not withstanding.Voting will end when I am satisfied the the quality and quantity of votes.

Battle
"Here are the details on the current operation.

''Imperial forces have begun their main assault onto Gallian territory. They have formed a tight offensive line across out southern front, and have established many base camps across the land. Your squad will be sent to the southeastern front to set up your own base camp and begin to push back.''

''We've received word also that the Imperial forces have struck a tentative alliance with a previously unknown country. We have no knowledge of the name of this country, but it has been discovered that they are sending one of their finest commanders to the front you are occupying. We believe he will attempt an ambush in the surrounding forest to take advantage of the higher terrain of the area.''

''I suggest that you set up a defensive front and prepare for a direct assault. This new enemy also makes no use of base camps or any camps for that matter, which suggests a much more aggressive attack is in order. Due to the injuries sustained after the Assault on Marmota and the attack against Maximillian, no Lancers, Snipers, or Engineers will be available to you. You will be provided with 7 Scouts and 7 Shocktroopers.''

''Letting the enemy past here will allow them free access through our territory. This must be avoided at all costs.Good luck, Lieutenant"''

It had been only a few months since Welkin Gunther, the 2nd Lieutenant who had essentially saved the Principality of Gallia, had started service, and he was once again being asked to be one of the pivotal protectors of his land. Welkin still wondered why they had so much faith in him, even though there were much more experienced leaders that could do just as well if not better.

He laughed to himself, reflecting on the thought that he wasn't even out of his twenties yet, and he'd already ended up just like his father, a war hero. And like his father, he would also live to tell about it, and share his experiences with those he cared about most. His mind then drifted to the thought of his recently made fianceé, Alicia Melchiott. Even after all the hell they'd been through, and her very clear desire to make bread instead of war, she still decided to serve Gallia with him.

And it wasn't just Alicia either, the members of Squad 7 who weren't heavily injured all decided to fight by his side once again. Cherry Stijnen, the sixteen year old-scout who only joined the militia to enjoy the big city and was a major fashionista, had become a hardened Scout ready to die at a moment's notice within months. Same with the clown of the Squad Ted Ustinov, even if his sense of humor persisted throughout their operations, his newfound loyalty always shined through.

It was all brought together by the self-proclaimed "dad" of Squad 7 Welkin, who had guided not only his men but himself through all of their shared experiences. And it was going to all culminate once again against this new enemy. Welkin then breathed in slowly and took in his surroundings with a smile

" Ahh.. Gotta love Natu..."

But as Welkin was about to finish his sentence he noticed something was up with the woodland creatures. They were skittish, and seemed to be retreating into other trees around them. This wasn't normal... The enemy was coming...

"This is an order! All of you, focus on defense!"

Then his squadmates gathered in the general area, waiting for their new enemy...

***

The fame of Michael Wittmann as almost a cult figure was well-known throughout the Fatherland. His aggressive tactics had brought him great success throughout his career. The legend of his ambush at Villers-Bocage had already spread throughout High Command and as such, he had been trusted with Germany's newest information in their darkest days of the war.

Through pure happenstance a previously unknown country known as the East European Imperial Alliance had been discovered by German scientists and leaders. They were dumbfounded as to how such a large country could be hidden for such a long time that no one could ever find it. It was considered an anomaly and the scientists were sent study the surrounding land.

They found that the land the EEIA occupied was nothing like the rest of the surrounding land. It was land inside the Soviet Union, their sworn enemy which had lands known for being extremely cold and arid, but this land seemed to be quite mild in temperature and the terrain was much different. It's was as if the entire area that used to be Soviet land had vanished, no rather had been switched

SS-TV vs Blackshirts
We've hit the second half of the of my season and we've moved past the actual commanders, and into actual units themselves.And today we're using two units from two of the most despicable regimes to ever exist. Two units that existed to bully and exterminate the opponents of their leaders.The Milizia Volontaria per la Sicurezza Nazionale or Blackshirts, Mussolini's personal volunteer paramilitary force, who brutally dealt with Il Duce's dissidents. And the  3rd SS Panzer Division "Totenkopf" the combat division based off the SS- Totenkopfverbände who fought brutally from the Battle of France throught the Eastern Front, committing many war crimes.

WHO IS DEADLIEST!

