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During World War I, the German Empire was one of the Central Powers that ultimately lost the war. It began participation with the conflict after the declaration of war against Serbia by its ally, Austria-Hungary. German forces fought the Entente on the eastern and western front and to a lesser extent on the Italian front. Despite war on multiple fronts German territory itself remained relatively safe from widespread invasion for most of the war, except for a brief period in 1914 when East Prussia was invaded. A tight blockade imposed by the British Navy caused severe food shortages in the cities, especially in the winter of 1916-1917, known as the turnip winter.

Pickelhaube Period[]

Kempf

Friedrich "Fritz" Kempf was a WW1 pilot who fought with a Fokker Dr.I. Before he went to the Luftstreitkräfte in 1915, he belonged to the 5. Badisches-Infanterie Regiment Nr. 113.

Dismountdecavalry

Dismounted cavalryman at the Battle of Halen.

The Pickelhaube Period was the first part of the war when the German army stil were the helmets used since the 19th centurie. The Pickelhaube was originally designed in 1842 by King Frederick William IV of Prussia, perhaps as a copy of similar helmets that were adopted at the same time by the Russian military. It is not clear whether this was a case of imitation, parallel invention, or if both were based on the earlier Napoleonic cuirassier. The early Russian type (known as "The Helmet of Yaroslav Mudry") was also used by cavalry, which had used the spike as a holder for a horsehair plume in full dress, a practice also followed with some Prussian models. There are many designs made mostly by leather and had a pin on the top. There are many pin designs. Each designs for another regiment. In 1892, a light brown cloth helmet cover, the M1892 Überzug, became standard issue for all Pickelhauben for manoeuvres and active service. The Überzug was intended to protect the helmet from dirt and reduce its combat visibility, as the brass and silver fittings on the Pickelhaube proved to be highly reflective. Regimental numbers were sewn or stenciled in red (green from August 1914) onto the front of the cover, other than in units of the Prussian Guards, which never carried regimental numbers or other adornments on the Überzug. With exposure to the sun, the Überzug faded into a tan shade. In October 1916 the colour was changed to be feldgrau (field grey), although by that date the plain metal Stahlhelm was standard issue for most troops. During the early months of World War I, it was soon discovered that the Pickelhaube did not measure up to the demanding conditions of trench warfare. The leather helmets offered virtually no protection against shell fragments and shrapnel and the conspicuous spike made its wearer a target. These shortcomings, combined with material shortages, led to the introduction of the simplified model 1915 helmet described above, with a detachable spike. In September 1915 it was ordered that the new helmets were to be worn without spikes, when in the front line.

Officer Scout Assault
Pickoff
Pickscout
Pickassault
Equipment:
- Seitengewehr 98/02
- Binocular
- Luger
- Flute

Equipment:
- Seitengewehr 98/02
- Binocular
- Gewehr 98 mit
Zielfernrohr


Equipment:
- Shovel
- Seitengewehr 98/02
attd. on Gewehr 98
- Mauser 1898
- Stielhandgranate
Role The officer is responsible for the commands on the battlefield, but also for giving targets to the artillery. Moreover, through his flute, he can heal and resupply the soldiers of ammunition in its environment.

Role Scout is the sniper. He can, through his rifle equipped with a visor, kill soldiers from far distance. Moreover, he can be just like the officer, through his binoculars, give targets to the artillery.

Role The Assault is the soldier who must dominate the battlefield. He gets equipped with standard bolt-action rifles, with some grenades and a bayonet or a shovel. He is responsible to clear and conquer trenches or other strongholds.

Medic Engineer Machinegunner
Pickengi
PicMg
Equipment:
- Shovel
- Gewehr 98
- Stielhandgranate
- First Aid Kit

Equipment:
- Shovel
- Wrench
- Karabiner 1888
- Geballte Ladung

Equipment:
- Shovel
- MG 08/15
- Stielhandgranate


Role The medic is like the assault who need to clear and conquer the trenches and other strongholds. He'll get a extra job and that is healing the soldiers around him. He's being fitted with a bolt-action rifle, a shovel, some grenades and a first-aid kit.

Role The engineer is responsible for repairing vehicles, but also destroying enemy vehicles. The engineer is the only class, equipped with a carbine. His other equipment includes a shovel, a wrench and some anti-tank grenades.


Role The machine gunner is responsible for supporting the soldiers and defending own lines with machine fire. His equipment consists only of a portable machine gun, a shovel and only a hand grenade. Sounds light, but in reality, the machine gunner have the heaviest equipment.