Blackshirts


The Italian Blackshirts were the fascist paramilitary forces that helped facilitate Benito Mussolini's rise to power in the early 1920s. His October 1922 March on Rome, an event with heavy Blackshirt involvement, was a bullying tactic that effectively secured fascist control in the Kingdom of Italy. In the interwar years they fought in Ethiopia and served as military police forces. During the Second World War the Blackshirts served in North Africa and in Operation Barbarossa, although in this venture they suffered unsustainable losses. This, coupled with the Allied invasion in 1943, led to the dissolvement of the organization in December of that year.


 * -|Rifle=

Carcano is the frequently used name for a series of Italian bolt-action, magazine-fed, repeating military rifles and carbines. Introduced in 1891, this rifle was chambered for the rimless 6.5×52mm Carcano cartridge (Cartuccia Modello 1895). It was developed by the chief technician Salvatore Carcano at the Turin Army Arsenal in 1890 and called the Modello (model) 91 or simply M91. Successively replacing the previous Vetterli-Vitali rifles and carbines in 10.35×47mmR, it was produced from 1892 to 1945. The M91 was used in both rifle and shorter-barreled carbine form by most Italian troops during the First World War and by Italian and some German forces during the Second World War. The rifle was also used during the Winter War by Finland, and again by regular and irregular forces in Syria, Libya, Tunisia, and Algeria during various postwar conflicts in those countries.

Weight:8.6 lbs.

Caliber:6.5x52mm Carcano

Capacity:6-round integral magazine (loaded with an en-bloc clip)

Range:1,000 m effective firing range

The MAB 38 (Moschetto Automatico Beretta Modello 1938), Modello 38, or Model 38 and its variants were a series of official submachine guns of the Royal Italian Army introduced in 1938 and used during World War II. The guns were also used by the German, Romanian, and Argentine armies of the time. Weight:9.25 lbs.
 * -|SMGs=

Rate of Fire:600 rds/min

Caliber:9x19mm Parabellum

Capacity:30-round drum magazine

Range:250 m effective firing range

The Fucile Mitragliatore Breda modello 30 was the standard light machine gun of the Royal Italian Army during World War II.The Breda 30 was rather unusual for a light machine gun. It was fed from a fixed magazine attached to the right side of the weapon and was loaded using brass or steel stripper clips.
 * -|MG=

Weight:10.6 lbs.

Rate of Fire:150 rds/min (practical rate of fire, technically can go up to 500 rds/min)

Caliber:6.5x52mm Carcano

Capacity:20-round stripper-clips

Range:1,000 m effective firing range


 * -|Pistol=

The Beretta Model 1934 is a compact, semi-automatic pistol which was issued as a standard service firearm to the Italian armed forces beginning in 1934. It is chambered for the 9 mm Corto, more commonly known as the .380 ACP.

Weight:1.45 lbs. loaded

Caliber:380 ACP

Capacity:7-round detachable box magazine

Muzzle Velocity:229 m/s

3rd SS Panzer Division "Totenkopf
The 3rd SS Panzer Division "Totenkopf" (German: 3. SS-Panzerdivision "Totenkopf") was one of 38 divisions of the Waffen-SS of Nazi Germany during World War II. Its name, Totenkopf, is German for "death's head", and it is thus sometimes referred to as the Death's Head Division. Prior to achieving division status, the formation was known as Kampfgruppe (battlegroup) "Eicke". Most of the division's initial personnel belonged to the SS-Totenkopfverbände, and others were members of German militias that had committed war crimes in Poland.

The SS Division Totenkopf was formed in October 1939. The Totenkopf Division had close ties to the camp service and its members. When first formed a total of 6,500 men from the SS-Totenkopfverbände were transferred into the Totenkopf Division. The Totenkopf was initially formed from concentration camp guards of the 1st,2nd, and 3rd regiments of the SS-Totenkopfverbände, and men from the SS Heimwehr Danzig. Members of other SS militias were also transferred into the division in early 1940; these units had been involved in multiple massacres of Polish civilians, political leaders and prisoners of war. The division had officers from the SS-Verfügungstruppe (SS-VT), of whom many had already seen action in Poland.