Stahlhelm Period[]

Stahli

Stahlhelm is German for "steel helmet". The Imperial German Army began to replace the traditional Pickelhaube with the Stahlhelm during World War I in 1916. The term Stahlhelm refers both to a generic steel helmet, and more specifically to the distinctive (and iconic) German design. The Stahlhelm was introduced into regular service during the Verdun campaign in early 1916. The M1916 design had side-mounted horn-like ventilator lugs which were intended to be support for an additional steel brow plate or Stirnpanzer, which only ever saw limited use by snipers and trench raiding parties, as it was too heavy for general use. There are many designs. The M1916, M1917, M1918, M1933, M1935, M1940, M1942, M1944, M1945, M1954 and the M1956; Today, some modern helmets are been designed on base of the Stahlhelm. Originally painted Feldgrau (field grey), the Stahlhelm was often camouflaged by troops in the field using mud, foliage, cloth covers, and paint. Official issue cloth covers in white and grey appeared in late 1916 and early 1917. Camouflage paint was not formally introduced until July 1918. The order stipulated that helmets should be painted in several colors, separated by a finger-wide black line. The colors should be relevant to the season, such as using green, brown and ochre in summer. This color is used ingame for Stormtroopers, Anti-Tank personnal with the Mauser Anti-Tank Rifle and the soldiers who wear the Stirnpanzer.

Officer 1
Officer 2
Assault
StaOff1
StaOff2
StaAssa
Equipment:
- Seitengew. 98/02
- Binocular
- Luger
- Flute


Equipment:
Seitengewehr 98/02
- Binocular
- Hebel
- Flute


Equipment:
- Shovel
- Seitengewehr 98/02
attd. on Gewehr 98
- Mauser 1898
- Stielhandgranate

Role Officer 1 is responsible for the commands on the battlefield, but also for giving targets to the artillery. Moreover, through his flute, he can heal and resupply the soldiers of ammunition in its environment.

Role Officer 2 is responsible for the commands on the battlefield, but also for giving targets to the artillery. Moreover, through his flute, he can heal and resupply the soldiers of ammunition in its environment. His weapon is a Hebel rifle, wich can be used for mark targets with a smoke signal, but also for request a artillery barrage.

Role The Assault is the soldier who must dominate the battlefield. He gets equipped with standard bolt-action rifles, with some grenades and a bayonet or a shovel. He is responsible to clear and conquer trenches or other strongholds.

Scout 1
Scout 2
Medic
StaSco
StaSco2
StaMed
Equipment:
- Seitengewehr 98/02
- Binocular
- Gewehr 98 mit
Zielfernrohr

Equipment:
- Seitengewehr 98/02
- Binocular
- Gewehr 98
- Stielhandgranate
Equipment:
- Shovel
- Gewehr 98
- Stielhandgranate
- First Aid Kit
Role Scout 1 is the sniper. He can, through his rifle equipped with a visor, kill soldiers from far distance. Moreover, he can be just like the officer, through his binoculars, give targets to the artillery.


Role Scout 2 is not the sniper. His rifle is equipped with a visor, so he can not kill soldiers from far distance. Moreover, he can be just like the officer and scout 1, through his binoculars, give targets to the artillery.




Role The medic is like the assaul who need to clear and conquer the trenches and other strongholds. He'll get a extra job and that is healing the soldiers around him. He's being fitted with a bolt-action rifle, a shovel, some grenades and a first-aid kit.

Engineer 1
Engineer 2
Machinegunner
Stasengi1
Stasengi1
StaaMg
Equipment:
- Trench Club with spikes
- Wrench
- Karabiner 1888
-Discushandgranate

Equipment:
- Trench Club with spikes
- Wrench
- Karabiner 1888
- Hand-Nebelbombe

Equipment:
- Shovel
- MG 08/15
- Stielhandgr.


Role Engineer 1 is responsible for repairing vehicles, but also destroying enemy vehicles. The engineer is the only class, equipped with a carbine. His other equipment includes a trench made Trench Club, a wrench and some anti-tank grenades.