The Karabiner 98 kurz  often abbreviated Kar98k or K98k and often incorrectly referred to as a “K98” (which was a Polish Carbine) is a bolt-action rifle chambered for the 7.92×57mm Mauser cartridge that was adopted on 21 June 1935 as the standard service rifle by the German Wehrmacht. It was one of the final developments in the long line of Mauser military rifles. Although supplemented by semi- and fully automatic rifles during World War II, it remained the primary German service rifle until the end of the war in 1945. Millions were captured by the Soviets at the conclusion of World War II and were widely distributed as military aid. The Karabiner 98k therefore continues to appear in conflicts across the world as they are taken out of storage during times of strife.
 * -|Rifle=

Weight:8.2 lb

Caliber: 7.92×57mm Mauser

Capacity:5-round stripper clip, internal magazine

Range:550 yd


 * -|SMGs=

The MP 40 (Maschinenpistole 40) is a submachine gun chambered for the 9×19mm Parabellum cartridge. It was developed in Nazi Germany and used extensively by the Axis powers during World War II.

Designed in 1938 by Heinrich Vollmer with inspiration from its predecessor the MP 38, it was heavily used by infantrymen (particularly platoon and squad leaders), and by paratroopers, on the Eastern and Western Fronts. Its advanced and modern features made it a favorite among soldiers and popular in countries from various parts of the world after the war. It was often erroneously called "Schmeisser" by the Allies, although Hugo Schmeisser was not involved in the design or production of the weapon. The weapon's other variants included MP 40/I and the MP 41. From 1940 to 1945, an estimated 1.1 million were produced by Erma Werke. Weight:8.75 lb

Rate of Fire:500–550 rounds/min

Caliber:	9×19mm Parabellum

Capacity:32-round detachable box magazine

Range:100–200 m effective

The Maschinengewehr 34, or MG 34, is a German recoil-operated air-cooled machine gun, first tested in 1929, introduced in 1934, and issued to units in 1936. It introduced an entirely new concept in automatic firepower – the Einheitsmaschinengewehr (Universal machine gun) – and is generally considered the world's first general-purpose machine gun (GPMG).
 * -|MG=

Weight:26.7 lb

Rate of Fire:800-900 rounds/min

Caliber:7.92×57mm Mauser

Capacity:50/250-round belts

Range:200–2,000 m


 * -|Pistol=

The Walther P38 (originally written Walther P.38) is a 9 mm semi-automatic pistol that was developed by Carl Walther GmbH as the service pistol of the Wehrmacht at the beginning of World War II. It was intended to replace the costly Luger P08, the production of which was scheduled to end in 1942.

Weight:1 3/4 lbs

Caliber:	9×19mm Parabellum

Capacity:	8-round magazine

Range:50 m

X-factors:
The MSVN were sent to participate in the Second Italo-Ethiopian War in the Abyssinian Campaign and fought throughout the Spanish Civil War as part of the Corpo Truppe Volontarie. In World War II, the MSVN gathered over 300,000 first-line combat troops, which were mostly deployed to the North African campaign, but the MSVN even after its official dissolution in 1943, fought through all theaters that Italy did.
 * -|Experience=

The SS Totenkopf formed in October 1939, and was based off of the SS-Totenkopfverbände, as many of the soldiers had come from there. They fought through the Battle of France, suffering heavy casualties. They were then involved in the Battle of Arras, and the Battle Le Pardis.Then for most of the rest of the the war, they fought throughout the Eastern Front, Warsaw, and Budpest, fighting in many battles against the Soviets.

The MSVN was essentially a paramilitary force, and an all-volunteer force. There isn't much detail available about the specifics of MSVN training, but for this battle, I will assume that they would receive basic training on how to use their weapons and other regular functions of a soldier. But other than that, the Blackshirts don't seem to receive and major training as a militia force.
 * -|Training=

The Totenkopf division likely had standard training for German soldiers of the time. But most of the men that came had already come from other divisions or groups of Nazi Germany's military, like the aformentioned SS-TV, and officers of the SS-VT, who where trained as mobile troops that moved at the Führer's discretion.

The 3rd SS Totenkopf were known as particularly brutal, and were known to participate in several war crimes in France and Poland. They massacred captives after the Battle of Le Pardis and were part of the suppression of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. Their level of fanaticism and brutality was such that they were highly reckless and ferocious in battle, taking many more casualties than most divisions.
 * -|Brutality=

The MSVN as Mussolini's personal paramilitary force, were inherently brutal. They dispatched many of Il Duce's enemies and dissidents however they saw fit. They regularly used violence and intimidation against them, and only got harsher throughout the war.

Battle/Voting
This batle will have some continuity with Richthofen vs Balbo, as sort of the beginning of Germany's land invasion of Italy. This battle will be a 10 v 10 battle, within an Italian city's ruins.