Role Engineer 2 is responsible for repairing vehicles. Opposite engineer 1, this class is not equiped with anti-tank grenades but with smoke grenades. He is responsible for creating a smokescreen in benefit of both the troops as well as the vehicles. The engineer is the only class, equipped with a carbine. His other equipment includes a shovel, a wrench and some smoke grenades. Role The machine gunner is responsible for supporting the soldiers and defending own lines with machine fire. His equipment consists only of a portable machine gun, a shovel and only a hand grenade. Sounds light, but in reality, the machine gunner have the heaviest equipment.
Stormtrooper 1
Stormtrooper 2
Anti-Tank
StasMP
Stastor
Staat1
Equipment:
- Shovel
- Maschinenpistole 18/1
- Stielhandgranate


Equipment:
- Shovel
- Mauser C/96
- Stielhandgranate


Equipment:
- Shovel
- Tankgewehr M1918



Role The Stormtrooper are soldiers with a very light equipment, but heavily armed, who have be used for the first time in 1918. They are equipped with a machinepistol and one grenade. Their job is attack and eliminate fast and effecient the strong enemy lines.
Role The Stormtrooper are soldiers with a very light equipment, but heavily armed, who have be used for the first time in 1918. They are equipped with a pistol and twelve grenades. Their job is attack and eliminate fast and effecient the strong enemy lines.

Role The Anti-Tank gunner is responsible for destroying enemy tanks, from far distance using the first anti-tank bolt-action rifl. His equipment consists of only a Mauser M1918 anti-tank rifle and a shovel. As protection against enemy sniper fire, the soldier carries a Stirnpanzer and a body panzer.
Flamethrower
Mortar
StasFla
StaaMor
Equipment:
- Seitengewehr 98/02
- Luger
- Flammenwerfer "Kleif"


Equipment:
- Granatenwerfer
- Luger



Role The person is responsible for mortar fire. He can move himself with his mortar. His equipment consists only of a mortar and Luger..


Role The machine gunner is responsible for supporting the soldiers and defending own lines with machine fire. His equipment consists only of a portable machine gun, a shovel and only a hand grenade. Sounds light, but in reality, the machine gunner have the heaviest equipment.

Marine[]

The German Imperial Navy had rapidly expanded to be second to the British Royal Navy, but lead was still great. The only major engagement between the two navies was the battle of Jutland which ended in a draw. Besides the units stationed in homewaters there was a Mediterranean division and the East Asia Squadron. The East Asia Squadron was stationed in Tsingtao and formed a majority of the town's Garrison. Being outnumbered in Asia it was decided to regroup and head to Europe by taking the route around South America, on the way there they took opportunities to raid and to disrupt communications by sabotaging the telegraph line in Tabuaeran, Kiribati. The Squadron was destroyed in a battle near the Falkland Islands. The Bismarck Archipel was guarded by only a few German marines and a militia, and would be taken by ANZAC troops, other German possesions in the Pacific would be seized by Japan.

Officer Scout Assault Anti-Tank Medic Engineer
Marscout
Marassault
Equipment
Equipment
Equipment
Equipment
Equipment
Equipment

Schutztruppe[]

Schutzrezal

Schutztruppe was the African colonial armed force of Imperial Germany from the late 19th century to 1918, when Germany was stripped of its colonies. Similar to other colonial forces, the Schutztruppe consisted of volunteer European settlers commissioned and non-commissioned officers, medical and veterinary officers. Most enlisted ranks were generally recruited locally. In German East Africa they became famous as Askari. Police forces also were established in the colonies. Control of the German colonies of New Guinea (including the Bismarck Archipelago and North Pacific islands) and in German Samoa was performed by small local police detachments. Kiautschou in China was under naval administration.

The colonial force for German East Africa was established by an act of the Reichstag on 22 March 1891; the colonial forces for German West Africa and German Southwest Africa on 9 June 1895. Schutztruppe formations were organizationally never a part of the army or navy. In 1896 Schutztruppe headquarters was established and located at Berlin’s Mauerstrasse, in proximity to the German Colonial Office. German military law and discipline applied to the Schutztruppe. In 1914 there were three Schutztruppe commands, one in each of the German colonial regions in East, West, and South-West Africa.

Officer Scout Assault Anti-Tank Medic Engineer
Equipment
Equipment
Equipment
Equipment
Equipment
Equipment

Askari[]

Askari

Like many other colonial armies the Schutztruppe reruited natives in their African colony of German East Africa. The natives would be the most of the enlisted men and Germans would take officer roles. Despite being cut off from Germany and surrounded by colonies of hostile nations the German East African campaign would go on from the very start and until the end of the war. The German West African colonies of Togoland and Cameroon were taken quicker and the German troops were neutralized. The battle of Sanaga River sealed the fate of Cameroon as it lead to a local German surrender.

Equipment[]

See Equipment of Germany

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