After the destruction of most of Regia Aeronautica, and the acquisition of most of North Africa's resources, Adolf Hitler begins his land invasion of Italy. Mussolini, in desperation to defend his northern front, sends all available soldiers to the area. The Blackshirts already being in Northern Italy, are sent in as front line soldiers. The 3rd SS Totenkopf who are known for their fanaticism, and recklessness in battle are sent in to test the Italian's mettle. The battle begins with the Blackshirts forming a defensive position, spotting the Totenkopf and opening fire.

You all know what I need for voting but just in case:

Format 1: Detailed edge based vote with good grammar and that isn't just a couple of words or a sentence.

Format 2: At least a 7 sentence paragraph detailing why you believe a certain warrior will win.

X-factors are not required in your vote but are appreciated.

I hold the final say as to whether a vote counts or not, guidelines not withstanding.Voting will end when I am satisfied the the quality and quantity of votes. Battle:

"You will all wind up shining the shoes of the Germans!"

These were the words of Italo Balbo, the Marshal of the Air Force of Italy. He meant it as a warning to Mussolini and his foreign policy. He believed that Germany would ultimately use the fascist nation as a means to an end. With Germany closing in on Italy's northern front, it seemed that Balbo couldn't be any more right. After their defeat in North Africa, Italy decided they needed to conserve as many men, materials and supplies as they possibly could.

They also desperately needed to protect the aforementioned northern front, but most of their military was nowhere near the North part of Italy. They instead were deployed across the Balkans, where they were in a bitter battle against the Greeks and Yugoslavians. The only real substantial force that was not only in the area, but also was well armed, was the paramilitary force called the Milizia Volontaria per la Sicurezza Nazionale but was infamously known as the Blackshirts. They were mostly known for their violent practices in silencing the enemies of Il Duce himself.

...

"Please don't kill me!", cried Phil Swift, as he facing the barrel of a Beretta pistol. A squad of Blackshirts had been called to his home to investigate claims that Mr. Swift had assassination plans against Mussolini. In actuality, Mr. Swift was an entrepreneur, who wished to sell his widely successful products across the globe, and Italy was his next stop.Most of the Blackshirts had no idea what he was saying, except for one, their squad leader. He was a middle-aged soldier, with a scar across his right cheek and a thin mustache. He decided that he wanted to mess with the business man a little further.

In a heavy accent he began "Of course Mr. Swift, if you let us investigate your home and explain yourself, we'll be happy to let you live." Having no other option, Phil allowed them into his home. As they entered, they saw all around his house what appeared to be some form of tape, covering various items. There were also many long, sharp knives. Phil was sweating bullets, because he knew what this looked like.

"N-now I know this looks weird, but there's a perfectly good explanation for this. This is my product, Flex Tape, it can put a water tight seal on almost any hole. Like if a bucket gets a hole in it, it can completely cover it and keep the bottom dry" The squad leader of the Blackshirts faked a smile and exclaimed " How very interesting!"

He then walked around the room, inspecting every single relevant object until he found a large box with a glass screen. He had heard of these devices before, but had never seen it in person. There was a large red button on the side of the box, and wanting to complete the investigation to the fullest, pressed it. It turned out thr box was a television, and it turnedd on after a few seconds of random noise.

"THAT'S A LOT OF DAMAGE", the TV cried. "HOW ABOUT A LITTLE MORE?". This immediately sealed Mr Swift's fate. He was holding a knife over a bucket, painted with a quite realistic portrait of Mussolini's face.He then pulled out a hacksaw and begin ripping through in the same areas where he stabbed it. The Blackshirts could not contain themselves, as they began laughing intensely, knowing that Phil was done for.

Before Phil could even respond, the leader raised his pistol, and fired one round into his skull, killing him instantly. Switching back to his native language, he ordered his men to vacate the building immediately. Just then his radio went off. Pulling it out, he heard his commander requesting that all MSVN soldiers move to the center of the city.

The rest of their "patrol" would have to wait, fortheir troubles were about to multiply...

Airplanes baby
Well this is a new one for me. Today ladies and mentlegen we will be having my very first vehicle battle. And to start it off we have two types of bombers going at it today. Unlike the soldiers that that fly in them, they aren't getting any special introduction, so without further adieu, let's do this.

Heinkel HE 111

 * -|Heinkel HE 111=

Mitsubishi Ki-21

 * -|Mitsubishi Ki-21=